Mining Story and Promotional Ideas - Tips for Authors

I have been a list maker forever and working in IT for years has just exacerbated that with hundreds of Post-its, work break down structures, and notes written on any nearby scrap of paper.

Last year for my writing projects, I consolidated the hundreds of notes into two spreadsheets that I can sort in a variety of ways.

Ideas - The first is my idea spreadsheet. I come across names, title ideas, weird or funny stories, and tons of true crime and news articles all the time. Having one place to keep this information is helpful when I’m plotting or looking for something to add to a story. If I use an idea, I delete it from my spreadsheet. (Now there are no longer lists of ways to kill people on my desk or white board, but I have found crumpled notes in the bottom of my purse of interesting poisons or other ways to off people.)

Book Marketing Ideas - Book promotion ideas are everywhere. I go to lots of workshops and presentations, and other authors are so gracious about sharing their ideas. I constantly take notes. You never know when something is going to be useful. My big, giant, promotional spreadsheet has a tab for each topic (e.g. promotional services, book bloggers, book stores, libraries, reviewers, bookstagrammers, etc.) I enter the information and a note of where I found it or who recommended it. Then as I plan for my next book, I have a place to start. I update it as I go if things change.

There is also a “my contacts” tab for organizations, alumni groups, homeowners associations, book clubs, etc. that I’m a member of. Many have newsletters or social media sites for news and announcements.

Recently, I added a “hook” tab. I brainstorm things that are in each book and what non-mystery sites would be helpful or possible options for book marketing. For the Jules Keene Glamping series, I have a list of things like Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia, Glamping, Vintage Trailers, Tiny Houses, and Jack Russell Terriers. I list groups and contacts that could be possible book promo opportunities.

Places to Look

• Write down what other authors recommend (e.g. services, publicists, program ideas).

• Keep a list of all contacts you made such as librarians, bookstore owners, bloggers, etc.

• Subscribe to other authors’ newsletters and see how they present and promote their work. What events or promotional things are they doing?

• When you attend conferences, workshops, panels, or social media parties, make a list of the services and who provides them. If it’s a reoccurring event, you may want to participate in the future. If it’s a service that does promotion or social media parties, you may want to use them later.

• Create a list of bloggers and podcasters who interview authors. When you’re contacting these folks, you may want to do it 3-4 months ahead of your launch because their calendars fill up quickly.

• Make a list of tools that authors and publicists are using for graphics, book trailers, photo editing, etc.

• When you have casual chats with other book people, jot down ideas. People are great about sharing new products or services.

• Use your reading, tv-watching, or social media time wisely. This is where you’ll encounter lots of ideas. Write them down, so you don’t forget.

You may not need a nugget of information at the moment, but it’s a good idea to record it for when you do.

Submitting? Querying? Follow the Rules

When you submit your work for a consideration whether it’s to a publication, contest, or anthology or as a query to an agent, make sure you follow the rules/guidelines. There are certain ways you need to submit your work, and there are formatting requirements. You need to tweak your submission to fit. One blanket submission does not fit all. Don’t give them a reason to reject your work.

I’ve been a part of quite a few anthology projects, and in addition to formatting requirements, there are themes, story type, genre, and word count specifications.

In these examples, the stories were rejected (even though the writing may have been good).

• For a mystery anthology, we had paranormal, science fiction, and horror submissions.

• On a cozy mystery anthology project, we had people who submitted stories that weren’t in the genre, even when the guidelines provided a definition and what not to include (e.g. foul language, graphic violence, etc.).

• For another project, the protagonist needed to be an amateur, female sleuth. Two people submitted stories with male detectives.

• One short story anthology had a requirement of no more than 5,000 words. We received multiple stories that ranged from 7,000 - 10,000 words.

The same applies to agents or publishers. Each has specified on his/her website how they want to receive your work. Make sure your cover letter is polished and be sure to submit all the items requested. Some may ask for a synopsis, a few chapters, or the entire manuscript.

Before you submit anything, make sure your work is as polished as it can be. Typos and formatting issues detract from your work. You want your submission to be as professional as possible.

After you have edited your work, make sure you do another read through to catch any typos or formatting issues. Read all of the submission criteria again to ensure you’ve covered everything.

Good luck with your queries and submissions. It’s a lot of work to customize each one, but it’s worth it.

Watch out for These "Characters" in Your Writing

As you revise your work, BOLO (Be on the Lookout) for these “characters” that can slow your plot down or drag your story into the mundane.

The Sports Commentator - Look for places in your story where you do a lot of play-by-play action either in narrative or in dialogue. These are spot where you tell something and then something else, and then something else happened and then something else happened. Show the reader the action. Don’t be a commentator. There are other ways that you can move your story forward.

