Persistance Pays...

Are writers groups truly useful in getting you published? Now that’s a good question. I do think groups can be extremely helpful especially if you are a newbie. While the bloom is still on, an aspiring pre-published writer needs to connect with others for support and encouragement. Learning together can be a big asset. To critique each other’s work not only helps the giver learn skills but also the receiver too. Then there are links to publishers, online writing workshop/classes and contact with others who write. Members can share a bunch of knowledge with each other. Some do form lasting friendships.

It all sounds wonderful. But as several more experienced writers have discussed recently, there is usually a downside as well. One of the biggest problems I’ve encountered with new writers groups is many aspirers don’t persist. After a while, they lose interest in writing. Their every day life gets in the way of publishing dreams. Or they just don’t want to put out the effort, endure all the rejections and continue the persistence it takes to get there. It could take several years depending on the market you target. Instant publication is not the norm.

Any one who has remotely touched on the business side of this industry knows well that marketing plays a key role in the life of a writer. Some don’t enjoy this side and may be discouraged by it.

Face it-- there are hundreds, even thousands of distractions out there to discourage us from reaching our goals. Not to mention ye ole writers block! The adage ‘persistence pays’ should become the song of all writers.

When bestselling and oft-quoted Joe Konrath said, “There is a word for a writer who never gives up— published.” He wasn’t kidding. The man knows. He claims to have amassed some 400 rejections before he got his first yes. Now that’s top notch persistence!

Many of my friends who visit here are already successfully published authors. But there is always a new crop waiting for sage advice. With that said, here are some questions to ponder:

What advice would you more experienced writers give a newbie? For the aspiring among us, what would you like to ask those who have been where you are now?

Kaye

Reviews And Old Clues

Remember the very first story we finally finished writing? Remember how elated we were? It was such a great feeling to see all those words forming a real story. But soon after, the eye opener came--we had to take a good hard look at those sacred words. And sometimes it just wasn't as pretty as we first thought. But we started to study and learn and figure it out. And our writing got better and better with practice.

As I looked back at what I've learned along the way about writing fiction, I came across this old article buried deep inside my “How to” file. It’s still a gem and a good review of a few basics, so I figured I'd share it here.

EDITOR FAY THOMPSON’S SELF-EDITING TIPS
– Questions you need to ask before submitting your story

1. Does your story have dramatic unity? Is something happening on each page?

2. Is it obvious what is at stake? Your characters must want something desperately. Have you made it clear what this something is?

3. Have you given enough information so readers can see what you see? Remember readers know only what you tell them.

4. Is your story all there? Does it take too long to get started and is your first line a hook?

5. In Point of View, do you bounce between viewpoints (head hop) until your reader is dizzy and confused? Stay in one POV as much a possible. If you must change character heads, separate POV by space breaks or chapter breaks. Do keep POV changes to a minimum within a chapter.

6. Have you varied the length of your sentences? Some long? Some short? Some medium length? Long paragraphs will have your reader yawning. Too many short sentences will jar his senses. This goes for paragraphs, too.

7. Do you say no to your characters, or do they get what they want without a struggle? The reader wants the characters to almost get their heart's desire, only to have it snatched away from them at the last minute.

8. Have characters' names tripped you up? Don't use similar sounding names. Avoid giving characters names beginning with the same letter. Names should "fit" the characters. Example: Mitzi doesn't sound like a high-society matron.

9. In dialogue, do your characters talk like real people? Don't let them make speeches to each other. Use character names in dialogue just enough to keep readers from being confused as to who is speaking.

10. Have you been guilty of "reader feeder” This is where one character feeds information to another? Or do you ramble on about how this or that came to be? It’s much better to give back story or necessary information in small doses throughout the story.

11. Check punctuation, grammar, format and spelling. Okay, this includes fixing passive voice and ridding out those annoying 'ly' adverbs (softly, quickly) and pesky helping verbs like 'was' and 'had' as much as possible. (ate instead of was eating, etc.)

12. Now the tough one: Is it boring? If someone else wrote this, would you want to keep reading? Have your critique partner go over it. Insist on a tough critique and don't take it personally when they do just that.

Okay, so we’ve heard, read and studied this before. This is tried and true stuff and a basic review can’t hurt us, right?

Write well all.

Kaye

How Much Is Too Much?

Tips From My Inner Editor

Do I need to be careful of yet another overdone cliché?

I’ve noticed that when something--words, situations, plots, etc. are used too much in too many books they become a cliché in the writing industry. If I study the markets and read the books that are published, I can see these cliché patterns.

When I first wrote the sex/love scenes in Knight of Dreams, I just wrote it the way I felt it. And my crit partners said I needed to add the characters names several more times throughout the passage. So I did. But was that the right thing to do? No, it wasn't.

Okay, so maybe this is an ongoing debate. But here's the way I see it as best when I'm reading a book or story.

