Category Archives: Writing Tips

Today’s Writing Tip

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Social media can be a major time-suck that consumes valuable time that could be spent writing. Nonetheless, it’s a necessary evil to have an online presence. If you have to figure out each day what you’re going to do, it will take even more time. One way around that is to plan your posts in advance, so you can just cut and paste. Perhaps, spend a day putting together Facebook posts and tweets for the coming week; then you’re free for a few days.

Another option is to use an app like Hootsuite, which will even allow you to upload several at a time, several days, weeks or even months ahead. This is also helpful if you go on vacation, out of town, or just need a break.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Nonfiction is usually easier to sell than fiction. Many busy people don’t have time or inclination to indulge in fiction, yet will read for information. There is also less competition, at least in some disciplines.

If you have a unique niche, such as a craft or hobby, or some area in which you’d be considered an expert, don’t hide your talent under the proverbial bushel. Having a blog, YouTube channel, podcast, or maybe even some books or ebooks out on that subject can help the cash flow as well as draw in new fiction fans.

For me, as you’ve probably already figured out if you’re a regular reader, it’s astrology. Technically, I’m retired, but my “day job” comprises being a professional astrologer, something about as antithetical from being an engineer at NASA as I could think of. Not only does it supplement my income, but I have found in some places and situations people are more interested in astrology than science fiction, giving me something to fall back on if sci-fi isn’t in their wheelhouse. How many people do you know who don’t know their zodiac sign?

Today’s Writing Tip

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Have you ever felt more inspired in certain locations than others? Perhaps it was when you were on vacation, on travel for work, or visiting a friend or relative. Believe it or not, this is another area where astrology can help by identifying these places.

Even if you don’t want to move there, targeting one for a visit may give your imagination a major boost! If you can’t go there at all, it may even work to set your next story in that locale, the implication that researching it and visiting it via pictures, websites, and Google Earth will be more stimulating and inspiring than you might think.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Even if you’re not really “into” astrology, there are few things you should know. One is to never start writing a new story when Mercury is retrograde. It will either be delayed, never be published, or need to be entirely rewritten. So I’m sure you’re wondering where to find out when Mercury is retrograde; Googling it is one way, though the monthly horoscopes on my astrology website always provide a list of misbehaving planets so you can mark your calendar accordingly.

At the least, know that one of these scenarios is going to be the situation. About three years ago my muse gave me a blast of inspiration for a side-story to one of my books. I knew Mercury was retrograde, but I had such a strong impression regarding what one of the characters was up to, I couldn’t ignore it. It took me almost no time at all to write four or five chapters. Then I realized that there was yet another story I really needed to write first. So, it got set aside while I wrote the next one, “The Terra Debacle: Prisoners at Area 51.”

The good news is that various characters and situations appeared in that story which related to the one that had been cosmically purloined. By the time I got back to it, Mars was retrograde, a time to go back, un-do, re-do, or simply wait. Since I was “going back” I wasn’t too concerned, except a few weeks later, Mercury was going retrograde again. On the positive side, Mercury retrograde is great for editing and revising. However, progress is unbelievably slow and I have to wonder if this book will ever see the light of day?

Today’s Writing Tip

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When I get inspired to write a certain scene, I go for it, even if it’s out of sequence. Like so many things, it’s use it or lose it, and ignoring inspiration is a sure way for it to evaporate forever. Writing a story in the same order it will be presented to the reader isn’t required. When your muse speaks, listen!

Admittedly, it’s not always easy to keep everything straight, especially when you have multiple characters in different situations. When I was writing “Refractions of Frozen Time” it was like putting together a three-dimensional zig-saw puzzle. I had characters and plot twists popping up like mushrooms after a spring rain, some not only in different time zones, but on different planets, or in a space ship traveling at warp speed. Getting these put in the proper order was often a challenge, but it all eventually tied together, some of those spontaneous scenes that came out of the blue the best in the story.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Never make it too easy or obvious for your character to get what s/he wants. The more obstacles you place in their way, the more interesting and suspenseful the story. When you don’t know what will happen, chances are your reader won’t either.

Sometimes when things seem to be going too well, it can actually add suspense, at least for a while, because the readers will anticipate things are going to crash. A classic example I can think of for this is the TV show, Scorpion. What always starts out as what they expect will be a simple job inevitably turns into the worst-case scenario. This is what builds suspense and makes the story more interesting. It’s also the way that life seems to work.

Today’s Writing Tip

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A chapter outline can be a useful tool, but don’t feel as if it’s engraved in stone. When you start forcing your characters to do your bidding instead of what they want to do, the reader will sense this disparity. Giving your character free rein often brings great plot twists.

When you find that your character wants to do something different than you’d planned, this is an excellent sign that you’ve created a credible one. Cardboard characters are like puppets and will do exactly what you tell them to do, but they also won’t be convincing individuals. No real person is 100% predictable and your characters shouldn’t be, either. If he or she gets himself into more trouble, it contributes to your story, especially when you also allow him or her to find a way out.

I think it’s a lot of fun when a character is in a self-imposed bind that I have no clue how to solve. That’s when I just let him or her figure it out. If I don’t know how it’s going to turn out, it should add to the suspense, assuming the reader won’t know, either.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Make it a habit to spellcheck your work every day when you shut down for the night. This should be part of your routine as a writer. Believe it or not, you might actually forget if you wait until you finish your current story or book. Somehow the final editing and formatting process can eclipse this very essential step.

This is obvious to me based on the many books I’ve read the past few years that are riddled with typos. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve been guilty as well, requiring a lot of time after a book was published to upload a corrected version of something that should have been correct in the first place.

By making it part of your routine, it becomes a task you don’t even have to think about, but do automatically. Done daily, it takes less time and you can be sure the final product won’t be riddled with typos, which drive readers crazy and label your work that of an amateur.

Today’s Writing Tip

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If your characters have a specific ethnicity, be sure to name them accordingly. For example, if your heroine is from Sweden, naming her Inge contributes more to her persona than naming her Yolanda. This reinforces the reader’s image of the character as well, providing a subtle, subconscious contribution to imagery.

Along similar lines, if your character is unique, an unusual name can likewise reinforce that; conversely, naming a character you want to be seen as “normal” and one your reader can relate to calls for a more common name.

All that “What’s in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” business doesn’t necessarily apply to fiction writing.

 

Today’s Writing Tip

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Know the difference between a serial and a series. If your story line & plot continue book to book and culminate in the last one, it’s a serial. This applies even if the stories can stand alone. A series comprises entirely independent stories but with the same characters. Examples include the Nancy Drew series (which were written by multiple authors under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene); Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan series, or Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne series.

It’s too bad that these two terms are so similar, which makes them easier to confuse. Readers are often less than pleased to find out the book they’re reading doesn’t quite end, but carries on in another one, especially if it ends with a cliffhanger.