The Road to Publication

My New Book is Finally Out!

2010-12-05T18:55:00.000-06:00

I never thought it would come down to me putting a book out electronically (I love the feel of a book in my hands), but that's exactly what I've done. "Chase the Shadows" is just on the Kindle now, though I hope to have that remedied in a few weeks.

You can find it for sale here from Amazon.com!

I have to say the overwhelming "I did it!" feeling hasn't been the same yet. I mean, I saw my book load onto my Kindle (after I bought a copy) but it didn't hit me like it has with my past two when I was holding them in my hands. I'm sure that will change when the print copy comes out though. At least, I hope so!

Now it's off to continue on with my next book. I have several novels started, but it's just a matter of sticking with them through "the wall" we seem to hit while writing a book that makes it so hard to finish them.

"Chase the Shadows" has been waiting for 4 years to see the light of day and I'm finally letting it loose upon the world. Please be kind.

The Best Investment You Can Make In Your Writing

2008-02-04T19:46:00.001-06:00

        Last month, I mentioned that agents weren't always necessary. This week (two posts in two months! That's more than I posted last year!) I wanted to take this to the next step and explain how an author can get their work through the airtight doors of most major publishers to at least get looked at.

        Outside of cornering them in a Starbuck's somewhere and crying incessantly until they relent, a writer's conference is one of the last places you'll find editors willing to actually look at your work, agent or not. You spend time talking to them face-to-face, explaining your vision for your novel, and even answering questions they might have about how you'll pull it off. If they are interested in the book--or sometimes if they just see promise in you as a writer--they'll ask for more material. From there, the ball either gets rolling faster or stops altogether. But no matter what happens, you've just done the same thing an agent would have done with one key difference: you personally started a working relationship with an editor. Keep going to enough of these conferences with great ideas and they'll get to know your name. Eventually they might even ask to see future work and give you a (moderately) open door for your stuff! Think I'm dreaming? Nope, this is all tried and true and it works. You'd probably be surprised to see how many big-name authors out there don't actually have an agent. They find a publisher they like to work with and they stick with them. Most publishers would rather have an author who'll write lots of stories for them and build a fanbase they can all reap the benefits of. They don't want you shopping around to other houses any more than you want to have to do it!

        So what's the drawback, and why aren't more people using this miracle method? Several reasons.

        First is cost. Some writer's conferences can cost you thousands of dollars to attend once you add plane fare, car rental, lodging (if it's not included in your registration fee), and the registration fee of the conference itself. There could also be meal prices to add in there. It's definitely not cheap! But you have to look at the long run of it. If you sell a manuscript (or better yet, get a contract for several of them), you'll feel every penny was well spent. Granted, you probably won't make much in your first royalty payment (a year down the road), but you'll still be published! So if you can pinch the pennies throughout the year, it could be worth your while.

        The second drawback is personal interaction. According to a poll I read several years ago, public speaking was a bigger fear than death to the majority of folks out there! And let's face it: most writers would rather just sit behind their computer screen all day and write. When it comes to a one-on-one situation, they suddenly get the shakes and black out for a few minutes. Now, let's take that tension and jack it up about ten notches by saying the person you're talking to is the only person in that publishing house that stands a chance of going to bat for you and your manuscript, and if you say the wrong thing they could lose interest in your manuscript or even think you're too kooky to deal with! Think that sounds easy? How about if we add the fact there are literally hundreds of other crazed authors there circling the editors like sharks on a kill just waiting for their chance to jump in there? Yeah, you've definitely got to work up a great push for your idea and be able to present it quickly and clearly. Given the choice of a root canal or meeting an editor for the first time to push their book, it's surprising how many writers would head for the dentist's chair.

        And let's face it: if your manuscript isn't any good, all this face time means nothing. They may want to see some sample chapters, but if those chapters don't work your story ends there for them. That's why you've got to have a picture perfect manuscript before you get there. When you get that one chance, you want to show them the best you have, and you have to make it sing above everything else they're going to get at the conference. A few extra dollars (actually, a few extra hundreds of dollars) can get some editorial work done. Yes, the publishers will have their own editors. . . but you've got to get to that stage first! More money to spend, but it's all worth it if you get a contract.

        I can't stress this fact enough. You literally sometimes get one shot at impressing an acquisitions editor, so you'd better go in there with your game face on. You're not expected to be a professional, but you are expected to show you've done some research and you have the potential to become a professional.

        Finally, sad to say but the last drawback is conferences take effort. A lot of writers mistakenly believe success should just fall into their lap. They think if they're good enough everyone should flock to their door to open a bidding war for their stuff. Yes, it takes a tremendous amount of effort to write a novel (even though everyone you know thinks it's easy because they've never tried it), but it doesn't stop there. You have to take it to the next level by polishing, editing, cutting away precious chapters and characters, and then getting out there to make it better by learning from professionals. After all that is said and done, it's time to pack your bags and go flying off to the other side of the country if need be to meet that editor and wow them with your work.

        At some time in the future, I might give a few personal do's and don't's about meeting an editor face-to-face (the first time I did it my hands were shaking so bad I had to hold onto the table so I wouldn't look like a caffeine addict on speed). I still get nervous talking to them, but they really do want to find the next great author and most of them are incredibly nice people.

