Writing a story or book sounds easy. Something you can do without a lot of effort, like walking or sitting. It’s just a bunch of words strung one after the other, right? Yet the longer I write and the more I learn about writing (we never stop, not really), the more I’ve come to realize how HARD (yet fun!) it really is and how difficult it is for new writers to become conscious of that fact.

I’ve been doing this gig for a long time and I still turn in the occasional story to my critique group which then gets slashed to pieces. Usually happens to those I feel the most confident about too! I’ve also helped them with theirs and done some judging and am at times astounded at the mistakes I see. Yet the person who wrote it probably never saw them.

And it is a big stumbling block – being able to see what is wrong with our own work. It’s one of the hardest parts of this gig, in my opinion. Worse though is our own lack of knowledge, especially at the beginning. If we don’t understand how something works, how can we know it’s wrong in the first place? But it’s gotten any number of people into trouble and they never had a clue.

Easy stuff are grammar and spelling (easy as in knowing we need it, not necessarily in the doing of it. Just saying! ). Most people know these things are somehow involved in the process. But there is so much MORE that is a part of writing. Some tangible, some intangible. All of it making for hard work.

What am I talking about? Here’s a list: (This list is not comprehensive by any means – so feel free to add some in the comments!)

1) Flow – What this is (and it may have a better technical term out there), is the ease, or flow of words as written on the page. When read out loud do the sentences move smoothly or do they sound choppy or make you feel like you’ve tripped over something? This one took me a long time to realize. When I did, it was an epiphany! I equate this to music, how the notes flows and merge into a cohesive whole.

2) Hook – a sentence or paragraph (which can be a little longer for novels – though that’s changing too!) to grab the reader by the throat and make them read. Some say to start in the middle of action for your hook but this can be a pitfall if you push the beginning of the story too far in.

3) Speech Tags – the proper ways to set up dialogue and the tags that go with them. ‘Said’ is the auto default; most others are frowned upon. But even ‘said’ can be used too much (I know some say ‘said’ is invisible to readers, but I disagree with that. Bugs the heck out of me when I see it too often). There are other ways to let the reader know who is talking – by movements, expressions, and action.

4) Who? – a lot of beginners clump actions or speech together without letting the reader know who is actually doing these things or mix several people in the same paragraph. On the same vein though, you can tell us who too often, which will also disrupt the flow. ‘He’ and ‘she’ are great ways to not use the characters’ names too much, but if used too liberally (especially when more than two people are involved) can be just as confusing to the reader. So you have to have balance. See how this is work? lol.

5) Talking Heads – Dialogue followed by more dialogue and even more dialogue. Action will break these up and not necessarily action as in fighting. Hand gestures, facial expressions, feelings, all these can break apart chunks of dialogue into easier, more digestible bits. It will also help with not making too many speech tags and even give insights into the characters’ habits and quirks.

6) Location (of people and things) – If Mary is at the front door, but she’s suddenly seeing something that’s happening in the bathroom that’s in the back of the house, this is a problem with location. Or reaching for a cup in the cupboard when you’re in the living room. (Yes, these are exaggerated examples, but you get what I mean.) Kate slapping Mary though earlier it was mentioned that John was between Mary and Kate. If you’re in a small wooden ship’s cabin, five or six people and their luggage and pets won’t all actually fit in and be able to move around comfortably in there. Ways around this are to make a map in your mind or even on paper. See where people are and where things are in relation to them to get the actions to make sense. But don’t fall into the trap of explaining every little movement or placement either. Authors must often walk a fine line between too much and too little!

7) Info Dump – Giant blocks of information all dumped at once on the reader. Whether the information is needed or not isn’t normally the trouble. The problem stems on how it’s dumped out in giant buckets disrupting flow and pacing. Info should be seeded in small doses. Broken up by other things so it is integrated with the whole without seemingly being there. Dialogue can help here too, but beware of ‘As You Know, Bob’ syndrome, where you regurgitate info for the reader in a conversation when it is actually something already known to the other party and would never actually need to be said – not good.