When in deep POV, that is revealing story/character through a character’s head, don't repeat the character’s name over and over. Once you establish the name, then you don’t need to say it again and again. Everyone knows what this means from examples in your own writing. So just keep in mind that it can pull a reader out of the story and back to the realization that they are reading, rather than immersing them inside the story, which is the goal. This goes for all deep POV writing, but especially inside a sex/love scene. Just be careful and don’t use the character’s name every other sentence, or even paragraph, if you are in the same passage or scene.

And here’s another-- This I know, but I see it especially in new writers work. I call it the ‘Laundry List’ or the ‘Rambling Writer’ syndrome. You know this one. It’s when we give each nuance of detail of a room or a setting, and even over describe a character. Or write on and on about unimportant events.

Less is best.

It’s not necessary unless you are creating an unknown or alien world for your character. And you still need to use care when doing so. The purpose of description is to give the reader a sensory grounding in a scene and that is all. So be careful with overusing description.

I’m not big on expository passages though. I like my stories to get right to the point and keep on going. In fact, I’ve had to practice layering in more description and detail to my stories. However, I’ve seen other writers rambling on and on saying much more than is necessary for the scene. Grounding your reader is the key to all good fiction writing. And it just doesn’t happen if you overwrite.

I edit out overwritten passages and too much detailed description. And I try not to repeat my viewpoint character’s name too many times. As a reader, I already got it-- when the writer revealed the name of the character in the first sentence. Occasionally I'm sure it's okay, but I say let us be careful with overuse of names, even if it is debatable. Oh yeah, I did change my scene back to the way it was written originally.

Write Well All,

Kaye

Space Opera... Anyone?

Visit Coffee Time Romance now to join with Christina Phillips and Shelley Munro as they play host to the month of May's rollicking new Space Opera, Red Wolverton Howling. Register with CTR and you can contribute continuing chapters, paragraphs or scenes to this wacky and sexy Paranormal Space Opera along with Christina, Shelley and other writers.

So far, I've contributed several scenes/chapters. Read them when you visit. You can also add to the storyline. It's really just too much fun!

See you there.

Kaye

It's The Hard That Makes It Great

E-D-I-T-A-N-D-R-E-V-I-S-E !

Those who know me also know I have a great deal of respect for bestselling author, Margaret Moore and her expertise on rewriting and revising. All you need do is visit her blog and you'll hear her talk about her latest writing project and the grueling editing process she goes through each and every time she writes a novel. I agree with her and spend a large amount of time in edits too. The true revision process is long and not quick or easy. No one said it would be a fast track to the big print publishing houses!

A while back, Margaret wrote an article for eharlequin.com writers and I've included it below. Here's to revising and editing the heck out of our work to make it the best it can be!

Do it yourself Editing by Margaret Moore

"Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work." — Stephen King

What sort of "hard work" is Stephen King talking about? There's the creating of characters and plot, and the writing of the first draft of your scenes — your original version of what your characters are going to say and do. But that's only the beginning.

After the first draft of a book or scene come the heavy lifting, the grunt work, the final shaping and polishing of the gem: editing your work to ensure that you have used the most appropriate words in the best order to create fascinating, believable characters in a dramatically interesting story.

There are three basic stages in my editing process. The first thing I do when I finish the first draft of the entire novel is to read it through completely, looking at what I've included in the story and the way I've organized the scenes. I'm focusing on the big picture; particularly, the development of the romance and overall pacing.

Have I organized the scenes so that the romance progresses as it should? Have I put the scenes in the order that best maximizes dramatic tension? Do I have any dead ends and "deadwood" — scenes or paragraphs that had a purpose when I first wrote them, but now contribute nothing to the overall story line and developing romance, and in fact, bog it down? Does a scene deepen the conflict between the hero and heroine, or within those characters? Have I shown the scene from the best point of view for maximum dramatic effect?

I input those changes and create another draft of the manuscript, which I read through again. Major alterations may still be made, but I'm less likely to move huge blocks of text. What I'm looking for here is to make sure my previous changes have led to improvements in pacing and tension, and the development of the romance. I check for consistency of mood and tone, and smooth transitions. The reader shouldn't be able to tell that I've moved a scene from one chapter to another, or shifted a chunk of dialogue. The story should flow easily, so that it reads as if I wrote it in one sitting.

I'm also checking the chapter endings to make sure each chapter concludes in a way that's going to encourage the reader to keep reading. (Tip o' the day: never ever end a chapter with a character going to sleep. Talk about encouraging a reader to do the same!)

Another step in the self-editing process is polishing the manuscript: checking for repetition of words and phrases, that details are consistent, dialogue is easy to follow and that I've avoided passive verbs wherever possible in favor of stronger action verbs.

This process isn't limited to the end of the editing process, however. I do this continually, every time I work on a scene. Does that mean that I've polished something that then gets cut? Unfortunately, yes. But the goal is to make my book the very best it can be, so if it's gotta go, it's gotta go.

Here are my basic rules for revising and editing:

Be ruthless. Nothing you write is sacred, ever.
When in doubt, cut it out. If it doesn't "feel" right, it probably isn't.
Never throw anything away. For every draft, I create a "dump" file. Everything I've deleted from a chapter goes there. You never know, you might need it. I seem to recall salvaging a line of prose from a dump file once. I also save every draft. Sometimes I realize that what I had originally written works better than the new version, so I go back and get the original. If you know you can retrieve the original work, cutting and changing isn't so painful.

