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.

Behind the Scenes - Larping

Surprisingly, I do a lot of research for my mysteries (even though the books are fiction). For The Tulip Shirt Murders, my sassy PI, Delanie Fitzgerald, needs to interview a twenty-something who was accused of stalking. In their conversations, she learns he larps (live action role playing).

According to C. Don Wilson in the Urban Dictionary, This is a “form of role-playing game where the participants physically act out their characters' actions. The players pursue their characters' goals within a fictional setting represented by the real world, while interacting with one another in character.”

Originating in the 1970s, the activity gained popularity in the 1980s. According to Wilson, “The fictional genres used vary greatly, from realistic modern or historical settings to fantastic or futuristic eras. Production values are sometimes minimal, but can involve elaborate venues and costumes. LARPs range in size from small private events lasting a few hours to huge public events with thousands of players lasting for several days.”

According to the World of Geek, larping differs from cosplay in that larping involves action and reenactments. “Cosplay, from the words ‘Costume’ and ‘Play,’ is about costuming and re-creating the design of already existing/original characters.” (World of Geek). Cosplay usually involves less role-playing and action events like battles.

Larping often has rules, and participants “immerse themselves entirely in their character and act out their actions” (World of Geek).

In my story, the suspect, Douglas Black, invites Delanie to an event in a local park where his group or guild reenact Medieval life, including battles between warring factions. He tries to convince her to join him by offering to lend her a replica sword.

Popular culture is a large part of the Delanie Fitzgerald series. In her investigations, she meets all kinds of interesting people with unique jobs and hobbies, and it’s a fun way for me to learn about new things.

Check out the adventures of Delanie, Duncan, Margaret, and Chaz in The Tulip Shirt Murders.

Writing for You - Journaling

I started a diary in the third grade. Someone gave me a denim-covered one with a lock and a key. This was an amazing gift that fed my love for writing. And I made sure to lock it each time I wrote down my innermost secrets.

I’ve kept journals, notes, and scrapbooks through the years. I even started two journals for my nieces when they were born. But I stopped journaling when I started writing novels. Life gets too busy sometimes, and things that were important get ignored or pushed to the side.

Through the years, I’ve received some beautiful journals as gifts. After the Pandemic started, I pulled one out and started recording thoughts about the virus, the shut down, and all the craziness. It helped. I also did a lot of my ranting, so it was cathartic. I hope in the future that it will help me remember what we were all going through during this historic moment in time and how I felt about it.

Then I realized there were good things going on, even in our darkest moments. Mr. Rogers always said to look for the helpers in any tragic or scary situation. And he was right. I saw so many examples of heroes and people helping others. So, I started a “Sudden Glory” journal. I use this to record positive, upbeat stories and examples of kindness. This has definitely helped me realize that there is goodness in the world no matter what is going on. It has also helped me with my outlook during the quarantine and stay-at-home orders. I felt so bad for the Class of 2020, everyone affected by the closings, and everyone who had their life upended. Everyone’s anxious, worried, scared… My journaling has helped me think about what’s going on and how I’ve reacted to it.

Journaling or keeping a diary is a wonderful way for you to write for you, and I think it will be a treasure later when you look back on what you recorded, doodled, drew, or shared.

Who else journals?

What It Takes - Tips for the Writing Journey

I borrowed this meme from the fabulous Judy Penz Sheluk. This is great advice for anyone on his or her writing journey. Usually what keeps someone from succeeding with writing goals is not the lack of creativity or ideas. It’s the determination and grit to put in the time to hone your craft and learn about the industry.

I looked up some synonyms for hard-working:

• Diligent

• Persistent

• Industrious

• Enduring

• Relentless

Writing is work. If you want to be published, you will have to wear many hats and put in the blood, sweat, time, and tears. Each milestone in the writing journey brings new tasks and challenges. You need to find what works for you and your career. You need to carve out your writing time and guard it fiercely.

Build your author platform. Even if you’re fortunate to be traditionally published, you will still be expected to maintain a social media presence on a variety of sites and have a website and email list. It takes time to interact with your readers and build your following.

If you are querying agents or publishers, it takes time to research a good fit for your book and to prepare the needed documents to submit. Make sure you follow all instructions. The shotgun approach isn’t effective. You need to do your homework and find out who specializes in your type of book.

Prior to your publication date, you’ll have several rounds of edits and proofreads. Any missed deadlines or delays will affect the publication date. You need to make sure you check content, cover, and formatting. I found incorrect headers and footers in one anthology draft. In another anthology, part of a story was missing. Always read your proofs.

Pub day is exciting and lots of fun, but there are marketing tasks that need to be done before, during and after the celebration. Planning helps here. Decide where you’re going to spend your promotion time and money.

It is exhilarating to hold that book in your hand (Finally!) What an accomplishment and a lot of work. It’s a matter of balance. The writers I know who have deadlines and a routine are the most productive and most successful.

Are You Growing as a Writer?

The pandemic has turned everything upside down, and nothing is quite as we expected it to be. I’m trying to keep a regular routine for my writing life. Lately, I’ve also attended a lot of classes and conferences online. As a writer, you need to keep growing and learning. You need to stay relevant. Here are some things you can do to improve your craft, build your platform, and boost your name recognition.

1. Make sure that you are writing. If you can’t or don’t feel like writing every day, write when you can. Set small goals to help you stay on track. Celebrate your successes.

2. Take a class or a workshop. There are lots of free or low cost events out there on every topic. You need to hone your writing skills, but don’t limit yourself. There are online tours of interesting places and things to see. You never know what might become research for a future story.

