Mentoring - The Benefits are on Both Sides

I love being a mentor. It’s an honor to get to work with others and assist them with their careers and writing journeys. I enjoy listening to others as they explore their paths and look for opportunities.

Through the years, I’ve been a manager of staff and interns, teacher, coach, and mentor. It takes time and energy and some planning, but I get so much out of these sessions.

It’s always good to have a plan and goals for what each person gets out of the program. It’s also good to set ground rules up front for meeting times and other housekeeping items. I love to talk, but as a mentor, listening is key. I let my partner set the agenda topics, and I check in on goals and progress.

These sessions are great opportunities to get to know others and to talk about the creative things they are doing and to maybe assist with some roadblocks. At work, we often talk about how to navigate the policies and procedures, career paths, and developmental opportunities. When I meet with authors, we usually talk about publishing trends, goals for their work, expectations of readers, and book marketing and promotion.

I have met some amazing people through these mentoring programs over the years. It’s an opportunity to share, and the benefits happen on both sides.

The Long and Short of It...

I primarily write cozy mystery novels, but I started my writing career in the short story world. My first traditionally published work was “Washed up” in the first Virginia is for Mysteries anthology. I just finished a crime story that was a little darker for an upcoming musically themed anthology. I’m at the point in the writing process that includes a hundred revisions and edits before I send that one to the editor.

https://www.amazon.com/Virginia-Mysteries-Sisters-Crime/dp/1938467647

I like both formats. If you’ve never considered writing a short story, here are some things to think about…

• Since I write cozy mysteries that have expectations about characters, violence, and language, I get to experiment more with the short stories. Mine tend to be a little darker than my novels.

• You’re writing in a smaller space, so it takes less time to write than a book. You see a first draft much sooner.

• You’re writing in a smaller space, and that means every word counts. Most short stories range in the 4k to 6k word count limits. There can’t be extra explanations, a ton of characters, or long sections of dialog.

• You need to be able to tell your story with a shorter timetable. I think sometimes, it’s harder to write a complete story in a compacted space.

• Short story anthologies have gained in popularity in the mystery community, and there are quite a few outlets for publishing opportunities. Check out the Short Mystery Fiction Society. It’s a great group of short story writers who put out lots of calls for short stories.

• If you’re on the East Coast, check out ShortCon. The next one is in June. It’s a great opportunity to network with other writers and attend amazing panels and workshops.

If you’re looking for a new outlet or you’re interested in trying your hand at a mystery, consider a short story.

I Love Book Events!

I love doing book events, workshops, presentations, and conferences. I enjoy seeing old friends, meeting new ones, and finding out what’s new with everyone. I just returned from the amazing Malice Domestic, a mystery conference in Bethesda, Maryland. It has all kinds of activities, entertainment, networking, panels, and the most amazing community of writers and mystery lovers. And I always come back recharged and excited about new projects. (Shhh! We’re working on plans for a fun anthology.)

Some of my highlights this year are the treasured time with friends and meeting new ones.

These types of events are great opportunities to network. I attended a panel on influencers. It was great to get a chance to listen to their tips and to hang out with them.

I also got to be a part of a fun panel on the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and their influence on the mystery world.

No matter what stage of your writing career, I think you should attend conferences and writing events. The experiences and opportunities are invaluable. And it’s a wonderful chance to hang out with readers and writers and talk about books for hours and hours.

What I Learned about Writing and Life from Dogs

Disney and Riley are the Jack Russell Terriers who live at our house and keep us on our toes. They have two settings, warp speed or napping.

Here's what I've learned from them...

• Live in the moment. Today is what's important. The past and future don't matter that much.

• Play hard. Life can't be all work. Everything is a game to a Jack.

• Nap when you need to. You need to recharge every once in a while. You need to take care of yourself.

• Don't waste a beautiful day inside. Go outside and have fun.

• Know when it's time to cuddle on the couch with a good book.

• Bark if you need to, but not too much.

• Wag and make friends. Relationships are important.

• Don’t obsess too much about the things you can’t control. Those squirrels will never stay out of our yard. And people will continue to walk in our cul de sac. Okay, so the Jacks may need a little work on this one.

What is something your pet has taught you?

Why The First Draft is Just the Beginning...

When I talk to groups of new writers, I’m asked often about editing and revising, and they’re often surprised when I mention the number of rounds of revisions before the manuscript is ready for my agent and editors.

I love typing, “The End” on that last page, but it really is just the beginning. I print off a paper copy and do multiple (sometimes as many as 8 or 9 read-throughs). I’m looking for different things each time. Here’s what I always check…

• Are there plotholes? Does something not make sense? Did I make sure all the clues/red herrings were addressed? Are there multiple motives? Are you sure the protagonist isn’t too perfect? Is the technology and the actions plausible?