Know your strengths and your weaknesses. Sorry, folks, but this is something you can really only learn by writing and having someone offer feedback, whether it's a critique partner or an editor. Once you have a handle on that, it will guide you through the editing process. If I have to cut, it's not going to be something that represents one of my strengths. If I know my weakness, that portion of the manuscript's going to be more scrutinized.

So, once I've done all that, I'm finished, right? Nope. Then my editor reads the book and, depending on her feedback, I start the whole process over again.

Writing isn't easy. Rewriting can be downright painful. But remember that line in A League of Their Own? "It's the hard that makes it great."

Or as Somerset Maugham once said, "Only a mediocre writer is always at his best."

All We Need Is Love...

Love is patient. Love is kind. And Love keeps you healthy, happy, and wrinkle-free...

As a romance writer, thinking about attraction and love is second nature. Here are a few true scientific research facts about our sexy world of Love.

Love is like chocolate. Love is a kind of chemical addiction, says Helen Fisher, Ph.D., an anthropologist at Rutgers University. Falling in love activates the pleasure centers of the brain and increases production of the feel-good chemical dopamine. She goes on to say that eating chocolate affects the same brain regions. So that's why it's hard to stop at one piece of chocolate!

Your nose knows he is the one. Did you just know he was the man for you? Thank your sense of smell. Researchers have found that women draw instinctively to the scent of men who are genetically different from them, which is a good thing. What draws you to one guy over another is his pheromones, unique chemical by-products of hormone production.

It is better to be hitched than rich. What makes people happiest? A solid marriage ranks highest on the smile scale. According to a Dartmouth study, having a good marriage is equal to the satisfaction gained from earning an extra $100,000 a year. So you really can be rich in love.

Hugs have a biological benefit. They reduce heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones; boost the immune systems of the hugger and the one getting the hug.

And my all time favorite:

Love is a wonder drug. No, really -- here's more good news about physical intimacy. During a sensual encounter, your body pumps out 200 percent more endorphins (those feel-good chemicals responsible for a runner's high), according to a recent Johns Hopkins University study. Other research has found that physical intimacy relieves headaches and zaps mild depression instantly. One study even showed it was 10 times more effective than Valium at giving people a calm, contented feeling.

No wonder we like to write about HEA and love, love, love. It makes us feel so darn good!

What about you? Do you agree with the scientists? And do you have anything else to add?

Kaye

Great Tip!

"We're not writers. We're rewriters. Nobody gets it right the first time. And even when you do sell it, you'll be required to make even more changes. This is a business. Leave the ego at the door, tuck away your integrity, and be prepared to work hard if you want to make some money in this biz." -- JA Konrath

E-Publishing -- Is It Right For You?

What are the advantages of e-publishing?

I have many friends who have opted to e-publish their works, and with good reasons, not to mention good results.

Let’s face it, publishing is a hard business for any writer. At one time, there was about 75 to 100 print publishing companies, owned by people whose tastes and criteria varied. Now five major media corporations own most imprints. Titles are chosen by committee who consider content less important than demographics of the customer base. The major publishers want books that will sell. They are not interested in producing mid-list authors, or in keeping books in print, or in publishing a good book that won't find a wide audience, just because it’s good.

So here's what my research turned up.

Luckily, there are more opportunities for first-time/unknown authors, or authors of unusual books in e-publishing. For writers whose stories don't fit the mold, e-publishing can be a way to find an audience and good reviews. Deb Staples says that e-books are a great way to put your foot in the door. Now you can say you are a published author, and begin the process of marketing and learning how the industry works. “E-books get talented authors into a market that might otherwise never see them.”

And here’s a few more good reasons for those writers involved or interested in e-publishing:

Less emphasis on standard novel lengths. E-publishing offers a market for books that are longer, or shorter, than traditional print novels. It is an excellent market for novelettes, which sell for a lower price than a paperback novel, and often more acceptable to the consumer.

More control over the process. Writers have greater freedom with characters and plot, more say in revisions, and possibly more input in cover art and sales blurbs. While e-publishing editors make suggestions for revisions in a manuscript, authors note that there is considerably more room for discussion and negotiation.

Higher royalties. Because the costs of e-published books are significantly lower than print books, authors receive a far higher percentage of revenues. 40 percent is fast becoming the industry standard. Most e-publishers pay royalties every quarter rather than once or twice a year like print publishers. However, keep this in mind and don’t expect to get rich quick. Karen Wiesner, who has sold hundreds of copies of her romance titles and several thousand copies of her nonfiction e-book, notes, "I don't think the combined total from all my book royalties would equal what a standard mid-list author with a traditional publisher makes off a single advance."

Author-friendly contracts. I think most e-publishers ask only for electronic rights, leaving the author free to market print rights and subsidiary rights elsewhere. In addition, most e-publishing contracts are renewable rather than indefinite.

Shorter response times. Most e-publishers attempt to respond to submissions within two to four months. Response times are lengthening, however, as the number of submissions increases.

