Writing 101: Reaching for Words?

If you've ever told anybody, at any point in your life, that you want to be a writer then you've probably heard one very shopworn piece of advice: write what you know. I've decided that they might not be talking about plot points and subject matter, however. I'm pretty sure they're talking about the words.

Reaching and Overreaching

Everybody has used a word the wrong way. But when you're an author, you're not really supposed to use them incorrectly. Do it in a book, and some savvy reader is definitely going to catch on. 

Don't use words you don't really know when you're writing. If you're reaching for words, you're just taking yourself out of the flow of writing the story. Use the words that come naturally when you're writing, and your writing will come to you a lot easier. 

If you find that you're using too many of the same words over and over, you need to learn new words. Expand your vocabulary by reading more books. Look for books in your genre and books outside of it, because it never hurts to broaden your horizons. You'll pick up more words naturally, and that will improve your writing. 

You don't need a whole lot of words to express a great story. Being overly descriptive will not serve your plot well, and it will only wear out your readers. Don't worry about using a lot of fancy words. Just use the ones that express exactly what you want to write.

Writing 101: Audio Books

If you've self-published, then you're already learning how to master the art of turning a manuscript into an ebook. Now, you've got to turn that ebook into an audio book.

Listening to Books

There's nothing new about listening to books. Lots of people have memories of family road trips with a book on tape or book on CD droning in the background. But now that so many people have a smartphone or electronic device of some sort, audio books are back...and they're digital.

Once you turn your book into an ebook, the next logical step is to have it read aloud to you so you don't even have to go through the hassle of looking at the screen. Converting to audio books is fairly simple, so don't miss out on this market.

With text-to-speech technology, convert any ebook into an audio book. Your software may already have text-to-speech technology. You can always open up your book and use the text-to-speech function to have it read aloud. Record this audio into an MP3 file that can be played on a smartphone or similar device.

It's much easier to use software, of course. Text2Go is a fairly user-friendly program for Windows users. It will open your ebook and convert it without lots of time and trouble. You will need your ebook in ePub, html or plain text format, so make sure it's properly converted first.

People can listen to an audio book while working out, cleaning house, driving in the car or doing any other activity that might make it inconvenient to look at a screen. Convert your books, and start selling them in a new market.

Writing 101: The Commitments You Make

The commitments you make as an indie author matter. They matter so much, I could leave this blog post at that sentence alone -- there's really nothing more to be said. You can't blow them off, you can't pass them off, you can't change your mind. I don't even have to tell you a bunch of reasons why your commitments matter...there's just one that trumps them all.

Ready for Commitment

I got an email recently, and it got me to thinking about the commitments we all make as indie authors. 

Commitments you've got to follow through on, when you make them. It doesn't matter if you're busy, or if you're tired, or if you're hungry and cold and you haven't had any free time in weeks. Because as an indie author, all you really have is your name. Why associate it with someone who disappoints, and back peddles, and fails to follow through? 

If you agree to review it, review it. If you agree to be there, be there. If you say you're going to write it, then that's what you do. I've been reading through my TBR list very slowly, but I'm working on it. I'm not going to write to those authors and say sorry, I've got too much work and I can't even write my own books right now. And no one is forcing me to continue blogging Writing 101 tips, but I committed myself to a certain (insane) posting schedule. 

The commitments you make, and break, could break your reputation. Any little thing can actually affect readers, and as an indie you can't afford to alienate even one. I got an email from another author asking me to review a book they agreed to review. I saw that same author asking for help at large on a popular authors' forum (clearly, this author doesn't read the blog or they would know all about me and the author forums). And it looks pretty bad, I think. No excuse can be good enough for failing to meet the commitments you make.

Because as an indie, your name is what you have.

Writing 101: Are Children's Books Easy?

It's easy to get a little snobby when you're an author, and that also goes for me. The writer who does years of research for that in-depth biography might smile condescendingly at the author who writes lightweight fantasy fiction. I, too, am guilty of author prejudice. I learned it in the worst possible way: I caught myself turning up my nose at another author recently...a children's book writer. So now I have to ask: are children's books easier to write?

A Day in the Life

For the record, I don't have kids. I'm not good with kids, and I haven't really spent any time around them. I also don't write children's books. YA books are as close as I get. I remember being a teenager. I don't really remember being a kid. 

