Scott Oldford Site

Tag: writing a book

  • Best Grammar Checker Tools: These 9 Will Make Your Writing Super Clean

    Best Grammar Checker Tools: These 9 Will Make Your Writing Super Clean

    Have you ever wanted a magical editing wand?

    Just imagine: A flick of the wrist is all that would stand between you and the end of editing your writing. No frustration. Minimal time investment. An amazing manuscript or blog post.

    Alas, no such magic wand exists.

    But we do have grammar checker tools, which are the next-best things.

    Just remember grammar checkers are designed to make editing easier, not to eliminate the work completely.

    [sps_reusable_block post_id=43061]

    Putting the best grammar checker tools to the test

    During self-edits on my latest manuscript, I experimented with editing tools, both free and paid, to determine which could be most beneficial to The Write Life’s audience. Besides being an author, I’m an editor, so I also weighed each tool against what I’d look for when editing.

    Since editing has a broad definition — basically anything that improves your writing — it’s not surprising that the tools I tried had different functions, from checking grammar and style to eliminating unnecessary words, to identifying areas for improvement.

    What you want in a grammar checker or editing tool will influence which one(s) you choose. No one tool can do it all — nor can one of these tools wave away the work and critical thinking necessary for a well-edited blog post, magazine article or book.

    A grammar checker doesn’t replace a human editor. Because language rules and elements of a good story can be so flexible, human eyes will always be superior to the rigidity of automatic tools.

    Here are 9 of the best grammar checker tools.

    1. ProWritingAid

    What It Does:  ProWritingAid is a web editor and plugin that will clean up your writing by detecting grammar and spelling mistakes, plagiarism and contextual errors. It also analyzes your writing and produces reports on writing style, sentence length, grammar, and repeated words and phrases.

    Price: There’s a limited free version. If you upgrade to the premium membership, you can edit in Google Docs or Microsoft Word, access a desktop app and Chrome add-ins, and — best of all — lose the word-count cap.

    A monthly membership is $20, a year’s membership is $120,  or go the whole hog and buy a lifetime membership for $399.

    Who It’s For: Anyone, including students, authors, freelancers or ESL writers.

    How It Works: Click on “Try the editing tool,” create a free account, then paste in your text.

    The Best Part: ProWritingAid has a premium option, but most of the areas you’ll want checked are available for free.

    What Would Make It Better: Though ProWritingAid checks grammar, I slipped in a your/you’re mistake without getting flagged. I wasn’t overly fond of the tool’s inability to work offline, but its overall functionality is hard to argue with.

    Our Recommendation: Use ProWritingAid in the self-editing stage to guide your edits. 

    More Details: For an in-depth explainer of ProwritingAid’s free and premium versions, check out our full ProwritingAid review.

    2. AutoCrit

    What It Does: AutoCrit analyzes your manuscript to identify areas for improvement, including pacing and momentum, dialogue, strong writing, word choice and repetition. Depending on what plan you choose, you can also compare your writing to that of popular authors like Danielle Steel or James Patterson.

    Price: Three different plans are available: the “Free Forever” plan, which is free; the “Professional” for $30, or the “Annual Professional” for $297 per year. The latter offers a built-in discount of two months free every year. 

    Who It’s For: Fiction and non-fiction writers.

    How It Works: Paste your text into the online dashboard or upload a document and click on AutoCrit’s tabs to see its analysis. This tool uses data from various genres and more than a million books to provide a word-by-word level analysis of your writing and shows easy ways to improve the readability of your work.

    The Best Part: I spent the most time in the “Compare to Fiction” tab, which provides a comprehensive look at common issues. It highlighted my tendency to start sentences with “and” and “but,” and identified my most repeated words. I felt like I learned something about my writing, and that’s something I don’t think I could say about some other tools.

    What Would Make It Better: A more accurate definition of passive voice. It highlights any use of the “be” and “had” verbs, neither of which fully capture passive voice (you need a past participle in addition to a “be” verb), and many active voice constructions were falsely labeled as passive.

    Our Recommendation: AutoCrit is great to guide your edits in the self-editing stage. It’s best used for developmental edits, rewrites and avoiding common writing no-nos.

    More Details: For an in-depth explainer of Autocrit’s Free Forever and paid versions, check out our full Autocrit review.

    3. Grammarly

    What It Does: Grammarly is a grammar checker and proofreader.

    Price: A limited version is available for free, and Grammarly also offers a number of other free services such as a wordiness checker and tone detection. The business plan starts at $25 per member per month. For the most up-to-date info on Grammarly pricing, see their website. 

    Who It’s For: Anyone, including writers, business people and academics.

    How It Works: Copy and paste or upload your text into the online dashboard and let Grammarly work its magic. It flags potential errors, gives suggestions and provides an explanation so you can learn why it suggests the change. There’s also a free Grammarly Add-in available for Microsoft Word and a Grammarly for Chrome extension that’s also compatible with Google Docs.

    The Best Part: Grammarly is easy to use and pointed out a vocabulary issue or two that none of the other tools did. It’s superior to Microsoft Word’s grammar checker. Its synonym suggestion feature is pretty nifty, too.

    What Would Make It Better: As an editor, I work with many styles of writing, so it’d be helpful if Grammarly provided the option to switch between a few to ensure writers receive fitting suggestions to improve their work. For example, if you don’t use the Oxford comma, the editor will prompt you to do so, which isn’t right for all writing styles. 

    Our Recommendation: Grammarly is best for the final proofreading stage, or for people who want to learn more about the technical aspects of grammar. If you’re an editor or strong writer, you might find yourself ignoring more flagged items than you fix.

    More Details: For an in-depth explainer of Grammarly’s free and premium versions, check out our full Grammarly review. You can dig deeper into Grammarly features and benefits here.

    4. Hemingway Editor

    What It Does: Hemingway Editor is like a spellchecker, but for style. It provides a readability score — the lowest grade level someone would need to understand your text — and analyzes your writing to identify areas for improvement. Because it doesn’t require an internet connection, you can use it anywhere.

    Price: Free online, and a one-time payment of $19.99 for the desktop version, which is available for both Mac and PC.

    Who It’s For: Anyone

    How It Works: Paste your text into the dashboard and scan for highlighted sections of text. The highlighted text is color coded depending on your area of improvement, whether it’s hard-to-read sentences, the presence of adverbs, or passive voice.

    The Best Part: In addition to providing examples on how to fix passive voice or complex phrases, Hemingway Editor also identifies how many “-ly” adverbs and passive voice constructions you’ve used and suggests a maximum number based on your word count.

    In my prologue, for example, I had one use of passive voice, and Hemingway Editor suggested aiming for six uses or fewer — which I nailed. These recommendations reinforce the idea that not all adverbs or passive voice constructions are bad, and that’s something other tools miss.

    What Would Make It Better: Hemingway Editor was the cleanest and easiest to use of the free editing tools, but it’s not a true grammar checker or proofreader. Even though it’s not meant to catch grammar and spelling mistakes, any editing application that catches those mistakes is instantly more attractive.

    Our Recommendation: Use Hemingway Editor to increase the readability of your writing and identify problem sentences during the copyediting stage, but supplement your efforts with a grammar and spell checker.

    5. WordRake

    What It Does: WordRake cuts out the unnecessary words or phrases that creep into your writing. It works with Microsoft Word and Outlook, depending on which license you purchase. I tested the Microsoft Word version.

    Price: The Microsoft Word version is available for Mac or Windows, and you’ll pay $129 for a year or $259 for three years. The Microsoft Word and Outlook package version is only available for Windows, and it costs $199 for a year or $399 for three.

    Who It’s For: Bloggers, authors and editors using Microsoft Word or Outlook.

    How It Works: WordRake is an add-in for Microsoft products and requires you to install the program before using it, though it’s as easy as following the instructions. Select the text you want to edit, then use the WordRake add-in. It uses Track Changes to suggest edits, which you can accept or reject.

    The Best Part: WordRake is as close as you can get to an automatic editor. It appealed to me more as an editor than a writer, but it’s great at eliminating unnecessary phrases and words that bog down your writing.

    What Would Make It Better: I threw a your/you’re mistake in to see if WordRake would catch it. It didn’t, even though Microsoft Word flagged it. If WordRake could catch common writing mistakes like your/you’re or their/they’re/there in addition to unnecessary words, it’d be a hard tool to beat.

    Our Recommendation: WordRake is a great tool for the copyediting stage. Verbose writers, authors wanting to cut down on editing costs or editors looking to speed up their editing process will most benefit from WordRake. Watch out if you’re running Word on a slow computer: WordRake could increase your load time.

    6. Ginger Software

    What It Does: This AI-powered writing assistant and grammar and spelling checker works to improve your style and speed, plus boost your creativity. It also scans full, complex sentences and suggests context-based corrections. 

    Price: Ginger offers a free (but very limited) plan, so you’ll find it to be more effective through its premium offerings: $13.99 per month, $89.88 per year or $167.76 for two years. Heads up: It’s currently running a 30% off promo for all plans, so these prices may increase at any time. For most up-to-date pricing, check this page.

    Who It’s For: Anyone.

    How It Works: Whether you choose to download Ginger to your Chrome browser, as a desktop app or otherwise, all you have to do to get started is follow the setup instructions to install it. As an add-on or app, Ginger will highlight spelling, grammar and punctuation errors, and it’ll even help you rephrase sentences by giving you tons of alternative options.

    The Best Part: One word: cross-compatibility. Writers can download Ginger as a desktop app for Mac or Windows or directly into Google Chrome or Safari, and it works seamlessly with programs like Outlook, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint — you can even download it as a keyboard or app for Android phones and an app for Apple phones. 

    What Would Make It Better: Most grammar checkers offer a plagiarism detector, but Ginger doesn’t. Even if it only added it to premium plans, this would be a helpful feature to include. 

    Our Recommendation: Download Ginger If you have a good grasp of grammar and punctuation, and you need a grammar editor to back up your knowledge. 

    7. Scribens

    What It Does: Scribens is a free grammar checker that corrects more than 250 types of grammar, spelling and stylistic mistakes including nouns, verbs, prepositions, pronouns, homonyms, typography and punctuation.

    Price: Free for everyone.

    Who It’s For: Anyone, including writers, editors and authors of any genre, business people and academics.

    How It Works: Choose which extension(s) where you want to install Scribens, then download it and begin writing. To test it first, click ‘Grammar Check,’ then paste your text or import a file into the editor. Through color-coded suggestions, it’ll check your style, vocabulary, grammar and spelling, it detects patterns in your writing, and it grades readability. 

