Hi, I'm Lianna.
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Hello, Writers! I've had absolutely no success with having the ability to write anything for you this past week. Things have been crazy. So not only am I super excited to have Sarah Fox here today but also super thankful! Everyone please do welcome this lovely lady! -Lianna Grace Congratulations! You finished your first novel. After you finished dancing to “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” you faced the overwhelming question: “Now how do I revise this thing?” Don’t worry; I have got you covered.
This is the fun step! You can step away from your novel and relax. Don’t read it or even think about it for at least six weeks. It will be tempting to peek, but you must resist the urge. Go on vacation, work on another writing project, see a movie, or finally walk your dog. The time away will help you see your novel with fresh eyes when you come back to it.
You are probably wondering what a reverse outline is. It is when you read through your book and outline it as you read. Basically, it is outlining your book after you are done. This will help you see the structure of your book, which will help you with the next step…
Once you have your outline, it is time to look at every scene and analyze it. With each scene, ask yourself how it contributes to your story. Does it help with character development? Does it raise the stakes? Is it in the right place in the narrative? Make sure every scene has a purpose and is in the right place.
Now that you have your outlines and have thought about your scenes, it is time to get to work. Go through your novel and rearrange the scenes that are in the wrong place, cut scenes that are not necessary, and fill in any gaps with new scenes (or expanding upon old ones). Does the first chapter not add any value? It is gone. Need to swap chapters 10 and 12? Time to switch them in the manuscript. Want to add more romantic tension between the leads? Add a few chapters that do this.
Read your book over a few times to make sure your writing is at its best. This is your chance to rewrite wooden dialogue and cut down on unnecessary words. It is also your opportunity to catch grammar errors and typos. You want it to be in the best shape possible before you show it to someone. Which leads me to my next point…
You were hoping to skip this step, didn’t you? I am afraid it is non-negotiable. You need another set of eyes to catch flat characters or that typo on page 50. Why not send it to your best friend or significant other? I am going to be honest with you; they probably do not have time to read it. Even if they do, they don’t have the skills to really edit your novel or will not be honest with you if they think something needs to be fixed. You really owe it to your novel to get it looked over by a professional. You didn’t work this hard on it to give it rookie treatment, did you? That’s it! Now you can go back to dancing to Justin Timberlake.
#letstalknovelWhat is your favorite bit of the editing process? Probably getting it finished! Let us know in the comments!
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Every story needs an outline. I mean, isn't that what they taught us in school? They always told us that every story, essay, paper needed an outline. And, well, they weren't wrong. Whether you're an outline-er or pantser, I'm here to give you the essentials of creating a good story outline. Don't worry, if you'd rather just take it write by the seat of your pants, this is still for you! There are the essentials to a good novel. And somethings you might want to take note of during your writing process for a good smooth-going story. Whether you're wanting to begin a story from scratch or wanting to outline a novel you've already written (or are still working on), the key to a successful outline is held inside of two steps. Step One: Start Small. Step Two: Dive deeper. Start SmallIdeas To begin with, you need an idea. Already have an idea? Great! Go ahead and jot down (or type up) all the ideas that you have for the entire story in general. Anything at all that you have in mind! Don't have any ideas yet (I know the feeling. That happens most when NaNoWriMo creeps up on us unexpectedly.)? Then, it's probably a good time to find some ideas. My favorite place to find ideas is Pinterest! Characters Characters are definitely a major part of your story. Who is your hero/heroine/protagonist? Who is your villain/bad guy/antagonist? Make a list of your main characters. For each main character, give them a profile. A place where you keep track of their appearance, traits, personality, and any other notes about them. This is going to help you make more believable character profiles. And then make a list of your secondary characters. Who are your main characters' family, friends, enemies? Any other significant characters who show up in the story? Write down all the ones you know. Don't worry, you can always come back and add to this list of characters as you tweak your story. World Write down where your story is set and a little bit about it. If it's set on modern earth, in modern day, there isn't much to note about it. But you might want to know where on earth it's set. Tennessee? Russia? Australia? If it's set in a made-up fantasy world, a different time in history, a dystopian world, or a different dimension, there's definitely going to more to note about it. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, it's important to get to know your story's world. Storyline So know you know your characters and your world...what next? The storyline. What is the basic idea of your story? A boy who dreamed about going to the moon as a child and spends his life trying to make it a reality? A princess who doesn't actually want to be saved from the dragon? A mysterious man living on a hill who, as rumor has it, kills all trespassers? What's your story about? Scenes During the process of outlining a novel, creativity tends to strike. So make sure to take note of any and every scene idea you have in mind! What do you know about your novel? Now that you have all these things about your novel written down or typed up...is there anything else you know about your novel? Take note of all of these things. And then it's time for step two. |
About Vivian ReisVivien Reis grew up all over the world and started out as most writers do--voraciously reading every book she could get her hands on ,and writing as soon as she could wield a pencil. Nowadays she's a mechanical engineer by day and a writer by night, doing her best to help other aspiring novelists reach their full potential through her website and YouTube channel. She started writing her debut novel, The Elysian Prophecy, during a Camp NaNoWriMo event in July 2015. The YA dark fantasy will be available for purchase in Spring 2017. Feel free to join her newsletter to be among the first to hear of any Elysian news! Twitter | Goodreads | Website | YouTube | Instagram |
The Elysian Phrophesy Release Date:
Spring 2017
Synopsis:
A mysterious island. An ancient evil. A society determined to gain power.
Fifteen-year-old Abigail Cole and seventeen-year-old Benjamin Cole never thought one day could alter their lives forever. After a violent attack leaves their father in the hospital and their mother goes missing, both discover there’s more to their family history than mental illness.
But when Abi is abducted, she learns the attack wasn’t random. Thrust into an exotic and beautiful world part of a multi-millennial feud, Abi must decide who to trust in a society built on secrets. Enlisting the help of a boy connected to her in impossible ways, Abi uncovers a family secret stretching generations--a secret her abductors have also discovered.
With Abi gone, Ben tries his best to search for both his sister and his mother, but his hold on reality is fading. Something dark has latched onto him. Violent hallucinations and paranoia force him to believe he’s next in line for the family curse.
Set in a world of magic and fatal powers, failure can result in unthinkable damage. With the clock ticking, Abi and Ben must decide what’s right in time to save themselves and those they love.
When darkness is coming, who do you trust?
To read an excerpt of The Elysian Prophecy, click here!
Giveaway details:
One winner will receive an eARC of THE ELYSIAN PROPHECY, when available.Entering is simple, just fill out the entry form below. Winners will be announced on Vivien Reis's original cover reveal post here and in her monthly newsletter (sign up now!) within 30 days after the giveaway ends.
Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway:
https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1bbd0cea4/
And now...now it's time to reveal to lovely cover!! Gosh, it is beautiful!!
Spring 2017
Synopsis:
A mysterious island. An ancient evil. A society determined to gain power.
Fifteen-year-old Abigail Cole and seventeen-year-old Benjamin Cole never thought one day could alter their lives forever. After a violent attack leaves their father in the hospital and their mother goes missing, both discover there’s more to their family history than mental illness.
But when Abi is abducted, she learns the attack wasn’t random. Thrust into an exotic and beautiful world part of a multi-millennial feud, Abi must decide who to trust in a society built on secrets. Enlisting the help of a boy connected to her in impossible ways, Abi uncovers a family secret stretching generations--a secret her abductors have also discovered.
With Abi gone, Ben tries his best to search for both his sister and his mother, but his hold on reality is fading. Something dark has latched onto him. Violent hallucinations and paranoia force him to believe he’s next in line for the family curse.
Set in a world of magic and fatal powers, failure can result in unthinkable damage. With the clock ticking, Abi and Ben must decide what’s right in time to save themselves and those they love.
When darkness is coming, who do you trust?
To read an excerpt of The Elysian Prophecy, click here!
Giveaway details:
One winner will receive an eARC of THE ELYSIAN PROPHECY, when available.Entering is simple, just fill out the entry form below. Winners will be announced on Vivien Reis's original cover reveal post here and in her monthly newsletter (sign up now!) within 30 days after the giveaway ends.
Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway:
https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1bbd0cea4/
And now...now it's time to reveal to lovely cover!! Gosh, it is beautiful!!
