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      Category : The Writing Craft

      • December 30, 2011

        What's the best writing advice you ever got?

        by

        I've had several people write to share the best writing advice they've ever received. 

        Vince Zandri, who has done numerous novels and sold more than a quarter million books, wrote to me and said, "The best writing advice I ever got came from Ernest Hemingway in the form of his memoir, A Moveable Feast. If writers are worried about one thing, it's the ability to keep a story moving from day to day. To avoid the 'block,' as some people call it. Papa wrote slowly and methodically in the early morning hours, and trained himself to stop at a point where he knew what was going to happen next. That way he could be sure of getting started the next day — and it left him the afternoons to play, exercise, fish, drink, or do whatever he wanted." 

        Successful nonfiction writer Mel Lawrenz wrote to say, "The best advice? Take the long view. See the long process of publishing as an advantage — the stages of writing, editing, rewriting, and revising make for a more refined end product. Don't miss the opportunity to rethink what you originally wrote." 

        Harlequin author Dana Mentink sent this: "The best writing advice I got as a pre-pubbed author was that I should act like a professional. My mentor encouraged me to treat my writing like a business, not a hobby. Put in the hours, describe yourself to others as a writer, and really put yourself into the mindset of a professional. She explained to me that there's a big difference between 'I want to write a book' and 'I want to be an author.' The latter requires professional dedication." 

        Children's author Kayleen Reusser noted, "Believe in yourself, even if no one else does. At my beginning I was the only one who believed I could write and get published. Even my mother told me I could not write — no money, no time, three

        Continue Reading "What's the best writing advice you ever got?"

      • December 29, 2011

        The Best Writing Advice: A guest blog from novelist Kaye Dacus

        by

        “Writing a first draft requires from the writer a peculiar internal state which ordinary life does not induce.”  ~Annie Dillard (The Writing Life)

        Back in 2001, I attended the Blue Ridge Mountains Writers’ Conference in Ridgecrest, North Carolina. Up until that time, I’d been writing and writing and writing for years. I’d even majored in creative writing (and hated it) many years before that. At the conference, I took the Fiction 101 track, taught by author T. Davis Bunn. It was pretty early on in the first day’s workshop that I heard the piece of advice that had the most profound influence on my writing career of anything I’ve learned since: “Above all else: FINISH YOUR FIRST DRAFT.”

        It seems like a pretty simple thing, doesn’t it? Almost too simple to have to be said aloud, right? But how many people out there are like I was: content to just “play” with our characters by either revising/rewriting existing stuff we’ve already written or writing scenes/vignettes that don’t necessarily tie together into a story, but that’s okay, because we’re writing and entertaining ourselves, without ever having a story that has, as Meg Cabot explains, a beginning, middle, and end.

        I think this is probably a bigger trap for those of us who’re character driven than for those who’re plot driven. Those of us who start writing because we’ve fallen in love with a couple of characters really are writing to spend time with those characters. If we don’t have a clear idea of a story for them, we can write stuff about them for years without ever “finishing” anything. Take it from me and my 200,000-word unfinished opus that I spent ten years playing with.

        One of the questions I’ve seen most often in the interviews I’ve been doing recently is what advice would I give to “aspiring” writers. My response is this: Just like someone cannot one day pick up a stethoscope and scalpel and “become” a doctor, one cannot just pick

        Continue Reading "The Best Writing Advice: A guest blog from novelist Kaye Dacus"

      • December 29, 2011

        The Best Writing Advice: A guest blog from novelist Kaye Dacus

        by

        “Writing a first draft requires from the writer a peculiar internal state which ordinary life does not induce.”  ~Annie Dillard (The Writing Life)

        Back in 2001, I attended the Blue Ridge Mountains Writers’ Conference in Ridgecrest, North Carolina. Up until that time, I’d been writing and writing and writing for years. I’d even majored in creative writing (and hated it) many years before that. At the conference, I took the Fiction 101 track, taught by author T. Davis Bunn. It was pretty early on in the first day’s workshop that I heard the piece of advice that had the most profound influence on my writing career of anything I’ve learned since: “Above all else: FINISH YOUR FIRST DRAFT.”

