Finding (and Keeping ) A Critique Partner by Jennifer Slattery

Hey everyone, Annette here. This Manuscript Monday, we welcome Jennifer Slattery with a new series about critique groups, crit partners and how to maintain your voice. She begins today with an article on finding your own critique partner. Enjoy!

Finding (and Keeping) a Critique Partner

by Jennifer Slattery

If moderation is the key to successful living, then I need an intervention! Last month during a podcast interview Cynthia Simmons, Vice President of the Christian Authors Guild, asked me if I had a critique partner. (listen here) I laughed, then tried to explain my addiction in terms that would seem less neurotic. I have four one-on-one critique partners, actively participate in ACFW’s 200+ member critique group, and lead a small book proposal and query critique group. To some this may seem like over-kill, but each group offers unique benefits and helps to strengthen my writing. I’ve been fortunate to find other authors I mesh with, but it’s taken a bit of weeding to find them. When considering a critique partner or group, it’s important to choose honest and trust-worthy authors equal in skill level with an understanding of your genre. They also need a strong work ethic and thick-skin.

“The most important thing in a crit partner is trust,” said Ane Mulligan, Novel Rocket Editor. “You have to trust them to not change your voice and to love you enough to be hard on you. My CPs push me to be my very best. They won't let me get away with less than that. And that's real love. Telling me something is good just so they don't hurt my feelings is bogus friendship, in my opinion. Of course, a thick skin is a must in a serious writer.”

Ane’s advice goes two ways. If you’re looking for someone to feed you sugar, send your manuscript to your mom. If you’re looking to hone your craft, find a qualified critique partner, then be prepared to give and take honest feedback.

Make sure your partner understands your genre. About a year back I received a phone call from a category historical romance writer who formed a critique partner with an author from a different genre. My friend grew increasingly frustrated because her partner constantly criticized portions of her story that were organic to her genre. In the end, their time together proved futile and their relationship suffered for it.

You also need to find authors with a similar skill level. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve swapped manuscripts with, spending hours zeroing in on telling phrases and passive sentences, only to receive a “great job!” in return.

Fellow ACFW author, Caprice Hokstad, had a similar experience. “When I was a new writer, it was very hard to find a group who understood the genre I write in (fantasy) and where the writers were at least as knowledgeable as I was. For a long while, I spent much more time and energy helping others than receiving help. I would read the other submitters' chapters and get red ink all over them, but mine would come back with a word or two they thought didn't fit, or ‘This looks fine to me.’”

I’ve learned starting with a “sample swap” can save hours of frustration later. Before committing to a long-term relationship, I invite the other author to exchange a chapter to see if we’re compatible. When evaluating compatibility, I look to see how many errors and weakness they caught along with how quickly they return my work. This is where the hard work-ethic comes in.

We all have different goals in regard to writing. Some of us write as a hobby. Some of us work full-time, manage a household and write when we have time. Others of us write on strict deadlines. If you like to move fast, pairing up with a turtle will drive you crazy. If you’re determined to succeed, partnering with a slacker who’s looking to take more than they give will hinder your progress. Once again, this is where the sample swapping comes in as many poor work habits can be seen in edits, but some things don’t become apparent until later. Because of this, it’s important that you express your needs and expectations up front. Then, if your partner fails to deliver, be prepared to walk away. That might sound harsh, but this is a tough industry and you don’t have time to baby-sit. If you want to succeed, you need to pair yourself with like-minded authors who take their writing and critiquing as seriously as you do.