I am super excited for Vivian and her cover looks great! I'm pumped for the release of her novel and I think every single one of you should go and enter the giveaway.
And as always...keep on writing.
Lianna Grace
When writing a story, you want the readers to be able to fall into the world of the novel and get lost inside the words. But if the reader is expected to feel as if they're inside of the book rather than just reading words on a page, it's important for the writer to be even more immersed in the world of the story. Here is your guide to diving deeper into the world of your novel. |
1. Show, Don't Tell |
Yes, I know you've heard this a thousand times. But I think it's important enough to say it once again. And just in case you've never heard this term before, then good! I'll be sure to explain it to you. Basically, if you're writing a scene and one of your characters says something completely odd...don't tell me that your other character is confused. Instead, show me the way they furrow their brow or cock their head to the side slightly. Don't tell me a character is nervous. Instead, show me how they bite their lip or chew their fingernails or play with the ends of their hair. Don't tell me something devastated your character -- show me how she shook uncontrollably, show me the tears that streamed down her face uncontrollably. Don't tell me -- I'm not here for an informational. Show me -- I'm here for a story. 2. Know Your WorldMy biggest advice for any writer at all is to know your story's world. Where is your story set? Our modern world? A different dimension? London 1922? The moon? First, decide where your story is set. Next, dive deeper than that. Is it a fantasy world? Decide what type of mystical creatures it features. Do some of the characters speak some sort of made-up language? What are the names of different places and landmarks in your made-up world? Is it set on the moon? What year is it? How do they live up there? What is the difference between their lifestyle and our modern lifestyle on earth. Is it set in a different country or different year? What are some traits of people who live their? How do they act differently than you're used to? Depending on the country, city, and year people are going to act differently Do your research and decide/know your world! |
3. What Are They Wearing? |
You do not need to tell the reader what each and every character is wearing in each and every scene. But, you as the writer could use that information. It can help you. If you know that your female main character is wearing a dress, then you can make her play with the lace hem if she's bored or waiting on someone/something or thinking. But if know that she's wearing a dress, you might not want to make her run in that scene. Knowing what your character is wearing can help in so many ways (including not being contradictory to something you wrote previously) -- and you can use the information without having to tell the reader a full-on description of their entire outfit. |
4. Use All Five Senses |
Your reader wants to know where they are in each scene. And while they don't need to know every detail (like the color of a bystander's shoes), you want to use all five senses when you describe a newly introduced part of your story's world. Whether that be a new room, a new building, a new city, or even a new dimension. Show us what your character sees, tell us what they smell, how something feels, what sounds they can hear. You can even use the fifth sense -- taste. The character doesn't even have to be eating -- tell us how the air tasted when they took a breath. Was it dusty, misty, did it taste like chalk? |
Bonus Tip |
Imagine your story like a movie. Imagine each scene in the form of a movie -- as you're writing it. This way, it's so much easier to add details which will make your scene more imaginable and realistic. And remember to know your character's surroundings in each scene! That way, you'll be able to add actions and dialouge tags a lot easier. #letstalkLet's talk a little bit about your story's world in the comments! Where is your story set? |
Lately, I've been binge reading blog posts on all things writing. And I'm here to share those with you! These are some amazing places to find inspiration, community, and help with you writing project! There are mostly blogs, but there are also a few YouTube Channels and Facebook groups that I've had the pleasure of joining that have great community! - BlogsShe's Novel This is the first writing website, I think, that I ever found and quite possibly one of very best of the best! The Bookish Fox Oh my gosh, Sarah Fox's newsletters are incredible. I highly recommend subscribing to her mailing list because she is amazing. |
Create Lounge
This website is so aesthetically pleasing and the posts are not only helpful to your writing life but also very inspiring and encouraging.
Kayla Dean
Kayla gives lovely blog posts on writing advice as well as keeping up with and communicating with her followers/readers.
The Nourished Writer
Writely Me
Writer's Edit
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This website is so aesthetically pleasing and the posts are not only helpful to your writing life but also very inspiring and encouraging.
Kayla Dean
Kayla gives lovely blog posts on writing advice as well as keeping up with and communicating with her followers/readers.
