How Much Research Goes into Fiction Writing?

Fiction is made up, right? Surprisingly, I do quite a bit of research for my mysteries (novels and short stories). I want the story to be plausible and as accurate as possible. Even though it's fiction, readers notice when the writer doesn't get it right.

My sassy Private Investigator, Delanie Fitzgerald, gets herself into all kinds of adventures. I do a lot of research for that series. In Secret Lives and Private Eyes, my PI lives in a Sears Catalog house from 1939. The houses were ordered and shipped by rail for assembly. I found great information on the Sears Catalog homes that have been preserved through the years. In the first book in the series, she attends her first ComiCon and investigates a theft at an art museum. In the second book, she learns all about LARPing (Live-action Role Playing) and roller derby as she investigates a serial murder in central Virginia. I did some interviews and online research to get my background information on her activities.

Here's are some good research links for writers.

1. I use Google Maps and Google Street View to scope out locations, look for place and street names, and to check the surroundings of real places. I never have a murder take place at a real location. I make up those place names, but my characters frequently visit real places and tourist spots. Google is great for finding place names and great places to hide bodies.
2. I use baby name lists from past years (just Google popular baby names by year) and decades to make sure that the names fit the age of the character. Certain names were popular in specific decades.
3. My dad is a retired police officer. He's my police procedural resource. He's used to my, "Hey, Dad, what does a meth lap smell like" or "Can I kill someone with a guitar string" kinds of questions. Our dinner conversations are always interesting. If you don't have professional resources. Check around your community. Many have police/fire/safety presentations where you can make contacts. Twitter is also a great place to find answers and subject matter experts.
4. I am a member of Sisters and Crime. Our chapter has a lot of programs, and the speakers are willing to answer all kinds of questions. It's a great place to get ideas and to network with real-world professionals. In the last year, we've had campus police chiefs, a K9 rescue dog trainer, and a mortician talk to our writers.
5. The Writer's Police Academy is also a wonderful opportunity to get hands on experience with police/fire/rescue techniques.
6. My talented writer friend, Fiona Quinn, has a great blog that teaches writers how to write it right. I find a lot of good information in her posts. Check out her site and tweets.

Research isn't just for non-fiction. What other sites would you add to my list?

Which Author Events Should You Do? How Do You Decide?

I love meeting readers and writers at book and writing events, and I'm fortunate to have quite a few near me. But as a writer, how do you decide which ones to participate in -- especially when your primary job is to write your next work? Traveling and marketing are an investment of your time and money.

1. ROI (Return on Investment) should be a consideration. Selling books is important. But I've done events at indie book stores where we didn't have a great turnout, but the store ended up selling a case of books during the week when there was more foot traffic. I've also made some invaluable contacts at events. Sometimes, building relationships is worth more than selling tons of books. If there is a cost for a table or an event, you need to consider whether or not it is worth the effort and value. If you've never attended the event, ask around to see what other authors have experienced.

2. I try a lot of events (at least once). We've done several over the years where the readers weren't my target audience (mystery). I attended and had fun, but I probably won't go back.

3. I believe in helping other authors, so I do a lot of writing workshops. Again, you may not sell hundreds of books, but you do make contacts, build email lists, and pick up fans and followers.  

4. I am also fortunate to be a part of several writing groups, and we plan events and signings together. There is nothing worse than sitting alone at an author's table. When we band together, our social media and fan reach grows exponentially. Plus, we often carpool, and that saves some money.

5. We've done some signings at some unconventional places for mystery authors (e.g. a Hallmark/gift store, a gas/restaurant/gift store complex on the way to North Carolina's Outer Banks, a winery, several museums, and several farmers markets). You would be surprised. We've sold more books at places like this than traditional book stores. Be creative when you book signings.

6. Be prepared -- no matter what the event. Make sure you have business cards, bookmarks, or postcards. Sometimes, folks don't buy a book at the event, but if you have something to give them, you may make a sale or referral later. I even take bookmarks on vacation. We stop at a lot of little gift shops that sell books.

7. I appreciate the events that do a lot of publicity, and I always make sure to share, tweet, and post. I want to be a part of groups that are organized and interested in building their audience. (I've attended several events, where there was little to no publicity. Surprise, surprise, the attendance wasn't that great either.) 

Best wishes for the marketing of your book. It's a lot of work. I logged over 2,000 miles this year for book events.

What Ryka Taught me about Search and Rescue Dogs

Recently, Dave and Ryka from K9 Alert Search and Rescue talked to our writers' group about search and rescue dogs. They also did several indoor and outdoor demonstrations, so that we could see the dog in action. Here's what I learned in case I ever include a search or cadaver dog in a mystery.

