Watch out for These "Characters" in Your Writing

As you revise your work, BOLO (Be on the Lookout) for these “characters” that can slow your plot down or drag your story into the mundane.

The Sports Commentator - Look for places in your story where you do a lot of play-by-play action either in narrative or in dialogue. These are spot where you tell something and then something else, and then something else happened and then something else happened. Show the reader the action. Don’t be a commentator. There are other ways that you can move your story forward.

The Weather Person - It’s nice to know what is going on around your characters, but don’t interrupt the story to interject several paragraphs about the weather. Figure out ways to sprinkle it in without derailing the action.

The Collector - Look for sections in your writing where you do data dumps. You do not need to tell your reader everything at one time. These are usually long paragraphs with way too much information. Figure out ways to break it up and disperse it throughout the story. It’s too much for your reader, and it bogs down your pace.

Sgt. Friday - Look for spots where you list “Just the facts, ma’am” like Sgt. Friday in Dragnet. These are sentences where you describe everything about a character in one paragraph. It probably is important information to share, but not all at one time. Make sure you spread it out, so it doesn’t read like the facts on a police report. (In case you haven’t seen Dragnet: Almanac: Dragnet - YouTube.)

The Historian - Backstory is important to your work, especially if you write a series, but you don’t need to stop the action for a history lesson. Figure out ways to sprinkle in the information, one or two sentences at a time.

The SCUBA Diver - Details and descriptions are important as you introduce characters and new situations, but be careful not to dive too deep. You can sidetrack your readers easily when paragraphs get bogged down in the minutia.

Many times, I don’t notice these creeping in until I start revisions. My critique group and beta readers are really good a pointing out these problem areas. Your writing will be stronger if you can avoid these pesky characters.

Happy writing!

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Shea E. Butler

I’d like to welcome Shea E. Butler to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things:  Horses, nature, traveling, animals, chocolate, a full moon, and red wine, family and friends.

Things you need to throw out:  Old shoes, negativity, tangled up/old Xmas lights.

Hardest thing about being a writer:  Writing
Easiest thing about being a writer:  Writing

Things you never want to run out of:  Water and food

Things you wish you’d never bought:  Purple hair dye

Favorite foods:  Roast beef, bread, cheese, and chocolate chip ice cream

Things that make you want to gag:  Liver, certain politicians, pettiness, and arrogance

Favorite music or song:  old time rock and roll, “House of the Rising Sun”

Music that drives you crazy:  Electronic

 Favorite smell:  Lavender and my mother’s perfume
Something that makes you hold your nose:  Rotten food

Something you’re really good at:  Horseback riding
Something you’re really bad at:  Patience

Something you wish you could do:  Speak multiple languages

Something you wish you’d never learned to do:  Nothing.  Everything’s a learning experience and everything becomes useful at some point in your life.

Something you like to do:  Ride under a full moon and watching the sun set on a beach with a glass of wine.
Something you wish you’d never done:  Eaten that extra helping of dessert

The last thing you ordered online:  Mud boots for the stable

The last thing you regret buying:  A membership in a dating site

Things you’d walk a mile for:  Friends and family

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room:  bullheadedness

Things you always put in your books:  Conflicted characters
Things you never put in your books:  Never say never.

Things to say to an author:  Your story made me cry/laugh/get mad/think
Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Your character was really stupid when they di _____________ (fill in the blank)

Favorite places you’ve been:  Okavango Delta in Botswana, Machu Picchu, Pacific Northwest, the Great Wall of China
Places you never want to go to again:  A strip club.

People you’d like to invite to dinner (living):  Michelle & Barack Obama, Ron Howard, Stephen King, Queen Elizabeth, Kamela Harris and Joe Biden and, in this Covid age, my friends and family (miss them.)
People you’d cancel dinner on: Anyone in the White House administration in the last four years.

About Shea:

Shea E. Butler is, at heart, a storyteller. She’s a storyteller in many different forms; a television writer, a published short story author and an award-winning director and writer for her short films and web series. She was that kid who huddled under the covers after “lights out” reading a book by flashlight. She was born in Cairo, Egypt to American parents living abroad and currently divides her time between Vancouver and Los Angeles. Her love for traveling and exploring worlds and cultures, both past, present and future was ignited at a young age. Shea’s most awe-inspiring trip was a horseback riding safari through the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Nothing like being charged by two lions to get your creative juices flowing! Website: www.thebutlerdiditproductions.com She also has a short story appearing on the SHORTZ phone app (chat stories) at end of January called “9-1-1.”

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Happy New Year! Do You Make New Year's Resolutions? Ideas for Writers.

Happy New Year! Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? A brand new year always a good time to look at your goals and the things you want to do in the upcoming year.

Here are some ideas to add to your list.

1. Read more. Sign up for GoodRead’s Reading Challenge. This helps me track what I’m reading throughout the year. It also reminds me to post a review.

