Writing 101: How Do You Know You've 'Made It'?

Success is not an easy thing to define or measure. So how can you tell when you've "made it" as an author? 

Being Successful

By conventional standards, success equals money. People who are known for wealth are considered to be very successful, even elite, and they're admired and envied for all that spare cash. Television shows like Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and (much newer) Cribs prove that people are fascinated by wealth. 

But the truth is, the majority of authors don't make a lot of money. Being an author is often equated with being an artist, and that profession is synonymous with starving. So all the beach houses and big mansions and Bentleys are, sadly, probably well out of your reach. 

However, you can make some money with writing. And if you write a lot for lots of different companies, it's even possible to make a living as a writer. If you're living the dream of writing full-time, maybe that means you've made it...even if it feels like you can't always make ends meet financially.

If you have time to write and you're writing something that someone is reading or that someone is paying for and you like what you've written, then you've "made it." Don't measure your success in dollars and cents, because it won't ever add up no matter how much you make. Don't measure your success against someone else, or what anyone in your family says, or even by the statistics you find on blogs like mine. Measure your success by your own standards and ideals. When you dreamed of being an author, you probably weren't dreaming of being awash in riches. You were probably dreaming of being read. Achieve that, and you've achieved great success.

Writing 101: Don't Get Lost in the Writing

Punctuation. Grammar. Sentence structure. Prepositions. Proper spellings. It's overwhelming to write a book, and frankly that's far too mild a word. But don't get lost in the writing while you're writing...because you may forget about the storytelling.

Technical Difficulties

I'm the first person to point to a misplaced comma or improperly capitalized word when it comes to published books. In fact, I've been known to go on full-scale rants when it comes to the mechanics of writing. I'm very interested in putting articles in the right place and avoiding the abuse of adverbs. I've gone 20 rounds with my very own employers about the existence of the word "alot" and I'll fixate on even the smallest mistakes when I find them. But I don't allow myself to get too bogged down in all that when I'm actually writing my own books. If I did, I wouldn't ever get past the first page.

The mechanics of writing are very important...but I've seen firsthand that it's not at all the most important thing about a book. I've read a half-dozen authors -- and I'm talking about well-known folks, here -- who in my opinion really can't write. Their structure is all off, their disregard for full sentences frightening and their propensity to avoid dialogue tags is way beyond unsettling. There are a lot of famous authors who don't pay a lot of attention to the mechanics of writing...but they're amazing storytellers, so I'm just about the only person who even cares. 

When it come to storytelling vs. mechanics, it's always storytelling that wins out. So yes, edit your books. Try to use good grammar, and attempt to grasp the basics of punctuation. But don't get so bogged down in the details of the writing that the writing is all you think about. You need to keep your mind free to tell the story. In other words, you need to loosen up. Tell the story. Then go back and edit, and fix all those weird mistakes you made.

Writing 101: Creating a Likeable Character

One of the best ways to create a book that readers will like is to start with a character that readers will like. So now you've got to know how to create a likeable character. It's really not as easy as it seems. 

Manufacturing Like

What I've just asked you to do is actually insane. You're supposed to invent an entire person, out of nothing but your own imagination mind you, and now you have to figure out how to make me like that person. Only you and I have never met, and you don't really know that much about me. Oh, and it will help if I believe that your character is a real person...not just a character on a page. 

This is why so many authors turn to drink to calm their nerves. Creating a likeable character is actually a really hard thing to do, and lots of writers just can't figure out the secret formula. But never fear, because I know it. 

Lots of authors who offer tips will tell you lots of different things about character creation. But when it comes right down to it, there's just one way to create a likeable character: make them real. If I feel anything about this character, you've just created a great one. But there are some tricks you can use to bring out that emotion, and render your character likeable.

• The obstacle: Give your character some sort of frightening obstacle to overcome. Give them an antagonist, perhaps, or some problem (such as being dirt poor) that makes it easier to root for them. Like often begins with fandom. 
• The redeeming quality: Of course, it helps if your character has some trait that makes them admirable. A talent, a charitable heart, great courage in the face of opposition -- give them something that will make others respect them. From respect and admiration, like is easily born.
• The awareness: Want to be tricky and create a multi-faceted character who is both good and bad? If your character does bad things or contains flaws, give them some self-awareness. If they know they are doing bad and they feel remorse, it's much easier to like this character. After all, everyone has done something bad.
• The look: It's much easier to like a character who looks like a person. I always caution authors against creating characters who are too physically perfect. No one considers themselves to be physically perfect, so an extraordinarily beautiful character can be very off-putting.

The truth is, there's no real formula to creating a likeable character. Give them traits and thoughts and feelings that make them seem like a real person, and there will be readers who like that character. But make your character too perfect or powerful or divine, or too evil and unaffected, and it's going to be hard to summon up any affection.

Wednesday, Bloody Wednesday

The first Amazon review for my newest novel, Hope's Rebellion, unexpectedly appeared last night and I couldn't be more pleased...though some might think that reaction is strange. 

Not YA?

In a review that immediately calls the book violent, the reader said that the inclusion of "rapes, murders and beatings" make the novel seem a little less than YA. It's a fair criticism, and not unexpected (coming from someone who isn't familiar with my usual murder-soaked styled of writing), but happily he does laud the book as a "page-turner," and said he "raced through it in a couple of days." 