• Is the dialog pertinent? Get rid of the chitchat. Does the dialog all sound the same? Is the chatter boring? Can readers tell who is speaking? Are there enough dialog tags? Are there too many dialog tags? Did I use slang or regional sayings that most readers won’t recognize?

• Is there enough description of settings and characters? Is there too much description? Is there too much backstory?

• Are there continuity mistakes? Did your character eat lunch two times in the same chapter? Are all the details consistent throughout the manuscript? Did you change a character name in ALL the places? Is the timing of events in the right sequence?

• Check the grammar and punctuation. Do all the quotes have a beginning and end punctuation? Did autocorrect substitute any weird or wrong words.

• Do you have words and phrases that you overuse? I have a list of my biggest offenders, and I always search for these.

• Are all the chapter endings neat wrap-ups? Make sure you build suspense and cause your readers to stay up past their bedtimes. Neat wrapped up chapters make good stopping points.

What would you add to my list?

Where Do You Write?

I can write just about anywhere. I’m a plotter, so I do a pretty detailed outline of each mystery before I start the first draft. When I’m in first draft mode, I usually write at my desk. I have daily writing goals that help me stay on track. By having an outline, I can usually put down the manuscript and pick it back up without having to spend hours trying to get back to where I was. I also compose at the keyboard. It wasn’t productive to handwrite pages and then retype them.

I like to write at my desk. My monitor faces the woods, so I can watch the sunrise, squirrels, hawks, and other birds in the woods. I usually revise/edit/proofread on hard copies. I print out the chapters, and I can take them anywhere. My favorite spots are my sunroom and my deck on a warm day.

I need to have plenty of chocolate and caffeine when I’m in writing mode. And music. I always have some kind of music streaming in the background. It’s usually instrumental, jazz, or one of the calming stations when I’m writing. I like rock and the faster stuff when I’m editing. Music is fine when I’m writing. I just can’t have a TV on anywhere nearby. I also had to buy a pair of noise-cancelling headphones for the days the neighbor’s lawn service breaks out the leaf blowers.

What are your must-haves for your writing sessions? Do you have a specific habit or ritual to get you in writing mode?

What's in a Name? The Importance of Character Names

I’m often asked where I get the names of characters. How do you come up with all the character names and keep them straight? They come from all over. I am constantly jotting down interesting names. I want my characters’ names to reflect something about his or her personality. Here are some things that I look for when I’m choosing a name.

• Know the name’s meaning. You want to associate it with some trait your character has. Is it a family name or something that was popular during that generation?

• I use the SSN baby name lists by year to give me ideas of what was popular when my characters were “born.”

• Avoid having multiple character names that start with the same letter. The fabulous Kathy Mix gave me this advice this early on in my career. She said it’s often confusing for readers. She would always make a list, and when she used a name, she’d cross off that letter.

• Avoid having multiple names that sound similar (e.g. Christy, Kristi, Chris). This is often another point of confusion for readers.

• You want a character name that is pronounceable. I was going to name a main character Veronica, and she was going to go by Roni. (Rah-ni was the way I heard it in my head.) The gals in my critique group kept calling her Row-knee, so I ended up renaming her. It was too much to explain.

• Create a character list (especially if you write a series). I have a giant spreadsheet for each series with all the facts about the repeat characters. It also helps me not to use the same name over and over for minor characters.

• I usually don’t name characters for real people, and if I do, I’ll tell you who and why in the acknowledgments. Though I have been known to name minor characters after famous people in popular and literary culture.

My first traditionally published mystery was a short story in a Sisters in Crime anthology. Years later, a lady came up to me at a book signing and told me that her husband had the same name as one of the main characters in “Washed up.” That was fun.

What would you add to my list about naming your characters?

Do You Have an Author Logo?

You are your brand. I think authors need a logo. It helps identify you and your writing on your website, social media posts, blog, and other communications and promotional materials.

There are quite a few graphic software packages with templates that will help you create one. There are also work-for-hire sites and graphic designers that you can pay to create one for you.

Here are some things you might want to consider about your logo:

• Choose colors and fonts that reflect your writing style.

• Make sure you have different file types for your final logo. You’ll need a high-resolution version for printed materials. You’ll want some smaller files, too. You may even want a black and white version.

• If you plan to use your logo on different backgrounds, you’ll need to have one that has a transparent background.

• Make sure all fonts/text in your logo is readable at different sizes.

• You may want to have logos created for different sizes. If you try to enlarge a tiny logo to fit a large space, it often gets pixilated or jagged. I usually make a tiny one, a standard one, and a large one with a higher resolution for print items.

• Test your logo designs with your electronic sites and print versions to make sure the colors and fonts look the way you want them to look.

What else would you add to my list?