Google Maps for Writers

Writers, if you haven't used Google Maps or Google Earth to help you with your work's location, you're missing out on a valuable resource.

Maps - Use the mapping to get a view of your locale. I created a fictional town for a story near Charlottesville, Virginia. I used the map to find a great spot for it. I wanted it west of Charlottesville in a valley. Even though it's a made up location, I wanted real streets and highways in the surrounding areas. 

The maps also provide local place names for color and charm. You can right-click on the map and access features like getting directions, locating sites, or measuring distances.

Satellite - Switch to the satellite view to see an aerial view. Google maps will also highlight historic sites, nearby attractions, and other businesses. You can quickly see driving routes and nearby locations. I love the bird's eye view.

Photos - Many locations have photos attached, and this provides you a visual of what the area or building looks like.

Street View - Many locations have the street view option. This gives you a three hundred and sixty degree view of the surroundings. This is helpful if you haven't been to an area or aren't familiar with the terrain.

My writer friend used this feature to find a good location, just off an interstate for a murder scene in her book. 

I've set stories in nearby cities, and I use this feature to find neighborhoods that match my story. Plus, you can add realism by including true locations or street names. This feature gives you a good look at the flavor and style of the neighborhood.

If I'm planning a murder or a horrific crime in a story, I don't use a real location. I make it up, but this feature helps me find neighborhoods that fit my imagination.

You can also see the date (month and year) of the image in Street View. The date appears in the status bar at the bottom, so you can tell how old the image is.

This is one of my go-to resources when I'm plotting a story and looking for a setting.

(Sensible) Writing Quotas Do Work

I admire writers who set and hit their daily word counts. I beat myself up about being a slow writer. My first novel took about three years when I really settled in to write and revise it. (There are also two other novels in a drawer that will probably never see the light of day.) My second mystery took about a year and a half, so my speed is improving. And I've learned a lot along the way.

I'm doing an experiment with my current WIP (work in progress). I set a weekly (weekend) word goal of 4,000 words, and then any other writing I get done during the week is extra. The first draft of this book will be finished in months, not years. Writing every day does make a difference. However, work and life get in the way sometimes. During this project, I've been able to stick to my weekend word counts, and I'm making good progress. (18,000 words to go). I have also been able to keep my momentum in this book. I call my past efforts binge writing. I'd write thousands of words one week, and then nothing for weeks on end. By the time I picked the manuscript up again, I had to refamiliarize myself by rereading chapters.

My excuse was always that I work long hours in IT, and the last thing I wanted to do when I got home was to sit down at my computer. I do try to write every day at lunch. I am also not doing major revisions in this WIP during the first draft. I make notes of things I want to change or add. So far, this is working for me, and I'll have something in a month or so to go to my critique group. Here's what I've learned from this experiment:

• Set goals that work for you. If you find that it's too easy, then increase it. 
• Just write. Worry about editing  later.
• Strive to finish your first draft with the goals you set.
• If you know you have plans and won't be able to write, bank some word count ahead of time. It's easier than trying to make up word counts later. Plus, it feels better to be a head than playing catch up.
• Stop if you just don't feel like writing. Take a break and do something to get your energy or creativity recharged.
• Be kind to yourself. Progress is progress. A paragraph is more than you had when you started.

And remember, you need to find the style and process that works for you. Try something. If it's not working, then try something else. There's no right or wrong way. You just need to find a way to make steady progress. Happy writing!

What I Learned from Jane Friedman about Author Platforms

I attended a presentation by Jane Friedman at the Virginia Romance Writers' meeting. Friedman is a wealth of knowledge about book marketing and the publishing industry. Check out her website, blog, and newsletters. It's well worth your time.

Here's what I learned about author platforms.

1. As a writer, your platform grows out of your body of work. Your website and blog should be the center of this. Also, your website and blog should be on the same website.

2. Use your website, blog, newsletter, and your social media sites to build readership. Your platform is not just your social media sites.

3. Know who your readers are. It shouldn't be "the whole world." You need to be narrow and focused (e.g. cozy mystery readers, romantic suspense, etc.). She described this with a funnel diagram. It's wide at the opening, but you want to narrow it down at the bottom to your specific readers. Those are the folks you need to focus on.

4. Identify authors who are similar to you. Look at their websites, blogs, and Amazon author pages. See how they brand themselves.

5. The key is to build your audience. Readers like interaction and engagement.

6. Plan your give-aways strategically. These should be lead magnets (to generate new leads and new readers). Afterwards, look back to see how successful the contest was.