        In closing, let me just mention a writer's conference you should try: The Mount Hermon Christian Writer's Conference in Mount Hermon, California. It's usually held in March, and you get so many representatives from the big publishers and big-name authors that it's just a blast to walk around and see them all. There are some agents there too, so if that's what you're looking for you can find them. The staff there is friendly, the facilities are gorgeous (taking a nature walk among the giant Redwoods in something you'll find inspiring), and the time is scheduled perfectly. You're close to Santa Cruz as well, which makes for a wonderful field trip one afternoon. I have no stock in the conference or anything...I'm just an incredibly satisfied customer who looks forward to it every year. If you don't want to fly to California, there are other conferences all year long all over the United States. Find one close by and get there!

        So that's a little direction for you if you're feeling hopeless about ever seeing your work published. Just because you don't have an agent doesn't mean your writing career is over. Get out there, work on your presentation, and impress the right folks!

Do You Really Need An Agent?

2008-01-27T13:42:00.000-06:00

        Something you'll hear quite often from authors is a desire for an agent. For some strange reason, we writers get this thought in our head that once we get an agent our manuscripts will sell themselves...all our troubles are over and it's all gravy from there. Well, I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, but that isn't necessarily so. Sometimes, having an agent doesn't help. Believe it or not there are times when having an agent can actually hurt your writing career! I'll bet you've read tons of blogs about the need for an agent before you can hope to succeed, but I'm here to say it's not always so! Read on . . .

        Agents make money selling on every contract they sign. They also get a percentage of the author's royalties. They have to make money to live, the same as you or I. If they have an author who sells a lot of books and has publishers scrambling to grab them up, they'll devote a lot of time to that author (and possibly name their firstborn child after them to keep the relationship going). Now, imagine you're not that big name author, but just another writer who has a good book idea. The agent may have been all gung-ho to get you when they read that idea, but a first-time author just isn't going to pull in a bidding war unless they've got a perfect book idea at the perfect time. So the agent can give attention to the selling author, or the newbie. Who do you think will win? An agent who just sits on your manuscript idea with promises of presenting it around can demoralize you as an author because you think your idea isn't any good, when it could be exactly what a publisher is looking for if they could just see it! But it's got to be sent to them first!

        And most agents won't flood publishers with a lot of proposals because they don't want that publisher to grow callous toward their stuff. They want that publisher to say, "Oh, this is from HIM! It's got to be good!" instead of "Oh for crying out loud! Again?? This is the fifth one this week! Why won't he leave me alone??" Hurts, but it happens. That means even if your story might fit the publisher, if he knows one of his big authors has a project coming up he's going to present the same publisher, he'll sit on yours.

        But why would an agent sign you and then sit on your stuff? Well, maybe you have a wonderful manuscript that the agent is psyched about, so he signs you up to sell that story. He does so, but then the book doesn't sell like he wanted and so he loses interest in you. You're still plugging away and sending him fresh proposals and manuscripts, but by now you're on his "Things To Possibly Get Around To Before I Retire" list, and you have no idea why your writing career has stalled. It's easy to get discouraged at this stage--and it seems almost unreal--but sometimes it happens.

        The big problem is there's such a struggle to get an agent that when you finally land one you don't want to let them go--even if they're not helping at all! It's so cool to say "My agent is shopping that story around," but if they're not actually doing anything for you, they're a rock around your neck while you're swimming in the publishing ocean (metaphor time!). You could be the greatest writer on earth, but if your agent doesn't believe in you it's doing you no good. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you may actually have to fire your agent (or "release him from his contract", as it's put in the industry). The good news? It could actually be the best thing you could do to see your writing take off again!

        Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying agents are no good and they're all lazy or anything like that. On the contrary, a good agent is a dream come true for a writer! There is no doubt that good agents have their place in the grand scheme of writing. They learn the ins and outs of publishing contracts, they know the editors personally and can open doors most mere mortal authors can not. They can steer your clear of a dishonest editor or a less-than-trustworthy publishing house. They offer editorial services and give advice on future projects. They even send you candy at Christmas sometimes! They are a valuable commodity that most writers would do well to avail themselves of. I say "most writers", because despite all their help they are not absolutely necessary to land a multi-book publishing contract. Believe it or not, you can get one on your own. . .as long as you're willing to put forth a little effort.

        Are agents unnecessary? Well, let's just say it's time to stop focusing on finding an agent and focus on finishing your manuscript. Then polish it. Then give it to some honest folks who will critique it and destroy it and then give it back to you. Then rewrite it. Then repeat it all one more time. And at that point, it's time to move on to the next step.

        An un-agented writer has a lot against them. Just about every major publishing house out there has a standing policy of not accepting unsolicited manuscripts. They'll plainly state on their websites that they have no interest in them, and sending them in is a waste of everyone's time and effort. The writer also has no one guiding their career, and no editorial help when needed. So how on earth can they hope to get published? Two words: "writer's conferences."

        More on those next week as we focus on getting you published. . .even on your own. With prayer and effort, this is your year to see your work in print!

How Christian is Christian Fiction?

2007-11-08T11:11:00.001-06:00

This past month was a big reading month for me. I'm in a limbo state about which novel to work on next, so I decided to catch up on some books that looked interesting. They were all in my local Christian bookstore, but I won't name titles. One was by a new author, one was another's second novel, one was another's third, and finally we have the latest from a rather prolific sort. The one amazing thing they have in common is the complete lack of a clear Christian theme.

When preparing a book proposal for my agent, he asks "What is the Christian message you are trying to present?" I've struggled with this a few times because I would have an amazing idea for a book, but no way to really make it Christian. That idea either becomes a short story or gets shelved until later. While I'm not saying there's no room for anything outside of Scripture and verse, I'm just saying I think Christian fiction should have a focus. It should either illustrate a Biblical principle, or promote Christ in some way.

