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Showing posts with label fiction workshop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fiction workshop. Show all posts
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Mystery Loves Company, Part II
Hi,
This is Kathy Harig again from Mystery Loves Company. As I said in my earlier Blog 1, writing the book is just the beginning. It is a business. You may think it is early in your writing career to think of publishing, but if you are aware of the pitfalls and means to success, you will have a better chance of seeing your work published. There are four key people in the equation for writing a successful book -- the author, the agent, the editor(s) and the publisher. In recent days we have seen this list shrunk to two, the author and the publisher, due to self-publishing technology. Sometimes the author even does away with the publisher, entirely. But all good books, I believe have these four elements. More and more we see books that are grossly unedited and good ones that are badly distributed, i.e., do not reach a bigger market because they have a tiny publisher, or one who does not have the means nor care to really promote their authors' works. If the author had gotten him/herself an agent, the problem probably wouldn't have been so severe. Agents are hard to come by, but there are several good listings on the web. Also attend mystery or fiction conventions, or writing seminars. Agents frequently attend.
Spell check does not an editor make. I have had several books published and each time the second or third reading, or editor always caught improvements that needed to be made. Fact checking is really up to you. Don't expect help with this at all in fiction. I recently received an advanced readers copy from a major publisher in which there were at least twenty errors in the first fifty pages. A badly edited manuscript will not get you an agent, and certainly won't get you a major publisher. Even with a major publisher, there are pot holes along the way. Respect your work and your audience. Do careful editing yourself, and hire a professional editor/ fact checker and/or reader. Then let the manuscript rest for a while, and read it again, and again.
Choosing a publisher is one of the biggest decisions an author can make. Choosing the wrong one, can lead to heartbreak and a ruined career. Choosing carefully can insure that your work will find its broadest possible audience and the success it deserves. One can hardly count the number of publishers that have sprung up on the web. Remember one thing, if you have to pay a publisher to publish your work, they are not a publisher. Many of them are not reputable, and can ask for more and more money that you eventually will give them, only to end in disaster. Mystery Writers of America has approved a list of publishers that they find reputable. Check with them if you have any doubt. The other reason to go with an approved publisher is the need for wide distribution of your work. Small publishers are not normally linked to broad networks and distributing companies that market and distribute your work.
In choosing a fiction or mystery publisher, look at your favorite mystery books. Who published them? Is your book going to have the same tone or sub-genre as they have. Then they might be a good bet for a author/publisher match.
If you intend to make writing your career, understand the homework you have to do. It is a profession and a business. Place your posterior in the chair according to a schedule that suits you best, and when you are not writing or editing, take care of business.
Best in your writing careers,
Kathy Harig
This is Kathy Harig again from Mystery Loves Company. As I said in my earlier Blog 1, writing the book is just the beginning. It is a business. You may think it is early in your writing career to think of publishing, but if you are aware of the pitfalls and means to success, you will have a better chance of seeing your work published. There are four key people in the equation for writing a successful book -- the author, the agent, the editor(s) and the publisher. In recent days we have seen this list shrunk to two, the author and the publisher, due to self-publishing technology. Sometimes the author even does away with the publisher, entirely. But all good books, I believe have these four elements. More and more we see books that are grossly unedited and good ones that are badly distributed, i.e., do not reach a bigger market because they have a tiny publisher, or one who does not have the means nor care to really promote their authors' works. If the author had gotten him/herself an agent, the problem probably wouldn't have been so severe. Agents are hard to come by, but there are several good listings on the web. Also attend mystery or fiction conventions, or writing seminars. Agents frequently attend.
Spell check does not an editor make. I have had several books published and each time the second or third reading, or editor always caught improvements that needed to be made. Fact checking is really up to you. Don't expect help with this at all in fiction. I recently received an advanced readers copy from a major publisher in which there were at least twenty errors in the first fifty pages. A badly edited manuscript will not get you an agent, and certainly won't get you a major publisher. Even with a major publisher, there are pot holes along the way. Respect your work and your audience. Do careful editing yourself, and hire a professional editor/ fact checker and/or reader. Then let the manuscript rest for a while, and read it again, and again.
