Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published
When should I capitalize the word mom? What about sir or ma’am?
Today, I want to address some of the most common capitalization errors I see in the manuscripts I edit. When you know the basic rule, capitalization becomes much easier.
We all know that proper names are capitalized. No one ever wonders whether to capitalize their name. But what about mom and dad? When do I capitalize them and when don’t I?
[Read more…] about To Capitalize or not to capitalizeToday I have the pleasure of introducing you to my author friend Kathy Nickerson.
This week Kathy launched the last book of her Glory Circle Sister series. I’ve read several books in the series (some more than once!). They are very entertaining and carry wonderful messages about life. I have featured her several times here on TheMotivationalEditor.com. Be sure and read her author interview with me over at my author blog.
[Read more…] about Going from traditional to indie publishing
Updated October 12, 2020
Last time we looked at scenes and how to build them.
Most writers don’t have trouble writing scenes, and moving from scene to scene can be accomplished with as simple a statement as “Later that day…” However, there are times when you want to provide your reader with more. The sequel is your answer.
Moving from scene to sequel is much easier than jumping that ditch above. But first let’s define what a sequel is because I’m not talking about book 2 of a series.
[Read more…] about How Do Plot and Scene Work Together, Part 3: Moving from Scene to SequelUpdated September 14, 2020.
In my last post we looked at plot. Today we’ll look at working with scenes.
What goes into a scene? All the same things that go into plot.
Think of a scene like a mini plot. The character(s) has a goal, which represents a small step in achieving the story goal. In each scene the character meets with conflict and setbacks.
The key to remember about scenes is that they occur now. It’s moment-by-moment action playing out on the page.
“Here’s today’s mail, Miss Clark.”
Startled by the voice, I jerked in my chair. “Joey, one of these days I’m going to end up with coffee in my lap.” I turned from the computer and reached for the letters. “Do you sneak in here on purpose?”
“No, ma’am, I’d never intentionally try to scare you.”
This example shows the action playing out moment by moment.
[Read more…] about How Do Plot and Scene Work Together, Part 2Updated August 2020
Many fiction writers struggle with what plot is and how to develop it, including me. We envision the end product and wonder how we’re going to get there.
Some writers develop their plot through first writing outlines (called plotters); some write by the seat of their pants (called pantsers). But much like a chef, our work has basic elements. The chef has meat, veggies, fruit, dairy, and spices. He combines these to create a delectable, unforgettable dish.
The writer has characters, goals, conflict, and setbacks, and blends them to create a riveting (best-selling, we hope) novel.
At its very basic, plot is characters attempting to reach goals, but who meet with conflict and setbacks along the way. Whether you are a writer who works with or without an outline, if these elements are missing from your manuscript, you do not have a story. So let’s look at how these elements fit together to build a plot.
[Read more…] about How do Plot and Scene Work Together? Part 1In my last post, I discussed bulk sales and how using printers outside of the KDP print-on-demand process can save you dollars (sometimes big dollars) with bulk sales.
Essential to the bulk sales scenario is knowing about book specifications and understanding how a book is printed. While working at Focus on the Family I went to Michigan for print training. I learned the book specifications lingo during this training, but they made a lot more sense when I started publishing my own books.
Geek that I am, I love touring a printing facility. I witnessed magazine pages being printed, assembled, and ad cards being blown-in (literally), all at an amazing speed of thousands per minute!
If you have a local printing facility, call and find out if they will give you a tour.
Whether you ever decide to bulk print or not, knowing these terms and basics about book production will help you make decisions about your print-on-demand book.
[Read more…] about How to Understand Print Book Specifications
When thinking about selling their book, many authors think about selling to the individual book buyer who walks into the bookstore or buys online. That’s “one book at a time” thinking. This is limiting your sales potential.
People buy in bulk all the time (the toilet paper shortage is evidence). So don’t think that “bulk” means 100 or more. Open your thinking to book clubs, Bible study groups, and organizations outside of bookstores.
[Read more…] about Are you seeking bulk sales for your book?Do you have a vision of your book as a best seller? An award-winner? Many writers have these dreams, myself included.
You could write the greatest novel since Dean Koontz or James Patterson, but if you don’t market your book, you won’t accomplish best-seller status.
You could have the most amazing marketing strategy and plan, but if you’ve written a terrible book, you won’t accomplish best-seller or award-winning status.
And underlying all this is your mindset—your paradigm.
[Read more…] about Are You Trying to Reach Your Goals?