Market Trends & Writing

In regards to my own writing, three out of four of my completed manuscripts have followed whatever was trending at the time. This was not intentional. It’s not that I study the market religiously and write what is hot at the time; it’s just that I like to read a wide variety of genres and whatever’s on the bestseller lists. And like night follows day, what I write tends to reflect what I read.
Case(s) in point: In the 1990’s, after the advent of the female sleuth thanks to Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich, Patricia Cornwall and others, I wrote my first manuscript which centred around a female sleuth. Helen Fielding’s successful Bridget Jones’ Diary not only spawned a movie but a whole new genre: chick lit. That was my second manuscript, after I’d spent years reading just about everything in the genre. Then Stephenie Meyer had a mega hit with the Twilight series and I had to read them to see what the fuss was about. An unexpected bonus was that it introduced me to YA (young adult) and despite my age, I found that I really enjoyed it. Meg Cabot, anyone?

In saying all of that, I think that it’s important to be aware of what’s trending and what isn’t and remember that the nature of the beast is cyclical. Chick lit is all but dead they say and people now suffer from vampire fatigue. But there will always be buyers of those books and it may trend again. If you were to get an offer on your book today, the reality is is that it wouldn’t be published for another 1-2 years, so whatever is trending right now may not be trending then.

I think it’s important to keep your finger on the pulse of the market, make a mental note of it but at the end of the day, write what you love.

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Michele Zimmer, originally from Buffalo, NY, now resides in Ireland. Her first article appeared in Writers’ Forum. She writes the blog NOVELISTA, which covers books and writing. Undaunted by rejection, she’s currently at work on a paranormal YA.

How Well Do You Know Your Character?

For a moment, think about your main character (MC) and how well you truly know him or her. Aside from the basic physical attributes and possibly some back story, can you hold your right hand up and swear that you know your MC inside and out?
Try this simple exercise. With your MC in mind and without hesitating, can you answer the following questions?

• your MC is in a restaurant, does he/she simply order an appetizer, main and dessert or is your MC more high maintenance, requesting that the fish be baked instead of fried, the onions held and the dressing on the side?
• Does your MC arrive fifteen minutes early for everything (i.e. in order to get a good seat) or is your MC late for everything (because he/she always thinks they have plenty of time)
• is your MC afraid of commitment because he/she has abandonment issues which spring from being abandoned at the age of five by a parent?

A couple of years ago, I read Elizabeth George's book on writing called Write Away - which I highly recommend - in it, she suggests writing a detailed character analysis before you even write the first chapter. Before she starts any of her literary crime novels, George tacks up a character prompt next to her computer screen. The prompt would have basic cues like hair color, education, etc and more in-depth cues like gait, what the character does alone, what's the first thing that others notice about the character, etc. The key, according to George, is not to just fill in the blanks but to prompt you -- thus the name, character prompt - to write using stream of consciousness about your character to get the creative juices flowing. This is one exercise that I love doing, I may get pages and pages of info and I may not use all of it, but it gives me great insight into my character and what motivates them.

Another site to check out, The Writers' Workshop Advice Library has a great exercise titled, The Ultimate Character Builder which can guide you in developing your character.

I wouldn't recommend doing this for every character in your book or you'll never get to that first chapter, but it certainly goes a long way in shaping your primary characters.

***
Michele Zimmer, originally from Buffalo, NY, now resides in Ireland. Her first article will appear in Writers' Forum UK in the fall. She writes the blog NOVELISTA, which covers books and writing. Undaunted by rejections, she's currently at work on a paranormal YA novel.

Learning from Noah Lukeman

One of my favorite books is The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman. Recently I received an email from his website letting me know about a couple of free items available there. I'd like to share them with you:

• How to Write a Great Query Letter is available as a free download.
• Ask a Literary Agent, is filled with valuable advice to help aspiring authors in their careers.
• Free monthly ezine with tips for authors.
• Free excerpts from all of his books are available on his official website.
  

