Category: Article

5 Tips on How to Avoid Author Burnout by Dave Chesson

11/1/2021

How to Avoid Author Burnout – 5 Tips:
a guest post by Dave Chesson

Most of us have probably been there. Perhaps it started as a few weeks of massive productivity, followed by even more weeks of exhaustion.

Perhaps it simply came as a form of depression, where we wouldn’t even feel like getting up in the morning, or we would sit at a computer and the words just would not come.

Photo by Elisa Ventur on Unsplash.

Whether we have experienced this or not, chances are we will encounter burnout at some point in our author career. In fact, I’d say that’s more than a guarantee.

So, what can we do? Well, there are a few things that we can do to improve our recovery from burnout. But far more effective are the techniques we can use to avoid getting burned out in the first place.

In this article, I will examine five of these.

Tip #1: Work Smarter, Not Harder

If you’re burnt out, work is the last thing you want to talk about.

Photo by Xavi Cabrera on Unsplash.

That said, a lot of us still need to continue working even if we are burnt out.

So, one strategy to get over this problem is to work smarter, not harder.

Imagine if you could get the same amount of work done in half the time. Would that make you feel better? Would you have more time to spend on self-care?

That’s what I’m talking about here, not working more, but getting the same amount of work done in less time so you have more time for yourself.

For authors, there are some proven ways to write faster, which can include:

Dictation
Choosing the right music

Photo by Mark Cruz on Unsplash.

Keeping a consistent writing schedule

Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash.

Outlining
Rewarding yourself
Waiting to edit until you are finished

Image by Anne Karakash from Pixabay.

All of these will help you in the long run, but just one or two quick changes can make a huge difference.

Try picking one technique and mastering it to see how much time you can save, and you will be amazed at what you are capable of.

Tip #2: Schedule Time Off

This is probably the first thing that most people think about when we discuss avoiding burnout.

But in reality, it works.

There are several types of time off that you should consider. In addition to your typical vacation once or twice a year, I recommend you have at least one day off on your weekend, one extended weekend per quarter (3-4 days), and at least two half-hour breaks throughout your day.

This will not always be possible, but the more you can make time for yourself, the more likely you are to avoid burnout in the first place.

Photo by Visual Stories Micheile on Unsplash.

I especially recommend taking breaks throughout the day, because the more tired you are every day, the more likely you are to have a tiresome week.

Which brings me to my next point…

Tip #3: Try the Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro technique is a method I have been using for a long time. Put simply, it's a technique where you spend 25 minutes of your time in an intensely focused state, followed by a five minute break. This technique helps with focus, but also helps you stay mentally grounded.

What's most important is that you plan your brakes effectively. This is not a time to check social media, or watch five more minutes of your favorite TV show. During that five minute break, you want to get a drink, go to the bathroom, take a few deep breaths, and move around a little bit.

Image by Conger Design from PIxabay.

Doing all this will refresh your mind and give you the energy you need to continue going for the next 25 minutes, and so on, and so forth. I found it to be extremely effective at helping me get a lot of work done without the burnout.

Tip #4: Go Ergonomic

You may not know this, but part of the reason why you’re having trouble with burnout might be physical.

For that reason, you might want to consider investing in some ergonomic hardware.

Photo by Ergonofis on Unsplash.

I personally invested in an ergonomic chair, and found that it helps so much with my level of comfort while I’m working. An ergonomic mouse or keyboard is another great option. Even better, you can try dictation so that you don’t wear out your wrists and hands.

Tip #5: Know When to Say No

Lastly, I think it’s important to remember that sometimes we take on more work than we should. It’s easy to say yes to everything that people ask of us, but we need to understand our limitations.

If we don’t do this, we are likely to end up with far too much on our work plate than we can realistically handle.

So make sure that you know your workload, and that you only say yes to a new request if it is urgent and coming from someone important in your life (such as a boss or a spouse), or if you know for certain that you can get it done in the time allotted.

Remember that you are a writer, and your job is to write. All other tasks are secondary.

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of other ways to avoid burnout, these are just a few. But I also don’t want to overwhelm you with too much information. So I recommend you pick one or two of these that speak to you, and really try to give them a solid trial run.

If you do, I can promise that you will experience increased success, a rested mind, and you will hold burnout off for a little while longer.

Photo by Bruce Mars on Unsplash.

Guest Blogger Bio

Photo by Bruce Mars on Unsplash.

Dave Chesson is the creator of Kindlepreneur.com, a website devoted to teaching advanced book Marketing, which even Amazon KDP acknowledged as one of the best by telling users to “Gain insight from Kindlepreneur on how you can optimize marketing for your books.” Having worked with such authors as Orson Scott Card, Ted Dekker and more, his tactics help both Fiction and Nonfiction authors of all levels get their books discovered by the right readers.

Links
http://kindlepreneur.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KindlePreneur/
https://twitter.com/davechesson

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age book spotlight here.

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Explore the A to Z's of Writing by Marie Lavender

10/11/2021

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Explore the A to Z's of Writing: an admin article by Marie Lavender

This week, I thought I'd take a moment to go back to basics. I would like to explore some terms we use in the writing industry. For newbies, you'll hear these from fellow writers or editors at your publisher at some point. Or, you might see them on how-to articles. And if you've taken a writing workshop at all, you've probably heard most of them. Even if you're a seasoned writer, it can't hurt to reacquaint yourself with these words or phrases, as well as to keep the following advice in mind. So, without further ado, let's explore the alphabet of writing...

Photo by Pawel Janiak on Unsplash.

1. A for Antagonist - The villain in a story, or at least a concept/obstacle which stands in the way of the main character (protagonist) reaching his/her goals or happiness.

Writer Tip: Always include an antagonist, or at least a barrier preventing the protagonist from getting what he wants, in any work of fiction. This automatically creates conflict, which heightens tension and moves the plot along.

2. B for Book - a published volume which includes a single manuscript, or a collection or anthology of several works. Such work housed within the book can be fictional in nature, fact-based, or even include poetry. There are full-length books in the industry, as well as shorter ones. A published 'book' may be in digital (ebook) or physical format (such as a trade paperback or hardcover). A 'chapbook' is often a shorter book written by one author, with numerous poems or short stories included.

Writer Tip: Whether you decide to get published traditionally or on your own, do your homework on your intended genre and make sure your manuscript is properly edited and formatted in advance.

3. C for Creativity - A type of self-expression for a writer or artist which may result in the form of writing, painting, sketching, or designing a work of art. Creativity is the act of turning new ideas into reality. Some businesses might ask an employee to implement creative problem-solving just to come up with a unique solution to an issue.

Writer Tip: Stretch your creative muscles by trying different mediums. Start writing in a separate fiction genre, go for an essay, or construct a poem instead. Another option would be to paint or draw a scene or element from your story. Some fantasy writers like to expand on the idea of world-building by making a map of that fictional world, a fun detail to include inside the book when it gets published. Create a shadowbox for a room in your house (use a specific theme), or even paint the wall in a new color.

Photo by RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist on Unsplash.

Any of these creative endeavors can open your mind to new writing ideas.

4. D for Development and Dialogue

Development - You'll usually see this in reference to 'character development' or 'characterization'. A character is a person represented in a fictional tale. The story can be told from this individual's perspective.

Writer Tip: Know your characters well, especially the main ones. Even if you don't include every detail in the story, it can't hurt to know how a character would react to a certain situation. Be sure to add 'consistent inconsistencies' (for example, a thrill-seeker who is somehow afraid of heights). More than than anything, though, you must learn to listen to your main character.

Dialogue - The speech patterns and discussions between characters. This is separate from the internal thoughts (monologue) of a main character. Dialogue in a book should be as natural as possible.

Writer Tip: To exhibit realistic dialogue in a story, take some time to recognize the flow of conversations in real life. How do people talk? What gestures or sounds do they make during specific parts of the discussion? How do they emote or express themselves?

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5. E for Empathy - A sense of fellow feeling for another person, or putting yourself in their place. This is a key component for any writer who intends to create a believable character. It's also necessary to add enough emotion which translates on the page so that readers will start to care about what happens to your character. The way you do, right? ;) If you have begun to wonder where you're going wrong, then try to connect better with your character. Learn more and imagine how they'd respond to situations.

I know I've done my job when I'm feeling the emotions that the character is going through. If he or she is sad, tears are probably streaming down my face, too. No, I'm not really crazy. This is just the writer's journey as the story progresses. It's no different than getting choked up while watching a dramatic film. When we write, the story plays out in our heads like a movie. So, why wouldn't we respond to that in kind?

Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash.

Writer Tip: Know the plot and main character well enough to express those facets within the story. Remember, empathy is deeper than sympathy. Readers will come back for more if you evoke the same emotions in them. Make the story and characters relatable.

6. F for Fiction - Often told in story or novel form, fiction is a creative work, concerning people, places, or events. It is not based in fact, though certain objects, historical figures, and actions which are mentioned can appear real. The key elements of fiction include character, theme, plot, point of view, setting, conflict, and tone. Fiction can be divided into different areas or 'genres'.

Writer Tip: Unfortunately, some parts of reality must off-set an imaginary world. The more of a relatable quality you can add to any story, the more likely a reader will connect with the characters and the events happening therein.

7. G for Genre - This describes the category that a specific book falls under. Some examples are romance, mystery, science fiction, and horror. You've likely been on Amazon and noticed all the sub-genres listed there as well. So, that leaves a lot of room for writers to put their stories.

Writer Tip: Try your hand at writing different genres. Use the following prompt:

Rain came down in sheets, a hard battle against each window, while lightning struck nearby. The raging storm outside, though, hardly compared to the one within.

Continue the story on your own from where the last sentence started. At the same time, think about the separate tones you can add to the tale to make it more romantic, mysterious, supernatural or spacey, and even creepier. Write four different versions, one for each genre - romance, mystery, science fiction (feel free to substitute asteroids for rain, as I know it doesn't rain in space), or horror. They don't need to be long stories or even finished, just enough to establish tone. Then, decide which one you like best.