If you’re really serious about taking your manuscript to the next level, it’s often helpful to hire a professional. This eliminates the “critique-partner-shopping” time and provides you with expert, thorough, and fast feedback from someone who knows the industry. 

 ~~~~~

Jennifer Slattery is a novelist and freelance writer living in the midwest with her husband of sixteen years and their thirteen-year-old daughter. She works for Tiffany Colter, the Writing Career Coach, and is the marketing manager for the literary website, Clash of the Titles. In 2009 she won the HACWN writing contest and in 2010 she was a CWG Operation First Novel Finalist, placed second in the Dixie Kane and fourth in the Golden Pen. She has a short piece in Bethany House's Love is a Flame (under a pen name), forwarded by Gary Chapman, another piece in Cathy Messecar's A Still and Quiet Soul, and another piece scheduled to appear in Majesty House's Popcorn Miracles. Catch one of her faith-stirring devotionals at Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud and find out more about her critiquing and marketing services at Words That Keep.

Purist POV

Hey, readers. Happy Labor Day! Annette here. I read an ARC (unedited advanced reader copy) the other day on my Kindle. Oh, boy. First thing is that unedited books are difficult to read. But the second thing is formatting on an e-reader goes screwy without proper editing. Every now and then, the author would switch POVs (points of view) but without scene break symbols or extra spacing (e-readers delete space), I couldn’t tell. Then, I had to figure out where we were and whose head we were in. Don’t worry, I loved the book and tried to ignore the jarring challenges, but the apparent headhopping threw me at first.

As an acquisitions editor, I see headhopping (POV issues) a lot. So, I thought I’d bring it up this fine Labor Day/Manuscript Monday.

Nowadays, pretty much the only way to be a respectable writer (in most genres) is to employ purist POV. If you headhop, the first thing readers (editors/agents/readers) will do is peek at your name. If you’re bestselling, famous, writing fulltime and untouchable, they’ll forgive you. *wink* If not, beware. I’ve turned projects down for POV infractions, especially if it was clear the writer really didn’t have a handle on it.

One of the best ways I know to “get a handle” on POV is to read in your genre. I learned a ton from reading Karen Ball’s book Wilderness (now out of print). Choose a trusted author from a trusted house and study how they delineate points of view.

Here are two key pointers:

~ Only switch “heads” (POVs) following scene breaks or chapter breaks. Scene breaks used to be just for movements in time or setting. To avoid jarring readers, they were meant to signal to the reader that, hey, something’s different here. Now, scene breaks are sometimes used when all you want to do is switch POVs (i.e. let another character express herself). Some houses may not allow that. Some will. Either way, editors want one POV per scene or chapter. (A side note for romance writers, switching POVs is great in a romantic scene. You get her perspective, then you get his. But, once you make the switch to the other character, stay there until the scene is over or the chapter ends.)

~ POV is about what you can experience through that character’s perceptions, including all the senses. What can this character see/smell/taste/touch or hear? Only include those things. If you’re going to have your character assume something, you have to tell us that. Think of this like a camera from one person’s, well, point of view. You can only capture what that person is recording.

If you can do those things without fail, you’ll be well on your way with purist POV.

One more nugget today. How do you best choose which character for the privilege of POV in a given scene? By asking yourself this question: who has the most to lose in this scene? That will ensure you’ve got some built-in emotional tension, which will make your job a bit easier.

What do you think? Do you get POV? Have questions? Ask away.

Getting to Know Your Characters by Jeannie Campbell, Part Four

This month, character therapist, Jeannie Campbell, has shared a great series with  us on characterization. She's back with the conclusion today. Enjoy!

Getting to Know your Characters, Part Four

by Jeannie Campbell

This week we’re finishing up my series of four questions your characters need to answer and why. We’ve covered:

1. What is your biggest fear?
2. What is your biggest accomplishment? 
3. What is your biggest regret?

So far, these have been questions that I’ve selected from my intake form on my website where I give free psychological mini-assessments to fictional characters. But today’s question is one that I reserve for really digging deeper in a full assessment (valued at $14.99).

Question 4: What concept or principle would you be willing to die for?

The basis of this question stems from Dr. Stanley Williams book, The Moral Premise. Characters usually aren’t motivated to action by trivial thoughts and feelings. They, like real human beings, have core values that ultimately influence what they do, say, and think.

Whatever your character identifies as being worthy and important enough to die for is a good indication of what they value. Dr. Williams writes, “Psychologically, a set of values is the fertilizer for ideas, ideologies, and thought that course through our mind and soul and give us motivation to take action” (p. 9).

Dr. Williams then goes on to say that stories have to grow from a conflict of values, or the result will be “nothing more than…unmotivated juxtapositions.”

So while the answer to this question says a lot about the character, which I use for characterization purposes, it also says a lot about the structure of the book. How? I compare the answer to this question with the answer to two additional questions that are on my free intake form:

1)      What is your external goal in the book? Why do you want that goal and who/what stands in the way?

2)      What is your internal goal in the book? Why do you want that goal and who/what stands in the way?

These are sound questions for your characters to answer anyway, but when paired with the value question asked above, the three together give me a great sense of whether the storyworld you have developed is the best environment to showcase the particular character you’ve dropped on my couch.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this series of learning how to get to know your heroes and heroines better. Stop by my website, http://charactertherapist.com, and let me know if I can ever put one of your fictional characters on my couch…for real. 

~~~~~~

Jeannie Campbell is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFC # 45366) in the state of California. She is Head of Clinical Services for a large non-profit in Humboldt County, and enjoys working mainly with children and parents. Two of her “therapeutic romance” manuscripts have garnered the high praise of being finalists in the Genesis Contest for unpublished writers, sponsored by the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), of which she is an active member. She writes a popular monthly column for Christian Fiction Online Magazine and has been featured in many other e-zines, newspapers, and blogs.