1. Ryka is certified to search for missing persons and human remains detection (search and rescue as well as cadaver searches).

2. They are part of a non-profit group that assists the Commonwealth of Virginia's Emergency Management and local law enforcement.

3. Police dogs are trained to track all human scents. This means that they are looking for a scent at the scene. They are searching for the freshest trail. Search dogs are trained to hunt for a particular human's scent.

4. Humans are all like "Pig-Pen" in Peanuts. They give off a cloud of scents and skin cells wherever they go.

5. In the past, lost persons in the woods could often be found near water. He said that now they are finding lost people at higher elevations (often because they are trying to get a cell phone connection).

6. Scents are affected by the sun/heat and the wind. Thermals affect how far/high scents travel.

7. Searches for missing persons often include K9 teams, trackers, horse teams, and helicopters. Helicopters are often used for forward-looking searches. He said that the ground teams are usually the ones to locate the missing person.

8. He said that one handler and dog can cover about forty acres in 2-3 hours.

9. Cadaver dogs are trained to do a passive alert when they find a scent, so they don't disturb a possible crime scene. When Ryka alerted, she sat near the area where she detected the scent.

10. He said that if they are doing a search in a building, they often ask for the AC/heat to be turned off because the vents distribute the scent throughout the building.

11. Clandestine graves are often shallow. Many times, they're covered with a small amount of dirt and debris.  

These volunteers do amazing work and provide invaluable assistance during times of crisis. I loved watching the camaraderie between handler and dog. To find out more about K9 Alert Search and Rescue, check out their website.

When Are You "Done" with Your WIP?

Naively, I thought I was done with my WIP (Work in Progress) when I typed, "The End." Yep, I was done. But, is it ready? Not quite. Here's what really happened...

I went through several rounds of self-edits and revisions. Then I submitted it to my critique group, and that led to more revisions. We submit fifty pages a month, so it was about four months for revisions.

Then, I hired a line editor to review it for me and provide feedback. And yes, that caused more changes.

I finally submitted it for publication. My editor at the publishing company provided some feedback. Then their proofreader had some changes.

After the book was formatted for printing, I did several rounds of final proofreading.

But, it is a better book because of all the feedback and edits. It's hard to take critiques and criticism - especially when it's your baby. But I've learned this is part of the expected process, and it does yield a much better product (than the first draft). I rewrote the first chapter to Secret Lives and Private Eyes five times. I rewrote the ending twice.

It feels good to type "The End," but it's really just the beginning of the next stage in your publication journey. Best wishes for your writing (and revising)!

Unusual (But Practical) Gifts...

Most girls get flowers or other gifts from their dad. My dad, the cop, always put safety and preparedness first. I received flowers too, but these are some of the more unusual gifts he's given me over the years.

Car Emergency Device - When I moved to Richmond, VA (River City), he gave me a multifunctional tool for my car. It has a metal head that can break a car window if you drive off a bridge and can't get out of a submerged car. It also has a blade on the handle for cutting through a seat belt. We have one now in each car.

Emergency Fire Escape - When we moved into a two-story house, he gave me a portable fire escape that you can throw out a window and climb down to safety. It lives under my bed.

Window and Sliding Glass Door Locks - When I moved into my first apartment. He did a safety check and brought additional window locks and a device for the sliding glass door.

DNA Kit - Once, he gave me a DNA kit in case I went missing. The idea was to swab your mouth and put the sample in a container for storage in case it was needed.

Whistles, Pepper Gas, and Flashlights - He's given me several whistles, econo-sized pepper gas canisters, and a Maglight flashlight that doubles as a small bat.

And often when I leave their house, my southern mom sends food home, and my dad sends bullets that can be used on the practice range. The gifts are unusual, but I know he loves me and is looking out for me. I had an unusual childhood, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

8 Customer Service Truths That Apply to Authors

I am always looking for good customer service books and case studies for work. I recently finished Bruce Loeffler and Brian Church's he Experience: The 5 Principles of Disney Service and Relationship Experience. It has some good take-aways for writers. We don't always think about customer service or relationships with our readers, but maybe we should. Here's what I learned...

• Excellent companies all "possess a relentless resolve to create the best experience possible for their clients or customers." I say that excellent writers do the same.
• The I CARE philosophy is: Impression, Connection, Attitude, Response, and Exceptional. It's key to how you interact with your customers.
• "Average never inspired anyone."
• We get into trouble when we leave things to chance, or we are unprepared.
• Are you ready? Put some energy and enthusiasm in your voice.
• Be intentional and deliberate.
• The FACE philosophy is: Friendliness, Attitude, Connection, and Excellence.
• Your name is the most important thing you own.

