Writing real dialogue for real characters

The edits (actually re-writing) I've been doing over the past few days for The Trouble With Demons ties right in with today's blog topic. I'm calling it "Creating real dialogue for real characters" -- but a better title for me would be "Shut up and listen!"

Unrealistic (or more often, uncharacteristic) dialogue is one of the top reasons why I get stuck while writing a book. It means I don't feel comfortable with the scene that I'm writing, and if I'm not comfortable, my characters aren't comfortable. All this discomfort boils down to one thing -- I'm writing the wrong scene for the wrong time, or the scene doesn't belong in the book. Period. And the only thing force-feeding words into my characters' mouths is going to get me is more bogged down.

But what if you know it's the right scene at the right time, and the words still aren't flowing? When I'm in "the zone" it's like I'm eavesdropping on my characters and typing what they're saying as fast as I can. It's like the "runner's high" for writers. It's those brief flashes of magic that get us through the boggy swamp parts (and believe me, there's plenty of those). To get into the zone, I have to do two things -- shut up and listen. I'm a bit of a control freak and that control seeps onto the page/screen. It sounds like such a simple thing, but it ain't easy to do. Writers on a deadline want to control the direction the book takes, the pace at which it is written, and the schedule we want it to stick to. I'm editing my third book and about to start writing my fourth, and it's just now starting to sink through my thick skull that I really don't have much control over these things, and I never will. A book is a creative work, and creativity refuses to punch a time clock.

The solution for me to getting the words flowing is to sit quietly (and not to freak out because I'm wasting precious writing minutes), and put your characters into the scene. I've been with my characters a long time and I know them well. I ask myself, "Okay, this is the situation Raine is in. She knows how she feels about it and ain't shy about telling everyone precisely what she thinks. Listen and write it down (knowing that I can edit out any excessive four-letter words later). ; )

And you will find that in getting to know and truly listening to your characters is that none of them express themselves in the same way, be it physical mannerisms or speech. For example, Raine is straightforward and doesn't mince words; she uses short sentences to get her message across to others. Sarad Nukpana is formal, uses longer words, longer sentences, and more elegant turns of phrase.

The key to writing real dialogue is to get to know your characters just as well as you know "real" people. You know what your wife/husband/significant other/best friend would say or do in any given situation -- because you know them that well. Apply the same principles to your characters and the magic will happen.

Coming up tomorrow: Writing & critique groups. Coming up next week: Music I listen to while writing, how I plot a book, analysis of my query letter for MLTF, and book writing is hard work. Who knew? ; )

And coming up on Saturday: Instead of the Saturday Fun Pic, I'll have the Saturday Fun Read. Quite some time ago, I posted part of Chapter 1 of The Trouble With Demons. Since I've done some editing/tweaking to it, and since there are a lot of new readers to my blog, I'm going to post the revised version.

Lisa

Write for yourself, not the market

I meant to tout this book yesterday (its debut day), but I forgot (bad author, bad). Linnea Sinclair's (my mentor and author gal pal) sequel to the RITA-award winning Gabriel's Ghost (I LOVED this book!) is Shades of Dark, and it hit bookstore shelves yesterday. I'll be grabbing a copy as soon as I can get myself to the bookstore. Since it's a sequel, you should really read Gabriel's Ghost first.

Fabulous romantic sci-fi author and wonderful friend Stacey Klemstein referenced an article in her blog yesterday on Danielle Steel. For those of us who are published, it's comforting to know that we all have the same doubts, fears and insecurities. It's definitely worth reading. Here's the article on CNN.com. There's one quote in particular that both Stacey and I now have printed and taped where we can see it:

"I still never finish a book without being terrified I can't write another one. I never start one without being terrified I can't finish it," she says. "It's sort of a torturous process."

Amen, sister. But we all keep going anyway. ; )

Now, for today's blog topic: Write for yourself, not the market. If you're like me, it can take years to get published. During that time, it's important to write what you love, or in my case, what I wanted to read but couldn't find. If you write a Young Adult vampire novel because they're blazing hot sellers right now, but you don't really like YA vampire novels, it will show in your pages. Not to mention, by the time your book hits the shelves, YA vampire novels probably won't be so hot anymore (or maybe they'll be so hot that it's nuclear). The point is, the market changes quickly, like blink of an eye quick. So to stay sane and happy, write for your passion, not for market popularity.

That love for what you're writing, the fun, the passion, the "I can't wait to get back and visit with my characters" will all have to be strong enough to keep you going day after day, week after week, month after month -- you get the picture. And when your book is in your local Barnes & Noble, your readers will sense the passion that you had while writing it.

Your passion has to be strong enough that you want to write every day -- that you have to write every day. The difference between a writer and someone who likes to talk about being a writer is that you're compelled to write, they're compelled to talk. Your day isn't complete unless you write. It's like an obsession. Writing isn't something you do; a writer is what you are. And published or unpublished, nothing will change that.

If Magic Lost, Trouble Found hadn't been published, I'd still be writing Raine stories for myself -- or that Urban Fantasy that's clawing for my attention. ; ) I wouldn't have stopped trying to get published, but not getting that contract wouldn't have stopped me from writing.

Coming up this week and next: Write real dialogue for real characters, writing & critique groups, music I listen to while writing, and how I plot a book.

And coming up on Saturday: Instead of the Saturday Fun Pic, I'll have the Saturday Fun Read. Quite some time ago, I posted part of Chapter 1 of The Trouble With Demons. Since I've done some editing/tweaking to it, and since there are a lot of new readers to my blog, I'm going to post the revised version.

Lisa

Writer's block or writer's best friend?

FYI -- My new photos are up. If you want to take a look, check out the following pages: Home, Events, Meet Lisa, and Contact.

Now we rejoin our regularly scheduled blog already in progress . . . Writer's block can actually be a writer's best friend. I know some of you are probably thinking, "Huh?" Others are thinking I must be a glutton for punishment. (Yep, sometimes I think I am; but that's another blog.)

Any writer can tell you that writer's block is not fun. Actually it's about as far from fun as it gets. But for me writer's block doesn't mean I've run out of ideas, it means I've run down the wrong road. Writer's block is my muse's way of telling me, "The bridge is out. Go back, stupid!"

Forced plotting and putting words into your characters mouths is (at least for me) the surest way to contract a nasty case of writer's block. Listen to your characters. If what's coming out of their mouths sounds forced or out of character -- watch out, you're about to step into a whole mess of trouble.

Bugs Bunny knew what he was talking about when he said, "I knew I should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque."

When I get writer's block, that means I didn't take that left turn. It means I didn't see the signs; or if I did, I ignored them. It means I didn't listen to my characters. But most of all (and worst of all) it means my muse isn't going to let me go one word further until I find out where and how I took that wrong turn (aka screwed up), and go back and fix it.

So sit back, be quiet, and listen to your characters. Most times they know the story better than you do.

Coming up this week and next: Write for yourself not the market, real dialogue for real characters, writing & critique groups, music I listen to while writing, and how I plot a book.

And coming up on Saturday: Instead of the Saturday Fun Pic, I'll have the Saturday Fun Read. Quite some time ago, I posted part of Chapter 1 of The Trouble With Demons. Since I've done some editing/tweaking to it, and since there are a lot of new readers to my blog, I'm going to post the revised version.

Lisa

How to help your favorite authors

***Sorry my new website pics didn't get posted this weekend. Webmaster Todd and Designer Elyse are the parents of of a 1-year-old little boy -- so life tends to get in the way. ; ) The five new pics should be posted tonight. (Just like me, Todd has a day job, too.) When they're up on the site, check out the banner at the top of the home page, the Meet Lisa page, the Events page, and the Contact page -- and let me know what you think. ; )

I posted the following article a long time ago, and feel that it warrants repeating. I read it on the website of Diana Pharaoh Francis (fabulous fantasy author), and thought it was so vitally important, that I asked if I could post it here. A lot of people think that just because you get published that you'll be popular enough to keep your books on the shelves and keep getting book contracts. Wrong. We need help. Your help.