Choosing a publisher is one of the biggest decisions an author can make. Choosing the wrong one, can lead to heartbreak and a ruined career. Choosing carefully can insure that your work will find its broadest possible audience and the success it deserves. One can hardly count the number of publishers that have sprung up on the web. Remember one thing, if you have to pay a publisher to publish your work, they are not a publisher. Many of them are not reputable, and can ask for more and more money that you eventually will give them, only to end in disaster. Mystery Writers of America has approved a list of publishers that they find reputable. Check with them if you have any doubt. The other reason to go with an approved publisher is the need for wide distribution of your work. Small publishers are not normally linked to broad networks and distributing companies that market and distribute your work.
In choosing a fiction or mystery publisher, look at your favorite mystery books. Who published them? Is your book going to have the same tone or sub-genre as they have. Then they might be a good bet for a author/publisher match.
If you intend to make writing your career, understand the homework you have to do. It is a profession and a business. Place your posterior in the chair according to a schedule that suits you best, and when you are not writing or editing, take care of business.
Best in your writing careers,
Kathy Harig
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Mystery Loves Company
Hi,
My name is Kathy Harig and I have been invited to blog on this site about mystery writing. First to introduce myself. I retired after 28 years in 2001 as a branch librarian/manager of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Roland Park in Baltimore. In 1991 I co-founded Mystery Loves Company Booksellers. We now have two stores, but our Baltimore store will be closing on Dec 31 2008, and we will consolidate to our Eastern Shore store in Oxford MD. You can read about the store at www.mysterylovescompany.com and our blog www.mysterysalon.com
Mysteries to me are a passion and for 18 years I have tried to promote local authors whenever I can. I take the "Buy Local" concept very seriously, indeed. Maryland and the Delmarva region have a long history of wonderfully talented writers, especially mystery writers. I work with three such groups of writers, The Eastern Shore Writers Association www.easternshorewriters.org/home.htm Sisters in Crime -Chesapeake Chapter www.chessiechapter.org/ and Mystery Writers of America - Mid-Atlantic Chapter www.mwa-ma.org/ I mention them only to tell you that there is a huge network of folks writing in the area. I urge you to contact them and attend their meetings, if possible, since they are the best source of information about mysteries and writing.
As far as advice for writers in the field of mysteries, I would advise to read widely in the sub-genre you are interested in writing such as cozy, noir, thriller, espionage or literary. This way you won't duplicate plots that have already been overused. What's your favorite mystery? What elements about it made you choose it? Develop your special "voice," one that is unique to you and engaging to the reader; a voice the reader will care about and relate to. Develop a way to organize your thoughts, usually in a outline or diagram, or by composing a summary of the book with a breakdown by events and chapters. This you will use to show an agent. Know the "conventions" of a mystery novel. If they are not obeyed, it is not a mystery, it is a novel. We have non-fiction books at the store that talk about these conventions. These conventions include being true to the reader and not introducing a villain at the last moment who hasn't participated in the action of the book. Have the detective be an agent of detection and justice. As P. D. James has said, the most difficult thing for a mystery writer is letting the detective explore the inner workings and motives of the criminal mind without giving away the murderer until the end.
--Kathy Harig
My name is Kathy Harig and I have been invited to blog on this site about mystery writing. First to introduce myself. I retired after 28 years in 2001 as a branch librarian/manager of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Roland Park in Baltimore. In 1991 I co-founded Mystery Loves Company Booksellers. We now have two stores, but our Baltimore store will be closing on Dec 31 2008, and we will consolidate to our Eastern Shore store in Oxford MD. You can read about the store at www.mysterylovescompany.com and our blog www.mysterysalon.com
Mysteries to me are a passion and for 18 years I have tried to promote local authors whenever I can. I take the "Buy Local" concept very seriously, indeed. Maryland and the Delmarva region have a long history of wonderfully talented writers, especially mystery writers. I work with three such groups of writers, The Eastern Shore Writers Association www.easternshorewriters.org/home.htm Sisters in Crime -Chesapeake Chapter www.chessiechapter.org/ and Mystery Writers of America - Mid-Atlantic Chapter www.mwa-ma.org/ I mention them only to tell you that there is a huge network of folks writing in the area. I urge you to contact them and attend their meetings, if possible, since they are the best source of information about mysteries and writing.
