It's Time for Some Email Spring Cleaning

Email has been around since 1965, and the clutter and buildup seem to get worse every day. The volume seems to have snowballed. Here are some tips that help me contain the chaos.

• I’ve linked my email account to my phone. If I delete it on my mobile device, it deletes it, and I don’t have to look at it again on my PC. Just be careful not to delete something important.

• I leave anything that I need to remember or address in my inbox until I take care of it.

• Add new contacts to your list when you read the email. This helps from losing them when you delete the corresponding email.

• I create a series of folders in Outlook. Make sure not create them as subfolders under the Inbox file. I move anything that I want to keep here. This gets emails out of my Inbox. File sizes build up quickly with attachments, and this keeps my inbox size from maxing out.

• Remember to empty your “junk,” sent, and trash email folders regularly.

• Delete spam or scam emails that happen to slip by your filters. Don’t unsubscribe, reply, or click on any links. A click can often trigger the download of viruses or worms to infect your system.

• I have multiple email accounts. Some I use to subscribe to things I might be interested in. This reduces the number of ads, newsletters, and alerts in my primary email box.

Details Do Matter - Tips for Authors

Many times, you only get one shot at querying an agent or a publisher. Make sure you have done everything you possibly can to make your submission and correspondence as polished as they can be. Formatting problems make your work look unprofessional.

Emails/Query Forms

• Make sure all names and titles are spelled correctly.

• Verify that the email address is correct.

• Verify that the name on the query matches the person you’re sending it to.

• Keep a list of the agents/agencies you query, the date sent, and any response.

• Follow all submission requirements.

Manuscript

• Follow standard formatting rules.

• If not specified, use Times New Roman 12 point (black). Don’t use multiple fonts or fancy types or colors.

• Make sure you have a cover page.

• Margins need to be one inch on all sides.

• Put the page number and the author’s last name in the footer.

• You need a cover page with your title, word count, and contact information. The page numbering should start on the first page of your manuscript (not the cover page).

• Most agents/publishers want manuscripts that are formatted for an automatic tab indent for each new paragraph (instead of using the tab key each time or the space bar).

• Don’t use the return/enter key to move to the next page. Add a hard return (Usually Control + Enter).

• Use only one space after all punctuation.

• For American writers, end punction (commas and periods) go inside the quotation marks.

• Make sure your work has been edited and proofed before you submit it. Print it out and do one last check before you send it.

The little things do matter and show that you’ve invested the time to make your work the best it can be. If you have formatting issues with your word processor, there are lots of good how-to videos on YouTube or the Microsoft Help site for Word.

Ideas for Tightening up Your Manuscript - Tips for Authors

Self-editing is probably my least favorite of all the writing tasks, but it, along with the other proofreading and revising steps, are the most important to your manuscript. Here are some ideas of ways to tighten your work and make it more polished before you send out queries. You often only get one shot with an agent or publisher, so your manuscript needs to be the best it possibly can.

• Read the dialogue out loud. If you don’t want to be the reader, use the “Read Aloud” function on Microsoft Word’s Review tab. You will often hear things that need to be adjusted.

• Look at your dialog. Make sure it moves your story forward. Remove the chitchat if it doesn’t add to the story. Fluffy filler needs to go.

• Review your dialog tags (he said/she said). Use the Goldilocks method. You need what’s just right (not too many and not too few). The reader needs to know who the speaker is, but every line doesn’t need a tag.

• Look for places where the action is mundane. If you are bored, your readers will be too.

• Print out a copy of your manuscript and read it chapter by chapter. You will see more mistakes on paper than you will on the screen.

• Use your spell checker to catch extra spaces and typos.

• Search for “be” verbs (is/was/were…). Try to substitute a stronger verb. These are usually parts where you’re doing a lot of telling and not showing.

• Look for examples of passive voice and make those sentences active.

• Review long paragraphs and make sure all the detail adds to your story. Backstory (your character’s history) is important, but it needs to be sprinkled in. Long chucks of history read like a police report or a data dump. They take the reader out of the story’s action.