The link to Di's site is in the list to the right. Here's her article:

What can you do to keep your favorite authors writing and their books on the shelves?

Recently I spent time with a writer friend who has written some fabulous science fiction. She has a contract for two more books, but plans to switch genres after those two because her books aren't selling as she'd hoped. This isn't because they aren't good (I've read them, they are). And this same writer has won a very prestigious writing award for her work. So what's the problem, and what can readers do to help keep their favorite authors' books coming?

The fact is that new book sales are what drives book contracts. If the numbers in the computers don't say that the author will sell well, then that's it. It's over. Change your name and start again. (Please don't think I exaggerate on that. I really don't. There are a number of authors I know of who have changed their names for low early sales--Kate Elliot and Robin Hobb to name two). Now it is up to the author to write good stuff. But suppose she does, suppose you like her stuff. There is something you can do to help.

Buy books new as often as you can. I know how much cheaper used can be, but authors get absolutely no money for their books when they are sold used. With the recent proliferation of used books being sold on Amazon, for instance, book sales have plumetted for authors. Those authors on the edge of a contract may cease to write, or they may be dropped from their publisher.

And you know how Amazon lists used books? That's a really troubling thing since most people will opt for the used books rather than the new, and it's right there on Amazon. Plus independent book stores are some of the best supporters for genre writers out there. Shop one of those first if you can.

Tell your friends.

Spread the word to anyone who will listen. Got a website? Post a review on lists, blogs, newsgroups, newsletters, etc.

Belong to a book group? Recommend the book for the month.

Email the author and tell her what you think. Moral support counts too. I know that it's been one of my greatest encouragements.

Ask for the books in your bookstore. In every bookstore you go into. Don't let books disappear off shelves. And take your friends in to buy them. And when you see strangers browsing the shelves, recommend authors. That's also tremendously helpful for people who are looking for something, but don't quite know which book to choose. A personal recommendation means they don't spend money on books they won't like.

When you're in the bookstore, face the book on the shelf so that the entire cover shows. Certainly the employees will come by later and face them in again, but for awhile, that cover was exposed to who knows how many interested eyes. But be careful not to cover other people's books.

Buy books as gifts at Christmas and birthdays and graduations and just-because.

Link the writer's page to yours.

Go to book signings when they are announced. Trust me, not that many people go and writers really, REALLY love to meet fans.

Over the years, I've seen some of my favorite books go away, series dry up, because the publishers didn't feel there was enough interest. If you want to see your favorite authors survive and keep writing, help her out. Spread the word.

Coming up this week and next: Writer's block, write for yourself not the market, real dialogue for real characters, writing & critique groups, music I listen to while writing, and how I plot a book.

And coming up on Saturday: Instead of the Saturday Fun Pic, I'll have the Saturday Fun Read. Quite some time ago, I posted part of Chapter 1 of The Trouble With Demons. Since I've done some editing/tweaking to it, and since there are a lot of new readers to my blog, I'm going to post the revised version.

Lisa

New photos up on my site this weekend (hopefully)

My new headshots are back from the photographer, and Webmaster Todd will be posting them this weekend -- at least that's the plan. Life can sometimes get in the way of the best intentions. ; ) I chose five photos, and Todd will be posting all five. One will be on the banner that's at the top of each page, one will be on the Events page, two will be on the Meet Lisa page, and one will be on the Contact page. So when they're posted, cruise around the site, check 'em out, and let me know what you think.

Update on The Trouble With Demons: I finished Chapter 11 last night, and will do Chapter 12 this weekend. I essentially re-wrote Chapter 11, and I'll be doing the same to Chapter 12 --and the book will be better because of it (and steamier). ; ) Once I finish 12 (and I'm determined to have it finished by Sunday night), the rest of the book only needs minor touches compared to what I've done to the past few chapters. I have approximately five weeks before the book is due back to my editor (end of August). My goal is to have done all of the major work to the book in the next 2-3 weeks, leaving at least two weeks to go back through it, checking for consistency and continuity, and to make sure that hints are dropped where clues need to be given. And as soon as I turn in TTWD, I have to immediately start writing Bewitched & Betrayed (B&B). I wanted to be started by August 1, to give me nine months to write it (deadline of May 1), but with the TTWD edits, I'll be losing a month, so that will leave me with only eight months to write B&B. Whew! But as I promised myself (and Derek), I'm going to write this next book and have a life at the same time. LOL. Wish me luck on that one. ; )

Coming up next week: Writer's block, 1st person vs 3rd person, writing & critique groups, music I listen to while writing, and how I plot a book.

Have a great weekend!
Lisa

Writing discipline (or putting butt in chair and getting it done)

Discipline is probably the biggest problem for aspiring authors (and published ones, too). Just because I have books sitting on bookstore shelves doesn't mean I'm not prone to procrastinate the heck out of my writing time while sitting at my computer. I do it on a daily basis; however, I also write on a daily basis.

There's "writing business" stuff that has to be attended to like answering emails, writing my blog, and posting over on Raine's Rangers. But being in the vicinity of a computer also tempts me to read my friends' blogs, check out the news (aka: who did what to whom today), surf my favorite sites, and check my Amazon rankings (hangs head in shame). These things aren't bad, in fact they're necessary (with the exception of the Amazon rankings). But like all things, moderation is key. I set aside half an hour at the most in the morning and again in the evening to take care of business, and then I tell myself that it's time to get down to business -- writing.

I no longer have a problem with putting my butt in my chair in front of my laptop and writing until the work gets done.

But I used to.

I've been writing since I was about six, but it was only in my college days that I decided I wanted to be a published author. Back then I'd write only when I felt like it or when I felt inspired. I thought this would be enough. Well, it wasn't. I wasn't getting anywhere, but more importantly, I wasn't becoming a better writer.

Then I read in one of the many writing books that were crowding my bookshelves, that if you wanted to get better, you had to write more often, like every day. You had to write regardless of how crappy you felt, regardless of your mood, regardless of your workload. The authors of those books (who also happened to be the authors of many other books) said there was always time to squeeze in a few minutes.

They were right.

I have a full-time job, so carving out time to write wasn't (and still isn't) easy, but I really wanted to be published, so I found the time. I started writing on a more regular schedule, and I could see the improvement. And when I saw the improvement, I wanted to write more. With that came confidence and a determination to reach my goal.

I'd still be writing even if I wasn't published, because writing isn't just what I do -- writing is who I am. It's like an addiction, you can't stop, and you don't want to. When I'm not writing, I'm thinking about writing. When I'm writing, I'm happy. When I'm between projects, I can get a little cranky. Just ask my fabulous (and patient and supportive) husband.

So writing dicipline isn't something you have, it's something you have to grow. It all boils down to one question -- how badly do you want it?

Coming up tomorrow (possibly) for the Saturday Fun Pic: My new headshots are back from the photographer, and Webmaster Todd will be posting them this weekend, possibly tonight. I chose five photos, and Todd will be posting all five. One will be on the banner that's at the top of each page, one will be on the Events page, two will be on the Meet Lisa page, and one will be on the Contact page. So when they're posted, cruise around the site, check 'em out, and let me know what you think. ; ) I'll also post an update tomorrow of how the edits are going for The Trouble With Demons.

Coming up next week: Writer's block, 1st person vs 3rd person, writing & critique groups, music I listen to while writing, and how I plot a book.