8) Beginning/Middle/End – The most basic of rules for a story or novel, yet you’d be surprised how many miss the mark on this one. One main road for the story. In novels you can have some side roads tie to the whole, but the final structure must still have the three stages to make sense.

9) Conflict – Conflict is tenuous and can take many forms, but it is an integral part of any tale. Without conflict (internal, external, or both) there’s no room for the characters to grow or change. There must be stakes, things which can be lost or goals that won’t be achieved if conflict is not overcome.

10) Theme – This one is hard to explain. It’s like a uniting thread or melody within the novel or story. A message behind the words. Sometimes we know what we want it to be before we ever start the work, at others we discover it during the writing itself then make sure to weave it throughout. Themes can give extra depth to the work, even a unique flavor. Not good to force it, but good to have.

Hopefully this illustrates what I am talking about. Never underestimate the work that goes into writing! lol. This stuff is hard! (One of the main reasons I am a BIG backer of beta readers, critique groups, edits, and editors!)

Any other bits on what makes writing hard that you’ve come across or wondered about? Do you think I’m full of it? What mistakes do you see being made out there? Would love to hear your thoughts.

How on earth does that have anything to do with writing or publishing? It does, I promise!

For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamed about being one of the “big” writers. Sought after by the major publishing houses, so awesomely famous that people would pick up my books just because I wrote them. Dreaming big is a good thing. It’s what makes us writers!

Unfortunately, it can lead to disappointment. Getting signed on to write your traditional paperback (or hardback) book has never been an easy sort of thing. It gets harder and harder as time goes on, because let’s be honest. Your big name traditional publishers are in the business to make money. Should this discourage us as writers? Absolutely not!

So now it’s time to start redefining a win, which in this case means changing expectations attached to becoming a published author.

Thanks to the rapid advancement of technology, we now have the ability to carry around hundreds of books on very small reading devices. Sure, it may be harder to get signed on at Random House or TOR, but this astounding leap in technology has really opened doors for writers. Not only do writers have the option of getting in with growing publishers, like Loconeal, they have a variety of other ways to get their work out to the readers. The ability to self-publish electronically is also a huge breakthrough. The ultimate goal is to publish your work, whether it’s a physical or a digital book. Once you’ve succeeded in getting that first work out there, the next success is that much easier to achieve.

Are you any less a published author if you publish through a smaller house? Not at all. You published! A book no less! That’s a serious accomplishment. Sure, you may not be on the same label as Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, but you are every bit as published an author. The biggest difference is, you do a good deal of your own marketing.

That part can be intimidating. Where would you even start? Answer: Start small.

A blog is a great way to give fans a place to get to know you. Share your thoughts on the writing process, creating your world and characters, or the best way to make a smoothie and do the laundry while trying to get through writer’s block. It doesn’t have to be literature, it just has to be YOU. Readers want to connect to more than just the characters.

Writing contests are another way to get your name out into the literary world as an author. I never realized how many there were until the other day, which got me thinking about what it really means to be a published writer and how to get there. Writer’s Digest publishes a list of contests with upcoming deadlines. Google is also great for finding a contests that fits you.

Another fantastic way to connect with fans and create interest is conventions. There are tons for every imaginable subject. These allow you to connect with current and potential readers in person, not to mention other writers.

How do you build your brand as a writer? Have you published a novel or a hundred novels and have tips or stories to share about how you got there? If you’d like to share in a guest blog for us, please email me: christie@loconeal.com.

In the ruins of a distant castle, a light comes on  signaling the end of everything…

Kabyl, son of the famed Captain Davage, discovers the world around him is not as it seems. His beloved is a haunted woman full of secrets. She looks over shoulder at things that are not there and dread’s the dark. What is she so afraid of?

The Dead hold hands, they say, and lend the living their power. Will they hold hands for Lord Kabyl as he ventures into the unknown?