8. H for Hook - A 'hook' is a sentence in the first paragraph of a scene or chapter which compels the audience to keep reading. If this is done well, the pop, so to speak, usually falls in the first sentence. Similarly, a 'closing' positioned at the end of a scene or chapter, should make the reader want to find out more. That means they're in it for the long haul, prepared to continue diving into the reading experience.

Writer Tip: Do your best to avoid losing the audience in the first chapter, but especially in the first paragraph. Draw someone in with a leading sentence that makes them wonder what happens next. If you effectively use the same technique for opening and closing each scene and chapter, you'll have nailed a big part of the author job description. The most challenging portion of landing a good hook, however is doing it for the whole project, in the first sentence of a story or book.

9. I for In the Middle of Things - This is a direct translation for the Latin phrase 'en medias res', a term we use in the industry for stating the best place to start a story - in the midst of some action. Sometimes, as writers, we don't realize the beginning until we've written other leading sections. For example, if your project entails a woman getting fired and how she handles it, breaking out on her own and finding a new career, you wouldn't want to start the story at breakfast time, right? No, you'd begin when she's hauling her butt - perhaps complete with a speeding ticket - to get into the office without being late, just to find out she's been let go. Or, you might start it right at those fatal words.

"Sorry, Julia. We've decided you're no longer a good fit for this company."
Um...what?

Photo by Pradeep Ranjan on Unsplash.

Exactly. Do you see how those punches to the gut can hook a reader into wondering how the character will react? Oh, no, she's been fired. What now?

Writer Tip: Take some time to decide where your story starts. Better to do that now than to be forced to cut out a whole section - one you thought was the beginning of the tale - later on.

10. J for Justice - My own term for the moment when a story's 'climax' and 'resolution' have produced a fitting end. For me, it usually comes when I'm reading a mystery, thriller, or romance novel. Book lovers both dread and relish this moment. They get peace, at long last, for everything in the story finally has reached a positive outcome. However, the story is over and the reader must move on, which is a regrettable conclusion.

Writer Tip: Make sure your own story has a sense of 'justice' by wrapping up all the loose ends in a satisfying way.

11. K for Knowledge (Research) - Your grasp of information which you've gleaned through an educational experience. With writing, the term we use is 'research'. It's a sometimes dreadful yet rewarding challenge. Some newer writers feel that research is a waste of time. Believe me, it isn't. There will undoubtedly be facts you need to learn just to fill in a character's personality or background. For example, we can't all know what it's like to be a firefighter, or how to describe a cottage in Somerset, England. That's what research is for. I promise you this is not a time-waster. Let's face it, your audience is intelligent. They 'know stuff', for lack of a better phrase. For example, historical fiction writers rely heavily on their understanding of past events, and how they can use them as a main backdrop for a story. The characters might be fictional, but the way the people interact with what really happened then offers the audience a sense of how some individuals must've responded to it at the time. Research is key here. Greater authenticity in a book attracts more readers. It's supply and demand, that's all.

Writer Tip: Break your large research tasks down into smaller ones. Look up one fact per day, or spend an hour per week filling in all the details you procrastinated about. Then, stop and continue next week. It might not look like it at first, but these little jaunts of research add up over time. Plus, once you have everything organized, you can just do a quick search for what you wanted to know. So, pull on your big kid pants and get to researching.

12. L for Literary Fiction - This sub-genre still includes all the rules of fiction, while invoking a deeper character study. The focus then moves toward conveying a message about the human condition, and sometimes an overall political or environmental statement. In literary fiction, the character must evolve in some way, perhaps even have an epiphany by the end of the story. A small population of readers tend to get snobby about this genre, calling it 'true literature'. Though some elements of each story may reflect other fiction categories, the intense depth of character portrayed in these books make them 'literary fiction'. Some examples of literary fiction are The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, amid countless others. Many of this genre's popular titles have been adapted into film.

Writer Tip: If you're more of a character-driven story writer, literary fiction may well appeal to you. You might find you're more comfortable writing here. Try it out...what can it hurt?

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13. M for Motivation - This is what drives a character to keep going. It's about the thing they want the most in life, and the actions taken to reach their goals. Motivation is a key element to recognize when learning about your main character. It will help that person attempt to circumvent the antagonist, or big obstacle, which is standing in their way. And sometimes, at least internally, the problem could be their own misconceptions about the world or themselves. Motivation can also be subconscious - a deeper dream - something that person has always wanted, even though they might not have thought it was possible. Perhaps they came from a foster care situation and always wanted a real family.

Writer Tip: Identify what motivates your character. What does he or she fully desire? What is the most important thing to them? What are they willing to do to get it? Also, what exactly is the problem in the story? What prevents them from reaching their aspirations? Eventually, it will all be buttoned up by the end of the story. But for now, what is driving your character forward?

14. N for Non-fiction - A written work which is distinguished by the very fact that it is, well, not fictional in any way. Usually, you'll find biographies or even autobiographies, covering real people in the world, whether he or she lives currently, or was instead a historical figure. Either way, that person has existed at some point, and they're the sole topic. Memoirs fall under this category. Creative non-fiction, or 'narrative non-fiction' as the more popular term, is when a writer constructs a story about a real person yet adjusts small details - names, personal traits or appearance, perhaps even smudges some dates - to protect those identities. The events that happen are real, and so are the emotions which stem from them. Yet, creative license allows the writer to embellish on certain facets of the tale, while still diving deep into characterization and finding out how someone ticks. The artist at the helm of a non-fiction work becomes the conduit for a real-life story to be told.

Other types of non-fiction include reference materials on various subjects - informational resources for those who might require them. Such resources can also include travel guides, books on philosophy, self-help or instructional guides of any kind (books on dieting, cookbooks, business success titles, and how-to manuals, among others). Journalism and humorous non-fiction are a part of this overall category as well, at least as long as the commentary relates to current events. Just for fun, I'll list several names of authors featured here on Writing in the Modern Age over the years who published works of non-fiction (some write in multiple genres). Some of those writers are Wayne Neely, Kathryn Elizabeth Jones, S.A. Soule, Cindy Fazzi, Dougie Brimson, Lance and James Morcan, Stefan Vucak, Mark Iles, Jim Anders, Rhonda Cratty, J.L. Smith, Lisa A. Snidernman, and so many more.

Writer Tip: Try your hand at non-fiction. Write an essay or an article for a blog. Keep track of your sources and make sure they're legit. Or, if you're truly passionate about a topic, maybe you'd like to write a non-fiction manuscript and submit it to a publisher.

15. O for Outline - A writer's outline is a little like a book synopsis, which is often submitted in a query to a publisher or literary agent. This is a detailed account of what happens in a story. Sometimes, brainstorming is used to create an outline. The outline helps to fill in some of the blank spaces for writers who are struggling to finish a book. At least, having an idea of the events that occur next gives them a sense of what to focus on during the project. Let's say that you, as the writer, have a general notion of what the book is about. But, how do you get there? Writing is rarely a linear journey. However, making an outline can benefit you, sometimes exponentially. Perhaps you know what the character wants in life, and have a basic idea of what he should do to get there. Yet, it isn't your life. This is the character's. His background, environment, and any assumptions he's made about the process will come into play. You must take all of these details into account. Look at the path like a roller coaster ride. There will be ups, downs, then twists and turns to reach the end. So, now knowing all that, what can we glean from it to make an outline?

Writer Tip: Start at the beginning, and think of possible scenarios which could happen. What might get in the way of your character's goal or goals? Obviously, you shouldn't overload the path with tragedy or anything. But, throwing in a few obstacles can't hurt. It heightens tension, and may eventually make your character more determined to get there. Try a brainstorming session to get some ideas flowing.

Photo by Biljana Jovanovic on Pixabay.

Once the true course seems evident to you, write a detailed outline.

Actually, for a book project, the outline might even be longer than a polished synopsis which you'd send to a publisher. Just remember that your outline will provide a clearer route for the character's end game, and this will also make it easier to write the story. Some writers are pantsters and not knowing what happens next actually works for them - they see it as inspiring. Personally, I find it more reassuring to have an outline. That way, I can organize my approach. Cutting through the chaos makes me more productive. The choice, however, is yours.

16. P for Premise, POV, and Plot

Premise - The premise of a story is your personal pitch. It's basically the main idea for the book, often told in a few sentences. This is so foundational, as you can't move forward without it. Even pantsters need this general sense of the story to write.

Writer Tip: Let's say you have a thread of an idea, but you're not sure about it. Try this. Write five different yet basic story ideas, a sentence or two long for each one. Remember, you won't know all the details just yet. Pick the idea that calls to you most, the option that causes you to feel excited to dive in. Congratulations! You're ready to get to work.

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Point-of-View (POV) - Think of this term as a camera spanning the room. The angle portrays the character's perspective. I see third person POV (he/she) a lot in romance novels, though now and then, an author will surprise me. Romantic comedies are usually told in first person (I). Urban fantasy writers pick that approach quite often as well, perhaps to immerse the reader in a deeper perspective, which is sometimes more conducive to action-heavy tales. The point-of-view you select for a story is a personal choice, though.

Use one type of POV per story. For example, third person narrative versus first person POV. You can use both, but I wouldn't advise it. It gets too confusing, mainly for the writer. I tried it once with a mystery which I wrote (the victim in one scene, and then from the killer's perspective). It's better to choose one per book. If you're not sure which to go with, try writing a scene from both perspectives and pick the one that feels more comfortable. If you become familiar with it, the reader will sense that as well and feel connected with the story.

Writer Tip: Please avoid head-hopping. Stick with one POV per scene. If it's necessary to switch to another character's perspective, do a scene break and then change over.

Photo by Borna Bevanda on Unsplash.

