12 IRKSOME WRITER COMMENTS 

Here are 12 comments said by “writers” that irk me and flip my switches! I’ll happily tell you why.

            1.  I don’t know what to write about/there’s nothing to write about.

WHAT? Seriously, folks. Life is a treasure trove of stories, both mundane and extraordinary. Begin in the moment….”I sat at the kitchen table staring out the window…” or “the coffee pot gurgled and I sighed as I poured my first cup. Monday’s. I hated them.” The possibilities are endless! I can’t empathize with anyone who says this to me.

2. What’s the deal with your vocabulary? Why do you say “stodgy” instead of “old-fashioned?” Why do you say “myriad” instead of “many?”

So why don’t you use those words? Why is your vocabulary so limiting and poor? As a writer, words are your craft, your money, your paint, your world. Words are like music. Why use a B flat instead of B? Maybe it sets the mood better? Or has the kind of melody needed for the moment or the character? Use words to their full advantage and don’t dumb down for people. Ever. Don’t know a word? Don’t expect the author to teach you. Go look them up!

3. I have writer’s block.

No. See #1.

4. I just want to write what I want to write and if people don’t like it, too bad.

Actually I don’t have a lot of trouble with that thought. In theory, it is excellent. In practice, it is horrible. You have to find the balance between what you like to write and what people want to read. If you publish some drivel that you enjoy and no one else does, why bother to publish it unless you just want something to put on your coffee table with your name on it? Don’t waste your money going through a publisher and all that if that is all you want. Just make a word document and go over to Kinko’s or someplace like that. But if you really want to publish, learn where your style fits and what’s already published. Then find your niche in the genre. There is always a way to blend and yet be unique in a crowd. Find it.

5. That is obscene. That is just porn. Well, I don’t write that crap. “Oh you write THAT stuff.”

Now now. There’s room for everyone. If you don’t like erotica or other racier forms of writing, then DON’T WRITE IT AND DON’T READ IT. But do not presume to be the moral or literary compass for everyone else. I don’t like BDSM and so I avoid certain kinds of books. But I will not stand for censorship. Books are there to share. Look at Madam Bovary, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, or even Harry Potter! All three are banned books. Are banned books. Should I tell you can’t read Harry Potter because some person’s religious sensibilities were offended? No, you write what you want but always be mindful that if you tread in turbulent waters not everyone will be anxious to ride your waves. Be accepting, consider your audience and move on.

6.  I want to be a writer but I don’t have time. Or I’d love to sit home all day and write.

First off, becoming a writer does not necessarily mean you sit home all day and write. Most people have lives that are busy with jobs, kids, hobbies, friends, troubles, and writing has to find a way in. However, writers make room for writing because they can do no less. Writers have learned they have to write. Writers look forward to that release, the expression, the exploration, the discovery that writing provides. There is ALWAYS TIME to write. No matter how busy you are, you have time. Do you go to lunch? Do you blog? Do you keep a diary or a journal? Do you read the paper with your coffee/tea/soft drink? Do you have 10 minutes at the end of your day when you play solitaire on your computer?

No matter your job or your family life, there are times you can program to write. Regular time. Every day. First in the day, last in the day, over a sandwich or instead of something else, but you can always put writing in your life. That is if you honestly WANT and NEED to. Sometimes it is easier to say you are a writer than to actually be one. Stop talking about it and be one. The daily/nightly practice will lead to a wish to write more. Trust me on this.

7. I don’t want to share what I’m working on because someone might steal my idea.

Really?? Are you so certain that you have a wholly original, hot idea that has never been done before and is so dynamic and wonderful that someone can make a best-seller out of it?? Then you better get an agent and get that thing published! And if it is that good, you should have no trouble finding an agent and a publisher, right?

Okay, back to planet Earth. It is improbable that your book/story idea is so darn hot that someone runs away with it. And they can only do that if you don’t finish what you start. Truly there are very few original ideas left. What people learn to do is take old stories and make them new by adding new twists or new characters. Stop worrying about who is going to rip you off and worry more about actually writing and finishing that project of yours. Then realize that you need to share it for proofreading. beta comments, and publishing. Stop thinking you are a phenom and just write, ok? (Unless you are a James Patterson, Stephen King or JK Rowlings prodigy, then what are you worried about?)

