http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Four-Guardians-crystal-shards-ebook/dp/B00GBFTG3A/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1383514188&sr=1-2&keywords=the+four+guardians
Sunday, 3 November 2013
Thursday, 31 October 2013
Sunday, 20 October 2013
Friday, 18 October 2013
BOOK NEEDED REVIEWING , ASAP
hiya guys , i just wrote my first novel and i am not sure what to do , i think ill need someone to review my book first , so if any1 is out there i need my book reviewed quickly and this book if called , The four guardians , the crystal shards , the book is teenage fantasy , so i need some reviewers , or if you know anyone
Thursday, 17 October 2013
Top Tips For Writing and Selling Your Book
So here are some top tips.
Research The Market: Is there an established genre into
which your book might fit - or is there a chance you could establish your own?
Fifty Shades Of Grey broke new territory in many respects and now many are
galloping alongside. Jane Eyre Laid Bare looks set to rattle Bronte bones later
this year.
Establish The Team
Editor: Quite a number of freelance editors have previously
held positions in major publishing houses. Source one that specialises in the
sort of book you are writing. A good editor will oversee the whole work, spot
flaws in, and help to tighten the plot, advise on structure and, if necessary,
suggest better phrasing and words. Authors, by nature, have an editorial mind
to a degree, so comments can lead to lively discussions!
Designer: Similarly, like the editor, a number of designers
are now freelance having honed their talents with established publishers.
Designers will help with layout and with the cover. Check out the designer's
style - is it in keeping with what you are hoping to achieve? A specialist in
Disney style illustrations may not necessarily help a book on erotic fiction
for women - or would they?
Find A Printer and Distributor: Lots of stories abound about
'vanity publishers' but there are reputable companies out there. I sourced one
that, in addition to publishing, would store and distribute, had an established
reputation with the major chains and would ship abroad. For a modest monthly
fee this means my spare room isn't stacked out and I can get on with other
things rather than search about for jiffy bags.
Nielsen Book Data. Register with these and add in the book
details. Authors and publishers who supply Nielsen with new product information
"immediately gain visibility for their books on the international
market" including Amazon. The resource is available to booksellers,
libraries and publishers worldwide.
Proof Reader: Proofs will be supplied by the printer for
checking before the final print run goes ahead. An effective proof reader will
spot the minor errors that may have been overlooked and also, like the editor,
comment on structure and plot. They are the attention to detailers who will
make sure the grammar gurus don't go twittering when the book is out there.
PR and Publicity: This, together with marketing, is highly
valuable. A good PR firm will have established contacts, check on lead times
with major magazines and newspapers for previews and reviews, liaise with tv,
radio and online sites and look for potential news angles and hooks as well as
source opportunities such as appearances at literary festivals. Not everyone
feels comfortable behind a microphone but no one would object to being Book Of
The Week in You magazine.
Marketing: Whereas PR deals primarily with the consumer,
marketing agents will focus on the trade and will liaise with retail outlets,
wholesalers such as Gardners and Bertrams, which then sell on to Waterstones,
Smiths, Amazon, independent book shops and library suppliers. Often PR firms
will take on some of the marketing and vice versa. It should be noted that
Waterstones is more than a bookseller. They have a highly effective department
that helps small publishers and local writers.
Website, tags and keywords: Establishing a website is a
great anchor to showcase your work. Reviews and latest news can be featured
together with background to the book and details of you as the author. A good
web designer will not only advise on style but also research the keywords and
tags that will help your title leap out in a google search.
Foreign rights: My foreign rights agent sold the rights to
The Copper Tree within six weeks of publication to Korea and Thailand and there
is more interest from other countries as I write. With stands and meetings
arranged at major bookfairs such as Frankfurt, Bologna and London, foreign
rights agents can be the icing on the cake in the sense that the selling of
rights to other countries can help to undercut the unit costs.
Consultants: Even though my picturebook was a work of
fiction I was dealing with a real and sensitive issue - grief and loss in terms
of how it can affect children. The book was also, in a sense, designed to help
parents, teachers and carers as well. I write from instinct but I asked
bereavement consultants, psychologists, families and teachers to consider my
work and I took on board their comments.
Finally don't lost faith. It might be necessary to maintain
the day job and it may be foolish to invest life savings but with careful
management and constant monitoring publishing your own book can be an exciting
and rewarding venture.
Wednesday, 16 October 2013
Tuesday, 15 October 2013
Chapter I – Lincoln High
Our story
starts at Lincoln High School, in Los Angeles, USA. It’s a nice suburban High
School, packed with kids going about their daily lives. You don’t have to worry
about who I am, I’m just the narrator. We’ll just leave it at that, for now.
So, Lincoln High is just your average school from the suburbs: cliques and
divas, jocks and bullies and of course, geeks and outcasts.
The story
begins with a group of outcasts that had no idea what was going to happen to
them. I’m going to tell you the story as I’ve heard it and seen it myself.
Let’s get to it, then.
It was a
hot autumn morning when school started. People had mixed feelings about the
school’s start: the popular kids couldn’t wait to get back to school while the
least popular were not that anxious to return to class. By far the least
anxious to get back to school were a group of three teenagers that huddled in
the corner of the school yard, waiting for the principal’s speech to be over.
- This year
is going to suck the most. I can see it all now.
- Come on,
Ben. It can’t be worst than last year.
- Guys,
just shut up. The principal has just about finished his speech and we can get
to class and be done with it.
It was then
when they met the final addition to their group: a short, blonde girl that wore
a pair of wide-frame glasses, named Chrissie.
- Uhm, hi!
Do you guys mind if I sit over here with you?