Noah Lukeman's books are one of the most common books I turn to for book giveaways during BIW. They offer concrete advice and are affordable. I highly recommend checking out his websites and his books.

Book Giveaway: The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing

Writer's Digest Books has offered BIW two Writer’s Digest Books. The first will be given away during the August BIW and for members only and the second will be given away here on the BIW blog for members and non-members. You will find directions for entering below this description of the book:

The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing

Everything You Need to Know to Write, Publish, Promote, and Sell Your Own Book

by Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier

You want to get published. You want to control the future of your manuscript and your writing career.

In this fifth edition of a self-publishing classic, best-selling author Marilyn Ross and publishing expert Sue Collier empower writers to publish their own work with minimal risk and maximum profits.

Inside The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, writers will find step-by-step guidance on publishing and marketing a book. From print-on-demand publishing to subsidy publishing to true self-publishing, the book provides a thorough explanation of how to decide which option is best.

Marilyn and Sue then help writers jumpstart a publicity campaign with a detailed marketing plan and timetable, as well as appendices filled with marketing contacts, organizations and vendors. Writers will also benefit from valuable case studies and examples of how other publishers have found success.

This expanded and revised edition of the bible of self-publishing also offers the latest information and cutting-edge advice on e-publishing and Internet marketing, with a chapter on ways to leverage social media marketing to create buzz and stand out from the crowd.

With an in-depth discussion of exclusive distributors, plus coverage of the most recent changes in bookstores and the book-selling industry, The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing equips writers with everything they need to publish and promote their books and take control of their writing career.

"Self-publishing can be the road to independence." –Authors Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier

About Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier...

Marilyn Ross is a self-published pioneer. Since 1978, she has helped thousands of authors sell millions of books. Sue Collier brings together a multitude of talents in the publishing industry, including several years in trade publishing. The two have been collaborating for the past decade and a half on a myriad of projects. Most recently, they've focused their efforts of Self-Publishing Resources, a writing, marketing and publishing consulting firm that assists authors in surpassing their personal and professional publishing goals.

Prize Details:

• One copy of the 556 page book The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing
• Retail value: $17

How to Enter:

For this contest there is the option of one entry.

• Main entry: This one is a must to enter. Visit the Writer's Digest Books website then come back here and name another title you found that you would be interested in reading. Easy peasy! You must include a contact email. To avoid your email getting spammed use this format: imagery [at] cogeco [dot] ca
  

Stipulations:

One entry per person is allowed -- suspicious entries with the same IP address will be deleted without notice. You don't have to be a member of BIW to enter. The lucky winner will be chosen from the comments at random, using random.org, on August 30, 2010 at 3 pm EST. This giveaway is sponsored by Writer's Digest Books and they will be mailing the giveaway after the email and mailing address of the winner have been confirmed by myself (so make sure you enter the right email). This giveaway is open to person 18 years and older living in the United States only. Void where prohibited by law. The winner will have one week to claim the prize; after which time it will be rewarded to someone else.

UPDATE: The winner was announced in the comments below. Congratulations to Lynn.


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Topic Links
* The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing is also available at Amazon.com

Let Me Introduce Myself

My name is Michele Zimmer and I've been invited to write a couple of posts a month for the BIAW blog. Here's a little bit about me. Originally, I'm from Buffalo, NY but for the last four years, I've lived in County Limerick, Ireland, where there is no shortage of inspiration.

As for reading and writing, I've had my head buried in a book since God was a boy. I've known that I've wanted to write since the age of nine. During high school, I wrote a lot of angst-ridden Civil War dramas and knew more about the Battle of the Bull Run than is normal for a teenager. By my twenties, I had turned to writing coming of age stories -- more angst. Mercifully, those manuscripts remained buried at the bottom of the closet. When I was 30 and in my last year of college, I wrote a mystery novel and although it did receive a lot of rejections there was also some positive feedback from agents. Unfortunately, during my 30's, writing went from the back burner to off the stove completely as I concentrated on my nursing career, my marriage and my boys.