    The Best Part: You can download the Scribens extension in just about any place you’d need to write — i.e., social networks, websites with text zones (WordPress or forums), email platforms and more. Writers will be sure to enjoy this flexibility and the assurance that they can edit their writing right from any website or application. 

    What Would Make It Better: For a free grammar checker, Scribens offers more than the average free tool, but it’s not as intuitive as others on this list. I tested a simple their/they’re mistake and it didn’t flag it. It’s helpful that it notes bigger grammar errors like compound predicates, but as a grammar corrector, it should also be able to avoid smaller ones from slipping through the cracks.

    Our Recommendation: Use Scribens in the final stages of your copyediting. With minor issues out of the way, you can focus on addressing readability, syntax errors and stylistic elements with Scribens deeper analysis of your work.  

    8. WhiteSmoke

    What It Does: WhiteSmoke is a grammar checker and proofreading software that corrects spelling, word choice, grammar, punctuation and style mistakes. It also offers a translator and dictionary that supports more than 50 languages. 

    Price: WhiteSmoke offers three plans that include a web plan for $5.99 per month, which is compatible with all browsers. Its premium option is $6.66 per month. Its business option is $11.50 per month. For updates on pricing, check this page.

    Who It’s For: Students, professional writers and bloggers, business executives and employees and English learners.

    How It Works: After you register, choose a package and install this grammar checker, WhiteSmoke’s all-in-one English tool will provide grammar, spelling, punctuation and style checks when you click on highlighted text from any application or browser. 

    The Best Part: If you’re unsure about grammar rules during your writing process, check out WhiteSmoke’s handy video tutorials that focus on common writing problems and how to avoid them. Plus, if you need a template, it has more than 100 document and letter templates you can access.

    What Would Make It Better: Unfortunately, this grammar editor isn’t the most intuitive tool on this list, plus it has a limit of 10,000 characters at a time, where each letter, punctuation mark and space counts. (For reference, you can check 150,000 words on Grammarly!) If you write long-form pieces, this may not be the best tool to use to check your work. 

    Our Recommendation: WhiteSmoke offers many innovative features, but it shouldn’t be your main squeeze. Although it uses Natural Language Processing technology to enhance your writing, WhiteSmoke openly warns it won’t catch every grammar mistake, so supplement this checker with another one. 

    9. LanguageTool

    What It Does: A multilingual grammar, style and spell-checking software, LanguageTool is an Open Source application that checks your spelling, grammar, tone and writing style and instantly generates context-aware suggestions for more than 30 languages.

    Price: Besides the free plan that allows basic grammar checks of up to 10,000 words, LanguageTool also offers monthly or yearly plans for individual users. You can expect to pay $4.99 per month or $60 per year. For updates on pricing, check this page.

    Who It’s For: Anyone, including students, authors, freelancers, ESL writers and business people.

    How It Works: Try the grammar checker on the website’s homepage or download it as a Google Docs add-on or a Microsoft Word add-in. Write or paste your text into the editor, and it’ll underline your errors in red, yellow or blue to indicate whether you need to correct your spelling, grammar or style. 

    The Best Part: Similar to Hemingway Editor, you can take advantage of the web-based platform of this grammar corrector without the need to install anything. And because it’s multilingual, it offers a premium feature that detects gender while proofreading, which is super helpful when you’re unsure of how another language structures gender in writing. 

    What Would Make It Better: While they offer fun features like detection of incorrect numbers and of incorrect names and titles in emails, LanguageTool’s premium plans limit you to 60,000 characters per text field. It’s an improvement from the 10,000-character limit in its free plan but still a pain point for long works.

    Our Recommendation: LanguageTool grammar checker is a worthy writing assistant to consider if you write in or for other languages regularly, especially for its value. 

    This post contains affiliate links. That means if you purchase through our links, you’re supporting The Write Life — and we thank you for that!

    This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

    [sps_reusable_block post_id=43061]

    Photo via rCarner/ Shutterstock 

  • What is Context in Writing? [6 Context Types Included]

    What is Context in Writing? [6 Context Types Included]

    While it’s essential to have a good story, giving context in your writing is key to giving the story meaning.

    Imagine you’re in a bookstore and you pick up a book with an intriguing title. You open it to start to read the first chapter and it’s dialogue between a few characters.

    Imagine reading it for a few pages but there’s no hint to who the characters are or what is going on. There are a lot of emotions but there’s no context or understanding of what is happening in the story. You would get frustrated and most likely put the book back down.

    This is exactly why context in writing is so important. It gives your readers a full understanding of the setting, what is happening between characters, and gives meaning behind all of the events happening.

    Imagine reading something like Harry Potter but with no context that they’re in a world where magic exists. Or reading a Jane Austen novel without knowing the family dynamic or the social dynamics.

    When you provide the reader with context, they can comfortably follow the story because they know what’s happening and why certain characters do what they do.

    This post covers what context in writing is, the types of context you can give readers, and how to integrate it in your overall writing.

    [sps_reusable_block post_id=43045]

    What is context in writing and why does it matter?

    Context explains the situation your characters are in; or, it gives the reader a deeper understanding of why they act the way they do. It brings clarity to the writing and explains intentions.

    Basically, context in writing helps give your writing meaning.

    Have you ever had something in your life taken out of context? You sat back and thought, “That’s not what I meant!”

    The exact same thing can happen to your writing, which is why you need to include it in your writing.

    Most of the books you’ve read give you context behind what you’re reading. Let’s go through some examples. (Potential book spoilers ahead!)

    If you had to read The Great Gatsby in high school, you most likely remember the New York setting in the famous Jazz Age. Knowing the context of Gatsby being in love with Daisy gives the entire story meaning and helps you understand why Gatsby does what he does.

    In the classic story Dracula, it’s essential to know it takes place in the late 1800s and takes place in both Transylvania and England. This sets the overall mood of the location and the customs at the time.

    Then, take something such as Lord of the Rings. To read the book, you’d need to understand all of the wars that have gone on, what this fictional world is like, and who all of the major characters are to even begin to read it all.

    Of course, there are deeper levels of context as well.

    In the famous story of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, it’s important to know it was written before the Civil War and had a tremendous impact on the abolitionist cause in the 1850s.

    There are many layers to a story, the era of when it was written, and also the author’s life story that influences the overall angle of the book. Of course, this won’t matter as much as when you’re writing the story, but you need to remember these elements if you’re pulling inspiration from other writers.

    Types of context in writing

    There are various forms of context you might need to include to give your readers an accurate understanding of the story. This might not include every single type of context you would need for your story, but it will give you a great place to start. You can find other storytelling tips here.

    All of these help either explain the situation your characters are in or it gives the reader a deeper understanding of why they act the way they do.

    Location context

    This can range anywhere from the physical location in the world to a whole new world that you’re creating and giving them context. If you’re writing about characters in space that will form a different context than characters on the open ocean.

    Keep in mind, if you’re creating a whole new world that does not exist in our real one, you will need to give a lot of context to build the world in the readers’ mind. Some examples of this include Lord of the Rings or Star Wars.

    Historical context

    Giving the historical context of a place can help readers understand what’s going on. For example, you might need to include wars, the history of the landscape or town, what the area is known for, or anything else you might need to include.

    Knowing the timeframe of a story can also help readers understand things such as what type of technology might have been created already or if there are certain economic conditions happening.

    Situational context

    You might need to include other storylines to give the reader context into what is happening. Some examples might include a recent divorce between characters, an upcoming court case that’s pending, if a character just got out of prison, and so on.

    This one is particularly key to understanding why characters are feeling or acting a certain kind of way.

    Emotional context

    Providing your readers with emotional context can help explain why some dialogue happens in a particular way. For example, if a simple conversation about coffee creamer turns explosive, it is a good idea to inform the reader that this is happening because both of these characters have tension due to fighting over a family’s inheritance.

    Cultural context

    The type of culture your story takes place in will change a lot of the context. Keep in mind the type of audience you’re writing to as well because that will change how much or how little explanation you’ll need to include.

    Readers who did not grow up in a certain culture might need more thorough explanation than people who are native to an area. You might consider including certain types of foods or rituals from different parts of the world.

    Cultural context can also include the social and political undertones that are taking place throughout your story, too.

    Linguistic context

    How people talked in the past and in different parts of the world can have a huge impact on your overall dialogue. For example, how characters speak in Shakespeare’s stories and how Millennials talk is worlds apart.

    If you’re going to include slang and other shorthand words, you may or may not need to include an understanding of what those words mean or you might decide that it’s not important to include.

    How to give context in writing

    Now that you know what context in writing is, we’ll go over how to include it in your writing.

    If you are writing a book, the single biggest factor you need to include is all of the context someone would need to get interested in your story.

    If you give too much context, you might give your reader too much information at once and lose them while you explain everything they need to know. However, if you give too little context, they won’t understand what’s happening.

    You’ll need to find a delicate balance between your context and your story. You don’t want them to feel like they’re reading a history book instead of a story.

    To start, you’ll want to go through the categories from the last section and figure out what parts you’ll need to include in your story.

    Depending on the story and your overall writing style, you might also need to think about what you want to keep a mystery or not. Not everything has to be explained, especially if it’s going to end up spoiling the story.

    Know your intended audience

    You’ll need to know your intended market / audience before you start to write anything. That will give you an idea of what to include or not include. For example, if you’re writing a book for business executives, you don’t need to include explanations for basic business things they already know.

    Keep in mind, you might have readers who are not your intended audience find and read your writing. You will need to decide what to include or not include in case this happens.

    Use characters to give context

    One fun way to include context in your story is to have your characters tell stories and include the context. That can prevent you having to give a long exposition to get them up to speed. Inside of dialogue and discussions you can include the history between characters or give readers an understanding of what is happening and how they’re feeling about it.

    Get feedback when you can

    You’ll want to get feedback when you can. That will help you figure out what is missing in the context of your story. It’s hard to judge what is missing from your story when you are the one writing it and you know it all so well.

    Conclusion

    Context in storytelling is essential to making sure you’re telling a good story. You’ll want to find a good balance between giving them enough information but not too much information. To learn more about the craft of writing Fiction, check out this free training we have in conjunction with Self-Publishing School.

    [sps_reusable_block post_id=43045]

  • Should I Write a Book? 7 Reasons Why Every Freelancer Should Consider It

    Should I Write a Book? 7 Reasons Why Every Freelancer Should Consider It

    Have you been a freelancer or hobbyist for a couple years and you are starting to wonder what’s next? How do you grow your business, continue to set yourself apart, and stay excited about writing when you may not always be writing about topics that are personally exciting for you?

    • You could start your own blog or get back to your blog you started already. Be more consistent with your posting schedule.
    • You could look at your social media presence and attempt to be more visible and active.
    • Or, maybe you’ve been wondering, “Should I write a book?”