Do not jump from one character to another, and then to the next one, over and over again in the same space. You will make your reader dizzy, certainly confused, and they'll be tempted to throw the book across the room. Believe me, I've proofread nightmare stories from fellow writers. And they weren't intended for the horror genre. So, just to be safe, use the perspective of one character per scene instead of hopping around. Other characters may interact with that person, but we won't know what they're thinking.

Plot - This is the sequence of events which comprises a story. Plot includes the beginning, middle, and end. Whereas the premise is the book concept, the plot is the storyline which comes alive on the page - it's everything that happens to the characters. Plot can be told, written, sung, or come out through film. There is no good novel without a great plot, and 'action' is what drives it forward.

Writer Tip: Take the idea you just came up with and start thinking about a main character, as well as some events that could happen. Remember motivation and how certain obstacles can stand in the way of a character's goals. See what kind of plot you can create.

17. Q for Query - An inquiry from a writer, usually in the form of a letter, which is sent to a prospective literary agent or publisher. This person is addressing the agent/publisher about possibly submitting their manuscript. Included in a query is often a brief synopsis and an overview of the writer's professional experience. Guidelines for each company vary; some want to read a few paragraphs or pages from the first chapter in advance. If the agent or editor-in-chief at the publisher is interested in learning more, they may ask for a larger sample of the book to read, or even request the full manuscript. At some point, they will get back to the writer with their response. Most will say six weeks is a good waiting period, but it can last much longer.

Writer Tip: Always check the guidelines for each agency or publisher you're querying. They all have different rules. And don't be discouraged if you don't hear back from them right away. People get busy. Just turn to other tasks to get your mind off the anxiety of waiting, or you can keep querying with other agencies. Remember, rejections are par for the course. A form letter is typical. If you receive any detailed feedback, consider the suggestions. The decision to change anything is up to you, though. Don't let someone else's words deter you from your goals. Keep trying and keep writing.

Photo by Arif Riyanto on Unsplash.

18. R for Reader - A reader is someone who peruses and absorbs books, and he or she is often a bibliophile (book lover or collector). This is your eventual audience. A good critique partner will look at your story from the perspective of a writer, editor, and reader.

Writer Tip: Choose your trusted circle of crit partners and beta readers wisely. The best feedback should challenge your assumptions about the story and help improve your writing. This will get you well on the path so that a real reader can see your book once it gets published.

19. S for Setting and Sensory Details

Setting - This is the character's environment. It's where the story is set, whether that is a city we know, or one we've never heard about. Finer details - by using description - help to paint a clearer picture. It can be the main character's house, their workplace, or some other area where they visit.

Writer Tip: Try to describe a place you know or a location where you'd like to travel. Use your memory to fill in the details. Or, do some research online. Implement the tools we have at hand, such as the street view on Google Maps or through studying pictures you find online (or at a historical society), to make the setting come alive.

Sensory Detail - A more specific way of describing a person, place, or a thing. What color? What type of fabric? What brand name? It's not just a tree; tell us what kind. Writing experts will advise you to use the six senses. Try the main five first (sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing). We don't need to go as far as to say that the final sense is supernatural or anything. Let's just state that the sixth sense is intuition. As humans, we all get certain vibes about a person or a place. That's what we try to tap into as authors when writing a story. Short of coming off as an omniscient narrator, you can work in somehow that the character 'senses' something is wrong, or even life-changing. You can be less vague than that, but you get what I mean.

Photo by Emma Valerio on Unsplash.

Writer Tip: The more direct of a description you can include about the character's environment or the objects they interact with, the easier it is for the reader to visualize what you're talking about. What is the color? What is the object made out of? How does it feel to the touch? Is there a certain smell in the room the person just entered? By digesting these finer details, a reader will be able to better picture themselves in that fictional world with the character, therefore feeling more connected to the story.

20. T for Tension - An element in writing which is used to introduce a sort of low-level anxiety in a reader, along with the wish to find out what happens next. However, tension can be increased, depending on suspenseful or dramatic moments in the story. Tension is there to evoke emotion in the audience. You've probably noticed it with movies. In romance writing, a tense moment denoting an unspoken chemistry is often utilized. Even if the characters don't act on it, there are internal and external cues that make it obvious. Tension is used in mystery stories as well, sometimes to create a sense of dread. As aforementioned, we continue to experience tension when a character who has a goal gets thwarted by obstacles here or there. It is a simple way to add tension over time. Obviously, you can add more tension, if there is danger or by creating an immediacy to each scenario.

Here's a real-life situation we can all identify with: You need to buy groceries, but your weekly check got delayed. Do you ask a relative for a loan to tide you over, or try something else? Then...oh, great. The washer broke, so you are forced to go to the laundromat to get your laundry done.

Photo by Jeremy Sallee on Unsplash.

Well, that just made a bad day even worse. So, what actions can you take to resolve these issues?

That was rhetorical, but I think you understand the immediacy of the problem.

Writer Tip: Create ways to heighten tension for your character, or add a sense of dread for the audience. Perhaps the character is spying on someone because he needs to know the truth, but is afraid he will get caught. Write about the physical sensations he might experience. Also, what is he thinking?

Photo by Nourdine Diouane on Unsplash.

All of this will add tension for readers and they'll feel more invested in your character. Infuse a sense of urgency, so that the reader is squirming to learn what happens next.

21. U for Unreliable Narrator (or Reliable Narrator, diversely) - Reliability, or the lack thereof, is a way of measuring and declaring the quality of a story or its characters. Common sense can't hurt, either, at least with regards to a writer using it to make connections about how an individual will react to a specific situation.

Writer Tip: Write about a character who is believable, more like a real person, with flaws, strengths, and internal conflicts, rather than a typical archetype you might often see in a certain genre or in a movie.

Photo by Ria Sopala on Pixabay.

Just make sure you cover yourself legally if you decide to base a character on someone you actually know or anyone in the public eye. Change the name and a few other details (their appearance and background). You still want to keep your friends, after all. Besides, you certainly wouldn't want to get sued over a defamatory statement.

For myself, I never base my characters on anyone in particular. I just offer the necessary information and let the reader's imagination fill in the rest. They probably all see the characters in different ways, at least until they get a look at the book cover, right? ;)

22. V for Voice - This is a fancy term for discussing a writer's individual approach to storytelling. It's basically their style. Every writer has a voice, and it eventually shows up in a manuscript. Most editors are smart enough to avoid messing with voice. There's also 'passive voice' versus 'active voice' when it comes to grammar. It's a separate thing entirely, and that has more to do with word choice and rephrasing.

Writer Tip: If you're worried that you haven't quite found your unique writing voice yet, don't be. You'll come into it naturally over time, especially with increased writing practice.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash.

23. W for Writer - Someone who naturally gravitates to the art of writing novels, stories, poems, essays, or is even a blogger at heart. Other people prefer journaling. No matter the medium, a writer is a unique blend of crazy, creative, ambitious, and numerous other qualities that it takes to pursue his or her goals.

Writer Tip: Never lose the joy of writing. Always remember where you started and why it feels so perfect to let the muse take over, how much freedom you feel when you're in the writing zone.

24. X for X-ray - An extra pair of eyes couldn't hurt, at least to help out with proofreading your manuscript. ;)

Writer Tip: If you're looking for a proofreader or editor, don't ask a family member to read your book. Unless your cousin is a whiz kid at grammar, that's different. But this is a very tender stage for a writer, and you can either expect people to tell you what you want to hear, or the worst criticism you've ever encountered. You don't want that from your nearest and dearest. It's best to select an impartial party, someone who doesn't know you completely, and can separate their feelings from the bigger picture.

Photo by Anne Karakash on Pixabay.

You need REAL feedback - constructive criticism, someone who is willing to tell you what works and what doesn't. Hire an editor. Find a proofreader. Look for critique partners you can trust. Use beta readers. All of these people serve a different purpose, and can help to shape your manuscript into something you'd be proud to show the public.

25. Y for YOU - There is only one 'you', and you're the one directing your story.

Photo by Adi Goldstein on Unsplash.

Writer Tip: Without you, the tale goes nowhere. Your vision will keep the plot going, and the characters will eventually find a home with your readers. You know your story best. The creative train doesn't shift without you, as the writer, who puts in all the work to keep this engine moving.

26. Z for Zest - A little pizazz or unique flair.

Writer Tip: Throw in some zest. Use your own blend of spices. Write on a topic or create a story that moves you. Go for what you feel passionate about.

There are so many more terms and phrases which we use in the industry. This was just a sampling, my take on what is significant at the moment, as well as some related writing tips. I hope it all helped! ;)

Photo by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay.

Blogger Bio

Multi-genre author of Victorian maritime romance/family saga, Heiresses in Love, and 18 other books. Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and two cats. She has been writing for a little over twenty-five years, with more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Since 2010, Marie has published 21 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, romantic comedy, dramatic fiction, fantasy, science fiction, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. An avid blogger on the side, she writes adult fiction, as well as occasional stories for children, and has recently started some young adult fiction. She also contributed to several anthologies. Though Marie has standalone titles on the market, her current published series are The Eternal Hearts Series, The Magick Series, The Code of Endhivar Series, The Misfits Series, The Blood at First Sight Series, and The Heiresses in Love Series. but she has many others planned. Her Victorian maritime romance sequels are returning, and the second editions of the trilogy will be released soon under her new publisher, Foundations Books. Discover more about her and her work at the following links.
List of Links:
https://linktr.ee/marielavender1

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age book spotlight here.

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Seven Ways to Recover Your Writing Motivation by Marie Lavender

9/17/2021

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7 Ways to Recover Your Writing Motivation:
an admin article by Marie Lavender

There are times when life just gets in the way. At the least, the chaos of it can interfere with a writer's creativity. Getting caught in the daily grind will sap a writer of his or her energy over time, eventually leading to that dreaded situation we call 'writer's block'.