Getting to Know Your Characters by Jeannie Campbell, Part Three

Thanks for joining me at Seriously Write. If you missed the previous two posts in this series, you can click here for Question one and here for Question two. I’ll jump right in to the next question. Let's dive into question three. 

Getting to Know Your Characters, Part Three

by Jeannie Campbell

Question Three: What is your biggest regret?

The answer to this question truly reveals a goldmine of information about someone, on at least two layers that I’ll explore further here.

If a character’s regret centers around themselves, how they were unable to get a big promotion or marry the right person, that’s revealing in and of itself. If it centers on how someone else was mistreated or abused or harmed in some way, that gives information. Even more so, if the character’s regret centers on something they said or did in the past that harmed someone else.

As your character answers this question (I suggest you write out the answers in your character’s voice, just as I have authors do on my intake form), look for the underlying emotion(s) he or she feels. Once you determine what truly motivates their regret, you’ll understand an additional layer about your character.

If a person feels shame or guilt about something they did in their past or something they are currently doing, this gives a glimpse into their internal values and moral code. To feel either means that person knows they were in the wrong, either through action or inaction.

But if a person is embarrassed or annoyance about what happened, that’s a feeling about a feeling, called meta emotion. It glosses over the actual event or the actual hurt or rejection, which is revealing. This type of character could be narcissist or too concerned about self-image to care about others.

Either way, a regret can be a huge motivation. On my intake form, I look at this question in relation to the character’s internal or external motivation in the book. I like to see how much of their psychological distress causes them to act.

Join me next week as we conclude this series on getting to know your main character!

~~~~

Jeannie Campbell is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFC # 45366) in the state of California. She is Head of Clinical Services for a large non-profit in Humboldt County, and enjoys working mainly with children and parents. Two of her “therapeutic romance” manuscripts have garnered the high praise of being finalists in the Genesis Contest for unpublished writers, sponsored by the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), of which she is an active member. She writes a popular monthly column for Christian Fiction Online Magazine and has been featured in many other e-zines, newspapers, and blogs.

Getting to Know Your Characters by Jeannie Campbell, Part One

Hey writers, Annette here. Today Jeannie Campbell begins a new series: Getting to Know Your Characters: Four Questions Your Character Must Answer and Why. She's the "character therapist." Let's pull up a couch and learn something, shall we?

Getting to Know Your Characters: Part One

by Jeannie Campbell

I've found that there are several questions that every character needs to answer in order for his or her author to get to know them better. For this reason, I’ve included these questions and more in my character intake form.

For this series, I want to take a look at each of these questions and discuss why they are so important. Be sure to come back each Monday in August to get all of the info!

Question 1: What is your greatest fear?

While this is not the first question on my form (I ask for basic info like name and age first), it’s perhaps one of the most important. Our fears, which usually center around a limitation or a failure, perhaps a disappointment or frustration, hold the key to our biggest vulnerability.

The same is true for characters.

Fear is fundamental—present in every living thing. Every reader can relate to it in a book simply because of its existence in a character’s life. A reader might not be able to relate to the specific fear your character has, but you draw them in simply because the character fears.

We all have fears, and how we go about relating or not relating to that fear says a lot about us and our fictional counterparts.

Some characters stare fear in the face, like Bella Swan. Yes, they're scared, but perhaps excited and energized at the same time Some go to great lengths to minimize opportunities for a fear to manifest, like Edward Cullen running away from Bella at various times in the Twilight saga.

An author has to have an understanding of what drives their character's fears too. If I give my character a fear of, say, bees, then I need to have in mind a plausible reason why she fears them, like her finding her father dead in the garden from anaphylactic shock due to bee sting.

So give this some thought for your MC. Fears can absolutely define a person, so what does your character's fears say about him or her?


~~~~~

Jeannie Campbell is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFC # 45366) in the state of California. She is Head of Clinical Services for a large non-profit in Humboldt County, and enjoys working mainly with children and parents. Two of her “therapeutic romance” manuscripts have garnered the high praise of being finalists in the Genesis Contest for unpublished writers, sponsored by the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), of which she is an active member. She writes a popular monthly column for Christian Fiction Online Magazine and has been featured in many other e-zines, newspapers, and blogs.

Writing Your Research Into the Story

Happy Manuscript Monday, dear readers. Annette here. Picture this: there you are, researching away and wondering how to include those great tidbits into your story without reader feeding. Today we have Adina Senft, author of Amish fiction, to share her secret. Enjoy!

