I am so thrilled to post this. I have to say, being a part of LitSisters has changed my life in the most amazing way. And we are starting 2010 off with a bang! Not only did our boutique publishing house, LitSisters Publishing, launch today, but we also were featured on the home page of [...]
Going Spine-less
With the popularity of eBooks growing by leaps and bounds, might we actually be moving backwards in terms of cover art? Once upon a time, books were bound in thick but plain colored leather or even fabric. Titles and author names were displayed in dark print or sometimes gold leaf on both cover and spine. Only the rich purchased books and these were displayed on book shelves were quantity was often viewed as more impressive than quality. Law books and other scholarly works continue this tradition of plainness, as if to emphasize the complexity of what is contained within. Maybe to challenge or perhaps to confirm that you can judge a book by its cover.
Over time, dust covers became trendy. They became a way to distinguish one novel from the next, not just to protect the book underneath, but to catch the eye of the potential buyer and to add space on the flyleaf for a well written hook, the author’s credits and bio and maybe a photo. Cover art became a new standard in publishing and became integrated into the marketing efforts of all types of publications propelled by the popularity of paperbacks. Consider the distinctive black and yellow graphics of the For Dummies series or the Fabio type models featured on the covers of certain romance novels.
Standard book sizing to fit on standard book shelves at libraries and brick and mortar book stores added to the importance of cover art. If all books were to be lined up with only the spine showing, what colors and fonts and features would scream out to a passerby, “Pick Me!” And, what Pick Me attributes will now translate into thumbnail sized images on web sites where so many books are now being selected for purchase or electronic download. Even when you have the option to click here to make the image larger, how much of an influence will cover art have on book selection in the digital age?
I believe it will still have a marketing value. That creative art adds a positive impression before we even crack open a novel and read the first sentence. But, I also believe that cover art will modify as conditions change and purchasing habits alter. And, in terms of book reading and status, I am just waiting for the Coach or maybe Prada custom covers to buy for my Kindle…
It is our distinct pleasure to announce the release of LitSister Audrey RL Wyatt’s novel, Poles Apart! We will be celebrating the launch at FEZ on Central, Wednesday, January 27th at 6:30 pm. Everyone is welcome!
For purchase information and a pre-launch discount, visit Audrey’s website, www.audreyrlwyatt.com
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This is the second of four installments in the Time Management 1.0 Series: Prioritizing what’s Important in Your Life
Time Management 1.2: Determining the Important Stuff
Okay, so last week you created a list of things that make you happy.
Chances are you’ve looked at your list and you realized that not enough of them happen regularly in your life. Some of them you may not have done in years! Don’t worry; we’ll focus on that soon enough. I’m still not asking you to do anything on the list.
For right now, you’re looking for patterns and themes in your list. For instance, I found that there were several key themes that kept popping up on my list. Among them were spending time with friends and family; learning and doing new things; reading, writing and books; and being outside.
From your “Happy List” you can begin to see the things that matter to you. Eventually, we’ll look at bringing items from your list into your life, but for right now, it’s important to know that these things bring you joy and happiness, and add fulfillment to your life.
As you review your list and look for patterns, consider these questions:
The last question is the hardest one to answer. While the answer will almost always be “Me”, it can take time to sift through all of the excuses. At one time, our reasons may have seemed noble; we have children relying on us, spouses depending on us. We can’t just up and leave to go for a walk, or close our doors to spend hours writing. We have jobs, commitments, obligations, and slowly our lives become less about us and more about what we think is expected of us. And thinking like that can become a very bad habit, and not a very productive or happy one.
Let me tell you a quick story about the bad habits our brains can pick up:
I once sat at home alone in front of my computer thinking that it would be wonderful to go for a run. I imagined running along the road, my headphones on, listening to music as my feet pounded against the pavement. It felt good just thinking about it. I was so excited, I got up from the computer to go and put my running clothes on. However, before I even left my office, my next thought was, “I can’t do that!”
Since I had been working on doing things that made me happy, I asked myself the question, “Why not?”
I answered, “I can’t leave the kids.”
“Hunh?!” my saner self asked bewildered. “The kids aren’t home.”
“But, they’ll be home soon.”
“So? Their father will be with them.”
“Oh! Oh, right! They don’t need me! I can go for a run!”
I was shocked by my own internal dialogue; shocked because I know that on similar occasions I had given up when I heard my internal tape recorder say, “I can’t do that.” I didn’t even ask why not.
So, for this week, I just ask you to look at your list and consider the possibilities. Next week, we’ll talk about making room for it.