The Nourished Writer
Writely Me
Writer's Edit
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YouTube Channels
Facebook Groups
#letstalk
What are your favorite writing resources? Do you have a blog yourself? I'd love to know! Tell me in the comments!
If you're anything like me, you have ideas. And I don't just mean simple story ideas. I mean more like ideas of dreams that you want to pursue. I have so many ideas about my novel (and future novels) , my YouTube channel, my website, my new website I'll be launching with my friends, and a future career of filmmaking. As you can probably tell...I have a lot of ideas. I just want to do everything. And try everything. Of course, not everyone can do everything...but why not try? And when you have a mind that is always churning out ideas, even if those are just simple story ideas, it's crucial to have a schedule. Because you have to find a way to balance work, school (if you're still in school), and creativity. I know that for me, creativity doesn't like to wait until I'm not busy. In fact, that's the time where creativity kicks in the most. And ideas start coming from everywhere. And one question keeps floating through my brain, getting in the way of whatever I'm doing. What if? |
Since I'm still in school, I have to learn to balance my work life, school life, social life, creative life, writing life, and make sure my faith life is weaved throughout all of that -- or else I won't be able to last for very long. And something that helps so , so much are these three things: a schedule, a to-do list, and a planner. Without at least one of these things, I think I'd go crazy.
I love to have a schedule so I don't go insane trying to remember everything. I love to have a planner to keep track of that schedule. And I love to have a to-do list to
Personally, I don't like schedules that have exact times for everything. Like, "at 6:30, wake up. At 6:15, brush your teeth". Things like that. (And maybe that's something you like, I just personally prefer I more loose schedule).
The type of schedule that I'm talking about when I mention balancing your everyday life with your creative life, is one where you set aside a certain portion of your day to do each thing.
So, if you know you have work in the afternoon, then the afternoon will be where you work on all things work related. And if you know that you write best in the morning, then that's when you should set aside your writing time. Things like that.
Something I would recommend is having a notebook nearby when doing work and/or school so you can jot down any ideas that come to mind. And then later, when it's your creative time, you can go wild with creativity.
The best time to write: Honestly the best time to write is whenever you write best. If that' the morning, then write in the morning! If it's the evening, the afternoon, three a.m...then that's when you should write!
The best time to spend time with God: Of course, the best time to spend time with our Lord and Savior is always. But, I always tell people this, you should always start your day with Jesus. Before you check social media, before you start stressing, before you get to work...first thing in the morning, fill you soul with Jesus' love and His energy.
The best time to write your to-do list: My favorite time to write a to-do list is right before bed. Before I go to sleep, I like to write a list of things I have to do the next day. It helps to reduce stress and anxiety and worrying that you'll forget something important.
My recommendation is to make a list of all the different sections of your life that you want to balance out and then put them in order of priority and the best time to do them.
Don't stress yourself out. Don't worry. Don't get anxious. Set goals. Make a plan, keep a schedule, and if it doesn't work -- then switch it up. Don't limit yourself. Try things out and find what works best for you.
And as always, keep being creative. If you want to do something or to be something, if God has placed a dream in your heart -- chase that dream. Don't let anyone stop you.
#letstalk
I'd love to know what type of schedule you like to use? Do you use a planner? Do you prefer to use your phone calendar? Let me know in the comments!
There are rules absolutely everywhere on how to write your story. And how not to write your story. And it makes sense that there are so many rules, I mean we ask for them. We go right to Google and start asking questions because we (for some odd reason) want to know how everyone else thinks we should write our story. And they tell us. Now, don't get me wrong. Rules are good. And you should listen to those rules. But then you should break them. Writing a story isn't about what everyone else is doing and what everyone else is saying you should do. Writing a story isn't as simple as getting a guidebook handed to you and following it's every instruction. Writing a story involves so much more creativity, so much more rule-breaking. |
I just finished reading the novel "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness. And something I continued to notice throughout the book is that Patrick Ness didn't follow the rules. His writing was unique, the way he separated scenes was different, the entire story itself didn't follow the rules.
Stories aren't made up of rules. They're made of us.
You want to write a bestseller? You want to write something that's going to change the world and catch the eye of millions? Well, what I've noticed and I'm sure you have too, is that it's the things that are different, new, and quirky that make bestsellers, that go viral, that are the most popular.