When I finished these novels I was reading, I was struck with how impossible it would be to clearly state any Christian message from them. I came up with the following:

1. When trapped by a serial killer in a building, hide and then kill him as soon as possible. Pray for God to give you the chance to kill him if necessary.

2. A person who goes to church every few Sundays is a Christian. It is also perfectly permissible for them to hate someone who does them wrong and kill them if need arises.

3. If a person won't stop chasing you and the opportunity presents itself, blow them up. Afterward, thank God for helping you fool them into the trap.

I'm honestly not exaggerating here. I remember when I first read This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti. I put it down with a clear idea of what he was saying: there is a spiritual warfare going on that we don't see but is real. Now it seems we have to desperately search through the rubble of a story just to force a Christian idea from it. Like one of those emo bands whose lyrics are so poetic as to be incomprehensible, Christian fiction seems to be turning a trend to hide the message so deeply that you'll never find it. And while I'm all for realism in storytelling, who put the green light on profanity in Christian novels? Maybe it's only a couple of words here and there, but once you start something like that where do you draw the line to stop it?

Truthfully, this isn't happening with every story from every author. There are still clear examples of a Christian message being illustrated out there from folks like James Scott Bell, Kathryn Cushman, Alton Gansky, Angela Hunt and Eric Wilson, to name a few. And I understand that publishing is still a business and as such publishers must make money. And I'm very happy for those "crossover" authors who write for Christian publishers and are picked up by mainstream media as "the next great thriller writer". As a matter of fact, I have two good ideas for secular novels brewing right now! But as Christian authors with Christian novels in Christian bookstores, shouldn't we be sharing Christ in there somewhere? I know one Christian author who could tell his publisher tomorrow "I'm going to rewrite the entire phonebook of Sydney, Australia...in elvish!" and the publisher would scream "Brilliant!" Never mind the message...just get something out there in print!

Imagine a pastor getting up to preach his sermon, but leaving his Bible at home. Instead, he tells an amazing story about a family trapped by mountain lions in the wilderness who have to cripple their dog and leave it behind so they can escape. Then, with a solemn face, he says, "Amen" and dismisses everyone. They might have been enthralled at the story, but if it does nothing to give them hope for their lives or point them to Christ, what makes it any different from a story told by two guys at a bar?

Lift Christ up with the story He gave you. You don't have to cram the Gospel down someone's throat, but at the same time you don't have to bury it so as not to offend anyone. And I know it's not realistic to say a Christian would just throw up their hands and pray for the killer as he comes at them with a knife, but for every ten scenes of despair in a story how about giving us at least one or two of hope? Show us a character living a Christian walk in there somewhere. I know a number of good Christian folks, so I know they're out there around us all. It's not unrealistic to say one could be in your story.

Tell me a great story...and point me to the Storyteller along the way.

The "Shame" of Self-Publishing?

2006-11-30T11:37:00.000-06:00

Time for me to sound off about something that's been bothering me quite a bit lately. Due to the advances of publishing and the internet in recent years, doors have opened recently to authors who might have never seen their stories published otherwise. I'm talking, of course, about self-publishing.

Several years ago, published writers were few and far between. While you could find a few here and there, for the most part the only moneymakers were the big name writers. As a result, only the brave and strong tried their hand at writing (and for the most part got rejected). Then POD (or "Print On Demand") publishers entered the game. Now anyone with a story could see it in print for a price (and sometimes even for free!). Suddenly there were thousands of people calling themselves "authors", where the title had been reserved for only a few before.

Did this cheapen the title? Possibly. But it also allowed stories to be read that we might never have seen before. It allowed us to see worlds and meet characters we'd have never seen otherwise. Some "traditionally-published" authors (those supported by a publishing house) began to get upset, even going so far as to say the self-published writers weren't really authors at all since they had to pay to get their story out there.

I say...what a bunch of garbage.

If you've written a novel-length story (65,000 words or more), you're a writer. If you've written a novella or a short story, you're a writer. Published or not, if you've sunk the hours and months necessary into seeing a story come to life, you are definitely a writer. And if you've paid your own money to see your book published, you're still a writer.

If I go see a band and like their music, I'll usually buy their cd. I don't grab it and see who produced it, or what company put it out. I like the music, I want to hear more of it, so I buy it. It's amazing to me how folks will salute a band who sinks their own money into making an "independent album" (meaning in effect they "self-pubished" the album), but will belittle those authors who believe so much in their own work that they'll pay to have it put out there for others to read. An artist who sells their paintings on a sidewalk is still an artist. An actor who only does community theater is still an actor. And to that group I'd like to add, "An author who publishes their own novel is still an author."

I am a traditionally-published author. I write novels and short stories. And I'm proud to say I self-published my first novel. While I will continue to "traditionally-publish" most of my work, there will probably be a few projects in the future I'll self-publish. I have one idea in particular that I believe will sell, though I doubt any publisher would be willing to sink thousands of dollars of their publishing budget into. Nevertheless, I believe in the story and the concept, and I want to get it into the hands of the readers, so when the time comes I'll happily and unashamedly self-publish it.

If you've taken the time to write a story and can't find a publisher interested in buying it, don't throw it away. Most publishers only put out a handfull of novels a year, so the vast majority of writers will never see their manuscripts bought. But if you believe in your story and want to share it with others, don't be ashamed to self-publish it. And if some insecure traditionally-published author says you're not a real writer, what do they know? It's just their opinion. What would you rather do: have a story languishing in a top drawer somewhere that you feel is good, or have a story that published and out there for others to enjoy?