8. I’m afraid of what you’ll think when you read it. It’s my baby, you know. I want you to like it.

Anything created is a part of us. Painters, musicians, sculptors, writers….we create and give life to something we hope will be wonderful. Certainly approval is what we seek in sharing. But guess what? Approval comes later. First, learning the craft means critiques. Means criticism. Means suggestions for improvement. Means re-writes and it means – gasp – deletions. Folks, toughen up because any beta reader, editor, proofreader, formatter is going to tell you things that you don’t want to hear. And you have to be smart enough and savvy enough to take it, learn from it, and grow from it. Who among us has never been told our work needs work? Who hasn’t heard, “not for me, not our style, not up to our standards, not developed enough, not current, blah blah.” Or worse, “I read it and I didn’t really like it.” Hey, let’s keep it real. First, you are going to be edited to death. Live with it. Second, not everyone is going to “love” what you write. You write first for you and second for them. Not all of “them” are going to like “all of you.” So, be prepared and move on.

9. My editor says I need to delete this whole section. What the hell does he/she know? Its my story!

First, l hope you are working with a professional. And if so, then what he/she knows is legion compared to you. Second, a good editor will have two things in mind, to produce the best story and to produce a story that sells. If you are seeking to be published in a magazine the editor will want to make sure it is what the readers want and that it reads well. Experience is the teacher here. Listen and learn and yes, question, and then learn s’more. If you feel so violently that you know more than your editor and you cannot reach an understanding, then accept you won’t be published. That is the editor’s right and your lesson. That’s the breaks, kiddo. If you are publishing a book, your editor will have read the entire work and has an understanding of what works and why. Listen, learn, adapt and seek compromise once you have experience under your belt. If you are a greenhorn (a novice, an amateur, a first timer), you do not know more than your editor. If you feel you are being butchered, discuss it. Again if you think you know more/better than your editor you can pull you project. However, if you have learned your craft, and this is your submission after years of hard work, it will show in your writing. In most cases, your editor will have your best interest at heart but remember, their job is to make it right and make sure it sells. Remember that.

10. It is the story that matters, right? What is the big deal with looks and formatting? Who really cares?

I do. When it comes to Indie authors, there are two sides of this argument. One is that it is the story that counts and everything else is just stuff and nonsense. The other side is that your book is your name and reputation and should have a professional appearance that can stand up against any “traditionally” published book. This is one subject that I am anal about. If you are going to put a book in print, make sure you do it right. There are guidelines to follow on what a print book should and shouldn’t have inside. There are guidelines on how to make quality book covers. If you go through all the effort to write a superior story and have it edited, then make the book reflect your hard work. Invest in a cover that is better than your vacation photos. Make sure the copy on the cover is as well written and edited as diligently as the interior. Invest in a quality author photo, not one from your smartphone. Layout the book in accordance to the CMS (Chicago Manual of Style). Understand what front and back matter is expected to be there and where it is located. If you write fiction know what should NOT be included that maybe belongs in a non-fiction book, etc. Looks and formatting do count. When I pick up a book and I open it, I don’t want to see things that belong only in an ebook or to find links in a print book that are gobbledygook (itty bity links that mean nothing in print) or numbered blank pages, or “#” at the end of a chapter. Make your print book good enough to sit on a stand in the library! Don’t go cheap binding, tossed together formatting, sloppy or illegible fonts, etc. Your name is on the book. It reflects you. The story matters most of all. So dress it in the finery that it deserves. Don’t let me be able to tell the difference between your Indie book and a traditionally published one from Knopf or Tor or anyone else. First impressions DO COUNT, you know.

11. I’m afraid what I write won’t be any good.

I’m afraid. Those are the key words. Realize that you will always be your own worst critic and your worst enemy when it comes to your writing. Until you make peace with yourself and believe in you, you will have to learn to deal with the scaredy- cat in you. Truth is no matter how much I learn about writing and how many things I write, a part of me is always a little afraid that it won’t “measure up” or be any good. What I have to realize is if I give my best work then it most certainly will measure up. And if I continue to learn and improve I will stop feeling so much fear and learn to channel that fear into excitement and nervous anticipation. We fear because we know we are not prepared. We don’t like the unknown. Reduce those fears by arming yourself with a well-honed craft. A pen that writes with confidence that comes from a place of knowledge is a pen to be feared by others but not by you!