The Weather Person - It’s nice to know what is going on around your characters, but don’t interrupt the story to interject several paragraphs about the weather. Figure out ways to sprinkle it in without derailing the action.

The Collector - Look for sections in your writing where you do data dumps. You do not need to tell your reader everything at one time. These are usually long paragraphs with way too much information. Figure out ways to break it up and disperse it throughout the story. It’s too much for your reader, and it bogs down your pace.

Sgt. Friday - Look for spots where you list “Just the facts, ma’am” like Sgt. Friday in Dragnet. These are sentences where you describe everything about a character in one paragraph. It probably is important information to share, but not all at one time. Make sure you spread it out, so it doesn’t read like the facts on a police report. (In case you haven’t seen Dragnet: Almanac: Dragnet - YouTube.)

The Historian - Backstory is important to your work, especially if you write a series, but you don’t need to stop the action for a history lesson. Figure out ways to sprinkle in the information, one or two sentences at a time.

The SCUBA Diver - Details and descriptions are important as you introduce characters and new situations, but be careful not to dive too deep. You can sidetrack your readers easily when paragraphs get bogged down in the minutia.

Many times, I don’t notice these creeping in until I start revisions. My critique group and beta readers are really good a pointing out these problem areas. Your writing will be stronger if you can avoid these pesky characters.

Happy writing!

What to do When You're Not Motivated to Write

Every writer hits a block from time to time, but the pandemic and all its struggles have taken a toll on everyone. I attended a writers’ event this week, and over 75% of the people there said that they haven’t felt or been motivated to write recently. It is a struggle. Be gentle with yourself. Write when you can.

I decided early on in the pandemic that I was going to use my normal commute time to and from work for writing time. It provided some bit of normalcy for me, and I have a daily time that I work on writing and revisions.

Here are some ideas. I hope they help you.

• Schedule some writing time daily or weekly. Know that that is your task for that amount of time.

• Find your writer friends (e.g. critique group, writing buddy, writers’ group). The support and encouragement is invaluable.

• Many writing groups are hosting “write-ins” or “check-ins” where you talk about your goals and work on your writing. Some groups do this on a virtual call and others with social media posts. It’s a daily check-in on your progress. It helps to have encouragement and to know that you’re not alone.

• Set a writing goal with a deadline. Nothing makes me move faster than a pending deadline.

• Work on other writerly tasks. Update your website or social media pages. Update your biography.

• Find a writing friend and check in on each other weekly. I have two critique partners, and we do this almost weekly as we provide new pages or edits to our chapters.

• If you don’t feel like writing, try doing some research or outlining for a future project.

• Exercise or at least move around. Do something you enjoy (e.g. walks, dancing, yoga, hula hoop). Take care of yourself.

• Check in on a friend. Reach out to to someone and see how they’re doing.

• Find ways to volunteer. If you can’t do it in-person, a lot of groups are looking for people to help with at-home projects.

I hope you and your family are safe and well. We will get through this together. And when we’re able to gather again, we are going to have the most stupendous celebrations and book events. Take care of yourself. And Happy Holidays!

What I Learned from Art Taylor and Tara Laskowski about Building Suspense

I love the programming that the Sisters in Crime chapters do. I learn so much from the guest speakers. Recently, Art Taylor and Tara Laskowski did a presentation on building suspense in your writing for the Sisters in Crime - Central Virginia chapter. Here’s what I learned.

• Write what you love to read.

• Use what you read as models for your writing.

• Your openings need to catch the reader’s attention and keep it.

• There is a difference between action and suspense. Use shorter sentences for dialogue, action, and suspense.

• Start your story quickly and show the conflict immediately.

• Pacing is key for dramatic tension. When and where do you put in the plot twists? You don’t want to bore your reader, and you don’t want to spoil the twist.

• You want your reader to have a level of uncertainness or uneasiness.

• Increase the dramatic tension to make an ordinary situation menacing.

• Slow down the story or the passage of time to turn down the velocity. Long sentences slow the pace.

• Slowing down the pacing makes it unbearable for the reader. Make them want to find out what happens next.

• Three ways to end a chapter are cliff hanger, a question, or a reflection.

• Reflection at the end of a chapter is often more powerful than a cliff hanger.

• Vary your chapter endings. They all shouldn’t be the same technique.

• You always want the reader to turn the page.

What Have You Done for Your Writing Life Lately?

Professionals in all kinds of fields need to do continuing education or training for their certifications and careers. Writers need to keep up with new trends and old standards in the writing, publication, and marketing worlds as well.

This is a lot easier in the pandemic world since many workshops and conferences have gone virtual. I have been able to attend writing conferences, training, workshops, and other meetings that I wouldn’t normally be able to do if I had to travel. And I’ve learned a lot this year.