The Temple of the Exploding Head Saga continues… 

Lord Kabyl of Blanchefort, his cousins Sarah and Phillip and their friend Lord Lon of Probert quest to recover the three pieces of a fabled machine lost for centuries: The Oberphilliax. 

Their quest will take them beyond the safety of the League to the Xaphan city of Waam where an ancient Black Hat and her vile army of Spectre henchmen await their arrival with great anticipation.

A God In His Temple Is Invincible.

An outlaw and evil spirit, the Horned God confronts the gods themselves. From his Temple deep in the ground he is finally ready to act. A new Age of Blood could be in the offing.

Lord Kabyl of Blanchefort returns to his home with the pieces of The Machine in hand. He expects his love, Lady Sammidoran, will return to begin their life together as man and woman at last. However, the Horned God has other ideas and he pursues Lady Sammidoran without pause. As Lord Kabyl seeks to save his love from an insane god, all roads lead to the dreaded TEMPLE OF THE EXPLODING HEAD, where none emerge alive.

Elsewhere, Captain Davage and his Countess, Sygillis, find themselves lost deep in enemy territory where the Horned God’s horrific servants hold sway. Even if the Captain and Countess manage to return home to Kana in one piece, what will they find when they arrive?

The Temple of the Exploding Head saga concludes in this action-filled adventure of love and loss. In a place where even the gods fear to tread, how can naught but a tragedy be the outcome?

The only thing Arella finds appealing about Tory is the handsome, dark-haired Declan McQuilan. But Cannon Fidelous, a mysterious outcast, warns her that the island and its inhabitants are hiding a dark secret. And when Arella finds an ancient book of prophecies, she discovers the island’s curse—a curse that only she can undo.

About the author:
Regina M. Geither grew up telling stories of talking animals, cursed treasure, and mystical lands.  She has been an avid reader and writer for as long as she can remember. Regina believes her skill for storytelling is a family trait passed down from her grandfather who continues to inspire his grandchildren with stories of the Great Depression, World War II, and Big Foot. Regina attributes her family’s love of storytelling to the touch of Celtic blood swimming in their gene pool.  Though only a wee bit Irish, Regina proudly acknowledges the Celtic branch of her family tree.

Regina is a proud member of Skyline, a local group supporting Cleveland area writers.  Her first young adult fantasy novel, Island of Tory, is now available through the publisher, Loconeal Publishing, Amazon, and select bookstores. Regina is currently working on a sequel to Island of Tory, titled, Cursing Stone.

1) Preserve the integrity of the brushstrokes
2) Be authoritative with the decision
3) Use enough paint.

As a painter, that makes a lot of sense to me, but I also play music and write. Artists need to create. It’s like the need to eat. What is equally strange, though, is that it hardly matters which form the art takes. We can feel just as fulfilled painting, writing, dancing, acting or playing music.

The natural extension is that quality in one art should apply to different art. So, how might these three concepts of watercolor painting apply to writing?

1) Preserve the integrity of the brushstrokes

I’m inspired to correlate the first idea to essay writing. As well, the Chicago Book of Style comes to mind. I know some writers who are journalists, and they sometimes have a rigid slant on writing. One rule in particular comes to mind: Avoid alliteration (Really?). Another might be, never repeat yourself (Always?).

Just the other day a journalist told me she’d not have my character say that another one was pretty because, “Everyone has a different idea regarding pretty and you used the word two paragraphs up.” Good point.

I replied, “But this is how this POV thinks. She wouldn’t think to micromanage how the girl in question looks at that particular moment. She’d just say, pretty. That’s her head, and that’s where we’re at in that part of the story.”

Essay writers need things orderly, all the details smoothed out and in their place, conforming to some set of rules, most of which are often correct. The King’s English and the Chicago Book of Style predominate. Art is different. With art, you are on a more human level. You have to understand the Chicago Book of Style and live by it most of the time, but once in a while you don’t get out the brush and blend to make that shadow look perfect. Once in a while you leave the imperfection, so we know that we are really here, in someone’s human space.