Big life events can sometimes block your creative juices. Whether the dilemma comes from grief from losing a family member, significant depression, or just a general malaise after being too busy, all of these might contribute to an artist feeling like there's just no point to writing. Or, that they can no longer get things going on their own. One would consider the Covid crisis a serious motivator, but for some of us...that just didn't happen.

Yet, it is not a weakness to ask for help, at any time. There are numerous resources that can refuel your creativity, to try to get you back on the right path.

No matter which genre you usually love to write, if you're desperate to regain that motivation you used to have, some options are within reach. I will list several below.

1. Take a Break.

Jonnelle Yankovich, Unsplash.

If you're stuck on a certain scene or chapter of your work in progress, perhaps it's best to get some much needed distance and gain a little perspective. Go for a nature walk. The solution will come to you in time.

Another option would be to switch projects, even focus on another story for a while just so that you're not wracking your brain with limited results.

2. Do Writing Exercises.

If you've taken any writing workshops or classes (even if you're a self-taught writer), you are probably familiar with this approach. And at this point, it might even seem a bit sophomoric. But I would urge you to go always go back to the basics if you're struggling with writer's block. It's not that you've forgotten how writing works. That's just not possible. No, it's more important to keep an open mind, to consider different ways of thinking if you intend to regain your writing motivation.

By using an option such a writing prompt, you're retraining your fingers to write based on an idea which is given to you rather than going after a project you came up with in the first place. You're actually letting those creative juices flow instead of getting all bogged down in the notion that there is an end goal to it, such as publication. In all likelihood, most writing exercises are for your benefit alone. Maybe now and then, you'll find a snippet you can use for a future project. But this is more to practice writing, to get your head out of the game. Stop thinking and start writing. See where it takes you. You might be surprised at what comes out of a writing prompt. Or maybe you would like to take a writing class. In any case, I hope you find the joy for writing again. So I would suggest that any writer have a journal on hand, even if all you do is write down the random things that you think about.

There are other types of writing exercises as well - brainstorming, freewriting, and the list just goes on. Do various approaches, and stay open to trying different mediums or genres. If you usually write fiction, write an essay one day. Or write a poem. Doing something so out of the ordinary may make you uncomfortable, but keep in mind that other people likely won't see it, so you don't need to feel exposed. The point here is that you're trying something new, which opens your mind further and helps you regain your writing motivation.

Use these links below to learn more about some exercises you can do to jumpstart your creativity again.
www.pw.org/writing-prompts-exercises
thewritepractice.com/short-story-ideas/
blog.reedsy.com/short-story-ideas/
blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/general/
www.servicescape.com/blog/301-short-story-ideas-guaranteed-to-kick-your-writing-into-high-gear
www.odysseyworkshop.org/writing-tips/
blog.prepscholar.com/creative-writing-prompts
getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/writing-prompts-60-ideas-you-can-use-today

Jazmin Quaynor, Unsplash.

3. Start a Writing Schedule.

I know this sounds rather ambitious, especially when you're suffering from writer's block. But it does help to schedule a slot which is dedicated to your writing. Even if all you do is freewrite a bunch of nonsense or only focus on the research portion of your project, you will feel a greater sense of accomplishment by checking this one off your weekly list.

Try to schedule in at least some writing time. Experiment to determine which time of the day best fits your life, and especially your creativity. Perhaps you feel more of a spark in the evening. Or maybe it comes in the morning after your first cup of coffee. Some of you have probably done this before. Assume nothing. It is okay if your preferred time has changed after so many years. Whichever works for you, go for it.

Can't do it twice a week? No problem. Try for once per week, at a twenty-minute sprint. Don't push yourself too much if you're not ready yet.

Kelly Sikkema, Unsplash.

4. Break It Down and Battle Your Fear.

Pare your project down into much smaller, more manageable tasks. This works for other parts of your life as well. Sometimes looking at the bigger picture can overwhelm you, which hinders rather than helps.

If I'm in the writing zone, the last thing I want to do is to look up all the finer details of a character's career or life. Instead, I jot down a few notes in parentheses. That way, I know to go back later and do some research. Unless those little facets which you need to fill in motivate you to write more (some historical photographs can be motivating for a historical writer, for instance), make a note to look it up at a future time, perhaps after the bulk of your writing is done. The muse will thank you, I promise.

But let's focus on the smaller tasks. How can we avoid letting fear paralyze us into a standstill? That's right. Some of writer's block is caused by fear of the unknown, or fear that we're not good enough. We must stop thinking of that project in terms of 'I need to finish my novel', but more along the lines of announcing these small, manageable details aloud. "Today, I will get one paragraph done on that scene I've been putting off." We also have to stop trying to be perfect. Don't edit right now, just write.

Wow...did you give yourself permission to write a paragraph? How about just a sentence? Whatever is possible for you that day, try it. If you're motivated to keep going, then write until you feel the taut string has broken. A spurt of creativity can be exhausting. It's time to rest and start all over again the next day. Or even next week. The key is to avoid placing so much pressure on yourself that you can't function. Ballooning too many goals as a writer can cause it to happen.

I tend to make lists, just to remind myself of what needs to be done. And once I've marked off two or three, I realize that I'm actually making more progress than I realized.

Goxy Photography, Unsplash.

Try to celebrate each of those smaller tasks that you accomplish. Reward yourself if you can. Maybe by getting that paragraph - or even three - written, you have allowed yourself more time to go read a book for fun. And enjoying the simple pleasures in life will contribute to regaining your motivation in general.

5. Use Your Powers of Observation.

People-watching can be an inspiring pastime, and you don't have to be a stalker in the process. Covertly observing others, perhaps when you're at a coffee shop or shopping in a mall or grocery store, can offer numerous rewards. You will learn about how people actually talk and behave. Therefore, you can add these fascinating details to your story. Casually listen in on conversations - without being creepy, of course. Just observe the way people act, their gestures, and especially any emotions. Maybe they become more elated while talking about something which excites them. Or they raise their voice when they're angry. Little details such as these can inform your manuscript, and it can't hurt to make a note of them.

Try a writing exercise...

Take a conversation you heard or at least that person's behavior, and write a small scene about it. To avoid any awkwardness, you should probably pick something you noticed about a stranger. Describe everything in full detail. See where it takes you next.

6. Don't Be So Stubborn.

Try not to assume you know everything about the latest project you're obsessed with. Maybe what blocked you in the first place is a major plot hole, or you just don't know enough about your main characters to see beyond the spot where you stopped writing. Do some brainstorming to see where else the story can go from here. List possible scenarios. Listen to your characters, see what they're telling you. I find that helps immensely. Maybe the main character is trying to pull you in a specific direction. I am often not fully in control of the whole story, and I know to keep an open mind.

Just don't get bogged down in the 'what if?' syndrome. Trust your gut and your characters.

In any case, I often found that most of my bouts of writer's block had more to do with getting in my own way. And that can be debilitating. It's especially tough when your stubbornness has more to do with those little insecurities we don't like to think about.

"I can't write because I don't know what I'm doing."

Who does? We all start from scratch with writing, and learn along the way.

"I can't write because this genre is too new to me, and readers will notice that."

So? Don't think about the end product right now. Just get the story out. If you really feel blocked, do some research about the genre to give yourself a little background, then try all over again.

"I can't write because I don't have the time."

Make the time, even if it's five minutes out of your all-too-busy schedule.

The truth is that you're making excuses, and letting the dumb devil on your shoulder do all the talking. Get out of your own way, and jump into the story. Let your fingers write with your favorite pen, or just type without any pressure. Don't even think about where it's all supposed to go. Focus on the task at hand. Eventually, you'll get to the next page, and then the next, and so on and so forth.

7. Practice, Practice, Practice.

Keep practicing with writing prompts or other techniques (or use the story ideas you currently have) off and on until it becomes old hat, until those random ideas for scenes or books start popping back into your head again. Don't focus on just one yet, at least until you're ready to go full force into it. And you'll know when it's time to return to your manuscript, unless you already have. The trick here is to try to recover your passion for writing again.

If you're still at a loss, I'll throw out another writing prompt here.

You discover your new neighbor is actually from another planet. How did you find out, and what will you do next? Use first person or third person point-of-view. Feel free to write a story, an essay, a poem, or whatever medium you like to answer this prompt. Add the piece to your journal. Wait a week, then go back and reread it to see if you notice anything worth saving for a story idea.

Hope that helps! :)

Feeling stuck? Consider the aforementioned solutions to bring back your writing mojo.

Blogger Bio

Multi-genre author of Victorian maritime romance/family saga, Heiresses in Love, and 18 other books. Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and two cats. She has been writing for a little over twenty-five years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Since 2010, Marie has published 21 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, romantic comedy, dramatic fiction, fantasy, science fiction, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. An avid blogger on the side, she writes adult fiction, as well as occasional stories for children, and has recently started some young adult fiction. She also contributed to several anthologies. Though Marie has standalone titles on the market, her current published series are The Eternal Hearts Series, The Magick Series, The Code of Endhivar Series, The Misfits Series, The Blood at First Sight Series, and The Heiresses in Love Series. but she has many others planned. Her Victorian maritime romance sequels are returning, and the second editions of the trilogy will be released soon under her new publisher, Foundations Books. Discover more about her and her work at the following links.

List of Links:

https://linktr.ee/marielavender1

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age book spotlight here.

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6 Methods to Find Your Own Unique Writing Style by Joel Foster

9/6/2021

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Six Methods to Find Your Own Unique Writing Style:

a guest post by Joel Foster

Writing does not come easy to many people, and it can be hard to write down thoughts on paper. As prolific writer Stephen King said, “The scariest moment is always just before you start.”

For extra inspiration, we highly recommend any writer reads On Writing by Stephen King. Many of his films can also be watched online to get a collective taste of his style of plot writing.