    7 Reasons You Should Consider Writing a Book

    Now before you laugh, say you don’t have time, or say something about having no good ideas (or too many ideas!), stop for a moment and consider what writing a book could mean to you and your brand – both now and in the future. Writing a book could open you up to more business in the future, could open doors for new streams of revenue, and could be the creative outlet you need to be better at everything else. We compiled a list of a few reasons that might entice you to give book-writing a try.

    Writing a book will stretch you as a writer and improve your skills

    Writing a book will help you become a better writer. The time you spend writing your book will also stretch your language and writing skills as you write more than you’ve probably written in the past.

    Because writing a book requires you to be more organized than you have been with smaller projects, it will also just require more from you in general to get it done. You will need to outline effectively, organize your chapter concepts and storyline, and you will need to write cohesively and consistently throughout the book.

    Managing a project of this size also forces you to take hold of your time so you can plan ahead and meet your deadlines, both internal ones you set for yourself and any external deadlines you have with publishers or editors. When you have finished, you can look back and clearly see all you have accomplished and grown from the process.

    Give yourself a creative outlet 

    If you are like many full-time freelance writers, it can be a struggle to find time for a creative outlet of your own. You are focussed on using your writing for making money and not necessarily for getting your own ideas out or letting your own voice be heard. But if you devote a little time each day to getting out of your business space and instead let your mind imagine, design, and then craft a book, you are exercising a creative piece of you that needs to be exercised. Our minds benefit from switching things up, and a book is the perfect outlet.

    You can carve out time for yourself creatively and then continue to work on the freelancing work that might become easier when you know you have a creative outlet to get back to.

    Write about a topic you love

    Speaking of creativity, not only does writing your own book give you a chance to use your own voice, but it also gives you the chance to write about a topic you love. Choose something you are already passionate about and write a book about it. 

    This passion you write about might be a hobby of yours you can turn into a book to inspire others to pursue. It could be stories that you reflect on from your past that you turn into a memoir. Or you could take a look at a fiction genre you are obsessed with and then consider crafting a story in that genre yourself.

    Don’t limit yourself to what you think people will want to read, but instead choose a topic for your first book that you can be excited to tell a story about and that you know you can complete.

    Make a little passive income when it’s all done

    While most first time book authors don’t make millions from their first book, you can start to create some passive income once you have a finished book to sell. It doesn’t take a major book deal to distribute and make money from a book. Instead it takes a few good tools, the right avenues to sell your book, and a few fans that love you and love your book.

    Selfpublishing.com is a great tool with tons of resources to help you with every step of the book-writing process, from the writing and brainstorming itself to the publishing of your finished product. You don’t need to be a household name already to write and publish a successful book.

    Build credibility for your writing brand 

    The next time you are talking to a prospective client for freelancing work, not only will you have current blog posts and writing samples to send over, but you will also have a completed book to show them. This puts you in another league over the average freelancer. You can market yourself beyond what you were doing before and show the amount of effort, hard work and dedication you bring to a project. Don’t be afraid to go after projects that require a more senior writer than you considered yourself pre-book, since you will have pushed yourself in a more advanced writing position than you were in before. 

    Prove you can ghost-write

    This may go without saying, but having a book to show a prospective ghost-writing client can only help you win the contract. You will have a better idea of the time required for a project of that size, the amount you should charge, and the scope that you can expect and be ready for. You will be more prepared for the editing process and the organization and design of the book. Doing it all for yourself is great practice for landing those types of contracts and will give you better clarity about which types of projects are right for you.

    Cross off an item on your bucket list

    Outside of all the practical pieces that might come with writing and publishing a book, keep in mind the big picture of book writing and what it would mean to you and your family once you have completed your first book. 

    Most people do not write a book in their lifetime. 

    It is instead a small group of devoted people that sit down and have the dedication and desire to put the time and effort into writing a book and then turn around and see that book published. It is something to celebrate while you are doing it and something to celebrate once it is complete. Just take a moment and picture yourself telling people about the book you wrote and holding a copy of it in your hands with your name as the author. It is a huge accomplishment and is something that is completely possible if you choose to tackle it.

    So, now that you are considering writing a book, what do you do next?

    First, take this assessment to figure out which book you should write first.

    Second, make a list of your own reasons for writing your book. It might be business-related, it might be more personal, or it might be a bit of both. Keep that list available so you can stay motivated and then dive into it.

    Third, take a look at this article How to Write a Book in 12 Simple Steps to get thinking and planning what you need to do to get started and to succeed with your book. 

  • How Much Does It Cost to Self-Publish a Book? 4 Authors Share Their Actual Costs

    How Much Does It Cost to Self-Publish a Book? 4 Authors Share Their Actual Costs

    You want to self-publish your book, but budgeting for the process is more challenging than it looks. The numbers you hear from experts regarding the costs of self-publishing are all over the board.

    Do authors really manage to release quality books without paying for professional editing, design, marketing and other services? Or will you have to dig into your savings and fork over thousands of dollars to make sure you release a great book? How much does it cost to publish a book?

    To assuage these common concerns, we spoke with several top self-published authors about what they spent to release one of their books. They’ve shared real numbers, as well as why they chose to invest in certain services, to help you decide how best to allocate your investment during every stage of self-publishing.

    Ready to learn what it really costs to self-publish a book? Here is the Table of Contents:

    1. Editing
    2. Cover Design
    3. Illustrations / Graphics
    4. Formatting
    5. Printing
    6. Sales & Distribution
    7. Launching
    8. Total Cost

    And if you’re still trying to figure out which book to write and publish first, this assessment will help.

    twl-free-copy-of-published-v2

    We interviewed these authors about the cost of self-publishing

    Hope Clark: In addition to her freelance writing expertise and two traditionally-published mystery series, C. Hope Clark is the author of the self-published non-fiction book “The Shy Writer Reborn.”

    Catherine Ryan Howard: Catherine is the author of two travel memoirs, “Mousetrapped” and “Backpacked,” as well a guide to self-publishing, “Self-Printed.” She blogs about self-publishing and more on her website.

    Joanna Penn: Since she quit her corporate job and published her first book about the experience, Joanna Penn has been a self-publishing powerhouse. She’s built a career as an author-entrepreneur, sharing resources for other authors at The Creative Penn and self-publishing New York Times and USA Today best-selling thriller novels as author J.F. Penn.

    Dana Sitar: And there’s me. I share resources, tips and tools for writers through my website and newsletter, and I’ve self-published two collections of essays, a variety of info-products and the Amazon Bestselling ebook: A Writer’s Bucket List.”

    How did we do it? Here’s the breakdown of how much it cost to publish a book for Hope’s nonfiction book “The Shy Writer Reborn;” Catherine’s second memoir “Backpacked;” Joanna’s first novel, “Pentecost;” and my ebook “A Writer’s Bucket List.” All dollar amounts are listed in USD.

    How much does book editing cost?

    Editing — which includes developmental editing, content editing, copyediting and proofreading — can make the difference between a good book and great one. For a quality, impactful book, you need more than a proofread or spell-check of a first draft.

    Beta readers and/or experienced developmental and content editors will help ensure your book shares your message or story coherently, and a strong copyeditor will help you make every sentence pop off the page.

    To keep costs of self-publishing low, think outside the box to find the right editor and reach into your network. Make the most of your money, effort and time by working with a genre-specific editor who understands your voice and brand. Not all editors are created equal!

    Hope:

    I used beta readers from my critique group and authors I knew. I had one author dislike the book, suggesting I write it in the format used by Writer’s Digest books (she published with Writer’s Digest Books), and [I] just rescinded my request because I did not want [that look].

    Catherine:

    It was nonfiction so I felt developmental editing wasn’t worth it (the events really happened, so I thought I was safe enough relaying real events while leaving out the boring bits!) and then I hired a copyeditor. She went through it line by line and then she did a proofread afterwards. I also asked a couple of friends to proofread it.

    Approximate cost: $600

    Joanna:

    Even avid readers of fiction don’t know how to structure a book, so for the first book,  [it’s a good idea to use a] structural editor. I also rewrote later on with feedback from more editors after publication. For “Pentecost,” I used five editors [multiple structural editors, a line-editor and a copyeditor], so that cost the most of all the books.

    [On the sixth book in the ARKANE series, now the process is:] get to a good second draft myself, then send to my editor for structural and line edits, two passes by the editor, rewrites, then send to the proofreader before publication.

    Cost: $1,500 per book for one editor and one proofreader

    Dana:

    I first shared the book with beta readers from the community of my former website, Writer’s Bucket List, for structural feedback.

    For proofreading and copyediting, I hired new writers who would benefit from the editing experience and offered pay plus a mention at the blog and in the book.

    Cost: $60

    how-much-does-it-cost-to-self-publish-a-book

    How much does book cover design cost?

    To develop an author brand, you want your cover to not only sell your book but to make readers immediately think of you. Book cover design is a unique craft — it takes more than InDesign skills and knowledge of fonts and colors to create a cover that achieves your goals.

    As if that wasn’t enough, you also want your cover to stand out and be legible in crowded pages of tiny thumbnail images. It’s a tall order!

    Look for quality designers who are just getting started in their careers and develop a relationship early on (the top recommended designers are usually booked quite far in advance!) 

    Hope:

    I hired a book cover designer (who happened to be my web designer) to design two covers: ebook and print.

    Cost: $250

    Catherine:

    I used Andrew Brown of Design for Writers, who I had used before. I was one of Andrew’s first clients, so I always get a good deal from him. His prices now are, I think, around [$299] for ebook only and [$499] for the ebook “front” cover and a print cover as well.

    Joanna:

    This is my other big expense [after editing]. I met Joel Friedlander of The Book Designer and paid him as a pro for book cover design for my first book, but he’s since passed away. I met Derek Murphy at CreativIndie when he was starting out and developed a relationship because of my platform [at TheCreativePenn.com].

    Dana:

    I DIYed! I had a big learning curve to overcome, and I went through three iterations of the PDF cover before landing on one I was comfortable with. Then I changed it again later when I published the Kindle edition (with great feedback from the Ebook Cover Design Awards).

    I design all my covers in Photoshop, which I owned previously, so I don’t consider it a publishing cost.

    Costs of self-publishing: adding illustrations, photography and graphics

    While it’s easy to disregard these additions to save money and time, custom images on your cover or throughout your book add a unique touch that gets readers talking. Forging a relationship with an artist is also a cool way to give your brand its own flair throughout your career.

    We’ve recommended 99designs in the past for affordable, quality cover design, but Joanna points out that the site is also a great resource for custom illustrations!