Happy Friday, everybody!
Lisa

2009 Romantic Times Booklovers Convention

This is me just before they opened the doors to the Giant Book Fair at last year's RT Con -- 350 authors and 3,000-5,000 fans.

I'll be speaking on a panel and signing at the book fair at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention at the Wyndham Orlando Resort in Orlando, FL, April 22-26, 2009.

Yeah, I know it seems a little early to talk about convention appearances for next year, but in case some of you are interested in going, it's not too early to put it on your calendar. Rooms in the convention hotel get snapped up quickly. Here's a link to the convention's "pre-website" where you can sign up to get notified via email when convention registration opens.

I consider myself to be a fantasy author, but since my book has what the industry calls "romantic elements," I've been enthusiastically embraced by romance fans. Thank you!! Last year was my first time at the RT Con, and I had an absolute blast -- and as an added bonus, I got to speak to Fabio in a hotel hallway (apparently we were staying on the same floor). FYI -- I'd never been a Fabio fan before then, but for the record, he's very tall and extremely yum. And heck, blonds aren't even my type. ; )

Once again, Linnea Sinclair (romantic sci-fi author extraordinaire, mentor, and author gal pal) has invited me to speak on her panel STARSHIPS & SORCERY. It'll run for 2 hours, and here's the session description:

Explore the best of both universes with today's top science fiction and fantasy romance authors. Learn how these bestselling authors build their worlds and craft their characters in the most imaginative of genres. What are the five worst mistakes a science fiction or fantasy author can make? What were these top authors' scariest moments in writing? And why are men now flocking to read science fiction romance? Have questions about these authors' books or characters? Bring 'em! Don't miss this out-of-this world panel, and, oh yes, there will be a door-prize drawing. MODERATOR: Linnea Sinclair PANELISTS: P.C. Cast, Stacey Klemstein, Cindy Holby/Colby Hodge, Lisa Shearin, Robin D. Owens, Ann Aguirre, Eve Silver/Eve Kenin, Karen Miller, Michele Lang. More authors to be announced.

Upcoming topics through next week: Writing discipline, writer's block, 1st person vs 3rd person, writing & critique groups, music I listen to while writing, and how I plot a book.

Lisa

Book promotion & advertising

Back when I was a brand-new, under contract, and about to be published author. . .I had visions of bookstores with promotional posters of my book covers, plenty of local press coverage, splashy ads in glossy industry magazines, etc. If you're working on your own books, I'm sure you entertain yourself with the same visions.

Okay, prepare for a wee bit of cold, hard reality. Unless you're a celebrity author or have been anointed as the next JK Rowling, the vast majority of your advertising and promotion is up to you. Your publisher will send out Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) of your book to reviewers, industry pubs, bookbuyers, etc. to drum up reviews and orders. (BTW -- ARCs are the typeset and bound copies of your book before the final corrections are made. They're generally larger than the actual paperback version of your book, because the pages aren't trimmed down to size yet. The covers are generally white and have the text your cover will have, but without the art.)

I've always imagined framed posters of my book covers in my office (and you probably imagine the same). Well, you'll have to have them made yourself. I was fortunate to have a friend who is a professional photographer. Jimmy told me what kind of file he needed of my covers (I believe it was a really high-res TIFF). I asked my editor for that, who relayed my request to the art department. Jimmy did his magic, and sent the file to a vendor he uses to output large prints, et volia -- I have framed posters of my covers on my walls. Point is, chances are you're gonna have to do this (and pay for it) for yourself.

Local press coverage. After working for about 20 years to attain my dream of publication, I thought I'd have local press all over me. Wrong. For the past two years, my publicist at Ace Books has done a splendid job of getting the word out to all of my local newspapers and magazines. We've had a few nibbles, but no takers. My area is literally swarming with authors, quite a few of them famous. The news that there's another author in town has apparently been met with yawns. We'll keep trying , but quite frankly, local press might get you a few more book sales, but mainly its an ego/affirmation thing. To see yourself and your book in your local media gives you that little thrill that you've "arrived." If you can get local press coverage in your area, bravo! : )

Advertising. Ads in industry publications are expensive, and guess what? The cost comes out of your pocket. My publisher's art department will design my ads for me for free, and I took them up on it once. But since I work in an advertising agency, I just asked our senior designer (also a fantasy/sci-fi fan) to do mine. After doing a little research, I determined that advertising in Realms of Fantasy magazine would give me my biggest bang for the buck. If you're going to run ads, do your research, identify your target market, and determine which publication will reach the most of that market. I generally go with the issue before my books come out and the issue after. It works for me.

The Internet. It's just about the best way to get the word out about your books, and it's free. (except for your Internet provider bill every month, which by the way is tax deductible).
I love the Internet! I can't imagine trying to reach out to my fans without it. The Internet lets you talk to anyone, virtually anywhere. What did authors do before websites, blogs, forums, review sites, chats, etc.? I get to talk to fans from all over the world, which is just too cool! Word of mouth from fans online is hands down the best way to spread the word. So if you loved MLTF and A&M, tell your friends, your family, your everybody!

Conferences and conventions. They can be pricey to attend (registration, travel, hotel, etc. -- all tax deductible), but the networking with industry people (fellow authors, editors, agents, reviewers, etc.) is priceless. I'll be at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Orlando April 22-29. My mentor/author fairy godsister Linnea Sinclair (I don't know what I'd have done without her) has again graciously asked me to be on her SciFi/Fantasy panel. Thank you, Linnea! So if any of you are planning to be there, please look me up; I'd love to meet you!

Coming up tomorrow: I have the information on the panel session I'll be doing at the Romantic Times Convention at the Wyndham Orlando Resort in (of course) Orlando, FL. The title of our session is "Starships and Sorcery." Tomorrow I'll give you details and tell you which authors will be on the panel.

Upcoming topics through next week: Writing discipline, writer's block, 1st person vs 3rd person, writing & critique groups, music I listen to while writing, and how I plot a book.

Lisa

Update on The Trouble With Demons

Tomorrow, I'll continue my series on "Things I didn't know until I got published." Today, it's a quick update on how the edits are going on The Trouble With Demons. I say "quick" because thanks to the generosity of the advertising agency where I work, I don't have to be in the office until 10:30 (I'm usually there at 7:30). They let me use my vacation time in snippets when I'm under the gun to get a lot of writing done. Yes, this place is workplace Shangra-La. : )

I'm in the toughest part of the edits now. It's going great, but hot & steamy scenes ain't easy to write -- at least they ain't easy for me. Got a demon running amok in police headquarters? No problem. The words flow like water. Get a hot & steamy chapter just right? Jeez, brain cells die by the thousands. ; )

You guys are gonna love this book when it hits the shelves. And it's like you all are standing over my shoulder while I'm writing -- yes, my office is a triffle crowded. I know what you want; and I'm doing my best to deliver. ; ) Tomorrow I'll talk about advertising for your book, but for now, the clock's ticking and I've got to get back to the writing.

Coming up this week: I'll continue my series on "Things I didn't know until I got published " with advertising and book promo that you have to do for yourself, and more.

Lisa

Amazon rankings -- The good, the bad, and the meaningless

One of the first things newly published authors do is go "gaga" (aka "crazy, nuts, obsessive") over their Amazon rankings. The rankings change hourly, which makes it even more tantalizing to just go take a quick peek. And for the truly ranking-crazed, Amazon has sites for the U.S., UK, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, and China -- giving an already procrastinating author limitless opportunities to waste their precious writing time checking their ranks in seven countries. This can quickly deteroriate into a ratings-checking addiction. I've heard checking Amazon rankings called "crack for authors." It's true.