Where to start is always the biggest hurdle writers face. As you begin, set the intention to write in your own voice as if you are speaking to someone instead of writing.

In this article, we’ve put together some methods that will help anyone find their unique writing style.

Write about What You Know

The best way to finesse your own unique way of writing is to write about something you know well. It can be about a hobby, work, friends, or anything you are knowledgeable about.

Write about subjects that you know best. You won't have to research the topic, and the words will flow from your mind to the paper. This way of writing ensures that your voice will be the only one in the article.

You can use this as practice until you find your own writing style. Just like we all don’t speak the same way, we don’t all have the same voice when we write. When writing about a hobby, pick a very specific part of that hobby and write about it in detail.

Photo by Rirri on Unsplash

Write about Experiences

Writing about experiences is another excellent way to practice writing and finding a unique writing style. Pick any experience from your life and write about it. It can be a non-fictional account of something you experienced with all of the details.

It can also be turned into a creative fictional story. Just by picking an experience from your past, you can embellish the story, add characters and write what you feel. When it comes to writing, imagination can be a powerful tool.

Many successful fiction writers take parts of their life experiences to use in their creative writing. Use people that you have known and use them in your stories. For example, J.K. Rowling based Professor Snape after a chemistry teacher she had in school years before she wrote the Harry Potter series.

man looking through microscrope credit to photographer Lucas Vasques on Unsplash

Photo by Lucas Vasques on Unsplash

Describe a Scene

Everyone sees a scene or a picture differently. Write about a scene outside the window, or find an image and describe it in your own words. Describing a scene or picture helps you find your own unique way of writing.

picture of a path in a park with an overhang of large trees source credit photographer Pat Whelen on Unsplash

Photo by Pat Whelen on Unsplash

A picture might evoke different memories or emotions in each person. When a writer describes a picture or scene, that person's emotions and memories will be a part of the description. Make it as descriptive as possible. The better the description, the more a unique writing style will emerge.

Talk in Your Writing

Writing should be just like talking to someone. Just because it is a written work doesn’t mean the tone of vocabulary has to be changed. When you write about your experiences or describing something, write about it as if you were explaining it to someone sitting across the table from you.

group of friends sitting at a table talking in a restaurant source credit photographer Jessica Da Rosaon Unsplash

Photo by Jessica Da Rosa on Unsplash

Write as if you were talking to a friend. You wouldn’t talk down to them, be dull or feel you have to use complex vocabulary for the sake of it. The narrative would be descriptive. Most people don’t talk to a friend or a group of people using big words that have to be looked up in a dictionary. And writing should be the same way.

Freewriting

Freewriting is sitting down and writing whatever comes to mind. It can be fiction or nonfiction. The point of this exercise is to sit down and write. Most writers like to set a time limit, but other writers write until they finish their thoughts. Those that use a timer use freewriting as a warm-up, before more focused writing. Freewriting can be done every day. A great resource is Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, which encourages a practice called Morning Pages where you freewrite in the morning as a way to unlock creativity.

picture of a young woman writing in her journal on her bed likely in the morning light source credit photographer Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash

Photo by Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash

Writers use this freewriting technique to come up with new inspirations and ideas. What you write can be as crazy as you like. It’s amazing how many new ideas can come out of this exercise! Freewriting is usually fast since there is no pre-planned topic to write about, just what comes to mind.

Freewriting is also an excellent way to overcome writer’s block. There is no need to worry about grammar or spelling. When finished, look over what was written. There could be nuggets of gold in there! Or, you might find you like the way you've used certain words in sentences. Using free writing will help writers find their own unique style of writing.

Read Out Loud

Reading your work out loud is much better than just seeing the words on paper. You will hear your style of writing and how you formed the sentences and the words you use. When you hear something you don’t like, change it until you do.

By hearing your words, you will learn to recognize what sounds good and what doesn’t. Experiment with different sentences, phrases and words. This is how to develop a unique writing style. Read books to see how other writers have developed their own particular style of writing. Some of the best writers are also avid book readers.

Guest Blogger Bio

Joel is a freelance writer who writes about entertainment, novels, technology, business and film.

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age blog article here.

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How to Make Your Characters Believable by Stefan Vucak

7/26/2013

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How to Make Your Characters Believable:

a guest post by Stefan Vucak

People are quirky, unpredictable, emotional, and often cannot be relied upon. Governed by the environment within which they live, knowledge accumulated over years of learning, whether formal or through personal endeavor, and simply interacting with others, an individual is a complex matrix of what it means to be human. Above all things, people are self-centered, always looking for that angle which will make them come ahead—that quick fix to bypass the necessary hard work in-between. That’s why we gamble.

Standing on a busy street corner, waiting for the lights to change so I can cross, I am bemused by the sight of pedestrians hurrying, dawdling, or completely distracted with faces buried in a smart phone crossing the other way. There are tall people, skinny ones, some not so, Caucasian, Asian; all sorts. Some are wearing smiles, while others scowl, and there are those who seem to be stooped like they are bearing the load of the world on their shoulders. The teens skip gaily, chatting to each other and laughing, looking on us oldsters as incomprehensible cubes, wondering what all the fuss is about.

So, what’s with the philosophical sideline? Believe it or not, there is a point. Purse your lips and ask yourself if you have really looked at a stranger lately, and simply from his appearance tried to work out his personality, social status, mannerisms, identifying marks? If you can see them, does he have brown eyes or blue ones or green? Is his face round, square, long, gaunt, plump? Does he walk with confident strides or is he hesitant, his eyes darting suspiciously as he pushes through the crowd? Is he carrying anything? If so, what is it? Does it help you identify him? On an instinctive level, do you like him or do the hairs on the back of your neck tingle at the sight of him?

Are you starting to get the broader picture? Do you observe people or does the mass of humanity simply slide past your consciousness as you hurry across the street, your mind focused on whatever it is you need to do? Finishing that chapter you’ve been struggling with, perhaps? The struggle caused because your main character, and maybe the whole cast, is somewhat two-dimensional, a nobody, and you cannot quite figure out why? Then again, you might be thinking: I don’t need to describe my characters; the story is good enough to carry them. You could be right. You could also be wrong, you know.

Deciding how to portray characters in your writing can be a contributing factor in producing a great book, or something that’s okay for a once off read. Every book has two basic components: action sequences and characters who do the action or have action done unto them. Many books rely on action alone, and some do it with superb craftsmanship. Others get into a character’s mind and never let you leave it. That can be entertaining and enthralling—if done well. But how can you tell whether your characters are genuinely alive and real? Simple, really. Think of a recent book you have read and ask yourself this. Do the characters stand out? If so, why? Or are they cardboard cutouts who cannot utter a coherent sentence? It is an instinctive thing anyone can spot. Unfortunately, many writers can spot it in someone else’s book, but are unable to see it in their own writing.

All right, how do you make your characters believable? Before you even start writing that epic, you need a detailed outline, a story skeleton on which you’ll hang the words. Part of writing that outline will require that you line up your cast and stare at them, then pick those that will star in your book. Think of a casting director for a movie. Your cast will be determined by the type of book you are writing. Is it a love story, a techno thriller, a murder mystery, a convoluted spy thriller, a tearjerker? Are you looking for action men, sleuths, hard-boiled gumshoes, sleazy womanizers, or just mean guys? What does this process do for you? Whether you realize it or not, and you should, you are taking a first step toward making your characters believable. You are thinking of them as individuals with personalities.

To make every member of your cast a living person, you need a police profile that goes something like this:

- Height

- Weight

- Complexion

- What color eyes

- Does he chomp his food, or is he a dainty gentleman

- Does he swear

- What is his normal behavior: tense, relaxed, awkward, sharp…

- Special mannerisms, use of phrases, habits…

I think you are starting to get the idea. Why such a profile you might ask? For one thing, it will crystallize that character in your own mind. Whenever you write about him, the character will always behave consistently, true to himself. Any deviation will not be looked on favorably by your readers. There is nothing more irritating than reading on one page the character is five foot ten, and later, he is six feet two, or something like that. You may never employ all of the character’s profile in the book, so why bother? What this does is makes the character live, which is the important thing. He becomes a close friend, or an enemy. You will like him or you won’t. Either way, you will know this character, and so will your readers. If someone asks you to describe your sister, brother, mother or friend, you can readily spew out the words with hardly a pause. In the same way, you must be able to handle your characters in your writing.

Remember that cardboard cutout? He is a cutout simply because the writer doesn’t know him. He is a complete stranger, and he comes across as such to readers. That’s all there is to it. Well, there is a bit more, of course. That more being the dialogue.

You cannot handle a novel with a character not having to say anything—unless he is a Robinson Crusoe. Since there are no more unoccupied coral islands where someone can get away from it all and clam up, your characters will have to say something sometime. What they say and how they say it will go a long way toward making them real and believable, or two-dimensional cutout dummies. Some writers can handle dialogue with natural skills, while others agonize. How do you master dialogue? Grab one of your favorite books and check the dialogue. Why do you like it, and does your dialogue come anywhere close? If not, what can you do about it? That’s simple, but involves some sweat on your part. You are a writer, right? So, practice writing dialogue until it becomes second nature. Never mind about what, just write. Think of the last conversation you had with someone and write the ensuing dialogue. When you read it, does every aspect of that episode come through? And I am not talking only about what was said, but how it was said, what emotion was displayed, gestures, tone of voice, hidden meanings. If what you have written doesn’t match your memory, you obviously haven’t got it right. Give the piece to the person you had the conversation with and get his feedback.

If you have read this far, you are right to point out that there is much more to making your characters believable, but I hope I got you thinking and looking at your characters in a new light. By the way, get a professional editor to go over your writing. An impartial pair of eyes can do wonders for your novel.

