Workshop Handouts ADVANCED CRAFT TIPS – Laura Drake
• Start with conflict, not with crisis
• Only show thoughts we could NOT guess. Even better, if the thoughts are the opposite of the dialog
• Cut ‘filter’ words – it’s the difference between workman-like and a smooth, close POV read. Saw, felt, heard, tasted – think about the senses.
• You can do much better than dialog tags
• Showing is almost always better than telling – be sure you’re not doing both
• BE the Dude
• Speed up and Slow time
• Say it once, say it well
• Yoda: In writing there is only do or not do; there is no ‘start’
• Adverb adverse
BEYOND THE ARCHED BROW Using Body Language to Show Instead of Tell Presented by SILVER JAMES
What is body language? Body language = nonverbal communication. What does this mean? Body language is a way to convey information through conscious and subconscious gestures, body movements, postures and facial expressions. It can replace and/or reinforce verbal communication and can be used as an indicator of mood and intentions.
A quick overview of emotions commonly used in romance:
ANGER: Beyond the obvious reasons, it can also be an expression of fight-or-flight or an instinctive reaction to a threat. There could be an underlying fear of harm. Heart rate increases, pupils dilate, skin might flush. Adrenaline surges.
Some signs of anger: Tightly crossed arms, hands flat or fists clenched Clenched teeth Shaking or stabbing a finger Jutting chin Narrowed eyes Facial/muscle tic
ATTRACTION: Females: Pupils dilate and/or rapid blinking, crossing and uncrossing legs, licking lips Males: Appraising looks, framing (hands calling attention to masculine “attributes”)
Attributes of an Alpha Male: Steepling the fingers Folding hands behind the back Thumbs sticking out from pockets when hands are in pockets (front or back pockets) Hands on hips Straddling a chair Hands folded behind the head while sitting Arms crossed with smirk, smile, or challenging expression on face
Other Attitudes Closed to Conversation: Keeping hands in pockets Arms and legs crossed Sitting/leaning back Folding hands together on a table (creates barrier) Figure-four leg cross: putting ankle of one leg on knee of the other, then grabbing the calf/shin with both hands (more a male gesture)
Openness/Honesty Exposing the palms/open hands Arms relaxed Legs uncrossed or stretched out Leaning forward Direct gaze
Submissive Tilting head to expose throat (happens OUTSIDE of paranormal romances too) Slumped shoulders Doing things to appear smaller Lowered head/eyes Smiling (some people smile when upset/afraid in hopes of redirecting anger/attention)
Stress/Distress Rubbing back of neck Running fingers through hair Crossed arms Self-hugging (crossed arms with hands gripping arms) One-arm cross (one arm across body to hold or touch the other arm—women keep a hand on a purse or back strap to make this look more natural.) Clutching a purse, briefcase, or…pearls. Adjusting cuffs or cufflinks (male version of peal clutching) Folding hands together at crotch level (men)
Lying Face touching Covering the mouth/coughing to cover words Rubbing the back of the neck Lip pursing Hair stroking Playing with jewelry Covering the neck dimple (usually seen with females) Eye blocking—closing eyes tightly or even covering eyes with hands Rubbing palms on legs Hand wringing
RESOURCES/MORE INFORMATION http://www.businessballs.com/body-language.htm http://changingminds.org/techniques/body/body_language.htm https://lonerwolf.com/body-language-signs-of-attraction/ https://lonerwolf.com/body-language-arms/ http://bodylanguageproject.com/
©Silver James, 2018, for personal and reference use only More Than Words: Alternative Content Ideas to Reward Readers & Expand Your Brand 2018 RWA Conference Denver, Colorado Presenter: Lindsay Emory
Description: It’s time to think outside the box of swag and freebies and, instead, focus on the idea of alternative content. Learn the benefits, costs, and establish goals. Sample ideas will be split between easy, moderate, and advanced. Brainstorm the big ideas that will make any author stand out in a crowded market.
What is Content Marketing?
A marketing technique of creating and providing useful and
interesting information to attract and develop a core audience.
“Content" is what you create from the world inside your mind. You use your imagination, your personality, your original thoughts and ideas and viewpoints to produce something new.
For writers, the primary content we provide our audience are: *Books *stories *characters
What about… A bookmark. A pen. A gum packet? A release day newsletter? Pictures of your wineglass on Instagram? - These things can build your BRAND, make your readers happy, but are not CREATED CONTENT
{Test: Is it Swag or Is it Content?}
What about… Extra chapters, novellas, epilogues? Newsletters? - These are great – but when fifty zillion other authors are providing free sign up novellas how do you expand your brand? What kind of content will set you apart?
“Remember: You’re in the Content Business.” – Damon Suede / Heidi Cullinan, YOUR A-GAME
All rights reserved, Quad Eight LLC., & Lindsay Emory
Four Steps to Identifying your New Alternative Content: 1. Goals – a. Finding new readers b. Rewarding loyalty c. Spreading awareness / building buzz d. Creating a community e. Establishing yourself as an authority f. Fill in times between publication dates 2. Exclusivity – for ARC team? For readers who have finished your series? For anyone? 3. Availability – of your resources. How much time do you have? How much money? How much enthusiasm? 4. Profit – Are you selling this content? Or gifting it to the world?
Reminder: This does not have to be about your books/ reading!!! But it should relate to YOU/ YOUR BRAND
“Users engage most with content related to a brand rather than discussing the brand.” - Damon Suede/ Heidi Cullinan, YOUR A-GAME
Alternative Content Ideas
Simple - Requires limited time (10-30 minutes), basic technology • Recipes • Reading lists (your books, other authors' books, nonfiction books, news) • Curated lists - Tim Ferriss’ Five for Friday • Curated Photo collections on instagram/ Tumblr/ site -historical clothing a la Julia Kelly, Loretta Chase (NOT just reposting hunky guys. Again, difference between BRAND and CONTENT • Playlists • • •
Intermediate - Requires 2+ hours, specialized knowledge/ technology, $100 or more • Games/ quizzes • Commissioned art
All rights reserved, Quad Eight LLC., & Lindsay Emory
• Screen savers • Knitting/ needlepoint patterns • travel guide (real or fictional) (think of JK Rowling) • Tasting notes (beer / wine theme) • Photo album template • Monthly Skype/ Zoom chats • Fantasy football draft - if you write sports romance, would your fans love to hang out with you for the season? Money could go to charity? • Nonfiction book to go along with your series (photography of rodeos, cake recipes, etc.)(original photos only) • • •
Advanced - Requires 10+ hours of time, $500 or more and /or outsourcing technological expertise or assistant • Podcasts • You Tube channel - John Green • Exclusive media - songs, radio plays • Series/World Website - I.e. Pottermore. Journals, Diaries, Letters between Characters, Newspaper from town. You already have the world in your head - build on it. • Apps • Lead Tours - to Scotland! Hawaii! Cleveland! (May not have to do with your book – you might just be an expert on someplace that readers might like to go!) • Mini courses - A lot of writers doing these and focusing on other writers. Think what content a reader/ fan might want from you? • Subscription Boxes/ Exclusive Gift Sets (Might fall into ‘deluxe swag’ category, depending on what’s in them/ how you curate.) • Teaming up with other authors to create groups/community/shared content • • •
Brainstorming session – Let’s discuss ideas and implementation!
A+ Suggested Post-Conference Reading: Your A Game – Damon Suede & Heidi Cullinan
All rights reserved, Quad Eight LLC., & Lindsay Emory
Five Hints for Avoiding the Slush Pile
Agents and editors receive thousands of submissions. Their desks are only so big. Hence the dreaded Slush Pile. Make sure your manuscript sits on the top of the stack.
1. Writing is an art. Publishing is a business.
Learn the business
Prepare yourself
Network
What’s your hurry? Critique partners, beta readers, contests (enter/judge)
2. Make them come to you.
Media coverage
Website or blog
Agent/Editor appointments
Contests
3. Follow Instructions
Your query letter
Book blurb
4. Don’t burn your bridges.
Dos and don’ts
Act like a professional
5. That dreaded grammar category.
Dialogue
Homophones
Susan C Muller www.SusanCMuler.com
Instagram for Authors Join the Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/Instagram4Authors/ TEN MINUTES A DAY INSTAGRAM – pick 1-2 from this list for 10 mins 1. RETURN LIKES AND COMMENTS • Click the heart icon along the bottom of your screen (mobile) • Tap on recent profiles who liked your post and like 1 or more of their posts • For those who commented on your post, like and comment on one of their posts 2. LIKE AND COMMENT ON NEW POSTS (3 min • Click the house icon on your home feed. Like and comment on posts from those you follow • Pro tip: the speech to text function on your phone can make for faster commenting, but check for spelling errors before you post! 3. FOLLOW NEW USERS • Use the magnifying glass search icon to see suggested pics and users based on your previous interactions. Like, comment or follow on any that interest you (ideally in niche - books, writing) 4. POST A PHOTO WITH A CAPTION • Pro tip: take photos ahead of time in batches so they are ready to post later • End your caption with a prompt to encourage a response • Include relevant hashtags
MORE TIPS I don’t know what to post
• Find an account you like and try taking a photo similar to theirs • Repost another users photo with permission and/or tagged photo credit • Search your own book title (if published), repost & tag w/ credit. Do the same for a friend! Post their book and always hashtag the title so it’s searchable. • Think about why you like Instagram and how you can spin that for your own content
Hashtags what??
• Search an interest in the search function, then click the Tags heading • Click on Instagram's suggested tags; related tags will show above top posts • Tap posts under the tag, read captions to see tags users are using • The Facebook group has a saved file of book and writing hashtags!
Theme cheat sheet: pick 3 main interests (books, coffee, writing tips OR author stuff, travel, pets). Show off YOU but with intention. Use the same 1-2 filters or similar balance of white space for a stretch of posts for consistency
Treat your caption like a micro-blog: We’re authors and words are our thing! Use your posted photo as a launching point to tell a story or share about yourself. Then, invite users to comment back by posing a question. Give users an easy option to comment back!
Make it easy: Save hashtags in a notes program like OneNote to copy+paste into your caption. Pre-draft captions or photos in a third party filter or planning app, but note they can’t auto-post for you.
Beware: Apps that follow or unfollow users for you or that promise to bring you followers for a price are against Instagram’s terms of service. Keep the SOCIAL in social media and you’ll do just fine
Tips created by Author Stephanie Scott @stephscottya on Instagram
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Keeping One Step Ahead of the Aches and Pains of Creativity By Linda Thomas-Sundstrom. M.A.
It begins: Okay. So we stuck our vow of sitting in the chair until we finished the next three chapters of the WIP. Our brains were active and might now be fatigued. But what price has our body paid for the hours of inactivity? Hint: It isn’t pretty.
We know (or at least have heard) about things we should be doing to help our health, and yet if also have full-time jobs and families, a book deadline can be tough on us. It can be tough ever if we don’t have other stresses. Yes… we love to write. Yes. . . we’re full of ideas and have to get them down. So . . . what can we do to bridge the gap between moments of creativity and helping ourselves to be able to do what we love to do long-term? And can those things be small fixes?
The answer is again . . . Yes.
Without going extensively into diet and nutrition, exercise and stretching, which would take much longer than our 20 minute session here, I’m going to suggest that there are 5 things that can help us in our writing endeavors. Simple things. No-brainer things that will allow us to get on with that WIP. Think of this as “writing comfort.”
And here they are:
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1) A good desk and a great chair. 2) A timer (any old kitchen timer will do) 3) A pair of compression socks – knee length) 4) A stretchy workout band and a foam roller 5) Healthy snacks
So simple ! So easy and cost effective !
*Show examples of all of the above in this session, along with how to use these items.
In a nutshell:
1) A good desk and a great chair = Ergonomics can save us from some aches and pains of sitting, and help with better posture, which in the long-run means fewer aches or visits to the chiropractor. Sitting up as straight as possible means less stress on our back, shoulders, neck, and works the abs. 2) A timer = Set the timer at half hour intervals – and don’t ignore when it goes off. Get up. Walk around to get the circulation in back and legs going. This only takes a minute, if that’s all the time we have. Caveat: Don’t go to the kitchen for a snack every half hour or more damage to the new routine can be done. 3) A pair of compression socks = Got achy legs after sitting for too long in one position? These socks can be found in lots of places and online. Full pair that comes to just below the knee. These handy socks help reduce the symptoms of painful varicose veins can slow the progression of vein disease They do this by preventing venous blood pooling in the legs and feet, and can decrease the risk of blood clots. 4) A stretchy workout band and a foam roller = These two tools are absolutely necessary for long days of writing and can be purchased at any sporting good stores and online. The flexible band is the most important tool writers have for maintaining shoulder and upper back flexibility and for realigning weakened muscles in those areas after or during prolonged periods of any forward-leaning activity (such as sitting at a desk). *Demonstration here, and passing out a few bands for participants to try. Show two easy, 3
non-time-consuming things to do with the band – that can be done at the desk or after a writing session. *Demonstration here with a foam roller – of quick and easy ways to help the spine and legs recover from prolonged periods of sitting. 5) Healthy snacks = If we’re really good at organization, we can plan ahead for quick snacks that won’t weight us down in the long-run, and can even help with flagging energy. ** The caffeine in coffee and tea can help. Unsweetened black and green teas both have plenty of antioxidants that are best utilized (and calorie free) without added sugar or fruit juices. Check labels. Pick a few snacks that are low in sugar and high in vitamins to keep relatively handy, such as sweet baby carrots, some multi-grain cereals, apple slices, fruit slices, avoiding high-calorie go-tos like crackers, cookies, candy – we are, after all, not able to burn too many calories off while sitting own, despite all our brain activity.
These things are all easy to find and easy to do. Take a minute. Get set up for success by helping to alleviate the aches and pains of Creativity… by giving our bodies a little overdue attention and care. See the difference 5 small things can make. Start today (when you get home from the conference).
Your presenter:
Linda Thomas-Sundstrom is on the faculty at two California colleges in the Health,
Nutrition and Exercise Science Departments, and has been teaching in health-related fields for 29 years. She is also the author of 40 romance novellas and novellas for three publishing houses, and swears she practices what she preaches most of the time.
**Added info from the Mayo Clinic on problems associated with prolonged sitting on next page. 4
Adendum on the problems that can be associated with prolonged periods of sitting. Mayo Clinic Newsletter
Any extended sitting — such as behind a desk at work or behind the wheel — can be harmful. What's more, spending a few hours a week at the gym or otherwise engaged in moderate or vigorous activity doesn't seem to significantly offset the risk.
The solution seems to be less sitting and more moving overall. You might start by simply standing rather than sitting whenever you have the chance or think about ways to walk while you work. For example:
• Stand while talking on the phone or eating lunch. • If you work at a desk for long periods of time, try a standing desk — or improvise with a high table or counter. • Walk laps with your colleagues rather than gathering in a conference room for meetings. • Position your work surface above a treadmill — with a computer screen and keyboard on a stand or a specialized treadmill-ready vertical desk — so that you can be in motion throughout the day.
The impact of movement — even leisurely movement — can be profound. For starters, you'll burn more calories. This might lead to weight loss and increased energy. Even better, the muscle activity needed for standing and other movement seems to trigger important processes related to the breakdown of fats and sugars within the body. When you sit, these processes stall — and your health risks increase. When you're standing or actively moving, you kick the processes back into action. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sitting/faq-20058005
Lab Errors and How to Prevent Them in Novels Presenter: Marie Johnston, MS (CLS) [email protected] www.mariejohnstonwriter.com/
Introduction: Clinical Lab Personnel • Phlebotomist: draws blood from veins • Medical Laboratory Technician (Associate of Science): MLT performs laboratory testing on human body fluids and tissue. May need to work under supervision. • Medical Laboratory Scientist/Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Bachelor of Science): MLS/CLS are the same as MLT, but not restricted in testing abilities.
A few terms
Accredited/accreditation—labs are officially recognized and authorized by a national organization.
Certification—depending on the lab, personnel may need to be board-certified. Eligibility will also depend on whether they completed their education at an accredited college or university.
Licensure—once nationally certified, some states require licensure. Type of labs and basic employee educational requirements for each lab:
Clinical Labs: Clinical and hospital labs perform testing on behalf of medical providers. There are instances in which the testing can be used for research, e.g., in genetic testing, but such cases vary.
A lab that does clinical testing will most commonly staff medical lab scientists (four-year degree) or medical lab technologists (two-year degree) because they can work in any department and perform most or all testing. States that don’t require state licensure have more flexibility in the educational background of their staff. But if a microbiologist gets nationally certified to work at, say, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, then they can only perform microbiological testing. They can’t cross departments and work in chemistry. Many clinical labs that are sizeable will also staff a clinical chemist (PhD) or a PhD in Clinical Lab Science.
Forensic Lab: Uses forensic science to examine evidence from a crime.
The laboratorians vary as much as the testing. Some are forensics majors and can work in any forensic discipline, but some are med techs (who test DNA) or chemistry majors (who work in toxicology— detection of drugs—or the actual testing of drugs). Physics majors can test ballistics; biology majors can do DNA testing. Forensics techs may also be members of forensics-specific associations, like the National Toxicology Association. Forensics labs also undergo accreditation.
Fertility Lab: Medical facility used for testing the fertility status of men and women who have not been able to conceive naturally
For educational backgrounds, you’ll find mostly techs with an MLS (Medical Laboratory Scientist) degree, the four-year degree for lab techs. Someone with a biology degree can get certified in a specific discipline through an accrediting organization and essentially become a medical technologist, but they cannot work in any other part of a clinical lab other than what they are certified for.
Research Labs: Conducts scientific research. These labs can come in all shapes and sizes and have a variety of functions. There are national research labs funded and operated by the government (e.g., the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), and ARUP (Associated Regional and University Pathologists) conducts both medical testing and lab research. There are private research labs in the biotech sector (e.g., Monsanto), for pharmaceutical and vaccine development (e.g., Sanofi), and for specialized disease research (e.g., the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center). Private research labs may be for-profit or non-profit.
University-based labs: In a large, well-funded lab at a large university, a professor with a PhD runs the lab, often with the help of a lab manager, who may also have a PhD or a lesser degree. Graduate students (those working toward a masters or PhD degree), undergraduates (those working toward a bachelors degree), and technicians (who may have any background, from high school degrees to PhDs) staff the lab and carry out research for the professor. Particularly well-funded research universities may even provide general staff shared between multiple labs or departments for media prep and sanitizing/sterilizing lab equipment. Undergraduate students or other paid hourly workers staff these areas. In labs at small universities or four-year colleges, in labs with poor funding, or in labs with new professors just starting out, there may only be a handful of staff members, all students of some kind. These students—and perhaps even the professors themselves—will do everything from research to preparing media to washing/sterilizing equipment and taking out the trash.
Outside of academia, research labs or biotech lab staff will generally have a PhD or MS. It’s not always the level of graduate degree that wins the position, however, but the type of research performed to earn the degree. A research lab is more interested in the research experience and expertise of the staff member than the level of the degree.
Private Labs: Provide standardized testing services to third parties. These labs can do it all, from DNA testing to STD (sexually transmitted disease) testing. Genomic testing has been getting a lot of media lately with 23andme and Ancestry.com’s DNA testing. Other private labs carry testing capabilities that equal those of clinical labs. Depending on the type of private lab, the techs/scientists working in them will have either MLS or MLT certification or have a graduate degree.
Reference Labs: Provides reference materials for calibrating, or for clinical labs, they provide testing not otherwise available (e.g., drug testing). Most clinical labs are limited in the number of tests they can perform. Whether it’s due to space, cost, or capability, most labs have to send out some of their tests to bigger labs.
Lab Errors:
Preanalytical—One-third to one-half of clinical lab errors are pre-analytical, meaning they occur before the sample reaches the lab. Anyone who is involved in ordering and collecting samples can make a mistake (doctors, nurses, administrative staff, lab personnel).
Analytical—Occurs during the window of testing (most often in the lab).
Postanalytical—Occurs during the reporting phase by lab personnel or lab equipment that automatically uploads reports to patient record, or with the interpretation of results by the patient’s provider.
Research for laboratory details:
• Source: Call the lab and ask (avoid the busiest time in the lab, which is early morning until mid- morning). Be specific about why. Due to HIPPA regulations, the employee made be guarded about answering questions. • Internet: An excellent source, but also need to be specific. Wikipedia is a good starting point for general information and will also list resources at the end of the page. The top results of an internet source usually lists credible agencies such as Mayo, Medline Plus, WebMD, and Lab Tests Online. • Research Papers: Many are available online. The abstract will be a summary of the paper and the discussion at the end will cover the results of the research. Everything in between is usually hard data. • Drop me an email. My contact info is at the top of the handouts.
RESEARCH SUPPORT AT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY
This handout is prefaced with the caveat that not every library does or can offer the subscription databases listed. You can always ask your library’s staff to consider subscribing or doing a trial if you’re interested. Subscription databases are noted with an asterisk.
General Research Ebsco* - This is a platform interface that can provide access to a number of databases your library may or may not subscribe to including newspaper archives, medical research, educational research, and more.
Gale* - Like EBSCO, this company provides access to a number of databases including the topics of history, literature, science, and more. Also has National Geographic archives.
Medical information PubMed - Database search interface of medical journals provided by the National Library of Medicine.
MedlinePlus - Consumer medical information provided by the National Library of Medicine.
Local Information Newspaper archives Local history collections (Example: Kalamazoo Public Library - http://www.kpl.gov/local-history/online/)
Business Lynda.com* - Courses in software and tech skills.
Gale Small Business Resource Center* - Resources for running a small business.
Mergent Online/Archives* - Profiles of active and inactive United States-based businesses.
Language Oxford English Dictionary* - A gold-standard dictionary.
Mango Languages* - Learn a new language from over 70 offerings.
This is only a very small sampling of the resources that may be available to you through your local public library. Feel free to email Katie Dunneback at [email protected] if you have any questions, and please visit your local public library!!
Also check out Wendy Crutcher’s article in the April 2018 Romance Writers Report. Heather Long heatherlong.net RWA2018
Checklist (10 Things You Need To Know When You Start A Book) When I can answer all ten, I am ready to write.
1. What is the title of the book? a. Not everyone will need this answer, but I do. The title gives the book a file space in my brain and shapes a portion of the story. It doesn't matter if the title will change (and they will, so don't get married to it), but while I'm writing, it needs a name, a shape and a definition. This is how I assign the mental shelf space and I want to be able to find it on that mental shelf. 2. Have I written the book blurb? a. Most often people will wait until they are done to write their book blurb, but I like to write mine first. After all, I'm about to start drafting this story—so the blurb isn't about what will sell that book to anyone but me. Does the blurb intrigue me enough to want to keep writing? Does it have a hook that makes me want to dive into that story? What question will this book answer for me? i. If you’re not ready to write the blurb yet, that’s okay by the end of the list you should be. b. I find that writing a book without a blurb doesn’t engage me. I actually have a blurb “file” with about 30 different blurbs waiting to be written and because of the way I write them, if I come up with a story idea while writing another book, I blurb it, file it and come back later. 3. What is the inciting incident? a. The inciting incident is that moment when it all goes to hell. In most books, you want to start your story when it's all going awry—when it changes—when it is the most interesting. Sure, you can show your character going to work, doing their ho-hum job, and coming home—but is that the moment when the story 'starts'? b. Consider for a moment the film The Terminator. The movie doesn't begin with John Connor sending Kyle Reese back or with Skynet sending the Terminator; it begins with their arrival. We see the Terminator get his clothes and Kyle get his. We see them tracking down a woman's name Sarah Connor—then and only then do we actually meet Linda Hamilton's Connor. We are dropped right into the action and every scene ratchets up that tension—why are these men hunting her? Who will get to her first? 4. What are three facts I know about my heroine? (or heroines if I have more than one) 5. What are three facts I know about my hero? (or heroes if I have more than one) a. Questions four and five require a lot of thought—I don't need a psychological profile, but I do need to have at least three facts about these characters. For example when I was writing Once Her Man, Always Her Man, I knew: i. Luke and Rebecca were high school sweethearts ii. Luke took early graduation and joined the Marines after 9/11 iii. Luke broke up with Rebecca because he didn't want her to have to wait for him and because he didn't know if he could focus while worrying about her iv. Rebecca never got over Luke, and she did try, but she was forever comparing every other man to him v. Rebecca was successful in all other aspects of her life—save love. b. These 'snapshots' from their lives help me to know who they are now, what the conflict is, and what they have to do to overcome it (if they can)
Pre Writing Workshop Checklist Heather Long heatherlong.net RWA2018
c. You will have internal and external goals in your story. It’s best to know what they are as soon as you can—that said, in one ongoing series it took me five books to discover one hero’s true goal was because he kept it to himself i. Defining internal goals 1. It’s an intangible feeling of who the character ‘wants’ to be 2. It can be who the character ‘thinks’ they are or who they should be 3. It’s self-image, most often self-doubt—they aren’t worthy of something because of
Pre Writing Workshop Checklist Heather Long heatherlong.net RWA2018
b. Understand that answering these questions doesn't predetermine when the events happen or if having them happen is a good thing. The consequences for example actually took place in three separate incidents and fed the internal and external conflicts in the story. But knowing those are there helps me when I am writing because I can go— oh look—this is why Cody must confront his wolf, but he's not ready yet. 8. What is the worst thing that can happen to your characters? a. Death is always the easy answer, but what other events could be the worst? What if one character or the other lies? Can the other get over that? What if they demand change, but the change isn't really what they wanted? Know what the worst thing that can happen to each character personally and you've found not only a trigger—but a dynamite way to explore their dark moment. i. The Dark Moment in a romance is the moment when all hope seems lost for the relationship and/or for a character’s personal goals. 9. What do your characters want? Who (or what) gets in the way? a. Ignore the story, ignore the plot, ignore the conflict. What do they want? Not what do they need, but what do they really, really want? In Treasure Me, Sophie really wants to finish her dissertation. Pietr wants to find the missing Buddha so that mystery is solved and done. What they "want" is important because that lets you answer the second question, because if we made it easy for the characters, that would be fun. b. It's worth noting in nearly every genre, what the hero or heroine desires is not usually to be a hero or a heroine. In Lord of the Rings: Frodo Baggins didn't want to leave the Shire. Aragorn didn't want to be King or lead men. In Brave Are the Lonely, Cody didn’t want to live when the book began, but he also wouldn’t leave Kid to wander alone…and answering what got in his way helped shape that book 10. Finally, the last question—are you ready to write your book now? a. The only acceptable answer is yes. We're going to add a few more items to the checklist in tomorrow's lesson. The checklist of obstacles and then a fact sheet. You should be able to answer those after these more easily than you might think.
These may not be the exact ten questions you need to answer, but they are the starting point—the launch. If you get to the end of the checklist and you're not "ready" to write—then go back through and see what information you're missing. I've had some people add a category for villain or antagonist. What three facts do they know about that character? Some have done it for the mystery at the heart of the story, what three facts do they know about that? In a series, what three facts do you know about the series? What conflicts will you have to overcome? See, it all dovetails together.
Pre Writing Workshop Checklist Felicitas Ivey/ Research Beyond Your Local Library email: [email protected]
What is considered a local library can vary from person to person. I’m very spoiled, since my local library is either Boston Public library or the UMass Boston library since I work there. I am concentrating on historical research more than contemporary research with this list. Some of the tips can be used for both.
1. Inter Library Loan (ILL): This is the option of borrowing a book not owned by your library. It can’t be a book owned by the library that has been borrowed by someone else, you’d just get wait listed until the book is available. You can also use ILL to get copies of journal articles. There may be a cost associated with the shipping of ILL books. For example, you’re looking for a book, which only owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Your library can order it for you and it should arrive in a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on how far away the loaning library is. 2. Library Networks: Your library may be part of a network with several other libraries to share resources. For example, two networks in my area I can use are the ‘Minuteman Library Network’ made up of town libraries in Eastern Massachusetts and the ‘Fenway Network’, which is made up of college and institutional libraries in the Boston area. I can go to the libraries in both networks to borrow books. 3. Library databases: Library databases are good for articles and books. Some of them are full text and all articles of book chapters can be downloaded as onto a thumb or USB drive. The following databases are the most popular: a. JSTOR (Journal Storage) Full text searches of books, journals and primary sources. b. WorldCat (World Catalogue) Database of books and articles. You can look up the book/article you’re looking for and find out if it’s close to you and avoid waiting for interlibrary loan. You can also use it to make an IIL requests. c. Academic Search Complete: Monthly indexing service of academic journals. Articles often have a wealth of citations, check them out! That might lead you down a rabbit hole or two, but research usually isn’t wasted. It can be used in another book! 4. Google Scholar: Google scholar is a database which covers many articles, books, and other publications which might not be found in an academic database, because it searches everywhere. It will list the libraries where the articles can be found. The drawback is it might find too much or find articles and books you can’t access, even with ILL.
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Felicitas Ivey/ Research Beyond Your Local Library email: [email protected]
5. State Libraries. If you’re near a state university, you have access to any of books, databases, and files when you are in that library. Reference librarians usually have guest accounts for researchers to use. A Scanner and a thumb/USB drives are your friend to copy articles and book chapters. Just label everything carefully for future reference. 6. State Archives: State archives have a lot of information in them, mostly the records for your state, but other odds and ends too. Town and county archives are the same way. Town and county archives are usually very limited hours. State archives are usually have longer hours. 7. Country/State/City Websites: A lot of places have ‘Discover” sites. These sites can tell you all sorts of things about the area you’re interested in. It’s a good starting point to figure out what you want to look for. 8. Historical Groups: If you are writing any sort of historical romance, see if you can find a local reenactment group to help you with clothing from the era. For example, getting out of a corset isn’t going to be easy for a quickie. You can see how the fabric moves, what colors were popular and things like that. You might even be able to try on an outfit. 9. Museums: They are filled with all sorts of good things! For historical research, you will be able to find artifacts such as clothing, jewelry or other artifacts. You can also find paintings from the era you’re interested in and sometimes room recreations. Living museums will also be helpful, such as Plymouth Plantation or Quincy Freedom Trail to find out how people lived. Museums sometimes have libraries associated with them which can be used by members of the museum. 10. Maps: Places change over time. A local map of the area you want to write about is useful. It will show roads, highways and physical landmark. And having a physical map book will show you how a place looked like then, as opposed to now. My hometown of Boston is mostly landfill, built up over the centuries. My workplace was built on a dump. Highways and roadways also change over time, check historical maps if you can. 11. Traveling: See the place you want to write about. You can’t really understand how isolated Iceland can be, until you drive or walk around the area. Or see how crowded London or Tokyo can be in certain places. 12. Movies, Music, and Novels of the era: A way to see how all those pretty costumes. The ones in the movies might not be historically accurate in color or cloth for the era you’re
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Felicitas Ivey/ Research Beyond Your Local Library email: [email protected]
writing about, but you can see how people move in them. You move a lot different in an early 17th century gown, than a 19th century one, to the mod fashions of the Sixties. 13. Small presses. There are a number of ‘small’ publishing companies, which have some specific resources, like Osprey Publishing (military history), Shire Books and Old House (British Heritage & Victorian reprints), and Dover publications (Fashion and paper dolls). 14. Your personal library: What treasures do have in your own collection? We write books and we love books. So, if you have room in your home, probably have a lot of books. Or ask friends about their book collections and what you might be able to borrow/adopt from it. 15. People: There is no shame in hitting up friends, family and even strangers for information. You are a professional, make an appointment to talk to another professional. You can also ask friends about their hobbies and lifestyle choices, as well as their jobs. People are a great resource and often an untapped one.