As far as advice for writers in the field of mysteries, I would advise to read widely in the sub-genre you are interested in writing such as cozy, noir, thriller, espionage or literary. This way you won't duplicate plots that have already been overused. What's your favorite mystery? What elements about it made you choose it? Develop your special "voice," one that is unique to you and engaging to the reader; a voice the reader will care about and relate to. Develop a way to organize your thoughts, usually in a outline or diagram, or by composing a summary of the book with a breakdown by events and chapters. This you will use to show an agent. Know the "conventions" of a mystery novel. If they are not obeyed, it is not a mystery, it is a novel. We have non-fiction books at the store that talk about these conventions. These conventions include being true to the reader and not introducing a villain at the last moment who hasn't participated in the action of the book. Have the detective be an agent of detection and justice. As P. D. James has said, the most difficult thing for a mystery writer is letting the detective explore the inner workings and motives of the criminal mind without giving away the murderer until the end.
--Kathy Harig
Monday, November 17, 2008
A Good Editor Is Hard To Find
Cynthia Crossen writes about authors, books, publishing and editors in her Wall Street Journal column Book Lover. Today's column talks about Australian author Steve Tolz's first novel "A Fraction of the Whole" (short-listed for the Man Booker Prize in September). The novel is long, 576 pages.
According to the cover quotes (paperback edition) the book is "devastatingly funny," even "laugh-out-loud-funny" and Mr. Toltz is compared to Mark Twain, John Irving, Martin Amis...even Charles Dickens. Ms. Crossen asks the question "What more could I want?" Her answer is quoted below:
__"A plot, compelling voices, believable characters and an editor with a machete for starters. There were a lot of funny moments and lines, and Mr. Toltz is obviously an exceptionally imaginative and witty guy, but where were his minders? Someone should have sat him down in an interrogation room and offered a plea bargain: Lose 100 pages or go to jail.
"Editors are the invisible heroes of the publishing industry, and as publishing companies cut corners, they cut editors. On the most basic level, that means more typos, grammatical errors and factual contradictions...
"But without strong editors, writers are like cars with accelerators but no brakes. While reading many of Mr. Toltz's long passages, I pictured him at his computer (or typewriter), entertaining himself with his own wit and wisdom. That's as it should be. Then an editor should tell him, "Steve, you're a great writer (always start with the praise), but let's do some judicious whittling and makes this fabulous book (more praise) even better."
I can't say enough about good editors. As a writer I value their feedback and direction. They are, after all, trying to help me write well and connect with the reader. As a reader I appreciate a good editor because they keep me turning the page. Those who read Ms. Crossen know that she has a "strict no-skimming rule." As a reader I don't have the same patience to wade through a novel I don't like, no matter how long or short. I'm not sure why she sticks with the author, I can't. There are simply too many other good books waiting to be read.
My work as an editor however, puts me in a very different place. I can't stop reading. I endlessly turn the pages looking at the story line, picturing the characters and listening for the author's voice. What does the author want me to know about this world that she has created? Why has the author chosen to present the characters in this manner, what changes, if any will I see in their character by the end of the story? Why has he chosen this plot, these characters and this particular setting? And what is this book, this manuscript, really about?
My job as a freelance editor is enjoyable, because I get to choose whom I will work with. I work with writers I think I can help. This is why my initial reading is free. I love being the first to read an author's work. It is an honor. And when I've finished those first five or seven pages and I'm wishing I had more I'll call the writer and say let's get together.
Talk to me I tell the writer, tell me where we're going, help me to see what you see. Who are these characters? Where have they been? And where are they going? And they do. The serious writer can answer these questions. They know what they want to say, they just need someone to listen to them and help them get it down. I think the nicest thing anyone could say about me would be, "She's a good editor."
To quote Ms. Crossen one final time, "It's hard work for both author and editor, but it's only fair to those of us who still invest in books."
According to the cover quotes (paperback edition) the book is "devastatingly funny," even "laugh-out-loud-funny" and Mr. Toltz is compared to Mark Twain, John Irving, Martin Amis...even Charles Dickens. Ms. Crossen asks the question "What more could I want?" Her answer is quoted below:
__"A plot, compelling voices, believable characters and an editor with a machete for starters. There were a lot of funny moments and lines, and Mr. Toltz is obviously an exceptionally imaginative and witty guy, but where were his minders? Someone should have sat him down in an interrogation room and offered a plea bargain: Lose 100 pages or go to jail.
