On Your Mark...Go With Me to The Bookshelf Muse

I'm over at The Bookshelf Muse today (and tomorrow, cause I got a little long winded. It's a big topic!) talking about marketing. So pop on over and say hello, share your thoughts and wander around.

A sneak peek...

After I sold my first novel, (The Shifter) I spent weeks scouring the web looking for advice on how to market books. I knew it was important, but had no clue what to do. It’s been four years now and I’ve learned—and tried—a lot of different things. Some worked, some didn’t, and some I wished I’d done differently right from the start.

Read the full article. 

Real Life Diagnostics: Looking for Speed Bumps in an Omni Opening

Real Life Diagnostics is a recurring column that studies a snippet of a work in progress for specific issues. Readers are encouraged to send in work with questions, and I diagnose them on the blog. It’s part critique, part example, designed to help the submitter as well as anyone else having a similar problem.

If you're interested in submitting to Real Life Diagnostics, check out the page for guidelines.

This week’s questions:

Does it work as an opening and make you want to move forward in the story? The POV is omniscient here. Should POV be with the MC, Maeve? Do you notice any 'speed bumps' as you read it? In other words, does it flow?

On to the diagnosis…

You Had Me at Chapter One: Different Ways to Hook Your Reader

No, this isn't really us

When the weather gets cold, the hubby and I have a tradition. We throw the logs in the fireplace, snuggle up in front of the fire, and read. It got cold early this year, so we spent the last several days in book mode. I read three very different books that all had one thing in common.

They each made me want to keep reading.

What I particularly noticed, was that they all did it in different ways.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan was quiet and character driven. If I were to write a pitch for this book, I’d say it’s about two guys named Will Grayson who have a chance encounter that profoundly changes both their lives. I can’t give you a core conflict plot-driving issue because there really wasn’t one. This was character journey all the way.

Going Both Ways: Outline vs Pantser

Today I'm on the road over at The Pen and Parchment talking about a recent revelation I had regarding outlining vs pantsing.

A sneak peek:

I realized something recently. I’m an outliner all the way when it comes to crafting the plots in my stories. But for my character arcs, I’m a total pantser. I always know where my characters are going, but rarely how they’ll get there.

To me, this is the best of both worlds, especially since I write science fiction and fantasy, which tends to be fairly plot-focused. I can devote as much time as I need prepping my story framework, then turn my characters loose and see what happens. Not only does it allow me to spend more time developing those characters as I write, it keeps the story fresh for me. I never know how things are going to unfold.

Head on over to The Pen and Parchment for the rest of the post! Hope to see you there!

Guest Author David N. Walker: A Tale of Two Writers

And our guest spree wraps up today with David N. Walker, telling us a tale about some folks you'll likely recognize. It's a moving story and he really drives the home the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity you get -- even if you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone sometimes to do it. and the remarkable things that can happen when you do.

David and I are doing a bit of a blog swap today, so when you're done here, pop on over to his blog and read how I develop my characters. 

David is a Christian father and grandfather and a grounded pilot. He cofounded Warrior Writers Boot Camp with Kristen Lamb. You can read more of his posts at http://davwalk.wordpress.com or tweet him at @davidnwalkertx.

Take it away David...

Guest Author Cheryl Rainfield: Bringing Tension and Conflict to Your Novels

Today let's welcome Cheryl Rainfield to the blog, here to talk with us about tension and conflict (two of my favorite things). she has some wonder tips and examples on how to bring more of both of these to your own stories. She might just be the first person I've ever heard say "I write too much tension."

Cheryl is the author of SCARS (an ALA Top 10 Quick Picks & Rainbow List book) about Kendra, a girl who must face her past and stop hurting herself before it's too late; the upcoming HUNTED about Cassie, a telepath on the run from government troopers who must choose between saving herself or saving the world, and two hi-lo (high interest, low vocabulary) fantasies: SkinWalkers: Walking Both Sides, and Dragon Speaker: The Last Dragon. YA author Ellen Hopkins described SCARS as "a brave novel, a read-in-one-sitting-except-when-you-have-to-put-it-down-to-breathe novel." Cheryl is an advocate for teens who’ve been through rough experiences, especially self-harm, sexual abuse, and queer teens. Trailers for SCARS, her It Gets Better video, and her Reasons Not To Hurt Herself attest to her dedication.

Take it away Cheryl...