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RESEARCH SUPPORT AT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY
This handout is prefaced with the caveat that not every library does or can offer the subscription databases listed. You can always ask your library’s staff to consider subscribing or doing a trial if you’re interested. Subscription databases are noted with an asterisk.
General Research Ebsco* - This is a platform interface that can provide access to a number of databases your library may or may not subscribe to including newspaper archives, medical research, educational research, and more.
Gale* - Like EBSCO, this company provides access to a number of databases including the topics of history, literature, science, and more. Also has National Geographic archives.
Medical information PubMed - Database search interface of medical journals provided by the National Library of Medicine.
MedlinePlus - Consumer medical information provided by the National Library of Medicine.
Local Information Newspaper archives Local history collections (Example: Kalamazoo Public Library - http://www.kpl.gov/local-history/online/)
Business Lynda.com* - Courses in software and tech skills.
Gale Small Business Resource Center* - Resources for running a small business.
Mergent Online/Archives* - Profiles of active and inactive United States-based businesses.
Language Oxford English Dictionary* - A gold-standard dictionary.
Mango Languages* - Learn a new language from over 70 offerings.
This is only a very small sampling of the resources that may be available to you through your local public library. Feel free to email Katie Dunneback at [email protected] if you have any questions, and please visit your local public library!!
Also check out Wendy Crutcher’s article in the April 2018 Romance Writers Report.
“Scent”sational Books: Why Smelly Writing Makes Good Sense By Collette Cameron "Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived," ~Helen Keller
Odor, fragrance, aroma, pong, attar…
No matter how you describe scent, few things are as evocative and unforgettable as smell. Often overlooked and underappreciated in a world where seeing, hearing, and touching are at the pinnacle of most prose, scent establishes the most long-lasting emotional connections and memories of all the senses. Weaving smells into writing, plunges readers deeper into the characters’ point of view, creating enduring impressions that surface again and again.
Learn ways to use “scent”sory writing to connect deeper with readers, and in turn help them bond with characters.
PHYSIOLOGY OF SMELL-HOW IT WORKS Before we get into the good stuff, how to enhance your stories with scent, you need a mini lesson to understand just how powerful a tool our sense of smell is for writing.
• Smell is a chemical sense like taste. • The average human has at least 400 smell receptors that can detect more than one trillion different odors. (Compared to 3 sight receptors and 7 taste receptors.) • Smell is the only sense that does not pay a visit to the thalamus first, but instead travels directly the forebrain (the olfactory bulb) then to the thalamus.
After an odor reaches the thalamus, it sends the smell to three other parts of the brain which are closely tied to conscious perception, memory, and emotion.
• Amygdala-emotional encoding (smells trigger our emotional responses.) • Hypothalamus-fight or flight response, hormone activation • Hippocampus-Memory storage (smells and memories are associated)
Smells are encoded on memory, emotion, and the subconscious.
Collette Cameron ©2018 The brain links new scents and memory When humans encounter a scent for the first time, they subconsciously link it to a person, thing, moment, or event.
*Writing tip #1: imagine ways to take a bad memory or emotion associated with a particular smell and create a positive memory instead. Do the opposite as well.
EXAMPLES OF SMELL INDUCED REACTIONS (Longer list at the end of the handout.) Hunger Fear/terror Panic/alarm Anxiety Peace/Calm Comfort/Contentment Pain Headache Nausea/gagging/vomiting Dizziness/lightheadedness/vertigo Seizure Itchy red rash/Dermatitis Allergy symptoms (watery eyes, sneezing, itchy or runny nose) Tight feeling in chest Nostrils twitching/nose scrunching Goosebumps Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing/wheezing/asthma Pinching nostrils Waving hand in front of your face
*Writing tip #2-include physical reactions to scents, odors, and smells. This engages other senses and creates powerful connections to readers.
WHERE TO USE SMELL IN WRITING-
*Writing tip: use smells to enhance, taste, mood, atmosphere, emotion, memory, and physical reactions in writing.
1) When characters enter or leave an indoor location- Think bar, house, room, kitchen, bakery, salon, morgue, car, carriage, airplane, office, warehouse, hospital, shower, greenhouse, gym, ship’s cabin, drawing room, spaceship, etc.
“Pushing the door open, familiar scents—animals, dung, straw, and medicinal ointments—engulfed her. So did a bone-warming peace. She was home.” ~Collette Cameron, Scandal’s Splendor
“She pressed her fingers to her temples, still hearing the guns exploding in her head, still smelling the dank putrid stench in the belly of the ship where the women and children had been confined. ~Regan Walker, A Fierce Wind
2) Outdoors- Gardens, playgrounds, ball fields, lakes, beaches, yard, city street, country lane, farm, mountains, on the ocean, and don’t forget how the air might smell different in the city, country, and so on.
Collette Cameron ©2018
“Hartwell Hall nestled in undulating countryside, the air itself carrying the earthy fragrance of rich fertile soil and the intoxicating smell of ozone. Not even a whiff of anything resembling London's noxious fumes. Just the fragrance of clover, pine needles, sweet growing grass and memories of childhood's summer holidays.” ~KP Pryce, Unforgivable
"The earthy smell of the jungle reminded him of death and decay, like a graveyard. Yet, it also carried the essence of life and abundance." ~Cari Davis, Fool’s Gold
The tang of the salty air was replaced by the musty scent of dead foliage. The scent of dead dreams. ~Lillian Marek, Lord Edward’s Mysterious Treasure
3) To describe a season-
“She inhaled a cleansing breath, made more so by the crisp autumn heather and pine-scented air.” ~Collette Cameron, Seductive Surrender
4) When a character encounters another significant or memorable character-protagonist or antagonist-
Removing the stopper from the top she immediately smelled the scent that was the Duke—a mixture of earth and woods and outdoors that evoked Jonas. She brought the bottle close to her nose and inhaled deeply, making a memory of the scent. It is the Duke in a bottle, she thought with a small laugh. ~ Renée Reynolds, Lord Love a Duke
Miss Peabody squinted, her eyes huge behind her thick glasses. Whiffs of Bengay, stale floral perfume, and the unmistakable fustiness of the two fat pugs with bad teeth sitting obediently at her feet wafted upward each time the old woman or her pets moved.
5) Encounters with animals-
Alert, her ears twitching, the orphaned fawn approached Mallory’s outstretched hand, eager for the sliced apple she’d come to expect each morning. An aroma, somewhere between a sheep’s and a horse’s scent— not unpleasant, more earthy and musky than gamey—grew stronger as the bashful deer approached.
6) Clothing, fabric, furniture, draperies, rugs-all retain smells-
Yanking the ugly orange and green knitted throw off the dilapidated sofa, Regina sneezed. Then sneezed again. Two decades worth of cigarette smoke, greasy foods, numerous cats, Irish Spring Soap, and the vanilla candles Grandpa had always burned in memory of Grandma assaulted her senses. Rather than repulse her, as the odors would most people, the familiar smells brought tears to her eyes. She buried her face in the musty blanket, missing him.
7) To evoke a past emotion or feeling-good or bad/to create a new emotional or feeling connection-
“With the merry hiss and spit of the chattering fire dispelling the silence, he savoured the familiar smells of wood-smoke, beeswax, leather and much-handled paper…Like the library itself, the rich aromas emanating from his brandy stirred childhood memories of his uncle. As rich and complex as the aromas presently seducing his senses, the old duke had been as a father to him. He gently swirled the garnet-
Collette Cameron ©2018 colored brandy then raised the glass to his nose and sniffed, drawing in the aromas of nuts, fruits, spices and oak.” ~KP Pryce, Unforgettable
“The scent of hay and horses and filthy straw engulfed her the moment she cracked the door. Voices rose from her nightmares. Help me, Mommy … let go! … Papa! … baisez la putain anglaise! … bastards! Her mother’s screams, her father’s curses, Nigel, Cecily. Memory overwhelmed her, terrifying, threatening, drowning her in grief.” ~Allison Lane, Kindred Spirits
8) To stimulate a memory-again good or bad/to create a new memory-
“Wisteria evoked a far more visceral memory. One he visited from time to time when he could no longer stay away. On either side of the terrace, tall branches of Chinese wisteria added their exotic scent to the mix. How could he have forgotten? He had not, and therein lay the problem. From now on he’d limit his visits to grouse season and Christmas. Memory tended to either seep in like a London fog or club one over the head with a cudgel. A flowery cudgel at that.” ~Louisa Cornell, Stealing Minerva
9) Take your reader deeper into your characters’ psyche- Why does you heroine react so violently to the odor of nail polish? Why does your hero like the smell of skunk cabbage?
Joanna nodded, catching the slightest whiff of lavender as he bent his head and set to work on her stays. She’d made him sachets of lavender before they were married to keep with his clothes, and the scent brought back a wave of memories. Not the big events, but the private moments they’d shared: curling up together before the fire on chilly evenings, clandestine looks exchanged across the room at social functions, kisses stolen while clearing the table after meals. She’d never missed him so much as she did just then, and she mentally cursed the blackguard who had forced her away from her husband for five lonely years. ~Cora Lee, No Rest for the Wicked
10) To describe an emotion-For instance, studies show fear has a metallic taste.
“She’d never tasted this kind of fear. Nor smelled it before either, yet she kept catching whiffs of the unsettling, acerbic aroma.” ~Blaike: Secrets Gone Askew
11) To warn of danger-
“A whiff of stone cold damp and death brushed past her from the shadowed interior.” Zara West, Close to the Skin
12) To enhance or create a mood-
“His utterly male fragrance danced beneath her nose. Crisp and clean with a hint of shaving cream and sandalwood. No man had ever stood so close, his very nearness creating a shocking intimacy and her heart thrummed in anticipation of his next advance.” ~Sue Barr, Caroline: Pride and Prejudice Continued
13) To create culture-.
“She was beyond thought, entranced and captured by his gold green eyes, which shone through the black mask, making him seem even more cat-like, and wrapped around by his intoxicating scent –orange, amber, and something else, perhaps anise, or something warmer – he smelt like the most delicious
Collette Cameron ©2018 combination of the spices and scents that Raphael imported from the Far East.” ~Arietta Richmond, Kissing the Duke of Hearts.
14) To describe weather-
“On the cusp of the squall, even the air smelled and felt different; a sweet, pungent scent that tickled her nostrils and heightened her awareness whilst making her prickly all over.” ~Collette Cameron, Blaike: Secrets Gone Askew
“The wetness amplified the pungent odors of damp wool, sweaty horseflesh, and dank earth wafting through the air. ~Collette Cameron, Seductive Surrender
OLFACTION DISORDERS: Consider using neurological disorders that affect olfaction in writing. Dysosmia- Familiar odors based on memory become distorted. Hyperosmia- Heightened sense of smell, often caused by a lower tolerance for odor. Phantosmia- Smelling an odor that’s not really there, also known as olfactory hallucinations. Hyposmia- A reduced sense of smell. Often caused by allergies or viruses but can be a precursor to a serious disease. Anosmia-The loss of the sense of smell. May be caused by an infection, chemicals, blockage, or injury. When you don’t have a sense of smell, you can’t taste your food.
My son’s girlfriend has this, though they don’t know the cause. As a result she is quite thin, finding little enjoyment in eating since she can’t really taste food.
*Writing Tip #3: Complex and intriguing characters can be created with these disorders. Imagine a hero presenting a heroine with a rose, but she can’t smell it? Or the reverse, the scent is overpowering to her?
Basic definitions: Aroma: distinctive smell, particularly a pleasant one Odor: a distinctive smell, especially an unpleasant one. Scent: a distinctive smell/odor, especially one that is pleasant/agreeable. Smell: perceiving odors or scents by means of the organs in the nose
*Writing tip #4: People become “nose-blind” (olfactory adaption) to many smells within a few minutes.
Synonyms for Scent-sory writing Smell odor aroma fragrance balm Scent aura essence redolence distillate Overtone undertone fume air vestige Vapor haze puff whiff Gas odorous malodorous reek Stink stench pong spoor Odorize pheromone atmosphere bouquet
Collette Cameron ©2018 *Writing tip #5: make smelly scenes more intense, emotional, memorable, vivid, and sexier with adjectives.
Emotions that can be described with smell (not all inclusive) fright terror fear dread anger irritation surprise grief impatience joy happiness soothing peace contentment love envy sadness disgust rage awe contempt trust amazement remorse
Physical Reactions to Smells Cramps migraines headaches rashes wheezing Gasp tingle sting dizziness feeling faint Light headedness chest tightness nauseous choking tight throat Lung cramps watery eyes runny nose sneezing nose tickles Lethargy wooziness sleep/drowsy racing heart relaxing Metallic taste throat aches zing in nose goosebumps sleep/sleepiness Difficulty breathing stinging coughing vomiting relaxing Nostrils twitching gagging euphoria arousal restlessness/agitation Chills flushing heat wave swallowing stinging eyes
*Writing tip #6- compare and contrast smells to create powerful, lasting imagery.
SMELLS AND DESCRIPTORS-A to Z
A Abhorrent, abnormal, absorbing, acid, acetic, acetone, acrid, airy, air-dried sheets/laundry, addicting, after-shave, agreeable, alarming, alcoholic, almond, apple, ambiance, ambrosia, amplified, anise, angry, antiseptic, appealing, appalling, arid, aroma, aromatic, atmosphere, atrocious, attar, aura, autumn, awareness, awful
B Babies, baby powder, bad breath, bacon, bad, baffling, balmy, baking, bakery, baking bread, banana, barf, barn yard, bathed, berries, befuddling, bewitching, bit, bitter, biting, bizarre, bland, blast, blood, blow, boggy, body odor, bold, bubble gum, bouquet, brazen, breath, breeze, briny, burgeoning, burning, burnt, burp
C Cabbage, calming, cake, camellia, candle, cat box, camphor, candy, caramel, caustic, cedar, chamomile, chemical, chicken, chicken coop, chlorine, chocolate, choking, Christmas, cigarettes, cigars, cinnamon, citrus/citrusy, clammy, claustrophobic, clean, cleaners, cleaning fluid, clear, cocoa, coconut, coffee, cloud, cloves, cloying, cologne, comforting, concentrated, contentment, conglomeration, constricted, cookies, cool, coopery, covered, corpse, cotton candy, creamy, creepy, crisp, cruel, cucumber, curious, cutting
D Damp, dank, daring, dash, dead, decaying, December, decomposing, dense, delectable, deodorize, depressing, delicate, delicious, delightful, deplorable, devilish, diaper, different, dingy, dirty, disagreeable, diseased, disinfectant, disgusting, distant, distillate, distinctive, dizziness, doggy, dog
Collette Cameron ©2018 breath, douse, draft, dreadful, drenched, drowned, dull, dung, dungeon, dying
E Earthy, eek, eel, eerie, effervescent, effluvious, elated, electric, elusive, emanation, embedded, energizing, engulf, engrossing, enhanced, enriched, enthralling, essence, essential oils, eucalyptus, euphoric, exciting, exhilarating, extract, entrance
F Faint, familiar, fart, favored, favorite, fear, feces, feet, feminine, fermenting, ferocious, fetid, fetor, fierce, fine, fishy, flavor, flash, flicker, floral, flowers, flutter, fog, forceful, foreign, forest, foul, foulness, fragrance, fragrance-free, fresh, fresh air, fresh-baked bread, fried food, fright, fruit/fruity, frowzy, fuel, fug, fulsome, fuming, funky, fusty
G Gag, gall, gamey, garbage, garden, gardenias, garlic, gaseous, gasoline, gasp, gassy, gentle, ghastly, ginger, giddy, glorious, glue, goat cheese, gooey, good, grapefruit, grass, gravy, graveolent, greasy, green mold, grimy, gripping, gross, grotesque, grubby, grungy, gulp, gum, gust, gym
H Hair, halitosis, hallucination, hand lotion, haze, hazardous, headache, heady, hearty, heather, heavy, hefty, heightened, heinous, herbal, high, hint, honeyed, horrid, horrific, hospital, hostile, hot, hot tar, hovering, humid, hung, hurl, hyacinth, hypnotic
I Icky, ill, imbue, imaginary, immerse, impacted, impatience, impression, incense, indescribable, inexplicable, infected, infested, infiltrate, infuse, ink, inodorous, iota, irregular, irritation, instill, itch, intoxicating, invasive, invigorating, inviting, iris, iridescent
J Jasmine, java, jelly, jerky, joy, jot, juicy, junk, jungle
K Keen, kerosene,
L Laced, laden, leather, leached, leaden, leaked, lemony, lethargic, licorice, light, lightheaded, lilac, likable, lime, litter, listless, loamy, lingering, lively, locker room, lovely, lurid, lush
M Malty, malodourous, manure, maple, marinade, masculine, masked, meadow, medicinal, memorable, mephitic, merest, metallic, miasma, mild, minty, moist, moldy, mood, musk, musty, mysterious
N Nasty, nauseating, new, new car, niodorous, noisome, noxious, nuance
O Obnoxious, ocean, odd, odorize, odiferous, odorless, offal, offensive, old, oil, olid, onion, oppressive, orange, overtone, overpowering, overwhelming
P Paint, peanut butter, peculiar, penetrating, peony, peppery, peppermint, perfume, permeate, pervade,
Collette Cameron ©2018 pervasive, pheromone, pinch, pine, pineapple, piquant, pleasant, poisonous, popcorn, pong, posy, potent, puff, pungent, putrescent, putrid
Q Quintessence
R Rain, rancid, rank, redolent, reek, refreshing, relaxing, remarkable, remote, repellant, repulsive, resinous, revolting, ripe, roast beef, robust, rotten, rose
S Sachet, salty, satisfying, saturate, savory, sea, scented, seep, sense, sewer, sharp, sickening, sign, skunk, smattering, smelly, smidgen, smoky, smothering, sneeze, sniffle, snuffle, soak, sour, speck, spewed, spicy, splash, spoiled, spoor, sprinkled, stagnant, stale, steep, stench, sting, stink, sticky, stifling, strange, strawberries, storm, strong, stuffy, subtle, suggestion, suffocating, sulfuric, swamp, sweat, sweet
T Tame, tangy, tart, teeming, tentative, thick, tickle, tincture, tinge, tingle, toast, tobacco, touch, toxic, trace, trail, tumaceous
U Unbearable, uncanny, undertone, unforgettable, ungodly, unidentifiable, unnamable, unscented, unsavory
V Vague, vanilla, vapid, vapor, ventilation, vestige, vile, vinegar, violets, vomit
W Waft, warm, washed, weak, weird, welcoming, wet, wet wool, whisper, wholesome, wholly, wine, wind, wispy, wild Woody
Y Yeast,
Z Zest, zip, zing
Resources: Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/smell
Collette Cameron ©2018 Service Animals in Romance Types of Service Animals • Difference between working, service animal, and emotional support animal (ESA) • Working animal: Trained to help several people. • Service animal: trained to serve someone with a disability. o Specifically paired with a partner one-on-one o Specific training for one or more accommodations related to the person disability Emotional Support Animal • No specific training necessary • Person does not have a disability that hinders their mobility accessibility in public spaces • Animal’s main focus is to comfort their person Restrictions of ADA (American’s with Disabilities Act) • Service animals are allowed anywhere the public is allowed access o Wherever the disabled person would be allowed Laws • Laws on training and proof the animal is a service animal vs working or ESA o Hint: There are none Questions • Two questions can be asked of a service dog entering a public space o Is this a service dog? o What specific service do they perform? Service Animal etiquette Training a service animal
The World of the 20th Century: The First 50 Years by: Molly Maka The world of romance is expanding away from medieval castles, Scottish realms, and Regency ballrooms. It’s moving slowly into the age of the 20th century. While some of us have lived during the era, not many have experienced the first 50 years, when the world’s feet had a firm plant in that of the 19th century while dabbling in the new years ahead. The first grouping are resource materials that give a very broad overview and are by no means the end all and be all. They would be a good place to start but they barely scratch the surface. There are also a lot of other sources that offer more of the same information. These are just the few I have chosen to list. The second grouping are more extant sources (i.e., sources from the period) that may help you dig deeper. While the list may look broad, there is a wealth of information to be had. The last grouping lists a few of my favorite sources. Please note that these are specific to my interests. They are excellent for digging deep. My chief recommendation to you is to go for the primary source or the closest to the primary source whenever possible. Resources that cover the entire 50 years: • American Decades, Edited by: Matthew J. Bruccoli. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1994. This collection of books (each with a different author) goes decade by decade. It includes world events, arts, media, education and many other topics. Each chapter is broken up by subject and then subsequently by year. • Jennings, Peter. The Century, Edited by: Todd Brewster. New York: Doubleday, 1998. This book by well-known news anchor Peter Jennings—part coffee table book, part reference book—goes through each decade and explores some of the great events in history. He also shares eye witness accounts of these events along with great photographs from the time period. • Day by Day. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 2007 A collection of books starting with the 1920s and ending with the 1990s, each edited by a different person, gives a chronology of the decade. Some of the topics focused on: World Affairs, various places in the world, Science and Technology, and Culture, Leisure and Lifestyle. If you want to pinpoint what happened on a specific date in history, then this is the resource for you. I will add that it is very broad.
Other broad period sources from the period or things you can do to stay true to the time period: • Talk to people who lived during the period. Even if they were children, they offer unique insights. • Newspapers, print media, advertisements (Life magazine, Ladies’ Home Journal, Montgomery Ward catalog, Votes for Women) • Recordings, radio broadcasts, films, plays/musicals (rather than modern movies set in a time period, use period films produced during the time period. ex. The original King Kong from 1933, not the 2005 Peter Jackson remake. For musicals: On the Town.) There are several sources online or as apps where you can listen to old radio programs and recordings. • Fiction from the period as long as it's contemporary to the period. (ex. The Great Gatsby, The Jungle) • Census records, Social Security Death Index are useful for name ideas, or to learn how someone from a specific income might have lived. • Look at historical maps (ex. campaign maps, old globes, old road maps), travel brochures, etc. • Extant sources especially when it comes to clothing. (Don’t go by what modern day designers say is how it was done unless they specify that it is a reproduction.) • Visit and tour places important to the time. This goes beyond museums. For example, if you’re researching Margaret Tobin Brown (aka The Unsinkable Molly Brown), go to her home in Denver. See if you can meet the owner or curator of where you are visiting to ask specific questions. • Try things your characters might do or experience (ex. Try recipes from the period. Try on foundation garments or underpinnings from the period [NOTE: make sure they are fit to your measurements.]. Or try wearing your hair in the style of the period.) • DO NOT believe the stereotypes. Do your own research. (ex. corset myths)
Some of my favorite sources The Victory Binding of the American Woman’s Cook Book: Wartime Edition. Edited by: Ruth Berolzheimer. Chicago: Book Production Industries, 1944. Allen, Frederick Lewis. Only Yesterday: An Informal History of the 1920s. New York: Harper and Row, 1931. Burns, Ken, dir. The Dust Bowl: A Film by Ken Burns. 2012; Washington, D.C.: PBS, 2012. DVD. Hitchcock, William I. The Age of Eisenhower: America and the World in the 1950s. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2018. Linderman, Gerald F. The World Within War. New York: The Free Press, 1997. Pankhurst, Sylvia. The Suffragette:The History of the Women’s Militant Suffrage Movement. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2015. Turudich, Daniela. 1940s Hairstyles. 2nd edition. Streamline Press, 2011. Notable Things That Happened in the First 50 Years of the Twentieth Century **Please note, dates are skewed heavily (but not exclusively) to Western Civilization.**
1900-1910 1926: The first “talkie” premieres at the Warner Theatre in New York. It’s called Don Juan. 1900: The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum is published. 1927: On May 20th, Charles Lindbergh becomes the first man 1901: Booker T. Washington was invited to dinner at the to fly nonstop across the Atlantic. White House by President Teddy Roosevelt. 1928: Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin while studying 1902: A Trip to the Moon is released. It’s the first sci-fi film. influenza. 1903: The Wright brothers make the first human flight with 1929: The stock market crashed on October 28 and started an airplane. the Great Depression. 1904: The ice cream cone is created at the St. Louis World 1930: The Secret of the Old Clock, the first Nancy Drew Fair. mystery is published. 1905: Albert Einstein formulates the Theory of Relativity (E=mc2) 1931-1940 1906: The San Francisco earthquake that destroyed 75% if the city and kills 4,000 people happened on April 18. 1931: Al Capone is indicted on 5,000 counts of perjury and 1907: Sir Robert Baden-Powell creates the Boy Scouts in prohibition. England. 1932: The Pulitzer Prize is awarded to Pearl S. Buck for The 1908: SOS becomes the standard signal for help. Good Earth. 1909: The first plastic, Bakelite, is patented. 1933: Frances Perkins becomes the first female member of 1910: Howards End by E.M. Forster is published. the US Cabinet. 1934: Shirley Temple appears in her first film, Stand Up and 1911- 1920 Cheer. 1935: Erwin Schrödinger publishes his thought experiment 1911: First International Women’s Day began on March 19. about “Schrödinger’s Cat.” 1912: The RMS Titanic, the largest ship at the time, struck 1936: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell is published. an iceberg and sank. 1,503 passengers of the 2,208 1937: The Hindenburg, a German airship, caught fire at perished in the disaster. Navel Air Station Lakehurst, NJ, killing 35 people. 1913: Adolphe Pégoud became the first pilot to parachute 1938: Superman first appears in comics in April. from an airplane. 1939: In September, German invades Poland, thus beginning 1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand is assassinated which World War II. signals the start of World War I. 1940: Hattie McDaniel becomes the 1st African American 1915: Pluto is photographed for the first time. woman to win an Oscar for her role in Gone with the 1916: The Easter Uprising in Dublin to end English Rule in Wind. Ireland occurs during Easter week. 1917: The Russian Revolution begins in March. 1941-1950 1918: Great Britain’s Representation of the People Act in February gives women the right to vote. The 1941: Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, which brings the US into stipulations are they must be at least 30 or own World War II. property. 1942: Casablanca premieres at the Hollywood Theater, 1919: The Black Sox scandal occurs in October when the NYC. Chicago White Sox intentionally throw the series. 1943: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is 1920: Women in the United States earn the right to vote. published. 1944: Henry Larsen becomes the first person to successfully 1921-1930 navigate the Northwest Passage in both directions. 1945: International Women’s Day is first observed in May. 1921: Babe Ruth broke the career home run record with his th 1946: Ho Chi Minh is elected President of North Vietnam. 138 home run. 1947: The Dead Sea Scrolls are discovered between Fall 1922: Insulin was first used on humans to treat diabetes. 1946 and winter 1947. 1923: Howard Carter opens the burial chamber of King Tut’s 1948: The Berlin Airlift begins in June. tomb. 1949: 1984 by George Orwell is published. 1924: The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade is held on 1950: Korean War begins in June. November 27th. 1925: Benito Mussolini becomes dictator of Italy. 1 Tips for Writing Historical Romance
How To Create an Authentic Backdrop For Your Historical Novel
RWA 2018 20/20 Session
by Syrie James
THE RESEARCH PROCESS Choose a time period and place. Immerse yourself in the history of your time period and location. Read primary sources: memoirs, diaries, & novels written by people who lived at that time. Read secondary sources: reference books, biographies, & novels by contemporary authors. Read historical romance and historical fiction set in that era. Scour the internet (but check all “facts” against at least two other sources). Create a folder or binder of notes, information, and images. Watch movies, TV series, and plays set in your era. Understand the larger, historical scope of the era. Learn aspects of daily life: clothing, homes, illumination, books, medicine, transportation, etc. Understand the morals, manners, and opinions of people in society. How did people from different classes interact with one another? If you’re writing a British historical, learn the proper manner of address for nobility. Interview experts, researchers, and historians. Visit museums. Visit the location in person. Take virtual tours online. Explore social outlets and societies. Take lessons. Live the era yourself!
AS YOU WRITE… Avoid anachronisms: Check behindthename.com and dictionary.com. Weave historical detail into the story through the lens of the characters. Don’t overdo it. Too much historical detail will bog down your story. Find a balance between authenticity and accuracy. Love the process and enjoy the journey. 2 RESEARCH RESOURCES GREAT REFERENCE BOOKS What Jane Austen Knew and Charles Dickens Ate by Daniel Pool Georgette Heyer's Regency World by Jennifer Kloeste Daily Life in Victorian England by Sally Mitchell The Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in Regency and Victorian England by Kristine Hughes To Marry an English Lord by Gail MacColl and Carol McD. Wallace Elizabeth's London: Everyday Life in Elizabethan London by Liza Picard Knight by Christopher Gravett Life in a Medieval Castle by Joseph and Frances Gies Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages by Frances and Joseph Gies Costume: 1066 to the Present by John Peacock Jane Austen’s Letters The Diary of Samuel Pepys Selected Letters of Charlotte Brontë The Brontës: A Life in Letters by Juliet Barker
A FEW BLOGS I LIKE
Proper use of British titles: https://www.jobev.com/title.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forms_of_address_in_the_United_Kingdom First names: https://www.behindthename.com Last names: https://surnames.behindthename.com A huge collection of Victorian periodicals: http://www.victorianvoices.net Historic locations in Britain: http://www.timetravel-britain.com Victorian and Regency Undergarments: https://vintagedancer.com/victorian/victorian-underwear http://www.fashion-era.com/drawers-pants-combinations-knickers-fashion.htm Transportation: https://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/tag/regency-transportation https://horsesandhistory.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/transport-and-carriages-in-the-victorian-era- 1837-1901
A FEW SOCIETIES AND NATIONAL GROUPS
The Jane Austen Society of North America The Victorian Society in America The Society for Creative Anachronism (for Medieval and Renaissance) Civil War societies and reenactment groups
SYRIE JAMES is the author of award-winning historical, contemporary, and young adult fiction and romance translated into 18 languages. An admitted Anglophile, Syrie loves all things English and 19th century. A member of WGA, RWA, and JASNA, Syrie has addressed audiences across the U.S., Canada, and England. Her work includes: Runaway Heiress Jane Austen's First Love Summer of Scandal (Sept. 2018) Nocturne Embolden (Oct. 2018) Dracula, My Love The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë Forbidden The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen Songbird The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen Propositions Follow Syrie on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at: syriejames.com Birds of a Feather Cross-Promo Together July 20, 2018 RWA18 / 1
Birds of a Feather Cross-Promo Together: Techniques to Increase Discoverability and Visibility
July 20, 2018 – RWA 2018
Speakers: Alexis Daria, Priscilla Oliveras, Sabrina
Sol, Mia Sosa
**[Please note: If you share material from this handout and presentation, please give credit.] [Shout out to Damon Suede for inspiring the handout format!] Birds of a Feather Cross-Promo Together July 20, 2018 RWA18 / 2
OVERVIEW
Four multi-published authors discuss ways to improve discoverability and increase individual visibility through targeted cross-promotion. The panelists will share tips on how to identify common contributions to the market, develop a joint brand, and harness the power of author networks. Participants will be encouraged to explore comps and brainstorm a collective promotion strategy.
