How to Write What You Want

Yesterday on Twitter, I asked friends/followers/random passersby to email me their questions. Publishing questions. Writing questions. Cat questions. Shannon-Rachel Dixon was kind enough to send me this email: I'm currently writing book one in a reverse trilogy, the genre being a psychological thriller. My question is, do you think it's harder to get a trilogy published for your first time, than just a single novel? First of all, this book series sounds awesome. Second of all, LET ME JUST BASK IN THE AWESOMENESS OF THIS QUESTION. 

I did a little research, and I've come up with two possible answers. Hopefully, this helps you in some way!

The "Literarily Correct" Answer

(Were you aware that literarily is a real word?) Okay. My first instinct was Write your trilogy! Give it to the world! Get that movie deal! Then I calmed down and realized that wasn't going to help you at all. The first article I came across was from Rachelle Gardner, which advises writers to pitch a single book. 

The gist: Writing is a business. If you make money, you get a career. If you not… I consulted Writer's Digest too. (Okay, we didn't really consult because they don't know I exist. Just throwing that out there.) The gist: tread with caution. If the first one works, chances are the second and third are a shoe-in.

Okay, did you get all that? My work here is done. Just kidding. Here's my advice: WRITE WHAT YOU WANT. That's how people sell books. They write the fringe stories, the stories people tell them will never make it, and then they hit it big. Is that what we write for? No. We write for the satisfaction of telling the stories we want. 99% of the time, our gut feeling doesn't lie. (Made-up statistic.)

Write what you want, but market smart. You want to write a trilogy? Hooray! However, you should write your first book as a stand-alone. Leave it open-ended. Plant the seeds for more books, outline and such, but let it be okay on its own. Query as an individual, then let your agent know that you're working on more books. Should the first sell, the second has a much better chance.

Alternate Options

As a soon-to-be self-publisher, I know about the CRAZY COOL opportunities there are for trilogies in that sphere. Serializing is an amazing opportunity to get readership, either on your blog or on websites such as Wattpad. Even if it's just the first few chapters! Publishing just a chapter or a scene a week can really build that awesome fan base you want. The more you write, the more successful you'll be. That's the name of the self-publishing game.

I hope that answered your question, Shannon! If anyone has any more suggestions, please comment below.

To ask your own question, email blotsandplots@gmail.com! Be sure to sign up for the newsletter for additional opportunities.

How to Choose Your Book Title (Or Not)

If you follow me on Twitter, you already know my struggle with title-picking. Let's think about this logically: a book can be anywhere from 20,000 words to 80,000 words, and as writers, we are supposed to shrink down this whole monster (which by the way, we've labored and sweat over) into 1 or 2 or 6 words. That's like trying to put a mountain in your pocket. GOOD LUCK. Oh, and don't forget: it has to have a message or stand out or bake you cookies or something. Exhausted yet? Want to give up?

If you want to know how to choose your book title, well, you probably shouldn't have come to me, because as it stands, I don't have a title. And I don't see that happening anytime soon. (By that I mean in the next 48 hours. But 49 hours? Yeah... probably not then either.) So why is it so hard for us to pick a title? Because it's an identifier. It's the sum of all that hard work. Sometimes, writers start with a title and find a story to fit. You people are lucky. Still, I think it's easier (ish) to build a story and have it find its title along the way. Maybe it's a second draft thing? Anyway, here are some random techniques I've come up with for title-picking:

Write Down Every Idea. I am a big believer in the iPhone notes section. I have one for book plot ideas, one for quotes from friends/random strangers/etc, and one for title ideas. At this moment, I have approximately 130 title ideas, most of which I hate. So why do I keep them? A few reasons. By keeping the junk ideas, it helps me get to the heart of what I'm trying to talk about. It's giving me a focus. Also, I can mix and match bad titles and hopefully come up with something good. Maybe I'll even get a better idea from the junk pile.

Pay Attention to Words. I'm somewhat of a word collector these days. Like petrichor, which is the word for that after-rain smell. Not that I'm going to use that in my title, but you know, you could. If you pay attention to words, the light bulb in your head might just freak out and it'll be like EUREKA. Yep. BAM. Title. Did you understand any of that gibberish? No? I'm basically just saying you need words to make a title. But you already knew that.