12. Finally – and I hear this ALL the time – I don’t have time to read much less write. Or I wish I had time to read AND write.  It’s write or read. I can’t do both.

Okay, now hear this. Great and prolific writers are great and prolific readers. To write well you MUST read. Voraciously. Your mind is improved by reading. Your vocabulary is improved. Your imagination is improved. Your idea bank is expanded. You learn what is being produced in your genre, what is selling and what you like and don’t like about it. You gain an understanding of plotting and characters and story rhythms. Example, I hear someone say, “oh it dragged in the middle.” And then when you say that their story is dragging in the middle, they understand. Or they have ideas on how to fix it. They “get it.” Comparatively speaking, such lessons are invaluable. If you don’t know what makes a good plot arc because you haven’t read any good books, then how do you expect to understand how to make yours flow? If You are told it lacks a dynamic element, will you understand? What have you read that can compare? Reading gives you a sense of good writing. It rubs off! All well-established, famous, prodigious writers read A LOT. So get with it. Make time. It is in the best interest of your inner inkwell. No more excuses — go read a book (or twelve). (Not sure what to read? I publish my book reviews here for those who are looking for good stuff).

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That’s my rant for today. Here are a few last tidbits.

GIVEAWAY in progress! Today is the last day to get in on my giveaway. Ten years ago I published my photography book and to celebrate the anniversary I’m giving away a HARDBACK copy of it – I Wish You Joy. It’ll cost you $47 on Amazon.

Go here and enter. Random winner!  ENDS AT NOON TODAY!!!

And don’t forget to check out the latest Fireside Chat video too. I was pretty off the chart. :)

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Getting down to my last pens on Instagram. With only about eight Monday’s worth of novelties left, don’t miss out on these last goodies. Check me out here.

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I’m about to release my upcoming book cover! If you subscribe to my Newsletter, you’ll get to see it first! What? You haven’t subscribed? Get on the list now!

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HAVE A VERY HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! Be safe out there. Come back soon.

I remain, Yours Between the Lines,

Sherry

TRENDS IN FICTION

One of the challenges for today’s writers is keeping up with current writing trends. I find this to be particularly true when trying to decide, “what is my genre?” Genre identification has expanded and is a whole new adventure in branding as every author diligently attempts to find his or her best niche.

New genres keep popping up and it is important to stay up-to-date with the current trends. Yes, some of these trends are passing fancies, and some are pure fad. Yet it is hard to know when they arrive whether they will become “the next big thing” or yesterdays “oh no you didn’t.”

To help you stay abreast with what’s trending and cool, here are some newer genres in Fiction of which you may not be aware. Perhaps you will want to investigate one or two and discover that your work might fit into something new and developing. Some of these you may have heard about but really didn’t understand (join the party — sometimes I don’t get them either).  I promise you that these are current and might prove valuable.

9 Fiction Genres You Need to Know

CLI-FI

     Climate Fiction describes stories about hazards of climate change and global warming where eco terrorists are the primary villains. Environmental disasters are the order of the day. Not considered truly speculative fiction, it takes place in the world we know today or in the very near future. This is still a developing category but many universities are including it in their teachings.

Books in this genre: Atonement by Ian McEwan, Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake

MYTHOPOEIA

     Mythopoeia is Greek for “mythos making.” It is a narrative where fictional or artificial mythology is created. More narrow than saying it is science fiction or pure fantasy, this is a more mystic creation by a single individual, the same way Tolkien created Middle Earth (as Tolkien is considered one of the creators of mythopoeia).

Books in this genre: Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, or A Song of Fire and Ice by GRRR Martin.

BIZARRO

     Okay, I admit I had to laugh when I saw this one. Bizarro fiction was created by small American press publishers to meet the demands of good weird fiction. Called the “literature’s equivalent of the cult section at the DVD store,” this is where you find the things that make your eyebrow go up in astonishment or confusion or even, like me, giggle.

Books in this genre: Shatnerquake by Jeff Burk, Felix and the Sacred Thor by James Steele

INTERACTIVE FICTION

     These are stories where you get to dictate how the story progresses and moves forward. (I actually wrote one of these back in 1998 called The Revenants of Hawthorne Mansion, which was posted online and readers chose whether they wanted the Reality ending or the Fantasy ending. And neither was what they expected. Yes, I was ahead of my time in this genre!).