Note: We originally joined forces for a group interview about our experiences as Latinx romance authors and have since gone on to create a cohesive brand as well as a Facebook reader group.
In this workshop, we will: • Discuss using cross-promo to improve discoverability and visibility • Provide tools for identifying common contributions to the market • Explain comp titles/authors and how to find them • Describe how to develop a joint brand • Detail tips for running a joint Facebook group • Give examples for cross-promo and forming a joint brand
ABOUT
Alexis Daria is a contemporary romance author, artist, and native New Yorker. Her debut, TAKE THE LEAD, is a 2018 double RITA® finalist and 2017 Golden Heart® finalist, and was named one of the Best Romance Novels of 2017 by The Washington Post and Entertainment Weekly. She loves social media, and you can find her live- tweeting her favorite TV shows at @alexisdaria or talking about writing and books at alexisdaria.com.
Priscilla Oliveras is a Puerto Rican-Mexican author and 2018 RWA® RITA® double finalist who writes contemporary romance with a Latinx flavor. Her first two novels, HIS PERFECT PARTNER and HER PERFECT AFFAIR, earned Starred Reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Priscilla serves as English adjunct faculty at her local college and teaches an ed2go online course titled “Romance Writing.” Follow her fun-filled, hectic life by visiting www.prisoliveras.com, www.facebook.com/prisoliveras or on Twitter via @prisoliveras.
Sabrina Sol is the chica who loves love. She writes HOT contemporary romance stories featuring strong Latina heroines in search of their Happily Ever Afters. Sabrina and her books have been featured in Pop Sugar, USA Today’s Happy Ever After and on Book Riot’s list of “100 Must Read Romantic Comedies.” To learn more, visit www.sabrinasol.com.
Mia Sosa is an award-winning contemporary romance writer and 2015 Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® Finalist. Her books have received praise and recognition from Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Library Journal (starred reviews), The Washington Post, Book Riot, Bustle, and more. Booklist recently called her “the new go- to author for fans of sassy and sexy contemporary romances.” She strives to write fun and flirty stories about imperfect characters finding their perfect match. For more information, visit miasosa.com.
Birds of a Feather Cross-Promo Together July 20, 2018 RWA18 / 3
Using Cross-Promo to Improve Discoverability and Visibility
There’s safety and power in numbers. If you struggle with marketing, finding authors you connect with on multiple levels can be the key to turning promotion into a group task that’s fun and potentially more successful for all involved. Cross-promotion allows you to harness the power of an established author network where each individual works cohesively with similarly- branded authors to spread awareness of the others’ books.
Simple steps for cross-promo • Boost other authors o Repost or retweet promo posts for author friends or those you want to support. o Wish other authors a happy book birthday or happy release day. o Suggest other authors when someone asks for recommendations. o Mention other authors in your newsletters or ask your author friends if they have upcoming sales or releases you could include. o Create a Twitter thread recommending other authors with links to their books. • Ask your author networks to boost your good news o Got a sale or new release? Ask the groups you’re part of to help spread the news. (Unless the group rules specifically state this is not allowed.) o Let your CPs and close author friends know they can ask you to signal boost for them and be comfortable asking them to do the same. o Make genuine connections in the community. Chances are people will be happy for you and spread the word without you asking. • Talk about the books you’ve enjoyed o Authors are readers first. Loved a book? Mention it on social media! o Offer to provide a blurb for authors you might share readership with. • Look for opportunities to have your voice featured o Lots of people would be happy to have you provide content for their blogs or newsletters. Keep an eye out for calls for guest posts or interviews or offer in your author groups. o Pitch joint articles or listicles to online publications.
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Identifying Common Contributions to the Market
Before you can find other authors to work with, analyze your own books and your author persona. Here are some questions to consider:
• What makes you stand out? What’s unique about you and your books? What do you add to the genre? ______
• Who else is occupying a similar space in the market? ______
• What authors are your fans also reading? ______
• Which authors are you often grouped with on lists or in recommendations? ______
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Comp Titles/Authors and How to Find Them
We’re human beings, not human doings. Even the fastest writers can only write so fast. Think of the authors you would recommend to readers who have already gobbled up your backlist. Identifying comparable titles and authors can help you find opportunities for cross-promotion.
What is a comp title? • A book similar to your own in terms of tone, theme, or story content. • These can often be found in your book page’s “Also Bought” section on Amazon. • DON’T use hugely popular titles like Fifty Shades of Grey or The Hunger Games. • DO use popular titles in your subgenre. • Look for common themes and elements in your stories, then read widely in your genre (and ask friends!) to find similar titles.
Finding suitable comp titles is a common problem for authors writing books that feature characters or themes not widely represented in the genre. Instead, compare author voice.
What is a comp author? • An author whose tone or narrative voice is similar to yours, even if the story and content are not. • An author whose “core story” is similar to yours, even if the subgenre differs. • Analyze your author voice and look for authors with a similar tone or vibe.
Why are comps important? • Aside from helping you identify cross-promo opportunities, comps are useful in queries and proposals. They come in handy when creating a marketing and publicity plan for your book and help your agent and editor better position your book to sell.
Once you’ve identified (and read) your comps: • If the author is more established than you, reach out and tell them you enjoyed their book. (Only if you did. Don’t lie.) Authors love hearing from fans. Let them know if you have a book coming out. They might ask for an ARC or offer to mention it to their social media followers on release day. o (If a popular author ever offers to promote your book and tells you to send them a reminder, DO IT. And include buy links to make it easier for them.) • If you and the author are at similar points in your career, this person is perfect for cross- promo! o If you read and enjoyed their book, give them a shout out on social media. o Reach out. This business is built on genuine connections. o See if they’re open to working together by starting with one simple, actionable goal. (i.e. Mentioning each other to newsletter subscribers.) o If it works out and you like each other, brainstorm other cross-promo ideas, then move on to developing a joint brand. Birds of a Feather Cross-Promo Together July 20, 2018 RWA18 / 6
Developing a Joint Brand
If you’ve decided you want to form a cross promo group with other authors, compatibility is key. You want to make sure you all get along, that you’re comfortable promoting each other’s work, and you genuinely want to see the others succeed. Beyond that, how do you know who you should work with and who would make a good fit? Here are some questions to ask when determining authors with whom you should join forces.
Remember, it’s okay to start small or with one simple, actionable goal! For example, we joined with the goal of putting together a group interview for USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog. From there, after discovering that we worked well together, the joint goal expanded to boosting each other’s voices, forming a joint Facebook reader group, pitching this panel, and doing in-person events together (when possible). We are invested in each other’s success and the joint brand, so we’ve put in more time and effort.
Analyze the group you’re forming • What draws you all together and what sets you apart from each other? • Will readers think a joint effort between you and these authors “makes sense” or seems “random”? • What skills or connections do you all bring to the table? • What are the goals, both of the individuals and the group?
Develop the brand • Determine group voice/tone/vibe • Develop common language or hashtags (i.e. #LatinxRom, 4 Chicas Chat, “casa”) • Be consistent with graphics o Color scheme o Font o Images o Logo • Consider readership overlap
Additional cross-promo suggestions • Pitch author panels to local bookstores and conferences. • Pitch joint articles or interviews to relevant online publications. • Host giveaways of each other’s books. • Join anthologies with a common theme. Birds of a Feather Cross-Promo Together July 20, 2018 RWA18 / 7
Running a Joint Facebook Group
A joint Facebook group is a bigger commitment, so there are many factors to take into account before you set one up.
• Do you want posting to be organic or more organized? o Themed days (i.e. Tamsen Parker’s #WonderWomanWednesday) • How often to post? o 7 days a week? 5 days a week? Less? On scheduled days or sporadically? o How many posts per day? What’s the minimum or maximum? • Will you address world events and politics or stick to neutral topics? • Host schedule o Switching off hosting duties--daily, weekly, or organic? • Group vibe o What’s your vision for the group? Make sure you’re all on the same page. • How much promo should you do within the group? o This is up to you, but again, make sure all the hosts know the “rules.” o If this is a reader group, they’re interested in your books! Don’t be afraid to post sales, new releases, or good news. Just don’t overdo it. (Consider the 80/20 social media rule - 80% entertainment, engagement, or education; 20% promo.) o And since these are your most loyal readers, you might consider giving them early news, such as cover reveals. • Group rules o These can help set the tone of the group. They can be as simple as “no promo” or “don’t start fights” or more detailed. • Kickoff party o Intro posts, giveaways, games • Advertise o Mention your joint Facebook group in other FB parties and chats to invite in new readers.
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Cross-Promo Examples
Here’s a list of examples from our own experience in forming a joint brand.
• HEA USA Today interview: “Let’s chat with authors Alexis Daria, Priscilla Oliveras, Sabrina Sol and Mia Sosa about Latina romance.” Since the article didn’t allow comments, we hosted a #LatinxRom Twitter chat on the day the article released to kick off the hashtag. • Popsugar Latina list by Mia Sosa: “8 Up-and-Coming Latinx Romance Writers Who Should Be on Your Radar.” • Mia and Priscilla joined a panel of authors for an event with Duende District in Washington, D.C.
Here are examples of cross-promo we’ve each done individually, which help build support and reach for the joint brand.
• Mia will be releasing a novella in Skinny Dipping Optional—and Other Romantic Misadventures, a rom com anthology out at the end of July. • Sabrina released novellas in joint anthologies Down and Dirty, Wicked Winter and Come Undone. • Priscilla started the Facebook group “Fiction From the Heart” with eleven other contemporary romance and women’s fiction authors. • Alexis co-hosts #RWchat, a weekly Twitter chat for romance authors, with three other authors.
Extra note space
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Geoff Symon.com forensics for fiction
Geoff Symon.com forensics for fiction
Geoff Symon.com forensics for fiction Career Burnout Joanne Rock RWA 2018
What’s Causing Your Career Burnout? / What Are Your Writing Stressors?
Before you can address your work-related stress, consider all the places your stress/burnout might be coming from so you can identify and respond to as many elements as possible. The Mayo Clinic points to these areas (in bold) as common triggers for job burnout in general. I’ve tried to associate the umbrella terms with our work:
• Lack of control. Overwhelmed by your schedule, workload, which projects you’re working on. • Unclear job expectations. Do you have enough information from your publisher about what is expected from your next book? Do you know how much you need to write to make a living? • Dysfunctional workplace dynamics. Too much online drama? Critical reviewers/fans/editors. OR is your workplace filled with too much family? • Mismatch in vision. Are you pushing to move your career in one direction while your agent/editor push in another? OR are you having a different vison of your job than your spouse/significant other? This disconnect exacerbated in work-at-home jobs. • Poor job fit. You don’t love romance/erotica/contemporary/you name it, but you’re writing it anyway because that’s what sold. Or maybe you have a poor job fit in that you’re trying to work from home when the household is chaotic, or there are too many distractions. • Extremes of activity. When a job is monotonous or chaotic, you need constant energy to remain focused — which can lead to fatigue and job burnout. • Lack of social support. Feeling isolated at work or in personal life. • Work-life imbalance. Work consumes too much of your time.
Once you have a comprehensive list identified of the burnout issues / stressors, review ways to manage them:
• Evaluate your options. Are you at a career plateau? Would it help to establish a mentoring relationship? What are the options for continuing education or professional development? Should you take a break? Co-author a project to find some new mojo? • Adjust your attitude. If you've become cynical at work, consider ways to improve your outlook. See notes on positive intelligence. Rediscover enjoyable aspects of your work. Take breaks. Spend time away from work doing things you enjoy. • Seek support. Look for fellow writers, cultivate non-writers, attend a reader event. Talk through your problem, write your way through your problem in an email, take the issue to a trusted group. • Assess your interests, skills and passions. An honest assessment can help you decide whether you should consider an adjusted schedule, or a move to a different genre/publisher/series/etc. Or is writing not a great fit for you? • Get some exercise. Regular physical activity lowers stress levels, spurs creativity, improves sleep, etc. For people with sedentary jobs, this is all the more critical. • Get some sleep. Adequate rest required for creative thinking, better problem solving. Are you comfortable? Address neck support, insomnia, pillow issue, meditation ritual.
Working from Home = Unique Challenges Best ways to wall out distractions? Create organized home office, create healthy work environment (foot swing, treadmill desk, sit on the bounce ball, back support, wrist support, good light)
Surround yourself with inspiration- You deserve an inspiring space.
You need a network… but not a negative one. Professional jealousy is inevitable-- Own it, and then let it go. Revel in the positive Surround yourself with people who do the same. Beware the mood vampires / ditch negative social media
Positive Intelligence – Create a habit for your own “happiness advantage” by repeating daily for three weeks * • Jot down three things you’re grateful for. • Write a positive message to someone in your social support network. • Meditate for two minutes. • Exercise for 10 minutes. • Take two minutes to describe in a journal the most meaningful experience of the past 24 hours.
Redefine success, choose three things to do today, focus on what you can control Reroute negative thinking—write it out, reassess, change the narrative. Cultivate a well-being strategy, not just for times of stress but for every day. Schedule breaks & rewards Plan for down time
How do you maintain creativity (motivation)?
§ Recharge the well § Enjoy stories another way § Read outside the genre § Feed your muse § Music § Museums § Incorporate play/ appeal to the senses / play character games § People watch § Visit your bookshelf or the library § Talk to strangers § Remember your writing dream- why was it powerful? What drew you to write that first book? What can you recapture about the experience?
~ Joanne Rock has written over eighty books for Harlequin and Tule Publishing. Her McNeill Magnates series from Harlequin Desire continues this summer with July’s The Forbidden Brother.
* “Positive Intelligence” by Shawn Anchor, Harvard Business Review Jan-Feb 2012
Workshop Outline Crafting a Slam-dunk Hook and Query: Insider Tips
Mary Altman &Cat Clyne
OUTLINE: This hands-on workshop is intended for all authors, whether debut or previously published, traditional or independent.
Many throw around the word “hook”; however, in our experience, very few actually understand what a hook is and why it is so necessary—especially in today’s overcrowded market. Through definitions, examples, in-depth case studies, and hands-on activities, two acquiring editors will illustrate: 1) What a hook is; 2) How a hook is used; 3) How to translate a hook into a pitch and/or query that is sure to gain attention.
1. Definitions: Hook, Frame, High Concept, Low Concept 2. Why do you need a hook? 3. What is a hook? 4. Examples of high-concept and low-concept hooks 5. What is a frame? 6. Examples of frames that work 7. The importance of a series hook 8. How to translate a single book hook into a killer series hook 9. Examples of series hooks 10. Case study: how one author turned a hook into a career 11. Case study: hook and genre in the wild 12. How to craft your hook into a pitch 13. How to translate that pitch into a query letter 14. Hands on interactive workshop: “Mad Libs” pitching, taking everything we learned and translating it into a simple script useful for any pitch or submission.
Everyone in attendance will be supplied with a “Mad Libs” script with space for them to fill in the details of their books, as shaped by our workshop. This is intended to get them thinking of how best to use hooks in quick elevator pitches and submissions. In our experience, hands-on learning is what really drives home the message of how to correctly use hooks to attract attention. How To Create Authentic Military Heroes and Heroines in Your Romance Novel 1 Workshop by Geri Krotow RWA 2018
Geri’s Quick Research Guide for your Military Heroine/Hero
Internet Research—please see links below
Your local Recruiting Office—go in person and meet the recruiter! Use the service online locator tools. For example, when I put in the zip code for Denver, CO at https://www.navy.com/locator.html It shows the address for the nearest enlisted recruitment facility, as well as their Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/DenverNavyCareers/
Department of Defense Services: US Air Force http://www.af.mil/ US Army https://www.army.mil/ US Marines http://www.marines.mil/ US Navy http://www.navy.mil/
Department of Homeland Security: US Coast Guard http://www.overview.uscg.mil/Missions/
Other ideas for brainstorming:
Marines at US Embassies: http://www.mcesg.marines.mil/ Please note that the U.S. Marines are not personnel security guards at our embassies.
US Government/Military Branch Civilian Employment https://www.usajobs.gov/ Great resource for life after active duty, civilian jobs in each military branch. This gives you an idea of the extent of locations around the globe where a civilian can work with military personnel.
Geri Krotow RWA2018 Denver, CO How To Create Authentic Military Heroes and Heroines in Your Romance Novel 2 Workshop by Geri Krotow RWA 2018
The US Military is a microcosm of American society. Breakdown of diversity in the US Military : http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/13/6-facts-about-the-u-s- military-and-its-changing-demographics/ Pew Research Center information
The most valuable resource in researching military characters is your friends and family who have served. Ask them how it feels to wear the uniform, resign/retire the uniform. What motivated them to sign up? Were they drafted (Viet Nam era and previous)?
For research about military family life from short-notice moves to lifestyle tips, check out the National Military Family Website: https://blog.militaryfamily.org/category/military-life/
Always remember that the United States military is an ALL VOLUNTEER FORCE. Each man and woman serves NO MATTER the current national political climate. You can see the various forms of the Oath of Office here: http://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/swearing-in-for-military-service.html
Keep in mind: The spouses, children and other dependents of the active duty member serve, too.
Another great resource is Military Times, which publishes specific news for each service branch as well as the Pentagon and Congress: https://www.militarytimes.com/
Questions? Contact Geri via her website http://www.gerikrotow.com/, or email her [email protected]
Geri Krotow RWA2018 Denver, CO DEAD RIGHT – WRITING YOUR AUTOPSY
MEDICAL/AUTOPSY TERMS
ANTERIOR – The front of the body
POSTERIOR – The back of the body
SUPERIOR – Towards the top (head) of the body
INFERIOR – Towards the bottom (feet) of the body
LATERAL – The side of the body
MEDIAL – The middle of the body
PROXIMAL – Towards the torso/the limb’s beginning
DISTAL – Towards the limb’s end
RIGHT – The body’s right, not the viewer’s
LEFT – The body’s left, not the viewer’s
POSTMORTEM – After death
ANTEMORTEM – Before death
PERIMORTEM – At the time of death Geoff Symon.com forensics for fiction DEAD RIGHT – WRITING YOUR AUTOPSY AUTOPSY CHART WITH TERMS ANTERIOR POSTERIOR
Superior
Proximal Lateral (side)
Right Left Right
Distal Proximal
Distal
Medial Inferior (center)
Geoff Symon.com forensics for fiction DEAD RIGHT – WRITING YOUR AUTOPSY
AUTOPSY – ORGAN STATS
BRAIN • 3 lbs (1 ½ kg) • About the size of a Cornish hen • The brain has 3 regions o Brainstem o Cerebellum o Cerebrum • The cerebrum has 4 lobes o Frontal o Parietal o Temporal o Occipital • “Encephalo-“ “Cerebral”
LUNGS • 3 lbs (1 ½ kg) - Together o Right lung is a bit heavier than the left lung • Right lung is bigger than the left o Has 3 lobes • Left lung is smaller than the right o Has to make room for the heart o Has 2 lobes • “Pulmin-“
Geoff Symon.com forensics for fiction DEAD RIGHT – WRITING YOUR AUTOPSY
AUTOPSY – ORGAN STATS
HEART • 10 oz (280 g) • Approximately the size of a fist • Surrounded by the lungs • “Cardi-”
KIDNEYS • 5 oz (140 g) – each • Roughly the size of a bar of soap • Humans can live off of just one • “Renal”
LIVER • 3 lbs (1 ½ kg) • Comprised of two lobes • The only human organ that can regenerate • “Hepa-“
Geoff Symon.com forensics for fiction DEAD RIGHT – WRITING YOUR AUTOPSY AUTOPSY – ORGAN STATS
STOMACH • 1½ lbs (690g) – Varies • Can hold up to a gallon (4L) • Food takes 6 – 8 hours to process through the stomach and small intestines • “Gastro-“
INTESTINES • Small Intestines o 20 feet long (6m) o ≈As wide as a finger o 3 sections Duodenum Jejunum Ileum • Large Intestines o 5 feet long (1 ½m) o ≈As wide as 3 fingers o 4 sections Cecum Colon Rectum Anal Canal • Appendix is connected to the cecum • “Entero-“ “Bowels” “Intestin-“
Geoff Symon.com forensics for fiction DEAD RIGHT – WRITING YOUR AUTOPSY
TIME OF DEATH ESTIMATES
NOT ACCURATE – NEVER TO THE MINUTE
METHOD TIME WINDOW NOTES Rigor Mortis 24 – 36 hours • Can be broken – Stiffening of muscles • ≈8 hrs to set • Can indicate body was • ≈8 hrs in place moved after death • ≈8 hrs to release Livor Mortis ≈8 hours for all blood • Gravity dependent – Staining of skin by blood to stain • Can indicate body was moved after death Algor Mortis Body cools ≈1 – 1½CF • Many variables can change – Cooling of the body per hour this rate o Extreme dry/wet conditions o Pre-death physical activity o Changes in environmental temperatures Entomology Blowflies can lay eggs • Timelines also exist for – Insect Activity immediately after death other insects • ≈24 hrs for maggots o Beetles feed on to hatch maggots so arrive • ≈7 ½ days to form after they hatch hard cocoon o Larger insects feed (pupa) on beetles so • ≈5 days to emerge arrive later still as blowfly • ≈13 ½ days total Potassium deposit rate into 36 – 120 hour estimate • Eye liquid the vitreous humor (1 ½ - 5 days) • Many variables Stomach Content s 6 – 8 hours to digest a • Many variables meal • Requires deceased to have eaten a meal Witness Account Only accurate method • Person can have seen or • Can be to the heard death, or give last minute or known time deceased narrow the was alive timeline to • Video can give exact time specific hours • Documents such as receipts can give last known time deceased was alive
Geoff Symon.com forensics for fiction DEEP POINT OF VIEW WHAT EXACTLY IS DPOV, AND WHY DO I WANT TO INCLUDE IT IN MY WRITING? By: Barbara Longley WHAT IS DEEP POINT OF VIEW?
Deep point of view is the difference between providing your readers with a summary of what is happening, and drawing your readers deep into the character’s experience, so they too take that journey with your hero or heroine.
Deep point of view gives us the up close and personal emotional and physiological impact the scene has on our hero or heroine from the inside out, while a summary looks from the outside in.
Deep point of view is essential in building emotional intimacy between your H/h. A Look at DPOV as it pertains to:
Showing Versus Telling, Character Driven vs. Plot Driven Stories, Backstory & Intimacy,
Filter/Buffer Words, Disembodiment, Overuse of “To Be” Verbs, Descriptive Narrative & Pacing.
SHOW AND TELL
There are two ways to convey a story: 1. Summarize – when we summarize, we tell the reader what is going on in the story. We are outside observers: Kelly closed her laptop and rose from her place at the conference table. Her so-called partner had sabotaged their presentation, and she was angry. Derek had deliberately killed their chances of making this desperately needed sale, and she had no idea why. “Thank you for your time,” she said to the company’s CEO, president and vice president. It was unlikely they’d hear back from Regis, Inc., but now was not the time or the place to haul Derek onto the carpet. She left the room, Derek trailing behind her. She’d wait until they were alone in the car, and then she’d let him have it. 2. With Deep POV, we take the reader on that journey with the character, so they experience what the H/h is experiencing in real time. This is showing, rather than telling. (From the inside projecting out.)
How could he? How could Derek sabotage this all important sales pitch? Kelly’s jaw clenched so hard she feared she’d crack the new crown she hadn’t even paid for yet. It was all she could do to keep from climbing over the expensive walnut conference table separating them and wrapping her hands around her partner’s scrawny pencil-neck. She’d squeeze the stupid right out of him. At least prison offered free room and board.
Struggling to draw a breath, she mustered what little dignity she had remaining and rose from her chair. “Thank you so much for meeting with us, gentlemen,” she said, forcing the words past the boulder lodged in her throat. No way would she be hearing back from Regis, Inc., and today’s pitch had been her very last hope. Yep. Her fledgling company had just been sunk.
She shoved her laptop into her brief case and snapped it shut. Her hands had gone cold, and the bitter taste of betrayal turned her stomach. Oh, God. Don’t throw up all over the expensive carpet. Keep it together. You can do this. She would hold on until she had that little piss-ant alone in her car, and then all bets were off. Murder was not out of the question. CHARACTER DRIVEN STORIES In character driven stories, it’s the characters who drive the bus taking them toward their happily-ever-after or toward a resolution. The ride is never smooth or easy, but the primary focus is on the characters. The plot is deeply personal, and there is a causal relationship between the cast and the plot. In character driven stories, without these specific cast members, and their specific situation, the story would not exist. CD stories are character specific and situation dependent. The plot’s primary function is to move the characters’ arcs forward. The story is primarily about connecting, revealing self, exposing vulnerability and sharing moments of emotional intimacy and/or turmoil. It’s about relational stuff, personal growth and personal triumph. Think of The Notebook. Without those two particular individuals and their particular situation, the story would not exist. The Secret Life of Bees, and The Proposal are also examples of CD stories. PLOT DRIVEN STORIES In plot driven stories, the bus/plot takes the characters for a ride. Characters get caught up in something that will go on with or without them. They become circumstantial players in a bigger picture, and if you exchanged one set of characters for another, the story would continue. Think The Da Vinci Code, The Game of Thrones and Speed.
In PD stories, the characters might not have any causal relationship to what is happening to them. They were in the right place at the wrong time, and they have no other choice but to hang on for dear life as the current sweeps them along and moves them forward. The plot is not character specific. Think about Speed. The heroine had no causal relationship to the runaway bus, and the bus would have continued on its perilous journey with or without her.
The focus of a PD tale is the plot as story, and not necessarily the developing relationships between characters. Characters take a secondary role in a plot driven tale. The Game of Thrones is an excellent example of plot driven story telling. Consider how many of our favorite characters have been killed off, yet the story continues. The Da Vinci Code is another good example. The H/h are thrown together by circumstances beyond their control. Once the resolution has occurred, they go their separate ways. DEEP POV IN CD & PD TALES Deep POV can and should happen in both plot driven and character driven stories, but it’s far more common and much more intrinsic in CD stories, and that’s why CD stories are so emotionally gripping. In PD stories, we’re more likely to be caught up in the action, suspense or the mystery than we are with character arcs. Think thrill ride, rather than heart strings being tugged.
Deep POV is relatable. By sharing our characters emotions, fears, insecurities, vulnerabilities, and then having them overcome these deeply personal obstacles, our readers connect. We purposefully elicit emotions, so our readers empathize and relate to our H/h. PD tales often elicit a thrill or fear, but the heart-tugging emotions are not a necessary component in a PD story. Heart-tugging is essentil with CD stories.
ADVERTISORS get this. The Ma Bell “reach out and touch someone” ads, Budweiser Clydesdale and Hallmark ads are designed to tug at our heartstrings. They pull us in and make us tear up or laugh uproariously. They do not “tell” us why we should buy their products, they “show” us through CD snapshots.
Our books are products, and we are the advertisers. Deepen that POV, tug on those heart strings, make the reader tear up or laugh out loud, and you will hold your audience in the palm of your capable writerly hand. Deep POV, BACKSTORY & INTIMACY
As writers, we need to know our characters’ backstories fully. How we share that backstory is crucial to creating emotional intimacy, and using DPOV is essential.
Internal monologue – Giving your readers backstory through internal monologue or through summary, puts the reader on the outside looking in again. Our readers are much more engaged when we turn backstory into an opportunity to expose vulnerabilities and build trust between the characters. Use backstory as a means to build trust and intimacy between your characters.
Example of using summary to share backstory:
She’d lost her virginity and gotten pregnant the night of her senior prom. Once their families found out, they’d put so much pressure on her and Brad that they’d caved. Right after graduation, they’d gotten married, and the next week Brad joined the army. He was that desperate to get away from her. “I can’t date you, Wyatt,” she said, her voice hitching. “I’m just not ready.” Providing the reader with backstory through dialogue is ALWAYS more interesting than providing your reader with a narrative summary of your character’s history. Doing so with DPOV is crucial for building emotional intimacy and trust between the H/h. Putting yourself “out there” is always risky, and when our characters take that risk and find acceptance (or rejection). . . that’s powerful stuff. Don’t cheat the reader out of those “moments.” Backstory Through Dialog
Example:
“I guess you’ve figured out that I had to get married.” Kenzie huffed out a mirthless laugh.
“I hadn’t given it any thought.” He shrugged. “I mean . . . I knew you were really young to be a mom and a widow, but—”
“Brad and I were a couple of stupid kids who fooled around and got caught.” She twisted the hem of her blouse between her fingers. “We started dating the middle of our senior year, and neither of us had ever been in a serious relationship before.” She bit her lip for a few seconds, then let loose a heavy sigh. “The night of our senior prom, we both lost our virginity, and… I got pregnant.”
“Oh.” What did this have to do with them?
“More like a BAM than an oh. Once our parents found out, they put an enormous amount of pressure on the two of us to get married. Brad’s father is a minister at a church in town, and he was pretty mad about the whole thing. Under all that pressure, we caved. Brad and I got married right after graduation, and . . .” Her voice broke, and she cleared her throat. “And the week after our wedding, my husband joined the army. He was that desperate to get away from me.” Another way to create DPOV: Reveal followed by acceptance/rejection
When one character reveals a deep dark secret, and they find acceptance, emotional intimacy and trust grow. The primary focus in a romance should be on the developing relationship between the H/h. Without these revelations and the moments of shared vulnerability followed by acceptance, the emotional intimacy part doesn’t take off. The chemistry fails to build. Suddenly we come to a happily-ever-after, and we don’t “get” how the characters got there or why they’re in love.
Maybe there’s hot sex, but that’s not the same thing, and it’s not nearly as satisfying. Unless you’re more interested in erotica . . . which is perfectly fine. No judgment. Contd. “What happened?”