Try something different.
Find out what everyone is saying you should do. And then do the exact opposite.
Your story is your story.
Here are three examples of writing rules -- and why you should break these specific ones.
The Rule: "Never use any dialogue tag other than said"
Why you should break it: When I see books with no speech tag other than said, it actually annoys me. What about when the character is asking a question? You can't just put "said" beside that because everyone says to. It doesn't even make any sense. I do agree, that you shouldn't try so hard to not use 'said' that you go using all sorts of crazy tags. Said is a good word. And it works just fine and does exactly what we need it to. But go ahead and switch it up every once in awhile. And if 'said' doesn't seem to work that well for what your character is saying, then don't use it.
The Rule: "Always write about what you know"
Why you should break it: When I saw this rule, my mind was automatically saying "NO. No, no, no, no, no."
I say write about what you don't know. Explore it. Learn about it. Write about it. And even, write about what you don't know about it. There are so many ways to do this. Don't limit yourself to what you can write about by following this rule. Break it. In whatever way you find possible.
The Rule: "Never use abstract "
Why you should break it: Oh my word, I don't even know where to begin with bashing this rule. Abstract is something absolutely amazing to use. It makes for a very aesthetically pleasing book and makes your imagination rocket sky high. Do not, and I repeat, do not constrict yourself to this rule. BREAK IT. If you feel like using something abstract, then use something abstract and describe it too. I absolutely love reading about things that are abstract and things like that make up very lovely pieces of writing.
So listen to the rules and then break them...but in proportion. There are some rules, like most grammar rules that you probably shouldn't break...or else your readers might not even be able to understand what you wrote.
But other than that...break those rules!
And as always...
Keep on writing.
You want to write a bestseller? You want to write something that's going to change the world and catch the eye of millions? Well, what I've noticed and I'm sure you have too, is that it's the things that are different, new, and quirky that make bestsellers, that go viral, that are the most popular.
Try something different.
Find out what everyone is saying you should do. And then do the exact opposite.
Your story is your story.
Here are three examples of writing rules -- and why you should break these specific ones.
The Rule: "Never use any dialogue tag other than said"
Why you should break it: When I see books with no speech tag other than said, it actually annoys me. What about when the character is asking a question? You can't just put "said" beside that because everyone says to. It doesn't even make any sense. I do agree, that you shouldn't try so hard to not use 'said' that you go using all sorts of crazy tags. Said is a good word. And it works just fine and does exactly what we need it to. But go ahead and switch it up every once in awhile. And if 'said' doesn't seem to work that well for what your character is saying, then don't use it.
The Rule: "Always write about what you know"
Why you should break it: When I saw this rule, my mind was automatically saying "NO. No, no, no, no, no."
I say write about what you don't know. Explore it. Learn about it. Write about it. And even, write about what you don't know about it. There are so many ways to do this. Don't limit yourself to what you can write about by following this rule. Break it. In whatever way you find possible.
The Rule: "Never use abstract "
Why you should break it: Oh my word, I don't even know where to begin with bashing this rule. Abstract is something absolutely amazing to use. It makes for a very aesthetically pleasing book and makes your imagination rocket sky high. Do not, and I repeat, do not constrict yourself to this rule. BREAK IT. If you feel like using something abstract, then use something abstract and describe it too. I absolutely love reading about things that are abstract and things like that make up very lovely pieces of writing.
So listen to the rules and then break them...but in proportion. There are some rules, like most grammar rules that you probably shouldn't break...or else your readers might not even be able to understand what you wrote.
But other than that...break those rules!
And as always...
Keep on writing.
#letstalk
What is the one book that you've read that stood out to you the most for breaking the rules?