        It seems like a pretty simple thing, doesn’t it? Almost too simple to have to be said aloud, right? But how many people out there are like I was: content to just “play” with our characters by either revising/rewriting existing stuff we’ve already written or writing scenes/vignettes that don’t necessarily tie together into a story, but that’s okay, because we’re writing and entertaining ourselves, without ever having a story that has, as Meg Cabot explains, a beginning, middle, and end.

        I think this is probably a bigger trap for those of us who’re character driven than for those who’re plot driven. Those of us who start writing because we’ve fallen in love with a couple of characters really are writing to spend time with those characters. If we don’t have a clear idea of a story for them, we can write stuff about them for years without ever “finishing” anything. Take it from me and my 200,000-word unfinished opus that I spent ten years playing with.

        One of the questions I’ve seen most often in the interviews I’ve been doing recently is what advice would I give to “aspiring” writers. My response is this: Just like someone cannot one day pick up a stethoscope and scalpel and “become” a doctor, one cannot just pick

        Continue Reading "The Best Writing Advice: A guest blog from novelist Kaye Dacus"

      • December 27, 2011

        What's your best writing advice?

        by

        Denise wrote in to ask, "What's the best writing advice you've received? Can you sum up the big picture for us?"

        I can try…in ten lessons:

        1. There are very few great books, but every great book begins with a great idea.

        2. A great idea does not constitute a great book. Having a great story to tell doesn't mean you're going to have a great book. It takes hard work to turn even a fabulous idea into a reasonable book.

        3. Therefore, keep refining your craft. Take whatever steps you can to improve your writing. Don't settle for what you are. If you're really good, you'll get discovered. "Greatness will out," to borrow an old phrase.

        4. Books aren't written, they are re-written. That means you're going to have to write, revise, review, and restructure. Don't think you can create a good book without hard work — you can't.

        5. Read widely and write regularly. The two go hand in hand.

        6. Establish a plan for your writing life. Have a time and a place to write. Write toward something. Establish writing goals. Few people move forward in the business side of any craft without some sort of plan.

        7. Learn to listen. Get involved with other writers and learn from them. Ask editors for their opinions. Seek out a writing partner or group. Learn how to imitate great writers. Find a mentor. Shut up and listen for a change.

        8. Face your fear: You're not the best writer on the planet. You're going to be rejected. Learn to appreciate others as better than yourself. Not writing because of fear is simply a way to protect yourself from potential failure. It's time to grow up.

        9. Don't expect non-writers to understand. They won't. Learn to smile and nod a lot.

        10. There is value in writing, not just in getting published. We learn about ourselves,

        Continue Reading "What's your best writing advice?"

      • August 13, 2010

        Metaphors, Collaborations…and a Story

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        Daniel asked, “Is the ability to craft great similes and metaphors a gift, or can it be learned?”

        My guess is that it's a gift. I've watched some people in the industry and been amazed at their ability to "see" the link between one action and another. I wish I could do that.

        And his follow up question: “What are some good learning tips for creating great metaphors?”

        Beats me. I've never been good at metaphors. (Or, in metaphor, "When it comes to creating metaphors, I'm a lawn chair." See? Awful. I hate coming up with good metaphors.) Maybe you could just learn to steal the good ones.

        Lynn asked, “I've been asked to collaborate on a book with someone — what are some of the legal necessities I need to keep in mind?"

        It’s a random list, depending on the topic of the book, the audience, the authors… but here are a handful of suggestions:

        1. What's the subject of the book?

        2. How long will it be?

        3. How many words/chapters are each person's responsibility?

        4. What are the due dates for each?

        5. Who gets to pitch the idea? (me? the partner?)

        6. What's the split of the money? (50/50? 60/40? 70/30? In whose favor?)

        7. Are both names on the cover, the title page, the copyright?

        8. Who owns the finished product?

        9. Who has to get permissions?

        10. Who pays for permissions?

        11. Will each writer warranty their work?

        12. Will we promise each other not to create competing works?

        13. Who takes the lead with the publisher on things like title, subtitle, cover, art, etc?

        14. Is there a kill fee if the book is cancelled?

        15. If killed, who owns the work that's been done?

        16. Can either party withdraw? If so, how?

        17. Worst case #1: does moral turpitude effect this?

        18. Worst case #2: upon death, what happens to the

        Continue Reading "Metaphors, Collaborations…and a Story"

      • July 24, 2010

        Sex and Language in Religious Books?