"Editors are the invisible heroes of the publishing industry, and as publishing companies cut corners, they cut editors. On the most basic level, that means more typos, grammatical errors and factual contradictions...
"But without strong editors, writers are like cars with accelerators but no brakes. While reading many of Mr. Toltz's long passages, I pictured him at his computer (or typewriter), entertaining himself with his own wit and wisdom. That's as it should be. Then an editor should tell him, "Steve, you're a great writer (always start with the praise), but let's do some judicious whittling and makes this fabulous book (more praise) even better."
I can't say enough about good editors. As a writer I value their feedback and direction. They are, after all, trying to help me write well and connect with the reader. As a reader I appreciate a good editor because they keep me turning the page. Those who read Ms. Crossen know that she has a "strict no-skimming rule." As a reader I don't have the same patience to wade through a novel I don't like, no matter how long or short. I'm not sure why she sticks with the author, I can't. There are simply too many other good books waiting to be read.
My work as an editor however, puts me in a very different place. I can't stop reading. I endlessly turn the pages looking at the story line, picturing the characters and listening for the author's voice. What does the author want me to know about this world that she has created? Why has the author chosen to present the characters in this manner, what changes, if any will I see in their character by the end of the story? Why has he chosen this plot, these characters and this particular setting? And what is this book, this manuscript, really about?
My job as a freelance editor is enjoyable, because I get to choose whom I will work with. I work with writers I think I can help. This is why my initial reading is free. I love being the first to read an author's work. It is an honor. And when I've finished those first five or seven pages and I'm wishing I had more I'll call the writer and say let's get together.
Talk to me I tell the writer, tell me where we're going, help me to see what you see. Who are these characters? Where have they been? And where are they going? And they do. The serious writer can answer these questions. They know what they want to say, they just need someone to listen to them and help them get it down. I think the nicest thing anyone could say about me would be, "She's a good editor."
To quote Ms. Crossen one final time, "It's hard work for both author and editor, but it's only fair to those of us who still invest in books."
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
A Simple Plan
Ideas. Where do they come from? Its a familiar question, one that authors are often asked during a book signing or when being interviewed. All writers know that ideas come in all shapes and sizes and are everywhere, in the people we meet, in the things we hear on TV and read in the newspaper, and in our past experiences or those of others.
The truth is ideas are all around us. All of us are bombarded with ideas each and every day. Successful writers however, have trained themselves to recognize these nuggets and know what to do with them. Published authors are willing to spend the hours it takes to put these ideas, these nuggets to work. They begin by asking "what if"....
The idea: what if three men find $4 million dollars in unmarked bills and decide to keep it. What if these same men agree to a plan that will let them safely keep the money?
A Simple Plan is a film about three men, Hank, (played by Bill Paxton), his simple-minded brother Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton), and their friend Lou (Brent Briscoe), who find a bag full of money in a downed plane and decide to keep it. The plan is that Hank will hide the money in his house until winter ends, and then the three of them will divvy up the cash and move away. They promise to tell no one.
Plotting the story: What if things go wrong, horribly wrong. What if the sheriff shows up. What if the secret is shared. What if someone else wants the money. What if someone dies?
A writer can learn a lot about motivation and character development by watching this film. A questionable decision is the basis for this film and layer by layer the story is revealed.
What if you sit down and spend some time asking your character what if? It really is a very simple plan to use when writing your next novel.
The truth is ideas are all around us. All of us are bombarded with ideas each and every day. Successful writers however, have trained themselves to recognize these nuggets and know what to do with them. Published authors are willing to spend the hours it takes to put these ideas, these nuggets to work. They begin by asking "what if"....
The idea: what if three men find $4 million dollars in unmarked bills and decide to keep it. What if these same men agree to a plan that will let them safely keep the money?
A Simple Plan is a film about three men, Hank, (played by Bill Paxton), his simple-minded brother Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton), and their friend Lou (Brent Briscoe), who find a bag full of money in a downed plane and decide to keep it. The plan is that Hank will hide the money in his house until winter ends, and then the three of them will divvy up the cash and move away. They promise to tell no one.