    Dana:

    I hired a cartoonist friend to do illustrations for the book, and it’s one of the best decisions I made! The illustrations have always gotten great feedback from reviewers.

    Cost: I paid her $50 down and share 10% of direct sales (about $1 per book).

    Costs of self-publishing: inner layout, formatting and ebook conversion

    Second to cover design, a conventionally formatted book interior (print or ebook) is your key to avoiding a sloppy DIY look.

    Many small details (that you might not think of) will red-flag your book as amateurish and sully the reader’s experience, so you want to do your research (or hire a pro who’s already done theirs) on the standards of book interior design.

    To DIY typesetting for print, try one of the free templates from CreateSpace, or a paid option from Book Design Templates.

    Hope:

    I did the print layout myself after much research and study of formatting guides. I queried my Facebook fans when I reached one impasse, and they fixed me right up.

    As for ebook [conversion], I turned that over to BookBaby. I bartered advertising for publication/preparation of my ebook.

    Typical cost for ebook publishing package: $299

    Catherine:

    I did [inner layout] myself, using Microsoft Word and the templates you can download from CreateSpace. If you have a straightforward interior layout, I think this is a good place to save some money by doing the work yourself.

    I did [conversion] myself for this book, but I’ve since started using eBookPartnership.com.

    Cost for standard ebook conversion: From $299

    Joanna:

    I format ebooks on Scrivener. I hate [print] formatting, so I pay for that.

    Cost: $150 for print formatter for full-length book; $40-45 one-time for Scrivener software (available for both Mac and Windows)

    Dana:

    I did these myself. It was another learning curve, as this was the first book I’d published with illustrations and the first I published in fixed (PDF) format.

    I designed the PDF version in OpenOffice Writer and converted directly to PDF. I also did the layout for the Kindle edition through OpenOffice, which creates an MS Word .doc. To sell the ebook at Amazon, I just uploaded that doc through KDP.

    Cost: Free

    How much does it cost to print a book?

    Even in a digital age, readers will still ask for a print copy of your book. Print-on-demand services make it possible for you to offer this without the expense or headache of managing and storing a print run. If you do speaking gigs or host author events, you’ll also want the option to keep print copies in stock for back-of-room sales.

    Across the board, we all use, have used, or plan to use Amazon’s CreateSpace for print-on-demand books. But if you’ve wondered how much it costs to publish a book on Amazon, know choosing this route saves you money because you only print books as readers buy them. You’ll pay manufacturing and shipping costs if you want to approve a proof before listing the book for sale, which is highly recommended.

    If you do want to order a print run of your books — which isn’t recommended unless you have a proven distribution method — you’ll also pay manufacturing and shipping costs to receive them.

    Publishing through CreateSpace is free, and they’ll keep between 20% and 60% of book sales, depending on the sales channel.

    Joanna also recommends IngramSpark for non-Amazon print-on-demand sales.

    Costs of self-publishing: Sales and distribution 

    How much does it cost to publish a book on Amazon or similar marketplaces? Well, self-publishing an ebook comes with the benefit of not needing to seek bookstores to stock your book. Selling your ebook through online retailers is relatively simple.

    Most popular ebook distributors (e.g. Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, etc.) charge no upfront costs to publish but keep a percentage of book sales. Publishers Weekly put together a great breakdown of royalty rates, pros and cons for each platform.

    Hope:

    I used Kindle Direct Publishing to sell through Amazon. For other ebook outlets, I used BookBaby. For print I used Amazon and Barnes & Noble. No costs.

    Catherine:

    KDP and Smashwords, so all free.

    Joanna:

    I upload directly to ebook stores [e.g. Amazon, iBooks, NOOK, Kobo] as well as use Smashwords for smaller markets. I was selling direct through selz.com until the EU VAT tax laws came in January 1, 2015.

    Dana:

    I used E-junkie for direct distribution of the PDF edition and payments via PayPal. I published the Kindle edition to sell on Amazon using KDP. Later, I made the PDF edition a freebie to email subscribers, so I used MailChimp to distribute it.

    Cost: $5 per month for E-junkie

    Costs of self-publishing: Launch and marketing 

    As a self-published author, your relationships are your greatest assets. In addition to tapping into your network for self-publishing services, you can also rely on your community to buy and promote your books.

    Building and nurturing these relationships shouldn’t come with direct costs, but as you try to publish a book, this is where you need to budget a huge portion of your (non-writing) time as an author.

    Hope:

    I used Facebook, my newsletters with FundsforWriters.com, Twitter and a lot of guest blog posting. I feature [the book] at conferences and speaking engagements.

    Also, I keep swag for all my books. Usually rack cards or postcards, business cards and stickers. I have a sticker for each of my books so people can immediately see what’s in the envelope when it comes in the mail.

    I use VistaPrint for postcards and rackcards, and I use Moo.com for business cards and the stickers. Moo is more expensive, but the quality is astounding.

    Catherine:

    I didn’t spend any money on [marketing]. I used my blog, Twitter account and Facebook page, and Goodreads for running giveaways [of print books].

    Joanna:

    I do all the marketing/launch [myself] and collaborate with other authors. I pay for BookBub and other email list advertising after launch once the book has good reviews. This is usually the most effective paid advertising for fiction authors in particular.

    Cost: BookBub advertising varies by genre and list price.

    Dana:

    My strongest launch effort was my Launch Team. Beyond that, all promotion has cost is my time and effort: I guest blog, run social media promotions, do ebook giveaways, host online events and more to engage readers and get my name out there.

    What about miscellaneous costs for book publishing?

    Indirect costs of self-publishing like travel, promotional swag, contest fees, audiobook recording and website hosting can help sell books as well as promote your entire business or brand, so consider these items part of your marketing budget.

    Hope:

    [When traveling to promote a book], I do not travel outside my state without being compensated for room, board, travel and an honorarium. I make appearances in conjunction with personal travel as well.

    I did submit “Shy” to the EPIC awards for ebooks, and it made finalist in the nonfiction category in early 2014. But keep in mind that I use this book for back-of-the-room sales to have a tool when I speak. It’s one of several tools I have, so it’s difficult to define individual expenses.

    Catherine:

    My domain name costs $18 a year (my blog is free on WordPress.com). I do regularly have travel costs to events but they’re offset by the speaking fees.

    For my first book, “Mousetrapped,” I had a bookstore launch but I’d never do it again. I had to buy the stock, print flyers [and] invites, buy an outfit to wear… and while it was fun, I didn’t make any money I wouldn’t have made without it.

    I since avoid stock at all costs — if I’m holding a physical edition of my book, I’ve lost money.

    The totals: How much does it cost to publish a book?

    It’s tough to nail down a final cost because of the number of indirect and one-time expenditures. With that in mind, here are approximate costs for one book from each of our authors:

    Hope:

    $250 for cover design

    Greatest cost: cover design

    Saves by: building relationships for bartering, tapping her network

    DIYs: print layout, marketing, sales and distribution

    Catherine:

    $1,250 (less bartering for cover design) for ebook conversion, cover design and editing

    Greatest cost: ebook conversion

    Saves by: promoting online, limiting print stock, building relationships for bartering

    DIYs: formatting, marketing, sales and distribution

    Joanna:

    $1,650 for editing and print formatting, bartering for cover design, plus BookBub ad fees

    Greatest cost: editing

    Saves by: building relationships for bartering

    DIYs: marketing, ebook formatting and conversion, sales and distribution

    Dana:

    $150 for editing and illustrations, plus $5 per month for distribution

    Greatest cost: illustrations

    Saves by: bartering for editing and illustrations

    DIYs: cover design, formatting and conversion, marketing, sales and distribution

    Key takeaways for keeping costs low

    • Look into your network to see how you can trade or barter services, experience, influence or exposure to offset the costs of self-publishing services.
    • Editors and cover designers you hire should know your voice and understand your genre — these aren’t one-size-fits-all services!
    • All stages and costs of self-publishing differ significantly from nonfiction to fiction.
    • Expect the greatest portion of your budget to go toward editing and cover design.
    • Very little (or none) of your budget should go toward paid advertising, other promotional services or print runs of the book.
    • To save money without sacrificing quality, you can DIY formatting and conversion with a little research and practice, if you’re willing to put in the time. Here’s a guide to formatting and converting an ebook for Kindle.
    • You’ll make a number of one-time investments early on, like purchasing software for word processing and design or taking courses in self-publishing and marketing.

    Your first self-publishing project will likely be the biggest hit to your wallet — and the greatest investment in your writing career.

    Are you ready to pay the costs to self-publish your book?

    Stop fretting about those costs, and start planning. Self-publishing is all about innovation and creativity. Now that you’ve created a product or work of art (or both!), flip the switch and use your creativity on the business side of things.

    Successful self-publishers are ambitious entrepreneurs who learn to wear several hats and display a variety of talents. To understand and cover the costs of self-publishing your book, dig into your network, do your research and plan ahead how you’ll allocate your time and money.

    To expedite that research and self-publish your book, check out Chandler Bolt’s bestselling book, Published. The Proven Path from Blank Page to 10,000 Copies Sold. It has over 1,000 5-star reviews.

    How much did it cost you to publish a book, and how do these numbers compare to your experience? If you’ve yet to self-publish, what do you think your greatest expense will be?

    twl-free-copy-of-published-v2

    This is an updated version of a story that was previously published in 2015. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

    Photo via fizkes / Shutterstock 

  • 5 Powerful Writing Techniques That Bring Stories to Life

    5 Powerful Writing Techniques That Bring Stories to Life

    Take a moment, close your eyes, and recall a story that truly engaged you as a reader — one whose world and characters became completely real for you. Got one?

    Now, take off your reader hat and don your analytical writer hat to think about what makes that story so captivating. Which writing techniques did the author use to bring the story to life? Was it the wrenching appeal to your emotions, the vivid and brutal action scenes, or the high stakes facing a character? Mastering these and other storytelling methods is the key to writing your own engaging tale.

    Just as a lion is the product of all the zebras it has eaten, a writer is the product of all the books he or she has read. Reading the works of skilled writers is a fabulous way to hone your craft and learn how to effectively employ the writing tactics that help you create your own captivating story.

    Here are five great examples of writing techniques that bring the story to life for readers, as demonstrated by five accomplished writers.

    [sps_reusable_block post_id=43045]

    1. Invoke multiple senses

    With any experience, you pick up more than just its sights. By describing sounds, scents, tastes and sensations, you’ll immerse readers in your story’s world.

    The following scene from Saladin Ahmed’s “Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela” does a wonderful job of pulling the reader into the story by using senses other than sight.

    Her voice is more beautiful than any woman’s. And there is the powerful smell of jasmine and clove. A nightingale sings perfumed words at me while my mind’s eye burns with horrors that would make the Almighty turn away.