“Did you know that a bullet can travel faster than the speed of sound?” He scrubbed his face with both hands before continuing. “There was this kid, just nineteen, still wet behind the ears and fresh out of combat training. He’d just joined Golf Company the week before. He was walking down the middle of the dirt road toward me with this big cocky grin on his face. It was his first mission, and he was pretty revved up.” Wesley exhaled a shaky breath. “I saw the damned hole in the middle of his forehead before I heard the shot. I’ll never forget the stunned look on his face before he collapsed.”
He pressed the base of his thumbs against his eyes as if trying to push out the images haunting him. “I should’ve told him to take cover, not to strut down the middle of the road like he ruled the desert. I knew we were in a vulnerable position, and I did nothing. I was too damned preoccupied with my own petty problems, and I let my troops down.”
“You can’t blame yourself for what happened. You weren’t the one who put your troops in that situation, and nothing you could’ve done would have prevented the losses your unit suffered.” Carly’s heart bled for him. Mystery solved, she knew who had broken his trust and his heart. “Even if you had made sure your Marines took cover while you were pulling out, you said yourself the Taliban were targeting the trucks. More might have been lost if they had.”
(Deepest secret shared. Acceptance and forgiveness granted. And then they have sex.) FILTER/BUFFER WORDS & DISEMODIMENT Filter/Buffer words and disembodiment distance us from the emotional impact we need to create in order to connect with our readers.
Filter/Buffer phrases and disembodiment are the antitheses of DEEP POINT OF VIEW.
Common buffer phrases: he/she felt like, It felt as if, it was like, it seemed as if, It seemed like, he/she wondered . . . (I am not referring to similes here, or to instances when the POV character is observing the other character.) Any phrase distancing the reader from the emotional impact can be viewed as a buffer. Examples Examples: It seemed as if he were falling into a dark well of grief. The shame caused by his mistake made him feel as if his insides were on fire.
It was as if he didn’t know her at all. It felt like her heart had split in two. Examples Continued:
Fixes:
Losing her had carved a deep chasm into his soul, and he tumbled into the abyss with no hope of landing on solid ground.
Shame scorched him from the inside out, raising blisters on his blackened heart. He’d give anything if only he could take back the words severing the fragile thread of trust between them. FIXES They’d been married for ten years. Yet . . .here was proof that he did not know her at all.
Her heart splintered into a million brittle shards to litter the floor around her brand new Jimmy Choos. DISEMBODIMENT: body parts doing things independently.
She felt her mouth curve up into a bow. (She smiled.) She felt her hand run along the smooth surface of the banister. (She ran her hand along the smooth surface of the banister.) He felt his heart start to pound in his chest. (His heart pounded.) He felt a groan rising up his throat. (He groaned.) She felt a blush filling her cheeks. (Heat rose to her cheeks.) Be direct. Who else is going to “feel” what is happening physically inside their body? Unless a character is under a spell, their body parts should not act independently of their wills. HOW TO CREAT DEEP POV Focus upon the emotional aspects of your character’s arc, and share that from the inside, out, rather than from a “watcher’s” perspective. Don’t summarize; write the scene. Focus upon the developing relationship between the H/h. To do that, your plot has to be developed well enough to carry them toward the goal. Increase interaction and dialogue. Show emotion using visceral descriptors and physiological reactions. We’ve all experienced that moment when our mouths went dry, our hearts pounded and our palms grew sweaty. Do research on physiological reactions to anger, panic, love, passion, grief, disappointment, etc. and use them in your own unique way. Share backstory by creating “moments.” By moments, I mean instances where one character swallows their pride and reveals a deeply held secret, an insecurity or a vulnerability with another character. When a character reveals self to another character, and acceptance is offered and received, it’s powerful. True intimacy and trust begin to build. PASSIVE “TO BE” VERBS
Beginning a sentence with: its was, there was, she was, he was, they were, etc. creates a “shopping list” cadence. Avoid passive “to be” verbs unless absolutely necessary.
“To be” verbs do not evoke any visceral or sensory response. If you find yourself beginning a sentence with a “to be” verb, try to rephrase using a stronger verb.
Example:
There was an antique brass lamp sitting on the corner of the desk. There were heavy drapes covering the windows, and there was a marble urn set upon the bookshelves. Sara and her three sisters were sitting in a semi-circle, and their father’s last will and testament was placed in the center of the desk. The pavement outside was lined with gawkers and paparazzi, waiting like vultures for any scrap of news. FIX: The antique brass lamp dominating the corner of the massive oak desk cast soft golden light over Beau Lamont’s last will and testament. Seated in a semi-circle of straight-back chairs, Sara and her three sisters held their collective breaths, their attention riveted to the man about to read their dearly departed father’s last words. Sara’s stomach churned with a mixture a grief and dread. She turned to stare at the drapes covering the two tall windows. The heavy velvet provided their only defense against the prying eyes of the paparazzi crowding the sidewalk below. DESCRIPTIVE NARRATIVE Descriptive narrative is essential to establish the setting, and the setting brings the story to life for our readers. We anchor our readers in the scene by providing them with sensory details about the surroundings. Descriptive narrative is an extremely valuable tool for creating mood, anchoring, foreshadowing and in enhancing characterization. Finding a balance between too much and too little DN is tricky. Too little, and the readers cannot place themselves in the scene with the characters. Too much, and readers lose interest. The real story gets buried in scenery and prose. WHAT DOES DN HAVE TO DO WITH DEEP POV, YOU ASK? The forest, field, house, sky and road I am describing so poetically . . . have no point of view. Even when seen through the eyes of my H/h, the more I go on and on about the scenery, the farther away I take my readers from what really counts: THE STORY I can use DN to provide information about my character’s emotions, connections to place or things, and to set mood and anchor the reader in the scene. Beyond that, it becomes a distraction. Raise your hands if you’ve ever encountered paragraph after paragraph of description that you skim through in an attempt to once again find THE STORY. DESCRIPTIVE NARRATIVE Too much DN slows the pace, and the reader’s attention wanders. When we overdo descriptive narrative, it becomes far too easy for our readers to set aside their Kindle and walk away. Too much DN takes us away from deep point of view, and the farther we are from DPOV, the easier it is to disconnect. Narrative about the surroundings or “setting” is not what keeps us turning pages and staying up all night to see what happens next, especially when that description has nothing to do with the character or the purpose of the scene about to take place. IF the DN has nothing to do with characterization, the story, or establishing mood or place, is it needed? Interaction, action, dialogue and “moments” between the H/h are what keep us in the story, not a description of the roiling sky, the rutted road or the lovely shadows falling upon the lush floor of the forest. Descriptive narrative is essential for bringing our stories alive, but go too far, and you’ve lost the reader. Example of DN for Characterization The moment Diarmad opened the door to his stillroom, the earthy scent of dried herbs and beeswax offered a balm to his weary soul. Early morning light poured through the tall beveled windows, lighting the patina of the polished oak bookshelves to a warm gold. He ran his hand along the leather spines of his collection of ancient tomes and rare first editions. He pulled one of the books from the shelf and seated himself in his favorite chair, letting the book fall open where it would upon his lap. How many times during the span of his life had he held this particular book in his hands? He glanced at the dried medicinal herbs hanging from the rack, and on to the rare works of art gracing his walls. Shite. He’d miss this refuge, but if Mairéad didn’t show again this year, they’d have to think about relocating soon. They’d been in Gairloch over a decade, and it wouldn’t be long before the locals noticed he and his men weren’t aging. Example of DN Setting Mood Malcolm tied his gelding’s reins over a low hanging branch and secured her mare nearby. Taking her hand in his, he led her along a narrow path between two ancient cedars into a clearing. He did not speak, and once she entered the clearing, she understood why.
A spring bubbled up to trickle over stone steps forming a low fountain. Ancient cedars stood like sentinels in each of the cardinal directions around the clearing. Oak and rowans, like foot soldiers, took up their positions of protection behind the evergreens.
A deep stillness and peace permeated the place. Sunlight and shadow played tug of war at the edges of the circle, casting patches of gold, and hues of the deepest green, and indigo. She strained to catch the echoes of timeless magic and spells cast by mystics long-gone from this world. Soft, inviting moss covered the gently rising slopes surrounding the spring, beckoning her to take a moment’s rest against the pillowy green velvet.
“This is a sacred place.” She spoke in a hushed voice and looked around her in awe. “There is magic here. I can feel it. If I had tobacco, I would lay some down as an offering to the spirits who dwell within this circle.”
“Aye. This spring has been here since the beginning of time. ’Tis said those who followed the old religion considered it a holy place. I dinna know what tobacco is, but I take your meaning. Come. Drink from the spring with me. The water is the sweetest and most refreshing you will ever taste.” Questions to ask yourself when writing DN:
What is the purpose for this DN? Anchor, mood/foreshadowing or characterization?
Does this description move my story forward, or does it slow the pace? (If it slows the pace, cut it down.)
Does this description have any relevance to the scene to come, the characters or their arc? (If not, cut it.)
Have I already described this in a previous scene or even in a previous paragraph? (Even if you’re describing something in a different way, repetition knocks readers out of the story.) PACING When I was a brand new teacher, I had to learn about pacing. If I designed a lesson where the pacing was too fast, the lesson would end too quickly, leaving me with lots of time left with nothing to fill it with. Scary moment for a new teacher, believe me. I’d lose control of the class. If my pacing was too slow, and I paid no attention to developmental considerations when it came to my audience, (Never try to give 1st graders a college style lecture. Doy!) I could not hold their interest, and once again I’d lose control. It’s the same with writing: if your story is paced too fast, it will lack depth and deep POV. Your readers will skim along the surface, only to walk away feeling unsatisfied. If your story is paced too slow, it’ll be the book people pick up as a cure for their insomnia. DEEP POV AND PACING
Providing your reader with just the right mix of elements, with an emphasis on deep point of view, ensures that they will keep turning those pages. REMEMBER why we read romance in the first place. We engage with the interaction between the characters. We read romance because the focus is on the developing relationship between two people we can relate to and root for. We read romance because of the emotional content and the happily- ever-after. Other genres have other rules, and no . . . one size does not fit all. EXCEPTIONS
There are always exceptions to the every rule, and the opinions expressed in this presentation are mine alone. You don’t have to agree. However, the next time you pick up a ROMANCE, (because this is romance specific) pay attention to what grabs and holds your attention. Look for “moments,” the revelations/acceptance, trust and intimacy building. Study the prose, especially the verbs. Pay attention to when your mind drifts from the story, and then analyze why it was so easy to disengage. Pay attention to the effect filter/buffer phrases have on the emotional impact of the scene, and the effect long-winded descriptive narrative has on your attention. NEVER STOP WORKING ON LEARNING YOUR CRAFT! ALWAYS challenge yourself to write more effectively and more creatively. Provide a good balance between DPOV, DN and head time. Avoid summarizing. Eliminate superfluous words. Write tight. Say what you want to say in as few words as possible. Avoid “to be” verbs. Deepen point of view by using stronger verbs. KEEP WRITING. THE END Diversity in Series Romance
Stacy Boyd, Senior Editor of Harlequin Desire and Brenda Jackson, New York Times bestselling author
***
Category romance is open to a wide range of hero and heroine backgrounds, ethnicities, body types, ages, abilities, and disabilities. We’ll discuss how writers can craft relatable, realistic characters within the series romance fantasy; the particular challenges of portraying characters authentically, respectfully, and accurately; and the work we’re doing to improve representation in series romance, with Q&A on where we go from here.
Topics to be covered:
• How can traditional publishing reach a wide variety of authors?
o Submissions, agents and slush
o New experiments in outreach
• How can traditional publishing reach a wider audience?
o Distribution and marketing challenges
o Cover creation
o Author promo—street teams, fan engagement
• How can you write about the world you live in?
o Writing characters outside your background
o Respectful research
o Tackling sensitivity reads
o Editing for respect and inclusion
o Common mistakes and tips to avoid stereotypes in plot and character
• Where do we go from here?
Econ 101 of E-book Pricing Alisha R. Bloom, Esq.
This workshop, taught by attorney and former economist Alisha R. Bloom, Esq., applies basic economic concepts to e-books in an easy-to-understand lesson that can help you choose pricing strategies. Topics to be discussed include consumer demand and how changes in price affect demand; the ways e-books are different from experiences and tangible products; and how psychology may influence pricing decisions. Leave with pricing strategy ideas you can tailor to your individual circumstances and goals.
I. Introduction a. In what ways do we participate in the e-book market? i. As readers ii. As creatives iii. In some cases, as publishers b. How does our deep, multi-faceted participation in the e-book market affect our pricing decisions?
II. Econ 101 of Buying E-books: Understanding Your Readers as Consumers a. Consumer demand for e-books (generally) b. Reader preferences, based on: i. Prices ii. Characteristics of your book (genre, heat level, tropes, length, etc.) iii. Specific authors (prior experience with your books, similarity to other authors, other info) iv. Availability of substitutes—if your e-book was unavailable/unaffordable, what might a reader do instead? c. How might changes in your e-book’s price impact demand?
III. Econ 101 of Selling E-books: Approaching Price-Setting as a Publisher a. Why you should think of e-books differently from experiences and tangible products b. Profit-maximizing behavior (generally) c. Rational pricing motivations beyond profit d. How might external changes in demand support price changes?
IV. Psychology and Your Pricing Decisions a. The “value” of an e-book (compared to the proverbial cup of coffee) b. The “value” of an e-book (considering the effort you put into creating it) c. The “value” of an e-book (based on your own preferences as a reader) d. Are we training readers to value e-books differently based on how we price them? e. Choosing to forego income vs. paying for other promo
© 2018 Alisha R. Bloom. All rights reserved.
RWA Conference 2018 Page 2 of 2
V. E-Book Pricing Strategies for You to Consider a. If you’re a new author b. For series c. For standalones d. If you’re seeking out new audiences/trying to create new super-fans e. If you want more reviews/improved rankings f. If you want to maximize profit across a large backlist
VI. Conclusion The price or prices that may work best for you will depend on several things, including: a. Your books (standalone or series? what genre? how long are they? how well-known are you?) b. Your readers (how much are they willing to pay to read your books vs. someone else’s? how much are they willing to pay for books of a certain length? how much are they willing to pay for e-books generally? what experiences have they had with e-books at particular price points?) c. Your goals for the book/series/your backlist (maximize profit? reach new readers? get more reviews?)
Consider trying out different pricing strategies on different books, for long enough to get a sense of whether the strategy is working for you. Even if a pricing strategy failed for you before, consider trying it again, especially if things have changed since you last tried it. o
An insightful, detail-oriented lawyer with a passion for creative problem-solving, Alisha Bloom is the founder and principal attorney of Versant Legal, a boutique law firm that provides outside general counsel services to companies of all sizes. Drawing on more than 15 years of in-house and law firm experience, Alisha specializes in contracts, software licensing, dispute resolution, and HIPAA and healthcare compliance. She also helps independent contractors and individuals with contract matters and offers literary attorney services to creatives and literary agencies. In addition, she teaches mediation as an adjunct professor at New England Law and is a trained community mediator.
In her previous career as an economic consultant, Alisha analyzed intellectual property damages and the impacts of mergers on competition. She received Columbia Law School’s highest academic honor and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University, also graduating with honors. When she’s not lawyering, she writes award-winning contemporary romance under a pen name and reads three books a week.
Find out more at http://www.versantlegal.com
© 2018 Alisha R. Bloom. All rights reserved. How to Maximize the RWA Conference (FIRST-TIMER EDITION)
HYDRATE and EAT Pick one goal for the Take breaks when conference & make it happen. you need it. (Yes, you can hide in your room)
Use the App Buy the recordings Reach out to a to plan your - prioritize the staff member if schedule workshops that you have any aren’t recorded problems.
INSTANT ICEBREAKER- Wear What do you write? comfortable Business Cards: shoes. Give them & get them
Sit with new people. Grab the free books Use the on-site for yourself or for shippers to send giveaways on your your books home. social media. Save on airline bag fees.
Common Romancelandia Lingo: HEA/HFN: Happily Ever After/Happy For Now. Pitch Session: Briefly telling an agent/editor about your book. Bar Con: Hanging out at the hotel bar and networking. Request a partial or full: What you hope the agent/editor will ask for you to send. Five Hints for Avoiding the Slush Pile
Agents and editors receive thousands of submissions. Their desks are only so big. Hence the dreaded Slush Pile. Make sure your manuscript sits on the top of the stack.
1. Writing is an art. Publishing is a business.
Learn the business
Prepare yourself
Network
What’s your hurry? Critique partners, beta readers, contests (enter/judge)
2. Make them come to you.
Media coverage
Website or blog
Agent/Editor appointments
Contests
3. Follow Instructions
Your query letter
Book blurb
4. Don’t burn your bridges.
Dos and don’ts
Act like a professional
5. That dreaded grammar category.
Dialogue
Homophones
Susan C Muller www.SusanCMuler.com
Five Myths About US Trademark Law Romance Writers of America – July 19, 2018 Mindy Klasky * [email protected] * www.mindyklasky.com
Introductory Note: This presentation focuses on United States law (as opposed to international law.) While Mindy is an attorney, she is not the attorney for Romance Writers of America or for any individual member of RWA; her presentation should not be construed as advice for any individual’s specific factual or legal situation.
I. Myth 1: Trademarks cannot be adjectives (or proper nouns or text in a specific font, or, or, or…)
a. Federal law protection for “Any word, name, symbol, or device … used by a person … to identify and distinguish his goods” i. Plain word ii. Word in specific font iii. Logo iv. Proper name v. Scent, sound, color b. Use on specific goods: “X brand generic item” (e.g., Band-Aid brand adhesive bandages) c. “Strength” of mark i. Arbitrary (e.g., Exxon for gasoline) ii. Suggestive (e.g., Greyhound for bus lines) iii. Descriptive (e.g., Good and Plenty for candy) – requires “secondary meaning” to be protected iv. Generic (e.g., aspirin) – cannot be protected
II. Myth 2: Trademarks must be registered with the federal government to be protected.
a. Under US law, priority is use-based, not registration based. b. Common law i. No registration ii. Protection only where actually used iii. ™ – Considered by owner to be a trademark iv. SM – Considered by owner to be a service mark c. State i. Registration with state agency (often Secretary of State) ii. Statewide protection iii. ™ – Considered by owner to be a trademark iv. SM – Considered by owner to be a service mark d. Federal i. Registration with US Patent and Trademark Office 1. Search for similar marks, looking for none or many: uspto.gov > Trademarks > Searching trademarks 2. Prepare application, including payment of fee – $400 per mark per class of goods 3. Work with Examining Attorney (expect initial rejection) 4. Official Gazette publication of mark for opposition 5. Maintain registration, showing continuous use 6. Watch for infringement (protect it or lose it) 7. (Possibility of Cancellation Proceeding) ii. Nationwide protection iii. ® – Registered trademark
III. Myth 3: Once a trademark is registered federally, infringement matters are cut and dried, resulting in straightforward, simple enforcement of rights.
a. Standard for infringement – likelihood of confusion i. Strength of mark ii. Similarity of marks 1. Sight 2. Sound 3. Meaning iii. Similarity of products or services iv. Actual confusion b. Cease and desist letter (see attached sample) – may be sent by individual, but usually sent by attorney c. Litigation takes place in federal court (not state)
IV. Myth 4: An author may never use a registered trademark in fiction.
a. Possible (over-)caution of traditional publishers b. Acknowledgement of registration i. Capitalization (e.g. “Realtor”) ii. ® in text iii. Disclaimer on copyright page c. Beware potential disparagement
V. Myth 5: Copyrights and trademarks are interchangeable terms for an author’s intellectual property.
Copyright Trademark Subject Matter of Creative work Names and logos protection Goal of protection Preserve economic and Prevent impostors moral rights Basis of protection Automatic upon creation Use and registration Ease of registration Easy and inexpensive (no Complicated and attorney necessary) expensive (attorney is advised) “Use it or lose it” No; registration exists for Yes; registration lapses if defined term not used Requirement to police No Yes equally
Dear [MR./MS. INFRINGER]:
I am the owner of the [REGISTERED, IF THE MARK IS REGISTERED] trademark, [INSERT TRADEMARK, INCLUDING REGISTRATION NUMBER, IF ANY] (the “Mark”) for use on [GOODS OR SERVICES]. Under the laws of the United States, I own all trademark rights in the Mark for use on [GOODS OR SERVICES].
Your use of the [TRADEMARK] mark on [GOODS AND SERVICES] violates my exclusive rights, creating a likelihood of confusion among consumers. You neither requested nor received permission to use the Mark, in violation of 15 USC § 1051 et seq. and other relevant laws.
I demand that you immediately cease and desist from the use and distribution of all goods or services bearing the trademark [TRADEMARK], that you destroy all goods and services bearing the trademark [TRADEMARK], and that you refrain from infringing any of my rights in the future.
If I have not received an affirmative response from you by [DATE] indicating that you have fully complied with these requirements, I shall consider taking any and all legal remedies available to rectify this situation, up to and including litigation in the relevant United States District Court.
Sincerely,
[INSERT SIGNATURE] Firehouse 101 by Terence Keenan Professional firefighter & EMT in medium-sized city for 15 years Volunteer in small town for 10 years [email protected]
Start of Shift
• Arrive before shift starts to cover your relief (the person who has your same position on the outgoing shift). • Put your turnout gear in the space you are in for that tour…if you’re driving the ladder truck, put your gear by the driver’s door. • Check equipment that you are responsible for: air pack, personal radio, medical bag, defibrillator. • If driving an apparatus, do a quick check. Bring it outside and run the pump and emergency lighting, check overall operation. • All apparatus (what we call the fire trucks) have to have all their systems run and compartments inventoried for proper gear and equipment. • Do house chores (we clean our own bathroom, empty the trash, vacuum carpets, mop common areas, sweep out the bay). • Meet with the lieutenant (Lt.) to discuss duties, training and anything else that needs to be done during tour.
Each day of the week has a list of equipment that has to be checked. For example, Tuesday is air packs. Wednesday is calibrate the CO meters.
Apparatus (fire department trucks and vehicles) Engine: the truck that carries and pumps water at the scene of a fire. Carries rescue equipment (Hurst tool, a.k.a. “jaws of life”; axes; Halligan, which is a multipurpose tool with a fork on one end and an pry bar on the other used for forcing open doors). Main purpose is to get water on fire.
• Ladder: regular extension roof ladder. Also has lines (what we call hose) and supply line (which connects to hydrant)
• Ambulance
• Rescue: Holds confined space rescue equipment and dive team equipment
• APV (All Purpose Vehicle) that goes off road, carries 3 firefighters. Has small pump on it. Used for brush fires or rescue in rough terrain.
• Boat, primarily used for Dive Team rescue and recovery (most often recovery).
Other things we check: • All the air packs are tested and checked, along with confined space air cart, and SCUBA. • Building equipment, supplies, grounds are taken care of. We cut the grass and weed. • Boats, staff vehicles, wild land trailer & equipment, mass casualty trailer checks.
Training Training for the day might include • quarterly medical control training • new procedures/equipment • Hazardous Materials (haz-mat) operations • Fire attack • Firefighter mayday/rescue • Confined space operations • Dive Team/recovery operations for divers and tenders (the firefighters on the boat watching over the divers) • Vehicle extrication/stabilization • Building tours/familiarization
On duty staffing varies by department and city. Typically:
• Chief has the day job, M-F. Mostly an administrative position. Responds to major incidents.
• Deputy Chief Same as above; answers to chief.
• Captain Can serve as shift commander, training supervisor. Goes on all calls and handle command functions at directing the scene.
• Lieutenant Rides on apparatus. Is the direct supervisor of the firefighters on his or her platoon. Handles the majority of the calls.
• Firefighter Drives apparatus, advances hose lines, performs ventilation, rescue, patient care, extrication.
Shannon Donnelly shannondonnelly.com Firefighter 1, NRAEMT, NM EMT-I [email protected]
From the Eyes of First Responders: EMTs and Firefighters
Four Types of EMTS: Paramedic Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-A, EMT-I, AEMT) Emergency Medical Technician (EMT, EMT-B) Emergency Medical Responder (EMR or EMTFR, for First Responder)
Quick EMS History: The Knights of St John were founded in 1080 to provide care to the poor, sick and injured pilgrims during the crusades. Received instruction in treatment from Arab and Greek doctors. Were also known as the Knights Hospitalier or the Knights of Malta. The "Maltese Cross" associated with emergency services and the "Red Cross" come from their symbol. The Knights Templar were dissolved in 1312. By 1478, wagons were first used by the Spanish for emergency transport during war. Wounded soldiers were expected to die. If the wounded survived and were retrieved from the battlefield, they had to pay a pricey sum for their quarters while they received some sort of treatment. First “ambulances volantes” designed by Dominique Jean Larrey, Bonapart’s chief surgeon after the battle of Spires. Larrey's projects for 'flying ambulances' or his ‘mobile hospital’ was approved in 1794. Civilian ambulances came about with a transport carriage for cholera patients in London, 1832. Due to diseases, malnutrition, frostbite and dysentery, General George Washington petitioned the Continental Congress for a general medical corps, which was established in 1777. By 1781 the War Department oversaw the medical corps. After the war, the medical service was disbanded. The word “ambulance” was not common in English until the meaning transferred from "field hospital" to "vehicle for conveying wounded from field" (1854) during the Crimean War. In late 1800’s US ambulance was used to mean ‘prairie wagon.’ Ambulance-chaser as a contemptuous term dates from 1897. During the Civil War, most surgeons were assigned to specific regiments. Each regimental commander was responsible for picking his medical staff. Regimental doctors set up aid stations within a few hundred yards of the battle and raised a red flag so soldiers could find them. The Office Surgeon General had been created by the War Department prior to the start of the war. In 1862, William A. Hammond took office. He implemented procedures to sanitize hospital camps, removed common and dangerous drugs such as mercury and arsenic to treat infection, adopted the idea (from Europe) of a well-lighted and ventilated hospital, and came up with the first purpose-built ambulance. The first known hospital-based ambulance service operated out of Commercial Hospital, Cincinnati by 1865. Bellevue Hospital started in 1869 with ambulances carrying medical equipment and were staffed by doctors. Some areas of the country used telegraph and telephones to call the police who would then dispatch the ambulance. The earliest emergency medical service was the "Vienna Voluntary Rescue Society." American historians claim that the world's first civilian pre-hospital care on scene began in 1928 when Julien Stanley Wise started the Roanoke Life Saving and First Aid Crew in Roanoke, VA. Canadian say Toronto had first formal training for ambulance attendants in 1892. The motorized Palliser Ambulance introduced by Major Palliser of the Canadian Army came into use in 1909 and was manufactured in NY by a company noted for building hearses. Communications improved with radios. Prior to World War II, hospitals provided ambulance service in many large cities. In rural areas, the ambulance was often the hearse—and that continued for a long, long time. Advances came in the 1960s from the wars (Korean and Vietnam), but the Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society—the White Paper report—drove the standardization of emergency medical services, and the first statewide EMS program in Maryland. Then we have the TV show Emergency—and now it’s a whole different world that is changing yet again.
Resources: http://www.emt-resources.com/ Acronyms – we use a TON of them - http://www.emtresource.com/category/resources/acronyms/ nremt.org -- Nation Registry of EMTs Get Info by State - https://www.nremt.org/nremt/about/emt_cand_state_offices.asp naemt.org--National Association of EMTs
Magazines: EMSworld.com JEMS.com Firehouse.com FireRescue1.com
EMS Terms: http://www.reddit.com/r/ems/comments/23wnyz/complete_ems_abbreviationsterms/ http://www.emory.edu/EEMS/MedicalTerms.html
Firefighter Jargon: http://www.bensware.com/scandfw/fireterm.htm http://www.firecorps.org/volunteers/fire-a-emergency-service-terms
Wildland Jargon: http://www.wildlandfire.com/docs/wlfterms.htm
Some EMS Fact (https://www.nremt.org/nremt/about/EMS_Fast_Facts.asp)
• 99% of the American populations can dial 9-1-1 • EMT-Basics undergo about 120 hours of training. EMTs are trained and certified to insert basic airways, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), use an automated defibrillator, manage bleeding and shock, splinting and emergency childbirth. (ABC- Airway, Breathing, Circulation!) • Paramedics undergo about 1,000-14,000 hours of training. Paramedics are trained and certified in advanced airways, perform cardiac monitoring, defibrillation and other electrical therapies for cardiac emergencies, start intravenous lines and administer medications. • The number of EMS volunteers has dropped 7% since September 11, 2001 and has not returned to pre-911 levels—and most fire services are volunteer! • About 50% of EMT-Basics are volunteers. Over 95% of Paramedics are compensated. • EMS personnel work in emergency departments, helicopters, cardiac catheter labs, doctors’ offices, and occupational and industrial settings. • Approximately 40% of EMS professionals work for fire departments. The other 60% work for private companies, municipal services, hospital-based services, the military or federal agencies • 56% of EMS professionals work in a community with a population under 75,000 • 76% of EMS professionals are white and 70% are male • EMS IS ALWAYS CHANGING!
Firefighter Facts:
• It's firefighters, not firemen—women serve just as well. • Estimated number of firefighters in the US (as of Oct 2016). is 1,134,400. Of that, 346,150 are career firefighters and 788,250 are volunteer. • Seventy percent of career firefighters work in communities with population of 25,000 or more. Population density is relational to the number of firefighters needed to protect the community. • 95% of volunteer firefighters work in fire departments that protect a population of less than 25,000. More than 50% of volunteers are located in small, rural departments that protect a population of less than 2,500. • There were 1,345,500 building structure fires in 2015. Number of civilian deaths in structure fires for 2015 was 3,280. The number of civilian injuries reported was 15,700. • There are 29,980 fire departments in the US. • Most firefighters respond to emergency medical calls.
Behind the Fire Scenes--http://mentalfloss.com/article/70954/13-behind-scenes-secrets- firefighters
What Writers Get WRONG
1. Fire and EMS do not come rush into any violent situation. Police needs to be on scene and declare that the scene is secure before we enter—unless you are Tactically trained (and then you have a weapon). 2. In EMS, when shit gets real we will just load and go. We do not hang around on scene. 3. If you decide to ride with us, you ride in the front. A family member/friend riding in the back is just another distraction/stress. 4. Doctor’s never automatically dictate treatment on an emergency scene. If you’re a doctor you need to prove your medical credentials, speak to medical control and legally assume care of the patient. 5. Seizures are generally short. Somewhere between 60 to 90 seconds. Anything longer than 4-5 minutes is considered Status Epilepticus and needs pharmaceutical intervention. Anything longer than 2-3 minutes is generally abnormal but still below the range of SE. 6. CPR is generally performed for 20-30 minutes on scene depending on your regional protocol (can be up to 40 minutes ore more). Many urban systems now have mechanically CPR—and a code is worked on scene if at all possible. (You’re not dead unless you’re warm and dead.) 7. Medically trained 911 operators are usually only in large cities—or places that can afford to have two dispatchers on at the same time. 8. The Fire Department responds to almost all medical emergencies (only a few departments are EMS only). 9. Fire and EMS personnel do not perform mouth to mouth…ever. It's all about compressions. 10. No one goes into a burning building unless it is to save a life—you don't go alone, you don't go without SCBA on and working, and you don't go in standing up. 11. Most rural firefighters are trained in both structure fire and wildland (and WUI— wildland urban interface). But we're happy to call in State, BLM or Hot Shots for help. 12. Wildland firefighting is mostly about digging line—and more line—and more line. You don't go in and actually put out the fire, you create a fire break that stops the fire. 13. Most firefighters don't look like male models—they're guys and gals who are volunteers, meaning they don't have hours and hours to workout until buff. 14. Inside a burning building, you can't see anything (you also can't hear much).