Well, hello again everyone! It's been awhile since I've posted and I haven't been quite on schedule...things have been super busy for me lately especially with the editing process beginning for my novel and with all the preparations for my up and coming YouTube channel. But I'm back! And today we're going to be talking about creating stronger characters and character profiles. The key to creating stronger characters profiles is diving deeper than the normal "sixteen years old with blonde hair and blue eyes". Sure, it's a great thing to know and take note of your characters' hair color, eye color, and age. But to create a stronger character, you need a stronger character profile. You need to know a lot more about your own characters than their basic appearance. You should know what their laugh sounds like...how they would react if they discovered they were adopted, what the most traumatic thing was that happened in their childhood... So that being said, I would love to share with you the ultimate Character Profile Template. And it's free! I crafted this, wanting my characters' information to be more than skin deep. It includes... The Basics: appearance, family/friends, background, etc Character Thoughts: prompts to figure out what's going on in your character's mind Character Interview: questions to ask your character (and answer from their POV) that you never thought to ask. |
You can get the template HERE. Go ahead and copy it and then paste it to wherever you'd like. Weather that be your own Google Docs, another software that you like writing on, or even e-mail to yourself for later! Maybe you even want to copy it all down into a notebook. Whatever works best for you to go and start creating those bestselling characters!
Another Tip:
Don't create cliche characters. You want your story to be original, right? You want your characters to be your characters. Then give them quirks, make them special. Try your best to not pick girl with blonde hair and blue eyes who is the prom queen, or the girl is completely average and insecure about herself, or the good girl who falls in love with the bad boy. We've heard these stories a thousand times and readers don't want carbon copies of stories or characters for that matter. That's like buying twenty copies of the same exact book and reading each and every one even though theyre the same...not fun! Everyone wants an original story -- something they haven't read before. Something exciting, something different, something unique.
A Little Bit About My Unique Character:
I'm a little more than excited about the character that I wrote for Just a Dying Dream.
His name is Tatum. He's handsome and thoughtful and has a mysterious air about him. But he's also quiet and some might call him "weird" before getting to know him. Tatum has a mental disorder called Shcizophrenia which alters a person's ability to think clearly, behave normally, and understand reality. Tatum hears voices, has hallucinations, and doesn't act or think quite the same as a "normal" person.
Yes I have seen stories with characters who have schizophrenia (mostly on Wattpad). But, other than Tatum's mental disorder, there's another reason I'd like to say my story is unique. I normally see stories where the girl has the problem or the disability/disorder. And then they meet the boy who helps them through it. I see that everywhere.
And, yes, the girl in my story is diagnosed with depression and anxiety...but the story doesn't center around him helping her...it's more like them helping each other. And I'm loving writing it.
Another Tip:
Don't create cliche characters. You want your story to be original, right? You want your characters to be your characters. Then give them quirks, make them special. Try your best to not pick girl with blonde hair and blue eyes who is the prom queen, or the girl is completely average and insecure about herself, or the good girl who falls in love with the bad boy. We've heard these stories a thousand times and readers don't want carbon copies of stories or characters for that matter. That's like buying twenty copies of the same exact book and reading each and every one even though theyre the same...not fun! Everyone wants an original story -- something they haven't read before. Something exciting, something different, something unique.
A Little Bit About My Unique Character:
I'm a little more than excited about the character that I wrote for Just a Dying Dream.
His name is Tatum. He's handsome and thoughtful and has a mysterious air about him. But he's also quiet and some might call him "weird" before getting to know him. Tatum has a mental disorder called Shcizophrenia which alters a person's ability to think clearly, behave normally, and understand reality. Tatum hears voices, has hallucinations, and doesn't act or think quite the same as a "normal" person.
Yes I have seen stories with characters who have schizophrenia (mostly on Wattpad). But, other than Tatum's mental disorder, there's another reason I'd like to say my story is unique. I normally see stories where the girl has the problem or the disability/disorder. And then they meet the boy who helps them through it. I see that everywhere.
And, yes, the girl in my story is diagnosed with depression and anxiety...but the story doesn't center around him helping her...it's more like them helping each other. And I'm loving writing it.
#letstalk
What is the most unique character you have ever read about? I would seriously love to hear!
I'm so excited to have with us, award winning author -- K.M Weiland for another Author Interview! K.M. Weiland lives in make-believe worlds, talks to imaginary friends, and survives primarily on chocolate truffles and espresso. She is the IPPY, NIEA, and Lyra Award-winning and internationally published author of Outlining Your Novel and Structuring Your Novel, as well as Jane Eyre: The Writer’s Digest Annotated Classic. She writes historical and speculative fiction from her home in western Nebraska and mentors authors on her award-winning website Helping Writers Become Authors. |
Thanks so much for being with us, Katie! Tell us, where do you find the most writing inspiration?