3. Find a podcast that you like. There are some really good ones out there on writing and marketing. My favorites are the true crime and weird history ones.

4. Get a writing partner or critique group. This gives me a deadline each month for new pages. Plus, interacting and chatting with others is a good break from the craziness of the world we live in right now.

5. Make sure that you take the time to revise and rewrite. This is often the hardest and most time consuming part. You need to fix plot holes and character inconsistencies. You also need to look for repetitive words, fluffy content or dialogue that doesn’t move your story forward, and too many dialogue tags.

6. Make time to work on your social media platforms. Share, like, and comment on others’ posts. Build your following.

7. Decide where you want to go as a writer. Find others in that genre and look at their websites, blogs, and interviews. See what they did or didn’t do in their writing careers.

8. If you’re stuck on your current WIP, put it down for a little while and do something else. Sometimes, all you need is some space.

9. Start a new writing project.

10. Stay current with the publishing trends in your genre. Know what’s popular (at the moment) and see what’s selling.

If you want to improve and grow as a writer, you need to be resilient and adaptable. It’s hard work. There are a lot of disappointments and celebrations. The publishing industry is in a constant state of flux, and you need to be aware of what’s going on in the industry and the book world. Try something new today. You may be surprised.

Overcoming Fear and Doubt - Tips for Writers

All writers doubt themselves and their writing ability from time to time. I think it’s good if it motivates you to revise and rework your writing and to hone your craft. But doubt and fear shouldn’t debilitate you. If you want to be a published author, you need to be able to accept criticism and suggestions for improvement.

Joining a critique group was the hardest thing I’ve ever done as a prepublished writer. I had worked really hard on my manuscript and was ready to share it with the world, who would be equally as thrilled as I was. After several of the sessions, I wanted to give up and find something else to do. While the feedback wasn’t all bad, it was overwhelming. It felt like everything I did was wrong or could be better. To make it less overwhelming, I took notes as they offered suggestions. Then I waited a couple of days to go back through their comments and make edits. The extra time helped. I was able to get over the “you called my baby ugly” first reaction and really look at their comments.

If you are serious about your writing, you need a critique group or a writing partner. These folks will help you work through plot holes and problems. It also builds confidence, and you’re able to see growth and improvements in your writing. Friends and family love you, but they don’t tell you about the parts that really stink. And you need to hear that part.

It takes a lot of courage to let someone else read your work. Make sure that you’re in the right mindset before you start. Your goal is to get published. Your book has to be the best it can be for that to happen. Learn from the feedback and strive to improve. You’re going to get criticism that you don’t like or don’t think is fair. You can’t take it personally if you want to grow as a writer. (Once you’re published, you’ll face reviews and comments that aren’t always nice or fair.)

Publishing is a business. Agents, editors, and publishers want to sign the best books that will sell. The industry has its ups and downs and fads come and go. Typically, what you write now won’t be published for 1-2 years. And rejection is a big part of the process. You will write many query letters and proposals, and for many of them, you may never hear anything back.

When you get negative comments or rejections, give yourself time to react to it. Work through it. Learn from it, and keep writing. Always be professional. You don’t need to snap back. Don’t do or say something rash that will come back to haunt you later.

Author Jenny Milchman gave a wonderful presentation to my group about her publication journey. Check out her website for her story. It is a good lesson about the ups and downs of the writerly life.

I love my writer friends. I can share losses, disappointment, and celebrations with them. They understand.

Turn the negative energy of doubt and fear to the willingness to improve and to try new things. It will make you a stronger writer. Celebrate the successes and learn from the criticism.

Knocking Down Writer's Block(s)

My sister gave me a set of writer’s blocks from Literature Lodge on Etsy. She chose Poe, Fitzgerald, and Baum. They sit next to my window/writing space. These are the only kind of writer’s blocks I like.

The impasse or deadends with writing are a problem. Mine happen when I write myself in a corner and don’t build enough tension in the story. Sometimes, I didn’t have a strong enough motive for some of the characters.

It gets frustrating when the words don’t come, or they aren’t what you want them to be. Here are some things I do to take my mind off the impediment (that I created).

1. Step away from the laptop. Go on a walk. Do something different.

2. Change the scenery. Go outside. Go somewhere.

3. Do another creative project (e.g. sewing, cooking, baking, painting, crafting,…)

4. Do a word or jigsaw puzzle.

5. Read. Reading is research.

6. I do my best plotting when I’m driving.

7. Exercise.

8. Meditate.

9. Listen to music.

I am usually able to get myself out of the corner and fix the problem when I’m not stressing about it. An idea often comes to me when I’m doing something else.

Writing Advice Worth Its Weight in Gold

Over the years, I’ve received some invaluable advice from editors and other writers that has helped me along my writing journey.

• When you get to the point with your writing and revising where you think you’re done, you’re not. That’s just the beginning.

• Go through your manuscript and use your word processor’s search feature to find your overused words. You will be surprised how many times you use “just” and “that.”

• Everyone needs an editor.

• Everyone needs a proofreader.

• You need to print your document and reread it after every round of edits to ensure that you didn’t create other mistakes.

• Find beta readers or a critique group to help you work through story lines and plot holes.

• Don’t be afraid of reviews or critiques.

• Read the last sentence of each chapter. Make sure it’s strong. It should make the reader want to read past her bedtime.

• Eliminate unnecessary dialogue tags.

• Go through your manuscript and rewrite “be word” sentences.

• Look for passive sentences and rewrite them in active voice.

• If you read a paragraph and you’re bored, your reader will be, too.

• Read your manuscript aloud.

• Writing is a business.

• Guard your writing time.