Next Week: Time Management 1.3: Getting Rid of the Other Stuff
I was reading an article the other day on the most common questions writers get asked when they are interviewed. (Getting prepped, though a bit premature, for all of the coverage my next book is going to get when I finally finish it and get requests for interviews!) One of the most popular questions is How Do You Write or more specifically How Do You Organize Yourself when you are creating a novel.
I love this question because the more I read the wide variety of answers, the more I am convinced there is no one right way to write. Two different highly, successful authors discussed their writing styles in a recent issue of Romance Writers Report. One author was being interviewed, the other simply sharing his experience, philosophy and wisdom. Their answers were wildly different and one of them even said she doesn’t always write all of her books the same way. Though she prefers writing chapter by chapter sequentially, when the muse is cooperative, sometimes writing the beginning and then the end and then the middle works for her. The guy liked to outline all of his scenes on a spreadsheet on Excel before beginning his novels. He admitted that the woman he co-authors with does not use Excel.
Charlie Rose did a wonderful interview with John Grisham last year. John is big into outlining. Said it saved him a lot of heart ache because he writes thrillers and there is always the challenge of painting yourself into a corner if you don’t have all the plot twists and turns worked out. A USA Today interview with James Patterson also revealed that he is an outliner. But, this is partly because he farms out chapters to his co-authors and needs to keep the process on track.
Me, I’m what they call a pantser, as in seat of my pants. I do start with a basic outline and spend time on plotting. I also create a separate working document where I capture important information that I know I am going to use or refer to later and some of the research that has led me to the plot and the characters that I may or may not include in the final product. But, then I tend to write and let my characters take over and write some more. And, that, is what I’ve also discovered. While there are a million ways to write, there is only one way not to write. Don’t sit down every day and type – something. That said, I must get back to my characters currently stuck on a raft in the middle of an ocean. I’m dying to know how I get them rescued…
The following four principles from the book THE FOUR AGREEMENTS by don Miguel Ruiz are great for personal use and for building heroes. Of course, you can create a fatal flaw in your protaganist, a truly despicable villian, or even a comedic character by messing with one or more of them.
1. ” Be Impeccable With Your Word” Opposite: Lie. Gossip. Manipulate.
2. ”Don’t Take Anything Personally” Opposite: Take offense at everything. Start fights.
3. ”Don’t Make Assumptions” Opposite: Don’t communicate your wishes clearly. Be passive-agressive.
4. “Always Do Your Best” Opposite: Be a slacker. Make excuses. Half-ass it.
Creating rules of conduct for each of your fictional characters is essential. That way you’ll know how Ralph will react to Patsy the prostitute, to getting fired from his job, to receiving a major inheritance. How a character thinks and behaves is integral to plot development and to character arc.
Anyone have a good synonym for character?
Define your characters’ principles or lack there of early in the process. Your story will flow much more smoothly if you do.
And don’t forget to have fun, that’s why we do this in the first place.
I am so thrilled to post this. I have to say, being a part of LitSisters has changed my life in the most amazing way. And we are starting 2010 off with a bang! Not only did our boutique publishing house, LitSisters Publishing, launch today, but we also were featured on the home page of Attribute Magazine!
Fabulous!
Here’s an excerpt:
The frontier of publishing is changing rapidly with advancing technology; with the recent weakened state of the economy, publications moving into virtual territory, and practically the whole world moving into cyberspace, things sure aren’t what they used to be. And if you’re stuck and don’t know which direction to go, it’s even more frustrating.
To the rescue: The LitSisters. Based in the Phoenix, Arizona metro area, LitSisters is a group of five fabulous literary ladies who have decided to design their own destinies. Rather than fight the tide, they’re rolling with the changes. What they have in mind could open up a new and improved avenue by which writers interact, cooperate, and publish.
Thanks to Marissa Yeamans, the lovely journalist who interviewed us, and to Attribute, for such a great article!
This is the first of four installments in the Time Management 1.0 Series: Prioritizing what’s Important in Your Life
Time Management 1.1: What Makes You Happy?
Dear Writer: If you want to get organized and manage your time effectively, the first step is knowing what’s most important to you. Chances are you may feel so overwhelmed with everything in your life that you don’t even know where to begin. I know. I’ve been there. The next four blogs are designed to help you discover what’s essential to your happiness and success, and how to make it first and foremost in your life (like writing!) Before the rest of the unimportant, and often very insistent, things overrun your day.
The first step is to make a list. Stop! Don’t run away! Yes, I know. If you’re struggling with managing your time and organizing your life, then there’s a good possibility you hate lists. But, trust me. This is a good list.
Drum roll please. Write down a list of things that make you happy. Really happy; joyfully, blissfully happy.