    If fear did not hold your tongue, you would ask what I am. Men have called my people by many names—ghoul, demon. Does a word matter so very much? What I am, learned one, is Abdel Jameela’s wife.

    For long moments I don’t speak. If I don’t speak, this nightmare will end. I will wake in Baghdad, or Beit Zujaaj. But I don’t wake.

    She speaks again, and I cover my ears, though the sound is beauty itself.

    The words you hear come not from my mouth, and you do not hear them with your ears. I ask you to listen with your mind and your heart. We will die, my husband and I, if you will not lend us your skill. Have you, learned one, never needed to be something other that what you are?

    Cinnamon scent and the sound of an oasis wind come to me.

    2. Create intriguing, complex characters

    Readers want characters with whom they can sympathize (Harry Potter) or revile (Tywin Lannister) — or both. They want to get to know the characters and learn more about their experiences in the story.

    In the following excerpt from “The Children of the Shark God,” Peter S. Beagle introduces us to the protagonist quickly, but in a way that makes us care about what happens to her.

    Mirali’s parents were already aging when she was born, and had long since given up the hope of ever having a child — indeed, her name meant “the long-desired one.” Her father had been crippled when the mast of his boat snapped during a storm and crushed his leg, falling on him, and if it had not been for their daughter the old couple’s lives would have been hard indeed. Mirali could not go out with the fishing fleet herself, of course — as she greatly wished to do, having loved the sea from her earliest memory — but she did every kind of work for any number of island families, whether cleaning houses, marketing, minding young children, or even assisting the midwife when a birthing was difficult or there were simply too many babies coming at the same time. She was equally known as a seamstress, and also as a cook for special feasts; nor was there anyone who could mend a pandanus-leaf thatching as quickly as she, though this is generally man’s work. No drop of rain ever penetrated any pandanus roof that came under Mirali’s hands.

    Nor did she complain of her labors, for she was very proud of being able to care for her mother and father as a son would have done. Because of this, she was much admired and respected in the village, and young men came courting just as though she were a great beauty. Which she was not, being small and somewhat square-made, with straight brows — considered unlucky by most — and hips that gave no promise of a large family. But she had kind eyes, deep-set under those regrettable brows, and hair as black and thick as that of any woman on the island. Many, indeed, envied her; but of that Mirali knew nothing. She had no time for envy herself, nor for young men, either.

    As authors, we must give readers insight into what makes our protagonists tick. What motivates them? What are their aspirations? In this passage, we learn that Mirali, while not conventionally beautiful, is a kind soul who works hard for her parents and is appreciated by her community. And the key? We quickly start to become invested in what happens to her.

    3. Evoke strong emotions

    writing techniques to capture strong emotion

    In this scene from Frost Child by Gillian Philip, it takes the reader a moment to realize what the child witch is feeding her newly-tamed water horse — and that moment allows the strong emotion of horror to set in.

    “He’s very beautiful,” I smiled. “Make sure he’s fully tame before you bring him near the dun.”

    “Of course I will. Thank you, Griogair!” She bent her head to the kelpie again, crooning, and reached for her pouch, drawing out a small chunk of meat. The creature shifted its head to take it delicately from her hand, gulping it down before taking her second offering. She stroked it as she fed it, caressing its cheekbone, its neck, its gills.

    I don’t know why the first shiver of cold certainty rippled across my skin; perhaps it was her contentment, the utter obliteration of her grief; perhaps it was the realisation that she and her little bow had graduated to bigger game. The chunks of flesh she fed it were torn from something far larger than a pigeon, and as the kelpie nickered, peeling back its upper lip to sniff for more treats, I saw tiny threads of woven fabric caught on its canine teeth.

    By revealing a previously undetected detail that helps readers understand the implications, the author causes them to wince and recoil — and wonder what happens next. Of course, we have many emotion-evoking arrows in our writing quivers — humor, love, determination, anger, and so on. These strong emotions keep the reader engrossed in the story and curious about the characters’ futures.

    4. Use rich character voice

    The voice chosen by the author has a profound impact in how readers interpret the story and view the characters. In the following excerpt from “The Adventures of Lightning Merriemouse-Jones” by Nancy and Belle Holder, the voice and sentence length quickly convey the time period and lighter tone of this comic horror story.

    To begin at the beginning:

    That would be instructive, but rather dull; and so we will tell you, Gentle Reader, that the intrepid Miss Merriemouse-Jones was born in 1880, a wee pup to parents who had no idea that she was destined for greatness. Protective and loving, they encouraged her to find her happiness in the environs of home — running the squeaky wheel in the nursery cage, gnawing upon whatever might sharpen her pearlescent teeth, and wrinkling her tiny pink nose most adorably when vexed.

    During her girlhood, Lightning was seldom vexed. She lived agreeably in her parents’ well-appointed and fashionable abode, a hole in the wall located in the chamber of the human daughter of the house, one Maria Louisa Summerfield, whose mother was a tempestuous Spanish painter of some repute, and whose father owned a bank.

    The longer sentences, combined with the choice of words like “environs,” “pearlescent,” “vexed,” “abode,” and “repute,” place the reader in a Victorian setting even without the reference to 1880. The narrator’s voice also clearly sets a tone of felicity and humor.

    Just as the narrator has a distinct voice, characters should have their own unique voices to help readers distinguish one from another and to convey aspects of their personalities.V oice is a terrific tool to help readers get to know and appreciate your characters.

    5. Pull the reader into the action

    Of course, interesting characters and engaging dialog are important, but writing gripping action scenes is a skill all its own. Jim Butcher has mastered this skill, as shown in this excerpt from “Even Hand”:

    The fomor’s creatures exploded into the hallway on a storm of frenzied roars. I couldn’t make out many details. They seemed to have been put together on the chassis of a gorilla. Their heads were squashed, ugly-looking things, with wide-gaping mouths full of shark-like teeth. The sounds they made were deep, with a frenzied edge of madness, and they piled into the corridor in a wave of massive muscle.

    “Steady,” I murmured.

    The creatures lurched as they moved, like cheap toys that had not been assembled properly, but they were fast, for all of that. More and more of them flooded into the hallway, and their charge was gaining mass and momentum.

    “Steady,” I murmured.

    Hendricks grunted. There were no words in it, but he meant, I know.

    The wave of fomorian beings got close enough that I could see the patches of mold clumping their fur, and tendrils of mildew growing upon their exposed skin.

    “Fire,” I said.

    Hendricks and I opened up.

    The new military AA-12 automatic shotguns are not the hunting weapons I first handled in my patriotically delusional youth. They are fully automatic weapons with large circular drums that rather resembled the old Tommy guns made iconic by my business predecessors in Chicago.

    One pulls the trigger and shell after shell slams through the weapon. A steel target hit by bursts from an AA-12 very rapidly comes to resemble a screen door.

    And we had two of them.

    The slaughter was indescribable. It swept like a great broom down that hallway, tearing and shredding flesh, splattering blood on the walls and painting them most of the way to the ceiling. Behind me, Gard stood ready with a heavy-caliber big-game rifle, calmly gunning down any creature that seemed to be reluctant to die before it could reach our defensive point. We piled the bodies so deep that the corpses formed a barrier to our weapons.

    A well-written action scene thrusts the reader smack into the middle of the story. It’s another way to evoke emotion and empathy for characters.

    Though the protagonist in this story is actually a crime lord — not a character many of us would normally root for — you’re on his side, aren’t you? The writer’s skillful action writing technique has you imagining yourself behind the defensive barrier, wielding a shotgun, and praying the torrent of lead will prevent the demonic onslaught from reaching you.

    Readers want to be taken on a journey to another place and time, with characters they care about and whose company they enjoy. Help your readers feel like they have a stake in your story’s outcome by using these writing techniques to bring your characters and settings to life.

    As a writer, which books or authors do you read specifically to learn from their techniques and writing skills?

    [sps_reusable_block post_id=43045]

  • The Second-Person Point of View: Give Your Story a New Perspective

    The Second-Person Point of View: Give Your Story a New Perspective

    You’re not someone who cares about tradition in your fiction, are you?

    You’re willing to explore. You’re striving for meaning, and you want interesting experiences.

    Well, that’s the second-person point of view (POV) for you: nontraditional, explorative, meaningful and interesting.

    It also sounds a bit like an ad for an exaggerated travel agent or a self-help book, doesn’t it? There’s a reason for that, and we’ll get to it later. But first, I have a little riddle for you…

    Is this blog post written in the second-person point of view?

    By now, you know I use the word “you” quite a lot. In fact, many bloggers address their readers personally as “you.” Does it make our writing fit the second-person POV?

    As you may have guessed, the answer is no.

    True, I’m addressing you as the audience. But there’s still a protagonist to this story, and it’s me, in the first person. I’m the person behind this post.

    What is second-person point of view?

    Let’s start with a second-person point of view definition.

    In fiction, pure second-person POV uses the perspective of a single character, the protagonist, to tell the story. This character is well-defined, with habits, traits and a unique personality. The reader is simply placed “behind” this character, seeing and experiencing the world through his eyes, body and mind.

    Need a second person example? It sounds like this:

    Eventually you ascend the stairs to the street. You think of Plato’s pilgrims climbing out of the cave, from the shadow world of appearances toward things as they really are, and you wonder if it is possible to change in this life.

    — Jay McInerney, “Bright Lights, Big City”

    As you can see, there is no “I” in this second person example. There might be a “he” or “him,” whenever the protagonist is interacting with someone, but your principal pronouns are “you,” “your” and “yours.”

    For that reason, it’s a bit hard to create a variety of sentence structure in this POV. Starting every sentence with “you” can quickly grow old.

    If you try using the second-person POV, watch out for this issue. You can alternate pronouns by writing about items and other characters in your protagonist’s environment. For example, here’s an excerpt from from Italo Calvino’s “If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler:”

    Adjust the light so you won’t strain your eyes. Do it now, because once you’re absorbed in reading there will be no budging you. Make sure the page isn’t in shadow, a clotting of black letters on a gray background, uniform as a pack of mice…

    The good and evil of writing in second person

    The second-person POV casts the reader as the protagonist. That means she’s “forced” to act and think in ways that might not be authentic for her.

    If you, as the writer, pull it off, this POV creates instant, complete empathy between the reader and the protagonist. It makes every thought and action her own and evokes emotional responses from her gut.

    If you aren’t successful, though, reading in this POV can be a highly annoying experience for your audience.

    Writing in the second person means treading a fine line. When you write in this POV, you’re very clearly attempting to manipulate the reader’s thoughts and emotions. Not all readers will take well to this strategy.

