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.

Writing 101: What's Steampunk?

Steampunk has gone from being sub-culture to being much  more mainstream, and it's inspired many authors to write lots more books. But before you rush to label your work, make sure you understand the genre. Make sure you can answer this question: what's steampunk? 

The Sum of Its Parts

To get technical about it, steampunk is a sub-genre of the larger science fiction genre (which isn't at all a bad place to be). All steampunk must have a single element in order to be steampunk: steam-powered engines. If you don't have this, you don't have steampunk. 

However, the umbrella could be much wider than you think. The genre does not limit you to the industrialized American or European culture of the 1800s. A steampunk story can be set anywhere in any time -- on a distant moon or in a distant future -- so long as it features the steam-powered machines that marked the early Industrial period.

Because the genre harkens back to the Victorian era, it often features the fashions, art and general styles of the day. Often, technology is enhanced to make the setting much more mechanized than what would be historically accurate. The ideas that marked the era and general inequality is often changed for the sake of steampunk stories, in which women often hold key roles.

H.G. Wells and Jules Verne could both be considered steampunk writers because they envisioned future worlds and grand steam machines. However, the term didn't actually exist until the 1980s (so they were really pioneers). More contemporary steampunk authors include Scott Westerfield and Cassandra Clare. 

To learn more about the steampunk genre, research the Victorian Era. It's rich in great ideas and some pretty amazing fashions.

Writing 101: Characer Development

The term character development can be a little confusing. It sounds like character invention; you're developing a character to fit into your story. But that's not what it means. And if a reviewer or agent is telling you that you lack it, you've got a problem. 

Every good story needs character development. How do you know you've got it in yours?

It's Alive

With any book, you want to create characters with whom the readers can relate. Without that, they won't connect with your book and they probably won't like it. So as a writer you spend a lot of time thinking about the main characters in your stories, who they are and what they look like and how they talk. 

Here's the trouble: your characters can't be the same at the end of the book as they were in the beginning. You've got to show character development. Without it, the audience isn't going to relate. 

Human beings (and I'm referring to the ones who live off the page) are never static. They are constantly taking in new information every single day, learning something new or honing their skills in a particular area of expertise. You can see the proof of it for yourself. Open up your files, and read a little bit of that last thing you wrote. Now, go and find something you wrote at least one year ago.

You're better at it now, right? That's because you, too, undergo character development in that your own character develops over time. The same thing has to happen to the characters you put on the page. In any good book, there is some plot. Events will occur. Interactions will happen. Your characters will meet new people, learn and do new things. Like real people, their personalities and world views should change accordingly. 

That's character development, and every good book has got it. Show that your character is learning and adapting, that they are changing because of the events that are happening to them on the page. Show growth. Do it well, and you'll find that people enjoy your writing much more.

Trapped by the Tower

"The lies. The twists. The phenomenal writing that is Jade Varden. It kept me completely engrossed and hanging on until the very end."

"As Rain begins her own search for the killer, she soon discovers that NOTHING is what is seems. Once you think you know a character or what’s really going on, something else happens and it makes you question EVERYTHING."

The Tower (Deck of Lies, #2) has been reviewed at Lily Bloom Books. Read the mostly spoiler-free review to see why the reviewer is second-guessing everything!

Writing 101: How to Write a Book

Regular readers know that I'm not the biggest fan of writer forums. I think would-be authors ask too many questions instead of doing their own research. But recently I realized it isn't their fault they're so lost.

It's mine, because I haven't yet explained how to write a book. It's time to fix that.

Turning the Page

So you want to write a book. Learn the process, and this very ambitious plan wont seem so overwhelming.

In order to write a book, all you have to do is break it down to its most basic parts and plot points. For this example, we're going to write a book about two best friends who fall in love. But the template is solid, and you can use it for any story.

When you write a book, always keep the big picture in mind. Every word should drive the plot further. Allow me to illustrate:

• Introduction: Start with the scenes that introduce your main character. Show the reader what this person is like. Maybe she's a free spirit, so the opening scene is her bungee jumping. This gives the reader immediate information.
   
• Introduce the cast: What's this world like? Show the character in her normal life, interacting with the people who make up her world.
   
• Introduce the drama: Time to meet the love interest (or whatever it is that will move your plot forward). Set it up for the action.
   
• Show the action: Okay, introductions over. Time to make stuff happen. Throw obstacles in the way, give your characters challenges. Allow them to succeed or fail.
   
• Progress: Readers want to know they're getting somewhere. Make sure your character is reacting. They should grow and change in direct relation to the events of the book. Lets use our example. A girl in love might change her appearance, maybe join activities to get her closer to the one she loves.
   
• Result: The character is reacting and taking action. What are the consequences of that? It helps that there are only two possibilities. It will either push the character closer to their goal, or set them back.
   
• End: Know how it ends, or your story will meander along with no purpose at all. Always be driving toward the end.

 

And everything else? It's mostly cosmetic. Once your plot is in place, either on the page or in your mind, the details are easy. Be descriptive without going overboard, edit until you just can't edit anymore, check the story for flow and accuracy...and you're on your way.

Dying of Suspense

"The life of a girl that is more than a mystery series, with amazing ingredients such as power, money and love."

"Jade Varden does an excellent job maintaining the suspense and surprises until the last page. You never know what is coming next."

Death (Deck of Lies, #3) has been reviewed at Reading...Dreaming by Ruty, longtime friend of the blog. There are spoilers in the review if you haven't read the first two books (and if you haven't, get caught up!). Read the whole review to find out why the book got 5 out of 5 stars!