Ben looked
at her with distrust, but nodded his head.
- Sure. You
can sit with us.
The other
boy smiled and reached out a hand.
- Hi, I’m
Albert. This is Camille and this guy over here is Ben. He’s a bit…
- A bit
what?
- A bit
weary of strangers?
- Guys, be
nice, will you?
- Uhm, I’m
Chrissie. I’m new to this school. I don’t know anybody around here. I saw you
guys hanging around and I thought I should hang with you. You seem…
- What? Do
we seem geeks to you? Or losers?
- Calm
down, Ben…
Albert
shuffled on his feet and grabbed Camille by her shoulders, trying to hide
behind her.
- Calm
down, let’s hear what she had to say.
-I wanted
to say that you seem to be nice people.
Camille
smiled.
-Thanks.
We’re a nice bunch. Ben has a more…”fiery” temper.
- Why do
you guys hang out so far away from the others.
Ben put his
hands in his pocket and looked to the crowd of teenagers gathered in the yard.
- Why do
you think? They’re a bunch of rich-kid jerks, that’s why.
- Uhm,
Ben’s kind of right. They don’t like people like us.
Chrissie
scratched her head and straightened her glasses. Camille put her hand on
Chrissie’s shoulder and smiled.
Wednesday, 25 September 2013
How To Sell Ebooks
GOOD COVERS
I can't overemphasize how important a good cover is. Hire a
professional. And keep these things in mind:
1. At a glance, it should convey the type or genre of the
book you've written.
2. It should be readable in grayscale.
3. It should be readable as a thumbnail.
4. Your name and the title should be large and clear.
There are other little tips that I recommend. Usually legacy
book covers have a lot of writing on them, and that makes them subconsciously
identifiable as professional. Taglines. Blurbs. "By the author of Whiskey
Sour". That sort of thing.
Your artist should know what vectors are, and the rule of
three, and the importance of the color wheel, and all the other tricks used to
make a cover pop.
If your sales are slow, consider getting a better cover
GOOD PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Did you know you can add basic HTML to your book description
on Kindle using Author Central? I didn't. But I do now, and I'm using it to
make my ebook pages better.
Once your cover gets a browser's attention, you need a good
book description to reel them in. Read back jacket copy on some of your
favorite mass market paperbacks to get a feel for it. You can also add blurbs,
reviews, a bio, past books, and more.
Make sure there is plenty of white space. I don't like big,
blocky paragraphs, and I assume others don't either. Use bold and italics when
needed, but don't overuse them.
Monday, 23 September 2013
How long should your novel be to be published?
There is no simple answer to the question. Most adult novels
are at least 60,000 words. The average adult fiction novel runs from 75,000 to
100,000 words. Non-fiction novels can have both more or less words but most
publishable novels for the adult market, again, should be at least 60,000
words. Young adult and children's market novels are considerably shorter. They
run on average from 45,000 to 75,000 words. Some novels aimed for a youthful
audience are as short as 30,000 words.
However, if you are self publishing, your novel can be as
long as you want. The nice thing about self publishers is that the author has
complete control over their manuscript. The downside to this is that they are
less likely to make money off of their published work. For authors who are more
interested in getting their work out into the world and less interested in
profits, this is a good route for you. Most writers don't have enough time in
their lives for that. Writing a novel takes both time and effort and for those
of us with little free time, it can be an uphill battle, especially if you work
full time, go to school, or have children.
For those who are interested in mass markets and large
publishing houses the guidelines set above are best. If your novel is too
short, there won't be as much profit for the publishing house to make off of
the book which makes them less inclined to publish it. On the other hand, if
the novel is too long, they won't want to publish it either as the cost of
production will eat into their profits.
How long is too long? That is a good question. Most novels
over 120,000 words are less likely to be considered by large publishing houses.
While novels in the Harry Potter and Game of Thrones series are examples of
bestsellers with large word counts, those novels are exceptions to the rule. In
this day and age there is a sort of golden number of pages a novel should be. A
novel that has anywhere between 250 to 425 pages are the market standard. As
each page within the average modern American novel has roughly 250 words each,
the average word count usually falls between the 60,000 and 100,000 standard.
Again, if you are self publishing, you get to have some leeway in this.
Having an industry standard novel length can seem rather arbitrary,
but there are some good reasons behind the set word count. And I am not jut
talking about profits, although those are important too. If a novel is too
short, more often than not there are plot holes and/or a lack of development in
characterization, scene, and plot. However if a novel is loo long there is
usually to much exposition and overwriting. Most authors, myself included, have
a tendency to write either too much or not enough. Finding the happy medium is
why the industry norm is out there. It is a formula that has been tested, works
well for the readers, the publishing houses, and hopefully works well for the
author too.
How long should your novel be to be published?
There is no simple answer to the question. Most adult novels
are at least 60,000 words. The average adult fiction novel runs from 75,000 to
100,000 words. Non-fiction novels can have both more or less words but most
publishable novels for the adult market, again, should be at least 60,000
words. Young adult and children's market novels are considerably shorter. They
run on average from 45,000 to 75,000 words. Some novels aimed for a youthful
audience are as short as 30,000 words.
However, if you are self publishing, your novel can be as
long as you want. The nice thing about self publishers is that the author has
complete control over their manuscript. The downside to this is that they are
less likely to make money off of their published work. For authors who are more
interested in getting their work out into the world and less interested in
profits, this is a good route for you. Most writers don't have enough time in
their lives for that. Writing a novel takes both time and effort and for those
of us with little free time, it can be an uphill battle, especially if you work
full time, go to school, or have children.