Writing Your Research into Your Story

by Adina Senft

Over the last year, I’ve been on a very steep research curve, with a move from contemporary romance and young adult novels into Amish women’s fiction. About the only thing these worlds have in common is that a woman is at the center of the story, and she has emotions that the reader identifies with. But the setting—oh my! In a culture where even the way you tie the strings of your prayer covering conveys a social statement, getting the details right has been a constant education.

Once the research details are captured, the writer faces a new dilemma: how much do you put in? You’ve spent a week tracking down exactly the fact that will spin your plot in a new direction, but how do you present it on the page without the reader going, “Uh-oh, infodump ahead”?

Here’s the secret, in three little words: Point of View.

Characters experience their world in one of two ways:

·       From the inside out, where they bring their experience (and their baggage) to bear in order to affect the world around them and from the outside in, where the world puts pressure on them to change.

For my Amish characters, their world is familiar, so describing it in detail is out of character if you’re in deep point of view. Yet the reader needs to understand the world and see it as vividly as the character does. So what the writer can do is present the world (and all that research) not by describing it, but by having the reader experience it as the character moves through it, touching, tasting, and observing.

As an example, I spent an afternoon visiting with an Amish woman, who was kind enough to let me examine the way she does her hair and how her prayer covering (Kapp, in Pennsylvania Dutch) fits on her head. I learned that the Amish woman pins her Kapp to her hair in three places with straight pins (not bobby pins, which are forbidden), and that the teenage girls rarely tie their strings. It’s a sign of submission to authority if the Kapp covers the top of the ear and the strings are tied (usually at the bottom, where they lie on the chest, as on the cover of The Wounded Heart).

But how to present even a little of this interesting cultural information? Here’s how I did it, right on page 2:

Amelia laced up her sturdy oxfords—no sneakers on this blustery day on the bare end of October—and wrapped her knitted shawl over her chest, tucking the ends into her black belt apron. She checked that her hair was tucked neatly into her Kapp by habit and that its three straight pins—one on the top and one on each side—were in order by feel. A pan of cinnamon buns and two jars of applesauce went into her carry basket, wrapped in plastic and towels.

A character is getting dressed to go out, and the weather affects what clothes she chooses. I don’t explain what a belt apron is, I don’t translate Kapp, because in deep point of view, she wouldn’t be explaining that to herself. She’s on her way to a quilting bee, and her concern is that she’s dressed warmly enough to go out and she has the food she’s bringing to share. The reader gets the picture, and also gets the impression of a community-oriented woman who knows the Amish standard for appearance so well that she hardly needs to think about it.