What it boils down to is that Amazon rankings are like an auto accident -- you know you should keep moving, and don't slow down to look, but you do it anyway. Basically, Amazon rankings don't mean diddly-squat to your sales, it's merely a ranking of how your book sells versus other books, not how many books you've sold -- which is the number that your publisher cares about.

One of the best explanations of what Amazon's rankings mean (and more importantly, what they don't mean) comes from the venerable (and much missed) Miss Snark. As always, she's priceless. ; )

Coming up this week: I'll continue my series on "Things I didn't know until I got published " with advertising and book promo that you have to do for yourself, and more. I'll also give you an update on how the edits for The Trouble With Demons are going.

Lisa

Fun stuff and fabulous news!

Does Felicia look like Raine, or what? ; )

Actress Felicia Day (who is a big fan of my books -- how cool is that?) stars with Neil Patrick Harris of How I Met Your Mother, and Nathan Fillion of Desperate Housewives in Joss Whedon's new online megahit project: Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. The first two episodes are up now, and they are hilarious! The third posts today. Watch, enjoy, and pass on the link to your friends and Blog buddies.

Felicia will also be in an episode of House in September. Here's a promo clip for Season 5 (Felicia is a patient, and Hugh Laurie has a meat cleaver. Priceless.)

Now for my cool news: My query letter for Magic Lost, Trouble Found will be featured in the book The Writer's Digest Guide to Queries which will be on bookstore shelves in December! I'm thrilled and honored to be included. As all of you who are writers know, Writer's Digest Books is the place to go for books on virtually any and all writing-related topics. I've accumulated a ton of their books over the years.

And while I was agonizing over my query letter way back when, if someone would have told me that not only would that letter lead to me getting a top agent, and signing with a top publisher, but that the folks at Writer's Digest would want to feature it in a book -- I'd have told them that they were stark-raving loony. It just goes to show that in the writing business, you never know what's gonna happen next. ; )

Have a great weekend!
Lisa

Coming up next week: I'll continue my series on "Things I didn't know until I got published " with Amazon rankings, advertising and book promo that you have to do for yourself, and more.

Buying gifts for your publishing team

As a writer, you write alone -- but you don't get that book to the bookstore shelves by yourself. It takes a team. And when people bust their butts for me, I want to make sure they feel appreciated. In today's post, I'll give you some links to places that have wonderful gifts for the publishing people who matter the most.

My core publishing "team" consists of my agent (Kristin Nelson), her assistant (Sara Megibow), Chutney (the agency wonder dog), my editor at Ace Books (Anne Sowards), her assistant (Cameron Dufty), and my publicist at Ace (Valerie Cortes).

I have favorite websites I use for buying and sending gifts:

• ProFlowers -- www.proflowers.com
  
• See's Candies -- www.sees.com
• Wine Country Gift Baskets -- www.winecountrygiftbaskets.com
  

The quality of all three sites is incredible. ProFlowers runs some wonderful sales. My favorite from ProFlowers is the two dozen assorted color roses. A vase is a little extra. My advice is to get the vase, not everyone keeps a flower vase sitting around the office. And then there's shipping (which varies according to the location). Pop over to their site; they have some wonderful prices, and their flowers are magnificent. And believe me, two dozen perfect roses make one heck of an impression. Last year when Kristin and Anne finished negotiating the deal for The Trouble With Demons and Bewitched & Betrayed, I sent them both roses. They didn't expect it (which made it even more fun) and both of them were completely blown away. ; ) I wanted Kristin to know that as an agent, she walks on water; and I wanted Anne to know how thrilled I was to get to continue to work with her. ProFlowers helped me make my gratitude loud and clear.

For Christmas last year, I went with See's Candies. A coworker of mine who knows her chocolates, raved about them. She was right. Their taste, quality, prices, and selection are much better than a lot of the expensive chocolates you could buy. Of course, I bought a box for me and Derek to do a taste test before giving them as gifts. YUM!! And you can tell that they're incredibly fresh. Anyhoo, last Christmas I did chocolates for my entire publishing team (except Chutney who can't have chocolate). I'll think I'll go with a Christmas dog treat assortment for Kristin's office wonder dog. *Important note about sending Christmas presents if your publisher is in New York: Send your gift to arrive no later than the second week of December. The NY publishing industry essentially shuts down during the holidays. BUT if you send your gift to arrive the first week in December, your gift might be the first one that they get. ; )

And in my post on Monday, July 14, I talked about giving gifts to the bookstore manager or event coordinator who made all the arrangements for your booksigning.

Wine Country Gift Baskets -- I've used them during my time in corporate life, and send them as personal gifts as well. Again, wonderful quality, arrives in pristine condition. And it's much more than just wine. They offer gourmet food baskets, bath & spa baskets, coffee & tea baskets, and "welcome the new baby" baskets.

BTW -- All gifts related to your writing business are tax deductible.

A gift for important occasions makes the people who help your career on a daily basis feel appreciated. I always try to make sure those ladies feel appreciated. And when you're emailing them for one reason or another, include thanks and kudos. You never need a special occasion to say thank you.

Coming up tomorrow: I'll have a special Saturday Fun Pic along with some REALLY COOL AND EXCITING NEWS! Then next week, I'll continue my series on "Things I didn't know until I got published " with Amazon rankings, advertising, your literary legacy (your will), book promo that you have to do for yourself, and more.

Happy Friday!
Lisa

Author burnout -- Know the signs

You usually think of writers burning out after a long career, or at least after they get half a dozen books out -- and then it's not burnout, it's just a slump.

If you really want to be a published author, it goes without saying that you're driven, goal-oriented, and your own worst critic, right? Take a person like that and sign them to a publishing contract. Their dream is achieved, so they can relax, bask in the glow, and enjoy their success, right?

Wrong. (See above for "driven, goal-oriented, and their own worst critic.")

They want each book to be better than the last, they're constantly striving to become a better writer, and if they have a day job (and the vast majority of authors do), they're essentially holding down two full-time jobs. Add to that trying to juggle family, and guess how much time that leaves for some "alone time" -- those precious minutes when you get to read, rest, and recharge. And if you're truly driven (meaning a workaholic), you feel guilty when you're not writing. A deadline is always looming, so your butt needs to be in a chair, your eyeballs on a laptop screen, and your brain in gear and on fire.

Guess what? That's an author setting themselves up for burnout.

And guess what? That's me.

After I turned in The Trouble With Demons, I realized (and admitted) a lot about myself. I'd always known that I was driven and goal-oriented. That and sheer stubbornness is what got me published (and perhaps a wee bit of talent). I was proud that I was that way, and I still am. But I've realized that if I'm going to have a long writing career (which I'm determined to have), I have got to be equally driven, determined, and oriented on the goal of having a life.

Writing isn't everything. There, I've said it. ; )

In the words of Tam Nathrach in MLTF: "You need to make time. Play is important." And in response, Raine actually said: "Play is your business, Tam, not mine." Dang, when they say an author puts themselves into their books, they weren't kidding. And if you want longevity in this business -- play isn't just important, it's critical.

We get so intensely focused on having achieved the dream and working so hard to keep the dream going, that we're blind to the signs that if we keep going down that road at that pace, that dream could turn into a nightmare. It's called burnout. Nothing strikes more terror into the heart of an author than the fear that their creative well might run dry. And it can happen, unless you take steps to prevent it.

I caught myself in time, and knew I had to change. Now. And for a workaholic like me, someone who lives for writing, balancing my life with my work isn't easy, but I'm getting there.

Right now I'm working on the edits for TTWD, and I'm at the most challenging part (meaning ball-busting hard work), and guess what? I'm making the time time to read, relax (a little), go out with friends, and in another two weeks, I'm going to an author friend's book release party. Doing that will cost me an evening of working, but supporting my friend is more important. And next month, one of my favorite mystery authors (Margaret Maron) is having a signing at the B&N where I'll be signing in September. I'm going to her signing. That'll be another evening when I won't be writing. I wouldn't have done any of those things (rest, read, leave the house unless it was on fire) before I saw the writing on the wall and took steps to take my life back.