Faster publication. Some e-publishers will bring out a title within months of acceptance. However, this is becoming less and less common, particularly among the larger e-publishers, who have backlogs of manuscripts.

International availability. "Readers in Australia can buy the book the same day it's released to buyers in the U.S. It's immediately accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Longer shelf life. Since it costs very little to keep an e-book in stock, a book does not have to sell thousands of copies. As long as sales remain good by e-book standards, most e-publishers are willing to keep a title in their inventory, rather than dropping it for a more profitable title.

How do you feel about e-publishing? Does anyone with e-pub experience have anything to add, or dispute here? Let us know your ideas on this subject good or bad.

Kaye

Writing Fast

It amazes me how fast some writers can produce. On her blog the other day Margaret Moore USA Today best selling author of historical romance, compared her first draft daily page count to a runner's sprint. She complained that she had slowed to a jog and had only written 65 pages that week-- compared to 85 the previous week and 105 the first week. And she says, if she can write another 65 to 75 pages, it may well take her to the end of her first draft.

I think that's fantastic. I suppose that's not unreasonable, but I wish I could write that many pages in a week! I know there are writers out there who do that and more. But I'm not one of them, at least most of the time. Granted, there have been occasions when I got in the zone and rolled with it, ticking out page after page of stellar words so fast it made my head swim. I’ve even finished more than 300 pages in less than a month. But not usually. If I get 4 or 5 pages done on the days I can write, I'm doing good. And of course, first drafts are just that. The real writing begins in edits and revisions -- lots of them, as Margaret is quick to point out as well.

The way I tend to write may be why my page count is what it is. I usually do edits and revisions as I go. If I'm writing a novel/novella, I will edit chapter by chapter; I edit short fiction at the end of the day, or first thing before my next writing session.

For the most part, I think many of us traipse along getting it done as fast as we can, revisions and all, but not so fast your mind can hardly keep up. Am I right? So here's my question -- How fast do you write? And how prolific are you? Meaning have you ever finished a manuscript so quickly and well written that it needed little or no revisions?

And to keep us all on our toes, here's what Margaret Moore had to say after reading this post and the comments:

Oh, baby, you better believe I rewrite! And revise. And cut. And move scenes. And rewrite some more. I do *at least* three complete drafts of a book and usually five. That's from page 1 to the last page, with many, many more revisions of individual scenes along the way. I can spend hours on three pages. And I've often done over thirty drafts of the first scene of Chapter One. So when I've written x number of first draft pages, that in no way compares to x number of finished, ready-to-submit pages...

(continued in comments)

Thanks Margaret!

Kaye

Memorable Characters

Warrick paced across a rush covered floor in the castle's great hall. He waited
for Jonathan, his liege. A leather-bound claymore slung low about his waist and his hand rested upon it. His large frame sported a plaid in the colors of his clan. The tartan fell below rough-hewn body leather and gleaming chain mail armor. Hailing from the Highlands, he bore the scars of numerous battles won and lost. Many called him Warrick the Bold. Jonathan called him his most trusted friend and confidant...

(Warrick, secondary character from Knight of Magic © by Kaye Manro)

There is so much discussion on the subject of characters these days and rightly so. Without good characterization where would our stories be? Though by far the most important aspect of our story is our heroes, heroines and villains. But don't forget those endearing secondary characters, the ones who people our stories and assist our main characters. It’s easy to concentrate on the h/h and forget to make the support cast strong as well.

When I have a story idea, one of my favorite things to do is to people my fictional world with a great supporting cast. However, it is not always easy to make them come to life. True, good character sketches help. And descriptive narrative as I have written about Warrick can go a long way. But how do they become really real? Maybe this is the toughest part for aspiring writers, even seasoned writers. If we don’t create them well, our support people can turn out unrealistic or two dimensional.

Lea Schizas is holding a character building workshop this month. If you are interested here is the link:

Date: February 24

Time: 7pm EST

Place: Chat Lounge 1

At: http://www.themuseonlinewritersconference.com/

Price: Free

What about you? How do you create the best and most alive supporting cast for your story? And as a reader, what do you like best about secondary characters?

Kaye

Paranormal... What?

Hmm, makes you wonder what kind D'Argo has, doesn't it? (pictured at right) Just look at his ahh, sword...

There is such a great discussion going on over at Shelley Munro's blog today that I just had to mention it here. The topic? Paranormal Penises. Yes, that's right, I said penis. Barbed ones, bigger than life ones, even two on one body ones.

Okay, so I don't usually go into that much detail here on the subject of penises but this is a grand topic as my alien character, T'Kon has a rather interesting one of those himself! I'm not giving away his secret just yet, but suffice it to say his is slightly different than an ordinary human penis. Now does that mean better or worse entertainment for the reader? It's hard to say. It all depends on what you want from a penis, or a story. Writers and readers of erotic romance are going to have their own take on this subject. So let's all think about it. I certainly welcome any comments you can add here. And do check out Shelley's blog:

http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/

Kaye

Wow, its certainly been a while since my last blog post. Many things have been going on in my life lately. But one thing is sure, I plan to make a blog come back for the New Year. So be sure to visit here for informative posts and new author interviews coming soon...