So apparently it's "unexpectedly bloody," but not unpalatable. In my eyes, it's totally a rave review (because the reviewer didn't say it was the worst book he's ever read). Get your own copy of the book to see if you agree with the assessment. And if you're not sure you want to buy it, get a free sample of the first three chapters -- just click my "free book stuff" link at the top.

Writing 101: You Should Be Writing Articles...for Free

As a self-published author, you're going to have to do all sorts of things to get readers to notice you. It's necessary to join Twitter, to participate in forums, to find potential fans and engage with them. Social media is great, but at the end of the day you want people to be interested in your writing. So give them stuff to be interested in. 

Free Articles

Okay, so the goal of publishing is to get your words read.  You're an artist, you have a voice and a viewpoint and something to share with the world. But you also live in the real world, and that costs money. So clearly, it's ideal to make money from your writing. Creating free articles seems to be at odds with this goal. 

But you're wrong for thinking that, and I'm about to tell you why: publicity is invaluable. Getting your name out there with a byline is so worthwhile, you should be paying the Internet for allowing you to do it. But you don't have to pay. In fact, there may be a way you can earn a little extra income from your "free" articles -- if you play your words right. 

• What to write

First, you've got to figure out what sort of articles you will write. It's not enough to just write about what interests you, and throw the content out here. Ideally, you've got to find a way to link it to your brand and your books. 

For example, I write YA novels. So maybe I'll write some free articles about back to school fashion, or prom looks, or how to balance schoolwork with athletics and social activities. This content is all geared toward teens, my audience, to get them interested in me as a writer. Once I draw them in, I hit them with information about my books. See how it works? 

• Where to write

You've got an idea of the type of content you will create. Now, you need somewhere to publish it. Luckily, the Internet is full of websites that want content -- particularly when it's free. 

1. Blog: Blogs are among the easiest websites to create for free, and there are all sorts of ways you can customize yours. Create a free blog and put new content on it as often as possible to establish a regular base of readers. A blog also gives you a platform to promote all your books and writing endeavors. 
2. Yahoo voices: Anyone can post content to Yahoo Voices anytime. Sign up for a free contributor account and start writing. You can even earn a little bit of revenue from articles you post here, so it's a great opportunity for self-promoting indies. 
3. Huffington Post: The Huffington Post is one of the most-visited sites on the Internet, and that's largely thanks to the bloggers. Visit the site to learn how to become one of them, but be warned: HuffPo doesn't pay bloggers anything. 
4. Go fish: Look for websites that fit your particular niche and expertise. Send them free articles in hopes that they'll get published, and don't forget to promote, promote, promote if you get published anywhere. 

Tying it all together

So you've found so me articles to write and some places to publish them. Now you've got to tie that content into your brand and your books. How? The About the Author box, of course. Craft a great bio that explains why you're an expert in this field, mention your books and don't forget to include the relevant links. 

Writing 101: The Book Marketing Budget

The copyright. The cover. The Facebook ads. The paid reviews. The trailer, the proof print copies. All those marketing materials. When you self-publish, expenses add up quickly. Have you got a marketing budget yet? 

Being Businesslike 

 

You're creative, and if you're like me then you're also shite with numbers. When you become an indie author, you're no longer just a writer. Now you're a promoter, and an accountant. Don't become your own worst enemy as well. Establish a book budget...before you start writing the book.

Writing 101: The Details That Matter

Some authors spend a ton of time describing the leaves of trees and the way the grass blows in the wind. That's all well and good, but don't ever forget to include the details that matter.

What?!

When I was a little girl, I found the plot of Star Wars to be incredibly confusing. This is because I thought they were saying that Luke's father had gone to the dark side of the forest. I was always like "well, maybe he got lost." It took me a long time to really understand the plot of those movies, and it's not even my fault. The storyteller should have made it more clear. 

It's your job to make sure no one is thinking that about your books. Sometimes when I'm writing, I get into a zone where the words are just pouring out. I don't even have to think about them, half the time. And I might slip into all sorts of slang and colloquialisms. Then I go back and read what I've written and I realize that I'm the only person who knows what the hell I'm talking about. So then I have to add the details that matter. 

Flowers in the Attic: Movie Review

Anyone who follows me on Twitter knows that last night marked the world premiere of Flowers in  the Attic on Lifetime. Fans have been waiting 30 years for a decent adaptation of  this powerful book. Is the wait over? 

Wilting 

FITA became a bestselling book in the 1980s, so naturally a movie adaptation followed. Despite a strong performance from Louise Fletcher, the film was disliked by critics, fans and  anyone else who read the book. It became infamous for being bad. 

Fans were thrilled when Lifetime announced their intentions to do their own adaptation, and I was chief among them. So how  does this new film stack up against the old one? More importantly, how does it compare to the book?

In the Attic

The movie began with the prologue from FITA, much to my delight. This introduction was changed a little. We found Cathy on film at age 12, not 7, and got thrown into the ill-fated birthday party pretty quickly. 

The grief scenes were shortened, though the key dialogue was left intact. Soon enough, we were arriving at Foxworth Hall. This scene was copied almost perfectly for the film, giving viewers an introduction to evil grandmother Olivia Foxworth.