For those who are interested in mass markets and large
publishing houses the guidelines set above are best. If your novel is too
short, there won't be as much profit for the publishing house to make off of
the book which makes them less inclined to publish it. On the other hand, if
the novel is too long, they won't want to publish it either as the cost of
production will eat into their profits.
How long is too long? That is a good question. Most novels
over 120,000 words are less likely to be considered by large publishing houses.
While novels in the Harry Potter and Game of Thrones series are examples of
bestsellers with large word counts, those novels are exceptions to the rule. In
this day and age there is a sort of golden number of pages a novel should be. A
novel that has anywhere between 250 to 425 pages are the market standard. As
each page within the average modern American novel has roughly 250 words each,
the average word count usually falls between the 60,000 and 100,000 standard.
Again, if you are self publishing, you get to have some leeway in this.
Having an industry standard novel length can seem rather arbitrary,
but there are some good reasons behind the set word count. And I am not jut
talking about profits, although those are important too. If a novel is too
short, more often than not there are plot holes and/or a lack of development in
characterization, scene, and plot. However if a novel is loo long there is
usually to much exposition and overwriting. Most authors, myself included, have
a tendency to write either too much or not enough. Finding the happy medium is
why the industry norm is out there. It is a formula that has been tested, works
well for the readers, the publishing houses, and hopefully works well for the
author too.
Saturday, 21 September 2013
Action Vs. Reactio
Another way to think of plot and story is in terms of action
and reaction. Some action happens (plot), and your character reacts to it
(story). In fact, a novel is nothing more than a repeating series of actions
and reactions. Other than a little bit of setting, dialogue, and weather,
there’s nothing else to it!
So remember:
• The plot moves
your character from her starting location to her ending location. There may be
many struggles along the way, and the physical part of those is the plot.
• The story moves
your character from the person she was at the beginning to the person she ends
up being at the end. There may be many struggles along the way, and the
emotional part of those is the story.
Now that you understand this, it’s easy to see how you can
use plot and story continuously throughout your novel. Plot is action, so if
things are dragging, simply add more of it. But if things are moving too fast,
add more story to slow them down. They work together to keep your novel on
pace.
Some novels might be mostly plot. Think about Clive Cussler
adventure stories, for example. Some novels might be mostly story. Think of
Jane Austen. But all novels alternate back and forth, regardless of the
emphasis. A successful novel needs plenty of both.
If you understand the difference between story and plot, you
will have one of the most powerful weapons in your writing arsenal. It is
astonishing how many successful authors don’t grasp the difference. Sure, some
of them apply them intuitively without knowing they’re doing it, but plenty
more don’t, and their work shows it.
Friday, 20 September 2013
Plot vs. Story
We tend to use the words plot and story interchangeably,
don’t we? It’s easy to think of them as the same thing. In fact, I bet most
writers, editors, and other professionals in the world of fiction don’t clearly
understand the distinction. Yet it’s very simple, and grasping it will make
everything you write so much easier that you’ll be shocked. Here’s the
difference:
• Plot is your
protagonist’s physical journey.
• Story is your
protagonist’s emotional journey.
Your novel (or short story, play, or screenplay) will
contain both. The plot will be what happens to your protagonist; the story will
be how your protagonist changes inside.
Simple, isn’t it? And yet by keeping these two words
separate and carefully using them only when we mean the physical (plot) or the
emotional (story), we can bring a whole new level of clarity to everything we
write.
Thursday, 19 September 2013
HOW TO EDIT YOUR BOOK IN 4 STEPS
Here, briefly, is how that process works:
1. The Close-In Writing
The basic method: You write a day’s worth of work (either
fiction or nonfiction)—whatever that means for you. Next day, before you write
anything new, you revise and edit the previous day’s work. This is the
“close-in writing,” and becomes the first draft—the first time your write your
book.
2. The Close-In Edit
When the entire first draft is complete, you go back through
and, beginning with word one to the end, you revise and edit the entire
manuscript on your computer. This is the “close-in edit,” and becomes your
second draft: the second time you write your book.
3. The Distance (or “Hand”) Edit
Next, you print a hard copy of the second draft of your
entire manuscript. Beginning with word one to the end, you hand-edit the hard
copy, scrawling notes and profanities to yourself all the way through the
margins. Then, using your hand-edit notes as a reference, you go back into your
computer file and revise the manuscript as needed. This is the “distance edit,”
and becomes your third draft: the third time you’ve written your book.
4. The Oral Edit
Finally, you print a new hard copy and read your entire
manuscript aloud. Read it to the walls, to your spouse, to the patrons at
Starbucks, to your dog, to the bowl of soggy Cocoa Puffs left over from
breakfast. Doesn’t matter who’s in the room, only that you can hear yourself
reading it. Start with word one and don’t stop until you read the last word.
Yes, it may take you several days, but that’s OK. Keep reading every word out
loud until you’re done.
As you read, note any places where the phrasing causes you
to stumble, the wording feels confusing or out of place, or your mind seems to
wander from the text in front of you. Those places need to be cut or rewritten,
so as you’re reading aloud, pause to make notes as to what to do to improve
them. When you’re done, incorporate your notes into the computer file of your
manuscript. You’ve now finished the “oral edit”—and written your book four
times.
At this point, you will be: a) extremely sick of your book,
but b) finished.
Yes, this is a tedious, tiring process. But it works. If you
write your book four times, chances are very good that when you’re done it will
be a finely-crafted work of art … or at least undoubtedly something much better
than when you started.