• Look at the action in your story. You do not need to describe every single step and thing that your characters encounter. If your story is about your character flying to Europe, you really don’t need to tell us about all the things she does to get to the airport unless it is key to the work.

• Make a list of your overused words We all have our favorites. Mine are “just” and “that.” During my editing, I search for these and replace or delete as many as I can.

• Pay attention to the details. If you rename or change something, make sure you’ve removed or updated all references. I beta-read a few chapters for someone the other day, and this person had two different names for the main character and two different spellings of one of the names.

To me, editing is harder than writing, but it is so important to the overall project. What else would you add to my list?

Here's Looking at You - Invest in a Professional Headshot

You are your brand, and of all the things you can spend money on for your writing journey, I would suggest that professional photos are well worth the investment. You also want to make sure that your photo looks like you. If you’ve lost weight or changed your hair color, it’s time to update your photo. Here are a few things I’ve learned over the years.

• Selfies and cell phone candids often don’t have the resolution that you want. It needs to be high enough to be reproduced in digital and in print formats.

• Make sure that the photographer you use does digital touchups to ensure that your photo is topnotch.

• Be careful with the touchups. Slight adjustments are good for a quality photo. You just don’t want someone who is heavy handed with the airbrush tool. I’ve seen some that no longer look like a photograph or the person.

• When you’re reviewing the proofs, make sure the background isn’t busy or distracting. Look at what’s behind you. You don’t want something in the background that looks like it’s going through your head or attacking you.

• Make sure that you’re the only one in the photo. You don’t want parts of arms or legs where someone has cropped out the person next to you.

• Outside shots are great for natural lighting. Just be aware that bugs, nature, and the wind sometimes don’t cooperate.

• Wear solid colors that highlight your skin tone and hair color. Busy prints often don’t translate well in digital formats.

• Make sure any jewelry or hair accessories are complementary.

• Look at your nails. Photographers often include hands in the shot.

• Get recommendations from other authors on photographers and services.

• Make sure you know what’s included and what you’re getting for your money. Some photographers charge for multiple outfits.

• Also make sure that you have the rights to use the photos as you see fit. Some photographers require copyright information for use.

Professional photos are an investment. They’re worth the time and cost to help give you a consistent look on all your marketing efforts.

Research Your Genre - Tips for Authors

It’s often hard when writers plan out a new WIP (Work in Progress), especially if they want it to be a series. You need to know what will be selling in the next two to three years, and I don’t know about you, but my crystal ball is broken. Here are some ideas that can help as you plan your next project.

• Read everything you can get your hands on in your genre. It helps you to see what is popular now and the trends.

• Read all of the acknowledgment pages. See who the agents, publicists, and editors are. This will help you later when you query.

• Peruse online book retailers and visit bookstores to see what is on their shelves. You’ll need a list of comps (comparables) when you start your querying process.

• Many times, books are rejected because the publisher already has one that is similar.

• If you believe in your story, you need to come up with ways to show that it is different from everything else that is out there. What makes it unique?

• Look at agents’ websites and their wish lists. This shows you what they represent and is often a good indicator of what they think they can sell in the next few years.

• When you’re plotting your story, look for hooks that will appeal to your type of reader. Set it in a unique place. Give your character an interesting job that readers want to know more about.

• Write the best book you can. Make sure that it is professionally edited before you begin the query process.

The publishing business is a tough business. Agents and editors represent stories they think will sell, so it’s a good idea to spend some time researching your genre.

What Do You Have to Have to Write?

Writers have their own routines and habits. Here are some things I have to have when I’m researching and writing a mystery.

Music - I usually listen to faster music when I’m writing. I like a lot of genres, but if I’m trying to concentrate, I listen to jazz or classical. Those are my choices for editing, too.

Caffeine - I must be caffeinated for my writing sessions. I’m not much of a hot drink drinker, so I drink soft drinks, iced tea, and iced coffee all year. My day starts at 5:00 AM, and caffeine is always part of the morning ritual.

Snacks - I don’t do a lot of snacking, but when I’m in writer mode, chocolate is a must-have. Dark chocolate is my favorite (no nuts or coconut).