This genre has been around since the mid-70’s but is just now getting new life. It blurs the lines between virtual and real worlds. There is no wrong way to read it and it is looking to be the next really big wave between reading and playing. (Real Player One, anyone?)

Books in this genre: Blood of the Zombies by Ian Livingston and Women and Bad Decisions by Shawn Harris.

MINIMALISM

     According to Chuck Palahniuk, this is the closest storytelling to movies there is. Authors use short sentences and mandate a stripped down writing style. This writing mimics real talk and keeps adjectives, adverbs, and meaningless details to a minimum. It is an off-shoot of flash fiction, but longer.

Books in this genre: Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk, The Mind’s Eye by Oliver Sacks, 31 Songs by Nick Hornby.

FABULISM (also called Magical Realism)

     In this genre, writers portray the world realistically but with a few magical and/or supernatural elements interwoven into it. For example, imagine a forest you know well but with clocks hanging from the trees. This identification began with some Latin American literature. Used mostly in the arts, it is gaining strength in regular literature. One key element is a heightened awareness of mystery in the hidden realism. Fabulism tells stories in the real world but is in opposition to modern and urban realism.

This genre is often confused with exoticism.

Books in this genre: The House of Spirits by Isobel Allende and Toni Morrison’s Beloved.

FACTION

     Some critics believe this category is more for the non-fiction genres but I stand with those who disagree. These are stories of historical figures woven together with fictional elements. Historical novels are fictional accounts of real people in real places. Faction blends the fact and the fiction but the story is rooted in truth. The outcome may be to create a new belief or conclusion. Many believe this to be a sub genre of historical novels and therefore, non-fiction. Developing genre!

Books in this genre: Roots by Alex Haley, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, Allegiant by Veronica Roth.

FANFIC

     Most everyone knows about Fan Fiction and is aware that it is prose or poetry written by fans of books or films with favorite characters. I confess I was writing fan fiction with Anne Rice’s characters before she agreed to allow it (not for profit) in 2012. Most writers pick up the stories where the books or movies end and change the future or re-write certain events that bothered them. Few know that 50 Shades of Grey started out as a Twilight-inspired fanfic – and you can see where that went.  However, many fanfics never see the published mainstream light of day and can be considered a great risk.

This genre has a subgenre called Slash, where more erotic fanfic lives.

Books beginning as fanfic: After by Anna Todd (One Direction fanfic), His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik (author fan of the Master and Commander series of stories).

GRAN LIT

     Okay now, all you 20,30 and 40 somethings, don’t laugh. This is fiction written specifically for middle age folks and senior years. Stories with sunny adventures, zest, romance and hope. This genre was recognized after the 2011 book Thursdays in the Park, a romance between 60-somethings, where the author Hilary Boyd asks, “does love always come with a sell-by date?”

Honestly, I’m still reading NA, a little YA but I love my gothic paranormal and I guess that’s why I love vampires. We get to be old and cliché, dark and morose, romantic with an edge,  without being Gran Lit. But there was a giant missing library of books for the senior set and Gran Lit fills this.

Books in this genre: Loop Group by Larry McMurtry

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I encourage you to broaden your genre knowledge and maybe you will be able to add more categories to your book listings! 

Most of all, remember not to stagnate and to keep up with evolving trends. You never know, you might have an idea for something new and cool, like CoffeePunk (for us lovers of our daily java fix mashed with our need for a scifi fantasy clifi gran lit. 

Thanks for stopping by,
I remain, Yours Between the Lines,

Sherry

Lost Gems of Character Development

We writers and authors spend an exhaustive amount of time learning our craft. You have to do it. There are so many technical aspects about writing which must be studied. You must learn about plots, scene and sequel creation, dialogue, monologues, internal dialogue, Point of View (POV), deep POV, grammar, punctuation, formatting, vocabulary, character arcs, style, genre, trends, world-building. Good grief the list is endless! And there are dozens of checklists, reminders, rule books, handouts, programs, spellcheckers– Holy Info Overload, Batman!

The learning must happen if we want to produce a quality story, chapbook, or novel. I know for me, there is a constant review of certain lessons with every novel, checking style and format, always improving vocabulary, looking to reinvent a master plot or character trope and always striving to be original in the process.