Wednesday, 18 September 2013
HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL: 6 TIPS EVERYONE CAN USE
1. Write the story you’d most want to read. Don’t write a
story just because you think it might be a bestseller or that it would make
Great Aunt Edna proud. Think about the books you love, the ones you really lose
yourself in. If those are mysteries, then don’t try to write an historical
romance or a quiet literary novel. It might not be anything genre-specific that
you love, but a certain voice, or type of story, or kinds of characters. Write
what you love. Do me a favor — right now, today, start a list of all your crazy
obsessions, the things that get your heart pumping, that wake you up in the
middle of the night. Put it above your desk and use it to guide you, to
jumpstart your writing each and every day
2. Begin with character. Make her flawed and believable. Let
her live and breathe and give her the freedom to surprise you and take the
story in unexpected directions. If she’s not surprising you, you can bet she’ll
seem flat to your readers. One exercise I always do when I’m getting to know a
character is ask her to tell me her secrets. Sit down with a pen and paper and
start with, “I never told anybody…” and go from there, writing in the voice of
your character.
3. Give that character a compelling problem. Your character
has to have something that’s going to challenge her, torment her and propel her
forward. At the heart of every story is conflict – whether external or
internal, make it a good one, and remember that this problem is going to shape
your character, leaving her forever changed.
4. Make things happen! You can have the greatest characters
in the world, and write beautifully, but if nothing’s happening, the story
falls on its face pretty quickly. In my books, I make sure something important
to the plot is happening in each scene. And if there’s a scene in there that
isn’t helping to move the story along in some vital way, I cut it, no matter
how great it is. When I’m editing, I’ll go scene by scene and write a single
word sentence describing the action on an index card. Then I lay the cards out
and I’ve got the bare bones of my story. I can see if things are moving
forward, if I’m throwing in enough twists and turns, and if there are scenes
that just aren’t pulling their weight.
5. Make it believable. Ah, you say, but you sometimes write
stories with ghosts and fairies – how believable is that? It works if you make
it believable in the universe of the book. In Promise Not to Tell, I came up
with rules for the ghost – things she could and couldn’t do. I gave her a
history and compelling reason to return. Readers hate cheap tricks. Don’t pull
the evil twin routine in the final hour. Don’t bring in a new character at the
end to solve the protagonist’s problem for her. She’s got to resolve things
herself, for better or worse.
6.Stick with it the project. You’ll be tempted to give up a
thousand and one times. Don’t. Finish the story. Then work twice as hard to
revise it. Do your best to get it out in the world. When it’s rejected by
agents and publishers (which it will be) keep sending it out. In the meantime,
write another. Then another. Trust me, you get better every time. You’re not in
this writing business because it’s easy. It took me four books, two agents and
seven years to get my first novel published. It was a long tough road, but so,
so worth it in the end!
20 Writing Tips from 12 Fiction Authors
Tip 1:
"My first rule was given to me by TH White, author of
The Sword in the Stone and other Arthurian fantasies and was: Read. Read
everything you can lay hands on. I always advise people who want to write a
fantasy or science fiction or romance to stop reading everything in those
genres and start reading everything else from Bunyan to Byatt." — Michael
Moorcock
Tip 2: "Protect
the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it, even the
people who are most important to you." — Zadie Smith
Tip 3:
"Introduce your main characters and themes in the first
third of your novel. If you are writing a plot-driven genre novel make sure all
your major themes/plot elements are introduced in the first third, which you
can call the introduction. Develop your themes and characters in your second
third, the development. Resolve your themes, mysteries and so on in the final
third, the resolution." — Michael Moorcock
Tip 4: "In the
planning stage of a book, don't plan the ending. It has to be earned by all
that will go before it." — Rose Tremain
Tip 5:
"Always carry a notebook. And I mean always. The
short-term memory only retains information for three minutes; unless it is
committed to paper you can lose an idea for ever." — Will Self
Tip 6: "It's
doubtful that anyone with an internet connection at his workplace is writing
good fiction." — Jonathan Franzen"Work on a computer that is
disconnected from the internet." — Zadie Smith
Tip 7: "Interesting
verbs are seldom very interesting." — Jonathan Franzen
Tip 8: "Read
it aloud to yourself because that's the only way to be sure the rhythms of the
sentences are OK (prose rhythms are too complex and subtle to be thought
out—they can be got right only by ear)." — Diana Athill
Tip 9: "Don’t
tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass."
– Anton Chekhov
Tip 10: "Listen
to the criticisms and preferences of your trusted 'first readers.'" — Rose
Tremain
Tip 11: "Fiction
that isn't an author's personal adventure into the frightening or the unknown
isn't worth writing for anything but money." — Jonathan Franzen
Tip 12:
"Don't panic. Midway through writing a novel, I have
regularly experienced moments of bowel-curdling terror, as I contemplate the
drivel on the screen before me and see beyond it, in quick succession, the
derisive reviews, the friends' embarrassment, the failing career, the dwindling
income, the repossessed house, the divorce . . . Working doggedly on through
crises like these, however, has always got me there in the end. Leaving the desk
for a while can help. Talking the problem through can help me recall what I was
trying to achieve before I got stuck. Going for a long walk almost always gets
me thinking about my manuscript in a slightly new way. And if all else fails,
there's prayer. St Francis de Sales, the patron saint of writers, has often
helped me out in a crisis. If you want to spread your net more widely, you
could try appealing to Calliope, the muse of epic poetry, too." — Sarah
Waters
Tip 13: "The
writing life is essentially one of solitary confinement – if you can't deal
with this you needn't apply." — Will Self
Tip 14: "Be your
own editor/critic. Sympathetic but merciless!" — Joyce Carol Oates
Tip 15: "The
reader is a friend, not an adversary, not a spectator." — Jonathan Franzen
Tip 16: "Keep
your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or
three per 100,000 words of prose. If you have the knack of playing with
exclaimers the way Tom Wolfe does, you can throw them in by the handful."