Guest Blogger Bio

Stefan is an award-winning author of eight techno sci-fi novels, including With Shadow and Thunder which was a 2002 EPPIE finalist. His Shadow Gods Saga books have been highly acclaimed by critics. His political thriller, Cry of Eagles, won the coveted 2011 Readers Favorite silver medal award, and his All the Evils was the 2013 prestigious Eric Hoffer contest finalist.

Stefan leveraged a successful career in the Information Technology industry and applied that discipline to create realistic, highly believable storylines for his books. Born in Croatia, he now lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Website: http://www.stefanvucak.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StefanVucak

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stefanvucak

Shadow Gods Saga: Series Link

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age blog article here.

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Book Review Etiquette by Paula Hrbacek

7/5/2013

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Book Review Etiquette

Authors can’t sell books without reviews. Especially now that a lot of authors are going the self-published route, book reviews are crucial elements that authors seek and crave. Well, good reviews are craved.

Recently, there has been a trend for readers to post reviews before they have even read the book.

A fellow author recently received the following ONE star review: "I did not read it I just downloaded it," says Raebeth Buda, author of ‘Silenced’ and host of the Writing World web site. “Last year I also got a ONE star review that said, 'I haven't read it yet, I will leave a review when I do.' They have yet to review it. That star has been sitting there hurting my rating ever since. And with only 10 ratings on that particular site, it hurts a LOT.”

It hurts the author because most book review sites give an average star rating, figuring all the reviews into one score. It’s like getting straight A’s all semester, and then getting one F that pulls your grade average down to a C.

“It seems like common sense, but I think more people need to be aware of how much needless one star reviews can hurt. It's great you bought the book, [and] it's great you intend to review it. But leaving a one star 'placeholder' hurts the author much more than leaving no review at all,” Buda says.

Stars on a book review are pretty much equal to the five point grading system used in schools. A five star rating is the same as an A on an essay. It means you thoroughly enjoyed the book. Four stars means the book was enjoyable, but had a few faults. A three star rating means the book barely passed. Anything below three stars warns other readers to pass the book by and buy something else. A one star rating means the author should not have published the book in the first place.

When writing a review for a book, the reader should give a summary of the story to let the next reader know what the subject of the book is about. It also lets the reader know that the reviewer did in fact read the book. It should then point out the book’s virtues and weaknesses. Is it well paced? Does the plot make sense? Are the clues foreshadowed, or does the answer appear out of nowhere? Are the characters believable and likeable? Is it well researched?

The conclusion of the review then gives an overall reaction to the book: it was a pleasant read, it was a page turner, I couldn’t put it down, I highly recommend the book, I can’t wait for the next one. The conclusion of the review should not be what is called a 'spoiler': the butler did it. It’s acceptable to say that the ending was surprising, but not to say what the surprise actually was.

So, please, write your reviews, but follow the rules and format of a good review. Even if your opinion is bad, every review posted should be good in quality, helpful to other readers, and a true reflection of the reader’s opinions.

Guest Blogger Bio

Paula Hrbacek is the author of five books, including Stars Shine After Dark, a sweet Christian romance, available in paperback, Kindle and Nook.

Day Camp in Hawaii, a complete program guide for summer camp or summer school, is available in paperback, Nook and Kindle. For more information see http://paulahrbacek.weebly.com or her author page at https://www.amazon.com/author/paulahrbacek.

She also writes two columns for The Examiner, a free online newspaper; Children’s Arts and Crafts, and Book Reviews.

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=104609576&locale=en_US&trk=tyah2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulaHrbacek?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paula-Hrbacek/199054570166688?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PHrbacek

Universal Amazon link: mybook.to/DayCampHawaii

Also in paperback at B&N.

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age blog article here.

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Reflections on Shameless Ambition by Robert Fanshaw

6/27/2013

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**Hi, readers! Today we have Robert Fanshaw with us and he is going to give us his reflections on his recently published romantic suspense book, Shameless Ambition.**

Marie's post (May 3rd) - the relationship between reality and writing - made some new connections for me. I believe good writing has an underlying, but sometimes hidden, connection with reality, whatever the story or subject.

My work as a barrister means that I am dealing day to day with clumsy attempts to pin down reality. If something gets as far as going to court, the eventual outcome, the decision of the judge, becomes ‘the truth’. But anyone who has spent a lot of time in court will tell you that the outcome depends more on the balance of forces than the holy grail of what really happened. The little guy or gal doesn’t often win. If they do, it’s because their representatives have woven a convincing story. This is why I find there’s a synergy between my job in the legal system and my work as a writer.

Like most writers, I do it for love. Psychologists would probably say that Shameless Ambition is a transparent attempt to get more of my wife Caroline’s attention. The legal work funds my real passion, and I am as grateful for that as any humble artist who relies on a sponsor to keep food on the table and a roof over their head. I love all kinds of writing. I’m not a poet, but I get great satisfaction when a poem materialises from somewhere.

I love the freedom of the blog: no deadline but your own; no rules but your own; no financial transaction involved; not necessarily even any readers. But it is so wonderful when someone is intrigued by the story and asks a question like ‘Is your wife really called Caroline?’ Readers know that events are reordered or condensed, names are changed, and imagination fills in the gaps, but they are also looking for underlying truth in anything they read.

By the way, the answer is ‘Yes’ because I cannot think of her by any other name, except Bluebell, the name she adopts when her exhibitionist tendencies come to the fore. We went for a walk in the woods near our home in Surrey the other day. There was more than a hint of blue under the greening trees, the bluebells having decided the freeze has passed and it is now safe to reach for the sky.

A simple walk, but it encapsulated the pleasure and pain of our relationship because, although not a word was spoken about Erik, we both knew that her ‘stage name’ came from an affair she re-kindled not long before we were married. She met an old flame and they made love amongst the bluebells. I found out. She said it didn’t mean anything but I was jealous just the same and the mere mention of Erik’s name is enough to put me in a bad mood. Unfortunately he won a prestigious prize with a series of paintings based on the photo sketches he made of Caroline.

But the tone of Shameless Ambition is not, I hope, jealous. Caroline and I have a modern marriage and work on our boundaries all the time. I try to put that across in the book. Things might hurt, we might be embarrassed by our own behaviour, but you have to learn and move on. There’s no point in throwing the Botticelli Venus out with the gilded frame. Yes, Caroline really does have long red hair like on the cover of the book.

And without giving too much away, I do have my moments of triumph in the book. Caroline’s involvement with a plot to influence a key committee in the European Central Bank required some investigative work on my part. I was able to put my legal training to good use.

Returning to the issue of underlying truth, it has been said to me that some of the events described in the book are far-fetched. I think those people cannot have been reading the newspapers because the reported behaviour of some bankers, politicians, and business leaders over the years leading up to the current economic turmoil in Europe makes one shake one’s head in disbelief. My account is moderate in comparison.

Marie describes in her post (May 3^rd) the joy of writing. I recognise that joy, and for me, it’s also therapeutic. Is it an escape from reality or an escape into reality? No reason why it can’t be both, simultaneously. There are times waiting in airports or sleepless at night when it’s great to escape into another reality. My goal as a writer is to make that journey into another reality as easy as possible for the reader. I don’t want anything to jar. I want things to happen at the right speed. I try to give the minimum amount of descriptive detail consistent with teleporting the reader to another place. I want the characters to surprise, engage, and entertain the reader as much as they do me. But keep your hands off Caroline, please.

**Robert is also treating us to a blurb and an extract from Shameless Ambition.**

Blurb

High-flying executive Caroline and barrister Robert have been married for three years, and the demands of work have left little time for their relationship. Caroline is angling for a promotion, which will mean spending more time away in Germany. On a management development course in Spain, Caroline is tempted into indiscretions with some of her colleagues, a fact that is noticed by course leader and former chief executive Melody Bigger.

Melody sees in Caroline aspects of her younger self and a barely suppressed exhibitionism. She draws Caroline into a plot to put pressure on Von Wolfswinkle, the German delegate to the European Central Bank. His opposition to Eurobonds is causing hardship across southern Europe, and Caroline is inveigled into a peculiar relationship with Von Wolfswinkle based on his voyeurism and her exhibitionism. Melody wants Caroline to influence the banker’s recommendations to the forthcoming European economic summit.

As Caroline is drawn into a seedy world of private parties for bankers and politicians, she soon realises she has damaged her reputation and her marriage. How will she ever be able to face her colleagues and her husband again?

Extract

Caroline and work colleague Clive have been partnered in an orienteering exercise designed to develop leadership skills. Unfortunately, they get lost by a mountain stream…

Clive inspected his bleeding hand. “You may as well take them off. A few minutes on one of these rocks and they’ll be dry again. And in any case, if it’s not impolite of me to notice, the water has made them transparent.”

“I’m glad to see you’re living up to your reputation, Clive.” Nonetheless, she wriggled out of the wet underwear, and he did the same with his shorts.

“Well it’s not as if I haven’t had the pleasure of observing your features before.”

“What features?”

“Last night, in the pool. I sent you a message complimenting you on the performance. Don’t you check your emails?”

Caroline shut her eyes in the hope of shutting out this new piece of information. She decided denial was the best policy.

“Clive, you are an utter pervert. What have you been imagining?”

“I will show you exactly what I have been imagining.” He delved into the rucksack for his notepad and whizzed his fingers across the screen a few times. He passed her the pad and she was mortified to see a crystal clear video clip of a naked woman pointing her ring finger at the camera and then using the finger to good effect.

“The resolution on these new pads is amazing. And the camera even has a zoom.” He demonstrated the camera’s features with a close-up of Caroline’s face at the moment of abandon.

“You will delete this – this minute – or it’s going in the pool.” He tried to grab it off her but she held the pad out of reach.

“Caroline. What are you suggesting? I would never show this to anyone but you. It’s solely for my own private use.”

“You heard me – in the pool. Tell me how to delete it.”

He showed her how to get the toolbar up and how to send the film to the bin.