And for the ultimate in rest & relaxation (BTW -- I always take my laptop on vacation with me), Derek and I are going to a lodge/spa in the mountains for a long romantic weekend. This Sunday (July 20th) we'll be married 17 years, so we're considering the mountain vacation as our anniversary present to ourselves. When we take that trip, I'll be two weeks from my deadline to get the edits of TTWD done and back to my editor -- and guess what? I'm not taking my laptop! (huge, happy, grin)

That weekend is for my husband and myself, and I can't wait! And the work can wait.

Remember that when you sign your name to that publishing contract. Dreams were meant to be savored and enjoyed. You do have to work hard, but sometimes, the work can wait. ; )

Coming up tomorrow: I'll continue the "what I didn't know until I got published" series and talk about buying gifts for your publishing team. Then on Saturday, I'll have the usual Saturday Fun Pic along with some REALLY COOL AND EXCITING NEWS! Then next week, I'll continue my series with Amazon rankings (ignore them), advertising, and more.

Lisa

Tax write-offs for authors

Today's post is all about everyone's favorite time of the year -- springtime. Flowers bloom, birds sing, pollen clogs sinuses, and the IRS comes calling.

Here are a couple of helpful hints to help you as an author keep more of your hard-earned cash.

When you sign your first publishing contract, it's a good idea to set up a meeting with your accountant. And if you don't have one, you might want to consider getting one. Our accountant is also a tax attorney -- he stays on top of all of the new tax laws that could benefit his clients. Mike rocks!

There are all kinds of things that you can write-off on your taxes when you become a published (and paid) author:

• Office equipment and furnishings
• Office supplies
• Phone calls related to your work
  
• The part of your home exclusively devoted to your writing. (Check with your accountant about the possibility of deducting a percentage of your house payment or power bill if you do the majority of your writing from your home office.)
  
• Postage (mailing galleys back to your publisher or mailing out prizes to your fans)
• Research expenses
  
• Hired help to do office work or assist with editing or research (SNORT, like I can afford an assistant. Hmmm, I wonder if this covers hiring a chef so I don't have to cook. Note to self: Ask Mike. Second note to self: Ingore Mike laughing at you because you asked that question.)
  
• Reference books (Woot! B&N here I come!)
• Computer, printer, fax machine.
  
• Software (I finally broke down and bought the latest version of Word. I like it.)
• Magazines or newsletters related to your work. (I use the heck out of this one.)
  
• Advertising (Ads in magazines don't come cheap. I love this deduction.)
• Internet access (Yes, we all surf way too much; but if you email your agent and editor, and conduct writing business online, your monthy Internet bill is deductible.)
• Dues or memberships in writer's organizations (This can get pricey, too. Great deduction.)
• Seminars or training sessions to help you learn something related to your craft. (Conference expenses are deductible.)
• Travel expenses -- including food, lodging, mileage, and parking. (This applies to conferences, speaking engagements, events, book signings, anywhere you travel/drive related to your work.)
• Photography and photo processing (Need a new headshot? It's deductible.)
• Web design, promotional item design, website maintenance, website hosting fees
  
• Any additional artwork and design
• Entertainment related to your work -- everything from taking your editor to lunch, to throwing a party to celebrate your book's completion. This includes gifts for the bookstore manager who coordinates your booksigning, gifts for your publishing team (editor, editorial assistant, agent, agent's assistant, your publicist, etc.)
  
• KEEP RECORDS OF EVERYTHING!! Save every receipt, bill, everything. I use an accordion file folder and I keep it in my safe. (Yep, I'm extra special paranoid about losing important paperwork.)
  

I'm sure there are probably more deductions, but that's what I could come up with. And for you authors out there, if you do know of other deductions, let a sister author know. ; )

Coming up tomorrow: I'll continue the "what I didn't know until I got published" series with the dangers of burnout (yep, it can happen). Then on Friday and into next week, I'll talk about Amazon rankings (ignore them), gifts for your publishing "team", and advertising.

Lisa

Book promotional goodies & where to get them

Before I get started today talking about book promotional goodies, I have a question: Are these blog posts helpful to you? I know there are a lot of you out there, but since ya'll aren't into commenting all that much, I don't have any way of knowing if this series of blogs is helpful or not. So if you like what you're reading, respond to this blog or email me, and let me know. Feedback is great. ; )

Today, I'm talking about promo stuff: postcards, magnets, bookmarks, nifty novelities, etc. Though first, I have to bow down to my "author mentor/mom" SciFi Romance author extraordinaire Linnea Sinclair. She taught me all about where to get good, cheap, and sometimes free book promo stuff. I don't know what I'd have done without her. : )

Tops on my list is VistaPrint. I adore this place! Not only is it unbelievably cheap, a lot of the time it's free! (Unbelieveable, but true.) I get my bookmarks, postcards, and magnets there. Some of you may be gifted with design software and can do the design end of things, but I'm not. Fortunately, I have a friend who's a graphic designer. Linnea does her own designs (she's both a fabulous author and design savvy).

My bookmarks are actually postcards. You can get two bookmarks out of one regular-sized postcard, and four bookmarks out of an oversized postcard. Below are my A&M bookmarks done on an oversized postcard. You can do all kinds of designs, but I went with my cover, book info, and website address on the front, with author/review quotes on the back. After the last quote, I left a little space at the bottom so I could sign them. And for the volume of bookmarks that I have printed, I bought a paper cutter. Believe me, you don't want to cut out hundreds of bookmarks with scissors.


Next are my postcards (the front side with the cover can be made into magnets) . Most times I get the magnets for free with my order. Again, I know it sounds too good to be true, but once you get into VistaPrint, you'll understand how it works. I have no clue how this company manages to turn a profit. Probably on sheer volume.

On the front side of my postcard is the cover, and on the back is the book info. I left the right side of the card blank, this way I can use them as actual postcards for mailings, or to give out to announce a booksigning (I write all the info on the blank side), I also use them as business/calling cards to leave for a bookseller or reviewer with my contact information, or I just sign them and hand them out at booksignings. These things are incredibly multi-purpose.

For non-personalized novelty/toy promo giveaways, La Linnea recommends DollarDays and Oriental Trading.Also recommended is Virginia Toy & Novelty. Items like these are great to take to conferences and conventions to put out on the "goodie tables" or to hand out in seminars or panels that you're speaking on.

Tomorrow I'll talk about tax write-offs for authors. BTW -- Book promo stuff is tax deductible. Then for the rest of the week, I'll continue the "what I didn't know until I got published" series with the dangers of burnout, Amazon rankings (ignore them), gifts for your publishing "team", and advertising.

Lisa

Booksignings a la Lisa -- Part II

Today, I'm finishing my post on doing book signings (Part I was on Friday, just scroll down if you'd like to read it). Today I'll talk about dealing with nerves, choosing a passage from your book to read, having fun with the audience Q&A, and good bookstore manager/event coordinator etiquette. What can I say? I'm a Southern girl; I've been taught to write thank you notes and bring a hostess gift. The event coordinator has invited you into their store for the evening, therefore they're a host/hostess. ; )

You're scheduled for your first book signing -- yea! The first thing to do is take a deep breath and calm down. Chances are you won't forget how to talk, nor will you throw up or pass out. And unlike the dream you had the night before your signing, you won't look down and discover that you're standing at the podium naked. As I'd said in my previous post, I've only done group signings (signings with one or two other authors). I've never done the solo kind where it'd be just me, a stack of my books, and a whole lot of lonely. Not my idea of a good time. I prefer an event with one or two other authors, and my favorite format is reading/Q&A/signing.