— Elmore Leonard
Tip 17: "Remember:
when people tell you something's wrong or doesn't work for them, they are
almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and
how to fix it, they are almost always wrong." — Neil Gaiman
Tip 18: "You
know that sickening feeling of inadequacy and over-exposure you feel when you
look upon your own empurpled prose? Relax into the awareness that this ghastly
sensation will never, ever leave you, no matter how successful and publicly
lauded you become. It is intrinsic to the real business of writing and should
be cherished." — Will Self
Tip 19: "The
main rule of writing is that if you do it with enough assurance and confidence,
you're allowed to do whatever you like. (That may be a rule for life as well as
for writing. But it's definitely true for writing.) So write your story as it
needs to be written. Write it honestly, and tell it as best you can. I'm not
sure that there are any other rules. Not ones that matter." — Neil Gaiman
Tip 20: "The
nearest I have to a rule is a Post-it on the wall in front of my desk saying
‘Faire et se taire’ (Flaubert), which I translate for myself as ‘Shut up and
get on with it.’" — Helen Simpson
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF FICTION WRITING
1. Take yourself seriously
This is the most crucial commandment—and the most difficult
to follow. Many beginning writers feel guilty about working so hard at
something for which they haven’t been paid a cent. Immediate family members or
friends may look on writing as a harmless little hobby, to be encouraged only
when it doesn’t interfere with their own lives. Because of the cavalier
attitude of others, writers may fail to prioritize writing as a necessary part
of their lives, regardless of whether or not money exchanges hands.
You must emphatically demonstrate to yourself and to others
that writing is a part of who you are, not just an amusing pastime. The measure
of being a writer is not how much money you make, but how important writing is
in your life.
2. Act like a professional
To be taken seriously as a writer, you must act like a
professional writer. That means whenever you deal with other professionals in
the writing business, such as agents, editors and publishers, you should act
the same as you would for a job interview, and present a professional
appearance. This is especially important in cover letters and manuscript
preparation.
First, proofread for grammar, punctuation and spelling
errors. I have heard many editors admit they sometimes reject a manuscript
within the first few pages solely due to the number of grammar, punctuation and
spelling mistakes. After months or even years of hard work perfecting your
story, novel or screenplay, it would be a shame to have it rejected just
because you didn’t bother to check your spelling or fix a sentence fragment.
And don’t rely solely on spell-checking and grammar-checking computer
programs—they make errors all the time. If grammar is your weakness, then find
someone, either a friend or professional, who can proof the pages for you.
Second, perfect the format. The place to be creative is in
your writing style, not the manuscript format. Avoid fancy fonts. They’re
distracting and hard to read. Stick to standard margins. Narrow margins crowd
the page and slow the story’s pace; broad margins make it appear as though you
don’t have a substantial story. Don’t design your own cover. It smacks of
desperation.
Third, polish the cover letter. Just tell the editors what
they need to know. That includes: (a) a brief summary of the work, one to three
paragraphs, and (b) anything about yourself that might be relevant to the work
(if you’re submitting a police procedural novel and you’re a journalist who
worked the crime beat, that’s relevant). Avoid overhyping yourself or the work
by making extravagant claims: “This will earn millions of dollars!” or “The
world has never seen a novel like this before!” Hyperbole makes agents and
editors less eager to work with you.
3. Write your passion
Some beginning writers try to write for whatever trend is
popular. But by the time you finish your manuscript, get an agent and send your
work to a publisher, the trend will be on its way out. You’re more likely to
produce publishable material by writing what you’re passionate about. If you
love romances, then write one. If you love mysteries, then that’s the genre for
you. You don’t have to write only that genre, but as you first start out, if
you write what you know, you’ll have a stronger feel for the proper conventions
to include as well as the cliches and stereotypes to avoid.
Ultimately, all that matters is that you care about the
material and convey that passion to the reader.
4. Love the process
If you want to become a professional fiction writer, you’d
better love the writing process. That doesn’t mean you don’t have doubts, fears
and an aversion to your computer. It means that despite those hesitations, you
still sit down and write. Even after you’ve sold your novel, finished your
book-signing tour and watched Brad Pitt star in the film version, you still
have to spend most of your days at a computer. That process must thrill and
delight you, since all the rest of the celebrity trappings are only a small
part of what you do.
5. Read—a lot
While it’s a very good idea to know your genre, the best
writers don’t limit their reading to that genre. Artists need to experience
other artists’ work, which can teach and inspire as well.
When I read a fascinating novel or watch an insightful
movie, I can’t wait to get back to my own writing and make it better. This also
works when I read a boring novel or watch a cliched movie; then I can’t wait to
make sure I haven’t made similar mistakes in my work.
Reading nonfiction is also helpful to fiction writers. I’ve
been so inspired by articles on scientific discoveries, political events or
historical facts that I’ve later made the ideas significant parts of my fiction
works. A 10-line filler in the newspaper about the auction of Napoleon
Bonaparte’s penis inspired the opening chapter of my novel Earth Angel.
6. Stick to a schedule
The main difference between successful writers and wannabe
writers is not talent—it’s perseverance. They finish what they start. Create a
writing schedule that works for you and stick with it. Two types of scheduling
work best for most writers.
