Category Archives: Writing Tips

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

technology-copy

Continuing with our list of reasons why a novel didn’t receive a 5-star review, here is #3 on the list of reader pet peeves. This one involves overuse of a character’s name. I remember one book in particular where this was so glaring I was yelling at my Kindle, saying “I know who you’re talking about, dumbass! He’s totally alone in the wilderness talking to himself!”

Within a single paragraph, the author must have used the protagonist’s name a dozen time. This, my friends, is what pronouns are for. Clearly, this person did not engage the services of an editor, at least a competent one. This was really quite sad because the author’s premise was quite clever, yet it was so poorly written I barely got through it. To his credit, he did build enough suspense for me to want to know how it ended. But I’ll certainly never pick up another book by that person again and you can bet my review was not even close to 5-stars.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

technology-3 copy

Next on the list after typos for reasons why a story didn’t receive a 5-star review was too many “he said/she saids”. It’s obviously not necessarily to include who said what with every piece of dialog. Again, balance is the key. When it’s a clear “dialog” with one person speaking, then the other, you can go on for a while, as long as it’s reasonably apparent who’s speaking. Nonetheless, an occasional reminder is good, too. If a conversation goes on for a couple of pages, it never hurts to insert either a “s/he said” or perhaps some action, such as a facial expression or gesture, to indicate who’s speaking.

When readers have to go back and figure out who’s speaking, it interrupts the story flow and throws them out of the story, which is something a diligent author should avoid at all costs.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

paper-copy

A saw a blog a while back that addressed reasons why novels received reviews below 5 stars. This should be of interest to all writers since we all crave those lovely, ego-boosting, 5-star reviews. We should all realize that reviews are subjective, but there are a few things readers often grumble about. I’m going to go over them the next few days, so get ready to be as objective as possible as you decide if you’re guilty.

The first one, which drives me crazy as well, is spelling errors. Seriously people, how hard is it to run the spellchecker? If I see a review that mentions typos, I will not buy that book. Some will slip past a spellchecker, but those I can forgive, at least a few of them. However, there is no greater pleasure than reading a book where your engagement with the story is never interrupted by a misspelled word or grammatical error. Some readers may not notice or even mind, but anyone who takes their craft seriously will.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

paper-2 copy

Using generic book covers offered by KDP labels your book as amateur and unprofessional. If your intent is only to sell it to friends and relatives that’s fine, but if you want to compete in a commercial market, it’s not going to fly. A generic or poorly designed cover sends the message you don’t care enough about your work as an author to package it correctly. Furthermore, the cover is a potential reader’s first introduction to your story. If it doesn’t catch their eye, it’s doubtful they’ll have any interest in reading it.

I’ve read some books that were horrible in that they desperately needed editing, yet had luscious covers, showing the opposite can also be true. If you want to be viewed as a professional, the quality of both should be top-notch. There’s a lot of competition out there and you don’t want to give people an excuse to pass you by.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

notes-copy

There are pros and cons to designing your own book covers. First of all, they need to look professional. It’s not that difficult with stock photos and Create Space and Ingram Spark provide templates for print books which you don’t need if your book is only available as an ebook.

Granted, you can save money and have the satisfaction of seeing your own graphic vision of your story in print, but in most cases a skilled artist can come up with cool ideas you’d never think of. It’s also fun and sometimes enlightening to see your work through another person’s eyes. There are just about as many cover designers these days as there are authors, so it’s not hard to find one. In fact, I’m one of them, so if you need a book cover feel free to contact me. You can see my creations on KalliopeRisingPress.com.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

nobody-copy

Creative people can often branch out into other media. This comes in handy if your advertising budget is tight. Designing your own promotional material is fun and another creative outlet that comes in handy between book projects or when you have writer’s block.

I find messing around with Photoshop or creating book trailer videos relaxing and fun. If I’m doing it for someone else, there’s a bit more pressure, but it’s a pleasant way to see my stories in a slightly different light.

If you’ve never tried any other means for your creative expression, give it some thought. If you don’t know where to start, there are plenty of classes out there. Some free graphics programs are Canva, Picmonkey, Piktochart, and Pixlr. Check them out!

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

laptop-copy

Knowing where to find fans for your particular genre can be challenging when it doesn’t fit neatly into a certain category. If you’re writing what’s popular, this isn’t so much of a problem, except then there’s more competition. Nonetheless, finding readers may not be as difficult.

However, if what you write is unique, that’s great for not having as much competition, but chances are not that many people will be interested, either. This is something to think about if your sales are slow regardless of consistent promoting. You may not even know how to categorize it, which is the first step! There are numerous cross-genres out there, but how do you find the readers who will eat it up?

I don’t have any easy answers, since this has been one my biggest challenges as a writer. Even once you identify a potential demographic, finding those individuals can be a challenge. Expect it to take some trial and error before you know your best target and then you’ll have to adjust your promotional plan accordingly.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

laptop-4 copy

Beginning writers can usually benefit greatly by joining a local writer’s group. You may eventually outgrow it and move on, but it’s a great way to make friends, find beta readers, and learn local outlets. LinkedIn offers a similar advantage when you’re starting out, but nothing beats personalized contact.

I don’t know what percentage of people out there are writers, but chances are you’re the only one on your block. Chatting, commiserating, learning, and interacting with other writers builds your confidence and can provide tidbits of information you won’t find anywhere else.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

laptop-3 copy

Writing workshops are fun and stimulating. Getting together with like-minded people in person has a certain esprit de corps you can’t get online. It’s also an excellent way to network with other authors in your geographical area.

Not only were writing workshops the foundation for my writing career, they remain some of my happiest memories. The prevailing energy when several highly creative and imaginative people get together is amazing. Sometimes there’s no substitute for personal contact.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

laptop-2 copy

While the best way to master any skill is to practice, whether it’s baseball, piano, cooking, or writing, there’s still much that can be learned by reading books or blogs or taking classes. There are certain proven techniques which may not be obvious, but can help polish your work and technique faster than by trial and error.

Think how silly it would be to try to build a house from scratch, without any plans or help from someone who had done it before. Not only are you more inclined to make mistakes, but often do things the “hard way” as opposed to the most efficient.

This is especially true when sitting down to write your first book. While being a life-long reader is a good start, it’s just not the same and writing one yourself.