Category Archives: Writing Tips

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

e-mail- copy

Your prime writing time each day can become fragmented by dozens of distractions and interruptions, some self-imposed, others not. Promoting, marketing, other jobs, groups, obligations, family, kids, and pets are just a few.  Unless you have a baby or preschool child, there’s usually some segment of the day you can call your own.

The trick is you have to claim it as such and not let anything else get in your way. Don’t even peek at your email, answer or phone, or allow yourself to be distracted by a household chore that needs to be done. Even if you have small children, hopefully they have a nap time you can call your own.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

desktop- copy

Several social media platforms have similar formats, such as Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Save time by posting the same thing on each of them using an efficiency enhancer such as Hootsuite.

Since each one has different limitations regarding how much text you can include, you’ll have to adjust for the smallest common denominator. Getting Instagram hooked up to Hootsuite can be a bit of a challenge, since your Instagram accounts must be associated with a business Facebook page.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

desk- copy

Planning promotions in advance makes sense, but unexpected opportunities can sneak up, such as a holiday that fits your genre. You can see a handy calendar with several such dates and/or download a template to create your own here.

Be sure to use the appropriate hashtags for the holiday to fully exploit its usefulness! The reason this method can be effective is that some people will search on the hashtag, which will bring your product to their attention whereas they may have missed it otherwise.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

design-space-copy

Social media can be a virtual blackhole for your time and creativity, especially if you maintain a presence on several. Using the same post for as many as possible, which will undoubtedly reach slightly different audiences, can help save time as well as your sanity. Maintaining a list of posts that you can cut and paste versus creating each time is another time-saver.

In some cases, it’s worth it to take a class or spend some time on the various apps to discover some of the tricks that increase efficiency. For example, Pinterest is more than a place to post cute pictures. You can include a link to your website or a buy link after grabbing a potential customer’s attention with an original graphic or meme.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

computer- copy

Shocking your readers with something for which you’ve left them entirely unprepared often backfires. This is where little hints and teasers that plant suspicions in their minds should be used.  Rather than distract from suspense, they actually add to it via anticipation, which is better than something out of the blue. If something too surprising occurs, it commits the primary author faux pas of throwing the reader out of the story.

Any jaw-dropping occurrences should thus have a foundation in credibility by being set up beforehand. Then fire away!

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

computer- copy

Give your supporting characters unique talents that fit your plot so each contributes something to the story. This enhances their individuality and helps avoid redundancy in your characters by justifying their existence in the story.

If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, think about your favorite sit-com and the differences between the characters. These traits are also useful for creating conflict. Weird habits or talents can also be useful in describing their appearance and contribute to imagery. For example, if someone is a mountain climber they’ll have a different appearance than someone in a garage band.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

coffee- copy

Giving your protagonist a unique or unusual name can make him or her more memorable. However, if it’s so weird or impossible to pronounce that your readers stumble every time they see it, then it can be a distraction, which is something you never want to do. It works best if you keep it short and easily recognizable. If you have several such names, make sure they’re of different length, and don’t have the same first letter, which makes them easier to tell apart.

This seems to happen a lot in science fiction and fantasy and something I’ve struggled with from time to time.  Now that my series is being made into audio books, I have to admit I’m wondering how my narrator will say some of those names! I’m reminded of the movie, “Men in Black”, where some of the space aliens have some pretty strange names that I’d have no clue whatsoever how to spell!

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

blogging-copy

Giving your characters names that fit their personality is one way to enhance imagery. Think about it–when you visualize someone named John or Michael you probably get an entirely different image than someone named Homer. Does your image automatically drift toward someone you know with that name?

Need ideas? Search on any given name on IMDb. Think about what the individuals who come up have in common and whether it fits your character.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

blank copy

Make it a habit to “people watch” when you’re in places like the grocery store, the mall, waiting in the doctor’s or dentist’s office, or Walmart. When you see someone who catches your eye, think of how you would describe that person if s/he were in one of your stories. (Try not to stare, it could get you in trouble.)

As they say, truth is stranger than fiction, and you can often see characters far beyond anything you could imagine, unless you’re deep into fantasy writing and this sort of thing comes naturally. Even then, it can fuel your already-fertile imagination. This is also one way to put your time to good use while doing routine errands that can sometimes feel like a nuisance when you’d rather be writing.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

alphabets-copy

Do you know the difference between a red herring & a plot hole? Red herrings, usually used in mysteries, distract suspicion from the true villain and point toward other possible culprits. These can also be used in similar situations to keep your readers guessing.

A plot hole is something implied that you never brought to closure. While you may plan on doing so in a sequel, it’s best to nonetheless mention it in some way so your readers don’t think you forgot and it slipped through the cracks.