1. The Gridlock Method. Fill out a weekly grid with all your
responsibilities that cannot be changed—work, school, family, etc. Find
two-hour blocks on at least three days of the week that you can claim for
writing. Announce to your family and friends that those are your writing hours,
and you are not to be disturbed during that time except for emergencies. (Be
sure to define “emergencies.”)
2. The Spare-Change Method. This method is for those whose
schedules are less predictable. On a calendar, write the number of pages you
intend to complete per day. Regardless of how busy you are that day, commit to
staying up until that number of pages is complete.
Whichever method you use, the result will be the same: You
will end up with a completed manuscript.
7. Be critical of your work
Writers live with the hope that someday they will read what
they’ve written and not want to tear it up. The bad news is that the better you
become as a writer, the more critical you are of your writing. The more you
know about writing, the less you can tolerate bad writing (your own or
others’). The good news is this critical ability will make you better. You will
learn to reject the predictable and strive for invigorating style, plotting and
characterization. Stop worrying that you’ll never be a good enough writer, and
embrace the inner critic.
8. Develop thick skin
As a beginning writer I dreamed of the day when I would
never have to face another rejection. Forty published books and 12 sold
screenplays later, not a day goes by when something I’ve written or proposed to
be written isn’t rejected by someone. Usually some publisher or producer buys
what I’ve written, but not always. I still have a few unsold novels stashed in
my garage, rejected stories and poems in my filing cabinet, script treatments
on my desk.
Rejection still stings. But it doesn’t hurt as long as it
used to because I have so many projects to pursue. I no longer mope around and
curse the short-sightedness of a universe that fails to recognize my genius. I
just work on the next project. And if the same manuscript keeps getting
rejected for the same reason, I re-evaluate the work and maybe rewrite it.
9. Trust your editors
First, I’m going to broadly define editors as not only
professional editors at publishing houses but also writing teachers and writing
workshop members who read and offer editorial suggestions. Most editors aren’t
frustrated writers—some are accomplished writers publishing more than you. In
general, they have your best interests at heart. That doesn’t mean you won’t
have disagreements with their suggestions. You most certainly will. You may
even be right sometimes. But you will miss out on some very helpful suggestions
if you refuse to listen.
The goal of most editors is to help you best realize the
story you want to write. Because they come at it with fresh perspectives, they
may be able to see flaws that you can’t because you’re too close to the work.
My typical first reaction to editorial suggestions is this:
“What an idiot! You understand nothing of what I’m trying to say.” An hour
later I think, “Maybe that’s not a completely stupid idea.” After I incorporate
the idea I think, “I’m a genius to have thought of this change.” Point is, I
have learned to carefully consider each suggestion. Sometimes I reject them,
but many times those suggestions have significantly improved my work.
10. There are no certainties
William Goldman said it about Hollywood in his excellent
primer for screenwriters, Adventures in the Screen Trade (Warner Books), but it
applies equally to all writing. No one knows for sure what’s going to sell and
what isn’t. If an agent from a big agency or an editor from a major publisher
rejects your book saying that no one’s interested in that type of story
anymore, that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Think of all the
“knowledgeable” studio execs who rejected Star Wars or big-shot editors who
turned down The Godfather.
You must develop your own instincts about writing and have
faith in them even when no one else does. That doesn’t mean you will be
inflexible to suggestions, it just means you will feel confident in whatever
decisions you make.
Ten rules for writing fiction
1 Never open a book with weather. If it's only to create
atmosphere, and not a character's reaction to the weather, you don't want to
go on too long. The reader is apt to leaf ahead looking for people. There are
exceptions. If you happen to be Barry Lopez, who has more ways than an Eskimo
to describe ice and snow in his book Arctic Dreams, you can do all the weather
reporting you want.
2 Avoid prologues: they can be annoying, especially a
prologue following an introduction that comes after a foreword. But these are
ordinarily found in non-fiction. A prologue in a novel is backstory, and you
can drop it in anywhere you want. There is a prologue in John Steinbeck'sSweet
Thursday, but it's OK because a character in the book makes the point of what
my rules are all about. He says: "I like a lot of talk in a book and I
don't like to have nobody tell me what the guy that's talking looks like. I
want to figure out what he looks like from the way he talks
3 Never use a verb other than "said" to carry
dialogue. The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer
sticking his nose in. But "said" is far less intrusive than
"grumbled", "gasped", "cautioned",
"lied". I once noticed Mary McCarthy ending a line of dialogue with
"she asseverated" and had to stop reading and go to the dictionary
4 Never use an adverb to modify the verb "said"
... he admonished gravely. To use an adverb this way (or almost any way) is a
mortal sin. The writer is now exposing himself in earnest, using a word that
distracts and can interrupt the rhythm of the exchange. I have a character in
one of my books tell how she used to write historical romances "full of
rape and adverbs"
5 Keep your exclamation points under control. You are
allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose. If you have the
knack of playing with exclaimers the way Tom Wolfe does, you can throw them in
by the handful
6 Never use the words "suddenly" or "all hell
broke loose". This rule doesn't require an explanation. I have noticed
that writers who use "suddenly" tend to exercise less control in the
application of exclamation points
7 Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly. Once you start
spelling words in dialogue phonetically and loading the page with apostrophes,
you won't be able to stop. Notice the way Annie Proulx captures the flavour of
Wyoming voices in her book of short stories Close Range
8 Avoid detailed descriptions of characters, which Steinbeck
covered. In Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants", what do
the "American and the girl with him" look like? "She had taken
off her hat and put it on the table." That's the only reference to a
physical description in the story
9 Don't go into great detail describing places and things,
unless you're Margaret Atwood and can paint scenes with language. You don't
want descriptions that bring the action, the flow of the story, to a standstill
10 Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.