What does it take to be an EMT or a Firefighter?
1-Curiosity – we ask endless questions and always want to know more. 2-Persistance – try doing CPR for 45 minutes, or digging line at a wildfire for an hour plus. 3-Optimism – we’re pretty sure we can save a life or put out that fire. 4-Humor – sometimes it’s very dark, but it keeps you sane. 5-A desire to help – everyone and anyone—this also means the guy standing next to you. 6-Stubborness – the training takes forever, and never ends (for both EMTs and Firefighers)! 7-Courage – we run toward booms, and get into situations that are unstable and dynamic. 8-A little bit of an adrenaline junkie – nothing like total present-moment awareness when on scene. 9-Good eyesight and hearing – yes, you have to pass these tests. 10-Calm – you cannot be the one freaking out when the patient/home owner is freaking out.
What should YOU know (just in case)? 1-Document your medications and history (and get your loved ones to do this). Paper, phone, whatever—just have it written down (VialofLife.com) 2-Keep your document/medications handy! (We’ll check your fridge, cupboards, and then get to the bedroom and bathroom.) 3-Do an DNR if you do NOT want CPR or extreme life-saving measures. 4 –Wear a medical ID bracelet and/or necklace for those REALLY important things (as in allergic to penicillin). 5-Put “ICE” in your phone—“In Case of Emergency” contact. All fire and first responders know to look for this. 6-Educate yourself! Take a CPR class! Know how to stop a bleed. Keep children’s aspirin around (if you’re not allergic. (1 in 20 deaths are from stroke, heart attacks are the no 1 cause of death in the US, what do you do for allergic shock?) The life you save may be your own. 7-If you—or a loved one—is allergic to something (anything), keep an EPI pen on you. 8-Keep a “survival/emergency” kit around and fresh! (www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/checklist_1.pdf and http://www.redcrossstore.org/item/321406) 9-Keep yourself fit. Lose that weight now! Stop smoking. Get out and walk. Do something good for yourself. 10-Remember your pets! They have emergencies, too, and in a disaster they’ll need water and food, and possibly first aid. 11-Smoke kills. If you are NEAR a fire, get the heck away (that means don't watch the house burn down across the street from you). Modern materials release toxins and burn fast. 12-Fires more faster than you can run (we're back to not waiting to evacuate—go when the order comes, or go even sooner).
Jennifer Mason leighwyndfield.com VA EMT-B, National Registry EMT [email protected]
Hanover County, Virginia EMT Life
Number One Rule: Research the location where you base your story!
How It Works – Dispatch
• Hanover County Fire/EMS • Hanover County Deputies • The Town of Ashland’s police force • Animal Control • After Hours Utility and Facilities Maintenance • Also - mutual aid
They received ______calls last year. ______abandoned calls in Hanover County has a deputy dispatched
How It Works – Paid verses Volunteer Staff
Fire and Rescue Personnel Can Be:
______
______
______
Paid staff cannot volunteer in the county they are employed.
For-Profit EMTs experience low wages, high turnover and low morale.
How It Works – Drugs on an Ambulance:
OMD:
EMT Drugs:
Paramedic Drugs:
Flight Paramedic Drugs:
How It Works – Which Hospital?
Hospitals now specialize in care.
Trauma Centers:
Stroke Alerts:
Orthopedics:
General Sickness:
*A note about the EMT rooms at hospitals.
How It Works – Raising People From the Dead
Two drugs will raise people up who are on the edge of death:
______
______
*A note on CPR success rates
How It Works – Getting Released As A Provider
EMT-Bs:
Paramedics:
Ambulance Drivers:
***
Example 1:
Routine Diabetic Call
Example 2:
Extra Bad Vehicle Crash
Example 3:
Mental Health Emergency
Going Indie with Young Adult Can YA writers really make it in self-publishing? How do you find Young Adult readers without the backing of a publisher? Join three award-winning, best-selling YA authors as we discuss the challenges, strategies, and joys unique to the young adult side of self-publishing. Whether you have a background in traditional publishing, want to be a hybrid author, or you’re just starting out, we’ll cover the possible pitfalls to avoid and share some promo and marketing tips you can use to launch your own young adult indie career.
Connect with us AMALIE HOWARD is the award-winning author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, School Library Journal, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Kid’s INDIE NEXT selection. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was a #1 bestseller in gothic fiction, and the sequel, Bloodcraft, was a national IPPY silver medalist and Children’s Moonbeam Award winner. She is also the co-author of the #1 bestsellers in regency romance and historical fiction, My Rogue, My Ruin and My Hellion, My Heart, in the Lords of Essex historical romance series. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children.
Find Amalie Howard: Website - http://amaliehoward.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AmalieHowardAuthor Twitter - https://twitter.com/amaliehoward Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/amaliehoward/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/amaliehoward/ Bookbub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amalie-howard Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Amalie-Howard/e/B0050UGU4U Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4693312.Amalie_Howard
AMY PATRICK is an award-winning, bestselling novelist who writes heartwarming, irresistibly fun and funny stories about friendship, family, forgiveness, and finding your way in life—and in love— and also captivating Paranormal romance and Urban Fantasy novels full of magic, intrigue, and addictive page-turning suspense that’ll cause you to miss sleep. She’s the author of the young adult Hidden Saga series and the New Adult Still series. She has been twice-nominated by Romance Writers of America for the prestigious Golden Heart® Award and received many other writing accolades, including the Maggie Award for Young Adult Romance and the Fire and Ice Award for New Adult Romance. Amy has been a DJ, a TV news anchor, and now works as an audiobook narrator in addition to writing full-time. Living in New England with her husband and two future- Romance-hero sons, she enjoys lots of good "writing weather" and sometimes craves the heat and humidity of Mississippi, where she was born and grew up.
Find Amy Patrick: website- http://www.amypatrickbooks.com/ Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/AmyPatrickAuthor Twitter- https://twitter.com/AmyPatrickBooks Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AmyPatrickBooks/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amypatrickauthor/ Bookbub: http://bit.ly/AmyBookbub Mailing list: Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Amy- Patrick/e/B00MAXNU8O/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
SARRA CANNON writes contemporary and paranormal fiction with both teen and college-aged characters. Her novels often stem from her own experiences growing up in the small town of Hawkinsville, Georgia, where she learned that being popular always comes at a price and relationships are rarely as simple as they seem.
Sarra recently celebrated seven years in indie publishing and has sold over 650,000 copies of her books. She is the author of the bestselling Shadow Demons Saga, The Eternal Sorrows trilogy, the Sacrifice Me series, and several others. Her books have been featured as the Top 100 Bestselling books of the year at both Amazon and Google Play Books.
She is a devoted (obsessed) fan of Hello Kitty and has an extensive collection that decorates her desk as she writes. She currently lives in Charleston, South Carolina with her amazingly supportive husband and her adorable son.
Find Sarra Cannon: Website - http://sarracannon.com/ (Features a section with Indie Author resources) Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sarracannon Twitter - https://twitter.com/sarramaria Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sarracannon Also, find great information on self-publishing on Sarra’s new site and YouTube channel for authors: www.heartbreathings.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/heartbreathings
Links • Informative powerpoint from PAN retreat at the 2017 RWA conference on author earnings, broken down by indie and traditional, large press and small-- http://authorearnings.com/2016-rwa-pan-presentation/ • http://beverleykendall.com/files/self-publishing.pdf • http://www.hughhowey.com/discoverability-and-donald-rumsfeld/ • http://www.hughhowey.com/my-advice-to-aspiring-authors/ • http://brennaaubrey.net/2014/01/12/the-first-month-of-publication-a-reckoning/ • http://jamigold.com/2014/01/know-your-goals-artist-author-or-professional-author/ • http://janefriedman.com/2014/07/21/i-left-my-agent/ • http://janefriedman.com/2015/02/05/walk-away-good-big-5-publishers/
Links From Sarra’s Blogs • How I Sold Over Half A Million Books - https://heartbreathings.com/how-i-sold-half- million-books-self-publishing/ • Tips From When I Celebrated My First Five Years of Indie Publishing - http://sarracannon.com/2015/10/celebrating-five-years/ • Self-Publishing Guides - http://sarracannon.com/indie-writer-resources/self-pub-guides/ • Free Checklist of Everything You Need Before You Self-Publish - https://heartbreathings.com/newsletter/
Books • Let’s Get Digital by David Gaughran - https://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/my- books/lets-get-digital/ • Strangers to Super Fans by David Gaughran - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0798PH9QT/ref=series_rw_dp_sw • Iterate and Optimize by Sean Platt - https://sterlingandstone.net/book/iterate-and- optimize/ • How To Market A Book by Joanna Penn - https://www.thecreativepenn.com/howtomarketabook/ • Self Editing for Fiction Writers - Renni Browne and Dave King - https://www.amazon.com/Self-Editing-Fiction-Writers-Second-Yourself/dp/0060545690
Podcasts/Blogs • https://www.amarketingexpert.com/blog/ • The Bookbub Partners blog - http://insights.bookbub.com/ • The Creative Penn Podcast - https://www.thecreativepenn.com/podcasts/ • Chris Fox on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu6RYg6_- pTQxLVq3Fv6lYg • Heart Breathings - www.heartbreathings.com
Courses • https://selfpublishingformula.com/ • Marie Force offers a class for indie beginners- • Your First 10K Readers - https://www.yourfirst10kreaders.com/
Other (FB Groups, Yahoo loops, etc.) • This is a helpful Facebook group for both trad and indie published authors- - https://www.facebook.com/groups/AuthorSupportNetwork/ • [email protected] • https://www.facebook.com/groups/INKSLINGERSDEN/ • https://selfpublishingadvice.org/tag/indie-recon/ • https://www.facebook.com/groups/781495321956934/
Professionals we’ve worked with and/or can recommend: Cover Designers https://coveryourdreams.net/ http://novakillustration.com/bookcovers.html https://99designs.com/book-cover-design https://damonza.com/ https://www.ravven.com https://www.gobookcoverdesign.com/ http://amp13.com/ http://thekilliongroupinc.com/ http://www.najlaqamberdesigns.com
Formatters https://damonza.com/other-services/formatting-and-layout/ Polgarus Studio (also does editing and proofreading) - https://www.polgarusstudio.com/ http://www.authorems.com/ (site also features lists of editors, proofreaders, graphic designers, cover artists and website designers) http://thekilliongroupinc.com/
Editors Judy Roth (Amy’s editor) -- http://www.judy-roth.com/home/ The Atwater Group - http://www.theatwatergroup.com/ Janet at Dragonfly Editing - http://dragonflyediting.blogspot.com/ Victory Editing - http://victoryediting.com/
Promotional companies for blog tours, etc. YA Bound - http://yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com/ Xpresso Book Tours - http://xpressobooktours.com/ Good Choice Reading - http://www.goodchoicereading.com/ Inkslinger - http://www.inkslingerpr.com/
Newsletter service providers Mailchimp Mailerlite
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Aristotle says every plot asks: WILL THIS CHARACTER’S ACTIONS LEAD TO HAPPINESS? The Goal is the period on the Scene/Story (PUNCTUS) . Irish & Anglo-Saxon monks marked breathing points. . Goals punctuate your story. They are the POINT. “The greater danger for most of us lies not in Any worthwhile goal is difficult to accomplish. setting our aim too high and falling short; but in XENIA: Readers want worlds that operate with grace, honor, fairness. setting our aim too low, AIM (telos) = the root of all intentional action and achieving our mark.” (a) a tax or a toll. Michelangelo (b) an end, termination, or last in a sequence. (c) that by which a process, event, or issue is finished. (d) the principal end, purpose, or goal to which all things relate. For Aristotle, Telos is logical and appropriate, the just desserts earned by a character’s actions. DESIRE PATH: the least-resistance route between Status Quo and HEA. Readers crave JOY! At every moment, a character has something to lose and something to win with same import/impact. . Heads & Tails: CHOICE IS RISK. Every choice creates & destroys possibility. . Desire / Doubt = Determination (how much you want a thing/want its opposite=energy invested) STAKES: the gap between what the protagonist can win and lose. (creates meaningful complexity) . Always look for the polarity in a situation. Dramatic tension oscillates between possibilities. . The greater the distance between the extremes, the greater the emotional energy produced. . External conflict must be internalized. Internal conflict must be externalized. . ESCALATE! If your audience stops caring, they will stop reading. Danger galvanizes attention ALIGNMENT keeps effort efficient and effective. A stack conserves energy & concentrates attention. . character coherence allows every detail to multitask holographically. (e.g. mindful complexity) Clichés and banalities generate the worst stakes because they can’t inspire empathy. Characters cannot simply “want” in the abstract: to involve an audience and elicit emotions, goals must be SPECIFIC. Negative goals are a seductive trap: GENERALITY, PASSIVITY, MISINTERPRETATION . Seek the purpose rather than impetus. Causality forces your audience to create closure. . Readers cannot process negatives. Avoid them whenever you can. Instead, state goals positively, Readers always recall last items best. Your ending is what they will take away and share with others. THE PROTAGONIST PAYS ATTENTION TO WHAT MATTERS MOST . Aka the character with the strongest, strangest aim/intention GRACELAND: when you don’t know what to want, your dreams stay stuck in the mud.
PATTERNS: our brains evolved to identify patterns, ascertain significance, and solve problems. . We are hardwired to experience this firing & rewiring of our brains as pleasure. CLOSURE: Audiences crave patterns with meaning, resonance, & resolution. . Art operates by establishing patterns, manipulating them to create & satisfy anticipation. . IF/THEN/THEREFORE: basis of the primate consciousness and pattern recognition GRAMMAR: English syntax moves from the known to the unknown (Lens & Light) . Genre fiction works dramatically because it works grammatically. (frame of EXPECTATIONS) . Subject + Predicate Person + Predicament Character + Characteristics Each sentence is a miniature story: readers process (& enjoy) causality more easily. Facilitate pleasure! Subject > Verb > Object reproduces how we perceive experience: Someone…Does…Something. PREDICATE: always where we explore the unknown and unpack the power in fiction. . each sentence tells a brief transformative story of its own . Actions and tactics need someone or something upon which to act (aka GOALS) Grammar mimics consciousness: we encounter the actor, then the action, then the outcome . SENTENCE = Verb + Target + Progress . SCENE = Tactic + Object + Result . STORY = Action + Objective + Response CAUSE & EFFECT: the sequence leads to the ultimate Goal (of scene or story)
Hamartia: makes characters miss targets & inadvertently avoid their objectives, In other words: A VOID. THE VOID: Characters are motivated by ERROR/NEED/LACK/INJURY/ABSENCE/LOSS/ADDICTION . Root of character motivation. “Look to the lack.” . CHARACTER ENTROPY: pulls towards sameness, blankness, vagueness, annihilation, failure. . Every goal springs from dissatisfaction with a situation. Big goal requires big dissatisfaction. Every character has a context. Every subject needs a predicate. Every person needs a predicament. . A character’s void generates endless energy and tension. It is the root motivation for all action. . A book’s hook often reflects the collision of two compelling, emotionally satisfying voids. If you cannot think of what makes your character suffer, look to their psyche/soul: . Buddha named three poisons that keep people trapped in suffering: desire, ignorance, hate. . Pope Gregory I grouped the 7 Deadly Sins into three strains: appetite, delusion, wrath. . Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa divides metaphysics into three worlds: physical, celestial, spiritual.
Which kind of goal will complete this person? Pick the most satisfying period on this story’s sentence. BODY (Desire / Appetite) MIND (Ignorance / Delusion) SPIRIT (Hate / Wrath)
The human brain operates by connecting things. (cf. Theory of Fun by Raph Koster) . ENTERTAINMENT is our word for identifying a pattern and exploring it for pleasure. . DELIGHT is recognizing a familiar pattern. (sweet but fleeting) . BEAUTY reveals new pattern at the intersection of expectation & reality. (powerful & persistent) . BOREDOM is our word for exhausting the possible variations in a pattern. CAST VERBS: characters are habitual ACTION, and they reveal dimension in synonymous TACTICS. Writers leverage the brain’s appetite for pattern by providing the audience interesting characters, events, and ideas to connect. ACTION CAUSES REACTION. All fiction works on an emotional level first. Writers use story craft to shape reader emotions. . Intention steers action. “You can’t cross the sea merely by . Paradox creates depth. standing and staring at the water.” . Variation reveals dimension. . Believability increases empathy. Rabindranath Tagore
In other words…. OBJECTIVES > ACTIONS > OBJECTS > TACTICS > EVENTS > EMOTIONS > IMPACT Michelangelo
MacGuffin (Hitchcock device): a tangible target visible onscreen, without agency of its own, offering a focus for struggle. Often used as TITLES viz: The Pearl, Rebecca, The Golden Compass, The Maltese Falcon, and ALL of Harry Potter’s (eponymous) MacGuffins. Also the Ring, El Corazon, White Rabbit, &c Great for film, but fiction favors internal, subjective story goals for sustained action. Fiction goals: . can be visualized, but it may not be visible. . may be internal, but requires external action. . power released within the story via a series of charged objects. EMOTIONAL LEGIBILITY: establish the value of a goal in a way that requires NO EXPLANATION. Beware FALSE ending (midpoint when everything comes easily without a high-stakes action/choice… . Void filler: need vs want…actual solution vs EZ bandaid (identity vs essence) Audience empathy requires a clear, relatable GOALs. (RememberTELOS: they must DESERVE/EARN it.) . An action aims to achieve the overall STORY GOAL unique to character situation. . A tactic aims to achieve a SCENE GOAL in pursuit of the overall story goal.
What does your book’s perfect HEA LOOK like? Abstraction and complexity interfere with emotional legibility. Visualize that final rewarding moment for any possible audience.
DESCRIBE (or render!) a clear, concrete picture that expresses every component of your HEA in a way that meets and exceeds fan expectations for ANY audience without exposition or explanation.
As STORY GOALS, objectives represent the desirable future. DEMAND DECISIONS! . CHALLENGING enough to sustain your character throughout the story’s length. . SIGNIFICANT enough to attract character attention and to inspire escalating risks. . RELATABLE enough that anyone can grasp the character’s need to pursue it. Think of each objective as a MOUNTAIN that needs climbing. Objectives tap a story’s power. . can be achieved/acquired/accomplished….or not. (POSSIBLE) . only exists to be wanted and has no agency. (DESIRABLE) . focuses all of the character’s actions. (CLEAR) . cannot affect the character directly. (DISTANT) . points characters in a specific direction. (APPARENT) . derives its value from circumstances and reveals consequences. (CONTEXTUAL) . provides a source of energy for the character. (CHARGED) THEME: Objectives establish scale, tone, subgenre by mapping the outer limits of character potential.
Characters must engage with their world: Inward attention excludes. Outward attention includes.
CONTEXT interests & involve the reader. The person who pays attention draws attention. Brecht said: “nothing in life is as interesting as someone trying to get a knot out of a shoelace.”
Pamela Regis’ (dazzling) Natural History of the Romance Novel states all Romance includes 8 essential elements ending with THE BETROTHAL (aka HEA: goal achieved, society re-defined around lovers), Also THREE OPTIONAL MOTIFS which recur throughout the genre: . Wedding/Dance/Fête: a public, inclusive celebration of love, hope and the central relationship. . Scapegoat Exiled: society expels agent(s) of wrongheadedness and/or obstruction to HEA. . Bad Converted: opponents of romance reform & join the society formed by the relationship. SPOILERS IMPOSSIBLE if you create an incredible and inevitable ending that satisfies. Fiction provides emotionally significant events at an aesthetic distance so we can handle them safely. Show the journey from despair to hope. Objectives must be emotionally legible, resonant, & inspiring…
An objective can be visualized, but may not be visible. It may be internal, but requires external action via tactical interactions with dynamic objects and high-stakes choices. Aim for thematic payoff! . First identify a few potential OBJECTIVES which could last your character an entire story. . Then mad-lib them: “To deal with [VOID], [CHARACTER] needs to [ACTION] [OBJECTIVE].” Which option gives your character the most interesting, interactive emotional terrain to traverse? Test out several options. Don’t be afraid to mix and match, to expand and contract the scale of the objective. For characters in relationships, juxtapose objectives intentionally. What happens when different characters pursue similar objectives for radically different reasons?
Each object creates a meaningful context and holds the energy of the scene like a battery. . Objects are: external, specific, active, tangible, dynamic, evolving . Objects are not: internal, vague, passive, hidden, fixed, complete Identifying your character's object makes the stakes visible. Instead of asking, “What is my character doing?” think, “What is the object making my character do? COURT DISASTER! As SCENE GOALS, objects represent the immediate opportunity. For best results, objects must be: . SPECIFIC: The object must exist tangibly at a single point so everyone knows what success or failure will look like. Aim requires accuracy. . EXTERNAL: The object must appear at a specific distance in a measurable context so everyone knows what effort/risk is required. People can only act in context. . DYNAMIC: The object must present a meaningful challenge to characters trying to affect it…so the character must pay attention. The more dynamic the object, the more dramatic the scene. Think of each object as a PROBLEM that needs solving during scene. Objects hold a scene’s energy. Need for transitive verbs that affect PEOPLE (not things) in romance. Whenever possible in Romance & romantic subgenres, the objects in scenes must be PEOPLE with emotions & intentions of their own.
Objects provide characters with a target for their tactics in a given scene. Allow internal states to manifest as external objects which are precise, visible, & interactive to keep info active. Transform, disguise, or unpack the object without exposition. Show, not tell your readers what matters.
HOW WOULD YOU SHOW…? (Pick one of each for the character in question) . Thoughts: childhood memory, error, discovery, wit, opinion, investigation, treachery . Moments: breakup, exposure, promotion, deadline, loan, abortion, fight, triumph . Conditions: addiction, wealth, illiteracy, talent, illness, scandal, insanity, pregnancy . Emotions: loneliness, joy, anxiety, calm, irritation, panic, unrequited desire, surprise . Relationships: family dynamics, first love, conspiracy, divorce, BFFs, affair, colleagues BONUS ROUND: create a chain of charged objects leading your character to their personal HEA.
So…SCENE GOALS = Objects (satisfying emotion/closure!) lead to STORY GOALS = Objective (Theme!) Objective’s power released within the story via a series of charged objects. . each of a character’s steps toward happiness occurs as: Tactic + Object + Response = Scene . a character’s ultimate path to happiness looks like Action + Objective + Adjustment = Story. Lynn Hunt’s Inventing Human Rights: development of modern democracy: identification & empathy with “othered” fictional characters created revolutionary change and the idea of universal human rights.
BOOK HANGOVER: Great endings inspire their own inescapable word of mouth. MAKE READERS RAVE. HOW TO GET YOUR BOOK ON TV
**HELLO** INTRODUCING LINDA BOND AND SORBONI BANERJEE
LINDA: I’m Linda Hurtado, and I anchor the noon and 5 pm news for Fox 13 in Tampa, Florida. For more than twenty years I’ve been a reporter, sharing important information with viewers on the latest medical breakthroughs and writing emotional, human-interest stories on those who have the courage and spirit to fight for their lives. I write every day under deadline, but I’ve always loved losing myself in a good fiction story. My love for writing fiction actually started in high school, but a busy professional life, along with five kids kept me busy for many years. Entangled Publishing released my debut romantic suspense novel Alive at 5 followed by Cuba Undercover under my pen name Linda Bond. I’m currently working on my next romantic suspense novel as well as a women’s fiction novel. I’ve received numerous writing awards in Romance Writers of America chapter contests. I’ve also won 13 Emmys for news stories I’ve written about real people and their triumphs as well as their disasters. Last year I attended RWA in Orlando as a reporter – for the first time – and loved how my two worlds collided and complimented each other. I loved helping fellow writers get the word out about their books. Sorboni and I understand both worlds. That’s why we decided to team up and put on this workshop for all of you. To help you all get the message out about your books, and your brand.
SORBONI: I’m Sorboni Banerjee. I’m a consumer reporter and anchor the weekend morning show for Fox13 in Tampa. My focus is on saving money, time, and stress to be able to live your best life and my Save with Sorboni segment won an Emmy. Previously, I was a morning anchor in Boston for more than a decade. I love to write poetry and fiction and have my debut young adult novel out this fall called HIDE WITH ME, a romantic thriller about Texas teens who take on a drug cartel (and of course fall in love with each other while on the run.) I moved down to Tampa several years ago and immediately connected with Linda over our love of writing – chatting in the make up room about our shared passion. And we are also passionate about helping writers understand our profession and how to use it to your advantage – many of the tips we give you for TV will carry over for Radio, newspaper and social media shares. We are going to break it down for you with the good old questions that reporting is based on – WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN WHY AND HOW. Let’s start with WHY… in news we call it the GAS FACTOR – what makes someone give a you-know-what about a particular story – so let’s tell you why you should give a --- about getting on TV.
**WHY** LINDA: WHY IT MATTERS TO GET YOUR BOOK ON TV & RADIO: In one word: numbers. You want to reach the most people you can with the least effort, because you want to spend the majority of your time writing. How many people do you reach at a book signing. Really? Unless you are Nora Roberts – chances are not that many.
I had author Karen Rose and Shirley Jump on the Fox 13 news at noon right before RWA in Orlando last year. By appearing for four minutes on my noon show, those two authors reached around 52 thousand people in the Tampa Bay Area.
Here are some other numbers for you:
TV: The noon news on Fox 13 in Tampa had on average 52,000 adults 18+ watching in Feb’18. The weekend morning news for Fox 13 in Tampa, Florida - An average of 65,000 adults 18+ watched Sorboni’s sat-sun am news in Feb’18. – source Melissa Perry Fox 13 WFLA News Channel 8 – NBC Tampa “Depending on the ratings for each show, you can reach 10 to 30 thousand people.” –Bill Berra former News Director National Morning News shows – ratings week of March 19th 2018 GMA – 4.292 million NBC – 4.086 Million CBS - 3.421 Million (Source: Adweek.com per Nielson data) It costs the author nothing to be interviewed on a news show. Some TV stations have paid shows – that look like lifestyle shows –with chefs and fashion shows and satellite interviews. But, it’s mostly paid content. Daytime on WFLA in Tampa – which airs in the morning – charges $2500 for 3 to 5 minutes, and you will reach 10 to 12 thousand local people in that TV market. The good thing about this type of show, you can talk about your book and anything else you want for 3 to 5 minutes because you are paying for it. It’s basically an ad on TV.
WHAT ABOUT RADIO? What about radio? Worth the effort? Yes. And probably easier to book an interview because morning talk shows, especially on AM, are always looking for interesting content. Jack Harris and producer Aaron Jacobson host an AM talk radio show in Tampa Bay on 970 am. They reach, on average, a couple hundred thousand people each morning. They’re on the air from 6 to 10 am Monday through Friday. Many adults listen to talk radio on the drive into work each day. So, don’t blow off radio.
NEWSPAPER: The Tampa Bay Times – The major newspaper in the Tampa Bay area has a circulation of 403,229. That’s doesn’t mean everyone will read your story or about your book, but that is the potential reach.
HOW DOES THAT TRANSLATE INTO SALES? So, how does that translate to sales? Well, the actual dollars earned may be hard to pin point. But, the positive expansion of your brand is not. Harlequin Author Carol post appeared on Fox 13 in Tampa before RWA last year. She says, “I'm not sure about increased sales. (That's harder to monitor on traditionally published books.) I did have more interaction with fans, but I can't remember if I had more social media likes.” Barbara Devlin, a former police officer who was forced to retire from the force due to an injury, discovered romance novels during her recovery. She appeared in a story on Fox 13 right after RWA 2017. Her story reached 52 thousand people in Tampa Bay over the broadcast channel and got over 25 thousand views on Facebook. The story: http://www.fox13news.com/news/local-news/americas-love-affair-with-romance- novels Here’s what Barbara says happened after her story aired in Tampa and then went viral on social media. Barbara Devlin: “Your story helped me land a great agent. I signed with Elizabeth Poteet of the Seymour Agency. Poteet sold a contemporary police woman series loosely based on my life to Kensington.” Barbara shared that her agent got multiple offers on Barbara’s disabled solider series which is regency, and she’s going to hold an auction to see who gets that series. New York Times Best Selling author Karen Rose has had her share of appearances on TV, radio, Newspapers and magazines including an excerpt in Cosmo for SCREAM FOR ME, 2008, an interview and photo spread for O magazine in South Africa. She’s done radio interviews in South Africa, Scotland BBC and Cincinnati. As for tracking sales right after, she says, “I don’t know there is any data supporting a connection.” What she does know is readers tell her they find her books in media and press. So far the media that gave her the most exposure? “By far Cosmo. I still get emails that someone started reading my books because of that Cosmo excerpt and it’s been ten years. The magazines do not get thrown away!”
SORBONI: Also important to consider – the power of social media shares – Our Fox13 Facebook page is followed by 1 million 968 thousand 9 hundred and three people. (1,968,903) This equals tens of thousands of views and hundreds of shares. So you want to think of the story about you and your book in terms of shareability too.
**WHO** and **WHEN**
SORBONI: So now we’ve explained WHY TV can be part of your brand and book marketing… now lets talk about WHO to reach out to WHEN… Who should you be reaching out to? (audience can answer) - Producers - Assignment editors - Anchors - Reporters The answer is all of the above – you have to understand what each of these people do – to reach out appropriately… Email is going to be your best bet over calling. Because the recipient can choose when to open and read. If it’s a busy news week – don’t bother. No one will book your book when a pedestrian bridge has collapsed or an election is underway. Executive producers pick the content. Producers write the copy. Anchors read that copy live on air but also set up segments and stories on their own as do reporters. But most of the time reporters get their marching orders from the assignment desk.
Consider someone’s specialty – for example Linda was a medical reporter for years, so does your story feature a doctor, a mother trying to find a clinical trial for her child… or with me it’s all about saving money right – but it doesn’t just have to be our reporting that you connect with. Read our bios – do you have a dog, a new baby, love to vacation in an RV… find things in common.