So when it comes to writing children's books, I don't really have the experience to know what it's all about. I went on a journey to learn more.

I began with Carrie A. Pearson, a children's book author. One look at her "about" page humbled me right away. Pearson has a ton of education and experience when it comes to kids, and she's a mother. I have also learned, in reading her blog, that she makes frequent trips to schools and other places where children convene. I hate nightmares in which I participate in the same behavior. But instead of being fidgety and frightened around the kids, as I would be, Carrie is engaging and informative with them. She holds their attention and keeps them from full-scale rioting, which makes her a truly brilliant woman. She does a lot of promotion and she puts herself in a lot of situations to do it. Her blog is also packed with fun stuff that makes me feel like a hack. 

Clearly her life and her career isn't easy. She described one event involving children that would have left me in hysterics. So I moved on. I went to a trade blog instead, one specifically about children's book writing and publishing, a collaborative affair. I ran straight into a post about all the things you can't write in children's books. Did you know you have to be mindful of slang? Even metaphors, the author's favorite tool, are a no-no. When writing for children, you must be forthright and direct. Apparently, children's books are highly story-driven. That means I can't bring all my best puns to the writing table. 

Now thoroughly embarrassed by my own snobbery, I continued. I found a post written by an author named Ree, aka the Pioneer Woman, and became increasingly more flabbergasted as I read about all the work she put into her illustrated children's book. I was sweating bullets by the time I got to step 4. The post was a big eye-opener for me; I never considered just how much plotting goes into creating illustrations based on something in an author's mind. I'm not sure I could ever work so closely with an illustrator without just losing it altogether. 

I continued on to a blog written by an author named Tara, who writes children's books and raises children so all I can say is yowzah. Her blog is so good, I almost didn't get back to writing this post. She puts a ton of thought and care into her craft, focusing on subtle messages and giving kids fun, what kids do and do not like, and writing very helpful blog posts. She's a true specialist, and that takes a lot of hard work. 

Granted, looking at a few blogs doesn't make me an expert on writing children's books. But I think I learned a lot, and I also think I've got an answer to my question. Children's books are not easier to write. In fact, in some ways it might be harder to write a children's book than one intended for adults. For me personally, I'm sure it would be. So today I celebrate you, children's books authors. You've got a hard job to do.

Writing 101: Why You Need a Title Page

Ever literally read a book cover to cover? If you have, and maybe even if you haven't, you've found that there are extra pages at the start of any book. You flip through them to get to the good parts, barely giving them a glance. But if you think you can skip that extra stuff now that you're self-publishing, you're wrong. You need a title page...period.

In the Beginning, There Was Junk

Honestly, the title page is a rather worthless waste of ink in books -- or so I've always thought. It usually consists of just a few elements, some of which are really redundant.

• The title: Obviously. The title page is used to repeat the title again. That's in case you missed it on the cover while you were buying the book, transporting the book or selecting the book to read. The author's name is usually placed here as well, because it's very likely you did miss that.
• The publisher: Often, the title page will contain some information about the publisher -- the name, the address, and so forth. When you're the publisher, you don't have to do any of this but you can if you like. Some self-published authors create their own publishing labels to give themselves more of that professional sheen.
• The copyright: Legally, you've got to add a copyright to your book. You also have to legally obtain one. Don't self-publish without doing so. Find appropriate copyright wording online so you may include it on your title page. Add this! You want the disclaimer there, just in case.
• ISBN: If you've got an ISBN, this is where it goes.

Much of it is unnecessary, and you could just as easily put the copyright at the end of the book if you wanted to. But I maintain that you've got to have a title page for one simple reason: all the "real" books have them. If you want to make your book look polished and professional, you must add a title page. It's easy to do, and it will make your book look very well put together...so do it!

Wondering About Justice

 "I enjoyed reading this book."

"Well written and will leave you wondering just what will happen next."

Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) has been reviewed at Hope, Love and Happy Endings. Read the whole review to find out why the book got four ducks! 

Writing 101: The F-Bomb

The F word is considered, in American society, to be the worst of the worst of words. It's so salty, movies and TV shows that contain it come with special warnings. Books don't come with warnings...so when is it okay to drop the f-bomb on the page?