I thought that as I writer, I would just create brilliant books. I didn't realize how many presentations, interviews, workshops, and book signings were involved. I'm glad I have a business background and experience with public speaking through Toastmasters. How you present yourself and your work are important to readers.

Oops - Sloppy Writing Habits That Will Get You in Trouble Every Time

When I'm in my writing zone, I tend to slip into some bad habits, and often, I don't realize I'm doing them until I start editing and revising. Here are some of the big ones that writers often make.

Show; Don't Tell - We've all heard the command to show our readers without telling them what's going on. It is so easy to slip into this habit. Reread your chapters and eliminate sections that are just descriptions.

Every Little Detail - You don't need to account for every minute in your character's life. You can skip ahead in time and omit the routine details. For example, if your character if flying from New York to Nashville, and the airport and plane are not germane to the story, have her go to the airport and then jump ahead to the landing in Nashville. We don't need to know about the security check, inflight movie, snacks, or the baggage claim.

Cut the Chitchat - Dialog in fiction shouldn't contain the normal, mundane chatter. Pare down your character's conversations to what is needed for the story.

Keep it Conversational - Dialog in fiction should be conversational (unless there is a need to have a character be more formal). Use contractions, short sentences, or incomplete sentences to mimic how real people talk.

If You're Bored - If you're bored, your reader will be too. Cut the fluff. Get rid of unnecessary words and anything that slows the action of the story down.

Multiple Adjectives - Don't layer on the adjectives. One good one will do. And pick strong adjectives. Leave out the plain Jane ones that don't add anything to your sentences.

Weak Verbs - Look at your verbs. If they are weak or propped up by blah adverbs, rewrite the sentence. You need action verbs that will keep the momentum of the story.

Last Sentences - Look at the last paragraph of each chapter and verify that it compels the reader to continue on. If it's boring or slow, your reader will use it as a good stopping point. 

Character Names - Avoid overusing your character's name. Look at your paragraphs. You shouldn't see the name over and over. If you find a pattern, rewrite some sentences. I've had beta readers tell me that the overuse of names slows down the action.

Overused Words - Know the words you tend to overuse. For some reason, I'll use a word or phrase multiple times. In my last manuscript, it was "peek" and "rolled his eyes." I searched for instances and did rewrites.

I tend to use "that" and "just" too much. During the revising stages, my search/replace feature is my friend. It helps me quickly find the overused words.

Exclamation Points - Don't go crazy with the exclamation points. Hardly anyone is that exuberant. My writer friend calls these the jazz hands of writing.

I find the writing is the easy part. The revising and editing take me much longer because I need to weed out the sloppy habits. Best wishes with your writing projects.

Whew! I Didn't Realize How Much Marketing Authors Do

My debut novel launched this month. Whoo hooo! I planned a launch celebration and did interviews, author spotlights, and guest blog posts for 27 sites. I did a Facebook hop, a Goodreads give-away, a radio interview, and a podcast interview. And I'm just getting started. I have book signings and presentations scheduled through October. Whew! I also work a full-time job, so I've learned to balance it all.

When I started writing, I didn't realize how much marketing was required of authors. It has been a rush of activity (especially with all the other things going on at the same time), but it has been fun.

Here's what I did and how I attempted to stay organized...

1. I have a calendar for book events and marketing deadlines. I carry it with me and update it faithfully.

2. I track my marketing efforts to give me data to see what types of activities increased social media followers, blog/website traffic, and book sales. It will help me when I plan other marketing campaigns.

3. I also make a conscious effort not to devote all of my time to marketing. I have to make sure that I carve out writing time because ultimately, my job is to write the next book.

4. Since I work during the week, I block social media time to keep up with the comments, tweets, and other interactions. I do about thirty minutes in the mornings and about ninety minutes in the evenings. I make lists in Facebook and Twitter, so it helps me keep up customized newsfeeds.

5. I did a lot of guest blog posts for this launch, and I wanted each one to be different. Before I started, I made a list of themes and unique items in my book. That gave me a good list of blog topics. I did one on the Sears and Roebuck catalog house that my sleuth lives in, a day in the life of my character, a tribute to the 80s, a list of every-day spy gadgets, and an homage to Nancy Drew.

While it has been a whirlwind of activity over the last few months, it has been tremendous fun. And I look forward to this summer and fall's events!