Research can be a lot of hard work, both out in the field and in the library. But bringing it to life on the page through your characters is the reward as you spin your world out of words and invite your reader in to share it with you.

~~~~~~

The Wounded Heart by Adina Senft

Adina Senft grew up in a plain house church, where she was often asked by outsiders if she was Amish (the answer was no), she made her own clothes, and she perfected the art of the French braid. She holds an M.F.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania, where she teaches as adjunct faculty. 

Writing as Shelley Bates, she was the winner of RWA’s RITA Award for Best Inspirational Novel in 2005, a finalist for that award in 2006, and, writing as Shelley Adina, was a Christy Award finalist in 2009. Three of her books have shortlisted for the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Carol Award for book of the year. Of her fiction, publisher and industry blogger W. Terry Whalin has said, “Readers will be lost in the vivid world that [she] paints with incredible detail and masterful storytelling.” 

A transplanted Canadian, Adina returns there annually to have her accent calibrated. Between books, she enjoys traveling with her husband, playing the piano and Celtic harp, and spoiling her flock of rescued chickens. These days, she makes period costumes and only puts up her hair for historical events and fun. Learn more at her website.

Holey Plots

Hey everyone. Annette here. Changes are coming to SW in July. This is our final, official Manuscript Monday. Beginning next month, we'll keep bringing you great guest posts and Genre Feature Days on Monday, but we'll be mixing in other things as well. Stay tuned...

Today let's talk about Plotters and Seat-of-the-Pants writers.

Which one are you: a plotter or an SOTP (seat-of-the-pants) writer? SOTPers may begin their novel with a general outline in mind, or not. Oftentimes, they just begin with a kernel of an idea, some characters, and/or a title. Then, they sit down and let the story go wherever the characters take it. Plotters, on the other hand, outline as much as possible, thinking through most, if not all, elements before striking those computer keys.

I’m a modified SOTP. I used to write completely SOTP, but lately, I’ve been challenged to learn to plot. Oh, ugh. Now, I’m not saying every SOTPer should learn to plot, I just know where God’s been leading me. I believe He wanted me to be a more flexible writer. And it’s working. Plus, I’ve found the right tools and am finding the right balance for my process. Woo-hoo! You know, that’s key—consider that a nugget freebie this fine Manuscript Monday—find the right tools for you and practice by writing so you’ll learn your best process. Every subsequent manuscript will likely be easier to pen to a rough draft form because you’re not scrambling for tools while trying to write. I keep a file box full of articles, characterization tools, plotting helps, etc.

Recently I pulled out a manuscript I wrote almost exclusively SOTP. Just sat down and wrote it. Didn’t worry about outline. Didn’t really have a goal (I know, plotters, I know—shocking!). I tapped into the river and went with it. A fun ride! But on reading it through, I found holes.

I have a confession—one of my biggest weaknesses as a modified SOTPer is pacing. *gasp* But, how cool is it to see our weaknesses? That’s when we can go find tools to shore up those places. I’ll get back to that in a moment.

So here are some helps for SOTPers who find their stories a little holey when they’re finished:

~ Pacing troubles—get people moving! Introduce a situation as a catalyst for change in the story or as a catalyst for character growth. Go with your instincts. If you sense the story is boring, it probably isn’t just that you’ve read it a million times, it probably just needs tweaking. So, bring a plot element closer to that point in the story (drag it in from the future). As a writer, I hesitated doing that, feeling afraid I wouldn’t have enough plot elements for the later parts of the story, but trust God. He’ll feed you the right information at the right time.

~ Character inconsistencies—keep a chart. Most SOTPers probably do go through the routine of writing characters sketches and filling in charts. I do and I highly recommend it. Now, if you’d rather nothing stop the flow of gushing words, that’s fine. Just work on your chart bit by bit after your character reveals his/her traits to you. Readers catch inconsistencies. Respect them enough to stop and jot a note—whether it’s backstory or hair color or aspirations or motivation. Consistency is key.

~ Losing track of the story—create an outline after you write the story. Some editors and agent  guidelines require chapter-by-chapter outlines for book proposals, so outlining isn’t completely avoidable. And just because you sit down and pound out your story from beginning to end in a flurry of weeknights and weekends doesn’t mean you’ll never need an outline. Don’t be afraid. Just begin at the beginning. Creating an outline will show you where you have pacing or plotting holes. And seeing holes is great! You can fix them before anyone else sees your work. Or you can ask your crit group to help you brainstorm.

So, SOTPers, relax. Enjoy the process. Don’t be afraid of finding holes, that’s an opportunity to produce a better story.

Write on!

Meta-Conflicts by Randy Ingermanson: Part Two

Happy Manuscript Monday, dear readers. Annette here to welcome Randy Ingermanson back as he continues his series on meta-conflicts in fiction writing. I don't know about you, but this topic has really changed the way I see conflict, both when I'm watching movies and when I'm writing/reading (not to mention in life). Thanks, Randy! Let's dive into Part Two. (If you missed it, please see Part One last week for the beginning of this article.)

The Games People Don't Play: Part Two*

by Randy Ingermanson

You might think meta-conflict (the idea that the two characters in a scene are playing by a different set of rules) can never happen in real life. But in fact, it happens all the time. Here's an example that's a little less extreme:

Bossbert walks into Wally's cubicle. "Wally, have you got the report done for the Gooberheimer project?"

Wally blows his nose loudly and tosses the Kleenex at Bossbert. "Wow, I've got the worst cold you ever heard of."

Bossbert leaps back from the germy tissue. "I asked you a yes or no question. That means I need a yes or no answer. Are you planning to give me one or not?"

Wally coughs into his hand, then wipes it on his pants. "I should probably go home, if I didn't have so much work to do."

Bossbert's hands are curling into fists. "Would you like me to fire you?"

Wally puts his hand to his forehead. "I think I've got a fever. Maybe it's the flu."


What's going on here? Why is Bossbert getting madder and madder?

What's going on is that Bossbert is playing one game and Wally is playing another. Bossbert needs
information, so he's asking simple yes-or-no questions.

Wally has no intention of giving an answer because he hasn't done his work. Instead of playing Bossbert's game (which he would lose), he plays a different game -- "feel sorry for me because I'm sick."

Only an unfeeling brute would fire a worker who has the flu. Bossbert can't win at Wally's game, and Wally refuses to play Bossbert's game. So Bossbert loses.

Next week, we'll tie up our series on meta-conflict. 

~~~~~

*Article first appeared in Randy Ingermanson's Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, April 2011. See his website for more information.

Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the Snowflake Guy," publishes the Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with more than 25,000 readers, every month. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND have FUN doing it, visit
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com.

Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.

Meta-Conflicts by Randy Ingermanson: Part One

This Manuscript Monday, let's go beyond the basics of fiction writing to something a little meatier with renown writing guru Randy Ingermanson. You've heard of including conflict in your story, but what about meta-conflicts? Let's dig a little deeper today as Randy discusses the Games People Don't Play, part one.