When we moved to Ireland, I was determined to concentrate on my writing, which is what I have done. I wrote a chick lit manuscript which did quite well in a contest but received 44 rejections nonetheless. Undaunted, I signed up for National Novel Writing Month in November 2008 and completed my 50 000 words but wasn't fond at all of the manuscript. Currently, I'm on my third attempt at a paranormal young adult and I'm doing the first draft in longhand, which seems to be working for me. My first article will be published in Writers Forum UK in the fall. I also write two blogs: Chicklite about my lifelong battle with my weight and Novelista about all things relating to books and writing.

My aim here is not only to be informative but to have some fun as well. I'm open to any suggestions as to what you would like to see covered in this blog. I would also like to know what everyone else is working on and how it is going or whether you're in a writing slump.

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Michele Zimmer, originally from Buffalo, NY, now resides in Ireland. Her first article will appear in Writers' Forum UK in the fall. She writes the blog, NOVELISTA which covers books and writing. Undaunted by rejections, she's currently at work on a paranormal YA novel.

Writing for Theme-Based Contests

Writers draw inspiration from many sources, including words, phrases and pictures--and many contests require you to do just that. Writing about the same "theme" as other writers can be challenging but can also push you to greater levels of creativity in search of the unexpected angle.

As with any other type of writing contest, it's important to stick to the guidelines. Stay within the proscribed word count, use the required formatting, and DO NOT miss the deadline.

In order to succeed in theme-based contests, you have to look beyond the obvious responses and surprise the judges. You might even surprise yourself.

One of my earliest wins as a writer was in a poetry contest that wanted humorous takes on love. Rather than go for outright humor in every line, I set up a typically romantic scenario before delivery the final deadpan line.

red rose
valentine gift
treasured keepsake
symbolic of our love
pressed flat

The judges got the joke, and I got first prize.

The first time I ran a contest, I asked entrants to write about "the first time." The phrase might bring to mind memories of first love or first sex, but I wanted to see something more. What I got was an eclectic mix of stories, including tales of skydiving, wartime, jail, and a woman's first encounter with her grandchild who had Down's Syndrome.

Whether you're writing for theme-based contests or simply looking for inspiration for your next project, keep an open mind. Details don't change, only your perceptions.

Trust your instincts. Don't be afraid of the "strange" ideas that pop into your head. Don't listen to the little voice that whispers, "You can't write that." If you hear that voice, get the "strange" ideas on paper as fast as possible. You're probably onto something good.

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Betty Dobson is the owner of InkSpotter Publishing, the company behind such recent book releases as Paper Wings, Holiday Writes, Collywobblers and Backless, Strapless & Slit to the Throat. Her short stories have appeared in Apollo's Lyre, Brady Magazine, Eros & Rust, From the Asylum, Jerry Jazz Musician and Toasted Cheese, as well as through the Amazon Shorts program. A reformed corporate cog, she now works from her home full time. The hours are long, but the boss is flexible.

Acts of Creation

The following essay was written several years ago, during an eight-week writer's retreat in Taos, New Mexico, and was first published in the Bylines 2005 Writer's Desk Calendar.


Acts of Creation

I see the first glow of morning over the flat roof of my neighbor's cottage and the trees that lie beyond. The world is still and half formed at this time of day. Magpies warm up for their morning aria. The odd car passes by. Even the wind still sleeps.

I've been up all night again, giving the tranquil hours over to acts of creation. Only now do I pull back the curtains and let the world creep inside.

My desk lamp shines on, confident that I can't yet live without its light. The computer groans, being far less resilient, and would yawn if it could. The phone sulks on the corner of the desk, a muted instrument whose only connection to the outside world answered to a higher purpose. It sits next to the tissue box, at least.

A borrowed dictionary has become fast friends with my travel-weary pocket diary. Between the two, I'm sure to find the right words at the right time.

If ever fatigue threatens the creative urge, I have my bottomless coffee mug and two bottles of water standing guard nearby. Muscle relaxants linger for moments when my body seizes over the page, and Wite-Out for moments when the words follow suit.