Share your story with the rest of us! There's no shame in self-publishing!

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Not Every Nugget of Advice is Gold

2006-09-09T14:23:00.000-05:00

        I was asked recently about the best and worst writing advice I'd ever been given. It reminded me of one of the oddest moments I've had since I seriously started writing novels.

        About three years ago, I read a Christian novel and wrote a review of it on Amazon.com. To my surprise, the author actually wrote to thank me for my review and to comment on some of the things I had said. To his credit, this author helped me realize the impact a simple letter could have on a reader. It was really cool to hear from a real writer! Anyway, being an aspiring novelist myself, there were several questions I had. He was more than willing to talk, and even called so we could talk in person. In that "interview", I received writing advice I've been careful never to give another living soul.

        During the course of our lengthy conversation, he gave me some great ideas about marketing and the reality of what it cost to write a book. He talked about book signings he'd done that had given him the chance to talk to people about God, and friendships that had formed as a result. Finally, I asked him what advice he could give me as I tried to shop around my novel. "That's easy," he said, "don't do it."

"What?" I asked, unsure of what he meant.

         "Don't do it. Don't write Christian fiction. It doesn't sell, and it's not worth the frustration. Write something else--anything else--but not Christian stuff."

         "But...you write for the Christian market." In case you missed it, I was a little confused.

        "Yes, but if I had it to do over with, I wouldn't."

        Silence on my end of the line, but I eventually found my voice again. As we were ending the conversation, I asked if he would be willing to give a blurb for my novel (never miss an opportunity, right?). What he said next stunned me and still confuses me to this day.

        "No, I don't read Christian fiction."

        Again, confusion for me. "But...you write Christian fiction."

        "I know, but I don't read it."

        So while this could neither be considered the best writing advice I've ever received nor the worst, it definitely fits in as the oddest and easily most confusing. I saw one of this author's books on the shelf of a local bookstore the other day and it brought a smile to my face.

        Just goes to show, even established authors can miss it from time to time. Not everyone has that gold nugget of advice you need to hear. Listen, but don't let anyone destroy your dreams.

The Difference of Time

2006-08-31T14:19:00.000-05:00

A funny thing has happened, and it's not something I'd thought about before. Stolen Lives has gotten a lot of great reviews lately, and I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read and review it. But here's the funny thing I'd never considered: folks read it in a few hours and want to know when the next one is coming out. Why is this funny? Well...

If you've been reading this blog from the beginning, you know the publishing process isn't an overnight thing. It takes years before you see that novel on the shelf. And suddenly, it's there and people can get it to read it. What took me years to write, pitch to publishers, sell, promote, and prepare for is an experience they'll read through in a matter of hours. Talk about a difference in time! :)

So the next time you pick up a novel by your favorite author and tear through it in record time, remember: you're holding months of their life in your hands.

Please be kind. ;)

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I Was Wrong

2006-08-25T11:53:00.000-05:00

A few months ago I posted a topic called "No Other Feeling on Earth". It was about the high you get when finally finishing a novel you've worked on for months and preparing to move on to the next one. While I still firmly believe it's a high unmatched by anything else for a writer during the writing process, there is a high that actually beats that one hands down. I hope you'll forgive my ignorance on missing it when you hear the whole story.

As you may know if you've read my previous posts, I sold my novel to River Oak two years ago. Actually, it took almost two and a half years from the time I talked to them to the time it was published, but who's counting? When I first signed the contract, I got into an almost subconscious habit when I went into bookstores. I would wander to the Christian fiction section and try to find the exact spot my book would slide into (somewhere between Michelle Philips and Francine Rivers, most of the time). For the next two years, I did it for just about every bookstore in the country I went to. In my defense, I wasn't crazy. I didn't expect to see my book there yet...it was just something to do while waiting.

Last week, I went into my local Family Christian Store and went straight to the section. My eyes flew along the spines of the books making their way to "my spot". All of the sudden, I stopped and a huge grin exploded onto my face. There it was!

The quality on this isn't so great, but my hands were shaking and I was taking it with a camera-phone. Still, maybe you get the gist of it. My "neighbors" on the shelf changed a little, but I was still in that general area. I stood there so long taking pictures and video and calling my wife about it being there that the manager came over to make sure everything was all right. For the first time, I got to point to a novel on the shelf and say "That's mine!" He pulled it down and read the back (probably because he didn't believe me at first) and then wanted to know all about the book. Turns out he's a big fiction reader and loves new stuff. He said the book had just arrived the day before, so I'd timed it right.

So now I change what I said earlier. When crafting a story, there's no other feeling on earth than the moment you finish that novel and move on to the next...

But in the life of a writer, there's no feeling that can beat the moment you look on the shelf and see your novel there for the first time. And I hope it's still as big a high for me when I'm seeing my tenth up there too (dare to dream, right?).

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Writing for the Masses...or for Yourself?

2006-06-22T08:29:00.000-05:00

"Never, never try to scope the market. You've got to write what you're passionate about. Otherwise you'll produce juiceless, flavorless fiction." -Dean Koontz

I love this quote, and it was sent to me recently at a time when it was most needed. I just finished my latest novel (a supernatural suspense thriller) which was very different from my last novel (a technological thriller called Stolen Lives and coming out in just 39 days from River Oak!), and was wrestling with the idea of my next novel. For a long time, I'd had this idea in my head and tossed it around. The plot was there, the characters were there, and it had the potential to be a good novel. The problem? No one I talked to about the novel became nearly as excited about it as I did. Folks understood the concept I was presenting, and could see the possibilities with it, but it didn't light a fire in anyone so they had to say "Oh, I want to read that one!"