Exercise - I tend to sit still too long. My fitness band is good about buzzing when I’ve been in my seat too long. I also have two crazy Jack Russell Terriers for officemates, and they let me know when it’s time for a break.

A Plan - I’m more of a plotter (even though I do go off script) than a pantser when I write. I like to have an outline of each chapter. That helps me when I start and stop. It also helps when I go to write the dreaded synopsis.

No Distractions - When I am in full writing or revising mode, I need to keep the distractions to a minimum. No TV, internet, or phones. It is too easy to just stop to research something and end up watching funny cat or dog videos for an hour.

What works for you? What would you add to my list?

What is Your Writing Kryptonite?

What keeps you from your writing? What is your biggest distraction?

Mine is probably the internet. I tell myself that I’m only going to look up one thing, and then the next thing I know, I’m looking at dog videos, cute alpaca memes, and recipes that I’ll never make. It is often easy to get distracted from your writing or revising tasks. Here are some things that help me stay focused.

• When I feel tired or restless, I get up and walk around for 5-10 minutes. There are lots of desk exercises that you can do to get the blood flowing back to your brain. During the plague, I bought a desk bike to pedal while I’m sitting. It helps to get the endorphins going again.

• Resist the urge to research everything while you are writing. Mark it and come back to it later, so you don’t break your momentum. The great Brad Parks calls this “killing his X’s.” When he gets to a spot that needs some research, he types, “XXX” and moves on. When he’s in editing mode, he goes through his document, searches for the “X’s,” and fills in the missing information.

• Try to keep to a writing schedule. Routines help you be consistent. Even if it’s only 30 minutes a day, you know that that is your writing time.

• Treat your writing like a business. There are things that you have to do to keep your business thriving. If it is always the last thing on your list, it will never get done.

• Schedule your writing time. You schedule other important events. Make sure you book time to create.

• When you are in writing mode, don’t edit. Just keep writing. You can revise the whole thing when you have a draft.

• I do an outline for each novel (that I use for the synopsis later). This helps me from getting bogged down or off track in the middle of the book.

• Figure out what daily word count works for you. If I finish early, then I go do something fun. You will see progress quickly with daily goals.

• Reward yourself for victories, even little ones.

What helps you stay focused? Happy writing, y’all!

Find the Writing Routine That Works for You

It’s NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), the time when authors commit to writing each day with the goal of completing a good chunk of their novel by the end of the month. Anyone participating this year?

I think daily writing goals are good. For a long time, I resisted. There was too much going on in my life to commit to being able to write every day. (And it took almost five years to finish my first novel.) I have picked up speed over the years, and that includes daily writing.

You need to find the routine that works for you and your schedule. This one is mine. I still have a day gig that starts at 7:30 AM, so I get up and write at 5:00 AM. I have always been a morning person, and I usually stick to my routine on weekends. I write during my lunch, and if I didn’t hit my word count for the day, then I come back after dinner to finish. On days that I work, my goal is 1,000 words. On weekends and days off, my goal is 3,000 words. I can usually finish a cozy mystery draft in about two to two and a half months. I have my major research completed and a pretty good outline of the mystery before I start. When I’m not writing a book, I use the time to network, market my current books, and update my social media platforms.

Here’s what I learned about having a routine:

• Do your best to keep to your schedule. Figure out how much time you have and be realistic about your plans.

• If you miss a day or so, don’t beat yourself up. Life happens. Try to get back on track. The longer you are away from your WIP (work in progress), the harder it is to find where you left off.

• Just write when you are in first draft mode. Make notes of things you need to research later. Don’t go back and edit or revise. Just write.

• If you’re finding it hard to carve out time, look at your daily schedule. Where can you find 30-60 minutes each day? What can you exchange for some writing time?

• When we worked from home during the pandemic and lockdown, I committed my commuting time to writing. I was way more prolific than I’ve ever been. To me, it proved that daily writing time works.

• Celebrate your victories. I keep a little sheet of paper with my daily word totals. You’ll be surprised how quickly it adds up.

Let me know what works for you. Happy Writing!