    But that’s OK! All good writing manipulates a reader’s emotions; consider how we connect with characters like Holden Caulfield and Harry Potter. After watching the world through their eyes in third-person limited POV, no one can resist feeling for them — even though Holden is a fairly unlikeable character. That intimacy is emotional manipulation at its literary best.

    The challenge of the second-person point of view is to manipulate your reader’s thoughts and impressions without forcing feeling and emotion where it doesn’t belong. You want it to feel natural, not kick your reader out of the story by trying too hard.

    How do you master this balancing act? By reading great examples of the second-person point of view, testing it in your own writing and sharing your work with others for feedback and advice. A writing accountability partner or group will be invaluable in exploring this POV.

    When should you choose the second-person POV?

    There isn’t any perfect genre or type of work for a second-person POV story, though author Rebecca Demarest suggests that this perspective works best in short stories or “scattered chapters” of a longer manuscript.

    This POV seems to work particularly well when an author is reflecting the Zeitgeist. By speaking in the second person, the author can hold a mirror to society, revealing emotions, actions and particular nuances of the times.

    A prime example of this use is “Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas” by Tom Robbins. He captures the crash of an American dream and the economic wavering of the early 90s:

    As far as you are concerned, the real fun stopped back in the eighties. Before your time. In those days, somebody in your position could earn major money. Jumbo money. You read about it, dreamed about it, all through college. How typical of your luck that when you finally arrived in a position to poach your golden eggs, the goose had a hysterectomy.

    The majority of audiences can relate to these timely themes, so they’re a good bet for an exploration of character, society and empathy.

    Other popular places to use the second-person point of view are poetry, interactive fiction and choose-your-own-adventure stories.

    Will you try writing in second person?

    Give the second-person POV a try. See what playing with this perspective can do for your writing, whether it’s in a new story or by tweaking the point of view in a story you’ve already written.

    It won’t be a fit for every writer or for every story, but you just might find you enjoy writing in the second person.

    This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

    Photo via Joyseulay/ Shutterstock 

  • The Ultimate Guide to Working with Beta Readers

    The Ultimate Guide to Working with Beta Readers

    Is there a better feeling in the world than writing “The End” in your manuscript? It’s a moment to be celebrated: you’ve done it. You’ve written and completed an entire book. Not everyone can say they have.

    But you’re not finished. No, not even after you wrap up your self-edits.

    It’s time to pass your manuscript off to beta readers — volunteers who provide feedback on your book. If you’re thinking about skipping this stage and just hitting “Publish,” you might want to reconsider.

    The ultimate guide to working with beta readers

    In this guide, we’ll explain what a beta reader is, and why you need beta readers to make your work-in-progress stronger.

    What is a beta reader? (And why do you need one?)

    Software companies release beta, or test, versions of their programs to work out kinks and bugs before releasing to the general public. Businesses offer beta versions of their courses so they can tweak the content to ensure it serves the needs of their students.

    Authors need beta readers to understand how people read their book and, like software companies and businesses, to identify confusing or irrelevant spots. Every author has weaknesses. You do too — but you’re blind to them.

    Beta readers won’t be. And soliciting feedback from beta readers is your chance to address the weak spots of your manuscript before you publish and share it with the world.

    Who do you want as a beta reader?

    As easy as it is to get them to help, best friends, significant others and family members are the worst beta readers. They know and love you, so they’re predisposed to loving whatever you write — no matter how good it is. While you might enjoy their glowing comments on your work, it won’t be the feedback you need to improve your manuscript.

    Here’s who you want to enlist:

    • An acquaintance or a friend of a friend. People close to you can muddle through confusing sections or sentences to guess what you meant. That won’t give you useful feedback. Pick someone who doesn’t know you well enough to figure out your meaning.
    • A member of your target audience. If your book doesn’t resonate with your readers, you’re not going to sell copies.
    • Someone who’s not afraid to be honest. You need positive and constructive feedback.
    • Someone who’s reliable. This seems obvious, but people can overcommit. Be conscientious of your betas’ time and priorities.

    You need more than one beta reader. There’s no set number, but three to five is a good start. If you’re bootstrapping your book, find even more betas: good beta readers can mean forgoing the cost of a developmental editor.

    You might send your first beta reader draft to two or three people. Then you’ll implement their feedback and send the next draft out to the following group two or three people. Do this a few times depending on how much work the book needs.

    The reason we don’t recommend sending out your manuscript to all your beta readers at once is because even after the first batch of feedback comes through, there might still be kinks to catch.

    Also, let’s say you rearrange scenes, add an epilogue or rewrite some parts of the book. You’ll want to get feedback on the new version, too.

    After you have an idea of who you want, it’s time to find them. Look at your network. Reach out to people already in your community who fit the criteria. Consider posting in writing groups or on your social media channels. You can even hire betas on Fiverr, or join Facebook or Goodreads groups. Don’t be afraid to ask. Many people will be honored you want their help.

    Why should you always work with new beta readers?

    As beta readers become more familiar and comfortable with your writing, it can be difficult for them to see the flaws.

    Try to add a few new people to your team each time, preferably one or two who have never read your work before so you get fresh eyes on your work. You can connect with new people by asking your current beta readers for suggestions. They probably know a friend or two who’s willing to help out.

    For people you stop working with in the beta reader stage, consider moving them to your Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) team. They’ll still get a free copy of your book, but it will be closer to finished, and won’t need the same in-depth feedback. Instead, your ARC readers will help you gather reviews for release day.

    The beta reading stage can be long and sometimes difficult if you don’t already have a team in place. That said, it’s definitely worth it, and your beta readers can do wonders for your story.

    How do you prepare your manuscript for a beta reader?

    Even though betas help you edit, that doesn’t mean you can skip the self-editing step. Your betas can only raise the quality of your manuscript, not perfect it. That means you need to hit all types of editing (developmental, copy and proofreading) before handing it off to them.

    As you edit, create a “needs-to-be-fixed” list. It might be something like “add character” or “move section to a different chapter” or “add description to opening scene.” Ask your betas to pay close attention to these items because they’ll be able to determine whether you’re on the right track — or not.

    When you get ready to hand your manuscript over, ask your betas which format they prefer. Microsoft Word lends itself best to receiving feedback because it’s easy to add and delete comments, and most people have access to the program. Even if you prefer not to write in Word, converting to .doc from Scrivener or Google docs is simple. Some readers may prefer a hard copy, especially if your manuscript is long. Make it easy for them — they are donating their time to help you.

    If you send Word documents, create and save a document for each person. Give it a specific name, like ManucriptNameBetaReader’sName.doc. You can merge these documents into one, but when you start incorporating edits and throwing everything together, it’s easy to accidentally delete a comment you need. If you preserve the originals with comments individually as well, you’ll be able to recover any lost feedback.

    What do you want from your beta readers?

    Feedback, yes. But don’t be vague: give your betas clear instructions about what feedback you need.

    Remember that “needs-to-be-fixed” list you created during self-edits? Use that to guide what you need from your betas. Here’s a basic formula for instructions:

    • Have betas comment with their thoughts or take notes as they read, even if it’s to say, “Ooh, I like this” or to make predictions about what will happen next. This shows you how people read your book. It also helps you pinpoint where changes need to be made and gives you a feel for how they reacted while reading.
    • Specify what kind of feedback you’re looking for. My betas looked for:
      • Areas they felt were missing something or weren’t developed enough
      • Sections or scenes superfluous to the story
      • Any part of the story, dialogue, or narrative they didn’t understand or found confusing
      • The flow and pace of the chapters
    • Ask them to focus on certain aspects of your book. My manuscript had weak worldbuilding, so I had them pay close attention to it.
    • Tell them to supply “whys,” not “shoulds.” “I’m confused here because…” or “I don’t like this because…” will be more helpful than “You should do…” statements.
    • Set a due date. But build in cushion — if you want it back in three weeks, tell them you need it in two.

    Another idea is to send your beta readers a list of questions. Since beta readers aren’t professionals, they don’t always know what to look for in your manuscript. Ask them questions to help guide their experience.

    Those who have beta read before — either for you or another author — will have a good idea, but if they’re new to beta reading, asking smart questions helps to give them some guidance.

    Some generic questions you might ask include:

    • Did the opening scene capture your attention? Why or why not?
    • Did you notice any inconsistencies in setting, timeline or characters? If so, where?
    • Did the dialogue keep your interest and sound natural to you?
    • Was the ending satisfying and believable?

    If you have specific concerns about your story, be sure to ask about that, too.

    I suggest keeping your list of questions short (about 15 or less). Too many questions might turn some people off.

    Remember, your readers are doing this for free. I never require anyone to answer my questions or take notes, but making the suggestion helps guide them and improves the type of feedback you receive.

    How do you deal with feedback from a beta reader (without freaking out)?

    It’s both exhilarating and terrifying to share something you’ve poured effort into. What if they hate it? The trick to dealing with feedback without freaking out is your mindset. Here’s what you need to remember:

    • Your goal is to make your book better, and you can’t do that without constructive criticism.
    • Your betas are nice people who want to help you write a better book, not tear you down.
    • Having something to fix doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer or that your book isn’t worth publishing.
    • You don’t have to accept every piece of advice you get.
    • You can do it.

    Dealing with beta feedback is where many writers give up. Don’t be one of them. Sorting through feedback — especially if it’s conflicting advice — gets overwhelming quickly. I had more than 500 beta comments on my novel. Cue the panic!

    When you feel that panic and overwhelm — and you will — stop and take a deep breath. Remember: this isn’t about you; it’s about your book. They’re not the same. Pull your ego out of the equation and focus on writing the best book possible.

    And if that means deleting 7,000 words from the end of your book and rewriting it, gird your fingers and hit the delete key. That’s what happened to me, and look: I survived.

    Image: Beta Feedback

    How do you implement beta reader feedback?

    Once you’ve beaten the inevitable freakout, you have to evaluate each piece of feedback to decide what to revise. Think critically about what your betas said and how it fits into what your book, characters or plot needs to accomplish.

    If your book is about how you started your business, for example, and your beta says, “I want to know about your childhood,” but your childhood has nothing to do with the beginning of your business, you can ignore the comment. Yes, ignore. As the author, you have the power to accept or reject feedback.

    Because I asked my betas to comment as they read, I created a new Word document with all 531 comments. New documents are important: If you decide your original wording is better, you want to be able to revert back. Tracking changes and creating new files makes this easy.

    But before I changed anything in my manuscript, I went through each comment and made one decision: keep or delete.

    Comment #1: “I like the disjointedness of the beginning.” Delete.

    Comment #5: “You’ve used ‘eyes’ three times in two sentences.” Keep.