Writing organizations offer many free or low cost courses. Many of these are recorded, so you can watch them on your own schedule and not have to participate in the live event.

Many tools like Google Analytics, Canva, Bookbrush, etc. have great training videos for their products. And if the vendor doesn’t, more than likely you can find some folks who have posted how-tos on YouTube.

You need to make sure that you’re growing and learning. You need to add new tools to your toolbox and improve your craft, but don’t overdo it and let it cut into your writing time. Early in my writing life, I bought every book on writing that I could find. Then I realized I was reading more about writing that I was actually writing. I kept two of the best books, and the rest went to the friends of the library sale for someone else to use.

Life-long learning is important. The publication world and social media seem to change on a daily basis. Make sure that you do something for yourself.

How Much Editing Does Your Work Get?

Editing and revising are my least favorite part of the writing process, but I would argue that they are probably the most important. This is the part where your work is refined, polished, and made the best it can be. You usually only have one chance when querying an agent or an editor, and your work needs to be its best. I have a writer friend in another genre who always says he doesn’t have the time or money to invest in editing. Without revisions, you’re not submitting a quality product. You can also find critique groups, critique partners, or beta readers who can help you get your WIP (Work in Progress) in shape.

After I have done two or three or ten rounds of self-revisions, I submit it to my critique group. We meet monthly and read 50 pages of everyone’s WIP. It helps to get different perspectives and reactions to your stories. It is also a mystery critique group, so all the members are familiar with the conventions of the genre and subgenres.

Then when after all those revisions, I send the manuscript to a small group of trusted beta readers who are also mystery writers. We read each other’s manuscripts.

For manuscripts that I plan to query, I usually hire a professional editor for revisions and proofreading.

After I make all these changes, then the novel is ready for my agent and publisher for final reads and edits. That’s usually three or more rounds of edits/revisions.

Writers need a thick skin. Edits and revisions often feel like criticism when really they shouldn’t be. We do a lot of things well, and our editors help us produce the best possible product for our readers. The ultimate goal is to sell books.

The first time I submitted my beautiful manuscript to the critique group was eye-opening for me. After the feedback, I wanted to throw it in a drawer and abandon all hope. I learned to wait a few days after the meeting before I made edits. That gave me a bit of time to review the constructive criticism and not react emotionally. Most is extremely helpful. Many times things that I thought were perfectly clear in my mind we not necessarily clear to the early readers.

As a writer you need to hone your craft, and that comes with practice and feedback. It’s important that you build your trusted network of early readers, critiquers, and editors. I learn as much from the discussions of the others’ work as I do from the discussion of my pages.

Sisters in Crime, James River Writers, and other writing groups often has critique groups, workshops, and opportunities for authors to help other authors. Check out the online and local groups in your area.

New Vocabulary For The New Normal

The new normal brings with it a whole host of challenges and new ways of doing things. It also brings its own vocabulary. I received a notice from the AP Style Book a week ago about its new standards for Covid-related words. Here are some interesting words and phrases for your lexicon.

Blursday - This was my favorite. Covid Brain makes it hard for me to remember what day it is sometimes.

Corona Babies or Coronials - Children conceived during the lockdown.

Coronacation - It’s a staycation during the quarantine.

Corona Cuts - Cutting one’s own hair during the pandemic. Don’t cut your bangs!

Covid-10 or Covid-15 - A reference to weight gain during the quarantine.

Covid Brain - That fuzzy-headedness you get because of all the change, gloom, and anxiety.

Covid Idiots - You can figure it out. Maskhole is often a synonym.

Doomscrolling/Doomsurfing - This is when you scroll through your social media feeds looking for news of the next crisis.

Extreme Teleworking - When there’s no split between home and work life. It feels like it’s all day, every day.

Fashion Mullet- When you professionally dress for a video conference from the waist up and wear shorts or pj bottoms with your flip flops. (All business on the top; party on the bottom.)

Flatten the Curve - The work done to stave off the virus and reduce the number of infections.

Hamsteren - Hoarding (stuffing one’s cheeks like a hamster).

Magpie - Like hamsteren, it’s storing supplies for the lockdown.

Maskne - The facial breakouts caused by wearing masks for long periods of time.

Quaranteam - These are the small group of folks in your bubble who you have contact with regularly.

Quaranteens - Teenagers during the pandemic.

Quarantini - Any cocktail you mix at home.

Virtual Happy Hour - Video meet up with friends for drinks or to socialize.

WFH - Work From Home

Zoombombing/Zoomraiding - When others, with bad intentions, crash and take control of video conferences.

Zoom Fatigue - That feeling that comes from way too many video conference calls.

Zumping - Breaking off a relationship via Zoom.