The Games People Don't Play: Part One*

by Randy Ingermanson

Fiction is about characters in conflict. In this column, I've talked about many different kinds of conflict over the years, but there's one kind that I don't recall ever discussing.

It's the conflict that comes when one character changes the rules of the game. Changes them so radically that it's suddenly a completely different game.

To understand this kind of conflict, let's look at an extreme example. Imagine that you challenge your buddy to a match at the tennis courts. Whoever loses has to buy the pizza for dinner.

You show up at the courts with your tennis racket and all your other gear.

Your buddy shows up with a chessboard, sets it up on the sidelines, and sits down behind the white pieces. He hasn't got a racket. He's not dressed for tennis. He isn't even on the court.

You wait for him to get his act together, but he's paying no attention to you, so finally you serve an ace to an empty court.

Your buddy moves his king's pawn forward.

You serve another ace.

Your buddy moves his queen out to the fifth rank.

You ace him again.

He moves his king-side bishop out.

You miss on your next serve, but you aren't worried, because he still isn't on the court. One more serve, and you'll have him nailed for this game.

He moves his queen down to the seventh rank, takes your king's bishop pawn, shouts, "Checkmate!" and leaps out of his chair, doing a victory dance.

What just happened there? You were winning, weren't you? But he thinks he's winning, because you've been playing different games.

This is an extremely weird kind of conflict. A meta-conflict. A conflict over what the nature of the conflict is supposed to be.

~~~~~~~~

*Article first appeared in Randy Ingermanson's Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, April 2011. See his website for more information.

Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the Snowflake Guy," publishes the Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with more than 25,000 readers, every month. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND have FUN doing it, visit
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com.

Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.

How to Write a Query Letter by Rachelle Gardner

This Manuscript Monday, Rachelle Gardner has returned to share about writing queries. She sees plenty of these in her role as a literary agent, so you're guaranteed to pick up some useful intel. Read on!

How to Write a Query Letter*

by Rachelle Gardner

I've written several times about query letters, and no doubt it'll be a recurring theme here, since I receive queries everyday and a surprising percentage of them fail to give me any sense of the book being pitched, or fail to tell me anything about the author's qualifications to write and sell that particular book. I feel the need for a simple, straightforward set of instructions for queries, so here goes:

Queries should include the following three elements:
~  something about the book
~  something about you
~ the first 3 to 5 (or so) pages of the manuscript pasted into the email

* A great query starts with a few sentences designed to make me want to read your book. To figure out how to do this, read the back-cover-copy or flap copy of your favorite books. The goal is not to give a detailed synopsis, but instead to write something interesting and informative enough that I want to read more.

* Non-fiction: Include some information about yourself, specifically why YOU are the correct person to write this book. What are your qualifications? Are you a published author? What's the most important thing I need to know about your platform? Fiction: Don’t worry about platform. If you have commercially published fiction before, tell a bit about your publishing history. If not, don't worry about this part of the letter, just say you're a first-time novelist.

* The letter should be no longer than the equivalent of one typewritten page, about 3 to 6 paragraphs (not including the sample pages).

* This is a LETTER, not a book synopsis dropping into my inbox as if out of the sky. You are writing to an actual person. Therefore the query should be addressed to the recipient by name, and it should not only give your pitch and your personal information, it should ask for what you want (e.g. "I am seeking agency representation and would appreciate your consideration").

* Include the genre. Make sure you're clear on whether it's fiction or non-fiction to start with. Then within either of those two categories, list your genre. If you don't know about genres, please do some research and learn prior to querying.

* Check the submission guidelines of each agent and/or publisher you're querying. Note that I require the first 3 to 5 pages of the manuscript pasted into the email.


* Let me know if you are submitting to more than one agent simultaneously.

* Let me know what's available if I should request more. A full book proposal? A completed manuscript?

* No attachments, please, unless specifically requested. They will not be opened.

* Please do NOT ask me to click on a link, such as a link to your website or blog. You should be able to tell me what I need to know in the 1-page query letter format. Your signature can include links to your blog or website, and if I find your query particularly interesting, I'll click on it. But DON'T rely on me clicking over to get the information I need. Put the info in your query!

These are the basics.

Happy Querying!
~~~~~~

This article was used by permission. To see the original post, click here. To learn more about Rachelle, visit her blog here.

Writing Rules Are Just Tools by Rachelle Gardner

Happy Manuscript Monday everyone! Annette here. We're glad to welcome agent Rachelle Gardner (pronounced Rah-shell) this week. Over the next couple of weeks, she'll be sharing some insider information, some tips, and encouragement. Have you ever felt stifled by writing rules? I have. Read on to learn some tips for overcoming rules paralysis.