    Comment #7: “The others didn’t notice the door?” Comment #8: “She’s been there how long, and she’s just now going through the door?” Keep. Keep.

    Comment #13: “At what point does frostbite become an issue?” Though this is a good question, only one beta pointed it out, and she’s never experienced cold weather. Delete.

    Once I’d gone through the entire document and deleted comments, the remaining ones became my new “needs-to-be-fixed” list. These items can range from tasks like copyediting (comment #5) to adding information (comments #7 and #8) to rewriting entire chapters (the last 7,000 words).

    Don’t take feedback at face value — dig deeper. Notice how two comments expressed disbelief at the door. That’s a red flag. But it’s not just about answering their questions — it’s about understanding the missing story elements.

    From their comments, I knew I had to flesh out the setting (why the door is hard to notice) and how the setting affects my characters (why one girl would wait to go through the door and why the others didn’t notice it). Confusion means you’re missing something, and it’s up to you to figure out what it is and how to fix it.

    When you implement feedback, get in touch with your author gut. Your instincts will tell you what needs to be fixed and what’s fine as is. Listen to it. Not sure what a beta meant by a particular comment? Don’t be afraid to follow up with them to ask for clarification.

    Once you’ve incorporated your beta feedback, you’re one step closer to hitting “Publish.” Congratulations — and best of luck with the final stages of the process!

    Don’t forget to thank your beta readers

    Finally, remember to thank your beta readers. Unless you paid them, your betas volunteered their time and effort to help you produce a better, stronger manuscript, so make sure to show your appreciation. 

    I’ve found that all the beta readers I’ve worked with have been more than happy to simply receive a book for free, even if that means they have to leave feedback on it. Most are surprised and excited when I tell them they’ll also be receiving a print copy of the book when it’s finalized.

    You don’t have to send out print books, but do make sure your beta readers feel appreciated for the time they put into helping you. If your betas are writers as well, you could even offer to be a beta for their future writing projects.

    Have you worked with beta readers — or been one?

    This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

    Photo via Impact Photography / Shutterstock 

  • 6 Creative Ways to Name Your Fictional Characters

    6 Creative Ways to Name Your Fictional Characters

    When you start writing your story, how long does it take you to come up with character names?

    Choosing the perfect name for your protagonist and antagonist can take ages, especially when you’re not sure how to start.

    I’ve been there. After wasting days staring at a blank computer screen, attempting to come up with names for all of my characters, I developed with some helpful naming strategies. And I’d like to share them with you!

     

    How to develop cool names for fictional characters

    Using any of these methods cuts down the amount of time I spend coming up with character names and lets me get back to the actual writing. So next time you’re stuck and can’t decide what to name your dystopian sharpshooting heroine, try one of these ideas.

    Here’s how to come up with interesting character names in your fiction.

    1. Match name with theme using a character name generator

    Are you a fan of symbolism? Write down your story’s themes and then head to a name generator website or baby name site to search for names related to those themes.

    Funnily enough, I have found that the name Andre shows up under themes like manly, strong and brave, which of course I am… in my stories, at least.

    2. Use Fido and your street

    Confused? Let me explain.

    Try your pet’s name as the fictional character’s first name, and your street’s name as your character’s last name.

    Mine would be Butch Fields, and yes, he comes from the rough part of a fictional town.

    3. Combine the names of your favorite authors

    A second helping of Stephen Rice, anyone? See what I did there?

    Maybe you don’t feel comfortable using the names of living writers, so how about this… Jack Hemingway. See, I used Jack London and… you get it. Apply it to your work!

    4. Use a name translator

    Yep, there is such a thing. A name translator allows a writer to easily discover names in other languages.

    To use this, however, you have to have a name in mind. Give it a whirl by putting your own name into the translator.

    Head to your favorite search engine and search for ‘name translators’ or ‘my name in’ and type in any language, such as Chinese or Hebrew. You’ll find plenty of free name translators to play with.

    5. Use an encyclopedia and your creative side

    No matter what genre it is, think about where your story takes place. Your setting can inspire names for your characters.

    Does your story include mountains? Are they part of your fictional characters’ culture? Then research people who have mountains as a part of their culture, such as the Andean people of Peru and the Appalachian people of North America.

    What if your story takes place on a faraway planet? Your setting likely looks a bit like some place you’ve seen before on Earth, or maybe a mix of several places.

    Think of those real places that inspire your off-world setting, and then think of the real people that make those places their home. Research those places to get a feel of what your fictional culture could be.

    After completing your research on the culture or cultures that inspired your fictional one, use the names in those real cultures for inspiration for the names of your fictional characters.

    6. “Borrow” from a friend or family member

    This is the easiest way to create a fictional character name because you aren’t actually creating one! All you’re doing is copying. Maybe your father is your hero, so you decide to name your protagonist after him.

    Of course, if you decide to go this route, be careful. Ask permission, and let that person know ahead of time of how they will be portrayed.

    You might think you’ll only use their name, but some of their personality traits may unwittingly end up in your story as well. Especially if you are the type of writer that skips outlines and lets the story unfold in front of you as you write it.

    Now get out there and come up with some character names that are perfect for your story.

    This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

    Photo via GaudiLab/ Shutterstock 

  • Write Your First Novel: 8 Strategies for Creating Great Fiction

    Write Your First Novel: 8 Strategies for Creating Great Fiction

    As writers, we know that the process of writing is composed of work and worry. The work is a grind of word counts and applied methodology, but the worry — a mix of fear, doubt, stress and resistance to the process — can be more difficult to navigate.

    During the four long years I spent writing my first novel, A Propper Man, I learned the importance of craft and routine in managing both the work and the worry.

    If you’re wondering how to start writing a book, these strategies could help you meet your goals with less stress and fewer struggles. The thoughts on craft help form a plan of attack for completing your daily work, while those focused on the routine and ruminations about the writing life help you put that plan into practice and find the will to finish.

    Craft tips for writing your first novel

    Although the idea of craft can seem like a witch’s brew when applied to fiction, it’s no magical thing.

    Sure, there are elements of fiction that are useful weapons for your arsenal, as well as tried and true storytelling methods that are helpful to know about. Mostly, though, the craft of fiction is composed of relentless practice and process: the stumbling, mealy-mouthed verbosity of beginning and ending and revising that you must apply repeatedly, ad-infinitum.

    As a writing professor once explained on the first day of class, “I’m going to dump out my toolbox here on the floor. Take everything you need — but know you might not need everything.” Below are a few to consider.

    1. Have a roadmap

    The word “outline” is a polarizing one for fiction writers. We all know about this structure, but depending on our experience and mindset, we either love or loathe it.

    Whatever opinion you have about outlines, it does help to have some sort of map or outline for where you’re going, even if you only know the approximate route and have a few key landmarks scribbled on a bar napkin. As E.L. Doctorow famously said, “Writing a novel is like driving at night in the fog. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”

    I experimented with four different outline systems before abandoning them altogether in favor of building my own. I used notecards that each held a simple statement about the action that occurred in each scene, then taped each card in chronological order to a whiteboard in front of my desk. If I needed to replace a scene, add one, or move a few around, it took seconds. And when I lost my way, I only had to look up to my roadmap. From there, I moved to a more detailed scene-level outline that helped me to structure the cause and effect that advanced each scene and the story as a whole.

    It took time to find an approach that worked. I prefer analog, but you might feel more comfortable with a digital tool like Scrivener.

    Experiment to find what works for you and then modify it to align with your approach to storybuilding. But have a map — even at night, you may need to pull over and refer to it now and again.

    2. Consider the importance of conflict and stakes

    Among Kurt Vonnegut’s eight tips on how to write a great story is this gem: “Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.”

    What makes a story truly compelling is how that character goes about getting it. What stands in his way, and how will he overcome those impediments? One of your tasks as a storyteller is to manipulate your character in such a way that the journey feels worthwhile for the reader — even if all that character wants is a glass of water. Fundamental to this reader buy-in are the elements of conflict and stakes.

    In literature, conflict is an inherent incompatibility between the objectives of two or more characters or forces. Conflict creates tension and interest in a story by adding doubt as to the outcome.

    Be clear about your conflict: how the setting, other characters, or even local and global events slam into your character’s desire to get what he wants. When conflict is clear, you help the reader better understand what drives your character’s motivation.

    Stakes show the reader what happens if your character doesn’t get what he wants after the altercation with conflict. Have some fun raising the stakes to force your character to take action that might be abnormally, even fantastically, out of character.

    Consider this scenario: A man sits on the highway twenty-five cars back from a slow-moving roadblock on the interstate, thirty minutes from his home. He could be stuck there an hour, maybe longer. With low stakes, he’s annoyed because he might miss the first quarter of Monday Night Football. So he flips on the radio, checks his smartphone and ekes along in line.

    Now, what happens if the man receives a message that his young son is mortally wounded, and he’s the only one who can reach him in time to save his life? Suddenly, he’s offroading into the median, blowing past the roadblock and racing toward his house at 100 mph with police cruisers in hot pursuit.

    High stakes change motivation and put your characters in interesting situations you didn’t initially imagine, which results in compelling, page-turning fiction.

    3. Maintain measured scene beats: Your novel’s heartbeats

    Scene beats, or micro-tension, make up the dramatic action that propels a story forward. In his Wonderbook, Jeff Vandermeer calls them “micro-cycles of ebb and flow, progress and setback playing out within a scene.”

    I wrote four versions of my novel before I finally pegged its current course. The challenge? I wrote a collection of disparate and at times tangentially-related scenes. In a vacuum, these scenes were fine, but when woven into a tapestry of scenes and chapters, many of them fell flat. The setting, the dialogue and the characters didn’t exhibit enough micro-tension to move the story forward.

    While most readers won’t identify that your scene is missing a beat, they’ll likely feel it in the way their minds drift as they consider turning another page or picking up their smartphones to check the latest Buzzfeed list.

    Be sure to analyze the beats — the cause and effect — to maintain a measured progression of the scene’s shifts in emotional tone. Make sure they build upon one another. The character enters the room thinking one thing is going to happen, only to find something else. As he realizes this, it’s a beat. Or, the character is investigating a mystery, and discovers something shocking that changes the purpose of her quest. How she feels about that discovery, in that moment, is another beat.

    If you’re struggling with a scene and you can’t quite figure out what’s wrong, lay out the beats on the page. After each beat is a decision: open the door or pretend you’re not home; get in the car or call a cab; take the blue pill or grab the red pill. What does your character choose, and how does that choice affect her? Once on the beats are laid out, you’ll be able to see where the scene is lagging — likely, where it lacks stark emotional shifts.