As I approached the final chapters of the supernatural thriller, I began to seriously consider the next book I would write. Would I press on with the idea I'd toyed with? With no other good ideas in mind, it seemed a given--but I'd lost the enthusiasm I'd once had for the book. My balloon had been deflated, and I was writing it more out of need than desire. I needed a new spark.

Then it came! I had an idea for a story so different I can honestly say it had never been done in Christian Fiction before. The more I thought about it, the more I liked it. And when I started researching it, everything I turned up gave me a little bit more fodder for the story. Soon my tiny seed of an idea had grown into a beautiful plot with some of the most exciting characters I've ever seen. This was good stuff!

My problem? As I said before, it has never been done before. It would be pushing the envelope in some areas (nothing dirty or anything...just opening a new door in Christian Thrillers/Horror), but I believe there's an audience out there for it. When I discreetly asked a few valued friends what they'd think about a book like it, they were thrilled and wanted to read it as the pages came out. That was what I was looking for!

So here I go, working hard on a novel that may be hard to sell to a publisher right off the bat...but it's got an audience and it's something I'm passionate about. The characters are fresh, the story is strong, and the protagonist is perhaps the creepiest you've ever seen. This is juicy fiction!

If you're trying to figure out a direction for a book, or if you're floundering over something you've written already, just remember you have to be true to yourself in what you write. Unless you're under contract to a publisher for a specific type of novel in a specific time frame, you have free reign and creativity in what you write! Go out there and push the limits (in a good way) and see what happens. Christian Fiction (and most any type of fiction now) is more open to new ideas than ever before. If the story thrills you when you think about writing it, I promise it will produce the same reaction in your readers when they read it. Write for yourself! Write with your pen on fire!

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No Other Feeling On Earth

2006-06-15T11:23:00.000-05:00

Any writer will tell you there are times while writing your novel that are more emotional than others. The initial rush of a new idea is the first. You have that perfect plot concept done in just such a way that's never been done before. You hurry to the laptop and begin to pound out the story. The prologue and first chapters fly from your imagination faster than you can type. That's the first feeling.

Halfway through the book, you begin to a get a new feeling. It's sort of like that downer you get after a sugar rush of 3 Hershey bars has worn off. It's not quite as fun anymore, some of the characters are really starting to get on your nerves, and there are plot threads dangling you can't control. You've been living with this story and these characters for weeks or months now, and it's getting old, to say the least. You have no idea how this is all going to turn out, and you're sorely tempted to forget this book and move on to another idea that's just come into your mind. This is "the wall" for a writer, much the same as a marathon runner might face. Pressing through this is the challenge.

The next comes when you can see the finish line coming. A new type of euphoria sets in as you start that last chapter. Those dangling plot threads have all been neatly tied up (or left dangling as seed for a sequel). Those annoying characters have either matured and grown, or been killed off by whatever means necessary. And then you put that last period on the last sentence...

There's no feeling on earth like that. To be able to stand up from your desk, walk away and say, "I've finished another novel. I've proven to myself yet again that I'm a writer." Of course, there are the messy rewrites and edits that pretty much destroy the story you created at first (usually turning it into something a lot better), but there's nothing like the feeling of accomplishment that comes from completing another one.

Except, of course, that rush of typing in a new title on a fresh document and having a blank slate to work with yet again...

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Writing 24 Hours a Day

2006-05-01T09:48:00.000-05:00

Unless you're a full-time writer, chances are your moments at the laptop are precious and few. While authors like Dean Koontz or James Scott Bell can whip out two and three books a year, most other authors do all they can to finish one in a year. Between the job, family, other commitments like church or hobbies and anything else that wants your time, it's hard to get a lot done at a time. But what if you could write whenever you wanted to, wherever you wanted to? Well, surprise! You can!

This is something a lot of writers do and I've found it really useful as well. It's how I write most of my novels. There's nothing profound in it and you probably already do it without realizing it. It's called "AFK Processing" or "The Crock Pot for Your Plot" (my own name for it, but I like it). In it's easiest form, it's letting your subconscious make sense of your plot when you're not around the keyboard trying to force the words out.

Admit it, sometimes when you finally find time for the work-in-progress and stumble to the laptop, you're clueless as to what to write. You feel you should be writing something since you finally have moments to spare, but by the time your thoughts are organized and ready to rock it's time to get up and do something else. Since most of your moments won't be at the keyboard, make the most of those moments. Make the most of the moments you're not trying to type out your book by giving your brain some problem with the plot and letting it have at it while you're not actively trying to fix the book. For me, the best time for me to write is first thing in the morning. I'll usually wake up with some startling new twist on the plot, or a fix for some dead-end I've inadvertantly painted myself into. I build on that--even making notes if necessary--and then when I can finally get to the keyboard that evening I'm a chapter or two ahead in my writing. There's no need to stare at the blinking cursor of doom in my word processor because I've done all my planning throughout the day. Then I just write until I've got the whole idea down in the book and that usually sparks further creativity to take the story even deeper. When I run out of steam, I stop. Why? Not because I'm lazy, but usually because anything further I write will be something I end up having to edit out or will be something that'll just drag down the story.