The bookstore manager or event coordinator will let you know ahead of time what the format is and how much time you'll have for your reading. Generally you'll have ten minutes to read. Pick a passage to read that will give your audience (and potential new readers) a tantalizing taste of your book. Action sequences are great. I've been told by an author buddy that unless you're Robin Williams, steer clear of trying to read big passages of dialogue. Well, with Armed & Magical, I didn't have a choice. It went rather well, if I do say so myself. I didn't do voices (and I would never try), but I did insert a slight pause to indicate that another character was speaking. And if it was clear on the page who was speaking, but not so clear if it was being read out loud, I ad libbed some dialogue tags to help the audience know who was speaking.

When you select a passage, it's critical that you rehearse it. If you're comfortable with what you're reading, you won't be as nervous. Practice also helps you pace yourself -- you don't want to read too fast or too slow. The event coordinator may provide you with a microphone on the podium, but I've never needed one -- not a surprise to anyone who knows me. ; )

Discussion and audience Q&A is great! For my first signing, this is the part where I relaxed. I'll admit that I was a little tense during my reading, even though I'd rehearsed the heck out of it. I love talking about my books and having people ask me questions. It was a blast.

Thanking the bookstore manager or event coordinator: Before my first signing, I did some online research about booksignings so I wouldn't be completely in the dark. One of the things mentioned was to bring a gift for the bookstore manager or event coordinator (or whoever did all the legwork to arrange your signing). A small box of chocolates or nice potted plant is good, but I've discovered ProFlowers. Flawless flowers, they arrive in pristine condition, and they're not expensive at all. I do maybe 2-3 signings a year, so I've started going with ProFlowers. The event coordinator has worked hard to arrange the event, and I like to make sure they know that I appreciate their efforts. And to me, nothing says "appreciation" like two-dozen assorted color roses delievered the day of your signing. I also follow-up the signing with a thank-you note or email -- being the good Southern girl that I am. ; ) (And gifts for business purposes are tax deductible.)

Coming up this week: Tomorrow I'll talk about promotion goodies and where to get them for cheap (or even free), and then I'll continue the "what I didn't know until I got published" series with tax write-offs, dangers of burnout, Amazon rankings (ignore them), gifts for your publishing "team", advertising, and more.

Lisa

Chat and contest at The Book Smugglers!

Recently I chatted with Thea and Ana over at The Book Smugglers, and the ladies turned a chat into a chat and a contest! (This is such a fun book review site; I've put it on my list to blogs to visit every morning.) I'll be popping in over there throughout the weekend, and will try to answer any questions you might have -- unless it would result in a spoiler. ; )

There are two sets of prizes (they're listed over at The Book Smugglers), but if you're a winner, don't be surprised to find a few extras in your prize pack when you get it in the mail. ; ) Just pop over to The Book Smugglers, enjoy the chat, and leave a comment at the end of the post to enter the contest. It's that simple. The contest will be open until Monday, July 14 at MIDNIGHT (Pacific Standard Time, GMT -8). Thea and Ana will randomly select and announce the winners Monday afternoon. Good luck and have a fabulous weekend!

On Monday: I'll finish my post on doing book signings with dealing with your nerves, choosing a passage from your book to read, having fun with the audience Q&A, and good bookstore CRM/manager/event coordinator etiquette. What can I say? I'm a Southern girl; I've been taught to write thank you notes and bring a hostess gift. The CRM has invited you into their store for the evening, therefore they're a host/hostess. ; )

Next week: I'll continue the "what I didn't know until I got published" series with promotion, where to get really cheap/free promo materials, tax write-offs, dangers of burnout, Amazon rankings (ignore them), gifts for your publishing "team", advertising, and more.

Lisa

Book signings a la Lisa

Today in my "what I didn't know until I got published" series, I'm going to talk about book signings. I'll probably continue this topic into Monday, because I've got a lot to say -- don't I always? ; ) But first a disclaimer to this post and all posts in this series -- this is the way I do things; it works for me, but it is far from the only way to do things. Use what sounds good to you and discard the rest. I'm just trying to provide an insight from my point of view as to what it's like.

The first thing about book signings is to forget what your imagination is telling you -- unless your last name is Rowling, it's highly unlikely that there will be hordes of fans waiting in line for you. The reality is that sometimes no one shows up. It's nothing personal against you or your writing, it's just a fact of author life. In my case a "horde" can be anywhere from 10-30 people.

I've never done a "solo signing" which would be me sitting at a table with a stack of my books listening to myself breathe. Not my idea of a good time, and I don't ever see myself doing a solo signing. I was fortunate to have my first signing be with a fellow fantasy author James Maxey. We'd never met prior to the signing, but we'd emailed a bit. We really hit it off; people said we had chemistry and played off of each other really well -- James and I pretty much took our act on the road. ; )

The format the Barnes & Noble CRM (community relations manager, ie store event guru) chose was a reading/discussion/signing. This worked wonderfully, and I highly recommend it as your format of choice (at least it's my favorite). This way, you're not sitting at a table by yourself; you get to interact with an actual audience. However the size of the audience depends on a lot of things: conflicting event somewhere else, weather, being able to talk your family and friends into coming out to support you. Promo for the event isn't just up to the CRM. She will do her part, but you need to do some advertising yourself -- post it on your website; talk it up in your blog; get your blog buddies to do the same; post to any forums, writers clubs, or professional organizations you belong to. The Internet is a magnificent way to spread the word. Also tell people you know where you work, go to school, or go to church -- unless you write blazing hot erotica, then you may want to be a little circumspect with that church announcement. ; ) BTW -- My church actually carries my books in the church library. Cool!

Another advantage to doing a signing with another author or authors, is that you get access to their fans, and they get access to yours; meaning after they hear you read and get to ask you some questions, some of those people just might buy your books and become your fans as well.

Another myth is that you're going to sell a lot of books. Uh, no. Chances are, that's not gonna happen. If you sell 10-12 copies, you're doing really good. The main reason I do booksignings is to meet my fans. I LOVE meeting my fans!

What to wear? I dressed up for my first signing; I thought it was the "authorly" thing to do. It was also the uncomfortable thing to do; what I was wearing just wasn't me. (Jeez, whatever inspired me to wear ivory pants? I was constantly paranoid that I was going to sit in something.) I'm a jeans, boots, and blazer kind of girl. While it's important to look "put together" and professional, it's also equally important that you're comfortable. If you feel good with what you're wearing, you'll be able to relax and have more fun. Maybe this is just me, but if I go to see one of my favorite authors, I'd be kinda disappointed if they looked like they just walked in off the street. Be comfortable, but make an effort to make the event special for your fans. Spend a little extra time in front of the mirror.

On Monday, I'll finish up this post on doing book signings with dealing with your nerves, choosing a passage from your book to read, having fun with the audience Q&A, and good bookstore CRM/manager/event coordinator etiquette. What can I say? I'm a Southern girl; I've been taught to write thank you notes and bring a hostess gift. The CRM has invited you into their store for the evening, therefore they're a host/hostess. ; )

Coming up tomorrow: Instead of the Saturday Fun Pic, I'll be joining the ladies over at The Book Smugglers for their "Chat With an Author." (The link will take you to their intro to the festivities for this weekend.) There will be cool prizes, and an interview where I tell how I got published, give tidbits of new characters in upcoming books, give a sneak peek at what I hope will be the ultimate fencing/fight scene between Raine and a new villain, and I'll also answer the question -- am I a Mychael or Tam kind of girl? ; )

Next week: I'll continue the "what I didn't know until I got published" series with promotion, where to get really cheap/free promo materials, tax write-offs, dangers of burnout, Amazon rankings (ignore them), gifts for your publishing "team", advertising, and more.