“And now tell me how to empty the bin.”

“Oh Caroline, don’t be such a spoilsport. You’re just denying an important, lovely part of yourself.”

“No, I’m not. I’m trying to protect my reputation from two billion creeps like you.”

“Okay, okay, collapse that screen – there’s the bin icon. Press delete again. Gone.”

Clive put the electronic pad back in the rucksack and leaned across Caroline, unnecessarily she thought, to sit the bag upright in the shade of rock. Did he deliberately brush against her breast?

“I really admire you, Caroline. Not just because you’re lying there naked. I love the way you deal with Ivan at the monthly meetings. You’re always so well prepared. He makes the rest of us look stupid but you seem to have anticipated the tricky questions he’s going to ask.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.” Caroline smiled. She knew what Clive was like. But it was nice that someone noticed how much attention she paid to the monthly figures.

Clive turned towards her and propped himself up on his elbow. “You know, we would make a really good team. I’ve got this plan. In a couple of years’ time when the market for self-care has developed a bit, I’m going to set up my own company – our company if you like. Medical devices at home, aimed at the mass market of hypochondriacs who think they’re ill or are just about to be. I know I could make it work if I had someone like you to keep the cash flow tight and disciplined.”

Caroline continued to look up at the blue sky, feigning indifference. But she was enjoying the attention. It was so rare for anybody to be nice to her at work; usually it was moan, moan, moan.

Not discouraged, Clive placed a hand on her knee. “Just think about it for me, Caroline. These big companies just chew you up and spit you out. We would be free to do our own thing.” The hand moved up and stroked the inside of her thigh.

“Get off, Clive. I’m not that easy.”

“I know you’re not, Caroline. I’m just trying to give you what you want.”

“What I want? How do you know what I want?”

“Well – sex outdoors. You’re obviously an exhibitionist.”

“No I am not.”

“I bet you were Head Girl at school.”

“Yes, I was actually.”

“And you had the lead part in all the school plays?”

“No, not in every school play, once I was the director.”

Guest Blogger Bio

ROBERT FANSHAW

Robert is a barrister who specialises in commercial law. He began writing articles for law magazines but then discovered more interesting material in the world of business inhabited by his wife, Caroline. What started as a blog when his wife was away on business trips became the ongoing story of the dilemma faced by many working couples today – how to balance the competing demands of work, marriage, and supporting a football team.

Now in his mid-thirties, Robert lives in Surrey, England.

Website: http://www.mywifecaroline.com/

Blog: http://fanshawrobert.blogspot.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robert-Fanshaw/221928037948848?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertFanshaw

Purchase links for Shameless Ambition

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shameless-Ambition-ebook/dp/B00CL9G746/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367447106&sr=8-1&keywords=shameless+ambition

Steam eReads

http://steamereads.com.au/

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age blog article here.

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What Does It Take to Be a Writer? by KateMarie Collins

6/7/2013

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A simple question, but a complex answer.

First off, I’d like to thank Marie for allowing me to visit her blog today! My second novel is about to be released later this month, but you’ll learn all about that later.

Recently, a friend of mine asked a group of us to answer a question for her. Keep in mind, the group is a very talented gathering of people. And while most of us had had some success getting short stories published, I was the only one who’d made the leap to novels. She’d been mulling it over in her mind for a few months and couldn’t come up with an answer. Her question was this:

**“What does it take to be a writer?”**

My initial response to her was to ask her if she wanted to know what it took to be a writer or an author. I asked her this because there’s a difference. Anyone can write. My kids write every day at school, you’ve probably sent a dozen emails this week alone. Writing is not hard. Being an author, though, that’s a different story. Every author is a writer, but not every writer is an author. This is what I told her.

First, it takes courage. Tons of it. It's no easy thing to hit that send button. Confidence is good, but it comes with time. Courage is more important at the start.

Being willing to see errors when pointed out, and learn from them. There's a difference between an opinion and a valid crit. Sometimes, the opinions are understandable and you should change something. Other times, you're going to go with what you wrote originally. A crit, however, is different. That's a comment about something that really doesn't work (putting the wrong name of a city, for example), technical help (should be went to the store, not had to the store!), or helping you find the holes in your story. If you want to be an author, you have to get ready to have people tear your 'baby' to pieces.

Perseverance. It takes time. Time to get the contract (shall we play rejection letter lotto today? I've got lots of cards!), time for it to go from signing to release, time put into marketing (even the big Houses are going to expect you to do some), and time for readers to discover your book. Unless you've somehow got the name recognition already (Amanda Knox, Michael Jackson, a former President, or Brad Pitt), you will not get stellar sales out of the gate. It can take months, even years of concentrated effort to gain a loyal enough following that the royalty payments are going to buy you more than something to eat off the dollar menu at McDonalds.

Seriously, don't sweat the small stuff like adverb usage, tell vs. show, active vs. passive, and any of the two dozen so-called rules of good writing. Spelling, grammar, punctuation - as long as they're not blatantly bad, most EICs will look past that as something that can be easily corrected in editing/proofreading. As my wonderful late Big Brother told me, "Did it sell? Then it's good." The other stuff, eh, it's just guidelines. The story has to be engaging and grab the attention of the reader. I've read stories that followed 'the rules' - and rejected them because they were dry pieces of cardboard without any depth. Or made my eyeballs want to bleed.

An author's going to write, revise, cry, revise some more, and polish it within a millimeter of its life. A writer's going to slap something onto a piece of paper and call it good.

In the end, it’s your decision if you’re an author or a writer. Do the rewards outweigh the risks? Do you want to invest the time and work to market yourself? No one can make that decision for you.

Guest Blogger Bio

Born in the late 60's, KateMarie has lived most of her life in the Pacific NW. While she's always been creative, she didn't turn towards writing until 2008. She found a love for the craft. With the encouragement of her husband and two daughters, she started submitting her work to publishers. When she's not taking care of her family, KateMarie enjoys attending events for the Society for Creative Anachronism. The SCA has allowed her to combine both a creative nature and love of history. She currently resides with her family and three cats in what she likes to refer to as "Seattle Suburbia".

Twitter: @DaughterHauk

FB: http://www.facebook.com/pages/KateMarie-Collins/217255151699492

Blog: http://www.katemariecollins.wordpress.com

book cover for Mark of the Successor showing a mysterious woman in a cloak in the forest

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The Power of Names by Rebecca L. Frencl

5/31/2013

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“That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” I teach Romeo and Juliet to rather reluctant 8^th graders every year. I’ve collected enough materials to probably teach a college course on the play, but no matter what every year we pause at Juliet’s words here and talk about the power of names. I ask them to think about it. How much of their personality is connected to their names? Is Juliet right? Can we simply change someone’s name without it changing the person? My students and I don’t think so.

Look deeply into any mythology, particularly the mythology involving the Norse and Celts and we see the power of names so clearly. The Fae of the Celtic mythos kept their true names secret for if anyone knew their names they could be commanded. In Ursula K. LeGuin’s EarthSea series we see power tied to true names. Native Americans changed their names as they grew, preferring to refer to them as “use names” in some tribes. We too, in modern Western culture, change our names. How many of us cringe when we hear grandma call us by that nickname she gave us when we were little bits? I have a cousin who’s over 30 who many in the family still call “Juice.” Long story.

As authors, we know that the name of a character can be a very powerful characterization vehicle. Certain names have certain connotations. If we name a character Damien, there are certain images that go right along. Now, sometimes we like to throw those preconceptions for a loop, but we go into naming that character knowing he’s going to be up against some interesting preconceived notions. Character names also have to be true to the genre and time period. There’s nothing that throws me out of a book than a trendy modern name in a period piece. Above all, we need to like the name. If we don’t like the name or we don’t really see how the name fits the character, well then we can’t make our readers see it either.

Naming books too is an interesting and frustrating process. Just as a character’s moniker is the reader’s first impression of him or her, the title can very often make or break a sale. There are a lot of “rules” about titles. Many of them contradictory. Titles should only have six or fewer syllables—the shorter the title the more intriguing. Now, I admit you don’t want a title that scrolls across the entire book cover, but I don’t personally see anything wrong with longer titles. That being said, could “The Fellowship of the Ring” gotten a pass in today’s marketing world? Or would Tolkien have been told to shorten it up or at least “punch it up?” I’ve heard that a lot lately too. “Punch up that title!” What in heaven’s name does that actually mean? Make it shorter, catchier, or easier to remember?

I struggle with titles. My first novel “Ribbons of Moonlight,” a time travel romance was easy to name. It was inspired by a poem and the title was merely a rearranging of one of the common poetic images. That was a rare exception. When I’m writing a book, the file usually has some sort of single word working title. My next book, a fantasy, “The Shattered Prism” due out on June 17th from Solstice Publishing, was much more difficult to title. It had originally been called “Dark Rainbow’s End,” but I’d expanded the idea and it transformed from one novel into a trilogy. So, now, not only did I need three titles, I needed three titles that worked together and I already had one. I scribbled and scratched out about a dozen title ideas with rainbow or circle or star imagery in them. The book was finished, ready to be sent out, but I couldn’t because I wasn’t certain of the title! That’s one of the most frustrating feelings for a writer.

Unlike Juliet’s assertion that “Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection that he owes”, naming characters and books can be tricky. Coming up with the idea of the story, the problems the characters need to face and the end of it all can sometimes be child’s play compared to figuring out what to call the thing! Names and titles are a reader’s first impression and we all know that you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.

Guest Blogger Bio

When I was a kid growing up in the near Chicago suburbs, I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to teach and I wanted to write. I’d spend hours over the little typewriter Mom and Dad bought for me when I was little, clattering away at stories and plays I’d wheedle my cousins and brother into performing. I think I wrote my first “book” in 6^th grade and had a friend illustrate it for me. I never really looked back from there.