Try this yourself. Spend the afternoon considering your book now and again. Don't "zone out" and forget you're driving or whatever, but let your mind become a "Crock Pot for your plot". Maybe all you get to begin with is a simple scene. That's all right. It's a good start! Soon you'll be cooking up whole chapters and more! Then when you finally get to the keyboard, those precious minutes you have will be used to the fullest because you've found a way to stretch that hour of writing into twenty-four!

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You Can't Please Everyone

2006-04-25T15:12:00.000-05:00

If you write a book, you're going to have people who love it (hopefully) and you'll have those who may not get what you were shooting for. That's just part of it. If you haven't written a good book, you'll probably get blasted quite a bit for it too. But how will you react?

Recently, a well-known author published a sub-par book. The book began to receive a LOT of bad comments on Amazon.com about the quality of the work. Most were well-founded (the plot was slow, the symbolism was often just confusing, the characters whined too much rather than acted), though some may have been too cruel. Still, it's a person's opinion, and as a writer you'll have to be prepared for the good and bad press.

Back to this author...he recently posted a blog on his website that was pretty much a pity party for himself. The reviewers hated him personally (or posted several times under false names...after all, there's no way that many readers could have disliked something he wrote). If they didn't get the story it was because they were stupid and dense. It was just plain sad to see. He begged people to go to Amazon.com and post glowing reviews of his work because he was just a poor, lowly writer trying to make a good story. It worked for the most part, as people went to the website to help, just as any adult wants to help quiet a crying child. But it was sad to see. He wrote a bad book, the publisher let it slide, and he got called on the carpet for it. Get over it. Realize you can't just write whatever you want to and make people happy. You have to write a quality story, no matter how good you think you are and how people will just let it slide.

When you become successful, it's not the time to just start hacking out junk knowing your readers will eat it up even if it's spoiled dog food pudding. If the story's not ready, admit it and make it better. Or, if you decide you're going to put it out there anyway, be prepared for the people who aren't afraid to call it as it is. Either way, don't resort to a pity party for positive votes. Be a big boy, and write a better story for the next one. Prove us all wrong with your follow up!

In other words, when your book gets published, be ready for the storm. Develop a thick skin. And learn to suck it up and take it. You 're not going to please everyone, no matter how great your story is. It comes from putting yourself out there. But it's better to try than to sit back and constantly say, "I could have done that" for the rest of your life.

No matter how good you are, there are going to be those who don't enjoy your work. Look at any 5 star book on Amazon.com that has more than 20 ratings and you'll see someone who just doesn't see what everyone else saw in the book. It's life.

Several years ago a very well-known author had an ugly incident on Amazon.com. She blasted all the people who had posted bad reviews of her books and told them if they didn't "get her work" they shouldn't read it. It didn't do well for her public image, to say the least. It's a part of life though. As hard as it is to take, it's just something to help us make the next book that much tighter.

The "M" Word

2006-02-26T10:27:00.000-06:00

A lot of people have this funny notion that when your book gets published the author gets to sit around and watch the money roll in. That's a good one! In fact, nothing could be further from the truth!

Let me give you the real scenario: A publisher decides your novel is good enough to publish. You sign contracts and end up on their publishing schedule (typically two years after the date of the contract). During those two years, you have plenty of time to come up with another great novel or two (more on that some other time) and prepare for your book's publication. Once the time comes, your publisher will probably have your book put into a catalog if possible and on their website. If you're really marketable, they'll spend the extra dollars to have your book put on the end of the bookshelves at the bookstores (the display near the aisle). After that, the ball's in your court.

Remember, a publisher will have dozens of books coming out each year. They'll spend a certain amount for the cover art and packaging, but the biggest marketing push will have to come from the authors themselves. And if you do it right, you don't even have to be that great of an author to be a best-seller! I know one author who uses a marketing company that also works with rock stars and bands. He spent thousands of dollars setting himself up with a big marketing push from them (including a great website...more on that later too) and now is one of the top sellers in the industry. The problem? He's written maybe two good books out of all the ones published. If he hadn't invested the time and money in the marketing push he has, he'd have faded into obscurity long ago. That just goes to show how important it is for you to prepare ahead of time for marketing your book!

You have to have something that will stand out from the crowd. Your book will be among hundreds of others just like it on the shelves. What can you do to make it stand out? Well, you don't have any control over the title or cover after you sell it to the publisher (yes, that clever title you spent weeks on is kaput when you sell the book), but you can control the marketing. Usual routes are book-signings, newspaper articles in local papers (remember, the average Christian fiction novel is expected to sell about 5000 copies in its lifetime, so a push from your local area can help put you over that number), and library visits. Remember those author tours you dreamed of with the all-expense paid trips to New York and L.A. to sign your book as hundreds of people waited anxiously in line for a glimpse of you? Keep dreaming. Unless you are a major moneymaker for the publisher, you'll be footing the bill and doing all the scheduling for any book tour you do. But don't get me wrong: the publisher loves this and they'll respect you if you go the extra mile and do one. Anything to help you stand out from among the rest at the publisher.

A few unconventional routes come to mind too though: a movie trailer for your book (mine's at: http://home.hiwaay.net/~mannaent/brian/Avenger1.html ). If you have the time and creativity--and if you've written a novel you've shown you can be creative--you can go a long way with this. It helps spur your readers to consider the book as more than just words on a page. Also, t-shirts or any kind of giveaway with your book cover on it is a big plus and worth the money spent. A person wearing your book cover on their shirt is a walking billboard for you!