Writing Rules are Just Tools*

by Rachelle Gardner

If you’ve been studying the craft of writing for long, you’ve heard all the “rules.” You know you’re supposed to show not tell, use active not passive verbs, eschew adverbs, maintain consistent POVs, avoid repetition, and all the rest.

But it’s easy to get too caught up in the rules and get frustrated at trying so hard to follow them that you find your creativity stunted. In addition, some writers are actively resentful about the rules, feeling like the Writing Establishment is trying to keep everyone in a little box and not allow writers’ artistic visions to shine through.

I just want to share a few thoughts about writing rules. First, they’re not meant to be slavishly followed. They’re meant to be thoughtfully considered and used when appropriate.

Second, the time to apply “writing rules” is usually not in your first draft. That’s when creativity reigns. Only think about the rules in your revision process. Writing is more a creative, right-brain process. Editing and applying rules is more a left-brain process. Try not to get your brain too confused by doing both at once.

Third and most important, writing is not ABOUT the rules. The rules are just TOOLS to help you write effectively. The goal in writing is to engage your reader, draw them in, make them want to keep turning the pages, whether you’re telling them a story or giving them information. So writing rules are simply the means of helping you do that.

The only time “rules” ever come into play is when you or your editor recognize that something’s not working. Maybe the book is getting boring, the characters don’t feel believable, the arguments in your nonfiction work are falling flat, the reader isn’t engaged. It’s pretty easy to identify what’s wrong. However, figuring out how to fix it—that’s where the rules come in. Rules are a means of identifying how to fix a problem so that the reader remains engaged.

The only reason to maintain consistent and strong POVs is to keep your reader deeply involved with your characters. The reason to show not tell is to keep your reader’s imagination active, keep your story alive and visual in their mind. Each of the rules serves a purpose—it’s a tool to help you create a written work others want to read.

So whenever you get frustrated by the rules, or can’t figure out why or if you should follow a rule or break it, go back to the reasons behind the rules and ask yourself: Does following this rule strengthen my work? Can adhering to a rule make my manuscript more readable and enjoyable? Do I know enough about the reasons for the rules to effectively break them?

By going back to the purpose of writing rules, you can save yourself frustration, and focus instead on the goal: powerful and engaging writing that people want to read.




* Article used by permission. Originally posted on Rachelle's CBA Ramblings blog. To learn more about Rachelle, read her submission guidelines, etc., visit her blog.

Character Counts by Denise Hunter

Welcome to Manuscript Monday everyone! Today author Denise Hunter is here to discuss characterization. She reiterates that you won't have a great story without great characterization. I found some helpful gems in her article. Read on!

Character Counts
by Denise Hunter

The longer I write, the more I see that the most critical element in story-telling is character. If the reader doesn’t care about the people who inhabit your story, no amount of intriguing plot, great writing, or creative twists can save your story.

So how do you create characters who jump off the page, who rise above stereotypes and worm their way into your heart? There are probably hundreds of methods, but here’s how I attempt to bring my characters to life.

Give your reader:

1. A Personality -- There are many resources to help develop your characters’ personalities. Online personality tests, character questionnaires, your best friend’s husband *smile*. I like Heroes and Heroines by Cowden, LaFever, and Viders. I often use a blend of a couple archetypes.
* If you’re writing a romance, give your hero and heroine conflicting personalities. Opposites attract, after all, and where there are differences, there will be inherent conflict.
* Give your characters an idiosyncrasy or two. Does she love crossword puzzles, munch on Cheetos all the time, or only use landlines? These seemingly insignificant details go a long way toward making a character real.
* Give your characters consistent behaviors. What does he do when he’s angry? What does she do when she’s nervous? Let us see their behavior and the reader can figure out how they’re feeling.
* Sometimes characters take on their own life as you're writing. Don’t be afraid to let that happen.

2. A Look -- Know what your characters look like. Work these details into your story, but don’t slow the pace with a boring list.
* Find a picture of your character and keep it close by while writing. Use catalogs or internet resources. If you can clearly see your protagonist, your reader will too. Know if she’s tall or wiry or curvy. Redheaded, highlighted, or pony-tailed.

3. A Voice -- How does your character talk?
* What kind of speech pattern does your character have? Long, flowing sentences or short choppy ones? Does she talk in run-on sentences?
* What about words? Does he use big words? Does she use words like “reckon” and “fetch”? She’d better be from the South or cowboy country!
*Give your characters a pet word or two and have them use it several times in your story.