I like to say inspiration is everywhere—and it really is. I’ve picked ideas from such disparate places as the dust on my windowsill (I’m a terrible duster) to my pets to the grapefruit I had for breakfast. It’s really just a matter of being open to whatever you’re experiencing at the moment.
But I will say that most of my inspiration is usually the result of other people’s art. The three big ones are most definitely:
I feed off other people’s stories and glean little tidbits that inspire stories of my own. The characters and themes in books and movies and the half-answered questions in songs are endless sources of inspiration for me.
What is one of your favorite books?
HMS Surprise by Patrick O’Brian. Quirky, intelligent, deep. After loving the movie adaptation of O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin series, it took me three of his books to truly appreciate how insanely brilliant he is. This was the book where I finally “got” it. O’Brian’s work is more than just fiction—it’s an experience.
Which authors are you friends with and how do they help you become a better writer?
I’m blessed to count many, many fellow authors as my friends. The sense of community is one of the most encouraging things—knowing none of us is alone in our struggles. It’s also wonderful to be able to count on others to lend a helping hand, especially with beta reading and critiquing. I can’t say enough about the importance of an objective pair of eyes on each new story.
What ways did you grow a bigger audience as an author?
In the beginning, I tried everything. If there was a social networking site, I was on it. Twitter and Facebook remain my big guns. They’re where I connect with the majority of my readers and pull in most of my traffic. I maintain a steady schedule of posts and tweets, and one of my favorite tools has been my Writing Question of the Day (#WQOTD), which allows me to actively interact with people every single day.
What is your biggest piece of advice for other writers?
Don’t scrimp on the small stuff. Understanding the details of your craft—and the publishing industry—is what sets the pros apart from the amateurs. If you’re really serious about selling stories, perfectionism needs to be a constant goal. In a cutthroat market such as we have today, nailing the small details will make all the difference.
Thanks so much for being with us, Katie! Tell us, where do you find the most writing inspiration?
I like to say inspiration is everywhere—and it really is. I’ve picked ideas from such disparate places as the dust on my windowsill (I’m a terrible duster) to my pets to the grapefruit I had for breakfast. It’s really just a matter of being open to whatever you’re experiencing at the moment.
But I will say that most of my inspiration is usually the result of other people’s art. The three big ones are most definitely:
- Books
- Movies
- Music
I feed off other people’s stories and glean little tidbits that inspire stories of my own. The characters and themes in books and movies and the half-answered questions in songs are endless sources of inspiration for me.
What is one of your favorite books?
HMS Surprise by Patrick O’Brian. Quirky, intelligent, deep. After loving the movie adaptation of O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin series, it took me three of his books to truly appreciate how insanely brilliant he is. This was the book where I finally “got” it. O’Brian’s work is more than just fiction—it’s an experience.
Which authors are you friends with and how do they help you become a better writer?
I’m blessed to count many, many fellow authors as my friends. The sense of community is one of the most encouraging things—knowing none of us is alone in our struggles. It’s also wonderful to be able to count on others to lend a helping hand, especially with beta reading and critiquing. I can’t say enough about the importance of an objective pair of eyes on each new story.
What ways did you grow a bigger audience as an author?
In the beginning, I tried everything. If there was a social networking site, I was on it. Twitter and Facebook remain my big guns. They’re where I connect with the majority of my readers and pull in most of my traffic. I maintain a steady schedule of posts and tweets, and one of my favorite tools has been my Writing Question of the Day (#WQOTD), which allows me to actively interact with people every single day.
What is your biggest piece of advice for other writers?
Don’t scrimp on the small stuff. Understanding the details of your craft—and the publishing industry—is what sets the pros apart from the amateurs. If you’re really serious about selling stories, perfectionism needs to be a constant goal. In a cutthroat market such as we have today, nailing the small details will make all the difference.
Thanks so much to Katie for doing this interview! And to all of you reading, please do leave us a comment letting us know your thoughts!