Just keep these thoughts in mind as you sell your book. You'll have to make it memorable for your readers, and marketing is the key. Use the time wisely to prepare, and the day your book comes out you'll be ready to really show them what you can do!

Killing Off Those Favorite Characters

2006-02-12T16:25:00.000-06:00

I've fallen in love. While that may not sound too earth-shattering, what I have to say next probably will.

I have to kill her.

        Now before you run screaming from me, let me explain. I'm hard at work on my next novel. I'm actually behind where I need to be, so it's more "I'm frantically writing my next novel" than anything else, but you understand. One of the characters in my novel is a sweet woman. She's beautiful, she's funny, she's humble, loyal, has a wonderful sense of humor and a great body yet never spends any time working out. All in all, she's perfect. She's also a walking dead woman...she just doesn't know it yet. You see, I created her with the sole purpose of driving my story forward with her tragic death. My hero chooses to ride the fence in the story right now, choosing to re-act rather than take the initiative in anything. With a simple sentence, however, his entire life will change as this budding love interest bites the big one and goes into that word processor in the sky. This will be the catalyst that turns my reluctant hero into a true warrior, ready to seek vengeance. The only problem I have is that I've invested so much time into this character I can't stand the thought of killing her.

        Then I put myself in my reader's place. If I'm this crazy about her, hopefully my reader will be too. Hopefully my reader will have visions of her future with the hero. Maybe they even think they see where I'm going with it, and think they can outguess me. As a matter of fact, I'm really hoping they say, "Oh, I see what he's going to do with this. I've seen this all before." Then, when they think they have it all figured out, they turn the page and find themselves staring at a corpse. If I've done my job right, they'll be as in love with this character as I am, so the shock of her sudden demise will come out of nowhere. Anger will boil (hopefully toward the villain of the story and not toward me) and they'll furiously turn pages as they stalk the murderer with my hero, seeking their own revenge. If I've done my job properly, they've invested so much into the story they won't be able to put it down until the last page is turned.

        Creating memorable characters is what it's all about. A good writer can make you so in love with a character they feel like part of your family. A great writer can make you so in love with a character they cry during said character's death scene. But a fabulous writer takes it one step further: he lets you fall in love with a character, see a future and a "happily ever after" for them...and then proceeds to kill them right before you eyes to take the story in a whole new direction or kick it into overdrive just when you thought you knew where it was going.

        Take Stephen King for example. No character is ever safe in his books. You'll learn to care about them and feel for them. Then he'll whack them and you're stunned. How could he kill such a valuable character? Why waste time creating someone so great just to kill them off? The reason is simple: to make you feel the story. You have no idea where it's going next, and you have no idea who stands a chance of getting out of it alive.

        But just as important, remember that just killing a character isn't going to do it alone. They have to be someone the reader cares about. An unnamed pedestrian crossing the street and becoming roadkill doesn't really move the reader. An old man who's been living in that neighborhood for years taking care of orphans on the street while delivering food to a shut-in old lady who never trusted anyone before but has finally opened herself up to love with this man just as he gets hit by a Hummer doing seventy through a stop sign...that's tragic.

        And that's the kind of moment your reader remembers.

Is Any Help Better Than No Help At All?

2005-08-05T15:45:00.000-05:00

As a writer, it's almost guaranteed you have favorite authors. There are bound to be those books that will lie on your shelf dormant for generations, and then there are the ones you read with all the intensity and fervor you can muster. You have to know: what made this author so good they had to be published?

Maybe, like myself, you've taken the time to write your favorite author to let them know how much you enjoyed their book (every author, no matter how popular they may be, loves to hear from their audience). Perhaps you tossed in a brief mention of a novel-in-progress you're working on. Wouldn't it be a dream if they offered to look over your manuscript and offer some pointers?

But not all published authors are perfect fits for unpublished ones. Two years ago I was working on a novel, and like most authors, I felt passionate about certain parts of the book. Through a long set of circumstances that can only be described as "God in motion", a well-known, award-winning author and I began to correspond. He asked to see the first chapters of my new book and I gladly sent them to him, excited and nervous to see what he thought.

A few days later I got an email from him with long notes about certain parts of my manuscript. Some areas I couldn't help but agree with, while others I didn't feel so good about--but he was the published author and I
was the writing hopeful, so I started rewriting. My entire first chapter was gone in a keystroke. Characters changed dramatically, and my story went places I wasn't getting comfortable with. Finally, we reached the "last straw": a single sentence.

Now, you think after losing an entire chapter and revamping almost the whole first four chapters, a single sentence wouldn't have been such a big deal--but it was. I was in love with that sentence. It was the new opening sentence to my book and I felt it set the stage perfectly. I wasn't going to give it up easily. But my author/mentor kept going back to it, saying I had to remove it or I would kill the suspense for the entire story. It became frustrating for both of us, so I did the only thing I could think of: I thanked him for his help and decided to give it a try my way. I went to the Mount Hermon Christian Writer's Conference a few months later and submitted my manuscript to a few publishers and agents, some of whom he'd suggested.

God blessed me and I walked away from the conference with an agent AND a publisher for the book. It was all God, and I'm the first to admit that. He gives me the story ideas and often I'm as surprised as anyone else when plot twists happen. It's the way I love to write.

But here's the big thing that sold my manuscript: the first sentence. The publisher told me when he read the first sentence to the selection committee they were raising hands and asking when it was coming out. Those few words I had fought so diligently for came through for me.