When all the night's work is behind me, yet my mind continues on, I have only to clip and file my nails while awaiting my next inspiration.

***
 

Betty Dobson is the owner of InkSpotter Publishing, the company behind such recent book releases as Paper Wings, Holiday Writes, Collywobblers and Backless, Strapless & Slit to the Throat. Her short stories have appeared in Apollo's Lyre, Brady Magazine, Eros & Rust, From the Asylum, Jerry Jazz Musician and Toasted Cheese, as well as through the Amazon Shorts program. A reformed corporate cog, she now works from her home full time. The hours are long, but the boss is flexible.

To Infinitively Split…

If you play Trivial Pursuit, you know about the grammatical error featured in the opening credits of Star Trek. The famous line "to boldly go where no man has gone before" contains the split infinitive "to boldly go" (where the adverb "boldly" splits the infinitive "to go"). While the line remains mostly unaltered throughout Star Trek's many incarnations, it gets "corrected" in the first episode of the series Enterprise, in a recorded speech by warp drive inventor Zefram Cochrane: "To go boldly where no man has gone before." Doesn't have quite the same ring, does it?

The prescriptive rule against split infinitives was created in response to its growing usage in the 19th century. While no one was clearly identified as the creator of said rule, there were many writers who supported the edict. According to Bache (1869), "The to of the infinitive mood is inseparable from the verb." Of like mind, Raub (1897) states, "The sign to must not be separated from the remaining part of the infinitive by an intervening word." There were perhaps as many who denounced the restriction. But the rule took hold of public consciousness by the early 20th century, gaining a firm toe hold in academia and the media.

Trying to correct a split infinitive will sometimes cause problems. The aforementioned "to boldly go" converts well enough into "to go boldly." The altered phrase might not have as much panache (if only because the original is so strikingly familiar), but it does carry the same meaning.

By contrast, consider the following (with the first line containing the split infinitive "to slowly remove" and the remaining lines as possible "solutions"):

1. "She decided to quickly remove all split infinitives from her writing."
2. "She quickly decided to remove all split infinitives from her writing."
3. "She decided to remove quickly all split infinitives from her writing."
4. "She decided to remove all split infinitives quickly from her writing."
5. "She decided to remove all split infinitives from her writing quickly."

While the meaning is most often unaffected (e.g. making quick changes to the writing), line #2 instead describes a quick decision. Furthermore, line #s 3-5 come across as clunky.

Split infinitives might be against the rules, but sometimes they can't be avoided. If you can find a way to omit them or rephrase them, by all means do so. But don’t alter them at the expense of meaning.

Consider this bit of sage advice from the Fowler brothers: "The 'split' infinitive has taken such hold upon the consciences of journalists that, instead of warning the novice against splitting his infinitives, we must warn him against the curious superstition that the splitting or not splitting makes the difference between a good and a bad writer" (The King’s English, 1907).

In closing, remember this overall approach to grammar:

Learn the rules. Understand the rules. Then decide when, how and why to break the rules to best effect.

NOTE: A tip of the virtual hat to Wikipedia for the quotes used above.

***
Betty Dobson is the owner of InkSpotter Publishing, the company behind such recent book releases as Paper Wings, Holiday Writes, Collywobblers and Backless, Strapless & Slit to the Throat. Her short stories have appeared in Apollo's Lyre, Brady Magazine, Eros & Rust, From the Asylum, Jerry Jazz Musician and Toasted Cheese, as well as through the Amazon Shorts program. A reformed corporate cog, she now works from her home full time. The hours are long, but the boss is flexible.

Rejection Lessons

My writing teacher warned me this would happen. One rejection letter after another piled on shelves and shoved into filing cabinets. There's enough paper to cover my office walls--and ceiling and floor and some of the hallway.

Well, that's one solution.

There has to be more to the rejection letter than dust collector and object of scorn. Most writers will say that the best way to handle rejection letters is to read them, file them, and send the rejected piece off to someone else as soon as possible. It's not bad advice, but it's not good enough.