For now I hope everyone is having a wonderful and safe Season and I wish all a

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

See you in January...

Kaye

LET'S TALK ABOUT IT Continues...

It's a great Saturday isn't it? For our friends on the other side of the world, we are posting early...

And as promised, it's time to introduce my very special guest blogger. I'm so excited! Everyone, please welcome:

RHONDA DOVE

Hi, Kaye. Thanks for having me here today.

A few days ago, the subject of protecting your thoughts, ideas and stories online generated some interest so I’d like to take a little bit of time to talk about some of the ways an author can protect their online content.

For many authors, the web is now a standard marketing tool to promote your stories and to maintain/grow your fan base. Whether it is stories already published or small samples of writing, just having a copyright logo placed on your site or blog will not stop a potential thief. So what tools are available for us to discourage such theft? Let’s begin by breaking down the topic of protection into two categories, those solutions that will mostly apply to websites and blogs and those that are better suited for protecting e-publications.

Websites and blogs are a composition of images and text most often displayed in an HTML framework. Within this framework, pieces of code can be placed that disable various options such as right click, copy, Save As, or prevent use of the clipboard via the Print Screen option. Many of these pieces of code are available free on the Internet or can be purchased for a small fee. What makes most of these options appealing is that very little knowledge of web design is needed and most sites that offer code will explain to you how to apply it to your website.

Tips for protecting your website or blog:

1. Use one of the free copyright services that put an electronic badge on your pages or entries. One of the perks of using such a service is the additional tools they come with. In most cases, such sites offer the ability to search the Internet looking for copies of your already protected content. This in turn gives you the author, the ability to follow up with the perpetrator and resolve the situation.

Possible sites to explore:
Copyscape.
MyFreeCopyright.com

2. Secure your website with code. Most often web pages use Javascript, to deliver all sorts of tasty treats for people browsing the web but they can also be used to deter unwanted behavior. These pieces of script each do a different function but a combination can be included on any single page for greater security. One of the best site examples I have seen is Hypergurl.com.

Hypergurl offers code to: Turn off right click for images.
Turn off right click for source code (text).
Disable copy and paste.
Give the illusion your source code doesn’t exist.

3. Include a link back requirement advertisement on your website or blog if some one decides to use your material. This will allow for greater exposure to your site while keeping things honest.

4. Use cascading style sheets to blank out content and prevent printing on your site (Web use only). This is a slightly more advanced tip, requiring that the author have control or someone who is capable of creating this feature for them on their website. What makes me include this option is its ease of creation and implementation. All you will need is a text file named ‘noprint.css’ with the following text inside:

html { height: 100%; }

body { height: 1px; width: 1px; }

.noprint { background-color: #fff; color: #fff; height: 1px; width: 1px; }

Then on each page, between the head <> tags include the following line:

link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="print" href="noprint.css"/

And inside the body <> tag of each page put: class="noprint"

The page will appear unaffected until you go to File, Print Preview and you’re text will have disappeared. This will not affect images but other exclusions can be added to the style sheet to remove those as well.

Thoughts on protecting published material:

1. Adobe Acrobat Professional PDF’s . Some publishers offer their product to readers by compiling the story into a PDF, which offers a stable, easily downloadable copy viewable in Adobe’s Free Acrobat Reader. Unfortunately, by default, Acrobat Reader gives the end user the ability to print or save as copy or text. But within Adobe Professional software, many of these utilities can be turned off or disabled as well as the menu bar being hidden if necessary. This particular option may not be within the control of the author but may be a question to ask during contract negotiations.

2. What other formats are available? Currently, the Adobe PDF is the most commonplace format for electronic publications. However, some sites offer their material with executable readers (Microsoft Reader, Acrobat Reader), so that the content will only open if you have the specific required reader installed. Others, though few, offer the product through Flash files or basic HTML pages but don’t necessarily allow printing or saving but don’t always prohibit it either.

There you have it. I'll be here at around 11 am eastern time to answer questions. See you then.

Rhonda

rhondadove.blogspot.com

http://www.rhondadove.com/

If anyone has a question or needs any help later email me at:

theauthor@rhondadove.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If some of this sounds confusing or like a foreign language to you, it's because that's exactly what HTML coding is. But never fear, Rhonda will try to help you understand how to use this language and protect your own work.

Kaye

So Few Lines, Too Many Words

Lately I've been working on opening lines and how to hook the reader in the first paragraph, if not the first sentence of my latest story.

I have to fight the tendency to labor endlessly over those first few paragraphs There's always that compulsion to make those opening lines just perfect. Instinctively, as a reader-turned-writer, I know the importance of a good beginning, so I sweat over mine. And, because I've worked so hard on those first several sentences, they can be the hardest to let go of if my gut instinct is telling me they need to be cut.

Revising openings is not easy, so to warm up, find a novel you enjoyed and reread its opening. Does the first sentence grab your attention? If so, put it down and pick up another book. Great beginnings are hard to come by, so it shouldn't take you long to find a novel without one.