Now, I can say that I’ve achieved both of my goals. I’ve been teaching 8^th graders for more than 15 years, sharing my love of words with hundreds. I always tell my kids that it’s not that they don’t like to read; they just haven’t met the right book yet. I make it one of my missions in life to put those books into their hands.
My love of literature led to my debut Solstice novel. I’ve always loved poetry and “The Highwayman” has always been a personal favorite. I always thought there was more to that story and now there is.

So, here am I living—still living in the Chicago suburbs, a little further out than where I first started, but I can still see the skyline on my drive in to work. I married my high school prom date and we share a beautiful little girl, two spoiled hound dogs, a love of reading and all things Disney. Overall, I’m happy where I am, but I’m also looking forward to seeing what the next several years bring. Hopefully, it will bring me several more books on this author page!

http://rebeccalfrencl.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rebecca-L-Frencl/115163871892050?ref=hl

Universal Reader link: https://books2read.com/u/mZrrWR

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Changing Genres by Robin Leigh Morgan

5/24/2013

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Some of us who have chosen to write fiction come from a variety of places. And by 'a variety of places', I’m not referring to a physical location; I’m referring to our writing experiences.

There are some of us who have enjoyed writing since we were children, and each year, by writing something in school, it improved. For some of us, it continued until we graduated college and began working. Some of us entered the work force taking jobs, which required us to write, whether it was procedures, handbooks/manuals, or news stories. But all of these are non-fiction, and each one has a set of “rules” that need to be followed to write something well enough to be acceptable.

As for myself, while my regular job did not require me to write, for eleven years I wrote articles (commentaries/viewpoints) of what was happening in my community and my feelings about it. When I started to write these items, my writing skills were not honed. I didn’t have my ideas organized in a tight manner, although my writing had been informative. By the time I’d written my last item, I’d become quite adept at it.

When I started to write fiction, I somehow drifted to writing a contemporary romance story with a paranormal element running through the storyline, but after almost nine years I still hadn’t completed it. That is, until someone suggested I should write for a much younger audience, which is what I did, culminating in my first YA Paranormal/Time Travel/First Kiss romance novel entitled I Kissed a Ghost.

Anyway, making the transition from non-fiction to fiction, I’ve had to learn a new set of rules on how to write. Most of these involved dialogue, showing not telling, where before I just told. I now had to learn about the use of tags. I had to learn not to be overly descriptive of something, but allow my reader to create the image for themselves in their minds. In the beginning I found it hard to break my old writing habits. Now I’m finding myself with these habits essentially gone. The biggest issue I still have, and am trying to get a good handle on, is POV (Point of View). Regardless of what’s happening or being said it has to be in one character’s perspective, and you can’t flip-flop between two characters within a scene. There needs to be a transition from one character to another.

All these things have helped me mold myself into the author I am today. I’ve also learned there are additional rules within a genre, depending on the sub-genre you’ve decided to write in. These rules apply to the dialogue spoken, which needs to be true to the time period you’re writing in, as well as how your characters are dressed, and their titles, if any, as is the case with the Regency sub-genre of romance novels.

So as you can see, writing is not merely a string of words you put together. There are rules that need to be followed if you’re to be well received by your readers.

If you have any questions, I’d love to hear from you.

Guest Blogger Bio

I’m a retired NYC civil servant who has been married for 19 years with no children. We have two senior cats, a Maine Coon with diabetes, and a calico. My first YA Paranormal/Time Travel/First Kiss romance novel is entitled I Kissed a Ghost. For my second romance novel I’ve returned to writing the untitled contemporary romance I wrote about in my post.

I Kissed a Ghost is available on Amazon at:

http://www.amazon.com/Kissed-Ghost-Robin-Leigh-Morgan/dp/1480030031

Due to an unexpected delay the Kindle version should become available around May 13th.

If anyone would like to read several UNEDITED SNIPPETS from the book, you can find them under the category of “GHOSTLY WHISPERS” on any my blog sites:

http://www.mypennameonly.blogspot.com or http://www.mypennameonly.webs.com

You can also find me on:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mypennameonly

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mypennameonly

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/RobinLeighMorgan

Universal Reader Link:

books2read.com/u/4joAqD

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Writing in the Modern Age

Writing & Guest Author Blog

How to Avoid Author Burnout – 5 Tips: a guest post by Dave Chesson

Tip #1: Work Smarter, Not Harder

Tip #2: Schedule Time Off

Tip #3: Try the Pomodoro Technique

Tip #4: Go Ergonomic

Tip #5: Know When to Say No

Final Thoughts

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age book spotlight here.

Explore the A to Z's of Writing: an admin article by Marie Lavender

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age book spotlight here.

7 Ways to Recover Your Writing Motivation: an admin article by Marie Lavender

Blogger Bio

List of Links:

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age book spotlight here.

Six Methods to Find Your Own Unique Writing Style:

a guest post by Joel Foster

Writing does not come easy to many people, and it can be hard to write down thoughts on paper. As prolific writer Stephen King said, “The scariest moment is always just before you start.”

For extra inspiration, we highly recommend any writer reads On Writing by Stephen King. Many of his films can also be watched online to get a collective taste of his style of plot writing.

Where to start is always the biggest hurdle writers face. As you begin, set the intention to write in your own voice as if you are speaking to someone instead of writing.

In this article, we’ve put together some methods that will help anyone find their unique writing style.

Write about What You Know

The best way to finesse your own unique way of writing is to write about something you know well. It can be about a hobby, work, friends, or anything you are knowledgeable about.

Write about subjects that you know best. You won't have to research the topic, and the words will flow from your mind to the paper. This way of writing ensures that your voice will be the only one in the article.

You can use this as practice until you find your own writing style. Just like we all don’t speak the same way, we don’t all have the same voice when we write. When writing about a hobby, pick a very specific part of that hobby and write about it in detail.

Photo by Rirri on Unsplash

Write about Experiences

Writing about experiences is another excellent way to practice writing and finding a unique writing style. Pick any experience from your life and write about it. It can be a non-fictional account of something you experienced with all of the details.

It can also be turned into a creative fictional story. Just by picking an experience from your past, you can embellish the story, add characters and write what you feel. When it comes to writing, imagination can be a powerful tool.

Photo by Lucas Vasques on Unsplash

Describe a Scene

Everyone sees a scene or a picture differently. Write about a scene outside the window, or find an image and describe it in your own words. Describing a scene or picture helps you find your own unique way of writing.

Photo by Pat Whelen on Unsplash

A picture might evoke different memories or emotions in each person. When a writer describes a picture or scene, that person's emotions and memories will be a part of the description. Make it as descriptive as possible. The better the description, the more a unique writing style will emerge.

Talk in Your Writing

Writing should be just like talking to someone. Just because it is a written work doesn’t mean the tone of vocabulary has to be changed. When you write about your experiences or describing something, write about it as if you were explaining it to someone sitting across the table from you.

Photo by Jessica Da Rosa on Unsplash

Freewriting

Photo by Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash

Writers use this freewriting technique to come up with new inspirations and ideas. What you write can be as crazy as you like. It’s amazing how many new ideas can come out of this exercise! Freewriting is usually fast since there is no pre-planned topic to write about, just what comes to mind.

Read Out Loud

Reading your work out loud is much better than just seeing the words on paper. You will hear your style of writing and how you formed the sentences and the words you use. When you hear something you don’t like, change it until you do.

Guest Blogger Bio

Joel is a freelance writer who writes about entertainment, novels, technology, business and film.

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age blog article here.

How to Make Your Characters Believable:

a guest post by Stefan Vucak

To make every member of your cast a living person, you need a police profile that goes something like this:

- Height

- Weight

- Complexion

- What color eyes

- Does he chomp his food, or is he a dainty gentleman

- Does he swear

- What is his normal behavior: tense, relaxed, awkward, sharp…

- Special mannerisms, use of phrases, habits…

Remember that cardboard cutout? He is a cutout simply because the writer doesn’t know him. He is a complete stranger, and he comes across as such to readers. That’s all there is to it. Well, there is a bit more, of course. That more being the dialogue.

Guest Blogger Bio

Stefan leveraged a successful career in the Information Technology industry and applied that discipline to create realistic, highly believable storylines for his books. Born in Croatia, he now lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Links:

Website: http://www.stefanvucak.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StefanVucak

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stefanvucak

Shadow Gods Saga: Series Link

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age blog article here.

Book Review Etiquette

Authors can’t sell books without reviews. Especially now that a lot of authors are going the self-published route, book reviews are crucial elements that authors seek and crave. Well, good reviews are craved.

Recently, there has been a trend for readers to post reviews before they have even read the book.

It hurts the author because most book review sites give an average star rating, figuring all the reviews into one score. It’s like getting straight A’s all semester, and then getting one F that pulls your grade average down to a C.

So, please, write your reviews, but follow the rules and format of a good review. Even if your opinion is bad, every review posted should be good in quality, helpful to other readers, and a true reflection of the reader’s opinions.

Guest Blogger Bio

Paula Hrbacek is the author of five books, including Stars Shine After Dark, a sweet Christian romance, available in paperback, Kindle and Nook.

Day Camp in Hawaii, a complete program guide for summer camp or summer school, is available in paperback, Nook and Kindle. For more information see http://paulahrbacek.weebly.com or her author page at https://www.amazon.com/author/paulahrbacek.

She also writes two columns for The Examiner, a free online newspaper; Children’s Arts and Crafts, and Book Reviews.

Links:

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=104609576&locale=en_US&trk=tyah2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulaHrbacek?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PHrbacek

Universal Amazon link: mybook.to/DayCampHawaii

How to Avoid Author Burnout – 5 Tips:
a guest post by Dave Chesson

7 Ways to Recover Your Writing Motivation:
an admin article by Marie Lavender

**Hi, readers! Today we have Robert Fanshaw with us and he is going to give us his reflections on his recently published romantic suspense book, Shameless Ambition.**