Borrow or "Steal" Titles. You probably already stopped reading, but if you didn't, just calm down. I'm not telling you to name your book "Harry Potter" or "Gone with the Wind" or something. Think about the books that you love and look for structure. For example, Harry Potter is "Name of Character and Situation." The Great Gatsby? Proves the importance of alliteration. This is Where I Leave You? Hey, that's a full sentence. Take structures and fit your own words into it. You never know what might happen.

When all else fails, pick a title out of a hat. Name it "TBD" or "Untitled." Just pick a random word. "Button." There. That's my title. (Just kidding. I think.) I mean, what's in a title, anyway? When you think about Harry Potter, you're not thinking about the name of the book. You're picturing the characters, remembering the story, remembering how it makes you feel. In the long run, a title is a title. It's your story that people are going to remember.

Write More, Edit Less

Write More

photo by Oleh Slobodeniuk

In so many ways, I'm still a baby writer. I haven't fully finished a manuscript yet and I'm only a year out of college. And now is where you think, "Umm, why am I listening to you?" And maybe you shouldn't. Run along, now. WAIT JUST KIDDING. Don't go. Anyway, here's the thing. We're all on this writer journey together. Whether you're half a book or twenty-eight books into your writer life, you're never "there." In writing, there is no end game. There is no finish line. There's a million little ones, which is great news for us, because there's always one more to cross.

Ok, enough with the lame metaphors. What I really want to talk about is the secret to writing. That's right. The one you've all been waiting for. Drum roll please. The more I write, the more I realize that I need to write. Huh? What?  When I first began to write, I agonized over every line, doing my best to make sure that everything sounded just right. Except, here's the thing: most of the time, it didn't. Why? Because it was a first draft! And that's what first drafts do. They don't work right away. So basically, I was spending all of this time trying to edit myself as I wrote my first draft, picking my words while I threw out ones that never even had the chance to make it onto the page.

THIS IS THE WORST THING YOU COULD DO. I lost so many good words, ideas and possibilities because I was so busy trying to sound "perfect" right away. Lesson learned, my friends. Here is what you really want to do: write more and edit less. Write more scenes that suck. Write more scenes that you hate yourself for later. Then, when the time is right, you can weed through all the junk and find the little glittery spots of "okay, awesome." When you write more, there's more room to grow. For instance, my main character Wendy originally started as a teacher. I've since then steered away from that, trying to place her in a super boring job (TBD). The way you get to know your story is by letting it shift from side to side on the page. If you keep it all in your head, it has nowhere to go.

Write More. My philosophy is pretty simple. If you write A LOT, then it's easy to edit later. You can cut the fat faster than you'd think, and save it for another project. You know what you can't do? Edit an empty page. I mean… if you can, then maybe you're a genie, in which case, I should be asking you for three wishes. Number one: Christmas all year round, 24/7. Number two… ok, I just remembered about this post I had to write. WRITE MORE. EDIT LESS. Writing is the fun part. Agreed? Editing is where we roll our eyes and kick the paper across the room. So it's in our benefit to write more when all of those creative juices are flowing. I never really liked that term. Creative juices. Bleh.

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Ten Best E-Books for Writers

Best E-Books for Writers

Resources, Resources, Resources

A writer's best weapon is his/her resources. As writers, we're called to be jugglers. Not only do we have to put in the writing time, we also have to research the market, keep up with our reading, and do our best to get published. It's an exhausting, exciting, slightly/always chaotic process, but we're writers, and this is what we do. I've found that looking to the greats who have already been there helps in so many ways. Below, you'll find my list of (mostly) free e-books for writers on writing. A few of these are currently saved on my laptop, and I highly recommend them!

Ten Best E-Books for Writers

1. You are a Writer by Jeff Goins. 

Jeff Goins is about as professional as they come. There are so many great resources that he provides to his readers, and this e-book ranks high among them. This is an ebook for writing first steps.