Keep on writing,
xxLianna Grace
Keep on writing,
xxLianna Grace
I've been considering how easy it is for popular authors (even those of bestselling novels) to give out advice that's...well...easier said than done. I mean, it's easy for them to say -- they've done it a thousand times.
But what about new witers? Or how about aspiring novelists who just aren't as experienced as the professionals? Where do we find real advice that is actually helpful to us?
Today, I have with me several writers, all of whom are real people, with real advice.
So weather you're just barely starting out as a writer, you're in the middle of your first novel (or second even), or you just write for fun...we have advice for you.
So, please welcome all of these awesome writers! (and please do leave a comment letting me know where YOU find inspiration to write!)
Willow Byrne:
indie author of YA novella "Ruby"
mymelodyofwords.wordpress.com
"My biggest piece of advice for writers/aspiring novelists is...always make sure that you get someone else to read your writing after the first draft. They will be able to notice things that aren't explained that might seem obvious to you but not to the author, and can help you with punctuation, rewording (if needed) and plot holes."
Cath:
aspiring author
wattpad.com/user/cath-elizabeth
"My biggest peice of advice for any writer is...Write as much as you can. If that's every day, great. If that's every week, great. But whatever you do, make sure you stay immersed in the world of your story. Even if you only write thirty words, you're still in the world of your novel. And to have a rich story, you need to be emotionally invested. Stay in your world. Write."
Jack:
EDM Producer/Writer/Director/Filmmaker/YouTuber/Gamer
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHscM_r7L7Pk0JrvmUi0yPw
"My biggest peice of advice is...Whether it's becoming a YouTuber, musician, author, filmmaker or anything else, there needs to be commitment. When it comes to content creation, the first try will never be the best. It takes the commitment of getting past those first few tries to become comfortable with your craft. Don't be discouraged by the first step."
Abigail Jeane:
bloger/reader/aspiring songwriter/music lover
https://heavenspoetry.wordpress.com/
"My biggest advice for writers is, hold on to your dream. Whatever it is that God has called you to do, do it. Stay true to yourself. If you have a passion to write, GO FOR IT! Too often, we don't let our passion turn into action, and that only leads to you becoming content in that state of mind.
Find your passion in writing. What topics do you like? What interests you most? What do you enjoy writing about? What is your goal? Then go from there.
Secondly, realize that everyone experiences setbacks. The amazing thing: you learn more as you go. Even in the failures. Even in the hardest days. You're still learning. Keep an open mind and stay strong.
Something that's really made an impact for me: Friendships. Have those people in your life that you can talk to in the good times and the bad. You're a writer. Not Batman. (Orrr..maybe you are Batman. Which is awesome too.)
Point is: even superheroes have their sidekicks. Get that group of partners in crime. Er, writing. Show them your work. Talk to them about it. Ask for their opinion, thoughts, what could make it better, etc. Take them out for coffee and just mingle over writing for a while, why don't you?
The only other thing I would add--have fun! And enjoy where the journey takes you.
Happy writing!!!"
Tera Elise:
novelist and fangirl
"I’ve been into creative writing pretty much ever since I was old enough to hold a pencil and scribble down the words “The End.” However, I am a huge procrastinator, which means that deadlines and I don’t mix very well. I tend to write in bursts of inspiration and I’ve had to learn not to force it. If I don’t have an idea for whatever project I’m working on, I’ll listen to music or work on something else, but trying to force myself to work on it will accomplish nothing besides killing any motivation I have and burning the idea down to the ground.
One of the main things that helps me when I’m dying to write but also literally dying whenever I try is talking to my brother, Nathaniel. Having someone creative (even if they’re not a writer themselves) to bat ideas around with is incredibly helpful, and I’d definitely recommend finding someone who will be willing to participate in animated and lengthy 2 AM debates about time paradoxes or whether or not inserting a superhero who gains his powers by eating blueberry waffles into your story is a good idea. And if that person is also willing to be a beta reader, all the better. Plot holes will always creep in, and having someone to point them out in a constructive way will help the story flow better for the rest of your readers. That said, don't be discouraged if your story isn't perfect by the first draft. That's what editors are for. :)"
I am absolutely loving what these amazing people have to say. I already feel inspired, myself. Thanks so much to all of you writers, for sharing your advice and experiences!
Keep on writing. xx