Plotting the story: What if things go wrong, horribly wrong. What if the sheriff shows up. What if the secret is shared. What if someone else wants the money. What if someone dies?
A writer can learn a lot about motivation and character development by watching this film. A questionable decision is the basis for this film and layer by layer the story is revealed.
What if you sit down and spend some time asking your character what if? It really is a very simple plan to use when writing your next novel.
Monday, October 6, 2008
in Media res
Openings are important, they invite the reader into the story and keep them reading. Janet, a successful literary agent explains. "I ask the question: does this work pull me into a fictional dream? If it does, then I’ll keep reading, wanting more, if not I put the book down. If it doesn’t work on the first page, why would it work on the second page and so on?"
As writers it is our job is to hook the reader immediately. Yet for many authors the opening can be one of the hardest parts of the book to write. There is a lot of advice out there … "begin with a character" … "don’t open with a dream sequence" … "set the scene" … "don’t mention the weather" … "tell a joke’ … "don’t tell a joke" … "set the tone" … "set the mood" ….
"A good opening," according to writing consultant Scott Edelstein, "should fit naturally with the rest of the piece. It should give your reader a sense (either overt or subliminal) of what is to come in the way of tone, mood, and events. It should not mislead your reader, intentionally or unintentionally."
Today, most genre editors (and many agents) demand that their writers jump into the story with both feet …or in medias res (Latin for "into the middle of things"). Murder mysteries that open with the main character tripping over a dead body open in medias res. Martin Scorsese’s movie Goodfellas starts in the middle of the story (in medias res), while Francis Ford Coppola‘s Godfather does not.
The advice I most often give in my novel writing class is "begin as close to the end as possible." Consider a movie about a kidnapping. Randsom, the 1996 movie starring Mel Gibson as Tom Mullen and Rene Russo as his wife Kate opens with the Mullen’s attending a science fair in Central Park with their young son Sean. Within minutes the family becomes separated and Sean is kidnapped. A parents’ worst nightmare becomes reality. The viewer is hooked.
Later, during the police investigation the audience learns the background story. Bit by bit past events emerge to disclose possible motives and potential suspects. The plot line is designed to keep the story moving forward, the tension building toward the climax and finally the end.
The good news is that the opening doesn’t have to written first. Finish the first draft then during rewrites ask yourself does this opening grab the reader? Does it generate excitement? Does it make sense? Will the opening make the sale?
As writers it is our job is to hook the reader immediately. Yet for many authors the opening can be one of the hardest parts of the book to write. There is a lot of advice out there … "begin with a character" … "don’t open with a dream sequence" … "set the scene" … "don’t mention the weather" … "tell a joke’ … "don’t tell a joke" … "set the tone" … "set the mood" ….
"A good opening," according to writing consultant Scott Edelstein, "should fit naturally with the rest of the piece. It should give your reader a sense (either overt or subliminal) of what is to come in the way of tone, mood, and events. It should not mislead your reader, intentionally or unintentionally."
Today, most genre editors (and many agents) demand that their writers jump into the story with both feet …or in medias res (Latin for "into the middle of things"). Murder mysteries that open with the main character tripping over a dead body open in medias res. Martin Scorsese’s movie Goodfellas starts in the middle of the story (in medias res), while Francis Ford Coppola‘s Godfather does not.
The advice I most often give in my novel writing class is "begin as close to the end as possible." Consider a movie about a kidnapping. Randsom, the 1996 movie starring Mel Gibson as Tom Mullen and Rene Russo as his wife Kate opens with the Mullen’s attending a science fair in Central Park with their young son Sean. Within minutes the family becomes separated and Sean is kidnapped. A parents’ worst nightmare becomes reality. The viewer is hooked.
Later, during the police investigation the audience learns the background story. Bit by bit past events emerge to disclose possible motives and potential suspects. The plot line is designed to keep the story moving forward, the tension building toward the climax and finally the end.
The good news is that the opening doesn’t have to written first. Finish the first draft then during rewrites ask yourself does this opening grab the reader? Does it generate excitement? Does it make sense? Will the opening make the sale?
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