2. The (nearly) Ultimate Guide to Better Writing by Write to Done

With sections such as "How to Write Like an A-List Blogger" and "It's Time to Finish Your Book," this e-book gives A+ advice on all kinds of writing.

3. Let's Write a Short Story by Joe Bunting 

Joe Bunting, another one of my writer heroes, recognizes that the first step to publishing is short stories in this informative e-book. For a low price, this guide is a must.

4. The Quick Start Guide to Building Your Author Platform by Kimberley Grabas

Your Writer Platform, a blog by Grabas, helps writers create their platform at any point in their writing career, and this e-book provides even more of her poignant tips.

5. Creating Unforgettable Characters by K.M. Weiland

K.M. Weiland can do no wrong. In her free e-book, you can get to know your characters in a more intimate way, creating dimensional and believable heroes.

6. 279 Days to Overnight Success by Chris Guillebeau

I've just recently discovered Chris Guillebeau and fell in love. This e-book is a thorough guide to carving yourself into success. Great read.

7. Smashwords Book Marketing Guide by Mark Coker

Smashwords offers a simple, user-friendly guide on how to market your book in this staple e-book.

8. How to Write a Great Query Letter by Noah Lukeman

Query letters can make or break your future, and with so many articles and books out there on the subject, it can be overwhelming. Here's an e-book straight from a literary agent's mouth, a perfect tool for taking the next step.

9.500 Ways To Be a Better Writer by Chuck Wendig

With articles like "25 Reasons You Won't Finish That Story" and "25 Questions to Ask As You Write," this guide supplies writers with advice on every spectrum of the writing world.

10. What Publishers Want by Greenleaf Book Group

For every writer intending on publishing traditionally, this resource provides a fantastic view of books from the publishing side.

Creating Believable Characters in Your Fiction

Creating Believable Characters

Note: this post has been updated on June 15, 2015.

Who among us didn't weep over Dobby in Harry Potter? Did you fall in love with Noah and Allie in the Notebook? Have you ever loved a character so much that they became a friend that you revisited over and over again? As a novelist, creating believable characters who leap off the page is imperative.

So how do we do this? Well, I'm glad you asked. (Okay, you didn't ask, but I'll tell you anyway.)

WRITE LESS THAN YOU KNOW.

Remember when J.K. Rowling shocked the world by revealing Dumbledore's sexuality? There was no mention of it (allusion can be argued), but yet, this was the truth. Knowing your characters beyond their books is important. If they aren't real to you, how can they be real to a reader?

GIVE THEM SOMEONE TO LOVE. 

No, I don't just mean romantic love. Any kind of love. Think Katniss and Prim. Think Sirius and Harry. If you show us a character's love, we'll not only believe it, but feel it too. Here are a few examples to think about:

1. Familial love. The self-sacrificing parent. The overprotective sibling. Everyone loves a good family bond.
2. Romantic love. Unrequited, broken, first, on-again, off-again. We can't help but root for a good love story. (Hint, hint: These Are the Moments.)
3. Love of cause. The fighter. The rebel. The activist. Readers love passionate characters.

MODEL FROM LIFE.

Learn from the people around you. Observe the details: the flaws, the strengths, and the quirks. Avoid perfect, cut-out characters by incorporating qualities that are true to life. In this way, your characters and the worlds you created will feel that much more realistic to us.

KNOW THEIR GOALS, WANTS, AND FEARS.

These are the big three.

1. Goals. These are what propel characters through the story. Goals can change, fail, succeed, but every character has a path.
2. Wants. A little different than goals, because they may not be the purpose of the plot. This is where love interests tend to fall.
3. Fears. How do these affect the goals and wants? How do they trip your character up through the story?

FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS. 

You know your characters. You know the way they act and why they act that way. Trust yourself and trust your characters. Because our characters are human (well, mostly!), they aren't always rational. They're going to make mistakes. They're going to act out of character. And that's ok.

WANT MORE? OKAY!

If you're interested in more tips on characterization, I highly recommend The Essential Guide to Character Creation by She's Novel:

Click the picture to learn more!

Creating Believable Characters

*Note: the above is an affiliate link.

Discussion Time: Are you creating believable characters in your fiction? What are your favorite character tips?