Take a long, hard look at that letter. Has the editor tossed you a crumb of hope? Given you even the slightest chance to hang on to your confidence and self-respect?

Yes, it's a form letter--the same terse, soulless letter they send to every writer who doesn't make the grade--but what else? Amongst all those stiffly typed words, is anything other than the signature handwritten? Quite likely. Editors like to add quick notes to writers who show some promise. If you can decipher the scrawl--editors are as inscrutable as doctors when it comes to penmanship--pay attention to the words. If you're lucky, the editor will compliment one or more aspects of your story--then tell you exactly where he or she thinks you went wrong.

Take the comments seriously, but don't take them to heart--unless they all start saying the same things. If nine out of ten editors say your ending falls flat, it probably does. Don't sulk. Don't get angry. Fire up your computer (or uncap you pen) and get back to the business of writing. Tuck your original version away--just in case--and start making changes. Use the suggestions you like. Dream up a few of your own. Throw away the rest. After all, it's still your story. You can only make so many changes based on outside commentary before it becomes someone else's story.

Thicken your skin by joining a writers' workshop (either online or in person). Everyone submits their work for critique. It won't take long for you to realize that a single story can generate critiques that run the gamut from "this is absolutely wonderful" to "better luck next time."

Whether you're hearing from fellow writers or detached editors, don't take the comments personally. Except in rare cases, critiques are aimed at the story, not at the writer.

Finally, accept the fact that--for most of us--the rejections will far outweigh any successes. Writing is a subjective art form. Standards of quality shift from person to person and from moment to moment.

Remain as true as possible to your original vision. Somewhere amidst all those publications is an editor who sees life as you do--or at least appreciates the way you present your case.

***
Betty Dobson is the owner of InkSpotter Publishing, the company behind such recent book releases as Paper Wings, Holiday Writes, Collywobblers and Backless, Strapless & Slit to the Throat. Her short stories have appeared in Apollo's Lyre, Brady Magazine, Eros & Rust, From the Asylum, Jerry Jazz Musician and Toasted Cheese, as well as through the Amazon Shorts program. A reformed corporate cog, she now works from her home full time. The hours are long, but the boss is flexible.

OMG! I've got a book coming out!

When I was a teenager, my sister had a party while the rest of the family was away and she was supposed to be staying at a friend's house. When I got home, I couldn't find my diary. It wasn't missing for long and I found it under my mattress (with a very unpleasant message scrawled across one of the pages), but while it was lost I was a nervous wreck, wondering who might be reading it. If, back then, someone had taken my diary the worst they could probably have done was read it out at school or, at a push, photocopy the odd bit. But now with mobile phones and social networking? Potential for huge embarrassment.

And so I came up with Della, whose diary is stolen on the same night she finally kisses the boy she's had a crush on since they were four years old. Not only is Della dealing with her first relationship, she's also dealing with the fact that someone is using her most personal and embarrassing bits of her diary to try and humiliate her. I wanted the book to talk about how you shouldn't be ashamed of who you are, just because other people might try to use it against you. And I wanted to get something useful out of my own embarrassing diary incident. Oh and also to write about kissing cute boys - something I unfortunately never did when I was a teenager, since I was so busy worrying about what everyone else thought of me.

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Keris Stainton has been a freelance writer for five years and Della Says: OMG! is her first book. She lives in Lancashire with my husband and two sons, who make her laugh every day.

Della Says: OMG! is out 6 May 2010 and can be bought from The Book Depository, which has free international delivery, or from Amazon.

To Cap or Not to Cap

Last summer, I participated in an impromptu editors' discussion (via email) on the rules for capitalization of titles. We were trying to reach a consensus in terms of our in-house standard (we all work for a small publisher).

Titles such as "president" and "secretary general" cause much confusion over whether or not to capitalize. However, The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) contains explicit guidelines on the topic.

For instance, consider the president of the United States. The following lists the correct usage of capitalization (or not):

• The president of the United States (unless used formally, such as in a citation or an introduction)
• President Barack Obama
• Barack Obama, president of the United States
• U.S. president Barack Obama

Another variation might be "the president Obama," although I doubt that particular phrase is ever used.