**WHAT** What is it that you’re offering? You need to understand what editors and producers are looking for. Whether its national or local shows, producers and editors say the same thing. 1-Know your audience If you are pitching a national morning show, for instance, your story should appeal to stay-at home moms and/or seniors, who are most likely to be home during the day.
2-Tie your book or your expertise to something in today’s news Bill Berra is the former News Director at WFLA in Tampa. That’s the NBC station. He says, “We get so many requests from authors that we literally could do a weekly show on new authors and new books. So, if you want to get on you have to be A) interesting B) Unique C) Timely and D) Something that is relatable with today’s news. Fiction and history are not very compatible to local viewers. If you have a topic relatable to what is going on in the world today that we can adapt to relevant news---your chances increase dramatically.” For example: Bill gives the example of a romance between a soldier and a young girl at the height of a conflict. If local troops are being deployed – you, the author, could offer your research and expertise on the subject of long distance love – how military members and loved ones communicate. For example: Sorboni’s book Hide With Me is about two kids hiding from the drug cartel and falling in love while on the run. Teen drug use is an issue in most neighborhoods. What can her book teach your kids about getting involved with drugs? Racism is also an issue in her book, as is broken families, and child abuse. She could pitch herself as an expert on any of these topics due to her research.
3-Capatilize on being local
Bill McFarland is the Managing Editor of the NBC station in Boston and he says, “Perhaps if the fiction were set in a local area, to the point where that area becomes a character in the book.” For example: Linda Bond’s book Cuba Undercover is set in Tampa and in Cuba. It’s about a Tampa reporter forced to enter Cuba illegally to report on abuse going on there that the American media never sees. The heroine ends up falling in love with the revolutionary who forces her to take deeper look at what is happening on the island. Tampa has a huge Cuban population, and Cuba has been in the news thanks to changes both Obama and now Trump are making. That’s a local and national news connection. For example: Linda’s first book Alive at 5 also took place in Florida, with the locations around the state were very much a character. Linda called the producer of WFLA 970 AM and pitched it that way. “If you read this book you will recognize many landmarks and famous places from our area.” And it worked: You can find that interview about Alive at 5 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Oq8fOfd3S4
4-Focus on what makes you or your book unique or different Boston news managing editor Bill McFarland says, “Romance is not taboo unless it's pretty graphic. Of course, racy romance could actually help pitch the book if there was something unique about the author- young man writing traditionally female-authored genre, grandma writing the really racy stuff.” Vicky Benchimol, a planning editor for ABC Action News in Tampa, says she’d be interested in: “An ex-local author who wrote a #1 best seller, a local author whose book is making national news somehow, a local author whose story is highly unusual --ex - age of the author, maybe something unusual about the author - otherwise it's just a commercial for the author.” For example: Here’s how Linda pitched two Tampa Bay authors appearance on The Fox 13 news at noon. She had them talk about the Literacy signing at RWA where the public can come – for free – and meet their favorite authors. She didn’t pitch their newest release. She had the authors come on the noon news and talk about the literacy signing and where the proceeds go and how our viewers could meet their favorite authors and get them to sign their books. Viewer take away is important. Think: How can I benefit this show’s viewers Here’s the TV interview: https://www.facebook.com/TheLindaHurtado/videos/821955727974276/
SORBONI: Another example – Harry Potter meets 50 shades of gray – it was a local author who had written a New Adult romance when the genre was brand new – so her publicist pitched her as someone explaining that trend and business opportunity for our morning show. The headline was juicy and something everyone knew – 50 shades was a hot topic and a news story because of how successful it was and the taboo stuff it was making every day conversation among readers.
5-Think outside of the box. What can YOU do for THEM? Think about what might put you or your book in front of those who can write and talk about it. -Speak at a workshop -volunteer at a book drive -read at a reading festival For example: Linda Bond signed up to be a presenter at the Tampa Bay Times Festival of Reading, and because of that the newspaper’s book reviewer wrote this article: Romance writers Bond and Lush find sexy stories in journalism careers. Look for those kinds of opportunities, too. http://www.tampabay.com/features/books/romance-writers-bond-lush-found-sexy-stories-in- journalism-careers/2249681
**HOW**
SORBONI: So now you know who to reach out to and when. You understand why it’s important… and we’ve discussed what you’re offering. Now lets dig into how to craft your pitch and present it. This raises the question of PR FIRMS: DO THEY HELP YOU GET ON TV OR IN MAGAZINES? Can a PR firm help you get on TV or in the newspaper? Or can you do it just as well by yourself?
LINDA Trish Stevens is with Ascot Media, a firm that sends Fox 13 lots of pitches. Here’s what she says about the value of a PR Firm: “Unless you are with a major publishing house who provides publicity for you and your book, you will typically sell very few books. There are millions of books being self-published and uploaded to Amazon each year and most of those books sit there, doing absolutely nothing. Therefore, it is crucial that you hire a publicist to get your book the recognition it deserves. However, if you have a lot of spare time on your hands, you may want to invest your time in targeting the media yourself. You should shop around carefully for a publicist and make sure you check out their testimonials, and even go as far as speaking to some of their authors. I wouldn’t advise spending over $1,000 on a campaign”. Amy Summers, who runs her own PR firm in New York City, says. “I wouldn’t recommend that authors hire a full-service PR firm since they can be too expensive for one individual (PR firms typically charge retainers of $10k or more a month). A better approach is to hire a publicist or individual PR professional to represent you (depends on who you hire but could average anywhere from $1,500-$7,000 a month). Authors may or may not need a publicist - It will depend on their bandwidth and ability to handle pitching themselves. There are a lot of advantages to having someone else pitch for you if you can afford it. Pitching is very labor intensive and takes a lot of time if done correctly. It requires a high level of organization and diligent follow-up. A professional publicist will also typically have access to media databases, so will have the tools needed to find the media contacts that are the best fit for the author. Not to mention the perception of having someone else pitch on your behalf can elevate you above authors who are pitching themselves.” Summers gives these tips if you do think you want to hire help pitching media and press: “Talk to the PR firm’s or publicist’s previous and current clients. Ask them what they liked most and least about working with that person; and if they were satisfied with the result. If a PR person is trying to sell you hard on becoming a client, run the other way. Desperation is a red flag and may mean they are more interested in pocketing your money then making sure you get the exposure you need.” Other questions to ask: How do you bill for your services? How much exposure can I expect from this campaign? What’s the lead time before I typically start doing interviews from the time you start? What is your process for developing a pitch? What newsworthy approach do you see my book aligning with? Do you offer media training and coaching? What happens if you do not get any interviews or media placements during my campaign? Do you offer any guarantees for your services? Give me an example of your pitches!
SORBONI I say DIY all the way – I’m a consumer reporter – save with sorboni – save your money!!! I truly believe with the tips we’re giving you today you can do it yourself.
Here’s the pitch that got a yes from Fox 13’s News Director. These young students got to talk about their book on the Fox 13 noon show. Dear Mr. Belcher, ( directed to a specific feature reporter – although it got passed on to an assignment editor ) My name is Emily Fertic, I'm a senior in high school and I participate in the local, non-profit, homeschooling program called Class Source. I'm a part of a collaborative novel writing class provided at Class Source where every year we produce a student-written novel. Many of us in the class wish to pursue careers as writers so this class gives us valuable experience in writing as well as publishing our works and marketing ourselves. One hundred percent of the proceeds from any sales made go to providing scholarships for future Class Source students. The name of this year's novel is Missing in Murkywater; a comedic mystery set in a fictional town right here in Florida. It will be available for purchase in ebook and paperback form through Amazon and Barnes and Noble online beginning May 1. We will be hosting a book launch event at Class Source on May 1 where we will have books for sale as well as bonus materials and a chance for you to meet and have your book signed by the authors.
The event will be held at 19501 Holly Ln, Lutz, FL 33548 from 9:00 am to 4: 30 pm.
WHAT WORKED? 1-interesting – short- pitch 2-local authors set in local state. 3-authors are students 4-benefits non-profit homeschooling organization
Professional PR pitch that did not work even though it was about a famous author:
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH came first…then came, WORLD WITHOUT END….two books selling 38 million copies worldwide. Now Ken Follett continues with a magnificent, gripping new story….A COLUMN OF FIRE. It takes place in the year 1558…Elizabethan times in England. All of Europe is turning against Elizabeth Tudor when she becomes Queen. The shrewd, determined young monarch sets up the country’s first secret service, to give her early warning of assassination plots, rebellions and invasion plans. Here’s a chance to talk to Ken Follett…LIVE via satellite from the venerable MORGAN LIBRARY in New York City….home of some of the most important works from the Elizabethan era!! Please let me know if you’re interested in an interview on Wednesday, September 13th…..just in time for the books worldwide release! Best, Pete INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th 8:00am-12noon EASTERN TIME LIVE VIA SATELLITE FROM THE MORGAN LIBRARY IN NEW YORK CITY A COLUMN OF FIRE KEN FOLLETT In 1989, Ken Follett published the historical epic The Pillars of the Earth, a departure for the bestselling writer which stunned readers and critics alike with its ambitious scope and unforgettable cast of characters. It reached #1 on bestseller lists around the world, and has since become Follett’s most popular novel. Ten years ago, Oprah selected The Pillars of the Earth for her Book Club, and Follett published the second book in the Kingsbridge series, World Without End. The two books in the series have sold 38 million copies and stand as a testament to Follett’s command of the written word and to his universal appeal. The saga now continues with Follett’s magnificent new epic, A COLUMN OF FIRE, coming September 12th from Viking, which will introduce readers to a world of spies and secret agents in the sixteenth century, the time of Queen Elizabeth I. Set during one of the most turbulent and revolutionary times in history, this novel is one of Follett’s most exciting and ambitious works yet, and is perfect both for long-time fans of the Kingsbridge series as well as readers new to Ken Follett. A COLUMN OF FIRE begins in 1558 where the ancient stones of Kingsbridge Cathedral look down on a city torn apart by religious conflict. As power in England shifts precariously between Catholics and Protestants, high principles clash bloodily with friendship, loyalty, and love. Ned Willard wants nothing more than to marry Margery Fitzgerald. But when the lovers find themselves on opposing sides of the religious divide sweeping across the country, Ned goes to work for Princess Elizabeth. When she becomes queen, all Europe turns against England. The shrewd, determined young monarch sets up the country’s first secret service, to give her early warning of assassination plots, rebellions and invasion plans. Over a turbulent half-century, the love between Ned and Margery seems doomed, as extremism sparks violence from Edinburgh to Geneva. Elizabeth clings precariously to her throne and her principles, protected by a small, dedicated group of resourceful spies and courageous secret agents. The real enemies, then as now, are not the rival religions. The true battle pitches those who believe in tolerance and compromise against the tyrants who would impose their ideas on everyone else—no matter what the cost. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ken Follett is one of the world’s best-loved authors, selling more than 160 million copies of his thirty books. Follett’s first bestseller was Eye of the Needle, a spy story set in the Second World War. Follett lives in Hertfordshire, England, with his wife Barbara. Between them they have five children, six grandchildren, and three Labradors. TO BOOK AN INTERVIEW CONTACT PETER [email protected]
Q&A WITH KEN FOLLETT
Were you excited about returning to Kingsbridge? You bet. We’ve watched the place grow from an Anglo-Norman settlement to a thriving medieval town, and now we see it at the start of the English Renaissance. Kingsbridge is England in miniature. Where did the idea for A Column of Fire come from? I read somewhere that Queen Elizabeth I started the first English secret service. That intrigued me, and I read several books about spies and secret agents in the 16th century. I felt sure this could be the basis of an exciting novel.
Why did you choose to call the book A Column of Fire? It’s biblical, like The Pillars of the Earth. Spies are sometimes referred to as a Fifth Column. And a lot of people were burned at the stake in the 16th century.
We know that A Column of Fire is about spies and secret agents in the 16th century, what are the other themes surrounding the book? Most of my recent books are about people struggling for freedom in one form or another: Welsh coal miners, Russian factory workers, Jews, African Americans. This is about religious freedom.
How do these themes relate to your own life? I’ve always hated people who assume they have authority over me. This made my schooldays a challenge, obviously. A bully makes me angry. I empathize with fictional characters who fight against tyranny.
What sort of research did you do for A Column of Fire? There’s nobody left to interview, of course. As usual, most of my information comes from history books. I also visited houses and castles built in this period. I looked at 16th century clothing in the London Museum, and I went several times to the National Portrait Gallery to study the faces of Queen Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots, Francis Drake and many others.
Did you visit the locations of the key events in A Column of Fire? Scotland for Loch Leven, the prison from which Mary Queen of Scots escaped; Belgium for Antwerp, then the banking centre of the western world; Spain for Seville, the richest city in Spain; Paris because it was the headquarters of those who conspired to assassinate Queen Elizabeth.
Plenty of historians have written about this era. Who among them do you particularly like or respect? Robert Hutchinson has written well about espionage at this time. Geoffrey Parker is the authority on the long and bloody war in the Netherlands. Perhaps the most useful book was Conyers Read’s three-volume biography Mr Secretary Walsingham, about the man who was the Elizabethan equivalent of “M” in the James Bond stories.
Are any of your fictional characters based on real people? Not really. I might give a villain the hair style of someone I dislike, and of course the female heroes all have something in them of Barbara, my wife; but my fictional characters are never portraits of real people.
A Column of Fire has a number of real historical characters, including several heads of state. Who did you particularly admire? Three great 16th century leaders understood the need for religious tolerance, and interestingly they were all women: our Queen Elizabeth I; Caterina dei Medici, who was queen of France and then Queen Mother; and Marguerite de Parme, governor of the Netherlands. In an age of relentless bigotry, each of them tried to persuade people of rival religions to live in peace. For that they were hated. Their efforts were only partly successful. Each of them was undermined: Elizabeth by repeated plots to assassinate her, Caterina by the ruthless Guise family, and Marguerite by her half-brother King Felipe II of Spain. I admire their idealism, courage and persistence in the face of bloodthirsty opposition.
What are you most proud of in your career? It was a pretty good achievement to write a novel about the rather unpromising subject of building a cathedral in the Middle Ages and turning it into an international No.1. We’ve sold about twenty-six-million copies of The Pillars of the Earth. That’s pretty good for a book a lot of people thought would be too dull.
How long did it take you to write? The whole thing took three years and three months. After two years I only had about 200 pages, and I felt this was a crisis. And as a novelist the only thing you can do if you want to write faster is work more hours. So I started to work Saturdays and then Sundays as well. The difficulty is simply that you’ve got to keep on making up more and more stuff about the same people. If you write 100,000 words of a thriller, then it’s finished. But after 100,000 words of The Pillars of the Earth that’s like that much. [He holds open first quarter of the book.] I had all that to go. [He holds open the final three-quarters.] That was the great difficulty.
Some writers live in dread of their books being turned into films or TV series. Have you enjoyed the experience? Seeing good actors giving good performances, bringing to life characters I’ve invented and speaking some of the lines I’ve written is a huge thrill. When it all goes well it’s great. When it goes badly you cringe when you see what’s on the screen, but you have to take that risk. I’m pleased and proud that some of my stories have made good film and TV. It confirms the strength of the story that it can be transformed from one medium to another. And I’m also pleased that my stories have been turned into a stage musical, several board games, and a computer game.
WHAT DIDN’T WORK - too long - no newsworthiness - no personal connection - nothing visual - no viewer benefit
SORBONI:
The story is rarely your book – the story is YOU. The process that you wrote the book, something you’re now an expert in. “Hi my client has written a book may I send you a copy” does not work.
Example: Recently divorced with a newborn baby, a neurosurgeon quit her six-figure job to sell a novel about the effects of autism out of her car. (Lisa Genova – Still Alice) Time it with autism awareness week – or the holidays – it can be tough for family visiting to understand dementia… here are five tips on surviving the holidays with minimal stress from this super interesting author.
YOU are the brand. YOU are the expert. Instead lets streamline what we’ve discussed so you can DO IT YOURSELF! Let’s craft the pitch
FIRST SIGHT Love at first sight. That’s the dream right? A killer headline can equal instant love (like Harry Potter meets 50 Shades of Gray) Come up with your hook. We all know when we’re writing our romances right, the protagonist has something that catches the eye and then heart of the romantic interest. That’s what you need to do.
FIRST DATE Notice what you have in common Be interested in their interests – write about that Engage on social media, follow, comment and like their content
FIRST BASE Have them remember that first kiss. K-I-S-S (keep it simple stupid) Leave them wanting more.
FIRST… THEM. Our guys in our romance novels are never selfish lovers right? They put their women’s needs first. And vice versa… obviously! Put the needs of the news first. They need an expert on… the occult for Halloween. Jane Smith wrote a book about werewolves and knows all about local legends. She can talk spooky city history - But always leave room for dessert – your book. So your talking points serve the show… but finish up with you – your book. You’re the dessert. And we all know that’s the best part!
Ready to test your skills? As a group we are going to figure out how to get in on TV. Lets get a volunteer to tell us about their book and as a group we will craft the pitch.
You can find Linda Hurtado at: https://www.facebook.com/TheLindaHurtado/
Linda Bond at: https://www.facebook.com/authorlindabond/ www.lindabond.com Twitter: @AuthorLindaBond
You can find Sorboni Banerjee: https://twitter.com/sorbonified
How to Transform a Good Book into a Great Book July 19, 2018 – RWA National Conference
Presented by Robin L. Perini
A story recounts events that must be translated into feelings. It concerns . . . someone's reactions to what happens; his feelings; emotions; his impulses; his dreams, his ambitions; his clashing drives and inner conflicts. Plunge the character into a pre-planned situation that challenges the part of him that cares, that threatens the thing he feels is important. — Dwight V. Swain, Techniques of the Selling Writer.
A. Introduction i. Take what you want and leave the rest What a writer … "wants is a set of rules on what to do and what not to do in writing fiction…."when one begins to be persuaded that certain things must never be done in fiction and certain other things must always be done, one has entered the first stage of aesthetic arthritis, the disease that ends in pedantic rigidity and the atrophy of intuition." — John Gardner, The Art of Fiction ii. Pantsters, Plotters and Planners i. What we have in common: Elements of Story • Character • Plot • Theme • Voice
B. Non-Craft i. Life-long Learning ii. Discover your process iii. Discover YOUR Story • Uncover Your Emotional Cues (Laura Baker – Purposeful Writer)
C. Exploit Tension and Suspense (Not the Dead Body Kind) i. Hook the Readers • Openings • Beginning hooks (chapters and scenes) • Ending hooks (first page, third page, scene, chapter, book) • Character and Plot Surprises ii. Make the Reader Care • Characters that readers care about 1. Put them in physical/emotional jeopardy 2. GMC 3. Character Arc • Dialogue 1. Push the scene forward 2. Build connection between reader and character 3. Best way to evoke emotion
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iii. Turning Points and Reversals • Significant and surprising event, scene or series of scenes which change the direction of your plot or subplot for the character and the reader. • Turning points illustrate deep character, theme, braiding of internal/external conflict, layering through conflict, action, emotion and surprise • Attack your character's flaw • Escalate the stakes as you go from turning point to turning point. (escalate tension) • Build plot and emotions to and away from turning points (Arc of the TP) 1. Major turning points every 20-25,000 words (or so) for a novel. 2. No sagging middles
Final course of Realization relationship/plot after Turning Points (Fourth Turning character's realizations. Point) The End Black Moment Second Turning Major change Point Major change of of course in (Midpoint) course in their their relationship/plot. relationship. Protagonist and Major change of Antagonist "Meet" course in their Third Turning Point Protagonist relationship/plot.
Set a course for Antagonist your protagonist and antagonist. First Turning Point
Story Board For a 20-Chapter Book with Four Turning Points
1 2 3 4 5 Story's First Inciting Turning Incident Point
6 7 8 9 10 Mid or Second Turning Point
11 12 13 14 15 Third Turning Point 16 17 18 19 20 Black Realization Moment
Fourth Turning Point
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D. Leverage Emotion i. Make Your Characters Special • Character Goals • Character's strength is their weakness • Braid plot and character ii. Actions don't drive the story. Actions drive emotions. Emotions drive the story. (Laura Baker) iii. Make the villain the personification of your protagonist's flaw and takes advantage of the protagonist's flaw. (i.e. the real danger to your protagonist is their flaw)
Self-Image Worksheet
Strength Character Flaw Weakness Strong-willed, deals w/people & ideas skillfully Needs to Control Manipulative Lives in the Present Fears the Unknown Controlled by Circumstances Self-Reliant Needs Independence Can’t Rely on Others, Unreliable Earnest, with conviction and purpose Believes End Justifies Means Ruthless Strategist, careful, prepared, can be relentless Fear of Failure Tentative, Relentless Power of Convictions Needs Justice Judgmental, Vengeful, Righteous Intuitive understanding of others Believes World there to be manipulated Egotistical Intuitive, Trusts inherent human judgment Needs to Trust Unrealistic Faithful, Steadfast, Unflappable Fears Chaos Uncompromising, Resistant to change Compassionate Needs to Please Failure to know oneself Challenges Oneself Need to Prove Worthiness Self-Involved Spontaneous Needs Freedom Undisciplined, Unpredictable Perfectionist Fears Misjudgment Defensive Fearless, Intrepid Needs to Take Risks Reckless Independent Fears Emotional Attachment Distrusting Cautious Needs to be Safe Fearful Honest Needs the Truth Unemotional Analytical Needs Logic Distrusts intuition, calculating, shrewd, cunning
Self-sacrificing Needs Love Submissive Ability to be someone else (wears masks) Believes Flawed Covers Flaw with Mask Adaptable Needs Balance Indecisive, Obedient
Flexible, Diplomatic Fears does not know best Pliant, Deferential Optimistic Needs to hope for the best Naïve Resourceful Believes own needs surpass everyone Predatory Fearless, no fear of consequences Fears Unredeemable Pessimistic, Fatalistic Faithful, Steadfast Believes the best Follows others blindly Places no expectations Believes love conditional Fears Emotions Free from bias, open-minded Needs Fairness Gullible Patience Believes to endure is to conquer Compulsive, can’t let go
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iv. Braid Overarching Message and Emotion 1. Identify the protagonist's character flaw/internal conflict (based on emotion) 2. ______(protagonist) will [now or eventually] have to face and get past that he/she NEEDS/BELIEVES/FEARS
______.
ii. Show, Don't Tell • Show Emotions • Show the Important: Description and Setting • Activate Your Writing (SPICED) 1. S-pecificity (including senses) 2. P-owerful Verbs, etc. 3. I-mage-making and picture-forming words 4. C-ompelling Dialogue (Inner/Spoken) 5. E-nding Hooks (And Openings) aka Surprises! 6. D-eep Point of View
E. Be Aggressive During Revision i. Big Stuff (see everything above J) ii. Small Stuff • Dialogue is the best way to show character and emotion. • Is there a "zinger" on every page? • Can you tell whose POV it is on every page? • Word Choices • Active words iii. Three Versions – Example and Analysis of Transformation
F. Don't Edit out the Passion i. Let your Voice Shine Through. ii. Ray Bradbury says, "There is only one type of story in the world—YOUR story."
Character Sketch (Thanks & Appreciation to Laura Baker - (Enter this into your computer and watch it grow)
Title of Work: Character: Sex: Age: Height: Weight: Hair Color: Eye Color: Identifying Characteristics, description: Beginning Situational Conflict: Greatest Strength: Why is the character this way? Greatest Flaw (Internal Conflict):
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How does person hide it, get around it? Why does the character stay this way? What needs to happen to not be this way? Does this trait stay through the end of the book? Greatest need or want (Long-Range Goal)? Why is the need or want important? What's at stake? What will it cost this character? How will meeting that need or want affect other characters? Obstacles to meeting that need or want: Short Range Goal: Dark Secret: Other personality characteristics, strengths: Other Personality characteristics: weaknesses: Greatest Fear: Biggest Regret: Most Powerful Dream: What about this character conflicts with the other protagonist? Romantic/Interpersonal Conflict (What's inside of him/her that keeps him/her from loving her/him): Danger (If I love her/him . . .): Darkest Moment: What about this character renews the spirit of other protagonist? How does greatest strength overcome the greatest weakness to produce a happy ending?What does character learn by the end of the book?
Bibliography
Ballenger, Bruce and Barry Lane. Discovering the Writer Within: 40 Days to More Imaginative Writing. Writer's Digest Books, 1989. Bickham, Jack. Scene and Structure. Writer's Digest Books, 1999. Dixon, Debra. Goal, Motivation and Conflict: The Building Blocks of Good Fiction. Gryphon Books for Writers, 1999. Field, Syd. Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting. Dell Publishing Company, Inc. 1984. Frey, James. How to Write a Damn Good Novel: A Step-by-Step No Nonsense Guide to Dramatic Storytelling. St. Martin's Press, 1987. Gardner, John. The Art of Fiction: Notes of Craft for Young Writers. Vintage, 1991. King, Stephen. Secret Windows: Essays and Fiction on the Craft of Writing. Book of the Month Club, 2000. McKee, Robert. Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting. Regan Books, 1997. Swain, Dwight. Techniques of the Selling Writer. University of Oklahoma Press, 1982. Vogler, Christopher. The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Michael Wiese Productions, 1998.
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Biography
Internationally bestselling and award-winning author Robin Perini is devoted to giving her readers fast-paced, high-stakes adventures with a love story sure to melt their hearts. A RITA Award finalist and Romance Writers of America© (RWA) Honor Roll Member, she sold fourteen titles to publishers in less than two years after winning the prestigious RWA Golden Heart Award in 2011. An analyst for an advanced technology corporation, she is also a nationally acclaimed writing instructor and enjoys small-bore rifle silhouette shooting. As a result of her mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s Disease, Robin has become an advocate. She donates 10% of her royalties received from her novel, FORGOTTEN SECRETS, to the Alzheimer’s Association. In addition, she started the 1 Memory Challenge, a challenge to encourage others to share memories and donate to the Alzheimer’s Association, whose vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. You can learn more and connect with her by visiting her website at www.robinperini.com or visit her on Twitter @RobinPerini, Facebook (RobinPeriniAuthor), Goodreads or Pinterest. Her literary agent is Jill Marsal of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
SINGING RIVER LEGACY (Amazon’s Montlake Romance) Forgotten Secrets (2016) Forgotten Legacy (2018) TBD (2019)
MONTGOMERY JUSTICE NOVELS (Amazon’s Montlake Romance) In Her Sights (November 2011) Behind the Lies (April 2013) Game of Fear (August 2014) Edge of Deceit (TBD)
CARDER TEXAS CONNECTIONS (Harlequin Intrigue) Finding Her Son (March 2012) Cowboy in the Crossfire (July 2012) Christmas Conspiracy (December 2012) Undercover Texas (June 2013) The Cradle Conspiracy (December 2013) Secret Obsession (August 2014) Christmas Justice (December 2014) San Antonio Secret (January 2017) Cowboy’s Secret Son (August 2018) TBD (January 2019)
DARK GUARDIANS Night of the Jaguar Son (2014) The Ultimate Price (TBD)
© 2018 by Robin L. Perini How to Write the Series Proposal that Acquiring Editors Dream About 2018 Rita Finalist Liz Maverick RWA 2018
This workshop drills down into precisely what content should be included in a series proposal and how it should be presented. We’ll also touch on the mechanics of building an overall series arc, using “sequel bait” to tempt readers to continue the series, and using ensemble casts to build familiarity and anticipation.
We’ll expand on the questions below with the actual content that sold my latest series and dissect the format of the proposal itself. Afterwards, we can dive into questions about your own projects.
What does a great series proposal do?
• Provides the acquiring editor with tactical information needed to sell the work in-house. • Showcases your voice. • Explains how the series works (the connective tissue!) and lays out the story elements in a way that makes the material easy to visualize as an organized, exciting project with multiple-book potential (whew!). • Reassures the editor that each book will be as impressive as the overall package.
What content and information about your series should you include in the proposal? Starting with a broad description, work your way towards the sample chapters of Book 1. You will usually want:
• A series overview
• Discrete blocks describing significant pieces of the series idea. Here are some examples:
a. Short, sparkly descriptions of the characters in an ensemble cast b. Group descriptions (i.e. The Sharks and the Jets) c. Description of any defining element of the series (i.e. The plague, the feud, the curse) d. Setting (i.e. When your small town becomes a recurring series character) e. Genre issues (i.e. If you happen to know that the acquiring editor is looking for something that you are offering, you might want to spell it out here).
• Cover copy for Book 1
• A synopsis for Book 1
• Sample chapters for Book 1
Bestselling, award-winning author Liz Maverick is a novelist and adventurer whose projects have taken her from driving trucks in Antarctica to working behind the scenes on reality TV shows in Hollywood. Liz has written more than fifteen books, including Wired, a Publishers Weekly Top Book of the Year, and is the creator of the USA Today bestselling Crimson City series.
Her most recent project, via Amazon Montlake, is the Hudson Kings romantic suspense series about a team of super-hot mercenaries who live in an armory in Manhattan. The first book in that series, The Transporter, is a 2018 Rita Award Finalist in Romantic Suspense. Liz lives in Brooklyn, New York, and loves to stay in touch with readers via her website at www.lizmaverick.com.
Dear Agent,
I am seeking representation for my contemporary young adult novel, VALEDICTIONS, which was inspired by Cinderella.
Sixteen-year-old Tatum is spending her summer under family-imposed house arrest for a crime she didn’t commit. Feeling bored and misunderstood, she’s pinned under the judgmental gaze of her jailer - helicopter stepmonster Belén. In secret, Tatum starts a graphic design business, with the help of her sweet but sly step-grandmother, in the hopes of earning enough to pay off her fine, and also building a portfolio that will eventually get her the heck out of her house.
To Tatum’s surprise, her business leads to flirty email banter with a cello-playing client, Seamus. His soulful music and belief in her make her wonder how life might be different if her loved ones saw what he sees.
When her perfect stepsister inadvertently reveals a shocking and image-shattering secret, Tatum realizes she has a choice. And she doesn’t have to make it alone. She must decide if standing up for herself is worth falling deeper out of her family’s graces instead of settling for their expectations of who they want her to be.
VALEDICTIONS is complete at 54,000 words. It will be enjoyed by fans of the quippy humor of Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett and the engaging correspondence in Roomies by Tara Altebrando and Sarah Zarr.
I've worked as a high school counselor for ten years and live outside Washington DC with my husband and daughter. In 2012, I co-founded a YA book review blog. I'm a member of SCBWI and have attended Book Expo America twice, as well as ALA Midwinter earlier this year.
Thank you for your consideration,
Christina June
Dear Agent,
Thank you for your interest in my YA Contemporary Romance with emotional grit, THE THING WITH FEATHERS, which is complete at 58,000 words. THE THING WITH FEATHERS is a first place winner of several RWA contests including: The New Jersey Put Your Heart in a Book Contest, The Northwest Houston Lone Star Contest, The Indiana Golden Opportunity Contest, and The Chicago Fire and Ice Contest. It is also a current finalist in The Golden Pen.