For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

The letters FUCK were once scrawled on prison cells of those who were incarcerated for sexual misconduct. Adulterers, fornicators, anyone who maybe showed too much ankle -- don't laugh, it used to be a serious crime.

And so, the F bomb was born. For centuries, it would continue to be associated with sex and with the unspeakable. It continues to be provocative, so much so that saying it just twice in any movie will guarantee an R rating.

Authors might use it way more than that on just one page of a book. And some readers are always going to hate it. So when is it okay to use? And beyond that, when should you be using it?

At the top of the post, I specifically referenced American culture. This is because the F bomb isn't much of a bomb in other cultures. Irish authors are known for it. The saltiest, swearingest author I ever read is an Irish Catholic priest -- no shit. F bombs everywhere. His books are largely about love, and sometimes spirituality. Actual angels may appear as characters. And he swears constantly.

His books are not considered to be offensive, and he's won awards. It's because hes smart about it. When you want ti use the F bomb, use your head first.

• Non-adult genres: Clearly this is not a word to be used in children's books. It may appear in YA books, and quite often does, but it's dicey. If you sprinkle it in here and there for realism's sake, that's one thing. If it's appearing in every single paragraph, parents are going to get riled up about it.
• Adult genres: Even when you're writing books for adults, you can't get too liberal with your F-bombs. Mystery books and romances rarely contain the word, for example. Mysteries are provocative when it comes to crimes and crime scenes, but usually you won't find a lot of sexual activity or swearing in them. Romances are supposed to be about love, and a whole lot of F-bombs is just going to distract from the story.
• Setting: No matter what genre you're writing, in there are times when the F-bomb is simply appropriate to a certain setting or character. Certain characters are often given salty language to display some aspect of their personality -- a tendency toward aggressiveness, for example. It may also appear because of a certain setting. An attractive female lawyer walking down a cell block is highly likely to hear a few F-bombs during the course of the journey. Sometimes, F-bombs are expected and the scene may even demand it. 
• Make a point: And like all words, the F-bomb serves an important purpose. It's a storytelling device, just like any other word. When used correctly, it can make a very strong point or bring a certain flavor to a scene. Remember how it all plays out in the movie A Christmas Story? When you use the F-bomb extremely sparingly, it stands out and it makes a strong point. Use it well, and readers will see the necessity and importance in the word.

The F-bomb is provocative, and it's been used as a provocative word for centuries because it does work. Be smart when you drop it into your books. Make sure every F-bomb has a purpose, illustrates a point and paints the scene. Otherwise, it's gratuitous...and readers do not like gratuitous swearing. Choose all of your words with care, especially this one.

Writing 101: Chapter Length

How long should chapters be? It's a question that indie authors ask over and over, and one I've asked myself many times. So what's the answer?

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Letters

It would be nice if there were certain rules about chapters. For YA, write chapters that are 2,000 words long. Adult romance? Try 5,000. Historical epic? You're going to be skirting 10,000.

I'm just making those numbers up out of thin air, of course. There is no standard when it comes to chapter length...maybe that's why authors are asking about it all the time. Every writer does it differently, and maybe that's another reason it's so confusing. But when it comes to chapters, there's really just one answer: there are no rules.

I mean it -- none. Lewis Carroll wrote chapters that were one word in length, or a handful of words. He ended chapters in the middle of sentences, nevermind in the middle of scenes. If he can get away with that, you can get away with anything you want, too. 

So, forget about length. Next? Uniformity. Some authors like to have fairly precise chapters. I used to read an author who wrote chapters that were so perfectly organized, I could finish each one in exactly 30 minutes. Seriously, I could practically time a watch by it. Weird stuff. But this is just a matter of personal preferences (or maybe with some authors, a weird compulsion). If you want uniform chapters, write them. If you want to be as unbalanced and random as Lewis Carroll, do it. You're writing your book, so go crazy if you like.

What I'm saying is this: disregard chapter length. If you're writing in an organized fashion, you've got an outline to follow so you have a rough idea of what should happen in each chapter. Write out your scenes until the chapter feels complete and all important plot points are covered. When it's done, you'll know. Forget about how long it is, and write the next chapter. 

Instead of worrying about how many words or pages your chapters are, worry about how long it takes you to write them.That's something worth thinking about.