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        Elizabeth asked this: "With the rules relaxing on language in many general market books, it seems the rules have also relaxed as far as portraying sexuality in Christian books. I know you don't just represent religious books, but can you tell if this is the trend? How much is too much? How much can you reveal in romantic scenes?"

        When it comes to both language and sexualty, I think two questions must be kept in mind:

        1. Who is your audience?

        2. What is your message?

        If you're writing a romance novel for a CBA audience, any sort of foul language or explicit sexual description is simply going to torpedo your book. The gatekeepers of CBA are largely middle-aged, white, ultra-conservative types. (That's NOT a criticism, mind you, that's a description.) So any sort of over-the-line language will get you bumped, if not banned. (I know of an example where a CBA house rejected a manuscript because the author referred to a character's "silk underwear." Really! Apparently Christianity is a cotton-only kingdom.) Using curse words or describing any sort of sexual activity is not going to work in CBA.

        If you're writing for a more general audience (and I say that because I do a lot of Christian books, and some people sort of expect me to have religious overtones in a lot of the things I represent), I don't think readers expect religious behavior from unreligous people. You have more latitude because of your audience and the message you're trying to send. I'm assuming that, even with some rough language or descriptions of bodies/actions, you're still seeking some sort of redemptive message to your readership. (If you see me at a writer's conference this year, make sure to ask me about the British actor who survived cancer and his postmodern response to God. Very funny story that, if I told it here, would bring me grief and 300

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      • June 10, 2010

        Writing Basics: Write What You Know

        by

        Ever read a bestselling novel in which
        the hero was a construction worker?

        Me neither.

        It's a story-telling basic that writers
        – even published authors – tend to forget. It's the reason
        Stephen King's characters tend to be novelists. It's the reason we
        haven't seen Khaled Hosseini stray too far from the Middle East. Or
        Jeffrey Eugenides from Detroit. And it's the reason bestselling
        authors rarely deviate from their chosen genre.

        Write what you know.

        It's almost silly how often I see a
        proposal come through from a published author who suddenly
        wants to take a stab at writing for teens. Or African Americans. Or
        the thriller/adventure crowd. And yet that author has done nothing to
        understand the basics (let alone the complexities) that surround
        their new target market.

        And if we're seeing this from published
        authors, imagine the type of stuff we see from unpublished ones.

        The goal of a novel, however
        off-the-wall or hokey the plot may be, is to get the reader's buy-in.
        With it, the reader is able to fully immerse themselves in the story
        and, to some extent, believe in
        what's happening        . Without it, the reader spends his time
        picking it apart, analyzing the details and scoffing at its overall
        ridiculousness.

        This is because when authors write
        outside of their expertise, the sense of reality that should surround
        their story starts to deteriorate. Readers begin to notice
        inconsistencies and begin to question whether the author has ever
        even seen the Eiffel Tower or heard an M-16 fire or ridden on
        Chicago's 'L'.

        A story can only be as good as the
        reality behind it, you see, and readers tend to be extremely educated
        in their genre-of-choice.

        So, if you're a homemaker, living in a
        suburb of Cleveland with field experience in Nursing and a few Horse
        Jumping trophies in your closet, it's probably not a good idea to
        come to us with your idea

        Continue Reading "Writing Basics: Write What You Know"

      • June 4, 2010

        Overcoming Doubt

        by

        Great question for today. Chris wrote and asked, "What have you done, as a writer, to overcome and keep on writing in seasons of doubt and discouragement?"

        Okay, much as I hate to reveal this, here's what my head tells me at times:

        -Good Lord, you're awful.

        -Nobody is EVER going to read this piece of tripe.

        -You don't make enough money at this. Why don't you get a real job?

        -This isn't working. You should at least check into the openings at Target.

        -You're lazy. Your words are turgid. You don't know anything about this.

        -Go check your emails again. Maybe find out if there's anything new on ESPN.com.