2) Be authoritative and bold with your decision

I like this idea the most. While writing Satan’s Daughter Walks to Portugal (my current project), I lamented how I might actually get this crazy girl to walk to Portugal. It occurred to me that maybe she could walk on a boat (too much of a cop-out). After landing her car in the Atlantic, I imagined writing her walking the bottom of the ocean, all the way there (too much of a stretch of believability, even for a farce). I told all my friends that I was never going to figure it out.

I sought something bolder. And, once I found it, I dove to it. They snuck into the space center, put on some spare spacesuits, shoved three astronauts into a closet, and since nobody could see past their faceplates, ended up in outer space. Ruth took a spacewalk while looking for her waylaid angel boyfriend (perfect).

To me, this is a law. Always seek the unusual, and give your readers something special. It should pain you when you are predictable. While being unpredictable make utter sense. That’s the dichotomy that makes anything worth reading. You want your readers to be subconsciously thinking, “Oh my God! But wait, that makes sense. How whack!”

Be dynamic. When I took sculpture class at CCAD, I sucked. It was my worst class. But, one thing I learned was to be dynamic. The imperfect departure from the plain sphere or the plain white canvas has to move people to the point where they at least think the cost of the materials was worth it.

3) Use enough paint.

This relates to the notion of being direct and dynamic, but I think I’d rather illustrate my thoughts on it with some text from a short story I wrote for “Loconeal” last week:

“I’m letting my toenails dry,” I said. Stupid, stupid, stupid; it will only encourage her.

“I do that at home. You know, a place with walls and a roof, not aluminum and likely to blow away, along with the outhouse, in a tornado.”

“If there was someone else here, would you be talking to me?”

“No.”

Imagine, for a moment, each line of this dialogue as paint. Are any of the lines transparent washes, or has it been applied in thick layers that present unavoidable attitude, points of view, directness, detail and color?

While this example is pretty dramatic, I know enough about art to appreciate white on off-white, if it can be pulled off nice and thick. Subtlety can also be very dramatic when applied with a deft hand. Drama is not always about a hammer, but like art, we know it when we see it.

What I detest is wishy-washy, plain, drab writing. The fact is these two girls don’t really like each other. They might have beat around the bush. They might have said their peace in four times the number of lines. Someone might have even mumbled hello. Or, avoiding item two above, they might have found more conventional ways of saying they disliked each other.

If you really want to do art, though, it’s often a good idea to get the big tube out, squeeze half of it onto the pallet, and get busy being direct.

Island of Tory, will be available in just a few more short weeks. Should you happen to be a teacher, this YA novel also includes literary circle questions and activity ideas included in the back of the book. Stay tuned for more information on the author and availability.

In County Club Wives, Sandra Gurvis draws us into an intensely competitive world where the “uniquely American syndrome, Jonesus Keepupwithus” reigns supreme. In this environment, designer duds, the right zip code and a perfect-seeming marriage are sought after with passion. And, yes. There’s also the country club membership.

Gurvis’s characters, from the country club wives to their spouses and families, grabbed my attention and I rooted for Tish, the main character, as she deals with devastating personal struggles. Through her challenges, she discovers what really matters in life. I highly recommend this book for hours of pleasurable reading!

~Kelly Boyer Sagert, author of 11 books, including the 2012 release of a two-volume set, Icons of Women’s Sport (ABC Clio).

“…a fascinating collection of interviews that Korman conducted with show business icons as an entertainment writer for various Northeast Ohio publications between 1978 and 2008…”

“Korman’s book gives us a fascinating glimpse–a snapshot–into the lives of entertainment legends…”

“Korman’s breezy writing style makes the book a pleasure to read, and Korman packs it full of interesting facts, photos, and revealing anecdotes about each celebrity.”

“Korman kept…“time capsule” files on each celebrity he interviewed over the years–quite an extensive collection.”