Last weekend, I had an opportunity to teach an aspiring author workshop at a local library.
After compiling my notes from what I learned at this year's conferences, I created this handout for participates. Hopefully, this can help someone else.
Enjoy
The First Book workshop by Christian author Pat Simmons
Copyright
2014.
Organize:
A
great book has six vital parts: Narration, dialogue, memorable characters, plot and description.
How
many characters are too many characters? Keep an alphabetical spreadsheet of all
your characters.
Everybody
in your book should have a purpose to advance the heroine/hero’s agenda. If
not, delete them.
**How
does the FIRST LINE of each chapter
begin and the LAST PARAGRAPH end?
*Check
out Scrivener, a program many authors are using to store research, organize
their ideas and write their manuscripts. http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php. Free 30 day
trial
Books:
Writing A
Romance for Dummies
by Leslie Wainger
Words You
Thought You Knew
by Jenna Glatzer
What Not to Say by Linda J.
Beam
The Most Common
Mistakes in English Usage by Thomas Elliott Berry
**Scholastic Dictionary of Synonyms, Antonyms,
and Homonyms: aunt or ant; grown or groan; wring or ring, etc.***
Invaluable reference handbook.
Challenge:
To
create an outline: List 20 major scenes that will happen in 20 chapters.
*You
need to know long it takes you to write a book before you sign that contract.
Moody
Publishers had three of my books released within one year. YIKES.
I
have a book due to Whitaker House January 1, 2015. I haven’t started. Another YIKES.
Marketing:
Military
bases—ask for the BX Base Exchange vendor manager. Dave Couture and Allen Maki
at Scott AFB are very friendly. They charge a commission rate from 12% to 25%.
Sign at bases that charge under 20%. If you sell nothing, you pay nothing. To
make the most of your time and money, stay all day to catch the morning, lunch,
afternoon and then after work crowd.
Social
networking: There are all kinds of writing groups on FB. Beware, the moderators
want you to be active and do more than promote your book. There is also LinkedIn
where I found librarians; Twitter, Pinterest, Blogs, etc. St. Louis Black
authors collective on FB
*Check
out my blog: http://conventionnotes.blogspot.com/
*Literary
conferences—always look at the workshops that are being offered.
There
are conferences for every genre.
Social
networks: Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn
Promotional
items: postcards: I use Next Day Flyers, use promo code
250
|
$18.73
|
FREE
|
F46Postcard250
|
Ink
pens: http://www.amsterdamprinting.com/
Search
for great deals by Googling “cheap”.
Two
people known in the industry for promoting authors:
LaShaunda
Hoffman. Shades of Romance Magazine, promotes more than romance in eblasts. She
also does online conferences. Reach her at sormag@yahoo.com
Ella
Curry, EDC Creations: blog tours online and promotions. She also hosts BAN
(Black Author Network) blogtalk radio shows. Reach her at ellacurryprez@edc-creations.com.
Editing:
DO
NOT use your mother, cousin or friend to give you the final edit. Most writers,
especially newbies, need a developmental editor, line editor, and proof reader.
Every
editor and publisher is different. Always ask for a free sample. Lately, I’ve
used *Fiveer.com, which will become
your BEST friend on a budget. Most
are professionals and freelances that offer great services on covers,
formatting and promotions, starting at $5.
Beware
before hiring any type of editors. Make sure they live within the US.
Otherwise, you’ll get someone who will edit in the Queen’s English. Such
examples are honor vs. honour; recognise vs. recognize.
My
first freelance editor was REALLY big on using repetitious words (she smiled,
he smiled, they smiled—use a thesaurus).This same editor wouldn’t give me a
break on weak chapter endings. I groan.
·
When
I was with Moody Publishers, I noticed the editor was big on transition from
one paragraph to another. The flow was seamless. I watch for that today.
·
My
editor at Whitaker Publisher is really big on timelines, no jumping back and
forth, such as a party in June, then going back to an Easter church service in
April.
Once,
I tried a freelance editor and when she got through ripping up my story—mindful
after I had already been published with eight plus books—my head was messed up,
causing me to doubt myself on that story for almost year until I could
clear my head.
Getting published
·
Secure an agent, which isn’t an easy task. Use
Writer’s Market Handbook, attend conferences, and check out blogs. My agency
has a blog that gives readers tips. http://www.chipmacgregor.com/
·
Get noticed by publishing eBooks. One indie
author success story is Bella Andre who earns $20,000 a month.
What is Writer’s Block? You can’t tell a story if you
don’t know it yourself.
Wake up your characters in your
head. Most of the time they come alive
when you’re about to go to sleep. Take the time and joint notes.
Ask them questions: Sara, your
mother just died. How do you feel?
Dave, you just got a promotion.
How are you going to celebrate?
Girl, your boyfriend cheated on
you. What’s your game plan for revenge?
If you start asking your characters
questions, you are forcing them to answer.
Happy writing!
authorpatsimmons@gmail.com,
@patsimmons, www.patsimmons.net
Look for my Christmas novella: CHRISTMAS GREETINGS Thanksgiving Day.
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