Think of what you skip reading a novel: thick paragraphs of prose you can see
have too many words in them.
Hi guys , i thought , i will share a part of the first
chapter , let me know what you think ,
Chapter 1
‘it must look like an accident . can you arrange that ?’
It was an insult . he could feel the anger rising in him.
That was a amateur you picked up from the streets . He was tempted to reply
with sarcasm : oh, yes I think I can arrange that. Would you prefer an accident
indoor ? I can arrange for him to break him neck falling down a flight of
stairs or he can take an overdose of
cocaine or perhaps you would prefer something outdoors ? I can arrange a
traffic accident , a plane crash , or a disappearance at sea.
But he said none of those things , for in truth he was
afraid of the man seated across him. He had heard too many chilling stories
about him and he had reason to believe
them .
So all he said was , ‘yes sir , I can arrange an accident.
No one will ever know .Even as he said the words , the
thought struck him: he knows that I know.
The man was studying him with cold eyes . finally he spoke
, ‘very well . I will leave the method
to you.’
‘yes sir. Is the target here in LA?’
‘Iraq. His name is Andy. Andy cross’
A limousine followed by a second car with two armed
bodyguards drove the man to the masonic hall , where he was greeted by the head
priest of the masonic lodge stood
up with his golden necklace of the Masonic Square and Compasses
gleaming in the daylight , he quickly walked with priest indoors .
‘how much longer do we have to wait , when will it be
prepared for his arrival’ asked the man .
‘Not long my master , the time is close , we are just
delayed with our few plans and the construction of the temple , should be
completed in 20 years’ the priest replied with his eyes fixed onto the
checkered floor of the temple., his fingers trembling with fear , not knowing
what would hit him.’
‘ we need the stage ready for the king , the saviour , the
messiah and the ruler , do whatever it takes , I’ll give whatever it cost but I
want it done fast’ with that he exited the temple and drove away in his
limousine. This man had no title or position but he regularly brought and sold
prime ministers , ambassadors and kings , he had tentacle everywhere , woven
through the woof and wrap of dozens of countries . he was charismatic man ,
with brilliantly incisive mind , above medium height , with a barrel chest and
broad shoulders. He had one of the most amazing toy collection , a fleet of
private planes and a dozen apartments , ships and villas scattered around the
globe . there were very few players in the world that could challenge him , and
he enjoyed a good challenge , there were a few players of this global chess
game with whom he had not yet even the score , but he was in no hurry .He
enjoyed the planning and the execution.
let me know what you think , would you read the remaining
story , is this catchy enough, feel free
leave any comments
How many words should i write a day?
How many words should you write a day? Well, I'll give you
the easy answer first. You should write at least 1,000 words a day.
Where did I get that number? I just picked a number that
sounded kind of big and typed it out. And the truth is, that's pretty much what
everyone does. There is no hard and fast rule as to how many words you should
write a day. Frustrating. Isn't it!?
So how many words should you really write a day? As many as
is humanly possible.
I have a personal goal of 2,000 words a day, but I don't
always succeed. Some days life gets in the way and I don't write a single word.
I try to sit down every day and write as many words (or as
many scenes) as I can.
But wait. Are you one of those people who needs a quiet room
to write? Or you can't write a word until the house is clean? Or you need a
large chunk of time to write?
Well, too bad! I'm pretty sure Stephen King wrote in a
closet! A freaking closet!! And in my imagination there was a screaming baby or
two on the other side of the door. Damn you Joe Hill:)
If the only time you write is when circumstances are ideal
you will never finish your book. Take whatever time you can get. Steal it from
your husband, and yes, even your kids if you have to, but make writing a
priority.
And what if you really don't have the time to sit down and
write? Then think about the book. Plot it out in your head. Introduce yourself
to the characters. Figure out the ending.
I want you to go to bed thinking about this book and wake up
in the middle of the night with it on your mind.
It should take up so much space in your head that you can't
NOT write the thing.
Don't waste your time day dreaming about how much money
you'll make or what people will think when you get published. Don't Google the
amount of a book advance and don't pretend you're doing an interview with Oprah
Winfrey about how you got your amazing book idea.
Just think about your plot and how you can put it into a
novel. Bring your computer along with you and carve out the time to actually
write. Sign up for NaNo or give yourself a deadline for the first draft and
then eat, drink, sleep, and write your novel into existence.
And if that is too much to handle then just write 1,000
words a day, but remember, 1,000 words a day is for sissies. Stephen King is
not a sissy. If you want to get published I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be
either.
Monday, 16 September 2013
Three Act Structur
Oh the three act structure. Boy did I resist learning this in the beginning. I thought the three act structure was some sort of cheat to writing a novel. It's not a cheat people, it's the map! And now that I know it I can't live without it!
Knowing the elements of the three act structure (and using them) can really help you build a better plot. What is the three act structure? It's simply a way to divide a novel into sections. Act one is the set up, act two the confrontation, and act three is the resolution.
You don't need to follow the structure exactly, but just knowing what goes into each section is an easy way to help build a better plot.
Act One
Act one makes up the first quarter of your book and is usually the easiest to write.
It should include:
1. An introduction to the character and her world BEFORE the real story begins. How will the reader know how shocked, excited, confused, afraid..to be if she doesn't see the protagonist's normal first?
2. Show the characters "knot". This is essentially the pain that your protagonist is feeling that forces her to live apart from her true destiny. It can be a secret she's keeping, pain from the past, or even just a personality trait. Maybe by the end of your book the main character will be a super start and her "knot" at the beginning of the story is simply that she's shy.