Once you've found a good book with a less-than-great beginning, rewrite that beginning. You might do it by cutting a few paragraphs until you come to a line that makes you feel something makes you ask a question or titillates you, or you might move the last sentence of the first paragraph into top spot. Sometimes it can be that easy. The first sentence might even simply need a few words cut out to make it shorter, punchier.

After you rewrite a few others beginnings and study some openings that caught your attention, read your beginning with that critical eye you've acquired. Would it make a reader ask a compelling question? Would it make her feel something? How many sentences into the book does she have to be in order to become captivated and need to read on?

Whether you cut a sentence or a chapter or more, know that you're doing it for your own good and the good of your book. You want the first words that an editor reads to grab her attention and make her know your book is, indeed, purchase-worthy.

Here's a great opening line from Nocturne's Aftershock by Debra Cowan:

Cass Hollister's problems began the day she died.

Now doesn't that make you want to read the story to find out what is going on? It does me. So what are some of your favorite opening lines from books you love, or even from your own work?

Kaye

PS: A big *Thank You* goes out to my friend Christina Phillips for giving me the "I Love Your Blog" award!

A NEW LOOK

So how do you like the new look of my blog?

I felt it was time to change it.

Sometimes the same old thing gets too boring!

I think I might lay in a photo in the header. So let me know--does it need anything else? Different colors? Fonts? Tell me what you think.

Kaye

Get Branded!

No, it's not what you think! Got you!

Branding means people know what to expect when they see your name.

Audrey Shaffer has some interesting points here...

When you shop for books, do you look for new authors you've never heard of? Do you really want to give your hard-earned money to someone you know nothing about? I doubt it.

Don't feel guilty. They aren't interested in buying your book either. Why? Because they don't know you.

For writers, your brand is usually your name. Unless you write something like Harry Potter. Then the series becomes your main brand, and your name is secondary.

Your platform is what you are known for. It's what you stand on, what raises you above the crowd and makes you stand out. The thing that makes you different. For most writers, your books are the platform, and your name is the brand. The stronger your platform is, the higher you (your brand) will rise above the crowd. Therefore, the biggest part of branding is creating, building, and strengthening your platform.

Building a platform takes time. But you can start immediately to build your brand. Then, when you get your platform together, you will already have something to put on it.

Stephen King, Ann Rice, Dean Koontz, Janet Evanovich, Danielle Steele, Barbara Cartland…all are writers with a strong brand and a clearly defined platform. Many of their fans will buy their new book without question. The brand is on it, it's a sale. They aren't afraid to spend their money, because they know they're going to get what they want.

If you are going to use a pen name, then that becomes your brand. And you will need to build a platform under that name. Sometimes, a brand can limit you. In that case, you usually have to create a second brand, andbuild a platform for it too. Stephen King – Richard Bachman. Nora Roberts – J. D. Robb. Once the second brand can stand on its own, then you can safely let it be let everyone know that both brands belong to you. But by keeping them separate, you make sure your readers get what they expect when they pick up your books. The last thing you want to do is disappoint your fans. That can end your career.

Who are you? That's your brand. What do you do? That's your platform.

So what is your brand and platform?

Kaye

The Witch's Cat

That's Kuda at the right--my very own witch's cat!

This is the day after Halloween,

time to celebrate the end of fall.

Some call it All Saints Day.

For me, I choose to honor

a much loved classic childhood

tale first read to me by my mother

when I was very young.

Gobbolino The Witch's Cat

by Ursula Moray Williams.

With his sparky whiskers and

magic tricks, no one could mistake

Gobbolino for a simple kitchen cat.

But that is just what this little witch's

cat longs to be...

First published in 1947, this story of

a kindhearted kitten has enchanted

generations of children of all ages.

Everyone should read Gobbolino

no matter if you're

eight, eighteen or eighty years old!

Kaye

Heroes Can't Wait

Heroes, Hunks and Hotties... Oh yes!

It's been a while since I featured one of my favorite Heroes To Die For. So watch out, today just might be the day... Hey, is that sexy Ben Browder (Farscape, Stargate) I see in that photo up there? Yeah. Another hero is coming your way.

Here’s a question for you. How do we choose the heroes for our stories? What kind of heroes do you like reading about? Are we attracted to certain types of heroes and why? Probe deep and see what you can find then let me know.

Kaye

The Days Following...

Congratulations to my writer friend, Christina Phillips!

Foretaste of Forever

is already at # 4 on the The Wild Rose Press (Wilder Roses)

Bestseller List!!!

Great! And we can't wait for more...

Pick up your copy of this tantalizing story at Wilder Roses

(And on Monday, visit Christina and Helen at http://helensheroes.blogspot.com/ for a taste of Ben, the hero in this story...)

The Dreaded Q and S

It's one of those great feelings to finish a story or novel, isn't it? But then the scare tactic kicks in-- oh no-- I have to write that dreaded Q and S. (query and synopsis) Have you ever met anyone who likes this part? Me neither. For most of us, it's panic time again... In keeping with the Halloween theme, it feels like a scary creature trying to swoop down on me for an attack!