Happy Friday!
Lisa

Signing stock and meeting booksellers

Today, I'm starting a series of blogs on things I didn't know until I was published. I've chosen to start with signing stock and meeting booksellers because going into bookstores, signing your books on the shelves (called "signing stock", meaning you're signing the copies of your books that a store has in stock), and meeting booksellers is probably one of the first public things you'll do as a new author.

We all have our favorite local bookstores, and chances are we're in there often enough that we recoginze most of the staff, but we probably don't know them by name. If you're like me, you're the shy type who doesn't just come up to someone and start a conversation without a reason. Well, when you're a published author and your book is sitting on their shelves, guess what? You have a reason. Sign stock in your hometown stores; and if you're traveling, sign your books in stores there. A strange thing I've noticed is that no one will ask you for ID. I guess no one is nuts enough to come up to a bookseller and ask to sign someone else's books. At the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention, I was having dinner with about eight other authors, and we all thought this was a hoot -- that no one had ever asked if we were who we said we were.

It's important to get to know your local booksellers, store manager, or CRM (Community Relations Manager). CRM is the Barnes & Noble title for the folks who arrange all in-store events. You need to know the managers and CRMs by name. Heck, I send my local bookstore managers and CRMs Christmas cards (with a postcard of my upcoming book tucked inside, but that's for another blog). Every last store manager or CRM that I've met have been simply awesome people -- they love books, and are delighted to find out that they have a local author. Or in my case another local author -- for some reason central North Carolina is positively seething with authors.

For starters, go to the information desk, introduce yourself and your book to the bookseller there and say that you're here to sign your books -- "Hi, I'm Lisa Shearin, author of Armed & Magical, and I'm here to sign my books" -- or something to that effect. (Important tip: Go and actually find your books on the shelves first. I always grab all of them off the shelf and bring them to the info desk with me -- even if they only have one copy. The bookseller will usually apologize for that, but I tell them that's great that they only have one copy, it means that you guys are doing a fabulous job selling my books. Always make the bookseller feel good. Cheerful and friendly is important.

I take my books to the info desk because that's where they usually keep the "Autographed Copy" stickers, and the bookseller there has always helpfully applied the stickers after I sign each copy. I generally just sign my name on the title page (the page with the book title and my name), and I write my website address at the bottom of the page. Unless you're doing an actual book signing and personalizing a book for an actual reader, do not put the date on your books. I bought a book for my grandmother once that the author had signed and dated -- two years ago. That looks rather pitiful to know that book had been sitting on the shelf unbought for that long.

Coming up: Coming up tomorrow, I'll talk about book signings. And next week I'll continue the series with promotion, where to get really cheap/free promo materials, tax write-offs, dangers of burnout, Amazon rankings (ignore them), gifts for your publishing "team", advertising, and more.

And on Saturday: Instead of the Saturday Fun Pic, I'll be joining the ladies over at The Book Smugglers for their "Chat With an Author." (The link will take you to their intro to the festivities for this weekend.) There will be cool prizes, and an interview where I tell how I got published, give tidbits of new characters in upcoming books, give a sneak peek at what I hope will be the ultimate fencing/fight scene between Raine and a new villain, and I'll also answer the question -- am I a Mychael or Tam kind of girl? ; )

Lisa

Character introductions -- Too much information?

Before I get to today's topic, I had to let you know that just couldn't resist ordering more stuff from Raine Gear -- the CafePress store for my books. I adore the t-shirts, so I ordered more with different snarky quotes from Raine on them, and did the same with the bumper stickers. Being a coffee drinker, I had to have an Armed & Magical mug; and since I haul around books on a daily basis, in a few days I'll be the proud owner of a tote bag. ; ) As I said when the store opened, I went with the basics in terms of t-shirt types. But since one t-shirt pattern fits them all, if you see a particular t-shirt or item that you'd like to have but don't see in the store, just email me (lisa@lisashearin.com) let me know. If I have a pattern size that fits, I'll make it and stock it in the store for you.

And in the next month or so, I should have prints available in the CafePress store of the map of Raine's world. The map will begin appearing in my books starting with The Trouble With Demons.

Today's topic is character introductions in a novel. Since my books are a series, you'd think I would have gone with a sketchy intro for each of my characters. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. Apparently once again (according to my editor) I got a bit heavy-handed. Once again "series-itis" reared its bloated head. Since there are two books before TTWD, I felt the need to attach a bit of backstory to my character introdutions, just in case a reader picks up The Trouble With Demons before Armed & Magical and Magic Lost, Trouble Found. Anne (my ever insightful editor at Ace Books) reminded me that unless that bit of backstory is absolutely necessary to understand what was happening right then in that scene, leave it out. Or save it and use it when that information is needed for the reader to understand and enjoy the book.

Any descriptions, be it character, scene, or backstory must be relevant to what is happening at that moment -- anything more will bog down your story. The goal is to keep it moving. And when you do introduce a character's physical appearance, see if you can work in bits and pieces over the space of a couple of pages; this way the reader doesn't run smack into a wall of "insert complete character description here." Nothing disrupts the flow of a book like stopping cold to read about every physical attribute that your character has.

Coming up: Coming up for the rest of this week and into next week, I'll tell you about things I didn't know until I was published like promo, where to get really cheap/free promo materials, tax write-offs, bookstore visits, dangers of burnout, Amazon rankings, book signings, and more.

And on Saturday: Instead of the Saturday Fun Pic, I'll be joining the ladies over at The Book Smugglers for their "Chat With an Author." (The link will take you to their intro to the festivities for this weekend.) There will be cool prizes, and an interview where I tell how I got published, give tidbits of new characters in upcoming books, give a sneak peek at what I hope will be the ultimate fencing/fight scene between Raine and a new villain, and I'll also answer the question -- am I a Mychael or Tam kind of girl? ; )

It's Wednesday folks, we're halfway there.
Lisa

Upcoming fun stuff and how much backstory to include in a series novel

Upcoming fun stuff: This Saturday (July 12th), I'll be joining the ladies over at The Book Smugglers for their "Chat With an Author." (The link will take you to their intro to the festivities for this weekend.) There will be cool prizes, and an interview where I tell how I got published, give tidbits of new characters in upcoming books, give a sneak peek at what I hope will be the ultimate fencing/fight scene between Raine and a new villain, and I'll also answer the question -- am I a Mychael or Tam kind of girl? ; )

In editing The Trouble With Demons, I'm finding that some of the things I'm fixing might help those of you working on your own books -- like how much backstory to include in a series novel. In her editorial notes to me, my editor Anne Sowards pointed out places where I got a little heavy-handed with the backstory, and it was slowing the pace of the book. I guess I felt that since I had two books that came before TTWD, I needed to bring readers up to speed. I did need to do that, but when adding backstory, there's a fine line between bringing readers up to speed and slowing the book down. Anne reminded me that all I needed was a quick "establishment shot" -- who Raine is, where she is, and what's going on. Then when events from previous books are referenced, I only need to add a line or two to remind readers about them.

Coming up tomorrow: For characters in a series book, what's the right balance between needed information and too much information? Coming up for the rest of this week and into next week, I'll tell you about things I didn't know until I was published like promo, where to get really cheap/free promo materials, tax write-offs, dangers of burnout, Amazon rankings, bookstore signings, and more.

And speaking of Amazon rankings -- If you've read and loved Armed & Magical and/or Magic Lost, Trouble Found, and have the time to do it, please pop over to Amazon and post a review. The more reviews a book has, the popular it's seen as being. Armed & Magical could really use some more reviews. Thank you!!