3. Establish the tone of the book. Let the reader know what kind of story they're about to read.
For example: For a love story the writing would be flowery and romantic. For a thriller the mood would be darker, the sentences might be shorter. Make sure you get the reader "in the mood" for the story they're about to read. In other words-set the tone!
4. Let the reader know why they should care. Otherwise known as the "save the cat" scene. What redeeming or heroic quality does your main character have that you can show your readers right up front. Even if your main character is deeply flawed, show her redeeming qualities or make the reader feel empathy for her.
5. The inciting incident.This is the change that occurs in the main character's life that starts the story in motion. For example: A mysterious new girl moves into town. Your main character grows a tale. Whatever it is, it should get your reader's attention.
6. The call to action (or plot point one). This is often confused with the inciting incident, but the difference is that the call to action is where your character makes a choice and cannot go back.
For example: In The Hunger Games it is where Katniss volunteers for the games in place of her sister. Not to be confused with the inciting incident which is the drawing of Primrose Everdeen's name.
Act Two
Act two makes up the second and third quarter of the book. In the midsection of your novel you must:
1. Have a series of battles or confrontations. There are usually three and even if the protagonist wins a few of these battles, things should be getting steadily worse for your main character.
2. Deepen characters and their relationships with one another. The middle of your book is where subplots can really get going.
3. Midpoint. Some big news or a major reversal. This is where the protagonist truly takes control and begins to actively attack the antagonist. Before this point she is simply reacting to the situation or learning about her new world, but after the midpoint she's really ready for a fight.
4. Moment of despair. This is the low point for our protagonist. Even though we all thought she was going to win, it now looks like she's going to lose. Not only that, but we have really dragged her through the mud at this point. She is almost broken.
5. Moment of truth (or plot point two). This is the last piece of new information that the reader is going to get. With this new information the reader can now see what the ending is going to look like and the protagonist is about to take some big action steps towards the final battle. This is usually the thing that the protagonist wanted to do the least and after making this choice there is no going back.
Act Three
This is the last quarter of the book and will include:
1. The climactic battle.Your protagonist must take an active role in this battle. Don't let the antagonist be a weakling. You're main character really has to kick ass in the climax of the book.
2. Unravel your protagonists "knot" or tie three more. This means that you should have resolved the character's knot, or inner turmoil. For example: If she was painfully shy in the beginning, you should have helped your protagonist work through her issues throughout act two. In the end she is who she was always meant to be. OR if she decides to live apart from her destiny, (In other words stays painfully shy and can't take that starring role) you need to show the reader how truly horrible her life is going to be now. One would be a happy ending, the other a tragedy.
3. Denouement. This is where you tie up all the loose ends. Every character and subplot needs to be put to bed so the reader feels satisfied that you've answered all the questions you posed in your book.
This is also where you show the protagonist's new normal. How is it different than it was at the beginning of the story?
4. Resonance. Try to make sure your readers are thinking about your book long after they have read the words "the end".
There you have it, a quick description of the three act structure. If it's not making sense to you here, there are a ton of great books out there to help you. "Plot & Structure" by James Scot Bell is a great one, but I hope this is at least a little helpful with your writing.
Good luck and happy writing.
EL
Hi guys , i thought , i will share a part of the first
chapter , let me know what you think ,
Chapter 1
‘it must look like an accident . can you arrange that ?’
It was an insult . he could feel the anger rising in him.
That was a amateur you picked up from the streets . He was tempted to reply
with sarcasm : oh, yes I think I can arrange that. Would you prefer an accident
indoor ? I can arrange for him to break him neck falling down a flight of
stairs or he can take an overdose of
cocaine or perhaps you would prefer something outdoors ? I can arrange a
traffic accident , a plane crash , or a disappearance at sea.
But he said none of those things , for in truth he was
afraid of the man seated across him. He had heard too many chilling stories
about him and he had reason to believe
them .
So all he said was , ‘yes sir , I can arrange an accident.
No one will ever know .Even as he said the words , the
thought struck him: he knows that I know.
The man was studying him with cold eyes . finally he spoke
, ‘very well . I will leave the method
to you.’
‘yes sir. Is the target here in LA?’
‘Iraq. His name is Andy. Andy cross’
A limousine followed by a second car with two armed
bodyguards drove the man to the masonic hall , where he was greeted by the head
priest of the masonic lodge stood
up with his golden necklace of the Masonic Square and Compasses
gleaming in the daylight , he quickly walked with priest indoors .
‘how much longer do we have to wait , when will it be
prepared for his arrival’ asked the man .
‘Not long my master , the time is close , we are just
delayed with our few plans and the construction of the temple , should be
completed in 20 years’ the priest replied with his eyes fixed onto the
checkered floor of the temple., his fingers trembling with fear , not knowing
what would hit him.’
‘ we need the stage ready for the king , the saviour , the
messiah and the ruler , do whatever it takes , I’ll give whatever it cost but I
want it done fast’ with that he exited the temple and drove away in his
limousine. This man had no title or position but he regularly brought and sold
prime ministers , ambassadors and kings , he had tentacle everywhere , woven
through the woof and wrap of dozens of countries . he was charismatic man ,
with brilliantly incisive mind , above medium height , with a barrel chest and
broad shoulders. He had one of the most amazing toy collection , a fleet of
private planes and a dozen apartments , ships and villas scattered around the
globe . there were very few players in the world that could challenge him , and
he enjoyed a good challenge , there were a few players of this global chess
game with whom he had not yet even the score , but he was in no hurry .He
enjoyed the planning and the execution.
let me know what you think , would you read the remaining
story , is this catchy enough, feel free
leave any comments
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