Thankfully, Tana Starret from Harlequin has a few suggestions to tame the monster.

Keep your query letter short and sweet.

Give your hook in the first paragraph with a bare-bones overview of your main conflict. Imagine you're writing the back cover blurb for your book. What will grab the editor and make her look at your synopsis? (Hint: proclamations of your book's greatness won't help.) Also, try matching the tone of your letter to the tone of your book. For example if you're submitting to the Harlequin Flipside line, show your ironic and sassy wit; a query to the Harlequin Intrigue series should be tight and fast-paced — see what I mean?

Include a very brief description of your writing history in the second paragraph. Tell us about the number of manuscripts you have written, the writing classes you have taken, the contests you have participated in—, and the results, of course!

Above all, remember to keep it professional. While it is lovely to read about the fact that your Aunt Betty convinced you to start writing romance novels, that information doesn't belong in your query. Publishing is a business, and you want to be businesslike in all your communication with any publishing house. Follow up with an offer to send more material. And make sure you include your contact information!

Okay. You've made it this far. Now what about that dreaded synopsis? Few people enjoy writing a synopsis and it is true, it's not easy.

You should be able to break your manuscript down into a handful of major plot points. Like the hero/heroine meeting; the first point of contention; the black moment, etc. The points you come up with are what your story hinges on. Essentially, your synopsis should be a list of these points, along with a minimum amount of information stringing those points together. Don't worry about emotion or description — this isn't the place for that.

What the editor wants to see is how you've developed your plot, the twists you've used to make it unique and exactly how you've resolved it. The trick here is to keep your synopsis concise and make sure you mention all the important plot points.

It does take practice, and the more you write them, the better you'll get.

Finally, remember to double-check for spelling and grammatical errors. If you feel you need to, get a friend to read everything over.

If you have any other suggestions on how you tame the monster Q and S, we'd love it if you would share with us.

Kaye

If time is irrelevant, how come it can either fly or go by slowly? Good question. I had to be away for over a week and it seems I've been gone for months! But I'm back now and hope to catch up with everyone. Is that making up for lost time? And if time is lost, how do you make it up? Later on I must do a post on time, since I love time travel!

In the meantime, (pun) I have an interesting perception to share on a more serious note. I don't know if you've heard of newspaperman Jeff Rubin, NPD, but he believes people need to learn more about the importance of proper punctuation for communicating clearly. In his words, "Punctuation has been devalued by a generation of computer wizards who ask, 'What's the point? Nobody writes in complete sentences anymore.' But the rules of proper punctuation haven't changed just because of computers... Careless punctuation mistakes cost time, money, and productivity."

He's right, you know, and that, of course goes double for writers. Today, I've decided to share some basic grammar rules. I know we all can benefit from this kind of review, so here goes.

Subject-Verb Agreement

Agreement is a basic concept of English grammar. Some of the culprits of subject-verb agreement errors will be familiar to you: the indefinite pronoun, the collective noun and alternate and compound subjects.

The following sentences illustrate how closely related these two issues are:

Bucky tends his father's cows. The brothers tend their father's cows.

Note that both the pronoun and the verb change when the noun changes from singular to plural. "Bucky" is a singular noun. It takes the singular form of the verb—"tends"—and the singular pronoun "his." "Brothers" is a plural noun, taking the plural form of the verb—"tend"—and the plural pronoun "their."

Let's review these two grammatical rules. The pronoun must agree in number with its antecedent. The verb must agree in number and person with its subject.

Indefinite Pronouns

These pronouns, no matter how plural they may seem (everybody, everyone, etc.), are in fact singular and, therefore, always take a singular verb.

Collective nouns

These nouns refer to a group of things as a unit (team, band, and committee). It is usually preferable to use singular forms of the verb for such nouns. However, when you think of a group as a collection of individuals each acting individually, you must use the plural.

See, simple basic stuff.

Okay, now that I've bored you enough, I think I'll stop for now. What is it about grammar that stumps you? Do you have a grammar rule that gets you every time and if so, what is it?

Kaye

Autumn Equinox: A Time For Equal Reflection

Equal days and nights have me thinking about what I'm planning for my next project. It tells us (at least in this part of the Earth!) that winter is not far away. It is the Autumn Equinox, and after today the nights grow longer. Daylight at the Equinox is slightly longer than the night, partly because the Earth’s atmosphere bends sunlight hidden just under the horizon.

At the poles the equinox marks the transition from 24 hours of night to 24 hours of daylight. And at the equator, the Equinox marks the moment when the Sun is directly overhead.

Since ancient times, people thought the Equinox influenced the weather. Storms hit in late summer during the first Roman invasion of England by Julius Caesar in 55BC, leaving him short of seaworthy ships and exposed to the risk of being stranded in England for the winter without provisions. In his account of the Gallic wars, he wrote: “Since the time of the Equinox was near, he did not consider that, with his ships out of repair, the voyage ought to be deferred till winter.” It is just that storms are more frequent in the autumn.

Another piece of folklore comes with Saint Matthew’s Day, September 21, a key date for forecasting the coming months: “Matthew’s Day, bright and clear, brings good wine in next year.”

