Category Archives: Writing Tips

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Knowing the genre(s) into which your story fits is essential. There are also various sub-genres, more than you can imagine. This helps you get them into the hands of your target readers.

Unfortunately, not all the places where you may distribute your books will include them all. This is understandable due to the fact there are so many, but not good in that it would make it easier for readers to find you, especially if your book is unique. It can also help your book’s ranking in outlets such as Amazon. I have seen books blatantly miscategorized as a ploy to achieve ranking because there would be so few that fit that description. Cheesy, yes; effective, yes.

The official name of these codes is BISAC which stands for Book Industry Standards and Communications. I wrote a detailed blog about them last October which you can find here.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Yesterday I mentioned the importance of expanding your vocabulary. One way to do this is to make it a habit to look up every new word you encounter. While you may be able to deduce its meaning from the context, often the official definition provides important details. In some cases, it may have even been used incorrectly.

One skill every writer should develop is the ability to use exactly the correct word. The more expansive your vocabulary, the more easily you’ll be able to accomplish this. Such precision contributes to imagery, emotion, action, and all the other elements you want to capture. Learning new words is often useful in this way since it may be just the one you’ll need later.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Words are an author’s tools and you should be adding to your vocabulary on a regular basis.  One way to do this is to subscribe to services that provide a word of the day or even read the dictionary. You’d be surprised the cool words you’ll find!

I know I’ve mentioned the book “The Superior Person’s Book of Words” by Peter Bowler previously. It contains a collection of words that are obsolete and thus seldom if ever heard, making many of them ideal for use as veiled insults. For example, did you know an alliaphage is a garlic eater?

I came across one the other day that had me laughing for two days. I kid you not. I don’t know how it escaped me for so long. The word is blivit. Feel free to google it. There is quite a wide variety of definitions, many of which are quite amusing, albeit crude. My personal favorite is “10 lbs of crap in an 8 lb bag”, i.e. an overstuffed sack of you-know-what. If you don’t know anyone (or have a character in one of your stories) that fits that description, then you are definitely missing out.

Personally, I think there should be Blivit Awards, similar to the old Golden Fleece Awards from years past. Washington D.C. and Hollywood are loaded with candidates.

 

Today’s Writing Tip

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Have you ever read a scene in a book and realized you had no idea what that character looked like? I really appreciate it when the author provides that information. However, I’ve heard some say that they think the reader would prefer to imagine him or her as they like. Personally, I think that is the author’s right and responsibility. If I want to invent a character, I’ll write my own story.

There’s also the matter that some descriptions need to be repeated as reader reminders. This is especially true of minor characters who may have been described several pages or chapters previously. It never hurts to drop a hint every now and then. Another great identifier is a gesture or some other habit that is linked to a given character. For example, maybe she tosses her hair or he plays with his mustache.

This same advice goes for certain settings and locations in your story. If you do a good job the first time, you can minimize them later. Imagery makes a story come alive. If you want your reader to visualize the story as you did, you need to provide this information.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Avoiding Deus ex machina endings should go without saying. If you’re unfamiliar with that term, literally it means in so many words that God intervenes. If you have built a faith-based story in which this is a credible outcome, then that’s okay. However, it’s not acceptable for other types of fiction.

Other than the literal translation, it refers to an ending where something or someone comes along out of nowhere, like some sort of literary superhero, and takes care of wrapping up the story. These are annoying to say the least. As an author, if you get your characters in such an incredible mess you can’t fix it more appropriately, then you need to go back to plotting with your thinking cap securely in place.

If you write sci-fi or fantasy, you have a bit more freedom provided you set up the possibility for a dramatic ending beforehand so you don’t spring it on the reader out of the blue. Miracles are fine, as long as you develop the possibility beforehand.

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Building suspense does not mean keeping the reader uninformed. Some of the best suspense is built by alluding to something that might happen, even if it doesn’t. One thing to avoid is blindsiding your readers with something that hasn’t been hinted at in some way.

For example, if you’re writing a murder mystery, mentioning the guilty party in some manner during the story before s/he’s revealed as the culprit is essential. The same principle applies to various other situations as well.

Often more information is more suspenseful than not enough since feeding the reader’s sense of anticipation is the key.

 

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You’ve probably already figured out that many of these tips derive from my finding just such an error in something I read. This is another example.

Occasionally you’re likely to have a character who speaks a different language. When using a foreign language that you do not speak, be cautious when using translation software because it often doesn’t reflect the correct syntax. If possible, find a native speaker to confirm whether or not it’s correct.

This is another situation where it may slip right past most readers. However, if they have any knowledge of the language, whether it be French or Klingon, it’s advisable to make sure it’s properly represented. If your character is trying to speak a language of which they are not a native, then you could get away with this, but not if they should know the proper way to say it.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Today’s tip goes very much along with yesterday’s, but is a bit more specific. If you’re writing a crime novel or one that involves police procedure in some way, make sure you use the correct terminology and processes. This is not always as easy as it may seem, just from watching television shows.

Different police departments are likely to have slightly different procedures at the detail level, which gives some degree of latitude. The basics, however, should ring true.

Not to be a nag, but as an author it’s your business to know what you’re talking about. Along similar lines, I remember reading a novel some time ago which involved a character in the military telling a subordinate to “Relax.” Really? Don’t you think that he’d probably say, “At ease, soldier?”

Today’s Writing Tip

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One thing that’s important if a novel is going to sound convincing is for the occupations of the character(s) to sound authentic. I remember beta reading a story many years ago where the main character worked as a computer programmer, yet everything about it was inaccurate. I have done some programming before and immediately recognized that the author didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. That definitely did not make the book credible much less impress me with the author’s dedication to accuracy.

Okay, I’m a bit of a break about those things, but it makes a big difference. Assuming your reader won’t know the difference is a BIG MISTAKE. Some of us do, and it will result in a abysmal review and someone who will probably never read another thing you write.

Now that I have my rant out of the way, the point of today’s tip is that every occupation has its own jargon. Use enough in character dialog to sound authentic, but don’t boggle the reader’s mind with too many acronyms. That, of course, is going too far the other way. A few are okay, but even then the reader may appreciate it if you remind them from time to time what they stand for.

Today’s Writing Tip

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This is something I’ve mentioned before, but it can make the difference between a professionally formatted work and one that screams, “Amateur!” Have you ever noticed that formatting for fiction is different than nonfiction? Fiction typically has indented paragraphs, nonfiction has block paragraphs. If you don’t believe me, go into a bookstore (or your own bookshelf) some time to see for yourself.

I don’t know why this convention evolved but I’m sure there’s a reason. I suspect that perhaps block paragraphs make it easier for the reader to grasp nonfiction concepts in small bites whereas a novel should flow more easily.

I remember the first time I sat down to format a book I realized I’d never paid much attention to such things. When you become an Indie Author it becomes your business to know. Other details, such as headers, footers, pagination, chapter headings, and so forth are more negotiable.

The next time you read, pay attention to the formatting. It can provide various do’s and don’t’s for your own.