7. Be patient. It takes a while to grow an audience. Keep writing.

8. Check out Wattpad and Instapoets on Instagram. These are two interesting ways to promote writing.

9. Make sure your posts and newsletters reflect you and your personality. Talk to your readers on a personal level.

10. Make sure your name, tagline, and brand are clear on all your sites. Make sure that your website is linked to all of your social media sites.

11. Friedman suggested that you have a separate page on your website for each book to optimize your SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Make sure you include buy buttons for all key retailers.

12. Make sure your website has a clean presentation. The most important thing should be the biggest and be first. All things on your front page shouldn't be of equal size/importance.

13. It takes time to find the right approach for you. This is a continual process that you'll refine over time.

14. Show up every day and be engaged.

15. Build your body of work. 

l to r: Lee Wells, Me, Cynthia Price, Maggie King, Jane Friedman, Frances Aylor, Fiona Quinn, and Tina Glasneck

Avoiding the Distractions - Tips for Writers

There are so many distractions these days. A recent article by NBC News reported that students feel they need to check their phones about every two minutes. Like it or not, we're in a world where we are bombarded with data, alerts, pictures, and emails. It happens all the time. I grab my phone or tablet to check something, and I find myself an hour later cruising the Internet and looking at funny pet videos. Between work and home, I get about 500 emails a day. Your productivity is affected by the distractions and interruptions. Here are some ideas to help you focus on your writing.

1. I heard an interview recently with Woodward and Bernstein, and they declare an Internet Sabbath from time to time to get their writing done. They'll pick a block of time where they turn off the distractions and write.

2. Set aside a specific time for checking email and social media feeds. When that time is up, shut it down and get back to your writing.

3. Writing, editing, and proofreading are hard work, and you do need to get up and move around from time to time. Just don't let the breaks take over the work time. I have a writer friend who uses an egg timer to alert her when physical and Internet breaks are over.

4. Look at all the applications and websites that notify you of something. Pare them down and turn off unnecessary alerts and notifications. 

5. Clean up your email box. Create folders and rules for notifications that you don't need to read immediately. Keep your email box organized and tamed. It takes more time to go in and review/delete hundreds of emails. Unsubscribe to unnecessary feeds that clutter your inbox.

6. Turn off your phone or leave it in another room for a set period of writing time. If it's not there, you're tempted less.

7. Keep your physical writing space organized. If you can find the things you need, you spend less time cleaning up, organizing, or searching for that one important sticky note.

8. I have never tried any of the applications, but there are quite a few out there that will monitor your Internet time and let you know how much you're spending on what sites. There are also other applications that will limit or block you from websites. If you've tried them, let me know how they work.

What else works for you? I'd love to hear from you.

What I Learned from a Plotting Party...

My Sisters in Crime chapter had a plotting party for our annual (before the) holiday get-together. Everybody brought ideas or stories they were working on, and we brainstormed as a group. We had fun, fellowship, and food (and lots of chocolate). Here's what I learned...

1. Always have chocolate when you're plotting your story! 

2. When you start to plot a book or short story, start with a character and his or her motivations. why would he/she do something?

3. Give all of your characters a quirk or some unique feature that makes them memorable.

4. Tame the number of characters. You don't want to confuse your readers.

5. For mysteries, hide clues in plain site.

6. Name your characters names with different first letters. Make sure that you don't have sound-alikes like Chris, Kristine, and Crissy. 

7. Don't reveal everything to your readers at once.

8. Everything in your plot needs to advance the story. If it doesn't, it needs to be cut.

9. Your characters need to be at a crossroad in the story from time to time. They'll have to make decisions.

10. If you get stuck, relax and do something else. Your subconscious mind will help you guide your characters. You'll come up with where the story needs to go.

11. Your sleuth needs to be in jeopardy. There needs to be conflict.

I've never been to a plot party before, and I learned a lot about how others' write and organize their work. Writing is usually a solitary sport, so it was fun to get together with other writers. 

Writing Tips - What I Learned at Festival of the Written Word

I attended several of the panels this year before mine on "Developing Characters Your Readers Will Care About" with Bill Blume and Keesya Hill-Jones, who are so talented and fun. I enjoyed our talk. Here's what I learned from this year's creative writers:

1. Dale Brumfield encouraged writers to focus on reading, researching, writing, revising, and repeating all the above. 

2. The authors recommended creating a writing schedule for yourself to ensure you have time to write and revise during your busy life.