And according to The Unique Bedside Book of Weather Lore: “A quiet week before the Autumn Equinox and after, the temperature will continue higher than usual into the winter.” In fact, the weather on September 20, 21, and 22 is supposed to dictate the weather for the rest of autumn. Given the great weather at the moment the prospects for the rest of the year look good.

So what are your thoughts on the Equinox? Is it a time of year that you do special things or work on future plans?

Kaye

When is dumping too much?

As I write, I tend to over write my stories, or at least I use to do that. So today I'd like to speak about something we've all heard, fondly called in the writing world as Back-story Dump. So what exactly do they mean by that? From my own experience it's when we tend to write too much too soon. One of the very first short stories I ever wrote (Last Exit To Babylon) was about a dragon who got caught in a time travel experiment and ended up in our modern world. Needless to say I back-story dumped all over the place! My then new critique partners had a field day with this story way before I ever dreamed of submitting it. (I think that was my first adventure toward becoming the cut queen I am now.)

It's such a balancing act between too much information and not enough. As fiction writers, we have to make sure every word, every phrase, dialogue, description, or idea is there for a reason--either to reveal the main character(s), deepen the plot or move the story forward.

I'm always worried about putting in too much. I hear a lot about back-story dump these days. I’m reminded to, 'stay the course'. That means to keep the story on a straight and narrow pathway, don't veer off too far, make every word and phrase count, and by all means watch that back-story dump! If you really need to show the reader something that will advance the plot,

In case there is a question, simply put, back-story dump is writing in too much information or background—especially all at once, or rambling on and on when it isn't necessary. It takes the reader off the course of the story you are trying to tell. HQN Historical author, Deborah Hale says that she writes anything she wants just to get the ideas out when starting a new story. But when she's really ready to get down to it, she dumps most everything and starts her real book at around her original chapter five.

I like to think of the word sprinkle as I'm writing. It helps me a lot, since I tend to write on and on. It is a practice to do this-- hold back and put something in to make the plot even more intense, but only in sprinkles. As Deborah Hale says, first drafts can be rambling.

I learned a bunch about back-story dump as I wrote those first stories. It is easier for me now to just sprinkle as I go, and not have to cut out or rewrite gobs of words, which takes up precious writing/revising time.

So what are your methods to avoid this back-story dumping process? Do you have your own Babylon that helped you learn what not to do?

Kaye

To Loll Creatively

When it comes to writing, I am a creative lollygagger for sure. Not that I don't want to write like the wind constantly. But outside things can get in the way and cramp my writing style.

Knowing how we hit that wall of blocks sometimes, I thought it was a good time to remind myself as well as others about creative lollygagging, which I discussed in a post a while back.

Just Remember the key to successful lollygagging is to do it creatively. So what makes lollygagging creative lollygagging? Let's look at the basic elements. First, consider activity. We are not talking about sitting around on a couch. Just as a satellite dish needs electricity, you need some blood pumping into that brain. Next, consider low focus. The activity shouldn't be so intense that you don't have time to think (Grand Prix and ice hockey are out). Look for a mellow pursuit, surrounded by low-level distractions. Finally, consider separation. If you don't hie thee away from the computer, the television, the bills and the kids, you're headed for a mighty wall o' brain-lock.

Sometimes I take long quiet walks along a waterway and watch the easy rise and fall of the waves. Other times I stake out a secluded spot, notebook in hand in case of ideas, at a favorite coffee shop. So what are some of the creative ways you use to get over writer's block?

Kaye

What I'm Writing

Two Households...

Casa di Giulietta

"Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean."

~From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet~

I love Shakespeare, I always have, and this is one of my favorite plays. Who doesn’t know about the love story between Juliet and Romeo? Immortalized by Shakespeare in the first line of his play? Verona Italy holds the claim to having the houses of perhaps the greatest lovers in history--Juliet Capulet and Romeo Montague, the most famous star-crossed lovers of all time.

Thousands of tourists come to Verona to see the Casa di Giulietta, or Juliet’s House.

From the courtyard, you can see Juliet’s Balcony. This is supposedly the very same balcony where the tragic heroine cried out to her Romeo. These days, do not be surprised to see many a young girl standing on the balcony, probably dreaming her own dreams, as I did while I was there.

Perhaps the highlight would be the bronze statue of Juliet in the courtyard. Though its origins cannot be determined, the most popular thing to do when visiting the statue is to rub its right breast, which will bring good luck. So don’t be surprised if the right side of the bronze Juliet seems to be shinier than the rest of her! Also found there are numerous graffiti and stick notes on the walls and doors in the courtyard.

During my senior year of college, I had the good fortune to visit Verona. I was completely fascinated and awestruck as I had just completed a course in Shakespearean History. So with this little tidbit of information in mind, I can share that I have a truly juicy new romance story on the rise, and Verona Italy is my setting.

Memories are great at sparking ideas for stories. And my memories of Verona are very special to me. How about you? Do you have a special place you've visited that would make a wonderful setting for your next romance?

Kaye