    4. Approach the revision process with passes, not drafts

    Drafts are hulking, beastly things. They sit in the corner and sulk as you plod through, page by page, trying to do everything at once to reach the Second Draft.

    Instead of looking at your revision process in terms of drafts or versions, think of passes. Passes are lighter, more jovial folks. They allow you the freedom to consider elements of revision and to move more quickly through the process, like a painter adding layers of color to a painting that is not fully realized.

    One pass might be for research, another few for character development and continuity; perhaps you add one pass each for setting, tone, and consistency of speech. Editing and re-editing the same copy repeatedly can seem Sisyphean — and eventually leads to unproductive tinkering.

    Identifying the passes necessary to finish your project, then remaining disciplined as you move through each pass, makes the revision process seem less arduous.

    Routine: It’s essential to writing your first novel

    Once you have the right tools and you know what you’re going to build, how do you go about doing it? That’s where a sound personal approach to the psychology and routine of fiction becomes crucial.

    You first build a novel in your head, so it’s important to ensure it’s a safe and productive place to work.

    5. Recognize and overcome resistance

    In his fabulous book The War of Art, Steven Pressfield focuses on resistance as a primary culprit in avoiding creation. The forms of resistance are myriad and highly personal.

    For me, the usual suspects were errands, cleaning and looking for “legitimate” jobs online. I ate up hours, even entire days, resisting the process of putting words on the page, until I was honest with myself about how I resisted writing. I kept a list and acknowledged my modes of resistance each time they popped up.

    What modes of resistance do you fall victim to on those days when writing doesn’t feel fun? Write them down on big piece of paper and hang it over your desk. In time and with practice, when you recognize resistance, you’ll stop what you’re doing and return to work. Your ability to overcome resistance is fundamental to establishing a routine.

    Maintaining that routine is often the only thing that will help you through the pits of despair in the middle of your novel, when the fun has drained from your writing and you’re left with the ditch-digging required to finish the project.

    6. Write to a word count

    Time and writing are strange bedfellows. Who is to say how long it should take to finish a story? But we all face a simple truth: You can’t write a novel if you don’t put words down on the page.

    Writing 100,000 words takes time, discipline and some semblance of an organized routine. Each writer approaches this process in their own way, but my routine involves a commitment to a daily word count rather than a time block. Writing to a word count rids me of the pressure of feeling constantly short on time.

    Some days, a thousand words takes me forty-five minutes. On others, I might stretch three writing sessions out across several hours: at the coffee shop, at home while making dinner and waiting for the rice to cook, and sitting up in bed for a few minutes after I finish reading. Looking back, I won’t remember the amount of time each session required, only that I hit my word mark.

    Set your own word count and make it achievable. Is five hundred words all you can manage? Great! Shoot for that mark and hit it. Then stop. Don’t edit, don’t ponder, just go and when your hand or fingers need a break, tally up the words. My guess is you’ll find you have written more than your daily target.

    If you’re inspired to write more words, do so. But give yourself the opportunity to stop. And when you stop, think for a moment about what you’ve accomplished, and how it felt. Learn to finish. Now do it every day, forever… until you need a cheat day.

    While we’re on the subject, check out our guide to the ideal word counts for novels and other books.

    7. Have a cheat day

    Dieting is a dirty word, but I love the concept of a cheat day: the one day each week when you eat anything you want and refuse to feel guilty about it.

    Sure, we all want to be perfect adherents to the dogma that writing every day is the only way to improve, but sometimes life just gets in the way. And that’s okay. You may have kids, or kids and a crazy job — or all the above, plus a house with a yard. If you can make time for writing, great, but if you can’t, allow yourself one day where you don’t judge your perceived lack of productivity.

    Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle posits that the mere act of observing something ultimately changes that which is being observed. So stop focusing on the days you don’t write. Look away. In time, you may find removing guilt from the process, focusing your attention elsewhere, makes it easier to commit to a routine. Funny how that happens.

    8. Learn to separate fact from fiction when dealing with fear and doubt

    Fear and doubt are perhaps the most damaging forms of resistance; they’ve likely prevented more art from reaching humanity than any other form of artistic oppression.

    When you’re experiencing fear and doubt, take a moment to separate fact from fiction. Break apart those things you know as fact; “writing is hard,” “finishing a novel requires that I write a lot of words,” “publishing is complicated,” from the fiction: “no one will ever read about what I write,” “writing is a waste of time and effort,” and “I have no talent.”

    This is a key practice of mindfulness and it merely requires that we actively recognize and compartmentalize thoughts. We all tell ourselves various fictions about creating art. The key difference between those who persevere and those who quit is the ability to recognize the fallacy of subjective thought, and power on through despite it. To paraphrase Seth Godin: the question is not how to get rid of fear, it’s how to dance with fear.

    Putting this all into practice

    The truth of the matter is that there isn’t any one recipe for creating great fiction. If it works, it works. The old saying about methods and madness is true: no matter how crazy or esoteric an artist’s routine, there is almost always a method present. Building your own is crucial.

    If you’re like me, you find little joy in finishing a novel; you want to finish a great novel. You also want the next novel to be even better. Crucial to this process is understanding yourself: your your innate abilities, and those that require more work and practice.

    Listen to and record what you learn from your writing projects. Take from your writing the lessons that teach you as much about yourself as they do about your craft. In time, and with hard work and faith, this discipline will help you finish the personal masterwork you’ve always dreamed of creating. You will build the method behind the perceived madness of your creative process, and the work emanating from it.

    Have you written a novel or other fiction project? Do any of these lessons resonate with you?

    This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

    Photo via franz12 / Shutterstock 

  • How to Become a Ghostwriter, So You Can Land Ghostwriting Jobs

    How to Become a Ghostwriter, So You Can Land Ghostwriting Jobs

    Thomas Jefferson might as well have been describing how to break into ghostwriting when he wrote, “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.”

    In the summer of 2014, I quit my job to pursue full-time self-employment as an author and editor. Knowing that a majority of my income would likely not come from my books, I focused on seeking editing work.

    In less than a year, I shifted my focus to ghostwriting, a professional avenue I thought would be forever closed to me because I simply didn’t have the connections. I knew no celebrities, political figures or rich business types, but I did have three key assets: experience, patience and luck.

    This isn’t just my story either. In taking an informal poll of online connections who also ghostwrite books, common threads of experience, patience and luck wove through every story of how they first got paid to help other people tell their stories.

    Why you should consider ghostwriting jobs

    Before I cover the practical aspects of how to become a ghostwriter, let’s consider why you should add “Ghostwriter” to your writing services:

    • You’ll get paid upfront. No more waiting on royalties like you would for writing your own books!
    • It’s lucrative. With the right clients, you can earn substantially more than other writing services you provide.
    • No need for marketing. Because your name isn’t on the book, you don’t have to do any marketing to sell the book, which means you can proceed to the next project ASAP. Authors who don’t enjoy marketing often see this as even more beneficial than how much they earn from ghostwriting projects. (Unfortunately, you will still have to market yourself to get clients, but that’s content for another post.)
    • You can keep emotional distance. Because the book is not your own child, you’ll be able to see its strengths and weaknesses clearly, bringing a helpful perspective to the client.
    • The subject matter is fascinating. When you choose the right clients, you learn as you write: about other people’s lives, their professions and industries you otherwise might not come across.
    • It will help you write better. Ghostwriting consistently challenges your writing skills. If you’ve ever had trouble meeting your daily word count goals, try ghostwriting a book for a client who has already paid you!

    With those considerations in mind, it’s little wonder that writers want to know how to break into ghostwriting, but the process isn’t easy or fast. Becoming a ghostwriter is equal parts patience, determination, experience, confidence, marketing, and, well, luck.

    It’s that last part that most aspiring ghostwriters don’t want to hear, but it’s true — and we’ll get to why luck is a necessary ingredient in a moment.

    How to become a ghostwriter

    So how do you get started in this lucrative profession?

    Here are some tips for how to become a ghostwriter.

    1. Gain experience

    Journal. Blog. Guest post. Write for publications like The Write Life. Send letters to the editor. Make insightful comments on websites. Self-publish a book (properly edited, of course). Create a family email newsletter. In whatever ways you can, write, write, and write some more.

    And don’t forget to read. “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write,” Stephen King wrote. “Simple as that.”

    Read high-brow, low-brow, classics, and today’s popular books. Alternate between fiction and nonfiction — nonfiction authors must know how to tell a compelling story. Read the best books on writing and storytelling, like King’s On Writing and McKee’s Story.

    Put in your 10,000 hours of reading and writing. Earn the right to write for others.

    2. Be patient

    Ten thousand hours is 1.14 years, but that means you’d have to be doing that one single thing every hour of every day. Let’s say that five days a week you read for an hour per day and write for two hours per day, a generous assumption for most writers with full-time responsibilities outside of writing. At that rate, it will take you 12.8 years to become an expert writer.

    My story witnesses to this Gladwellian opinion. I began to take my writing seriously as a freshman in college at the age of 18. Every one of my post-college jobs was related to reading or writing, but I also suffered serious doubts about my abilities and so let the blinking cursor blink for long stretches at a time. Sixteen years later, I was offered my first ghostwriting gig.

    By no means do I believe myself an expert. Hemingway, who one could argue was an expert, said it well: “We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.”

    Patience doesn’t mean biding your time until the right person contacts you. Patience means constant practice until you’re ready for the right person to contact you.

    ghostwriter

    3. Prove yourself…and then get lucky

    Of the six online ghostwriters who responded to my question about how they broke into ghostwriting, every single one said they’d been working on smaller writing projects before “getting lucky” and breaking into ghostwriting:

    • Mike Loomis started in multimedia curriculum development and book and product marketing before realizing he could help authors through offering ghostwriting services.
    • Pat Springle wrote for two organizations who loved what he produced and helped others finish their manuscripts before launching into a successful 20-year career as a ghostwriter.
    • Alice Sullivan wrote web and magazine copy for Country Music Television (CMT) during an internship before being asked by a major publisher to ghostwrite two books.

    In my case, I proofread bills and laws for the Texas Senate, directed communications for a large church, wrote copy for a law firm, edited a content marketing website, and became a self-employed editor before breaking into ghostwriting through a fortuitous referral. At the time, I thought I was lucky to have earned the opportunity to write for someone else and be paid for it.

    That job has led to two more direct referrals, which makes me feel even luckier to have been granted that first step into the world of ghostwriting.

    But before getting lucky, I gained experience and practiced patience. The luck would never have been achieved without them.

    Looking for other writing work? Check out this article, where you’ll find more options to get paid as a writer.

    Perhaps this quiz can help you decide.

    This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

    Photo via GuadiLab / Shutterstock