Sixteen-year-old Emilie Day believes in playing it safe. She’s homeschooled, epileptic and probably the only girl living on the barrier islands of North Carolina who can’t swim. Life in public is not an option. Seizing in front of anyone, especially her snobby peers, would cause a slow death by humiliation. Since her father died, her bookish life with her seizure response dog and her increasingly distant mother has been enough.
When her mom forces her into the terrifying world of public school, her life is turned upside down. To make matters worse, she’s paired with oh- so-cute, starting point guard Chatham York for a research project on Emily Dickinson. She should be ecstatic when Chatham shows interest. But she hasn’t told anyone about her epilepsy.
Emilie lives in fear her meds will fail and she’ll seize at school. Eventually, she must decide whether or not to believe what Emily Dickinson says about hope being the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.
THE THING WITH FEATHERS will appeal to girls who like character driven, coming of age stories by authors like Susane Colasanti and Sarah Dessen. You are at the top of my list of agents to query. I have heard from several Georgia Romance Writer friends that you are professional and personable. Also, I appreciated the thoughtful and encouraging feedback you provided last year on another one of my manuscripts in the New Jersey Put Your Heart in a Book Contest.
I am an eighth grade language arts teacher with a master’s degree in secondary English education and a member of Romance Writers of America and Georgia Romance Writers.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
McCall Hoyle, M.Ed.
RWA 2018: Is There a Place for Quiet Stories in the Fast-Paced, Edgy World of YA Fiction?
Quiet YA Book Recommendations:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen It's Not Like It's a Secret by Misa Suguira
After the Fall by Kate Hart Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard
The Education of Margot Sanchez by Wild Swans by Jessica Spotswood Lilliam Rivera
We Are Okay by Nina LaCoeur It Started With Goodbye by Christina June
Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake Everywhere You Want To Be by Christina June The Impossibility of Us by Katy Upperman The Thing With Feathers by McCall Hoyle
Speak of Me As I Am by Sonia Belasco Meet The Sky by McCall Hoyle
The Last Thing You Said by Sara Biren The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord
Connect with us online:
McCall Hoyle https://twitter.com/McCallHoyle https://www.facebook.com/McCallHoyleBooks/ https://www.instagram.com/mccallhoylebooks/
Christina June https://twitter.com/ChristinaJuneYA https://www.facebook.com/ChristinaJuneYA/ https://www.instagram.com/christinajuneya/
Blink YA Books & Annette Bourland https://twitter.com/BlinkYABooks https://www.facebook.com/blinkyabooks/ https://www.instagram.com/blinkyabooks/ Making Scrivener Work for You – Gwen Hernandez RWA 2018
• Downloading and registering Scrivener (http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php) o Mac: Scrivener—>Registration o PC: Help—>Registration • Creating a project o File—>New Project o Choose location before saving, Scrivener auto-saves every 2 secs of inactivity • Projects o A Scrivener project is a collection of files o Usually create one project for each book, but don't have to (blogs, lectures, essays, series, etc.) • Templates o Each one has slight differences/uses o Can create your own (File—>Save As Template) • Getting to know Scrivener (Binder, Inspector, Editor) o Binder: hierarchical view, like a TOC o Editor: where the writing happens o Inspector: shows data about files (blue “i” button in toolbar) • Binder o Item types: folder, document, file group (document w/subdocuments) o Each item type at each level can be formatted differently during compile • Inspector o Synopsis § Title=Binder/Editor title § Text same as index cards on Corkboard o Label & Status § Customizable: Can rename field, add/edit values, colors, default value § Apply in inspector or by right-clicking (or Control+click on Mac) in Binder. For multiple items can only apply by right-clicking. § View colors: View—>Use Label Color In—>Icons (and/or other options) • Editor: header, footer, ruler o Display ruler § Mac: View—>Text Editing—>Show Ruler § PC: Format—>Show Ruler § To hide, use menu options above, but choose Hide Ruler. o Split screen (Mac: use Option key to change between horizontal and vertical split) o Paste & Match Style (Edit—>Paste and Match Style) § Mac: Shift+Option+Command+V § PC: Ctrl+Shift+V o Converting to default text style (click anywhere in document first) § Mac: Documents—>Convert—>Text to Default Formatting § PC: Documents—>Convert—>Formatting to Default Text Style o Composition/Full Screen mode background image § Mac: Project—>Project Settings—>Background Images § PC: View—>Full Screen Backdrop—>Choose • Setting word count targets o Mac: Project—>Show Project Targets o PC: Project—>Project Targets
© Gwen Hernandez gwenhernandez.com - ScrivenerClasses.com 1 Making Scrivener Work for You – Gwen Hernandez RWA 2018 o Document Targets: click target button at bottom right of Editor • Adding Annotations/Comments o Mac: Insert—>Inline Annotation o PC: Format—>Inline Annotation o Mac: Insert—>Comment o PC: Format—>Comment • Project Search: Click magnifying glass in search box to change criteria or save search • Find by Formatting: o Includes annotations, comments, highlighted text, formatted text (e.g. italics), etc. o Edit—>Find—>Find By Formatting • Compiling (Exporting) your documents into a single output file o File—>Compile o Contents pane: Where you select which items to include in output, and assign/change section types (formatting types) o Options (gear button): Lets you convert things like underline to italic and remove annotations/comments/footnotes and other types of formatting o Section Layouts: Where you assign the desired layout (visual format) to each section type o Formats: List of formats available for your output. Right-click to Duplicate & Edit to create your own version • Compiling for e-books (Kindle MOBI and EPUB) o Change Compile For to MOBI or EPUB (KF8 and EPUB3 are recommended only for more advanced formatting and those comfortable with CSS) o Cover: The image file must be stored in the project before you can select it here. o Meta-Data (searchable data like title, author name, use unique ID field if you have an ISBN) o Kindle o Must have KindleGen: (http://www.amazon.com/kindlepublishing) § Resources—>KindleGen—>Download § Save to Applications (Mac) or MyPrograms (PC) • Validate and Test o EPUB Validator (http://validator.idpf.org) o Adobe Digital Editions (http://www.adobe.com/products/digital-editions.html) o iBooks o Kindle Previewer § http://www.amazon.com/kindlepublishing § Resources—>Kindle Previewer—>Download Kindle Previewer 3 • Getting Help o For an up-to-date handout, go to: http://gwenhernandez.com/handouts/ o Help—>User Manual o Help—>Support o Help—>User Forums o http://gwenhernandez.com/scrivener-corner/scrivener-tips/ o https://ScrivenerClasses.com § Jump Into Scrivener 3: A Mini-Course for Scrivener 2 Users § Discount code for 25% off any paid class: RWA18
© Gwen Hernandez gwenhernandez.com - ScrivenerClasses.com 2
Maximizing Revenue Streams Panelists: Geneva Lee, Louise Fury, Liz Pelletier, Lisa Renee Jones
I. Thinking outside the book A. Foreign Rights: How to find a publisher, foreign markets that are primed for romance B. Subsidiary Rights: Movies, television, audio II. Agents vs. Editors A. Maximizing revenue streams without an agent B. When you need an agent (Louise Fury will spearhead this subtopic) C. Working with your publisher to maximize revenue streams (Liz Pelletier will spearhead this subtopic) III. New fiction platforms and nontraditional storytelling A. Radish, Wattpad, etc - is there money in these new storytelling outlets, how do you tap into it, and how do you protect yourself and your intellectual property. IV. Working with what you’ve got A. Building relationships with distributors, i.e. iBooks, Nook, to boost backlist visibility B. Very briefly touch on advertising avenues like BookBub, Facebook, Instagram V. Q&A
RWA Members Only Workshop by Erica Ridley
Newsletter Masterclass with Erica Ridley
Tweet: @EricaRidley Email: [email protected]
RWA Members Only Workshop by Erica Ridley
A few Email Service Providers
• AWeber • MadMimi • ActiveCampaign • MailChimp • Constant Contact • MailerLite • ConvertKit • Vertical Response
Features to Consider
• Ease of importing from CSV • Ease of website integration • Ease of audience segmentation • Ease/complexity of campaign audiences • Ease of email design, templates, inbox preview, etc • Multi-user accounts (i.e. for a VA) • Ability to integrate with Facebook • Ability to integrate with Zapier • Ability to integrate with Instafreebie • Ability to integrate with Bookfunnel • Ability to send verified, secure emails • Ability to integrate enhanced subscriber data • Automation: Welcome emails • Automation: Drip campaigns • Personalization: Conditional Merge • Campaign reports, urls, statistics, A/B testing, resend, smart delivery • Subscriber data, groups, fields, tags, source, geolocation, etc
Tweet: @EricaRidley Email: [email protected]
RWA Members Only Workshop by Erica Ridley
Why aren’t they signing up?
• They can’t find the signup form • The form/header/call-to-action is confusing • The signup form is annoying/ugly/illegible • The signup form asks too many details • The spam factor is unclear • The value (reader magnet) is unclear • The magnet is clear, but uninspiring • They got distracted by something else on the page • The page wouldn’t load on their mobile device
Get the Confirmation
• Make sure you’re using a domain email ([email protected]) • Make sure your domain is verified with your email provider • Make sure your email server isn’t on a blacklist • Make sure your verification email is Simple, Clear, and Easy • Don’t use spammy words/language/excessive capitals/exclamations • Don’t try to be so cute/creative that your message gets lost • Don’t deliver the magnet until the reader has confirmed their subscription • Do let the reader know they’ve just received a verification email • Ask the reader to add your newsletter email to her contacts
Tweet: @EricaRidley Email: [email protected]
RWA Members Only Workshop by Erica Ridley
Got signups! So what can I send?
• Welcome email • Getting to know you sequence • Meet the books/characters/world sequence • Limited time offers • Birthday/anniversary greetings • Self-segmenting • Surveys • Reviewers/Street Team/Promos
Drip Campaigns
• Get recipient used to hearing from you • Teach recipient that your emails = VALUE • Create a personal connection • Make recipient feel like she’s receiving emails from a friend
Reader Magnet Ideas
• Free prologue • Map of story world • Free second epilogue • Behind-the-scenes secrets • Free short story • Exclusive discounts • Full free book • Early access • Extended excerpts • Historical/Technical Insight • Deleted scenes • Research notes/photographs • Alternate endings • Recipes • Character interviews • Author interviews • Detailed family tree • Sneak peek at future books
Tweet: @EricaRidley Email: [email protected]
RWA Members Only Workshop by Erica Ridley
Where to find Instafreebie Co-Ops
• Instafreebie’s website o https://www.instafreebie.com/groupgiveaway/join-genres • Kboards posts o https://www.kboards.com • Dedicated Facebook Groups o Instafreebie Romance § https://www.facebook.com/groups/InstafreebieRomance o Instafreebie Promos § https://www.facebook.com/groups/instafreebiepromos o Freebie Friday on Instafreebie § https://www.facebook.com/groups/578910405624973 o Instafreebie Push & So Much More § https://www.facebook.com/groups/674062869429630
Where to find BookFunnel co-ops
• BookFunnel’s website: o https://dashboard.bookfunnel.com/bundles/board o BookFunnel will email you to let you know! • Kboards posts o https://www.kboards.com • Dedicated Facebook Groups o BookFunnel Authors § https://www.facebook.com/groups/BookFunnelAuthors o BookFunnel Bundle Authors § https://www.facebook.com/groups/BookFunnelBundles o BookFunnel CrossPromos § https://www.facebook.com/groups/BookFunnelCrossPromo
Tweet: @EricaRidley Email: [email protected]
RWA Members Only Workshop by Erica Ridley
Factors affecting Open Rates
• Time of day • Recentness of last interaction • Recognition of sender • Interest in subject line • Off-putting subject/tone • Typos and sloppy wording • Relevance of subject to content • Double Opt-in • Lack of urgency • Obvious Lagniappe/Incentive • Domain Name • Market • List Size • Value of previous email • Age of list • Age of recipient • Location of recipient • Email read in plain text • Email read in preview screen • Overactive spam filters (e.g. Gmail Promotions tab) • Seasonal/Holiday/Politics/World events
Tweet: @EricaRidley Email: [email protected]
RWA Members Only Workshop by Erica Ridley
List Segmentation
• Groups gather information. Segmentation is how you use it. • Segments can be Static or Auto-Updating • Static segments don’t change • Auto-Update segments self-edit based on profile data, campaign interaction, geography, or any other data you’re tracking
Segmentation Options
• Automation workflows • Email client • Campaign activity • Info changed • Conversation activity • Location • Campaign range • Poll/Survey activity • Contact Rating • Signup source • Date Added • List field
Potential A/B Test Ideas
• Subject Line: Caps or no caps? • Subject Line: Emoji or no emoji? • Subject Line: FOMA vs Emotion-based • Subject Line: Clickbait question? • Call to Action: Order Now vs Get Yours • Call to Action: Save X% vs Only $X! • CTA: This Weekend Only vs Last Chance • CTA: Font / color / size / position Tweet: @EricaRidley Email: [email protected]
RWA Members Only Workshop by Erica Ridley
• Include blurb from other author? • Include PW/blog review quote? • Include reader review quote? • Include star rating? • Include # of reviews? • Include # of downloads? • Include # of copies sold? • Full (long) back cover copy? • Use shorter blurb? • Only use 1-sentence tagline? • Include sample excerpt? • Include link to excerpt on website? • Include downloadable excerpt? • Include “Dear FirstName,”? • Include all vendor links? • Buttonize vendor links? • Plain text vs pretty HTML • More images vs fewer images • Personal image vs genre/generic image • Link to backlist vs fewer links • Weekend vs Weekday • Morning vs Evening • Time-zone specific • “from Jane Doe” vs “from Author Jane Doe” • Flat cover vs 3D cover • Color scheme / layout / order of content • Poll/survey vs request for reply
Thank you!
Tweet: @EricaRidley Email: [email protected]
Novel Prep for Writing Fast with Alexis Daria July 19, 2018 RWA18 / 1
Novel Prep for Writing Fast
July 19, 2018 – RWA18 Speaker: Alexis Daria
**[Please note: If you share material from this handout and presentation, please give credit.] [Shout out to Damon Suede for inspiring the handout format!]
OVERVIEW
Get quick tips for prepping your novel before starting any project. Grab the tools of deep outlining, scene cards, character development, backstory scenes, playlists, and mood boards to hit the ground running and keep up the pace.
This year’s conference theme is RETHINK, RENEW, REVITALIZE. I invite you to: • RETHINK your approach to story planning • RENEW your commitment to telling good stories • REVITALIZE your writing process
This workshop will: • Answer the question, “Why outline?” • Review the basics of outlining • Provide resources and tools for novel prep and fast drafting
ABOUT
Alexis Daria is a contemporary romance author, artist, and native New Yorker. Her debut, TAKE THE LEAD, is a 2018 double RITA® finalist and 2017 Golden Heart® finalist, and was named one of the Best Romance Novels of 2017 by The Washington Post and Entertainment Weekly. DANCE WITH ME, book 2 in the Dance Off series, is out now. She loves social media, and you can find her live-tweeting her favorite TV shows at @alexisdaria or talking about writing and books at alexisdaria.com.
Novel Prep for Writing Fast with Alexis Daria July 19, 2018 RWA18 / 2
Why Outline?
When I say I write detailed outlines and fast first drafts, I get a lot of questions, such as, “How do you write fast and not write garbage? And doesn’t outlining take the fun out of it?” By knowing what you’re going to write before you sit down, you don’t waste precious writing time figuring it out. And you don’t need to plan every single little detail, but even having a general idea can help while drafting. Here are a few reasons to plan your story in advance.
• Outlines give you a big picture view of your story. o And help you spot plot holes from a mile away! • Outlines can help you write a faster first draft. o If you know what you’re writing when you sit down at your desk (or wherever you write), it saves time spent staring into space, and cuts back on decision fatigue. • Outlines are useful when selling on spec/proposal or pitching a series. o Writing the query, blurb, or synopsis before you write the manuscript will point out plot holes or weaknesses and give you the opportunity to solve them in advance. § Struggling? A common problem is that the stakes aren’t high enough. What’s at stake in your story? And why does it matter so much to the protagonist? • Outlines give you the opportunity to ask for feedback early in the process. o Ask your critique partners, agent, and/or editor to look over your outline or synopsis. • A strong outline will hopefully mean less time spent on revisions! • If you get stuck, you have a plan. o Go back to your big picture view. You created your outline, and you are allowed to change it if it isn’t working. It’s not set in stone! o If you’re at point A (the last scene you wrote), and you have to get to point C (the next plot point that has to happen), B is the scene between them. What must happen there to get your characters from A to C? • You know the ending you’re working toward. o Not just the HEA, but your character’s arc. Novel Prep for Writing Fast with Alexis Daria July 19, 2018 RWA18 / 3
Outlining Basics
There’s no one way to outline or plan your story. As with all writing advice, take what works for you and scrap the rest.
One sentence summary This is the simplest way to plan your story and paves the way for you to ask and answer more questions, getting a deeper sense of the plot. • A [protagonist] who wants [goal], but [conflict] is in their way.
Story elements Breaking an idea down into its simplest elements can help when organizing your thoughts about a potential story. • Plot (The premise. What’s the story about?) • Beginning, middle, and end (Basically, three-act structure.) • Setting (Where and when does the story take place?) • Main characters (Who is the protagonist? Antagonist? Secondary characters?) • Conflict (What’s the story problem?) • Theme (What is the universal message? What are the lessons learned?) • Turning point (When does everything change for the protagonist? Usually 2/3—3/4 of the way through.) • Resolution (How does it all end?)
Scene-level outlining Scenes also have a structure. This fill-in-the-blank scene outline method can be as detailed or vague as you choose to make it, but it can provide a map as you write your draft. • Scene # • Plot point/beat • Scene description • POV character • Anticipation/Event/Reaction (This helps track the rise and fall of action.) • Goal (Character wants…) • Motivation (Because…) • Conflict (But…) • Disaster (And then…!)
Goal, Motivation, Conflict GMC gives you a deeper sense of your characters before you begin drafting. External GMC is plot-level, internal GMC is on the level of character emotion. • External and Internal Goal (what they want) • External and Internal Motivation (why they want it) • External and Internal Conflict (what’s in their way) Novel Prep for Writing Fast with Alexis Daria July 19, 2018 RWA18 / 4
Resources for Novel Prep and Fast Drafting
Additional Tools
• Playlists o Use music playlists to help you plot out the flow of your novel o Certain songs correspond to specific scenes or characters, or the overall atmosphere of the playlist matches the vibe of the story. o Listen to the playlist to get in the right headspace when you sit down to write, or if you’re working on multiple WIPs at once. o Make a Spotify playlist, upload a custom album graphic, and share on social media or in your newsletter leading up to the release date. • Mood boards o Pinterest is a great way to keep track of photo inspiration, research settings and fashion, and help you get back into the story. o Make #novelaesthetics collages to share on social media. These can easily be done using phone apps. Select a couple photos of people, one location shot, and make a quote graphic. o Make a document with a page for each character. Include photos, bio, stats. • Trackers o If you’re motivated by word count trackers (and not every writer is), Scrivener has a built-in word and project tracker, and events like NaNoWriMo track your stats as you update. You can also build a simple spreadsheet or ask a friend. o You can also track time, writing/work sprints, number of pages, where you wrote, what device you used, your mood—whatever you want! o Pomodoro technique: using a timer, work for 20 minutes, take a break for 5, and repeat. Experiment with lengths of time to see what works best for you. • Qualitative Data o This is a fancy phrase for a notebook or doc where you journal about how the writing is going. Only you will see it, so feel free to complain or praise yourself as much as you like! (Idea from Monica Leonelle’s Write Better, Faster.) • Backstory scenes o You don’t have to pre-write your protagonist’s entire life story. Story Genius by Lisa Cron suggests writing moments where their “misbelief” took root and strengthened, as well as shared history scenes between the main characters. • Scene cards o Scene cards can be as detailed or a concise as you want. They can also be digital or physical. They create a big picture view of the story, to better help you visualize the flow of action and plot threads. o You can try sticky notes on the wall, the detailed scene cards in Story Genius, or the index card function in Scrivener. Novel Prep for Writing Fast with Alexis Daria July 19, 2018 RWA18 / 5
Book Recommendations
• Take Off Your Pants! Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing by Libbie Hawker • Story Genius: How to Outline Your Novel Using the Secrets of Brain Science (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere) by Lisa Cron (also Wired for Story) • Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Snyder • Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels by Gwen Hayes • Rock Your Plot: A Simple System for Plotting Your Novel by Cathy Yardley • 2k to 10k: Writing Faster, Writing Better, and Writing More of What You Love by Rachel Aaron • Write Better, Faster: How to Triple Your Writing Speed and Write More Every Day by Monica Leonelle • Writing Faster FTW by LA Witt/Lauren Gallagher • GMC: Goal, Motivation, and Conflict by Debra Dixon
Story Structure Resources
• Jami Gold’s Romance Beat Sheet • Michael Hague’s Identity and Essence workshop • Three-Act Structure
Extra note space
______Come Fly with Us—Super Easy and Practical Tips for Thriving as an Author
Writing is hard. Published and unpublished authors alike must endure the self-doubt monster and almost-daily rejections. Sure, you’ve all heard the vague advice to “believe in yourself” and “persevere.” While true, these platitudes can leave you at a loss for how, exactly, to proceed. In this panel, authors share super easy and practical tips for rising above the emotional roller coaster of writing. These concrete steps are simple to implement but can be potent in helping you thrive in this very difficult career.
I. Intro
II. Tips/Strategies A. Productivity 1. Write 7 words 2. Write for one hour 3. Turn off wifi 4. Turn off notifications 5. Bargain with yourself
B. Creativity/Refilling the well 1. Create a praise page 2. Make a graphic 3. Take a walk outside 4. Visit a bookstore 5. Read more books
C. Self-Care 1. Gratitude journal 2. Breathing techniques combined w/aromatherapy 3. Invest in an oversized water bottle 4. Set a timer 5. Connect with your tribe
III. Closing Self-Care Activity: Massage/Personal
Contact information:
Brenda Drake Books: The Library Jumpers series, The Fated series, Thunderstruck, Analise Rising (Jan 2019) Website: brendadrake.com Twitter: @brendadrake Instagram: @brendadrakeauthor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrendaLeeDrake Instagram: @brendadrakeauthor
Pintip Dunn Books: The Forget Tomorrow series; The Darkest Lie; Girl on the Verge; Star-Crossed (Oct 2018); Malice (Feb 2019) Website: www.pintipdunn.com Twitter: @pintipdunn Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorPintipDunn Instagram: @pintip_dunn
Lea Nolan Books: The Hoodoo Apprentice series; His Billion Dollar Baby Website: www.LeaNolan.com Twitter: @Lea_Nolan Facebook: www.facebook.com/LeaNolanAuthor Instagram: @LeaNolanAuthor
Mia Sosa Books: The Suits Undone series (Unbuttoning the CEO; One Night with the CEO; and Getting Dirty with the CEO); Acting on Impulse; Pretending He’s Mine Website: www.miasosa.com Twitter: @miasosaromance Facebook: www.facebook.com/miasosa.author Instagram: @miasosaromance
Darcy Woods Books: Summer of Supernovas Website: http://www.darcywoods.com Twitter: @woodswrite Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/woodswrite/ Instagram: @woodswrites
2018 PRO Retreat: “The Journey to Publication: First Year, Come Fly with Us” 1
2018 PRO Retreat “Come Fly with Us”
JULY 19, 2018
“The Journey to Publication: First Year, Come Fly with Us”
Panelists: Michele Arris, Shelly Chalmers, McCall Hoyle, Pamela Kopfler, and Sharon Wray
Moderator: Priscilla Oliveras
**NOTE: If you share any of the advice or insight shared in this presentation, please attribute it to the speaker. (Thank you to Alexis Daria for the handout format recommendation.) 2018 PRO Retreat: “The Journey to Publication: First Year, Come Fly with Us” 2
OVERVIEW
The Journey to Publication: First Year, Come Fly with Us
Getting “The Call”; signing your first contract; deciding to self-pub and hiring your first cover artist/editor/formatter; writing to a contract/self-pub deadline; revising and promo-ing your debut while writing book 2; growing your newsletter list and branding yourself…all while juggling family and day job responsibilities. It’s the stress we all dream of having, only, we probably didn’t think it’d feel like stress.
Panelists:
Michele Arris writes steamy, multicultural, contemporary romance of strong- willed, professional heroines and the complex heroes who strive to have them. Her books, Devil’s Deal, which won the 2015 Golden Heart, and Devil’s Gamble, were published in 2017. When Michele isn’t concocting ways to twist her characters into pretzels, she enjoys watching hockey and baseball, is a holistic enthusiast and vitamin junkie, and loves spending time with family and friends. Find Michele on social media via www.michelearris.com; https://www.facebook.com/Michele-Arris-Author and on Instagram and Twitter @arrismichele.
Shelly Chalmers writes stories that run the gamut from Regency shifters to space opera. All include a touch of magic, a sense of humor, and a dab of geek. A member of RWA since 2008, she was thrilled to final in the Golden Heart Contest in 2014. She makes her home in Western Canada, where among other projects, she wrangles a husband, two daughters, and two nutball cats. Her first book, Must Love Plague, came out in October 2017. To keep in touch with Shelly, visit with her at www.shellychalmers.com and onTwitter via @scchalmers.
McCall Hoyle writes young adult novels about friendship, first love, and girls finding the strength to overcome great challenges. Her debut novel, The Thing with Feathers, is currently a RITA® Finalist. It won the GOLDEN HEART® Award for excellence in young adult romance in 2014. Her second novel, Meet the Sky, releases in September 2018. McCall is a high school English teacher with degrees from Columbia College and Georgia State University. She loves all things reading 2018 PRO Retreat: “The Journey to Publication: First Year, Come Fly with Us” 3 and writing. Find her online at Twitter @McCallHoyle, Instagram: @McCallHoyleBooks and Facebook: McCallHoyleBooks.
Pamela Kopfler is a novelist, Southern-fried and sassy. She writes award- winning humorous mysteries with a kick of Southern sass. Her debut novel, Better Dead, is the first in her B & B Spirits mystery series with Kensington Books, to be followed by Downright Dead and Hog Wild Dead. She can stir up a roux, mix a cocktail, shoot anything (as long as it doesn’t have eyes), and loves swapping stories. Pamela lives in South Louisiana where the spirits are restless, the food is spicy, and the living is divine. Follow her at https://pamelakopfler.com, https://www.facebook.com/pamela.kopfler and @PamelaKopfler.
Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes about the men in her Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets and their smart, sexy heroines retell Shakespeare's greatest love stories. Her debut book, Every Deep Desire, a sexy, action-packed retelling of Romeo and Juliet, is about an ex-Green Beret determined to regain his honor, his freedom, and his wife. Find out more about Sharon online here: www.sharonwray.com; https://www.instagram.com/sbwray/; https://www.facebook.com/Sharon- Wray-Author-644867762246756/ and Twitter @sharonbwray.
Moderator:
Priscilla Oliveras is a 2018 RWA® RITA® double finalist who writes sweet contemporary romance with a Latinx flavor. Both her debut release and its follow up, His Perfect Partner and Her Perfect Affair, earned Starred Reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Since earning an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, she serves as English adjunct faculty at her local college and teaches an on-line course titled “Romance Writing” for ed2go. Priscilla is a sports fan, a beach lover, a half-marathon runner, and a consummate traveler who often practices the art of napping in her backyard hammock. To follow along on her fun-filled and hectic life, visit her on the web at www.prisoliveras.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/prisoliveras or on Twitter & Instagram via @prisoliveras.
2018 PRO Retreat: “The Journey to Publication: First Year, Come Fly with Us” 4
LESSONS LEARNED
1. To-do lists and scheduling are your friends. When you have a million things to keep track of in daily life, your writing career needs to make the list, and writing it all down makes sure it gets done. (Shelly Chalmers)
2. Be prepared to just roll with it and take care of yourself. Life intervenes, disaster strikes, sometimes you’re not going to be as productive as you want. To stay sane, sometimes that will mean adjusting schedules, giving yourself time, or just finding other ways to make it work without making it harder on yourself. Don’t just ignore the pain. You can’t write if you don’t take care of yourself. (Shelly Chalmers)
3. The importance of marketing prior to my book release. It's important to begin building your brand long before your book is published. By that I mean, create a presence on social media, i.e., readers want to feel they know you. This is something I struggle with because I'm not one that likes putting my life out on social media. (Michele Arris)
4. You can go broke trying to market your book. Be strategic about how you promote. Have a marketing plan prepared at least 3 to 6 months ahead of your release date. Begin planting the seed early. If you've followed my first “lesson learned” about building a presence, you're already ahead of the game. Also, understand that out of the gate, you will most likely spend more money upfront in marketing then you will see in return, so be smart with your budget and strategic about how and where you promote. (Michele Arris)
5. Pick one or two social media platforms that you really, really enjoy. Become familiar with the algorithms and how they work and practice interacting with people. If you love and enjoy being on a certain platform, and become good at it, potential readers will see that and begin to follow you regardless of the fact you’re an author. (Sharon Wray)
6. Learn Serious Time Management. Take a course, get a Pomodoro timer, buy a planner — it doesn’t matter how you do it, but learning now how to utilize all of your working hours well will still allow you time for a real life. (Sharon Wray)
7. The scenic route ~ revision: When my editor asked me to amp up the mystery in BETTER DEAD and develop the romance over the three-book arc of the B&B 2018 PRO Retreat: “The Journey to Publication: First Year, Come Fly with Us” 5
Mystery series, I said, “No problem.” I was too sassy and green to know how difficult it would be, but I’m so proud I plowed through the revisions. BETTER DEAD is a much stronger debut after the revision, and I’m a better author because of the experience. Revision is a beautiful thing! (Pamela Kopfler)
8. Fly with friends: On the way to publication, there is so much to write… So much to do… So much to learn… And then deadlines! If not for my Golden Heart sisters, SOLA (RWA New Orleans chapter) friends, Authors18 group, and generous published authors, I would have been lost. We are all on our own paths, but some of these authors are master marketers, digital mavens, or deep resources. We share what works and what doesn’t. We ask and answer questions. We commiserate setbacks and celebrate successes. The friendships lift us all to new heights! (Pamela Kopfler)
9. The more I do for myself, the more my publisher does for me. As I proactively scheduled my own school visits, author visits, panels, etc, it led to my publisher sending me places they might not have had they not seen how hard I was working. I also learned the importance of keeping your publisher up to date on all of that self-promotion. (McCall Hoyle)
IF-I’D-ONLY-KNOWN-THEN-WHAT-I-KNOW-NOW TIPS
1. Sometimes you’ll receive excellent advice that you have to ignore. If you know where your priorities lie – not just with writing, but family, life goals, everything – you can judge what advice works right now, and what might just have to wait. It’s YOUR career, so don’t try to make it into someone else's. (Shelly Chalmers)
2. Build your group of cheerleaders and turn to them when you lose all perspective – especially if doubt creeps in. Let them help you through the dark times, and spread that kindness outward. You never know who might need a cheerleader and doesn’t know how to ask for it. (Shelly Chalmers)
3. It's a big world, and we'd like to think they all want our book, but your book will only appeal to a select few. It's important to discover that community. Join forums, follow blogs, etc. (Michele Arris) 2018 PRO Retreat: “The Journey to Publication: First Year, Come Fly with Us” 6
4. Keep up on industry news such as trends of what agents are looking for and publishers are buying. (Michele Arris)
5. Take care of yourself first. Just like in an airplane, you need to look to your own needs before you start splicing up your time and attention and offering it to everyone else. Working 90 hours a week, not sleeping or eating properly, will NOT make you a better writer. It will make you tired and sick and more likely that you will give up completely. (Sharon Wray)
6. Look ahead and schedule in fun “real life” things. Decide to go to that wedding or plan a romantic dinner or a day out with the kids. If you schedule it in, you’ll make sure your work is done and then you can enjoy yourself and refill your creative well. Remember, dry wells mean dry words. (Sharon Wray)
7. Do NOT compare yourself to others. Teddy Roosevelt wasn’t kidding when he said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” (Sharon Wray)
8. Expect Delays: I’d done the math and was on target to finish book two on time. Halfway through the novel (which was supposed to be funny), my niece was murdered. My family needed me, and I had nothing funny for the page. Math failed me but I learned a lesson. Add extra time into your publication schedule because some things are out of your control. (Pamela Kopfler)
9. A ticket to success is more than writing: As if writing a good book isn’t hard enough, the learning curve for marketing is a mile high. I wish I’d started an email list, newsletter, blog, or anything before I sold. If you haven’t started marketing yourself yet, buy that ticket! The best seats at the best prices are yours right now! (Pamela Kopfler)
10. I wouldn't have envied authors who get way more publisher marketing dollars and attention. It’s important to remember how those authors’ books are really what help our publishers afford to publish the rest of our books. (McCall Hoyle)
11. I probably would have focused on one social media platform or possibly two and done them really well instead of trying to do it all. (McCall Hoyle)
Come Fly with Us: The Authorpreneur Path
These days, how you publish is just as important a decision as what you publish. Authors have more ways to reach an audience than ever before, but with great choice comes great responsibility. In this panel, indie & hybrid authors will discuss how they manage their author businesses. Learn tips for being your own publisher, as well as important considerations, benefits, and roadblocks when also working with traditional publishers.