3. Find and build your library of resources. Collect business cards and connect online with people you meet. You never know when you can help them or they can help you.

4. Make sure that you back up your computer files. It's heartbreaking when you lose your work in progress.

5. If you really want to write something powerful, fictionalize your worst secret.

6. Use your writing as a safe space to explore your deep and creative thoughts.

7. Writing also lets you experience things inside the minds of your characters.

8. Balance is key in your writing. And if you write short stories, you need to pay attention to this because you have smaller space to tell your tale.

9. Exploit everything you hear or come in contact with. Make sure you jot down notes when you observe people or hear dialogue. It will provide you with ideas for your stories.

10. Writing is a business, and you need to treat yours as such.

This is one of my favorite annual book/writing events. If you're in Central Virginia, make sure to check it out. 

What I Learned about "Stepping up to the Stage" from Joan Bowling - Public Speaking Tips for Authors

This week, I attended the James River Writers' Writing Show, "Stepping up to the Stage" with Joan Bowling. She had some great presentation and public speaking tips for authors. Here's what I learned...

1. Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Make sure that you're ready for your event. 
2. Relax! You are more confident when you feel comfortable.
3. Make the butterflies you feel fly in formation. Get control of your nerves.
4. Breathing helps. Calm your thoughts.
5. Nervousness means you care. Use that energy in your presentation.
6. You need to create an impression or mood with what you're going to say.
7. Start off with a question or an "imagine a time when" story. You want to draw your listeners in.
8. Practice your opening. 
9. You want your presentation to be an easy conversation. She said to avoid the "wind up." "Hi. Thank you for having me here. I am so honored to be here..."
10. Know your audience and have questions prepared.
11. Listening is crucial. 
12. Be present.
13. If you're on a stage, do a sound check. Walk around and get to know the environment before the event. 
14. If you've not used to using a microphone, practice at home with a hairbrush.
15. The microphone is an extension of your chin. Hold it below your chin. Your audience needs to see your mouth.
16. When it doubt, use a microphone. It's hard to sustain a voice loud enough for the audience to hear for 45 minutes.
17. Mingle with the audience before an event.
18. When you are on stage, scan the audience. Don't do a windshield wiper thing with your head. Scan in a slow "W" formation, so it looks more natural. 
19. If you're terrified, look at your audience's foreheads. They can't tell that you're not looking directly at them.
20. Be hydrated before you speak. Stay away from dairy. 
21. If you're doing a reading, animate it. Leave them with an emotion. Read a funny, scary, or sad excerpt. 
22. If you're reading, hold the book so they can see it, but don't cover your face. They shouldn't see the top of your head during the entire reading. 
23. Some people print out the excerpt and read from the paper. (Just make sure that you have your book on the lectern or table, so they can see the cover.
24. Know the power of a pause. Pause from time to time to let your audience catch up and to draw them in.
25. Don't do accents in readings.
26. Get comfortable with the sound of your voice. Tape yourself and listen.
27. If you're doing TV, make it a live conversation. 
28. Always have your book with you.
29. When you're doing a presentation, don't end on a question. End where YOU want to leave the audience. Leave them with an impression.

Joan had some wonderful advice. Check out her website and her newsletter. These are all great ideas that writers need in their toolbox when they're doing a reading or a presentation. 

Proof of Alien Life or Just Story Ideas?

You never know where story ideas will come from. Recently we installed two cameras outside. I have a blind driveway, I've always wanted to be able to see who drives up without having to run upstairs to look out a window or open a door. 

I never really knew what was going on in my front yard. And it's been fun. I like being able to see when packages are dropped off. Here are some other things we've "captured" recently.

I thought we captured proof of alien life when I saw this. I have no idea what this is. The bug looks gigantic on the camera. Hopefully, he and I won't meet. I may send this to the "What's Bugging You" team to see what kind of critter this is.

I'm not sure if this little guy was saying hello or attacking the camera. I'm pretty sure he's not the blue bird of happiness. 

And then there are the deer who eat my azaleas and tulips. They come through about every other night for a visit. 

My private investigator, Delanie Fitzgerald, and her sidekick/computer hacker Duncan Reynolds, use security cameras in their investigations. I'm going to expand the use in the next book and add some of the funny things that they might capture. I'm enjoying the videos from the unexpected in my front yard. And you never know where a story idea will come from...

Happy writing!