Lisa

Research -- How much is too much?

Most writers (myself included) can't look up a word in the dictionary without stopping to read other cool stuff along the way (yeah, writers are probably the only people who find dictionaries cool). Sometimes I get so engrossed in reading other stuff that I forget the word I was looking up in the first place. The same thing can happen with research.

For certain genres, it's critical to do research before you start writing. Say you're doing a urban fantasy, thriller, romance or pretty much anything that takes place in an actual non-make-believe place -- you have to know about the place where your story is set, and any accessories your main character might either have or use -- for example a Prada bag or an assault rifle -- or both. ; ) When you're dealing with real places and real things, it's critical to get the details right. Your readers will catch you if you try to fake it. But at the same time, writers can get so engrossed in digging out those details that before they know it, their deadline is a heck of a lot closer than it should be. So do the research needed to get it right, then get back to work. You can always read more about Elizabethan country house architecture later.

The same thing applies to the people in your novel: be they a detective, doctor, werewolf, or vampire (or any combination of the above). The day-to-day job of a detective or doctor is pretty much set, not much room for deviation there. But not so much with werewolves or vampires. Sure there are the basics that everyone knows for both. BUT . . . as the market is saturated with books on paranormal creatures, anything you write has to be different -- the story, the character, the voice, everything. You gotta make it new and fresh to get an agent and then an editor's attention. DON'T BE AFRAID TO DO YOUR OWN THING. It's worked great for me with my goblins. Most people perceive goblins as gnarled, ugly, with post-nasal drip, and either stupid or only moderately clever. I went with tall, sexy, chisled features, and a formidable intellect (except for Ocnus Rancil). ; ) It was different, and it's gotten me a lot of nice attention. Different is sometimes very good.

Coming up this week: In editing TTWD, I'm finding that some of the things I'm fixing might help those of you working on your own books. So this week, I'll blog on how much backstory to include in a series novel, and character introductions -- in a series book, what's the right balance between needed information and too much information?

Romantically leading questions to ask your characters

In the July issue of Romance Writers Report (RWR is the magazine of the Romance Writers of America), which if you write romance, I strongly suggest that you join. (The link above will take you to their site.) You don't have to be published, just serious about your craft and working toward getting published. And there are local chapters that you can join to network and make friends with and have the support of other romance writers. I'm a member of the Heart of Carolina Romance Writers. A great bunch of ladies (and gentlemen). Okay, commercial over.

In this month's issue of RWR is an article called "Isn't It Romantic: Developing the Romance in Your Romance Novel" by acclaimed romance novelist Virginia Kantra (she's also a member of Heart of Carolina Romance Writers). The entire article is great, but one section in particular I thought could be helpful to those of you who have even a smidgen of romance in your books. It's a fill-in-the-blank exercise on how to create emotional intimacy between romantically involved characters. Give it a try with your hero and then your heroine (the following is quoted directly from Virginia's article):

My hero admires my heroine's _______. (List an obvious virtue; and no, "ass" is not an appropriate answer for this exercise.)

He uncovers/appreciates her ________. (Something less obvious. Her true self.)

He's challenged by her _________. (What does she have or know that he lacks or must learn? Think Jerry Maguire: "You complete me.")

Virginia suggests that by doing this exercise for both your hero and heroine, it'll help you get at the heart of why they are attracted to and eventually fall in love with each other. I'm making very good use of this exercise in my Raine/Mychael/Tam romantic knot. ; )

What I'm reading now: To help with the edits of The Trouble With Demons and prepare me for writing Bewitched & Betrayed, I'm re-reading Magic Lost, Trouble Found and Armed & Magical. I haven't read MLTF in nearly two years. Damn, but these are good books if I do say so myself. ; )

As I said yesterday, since tomorrow is the 4th of July holiday here in the U.S., I'm taking off from blogging Friday and Saturday to work on the edits for TTWD. I'll be back on Monday with a reader question from Joshua on doing research -- how much is too much? And in editing TTWD, I'm finding that some of the things I'm fixing might help those of you working on your own books. So next week I'll blog on how much backstory to include in a series novel, and character introductions -- in a series book, what's the right balance between needed information and too much information?

And if you haven't seen it yet, scroll down to my blog yesterday for the actors I've chosen to play my five main characters if Peter Jackson or Joss Whedon should come calling. And speaking of Joss, if you haven't seen it yet, check out the trailer for his new online project: Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog staring Neil Patrick Harris, and Felicia Day (a big fan of my books and my choice to play Raine).

Have a great weekend everyone!
Lisa

Upcoming booksigning and "Cast My Characters"

It's official as of yesterday, I have another booksigning/reading/discussion scheduled:

Tuesday, September 9 at 7:00 PM

Barnes & Noble

Cary Commons
760 SE Maynard Rd.
Cary, NC 27511

I'll be doing a booksigning/discussion with acclaimed fantasy author James Maxey, and award-winning Sci/Fi author Mark L. Van Name. This Barnes & Noble is an awesome location for a booksigning; James and I had a blast last time we were there. If you're in the area on that date, bring your questions and join us for what promises to be a fun-filled evening!

For today's blog, the following actors are my choices to play my five main characters: Raine, Mychael, Tam, Phaelan, and Piaras.

Felicia Day as Raine Benares

Gerard Butler as Mychael Eiliesor

Vincent Irizarry as Tamnais Nathrach

Johnny Depp as Phaelan Benares

Josh Groban as Piaras Rivalin

Since Friday (the 4th of July) is Independence Day here in the U.S., I'll be taking the holiday weekend off from blogging. No beach trip for me and Derek, just much needed yard work and working on the edits to The Trouble With Demons. My treat to myself will be fitting in some fun reading time. Yea! In the coming days/weeks, as I continue to go through the editing process on TTWD, I'll post where I am, what I'm doing, and how I'm going about doing it. And there will be my normal assortment of writing-related posts. As always, if you have a question or suggested blog topic, let me hear it -- I love answering your questions.

Coming up tomorrow: I'll let you in on a cool questionaire I found on how to create emotional intimacy between romantically involved characters.

Lisa

More thoughts on editing & more characters cast

As I'm digging in to the edits on The Trouble With Demons, I've been rather forceably reminded of the right way for me to do this. Every writer has their own way to dismantle their book, take out the stuff that no longer belongs, and then put it all back together . Fortunately TTWD's edits won't require a chainsaw, more like a scalpel. The big thing I'll be doing involves growing the relationship between Raine/Mychael/Tam, as well as deepening the background and revealing more about the pasts of both Tam and Mychael.

But for the nuts & bolts of getting edits done, I absolutely must do the small things first and work my way up to the big stuff, starting at the beginning and working my way through the book. By doing the small edits first, I get the sense of accomplishment of checking these items off of my list (actually checking them off the printout of Anne's editorial letter which is presently living in my purse for ease of access at any time). And by doing the minor edits first, it gives my subconscious time to ponder. Pondering is important. If I try thinking about everything at once, I get overwhelmed. And overwhelmed doesn't make for quality work. So I'm trying to take it one step at a time, and keeping the next book in the back of my mind where it belongs.

Today's "Cast My Characters" are Archmagus Justinius Valerian and Sedge Rinker (the chief watcher). I don't have anyone in mind for Sedge, but I like Anthony Hopkins as Justinius Valerian. Does anyone have a suggestion for Sedge Rinker?


Coming up for tomorrow and Thursday: I'll post pics of my choice of actors to play the characters that appear in both MLTF and A&M. Plus, as I continue to go through the editing on TTWD, I'll post where I am, what I'm doing, and how I'm going about doing it. For example, tomorrow I'll let you in on a cool questionaire I found on how to create emotional intimacy between romantically involved characters.

Lisa