Sarah Andre - http://sarahandre.com/ Xio Axelrod - http://xioaxelrod.com/ Amy DeLuca/Amy Patrick - http://www.amypatrickbooks.com/ Jessica Ruddick - http://http://www.jessicaruddick.com/ Moderator: L. Penelope - http://www.lpenelope.com/
Links
Incredibly informative PowerPoint from PAN retreat at last year’s RWA conference on author earnings, broken down by indie and traditional, large press and small http:// authorearnings.com/2016-rwa-pan-presentation/
Peruse the RWA.org online workshop classes for anything about indie pub, marketing, author platform and branding, etc. https://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/
Books
● Mastering Amazon Ads by Brian Meeks ● 52 Ways to Sell More Books: Simple, Cost-effective, and Powerful Strategies to get More Book Sales by Penny Sansevieri ● Book Reviewer Yellow Pages A Book Marketing Guide for Authors and Publishers, Sixth Edition by Christine Pinheiro & David Woghan ● Market or Die by Jennifer Fusco (who is also a romance novelist)
Podcasts
● Self-Publishing Formula Podcast https://selfpublishingformula.com/spf-podcast/ ● The Creative Penn Podcast https://www.thecreativepenn.com/podcasts/ ● Smarty Pants Book Marketing Podcast https://cksyme.com/podcast/ ● How to Use BookBub to Promote Your Romance Titles https://www.rwa.org/p/do/sd/ sid=16839
!1 RWA 2018 PRO Retreat Courses
● Mark Dawson’s Advertising for Authors course (expensive but worth it) https:// selfpublishingformula.com/courses/ ● Mark Dawson’s Cover Design for Authors course https://selfpublishingformula.com/ courses/ ● Mark Dawson’s List Building for Authors course (free) https:// selfpublishingformula.com/courses/ ● RWA Webinar (3 parts) on whether to hire a Virtual Assistant https://www.rwa.org/p/ co/ly/gid=51
Other (FB Groups, Yahoo loops, software, etc.)
● Author Support Network - a helpful Facebook group for both trad and indie published authors https://www.facebook.com/groups/AuthorSupportNetwork/ ● Indie Romance Ink https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/IndieRomanceInk/info ● Heart Breathings YouTube Channel (Indie Author Sarra Cannon’s series on making a living as an indie author) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCasYwEzMc7tjKuAS- vtDYPw ● Jutoh software - Ebook formatting software that can be used on a PC http:// www.jutoh.com/ ● Mac-in-Cloud - Service that allows you to rent a virtual Mac so you can upload directly to iBooks on a PC https://www.macincloud.com/ ● Vellum ebook formatting software: (Requires a Mac at this time or use Mac-in-Cloud above.) SUPER EASY to use! https://vellum.pub/ ● Highly recommend you gather a group together of writers around the same career rung or that write the same genre as you and grow together. The advice, support, cheers, marketing, and mass social media help is priceless.
Provider Referrals
● Freelance Developmental Editing: http://www.touchstone-editing.com/ ● Copy Editing: http://editing720.blogspot.com/ Arran McNichol is extremely fast, inexpensive and fun to deal with. ● Developmental & Copy Editing: http://doublevisioneditorial.com/ ● Cover Design: https://paperandsage.com/ Christa Holland, tiered prices ● ISBNs - Bowker.com: https://www.myidentifiers.com/get-your-isbn-now ● Self Pub Coaching, formatting, and other services by romance author Meredith Bond via Anessa Books. https://meredithbond.com/writers/ ● Author marketing help via building newsletter lists, getting followers for your Amazon Author Page or BookBub Page: https://ryanzee.com/
!2 RWA 2018 PRO Retreat
Intro and (optional) homework
Hi RWA – I’m Alexandra Sokoloff, your instructor for the Stealing Hollywood immersive session.
In the session we’ll cover the essentials of the Three-Act, Eight-Sequence story structure of film and television and how/why it’s so useful to translate it to writing novels. Even you die-hard pantsers (you know who you are) will quickly grasp that this is a rhythm of storytelling you’re already intimately familiar with, from all the tens of thousands of movies and TV shows we’ve seen in our lifetimes (scary, isn’t it?).
Even more than that, editors, agents and our readers subconsciously expect this rhythm/story pattern. So if we authors don’t deliver, a reader quickly gets uncomfortable that there’s something wrong. We all know this pattern. I’m just putting names to the steps and making it all conscious for you.
I like to give my workshop participants optional prep work so that everyone can get the most out of our time together. Feel free to email me your work for some quick feedback: [email protected]
1. The genre of your book.
2. The premise of your book - the story in one or two sentences. (Read about premise here: http://www.screenwritingtricks.com/2008/05/whats-your-premise.html)
If you don’t have a book idea yet, that's fine, too - just let me know and I'll give you alternate homework.
3. This is the most important: Compile a list of TEN books and films (at least five films, please) in your genre that are somewhat similar to your book structurally. For extra bonus points, write out the premises of each (in one or two lines, only. This will be hard, but very, very good for you.)
4. For those who don't have these books already, I also highly recommend that you buy at least one of my story structure books, and read the first few chapters (Stealing Hollywood has double the material and more mystery/thriller examples - and is also available in print, and Writing Love is the same material, more slanted to romance, with more romance examples, but of interest to anyone writing with a strong love story element). These will be our textbooks for the class, and the ebooks are 3.99 and 2.99 each. For those of you who don't know how to write a short premise, it's all explained in the first few chapters of both books.
Stealing Hollywood: e book: http://hyperurl.co/sqrkry
print workbook: https://www.createspace.com/5312389
Writing Love. e book: http://amzn.to/1piEOy6
5. I’m currently breaking down the structure and story elements of the first The Hunger Games on my blog, if you’d like to drop in and follow along: http://www.screenwritingtricks.com/2018/06/the-hunger- games-story-breakdown.html
Looking forward to meeting everyone in Denver!
- Alex
PS: I am offering workshop participants a discount on the print workbook. To order with discount:
- Go to https://www.createspace.com/5312389
- Click Add to Cart.
- On the next page, use the code Z3KWU3JU in the Discount Code box
STORY ELEMENTS CHECKLIST FOR GENERATING INDEX CARDS
- from Stealing Hollywood, by Alexandra Sokoloff
ACT ONE
• Opening Image
• Meet the Hero or Heroine
• Hero/ine’s Ordinary World
• Hero/ine’s Inner and Outer Desire
• Hero/ine’s Problem
• Hero/ine’s Ghost
• Hero/ine’s Special Skills
• Hero/ine’s Arc
• Inciting Incident/ Call to Adventure
• The Offer S/he Can’t Refuse (possibly)
• Sequence One Climax
• Meet the Antagonist (and/or introduce a Mystery, which is what you do when you’re going to keep your antagonist hidden to reveal at the end)
• State the Theme/ What’s the story about?
• Introduce Allies
• Introduce Mentor (possibly)
• Introduce Love Interest (possibly)
• Plants/Reveals (or Set ups and Payoffs)
• Hope/Fear (and Stakes)
• Ticking Clock (possibly – may not have one and may be revealed later in the story)
• MacGuffin (not all stories have a MacGuffin) • Central Question/Central Story Action
• Hero/ine’s Plan (may be at beginning of Act II)
• Act One Climax
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ACT TWO, PART 1
• Crossing the Threshold/Into the Special World (may occur in Act One)
• Threshold Guardian/Guardian at the Gate (possibly)
• Hero/ine’s Plan (may be introduced in Act One)
• Antagonist’s Plan (may be introduced in Act One)
• Picking up new Allies
• Assembling the Team
• Training Sequence (in some stories)
• Series of Tests
• Bonding with Allies/Love Interest
• The Promise of the Genre
• Attacks by the Antagonist (whether or not the Hero/ine recognizes these as coming from the antagonist)
• In a detective story, Questioning Witnesses, Lining Up and Eliminating Suspects, Following Clues
THE MIDPOINT
• Completely changes the game
• Locks the hero/ine into a situation or action
• Can be a huge revelation
• Can be a huge defeat
• Can be a “Now it’s personal” loss
• Can be sex at 60: the lovers finally get together, only to open up a whole new world of problems
ACT TWO, PART 2
• Recalibrating: after the shock or defeat of the game-changer in the midpoint, the hero/ine must Revamp The Plan and try a New Mode of Attack
• Escalating Actions/ Obsessive Drive
• Hard Choices and Crossing The Line (questionable or immoral actions by the main character to get what s/he wants)
• Loss of Key Allies (possibly because of the hero/ine’s obsessive actions, possibly through death or injury by the antagonist)
• A Ticking Clock (can happen anywhere in the story)
• Visit to the Goddess
• Reversals and Twists
• The Long Dark Night of the Soul and/or Visit to Death (also known as: All Is Lost) – this is very often the Act II Climax
• Final Revelation
• In a romance, The Lover Makes a Stand – this is very often the All is Lost Moment and Act II Climax
THE SECOND ACT CLIMAX
• Is often the All is Lost scene, but also can be a Final Revelation before the end game: the knowledge of who the opponent really is. Or the hero/ine finally sees the whole problem or mystery in a different way. And very, very often these two scenes, All is Lost and the Final Revelation, combine in a double punch.
• Answers the Central Question
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ACT THREE
Act Three is often divided into two major sequences, and a third, shorter, but important sequence:
1. Getting there (STORMING THE CASTLE)
2. The FINAL BATTLE itself
3. The RESOLUTION and NEW WAY OF LIFE
And it usually contains these elements:
• Either here or in the last part of the second act, the hero/ine will make a new, FINAL PLAN based on the new information and revelation of the second act climax. • There may be a TICKING CLOCK
• The hero/ine may REASSEMBLE THE TEAM, and there may be another short TRAINING SEQUENCE and/or GATHERING THE TOOLS sequence
• The team often goes in together, first, and there is a big ENSEMBLE BATTLE
• In this battle, we possibly see the ALLY/ALLIES’ CHARACTER CHANGES and/or gaining of their desire(s)
• We may LOSE AN ALLY/ALLIES, or at least think we lose them
• We also get the DEFEAT OF SECONDARY OPPONENTS
• Then the hero/ine almost always goes into the FINAL BATTLE to face the antagonist alone, MANO A MANO
• The final battle takes place in a THEMATIC LOCATION: often a visual and literal representation of the HERO/INE’S GREATEST NIGHTMARE, and is very often a metaphorical CASTLE. Or a real one! It is also often the antagonist’s home turf.
• We see the protagonist’s CHARACTER ARC
• We may see the ANTAGONIST’S CHARACTER ARC, too (but often there is none)
• We get a glimpse of the TRUE NATURE OF THE ANTAGONIST
• Possibly there is a huge FINAL REVERSAL or reveal (twist), or even a whole series of payoffs that you’ve been saving (as in Back to the Future and It’s A Wonderful Life)
Then in the RESOLUTION or EPILOGUE we have these elements:
• FULL CIRCLE: Not every story uses this technique, but often the hero/ine returns to a place we saw at the beginning of the story, and we see her or his character growth.
• RESOLUTION: We get a glimpse into the New Way of Life that the hero/ine will be living after this whole ordeal and all s/he’s learned from it
• CEREMONY AND AWARDS: Not all stories have this element, but mythic structure stories very often have a step in the Resolution in which the hero/ine and team are honored by the community that they have just saved, or in a romance there is a wedding ceremony or suggestion of a wedding ceremony
• FINAL BOWS: We need to see all our favorite characters one final time (this may happen earlier, in the Team Battle, or it may be combined with the Ceremony)
• CLOSING IMAGE: Which is often a variation of the Opening Image
The Subtle Art of Pacing Presented by Nancy Herkness
Pacing is the means of holding the reader’s attention from page one through The End. While plot is important, there are other subtle stylistic tools and techniques that contribute to good pacing.
Purpose:
Every word, sentence, paragraph, and scene should have a reason for being there.
Every scene should include at least two of these elements of change: 1. Ask or answer a question; 2. Show a reaction to the scene before and a change caused by that reaction; 3. Introduce a new plot point to the internal or external conflict; 4. Reveal new information in either the current plot or relevant back story; 5. Introduce a new character; 6. Change the dynamic of the relationship or move the relationship to a different level.
Every action or detail is there to add something to the plot, emotion, or character.
Tools and Techniques:
Chapter Openings: Orient the reader as quickly as you can in place, time, and POV.
Chapter Endings: Use a hook! 1. Question or cliffhanger 2. Twist—change the direction of the scene/story 3. New information 4. A memorable sentence or thought a. Emotional b. Pithy or snappy c. Open-ended—leave it to the reader’s imagination d. A generalization that might apply to the reader’s life.
Dialogue: Dump the social humdrum: hello, goodbye, please, thank you.
Dialogue tags: A great work horse! 1. No tag—keep it to just three untagged lines. 2. Basic tag—she said, John asked. 3. Basic plus tag—Mark said, smiling. Jenna asked with a scowl. 4. Simple implied tag—Mark smiled. Jenna scowled. 5. Complex implied tag with body language—She lined up the fork and knife beside her plate. (She’s nervous.) His eyes glinted with wicked laughter. 6. Complex implied tag with internalization—“No, I can’t.” But she longed to say yes. 7. Complex implied tag with description—Emily looked across the array of sparkling crystal to see the flame of the candle reflected in his dark eyes. “My aunt Ruthie got me the job.”
Subtext in dialogue: Don’t have the characters say exactly what they mean. Go for the third layer underneath.
Back story: The info dump is death to pacing. 1. Reveal back story in dialogue with internalization. The characters talk about the here and now but think about the past. 2. Secondary characters can reveal back story. It gives a different perspective on the past. 3. Sprinkle back story in bits and pieces. Make the reader and the characters earn the revelations. 4. When back story is revealed it should change something: perspective, view of the other character, emotion, the plot itself.
Description: What is your purpose in describing the scene? How does it make your character(s) feel? Use that to choose the distinctive detail(s), the elements the character notices first. Break it up so it’s not in giant paragraphs.
Microconflict: Tiny, quickly resolved conflicts that provide for unique interactions between your characters. Example: the hero calls the heroine by the wrong name and she reacts to that.
Microsurprise: Small quirks in a character or setting that don’t change the central story. Example: The sleazy no-tell motel owner wears a pressed white linen suit.
Word Choice: Vivid, interesting writing can keep the reader interested. 1. Masculine or feminine feel; 2. Connotation. Red=scarlet, crimson, wine, blood. 3. Active, interesting verbs! Use these to avoid adverbs.
But remember: Purpose! If everything you put in the book has a purpose within the story, you will hold the reader’s attention and keep her ripping through chapter after chapter.
Questions? Contact Nancy at [email protected] or through her website: www.nancyherkness.com. 10 Things You Need to Know Before You Start Self-Publishing with Kitty Bucholtz Presented at RWA National Conference, July 2018
1. You may be concerned that you have to commit to self-publishing now. You don’t. Right now you just need to learn more about it so you can decide later if this is a route you want to take.
2. Like with anything you set out to learn, you need to decide how you’re going to organize the information. There is a lot of information about independent publishing. Some of it is old, some is incorrect, and some is contradictory yet still correct. Getting organized will keep you from getting confused and frustrated.
3. There are more great software choices than ever. You need to know what’s available, which ones work best for various stages of publishing, which are similar enough to use either one, and then make an informed decision.
4. You need a House Style Guide! If you’re going to be the “publisher,” you need a consistent way of doing things – gray or grey, coworker or co-worker, etc.
5. A formatting checklist will help you stay consistent, too, and remember what to do, in what order, when formatting your book for ebook and/or print.
6. You’ll need to learn to work with other creatives. How long will it take for your cover designer to get you some ideas and then a final cover? How long will it take your editor and your proofreader to do their work? How do they want you to send them your work? How much do they charge at each stage of the work?
7. Which distribution channels do you want to use? Will you publish ebook-only at first? Will you use KDP Select? Creating and following a plan will help you lower your stress and stop second-guessing your decisions.
8. Are you prepared for the business side of self-publishing? You will need to research what kinds of licenses and permits are required at various stages, when taxes need to be paid and to whom, who will do your taxes, etc.
9. Self-publishing is not a “look it up once and you’re done” kind of business. Because it is strongly technology-based, you’ll need to be willing to always be learning – new rules, new laws, new technology, new marketing ideas, etc.
10. Do you have the personality to “Never Give Up, Never Surrender”? Can you keep to a writing schedule in spite of all the extra work you’ll have to do? If you stop writing because you’re too busy “working the business,” you can’t succeed.
For more writing and time management tips, for information on Kitty’s online classes, and to listen to Kitty’s podcast, WRITE NOW! Workshop Podcast, go to http://podcast.writenowworkshop.com
Good luck! You can do this! J
© Kitty Bucholtz 2013-2018 What It’s Like To Put Out A Kindle In Motion
WHAT IS KINDLE IN MOTION?
WHO CAN HAVE A KINDLE IN MOTION?
• Only for Amazon authors now, but may open up to other authors in the future, much like Audible. • Amazon/Jeff Bezos sees KiM as the future of ebooks. o For an audience that my not necessarily read books on a regular basis, who prefer to get their entertainment from social media/YouTube sites o Why I was selected – my books have a “younger” voice • One of first romance authors, at time my book released only thirteen KiM total
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
• Editor called/delay in giving information (I don’t tell Amazon no), pitching ideas back and forth (had to have multiple men and have some shirtless scenes (I write clean and wholesome)) • Wrote book (WAS PROCESS DIFFERENT – YES)/Putting in as many visual elements as possible • Word limit – I typically only write long, one of first novellas I’d ever written (space constraints because of clips) • Meeting with producer/director (“Do you want to be involved?”)
PARTICIPATING IN THE SELECTION PROCESS
• Four actors, one actress to pick; documents and auditions (AKA why I would never, ever want to be an actor considering what they put them through) o Changing the story to match the actors selected o Introduction to each of the actors/giving some fun behind the scenes moments with them • Pinterest boards of lighting/background choices • Scene by scene outline • Very much like making a movie, only with selected scenes being shot
PRODUCTION COMES TOGETHER
• New York, diner and building that had multiple “apartment” sets (if they’d let me come, I would have been on the first plane out there!) • Pictures of the costumes (heroine was a designer, had to go back and change some of her outfit choices to match what the costume designer chose) • Was sent rough cuts of shots, along with the actors all saying hello to me and I couldn’t tell anyone! • Clips are like GIFs – they do run on a loop • Some of my favorite scenes, including one the director added that I initially didn’t understand that ended up being awesome (read James Cruz passage before showing the clip) • Decoration of book pages; added something new/fun to it besides just the scenes/clips • What it feels like to see your book being acted out—things actors can do with a single glance or a touch that I can’t convey even if I write ten pages.
BOOK RELEASE
• Biggest marketing blitz I’ve had from Amazon to date • Cover advertised “like something out of a Harry Potter movie” • File is huge, I don’t feel the production cost of it (will that be true for indies?) • Sales comparatively? Hard to judge • Fans reactions: Some love it, some hate it (you can turn the feature off while reading); hard to predict what the market will choose • Future? o Production companies who will offer their services for cut of royalties? o Like paper vs. ebook – some will migrate to new technology while others will have a preference for static book o Flash in the pan technology that will be left behind, or perhaps lead to something more streamlined and accessible?
QUESTIONS
Write Your Way to Success in Just 20 Minutes a Day Tracey Livesay and Mary Behre BLURB: What do you do when your love of writing dries up? How do you keep going when time and circumstances make it almost impossible to produce new work? This workshop was designed for the writer who has lost the path and is searching for a way back to success. Join Tracey Livesay and Mary Behre (the Gus and Shawn of the writing world) as they share this technique and their experiences writing to success in 20 minutes a day.
Introductions: Tracey Livesay – Creator of the 20-Minute Technique Her life and need to create it: • kids • running • other writers online: 10 pages day or 5000 words or 6-8 hours, 8 books a year
Mary Behre –Avid user of the 20-Minute Technique Her life and need to use the technique: • family • countless volunteer jobs • getting dropped by my publisher • self-doubt (being an award-winner doesn’t preclude someone from this)
What this workshop IS: • A simple technique for any writer who’s hit a wall, barrier, or lost the muse • A tested technique that is simple but effective
What this workshop is NOT: • A way to get rich with little to no effort • For someone who’s never completed a manuscript (newbies have other issues)
The definition of Success: • How do we define it? • How can it be redefined to help lift a writer out of a rut?
What’s the technique and how does it work: • Write for 20 Minutes at a time • Builds stamina (Tracey compares it to running) • It helps overcome mental hurdles and makes the writing less intimidating (Mary compares it to getting tattooed)
Tips: • Commit for at least 2 weeks • Do it according to your writing schedule: everyday vs 3 x a week • Set a timer & stick w/ 20 minutes for the first week, second week, go longer if the Write Your Way to Success in Just 20 Minutes a Day Tracey Livesay and Mary Behre mood strikes (the idea is to build up) • Apply the timer when you’re on online to avoid the time suck of researching, social media, etc. • Accept that there are better writing days than others
Results- • Get you back into writing • Get you in the habit of writing consistently • Healthy to keep the 20-minute increments health wise • Always able to use when life inevitably gets in the way • What the technique has done for Tracey and Mary.
Q&A
Thank you for coming to our presentation 1 Peterson/Woodhouse - Writing a Bestseller in Inspirational Historical Fiction
Writing a Bestseller in Inspirational Historical Fiction
What is Inspirational Historical Fiction?
Inspirational fiction in any number of genres—historical, contemporary, romance, suspense, sci- fi, legal thriller, mystery, etc.—is fiction with a faith-based or spiritual theme that is threaded throughout the story. The spiritual beliefs of the characters will be relevant to the storyline. For the sake of this workshop – inspirational relates to Judean-Christian values. Historical fiction is classified for most publishers now as anything that takes place in time before the Vietnam War era.
As with any genre, time-period, focus of interest etc., the writer needs to know and understand his/her topic. If you are interested in writing inspirational historical fiction, it is probably born out of your own faith-walk. It is important for any writer to write what they know and have a passion for. In keeping with that, we always encourage writers who are interested in writing “Christian” focused fiction, to examine their beliefs and personal relationship with God. When that relationship isn’t in place, there is always a sense of something being off—not quite right. Can a writer who isn’t a Christian write a Christian based book? Yes. With enough study and research, we think a good writer can write just about anything, however, we think it will lack the passion of a person who is writing what he/she believes to be true.
Observations of what puts Christian Historical Fiction on the Bestseller list
A. The People involved
1. Author
2. Publisher
3. Readers
B. The Book itself 2 Peterson/Woodhouse - Writing a Bestseller in Inspirational Historical Fiction
1. Universal appeal
2. Accuracy in detail
3. Pacing
4. Well-written
Key Elements of a Best-Seller in Inspirational Historical Fiction:
1. S –
2. C –
3. C –
4. S –
5. C –
3 Peterson/Woodhouse - Writing a Bestseller in Inspirational Historical Fiction
6. S –
7. C –
8. U –
The Key Elements that other Best-Selling Authors Use for Their Stories:
The Key Elements that Readers Find True of Best-Selling Books:
4 Peterson/Woodhouse - Writing a Bestseller in Inspirational Historical Fiction
PUBLISHING OPPORTUNTITIES
For a complete list of Christian Publishers, we suggest the Christian Writer’s Market Guide by Steve Laube. Each year it is updated with accurate information. As mentioned many of the big Christian-based publishing houses are now operating under New York Publishing houses. FaithWords – Hachette Howard - Simon and Schuster Love Inspired - Harlequin WaterBrook-Multnomah - The Crown Publishing Group which include Penguin and Random House Zondervan and Thomas Nelson - Harper Collins
Then you have Christian Publishing houses that are imprints of particular denominations or religious organizations Abingdon Press – United Methodist B&H Publishing Group – Lifeway Christian Resources – Southern Baptist Concordia Publishing - The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod Intervarsity Press – Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Ignatius Press – Roman Catholic Moody – Moody Bible Institute Paraclete Press – Benedictine
And there are also independent Christian Publishing houses Baker Books – which includes Revell and Bethany House Barbour Publishing Harvest House Publishing Tyndale House Publishing Crossway Publishing
Writing A Sweet Romance Kristi Ann Hunter RWA Conference 2018
1. Introduction to Sweet Romance a. What it isn’t i. Inspirational Romance ii. Confined to Young Adult, Small Town, or anything else iii. Avoiding difficult topics iv. Ignoring physical intimacy v. Most of all… is isn’t boring. b. What it is i. A Romance, HEA/HFM and all still included ii. More focused on emotional intimacy than physical intimacy iii. Gentler in tone and word choice than other sub-genres 1. No gory violence or graphic details 2. Minimal usage of cussing and strong language 2. The unique issues of writing Sweet Romance a. Conveying attraction i. Have the initial attraction include non-physical elements 1. Helps your reader roto for the couple early on 2. Provides a non-physical foundation to build upon ii. Utilize the rest of the body 1. Emotion Thesaurus 2. Other physical cues of desire b. Showing growth in relationship intimacy i. Create hurdles/milestones/barriers 1. Emotional firsts (particularly with elements of trust, dependency, vulnerability) 2. Non-sexual physical barriers (allowing them into their space/home, being alone for the first time, etc.) ii. Create a symbolic issue/connection 1. Their connection to an outside thing a. Child, pet, business project, etc. b. Shift from connecting separately to connecting together 2. Revealing (and possibly healing) emotional intimacy a. Past hurts/secrets b. Emotional struggles and insecurities c. Maintaining tension i. Emotional investment in the obstacle/conflict 1. Characters perspective 2. Readers perspective ii. Multiple layers/steps to the conflict 1. Like an onion. Particularly effective if it appears simple at first. 2. One step forward, two steps back 3. Roller coaster of emotions – make sure there are moments of ups and downs iii. Create an obstacle between them and an outside force to unite them 1. Creates the push/pull needed to hold tension 2. Encourages the breakdown of the obstacle in order to succeed. d. Kisses and cuddles – where’s the line? i. Story vs. Stimuli 1. What’s the difference 2. Identifying what you need on the page ii. Choosing between being vague, fading to black, and closing the door iii. Word choice iv. Using emotion to convey physical response and action e. Managing reader expectations i. The definition of “Sweet” Romance ii. Other things they call it iii. Branding 1. Covers 2. Blurbs 3. Web pages / Social Media iv. Disappointed readers 1. How to avoid having them 2. How to handle them 3. Where Sweet Romance fits in the market a. Finding your readers b. Determining Comparables c. Focusing your marketing
Writing through Physical Challenges
Description: Being an author can take a toll on anyone's health--especially those who already struggle with physical pain and disabilities on a day-to-day basis. Throughout this workshop, you'll hear from three bestselling authors who each have grappled with their own physical setbacks -- and the accompanying emotional stress -- when it comes to writing. There is always hope at the end of the tunnel, and these authors will share their techniques for overcoming those barriers, finding new and innovative ways to stay on target, and showing that there are many ways to write a book -- even when it hurts.
Helpful Links: *as always please consult your doctor before performing any exercise or using these products*
Dragon Dictation for PC https://www.nuance.com/dragon/dragon-accessories.html Software for Mac https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202584 Wax Dips https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002WLWX82/ Gloves https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CCYV6I2/ Wrist Stretches https://www.prevention.com/fitness/5-stretches-that-can-ease-your-carpal- tunnel-pain/slide/5 JAWS screen reader http://www.freedomscientific.com/JAWSHQ/JAWSHeadquarters01 Google Docs Voice Activation-free dictation software iPhone Apps: Scrivener for iPhone https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scrivener/id972387337?mt=8 iDo Pro for iPhone https://itunes.apple.com/be/app/ido-notepad-pro-journal- diary/id386496266?mt=8 Dragon Anywhere for iPhone https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dragon- anywhere/id1024652126?mt=8
Contact Info:
Carrie Ann Ryan www.CarrieAnnRyan.com [email protected]
Pintip Dunn www.pintipdunn.com/ [email protected]
Tracy Solheim www.tracysolheim.com/ [email protected]