There’s no right or wrong answer. Put your censor/editor in a padlocked box for this exercise. The only criteria is it makes you happy – don’t worry if it makes anyone else happy (or sad). Use a pen, pencil, crayon, typewriter or computer. Write it on a napkin, in your journal or on your eight-year-old’s report card. I don’t care, just get it down on something you can find again later.
Take note, you may not know what makes you happy. Not right away.
I didn’t. I really had to think about it…for awhile. I was stunned: How could I not know what made me happy? I thought for days about my list and slowly I began thinking of things and writing them down. Once I started, I made a very long list. I still have it saved to my computer. It has things on it like, listening to the sound of thunder, working on a story, and playing with my kids. It may sound goofy to make such a list. However, if you want to manage your time, it helps to know what you’d like to be doing with it.
You don’t need to do any of the things on your list (unless you want too!), just write them down. It might take a while, but they’ll come to you. Add to your list throughout the week, and next Monday, I’ll share the next step.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at christine@litsisters.com. Check back regularly for more LitSisters™ writing tips and resources.
Next Week: Time Management 1.2: Determining the Important Stuff
We are pleased to announce the launch of LitSisters Publishing, a boutique publisher specializing in high quality fiction by women authors. Each partner is an acclaimed author in her own right and, together, the partners bring over sixty years of business, marketing, PR, R & D, and entrepreneurial acumen to this new era of publishing. We have taken our destiny into our own hands and are excited to empower other women authors on their journey to publication and beyond.
LitSisters is currently producing our 2010 list . Please check in with us later this year for information on submission opportunities for our 2011 list. For more information, please find us at www.litsisterspublishing.com. Further, we invite you to join our LitSisters writing community – open to all writers.
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I love writing prompts. LOVE them. They can break a block, jazz you up, fire off into a complete novel. So, as I’m sitting here, dancing in my chair to the tune of “Nothin’ But a Good Time”, I thought I’d throw some out there to get you movin’ and shakin’ this Monday morning:
1. He walked down the street, iPod earbuds in his ears, when someone bumped into him. A earphone fell out of his ear, killing half the music. He turned around to see a flash of red hair, and …
2. If there was one thing about his life that made sense, it was that he was single. He liked it that way. Not complicated. Easy to manage. As he looked to the pink toothbrush in the holder next to his yellow one, he thought …
3. “Did you really have to kill him?”
“Are you serious.”
She frowned, “But he was so cute!”
Her best friend looked at her, and rolled her eyes, “You can’t keep crushing on them, girl. It’s not good for business.”
Pouting, she pulled her blond hair back and heard a crash from behind her …
4. His dog, Stanley, sat next to him, barely panting. He looked from the collie to the house before him, burning to the ground, and sighed. Well, it was done now. They’d never find out about …
5. This was the morning that ruined her life. Or made it. Maybe. She wasn’t sure, and she really didn’t care for the fact that she couldn’t get a clear read on what was going on, as she looked at …
Post your ideas in the comments. Best post gets a cookie, and heck, we’ll post in a blog with a link to your site here on LitSisters.com.
Ready? GO!
Who doesn’t struggle with dialog? Anybody? It’s okay to admit it. Everybody struggles with it. Okay, not quite everybody, but nearly. I don’t struggle with it. Not ever. Okay, now I’ve pissed you off. You feel set up. But … no, don’t quit reading … I’m going to tell you my secret. As I started to say, don’t give up. When you finish reading this post, you’ll have an easier time with dialog, too.
The first thing you need to do, and I can’t make this point strongly enough, is READ YOUR DIALOG OUT LOUD! I know you feel silly. Do it anyway. And don’t just mumble your way through it. READ IT IN CHARACTER! With the emphasis your characters would use. Now I should tell you that I’m an advocate of reading all your work out loud, but you MUST do it with the dialog, if nothing else.
Next, EAVESDROP! Eavesdrop on all different kinds of conversations. Listen in wherever you find yourself. You can learn a lot that way. The first thing you learn is that PEOPLE DON’T SPEAK IN COMPLETE, GRAMMATICALLY PERFECT SENTENCES. That’s a biggie, an important point that writers often miss. The second, equally important thing you will learn is that PEOPLE DON’T TELL EACH OTHER THINGS THEY ALREADY KNOW. Now, I realize that writers use dialog as a way of conveying information to the reader, aka info-loading, but the information must flow organically in the conversation. Other important things you can learn from eavesdropping are:
The point of all the above is to help your dialog appear natural. As humans, we communicate … incessantly. And that very fact is why we can always tell when dialog is stilted or unnatural. Try putting these tips into practice and see if they help your dialog. Then let me know.