One thing I recently noticed in my writing, and in so many other books, is the missed opportunities for deeper character development. Great care is taken to showcase the golden flecks in someone’s eyes, the blue-black sparkle of hair, the limp, the bushy eyebrows, or the curl of smoke from a pipe. Delicious details offer insights to the vampire’s desires, the streetwalkers boots, the royal throne or the courtier’s waistcoat. Even the most intimate scenes offer description of the silky sheets, the sweat that runs down the chest, the sound of flesh against flesh.

All of these details are ones we’ve been told to add. We know we need to cover all the senses, preferably in every scene. We want the readers to see the people as clearly as we do. To feel and hear the swish of a gown on the stairs, to taste the burning heat of a rye whisky tossed back without thinking, we need the readers to follow us as we dodge around trains who vent steam and blare horns. We go to a picnic and treasure the dappled sunlight, swat the flies over the potato salad and our mouth water when we smell the fried chicken. These details are what flesh out every scene and give depth to our tales. 

What if I told you that you can do more, that you are missing one of the best treasure troves for letting the reader learn about your characters through what THEY find in your stories?

Sometimes deeper character development, and therefore hidden meanings or careful foreshadowing, even character secrets, comes from what isn’t directly said or carefully described. What about what surrounds the character in your story? Are you taking advantage of the character’s personal items that never change, that are personally offered and perhaps never addressed?

Let’s use my house and me as an example for what I mean. In every story, your characters live somewhere, whether its a tent, a mansion, an RV, or a brick and mortar home. In my case, it’s a ranch house. I don’t like stairs anymore because I have a bad knee (have had since I was in my 30’s). This character information which the one story house emphasizes. We’ll mark that as “Fodder.” 

Next, my kitchen. A great many families hang out in the kitchen. Activity thrives there. Look around. Everyone plants their flag, so to speak, in their surroundings. What’s on the counter that never changes? The wall? How about the refrigerator? Fodder! Here’s a pic of my refrig. There are things that never change and others that change with moods. Fodder! Do you see personalities reflected here? Look at the gold magnet or the retro magnet. How about the apron? 

We speak of the roaring fire by the wingchair or the mantle clock. What about the walls? The unchanging, personally decorated walls? Ah, more secrets of likes and dislikes! Look at this picture of my dining room. I have a deep love for Egyptian art. Did you know? You can learn so much from what people hang on the wall for permanent decoration. Secrets to their likes, dislikes or personalities. Let them be noticed.

I know we all enjoy reading about a character in their library. Big old volumes of books, shelves upon shelves, a footstool, a ladder, a cuppa tea and a late night read. But wait! There are nik-nacs, maybe china? Maybe bronze? Let’s look at a portion of my library. Oh my! The oddities abound. Statues and photos and hints galore. Most of these things do not change and reveal so much about me. Do you see the vampires or the dragons? How about the moon or the variety? So much fodder for a tale that reveals personality.

A home also offers insights into hobbies. Do you show a character’s pottery? Artwork? Greenhouse, perhaps? Do you know I like to take photographs? On the spare bedroom wall you find this framed piece, showcasing several photos. Mine. It speaks of some of my deepest loves. More fodder.

There is also a boom in contemporary fiction about professionals like the military, the doctor, the fireman or the cowboy. These people surround themselves with items that represent them or pieces that show something in their past that represents this profession. In my case, there are retirement cases for my husband and me, that showcase our years of military service. These can be the most personal mementos available. Fodder awaits!

Details are the decoration that gives a story depth and richness. Don’t miss out on a chance to provide unique depth to your characters by using the details that may never change. Understand and flesh out the things that make the characters real and you define them in a way that readers will relate to on a deep personal level. Oh look, your reader will say, she puts her daughters drawings on the fridge too. And she uses the magnet of her trip to Boston Harbor to hold it up. You know, the place where she spent her summers so long ago…

Fodder.

These are the lost gems that make the difference between good and great character development. Set your work apart by giving your readers whole characters they can never forget because in the end, the readers want more than anything to be those characters. Make it happen for them.

Thanks for coming by. Let’s make this a great month!
I remain as ever, Yours Between the Lines,

Sherry