Now let’s look at Captain Crunch (just for fun). If used as a substitute for Crunch’s name in a direct address, “Captain” is capitalized, e.g. “Hand me the spoon, Captain. We’re taking on milk.” But in general reference, he is simply “the captain.”

One aspect of the online debate that generated some discussion was the question of parents, e.g. when and if you should capitalize “mom” and “dad.” In the end, we agreed to treat the terms as titles. By that standard, when “mom” or “dad” was used in place of a person’s name in direct address, it should be capitalized. By contrast, if a term was used in indirect reference, it should not be capitalized.

• "Hey, mom, where did Sarah’s Dad go?" INCORRECT
• "Hey, Mom, where did Sarah’s dad go?" CORRECT

The CMS contains several pages of examples that can answer most capitalization questions… and any other usage and style questions you might have. The 15th Edition is currently available from Amazon.com for less than $35 US. That just might be the best $35 you spend this year.

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Betty Dobson is the owner of InkSpotter Publishing, the company behind such recent book releases as Paper Wings, Holiday Writes, Collywobblers and Backless, Strapless & Slit to the Throat. Her short stories have appeared in Apollo's Lyre, Brady Magazine, Eros & Rust, From the Asylum, Jerry Jazz Musician and Toasted Cheese, as well as through the Amazon Shorts program. A reformed corporate cog, she now works from her home full time. The hours are long, but the boss is flexible.

Image Writing Prompts

One of my favorite types of writing prompts to use is an image especially since I'm such a visual person myself. Whether you are a visual person or not using an image writing prompt is a good exercise for your creative energies.

As I was updating the prompts for this week at The Write Prompt lens I became increasing aware of just how versatile such a prompt is. This this week's image prompt for example, it's a simple image of two children in a narrow space on one side of a door. They are completely clothed with their faces away from the viewer. Are they in a place they shouldn't be? Are they trying to sneak up on someone? Are they hiding? Are they trying to escape? Were they going to visit gramma? Those were just some of my thought processes. If you spend a few minutes looking at them you'll probably come up with more.

Images provide a visual cue to get us started but there are so many avenues to explore. The same image can very well provide a new prompt for the writer every day. It depends on the mood of the writer and her/his creative influence at the moment of viewing. With so many images around us a writer has new excuse for not writing something new.

Have a delightfully creative week!

A Day of Beginnings

The first of the month is a good time for a fresh start, don't you think?

For some of you, today marks the start of another book-in-a-week challenge. By now, you’re obsessed—or you should be—with your work in progress (WIP). You’re giving up television and other distractions. Housework is on the back burner. Sleep is minimal. Food is just another annoying necessity.

For me, this is my first day as BIW's resident blog writer. I'll be here twice a month, writing about writing, reviewing books and "toys" that (hopefully) make our writing lives easier (or at least a little more fun) and interviewing other writers. Can you sense the theme?

If you’re taking a break from this week’s mania to read this, let me suggest a writing exercise to get you back to work.

Tell us about a time when one of the characters in your current WIP suffered a loss. Did he get fired right before Christmas? Maybe she had her heart broken on Valentine’s Day. (I just know you can come up with more original stories!) Whatever the loss, show us the emotions through actions and dialogue. Think you can make us cry? Go for it!

If you want to share your efforts, feel free to leave a comment. And please let me know what you want to read about in the future or if you’re willing to subject yourself to the interview process.

Now go write!

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Betty Dobson is the owner of InkSpotter Publishing, the company behind such recent book releases as Paper Wings, Holiday Writes, Collywobblers and Backless, Strapless & Slit to the Throat. Her short stories have appeared in Apollo's Lyre, Brady Magazine, Eros & Rust, From the Asylum, Jerry Jazz Musician and Toasted Cheese, as well as through the Amazon Shorts program. A reformed corporate cog, she now works from her home full time. The hours are long, but the boss is flexible.