        -You're going to fail! You'll live in a trailer, eat lard, and they'll have to lift your lazy butt out of there with a crane.

        All of this comes to me, not with a subtle whisper, but in a screaming rush. Even now.

        Um…maybe some of it is true. So I can think of a few things that help me get over it.

        1. BIC. That's writer-talk for butt-in-chair. If I'll just sit down and start doing work, it's amazing how things start to get done.

        2. My "Sunshine" file. Yeah, it's true. I keep a file of emails people have sent to me that basically say, "You helped me" or "Thanks for being wise." For years I kept a file folder of cards and letters people had sent, just to perk me up. I might be a total putz TODAY, but I can always look back and remember, "Hey…you were BETTER THAN A PUTZ that time!"

        3. Friends. Cec and I send each other encouraging notes once in a while. Steve Laube too. Keri Kent. Greg Johnson. My buddies. I occasionally get the nicest messages from Jenny B Jones, or Rachel Hauk will say something nice on my blog. I sometimes call my best friend Mike and he'll remind

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      • February 8, 2009

        Sandra Shares a Word

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        Hey, now that Chip's off sunning himself in Maui, I figure it's a good time to jump in and answer a few questions. I'm Sandra Bishop, the other agent at MacGregor Literary. 

        Here's one from Angel: "It seems like the books that do well and are worth reading are those which are big surprises. Is it really possible to set out to write a breakout novel? Don't breakouts just happen because a publisher decides to get behind a book and doggedly promote it until it gets noticed?"

        There's some of that going on in publishing — Chip wrote about the practice of "Making a Book" not too long ago. But that, obviously, is out of a writer's control. I'm guessing what you really want to know, Angel, is how to write a book publishers are willing to get behind. 

        For those who don't know, literary agent Donald Maas wrote a great book in which he goes into the why's and how-to's of writing a breakout novel. In his book, Maas covers the reasons, mechanics, and philosophies behind doing so. It's worth a read, and definitely worth the money. If it's mechanics you want, go get his book. But I'm guessing you're not necessarily asking about mechanics with this question. We get this a lot in many different forms, and most people seem to be asking, "Is it really possible to make it big as a writer, and should I bother spending my time trying?"

        Here's my short answer to that question: If you're crazy enough to try, go for it. Seriously. Publishing is a crazy business in which to try and make a living. But if you're willing, and have talent, and the energy to keep after it without losing your marbles, more power to you. Lots of people talk about and work at writing, but never really get down to honing the craft. The thing is, we can
        Continue Reading "Sandra Shares a Word"

      • January 3, 2009

        More Fiction Questions

        by

        Happy New Year! I hope you had a fun-filled celebration, got home safely, and this morning you're probably asking the same question I am: What in the world is ABC thinking by having Dick Clark on the air? Look, I loved Dick Clark's American Bandstand. He's an iconic figure in American music, and looked 25 for roughly 40 years. But…the man had a stroke, for goodness' sake. You can't understand him. He's lost his voice. He sometimes can't think of the word he wants. He screwed up the countdown as the ball dropped (how hard is it to count down from 30?). It's like watching somebody's ancient grandpa on TV. Yikes. It makes you sad just to watch him. Why doesn't somebody put their arm around the man and say, "Times up, Mr. Clark. You've had a great run. Now we're going to let Ryan Seacrest run it on his own…"

        And with that happy opening, I've had a bunch more fiction questions come in…

        Patricia wrote and asked, "What's the difference between a fiction 'series' and a 'trilogy'? I understand in a series each book must stand alone, but what about a trilogy? It's all one big story broken up into sections, therefore each book does not stand alone. If you pick up the second or third book in a trilogy, you'll be lost because you need to start from the beginning…like the Lord of the Rings."

        A series is a list of books that generally have a continuing character, though sometimes it's the place that continues, or it's a family saga with various characters all related. John D. MacDonald's wonderful Travis McGee series is a great example, featuring the yacht-living fixer getting in and out of scrapes. Sherlock Holmes, Jules Maigret, and Adam Dalgleish are other well-known examples of series characters, as are the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Nick Carter, Perry Mason, etc. The 82nd Precinct series uses a setting

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