As you write, be open to suggestions from people. Never be afraid to accept help, and never be afraid to listen to criticism. But at the end of the day, it's still YOUR story. You need to be happy with what you've written. Never be ashamed to say, "Thanks for the suggestion, but I think I'll keep it like this." Now don't be so stubborn you miss out on something that could truly shape your book in a great way, but if you feel a part of the book is really important, hold on to it. Trust your instincts. Believe in yourself, and believe in what you've written. Maybe someone else just doesn't understand where you're coming from--and that's ok.

Just as long as you believe.

Bending Reality Without Breaking It

2005-04-13T14:37:00.000-05:00

        As a storyteller, the rules of reality don't apply so much to us. I think that's one of the major drawing cards to novels: anything can happen, and sometimes it does! However, it's like jumping off a cliff--just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should! No matter how "out there" your story make go, it always has to be rooted to some form of reality for your reader to relate to it.

        For example, look at Spider-Man. While I can't say any of us can shoot webs or climb walls, it's safe to say we've all had some unrequited love in our life, or we've struggled with our self-confidence. See, even when dealing with a character as hard to relate to as Spider-Man, there's always that "Peter Parker" side that we can relate to. A good writer always allows his characters to keep that ground in reality somewhere.

        How about the plot? While a good story has the protagonist going through a ton of stuff on the way to reaching his goal, you still have to keep it real. You can't have the hero get shot at by bad guys, so he steals a car to get away--except the car's brakes don't work for some reason...and he's heading downhill in San Francisco...and there's a nuclear bomb being transported across the U.S. and it just happens to be at the bottom of that hill at that moment...and the hero's seat belt gets stuck...and a bird happens to be flying by and deposits something on the windshield so he can't see...and....well, you get the idea.

        One of the biggest examples of this is a book by a very popular author (no name dropping). In the book, he seems more in love with the villain than with the heros. As a matter of fact, absolutely nothing goes wrong for the villain, but everything does for the heroes. The villain commits a heinous crime, but it's caught on video. He leaves, then decides to go back to the scene one more time. He walks in at the exact moment someone is watching the tape from the hidden camera. He steals the tape and destroys it. Aha! But the heroine has had time to call someone while he was out and left a message on their answering machine about what she'd seen on the tape. The villain pursues the heroes, but they get away. He goes to their house while they're out to look for them. Out of the entire house, he opens the one drawer that contains the tape they had. How lucky! But wait, it gets better! While he's there, the airline calls to tell the heroes that there's something wrong with their credit card, but it can be fixed when they arrive at Gate 9 at 9 AM tomorrow going to San Antonio on Flight XYZ! How lucky can one guy get? It goes on from there, but I think you get the point. The rules of reality have been bent so far that the reader has lost the disbelief in the story.

        Be careful when you write. Keep a touch of reality in everything. There's no reason the character can't be put into trouble. There's no reason the truck can't be hurtling down the street at the perfect time to try and hit them. There's no reason the villain can't find that crucial piece of evidence against him and destroy it.

        Just make sure it doesn't all happen at once.

Success

2005-04-07T15:58:00.000-05:00

I was reading an article last night about the habits of successful writers. They all do it differently, but you know what they all have in common? They write! Some use pencils, some still use typewriters (Ray Bradbury doesn't even own a computer), some write all day long, some only write a few hours a day...but they all write. No excuses.

I think the biggest shortcoming we face as writers and potential best-selling novelists is fighting laziness. Most of us have a thousand things on our plate, so when it comes time to write, we find something else pressing for that time. Don't let it win! Lock yourself in your office, closet, bathroom, whatever and write!

My biggest distraction at home used to be the television. I would write on my laptop in the living room, and every time I looked up I'd see that thing looking right at me. After a few minutes, I'd wonder what was on and turn it on. Then, before I knew it, the time I'd set aside for writing was gone and I hadn't accomplished much! Recently I was blessed to be able to add a small room on our house for an office. I have no phone (or phone jack) anywhere in it, no television, and not much on my desk. I framed the cover of my first book and have it hanging on my wall for inspiration. Now anytime I feel the urge to do something else, I force myself to stay in that room and write.

You can succeed as a writer! Even if you have to get up before everyone else or go to bed after them, find those precious minutes each day to write what's inside you. Don't rob the rest of the world from your story!

Inspiration

2005-03-30T16:36:00.000-06:00

Have you ever truly been inspired by a single sentence? How about a single word? I was reading a book a few weeks ago and stumbled across an odd word the author had made by combining two "normal" words. The result was great, and I began writing that afternoon with nothing but that made-up word as a title. The story flowed beautifully though (I plan to have it posted to my website soon).

Flash forward several days to yesterday. On my way home from work, I started playing around with a sentence. After a little polishing, it became a "grabber", and I knew again I had a story (I might save this one for a special "side project" I'm working on).

What inspires you? Is it a word, or a sentence, or a person, or maybe a bit of scenery as you're driving home? Whatever you see that inspires you to write a story, novel, song, or even a single sentence, hold onto it. Remember it. The day may come when you need inspiration and can't find it. More than anything else, LOOK for inspiration. Force yourself to take a seemingly innocent rock and create its history (what has it seen? Where did it originally come from? How did it get here?). Once you do that, you'll find ideas flowing from just about anything.

Write! Don't let the story die inside you!

The Saga Begins

2005-03-29T15:33:00.000-06:00

Well, here we go, drifting aimlessly into the world of the blogger. Give me a little while to get my feet wet in this and I'll start posting things worth reading. For now, baby steps.