4. A Backstory -- People develop much of who they are by what they’ve experienced. Fears, false beliefs, and desperate hopes almost always come from backstory.
*Give your protagonist a history, but don’t let the reader in on it for at least a few chapters.
* Drop a few hints about what happened in the past to keep the reader curious—this keeps them turning the page.
* A flashback can be a very powerful way to bring your protagonist’s past to life, but don’t drop it in until the reader is dying to know what happened.

There are as many ways to create characters as there are writers to write them. Experiment with methods and always come back to what works for you.

~~~~~~

A Cowboy's Touch released April 1, 2011.

Abigail is just in Moose Creek, Montana for the summer to temporarily care for her great aunt. But a tender-hearted cowboy beckons her to stay.

Abigail Jones intends to spend just one summer in middle-of-nowhere Montana with her Aunt Lucy. Time away from her job is just what Abigail needs to reassess her life. The slow pace has her breathing deeply for the first time in years. And the majestic scenery encourages her to get reacquainted with herself . . . and God.

What she didn't count on was the handsome widowed cowboy who owns the ranch where her aunt lives. When the rancher loses his daughter's nanny, Abigail decides to lend a hand for the summer.

Wade Ryan can't help being attracted to Abigail. But he's given up everything to protect his daughter, and he's not about to risk it all on a pretty face.

Under Abigail's care, Wade's home and daughter thrive. And with Wade's touch, Abigail's heart feels at home at last. But Abigail knows this elusive rancher is hiding something. Will her own secrets separate her from the cowboy who finally captured her heart?

~~~~~~

To learn more about Denise and her books, visit her website.

Setting the Scene by Julie Klassen

Welcome to Manuscript Monday, dear readers. Annette here. Julie Klassen is today's guest author. She's here to discuss setting or what some have called story world and how best to include this in your writing. Enjoy!

Setting the Scene
by Julie Klassen

When recently asked to speak about setting at my local writers group, I thought, Why me? Setting is not something that comes easily to me. In fact it is something I’ve had to consciously work to improve. I’m the kind of writer who hears characters speaking in her head (my husband is worried), so I primarily write dialogue first. Then I have to go back and add action, setting, etc. But along the way, I’ve learned several tips that I’m happy to share.

I think of setting as the novel’s stage. Setting is one of the first things established when the curtain goes up on a play or a movie begins—it tells viewers where they are, when the story takes place, and something about the mood of the piece they are about to experience. Fiction readers need that information as well.

In my years as an editor, I’ve been surprised by how many manuscripts don’t give setting clues and readers are left to try to figure out where they are and who else is there with them, which distracts from the story. The good news is, this is easy to fix.

At a basic level, whenever you begin a chapter or new scene, answer these four questions:

1. Where is it; where are we?

2. When is it; when in the timeline is this, in relation to the previous scene?

3. Which character’s point of view are we in?

4. Who is here? (You’d be surprised how often this is missed. There are few things more distracting than reading a conversation when a character begins talking and we didn’t even realize he was there the whole time!)

Of course you can go beyond these and include details about the weather, atmosphere, social conditions, historical era, etc. Setting can even sometimes be used as a metaphor, as in my latest novel, The Girl in the Gatehouse. But this is “extra credit;” cover the basics first.
Don’t overdo it. We’ve all read books in which authors spend pages and pages describing setting. Description can quickly become boring if it drags on too long. As writers, we want to evoke a sense of time and place that hooks readers, rather than making them want to skim, skip, or worse, put the book down. So use setting sparingly. Break it up into small pieces and work these details in with other aspects of the novel--action, dialogue, etc.

Remember that the reader wants to “see” the drama play out in his or her head. Our job is to provide just enough detail to get that process in motion and then get on with the story.

~~~~~~

Mariah Aubrey lives in seclusion with her secrets. Will an ambitious captain uncover her identity ... and her hidden past?

Banished from the only home she’s ever known, Mariah Aubrey hides herself away in an abandoned gatehouse on a distant relative’s estate. There she supports herself and her loyal servant the only way she knows how—by writing novels in secret.

When Captain Matthew Bryant leases the estate, he is intrigued by the beautiful girl in the gatehouse. But there are many things he doesn’t know about this beguiling outcast. Will he risk his plans—and his heart—for a woman shadowed by scandal?

Intriguing, mysterious, and romantic, The Girl in the Gatehouse takes readers inside the life of a secret authoress at a time when novel-writing was considered improper for ladies and the smallest hint of impropriety could change a woman’s life forever.

~~~~~

JULIE KLASSEN loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie has worked as a fiction editor and novelist. Her book The Silent Governess won the 2010 Christy Award for Historical Romance. She and her husband have two sons and live in St. Paul, Minnesota. For more information, visit www.julieklassen.com.