2. Be kind. Look for ways to share with others. It may be a small gesture, but it means something to someone else, especially during these crazy times.

3. File and Shred. Clean up the piles of papers, receipts, and other stuff that accumulates on your desk. Get rid of what you don’t need. Put what you do need in its place. This is a good time to pull all of your tax files togehter.

4. Clean up your eFiles. Go through your pictures and files. Make sure that you’re backing up important things. Organize your electronic files.

5. Update Your Website. Look at your website and refresh outdated items.

6. Grow Your Following. Commit to spending some amount of time each week to your key social media platforms. Make sure that you are sharing, commenting, and building your audience.

7. Visit your Social Media Bios. Make sure that all of your author photos and social media bios are current.

8. Learn Something New. Find a way to learn how to do something new. This is going to be at the top of my 2021 list.

9. Protect Yourself. Make sure that you’re backing up your important files regularly. Make sure that you have security software on your computer and that your patches are current. And don’t click on links that you don’t know where they came from.

10. Look for Ways to Connect. During this crazy time, make sure that you’re talking, visiting, and sharing with others. Find a group and try to participate regularly. If you can’t find a group, create one.

11. Up and Out. Clean out your closets and junk drawers. If you haven’t used stuff in two years, it can probably go. Look for local charities that take donations of your old items.

12. Just Do It. Do that thing that has been on your task list forever.

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Jackie Layton

I’d like to welcome Jackie Layton to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday, and thank her for being our New Year’s Eve featured author. Happy New Year!

A few of your favorite things: I like my books, family pictures, and my collection of mugs.

Things you need to throw out: I’ve downsized twice in the last five years, and I got rid of so many things there’s not much left to get rid of.

Things you need for your writing sessions: I need something to drink, and coffee is my drink of choice. I also have my storyboard, and I write on my laptop.

Things that hamper your writing: Social media can be a big distraction.

Things you never want to run out of: I don’t want to run out of ideas and inspiration.

Things you wish you’d never bought: I once bought a fruit dehydrator. I thought it would be healthier because it wouldn’t have the added sugars you find in dried fruit. Bananas were the worst, and it was a challenge to make it taste good. Needless to say, I got rid of it.

Favorite foods: Some of my favorite things to eat are Greek salad, lasagna, and brownies.

Things that make you want to gag:  I’ve always hated cooked peas.

Last best thing you ate: Tiramisu, enough said. 😊

Last thing you regret eating: I ate kale salad, not just salad with some kale, but all kale salad.

Things you always put in your books: I always include dogs, friends, and family.
Things you never put in your books: Swearing and graphic sex won’t make an appearance in my books. It’s one reason I love writing cozies.

Favorite places you’ve been: At the top of my list is Paris. I waited for years to visit France, and it didn’t disappoint. My husband and I went on a river cruise with my brother and his wife. It was a wonderful trip, and we made great memories.

Places you never want to go to again: I never want to go back to college. I’m glad I’ve got my degree, but I don’t want to go back except to watch football games.

 About Jackie:

Jackie Layton has always lived in the southeast United States. Kentucky, Georgia, and now South Carolina. She loves living in the low country and often can’t believe how blessed she is. Despite cracked ribs and a trip to the emergency room after getting a hook in her foot while body surfacing, she’s always had fun with her kids playing in the waves. When she’s not writing, Jackie enjoys long walks, bike rides, golf cart rides, reading on the beach, and collecting shells. 

 Links to Bag of Bones:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/34NtLvv

Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/y3f8g2vt 

Bares & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/y4crbcnf 

Google: https://tinyurl.com/y4a6gwu6 

Let’s Be Social:

Website: https://jackielaytoncozyauthor.com/

Twitter: Jackie Layton (@Joyfuljel) / Twitter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JackieLaytonAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackielaytonauthor

Pinterest: https://pin.it/3Z0A1th  

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/37slujv   

Bookbub: https://bit.ly/34kiwLW 

Does one good turn deserve a murder?

Despite all her good intentions to focus on a healthy lifestyle and leave crime solving to the professionals, Andi Grace Scott has run right smack into another investigation—literally.  Who’d have thought caring for stray cats and a healthy morning beach run could lead to murder?

Andi Grace has found another body and a young woman who needs help.  Solving this puzzle will come with a cost.  This time, catching the killer will require Andi Grace to confront her past relationships and truths about her deceased mother.

What to do When You're Not Motivated to Write

Every writer hits a block from time to time, but the pandemic and all its struggles have taken a toll on everyone. I attended a writers’ event this week, and over 75% of the people there said that they haven’t felt or been motivated to write recently. It is a struggle. Be gentle with yourself. Write when you can.

I decided early on in the pandemic that I was going to use my normal commute time to and from work for writing time. It provided some bit of normalcy for me, and I have a daily time that I work on writing and revisions.

Here are some ideas. I hope they help you.

• Schedule some writing time daily or weekly. Know that that is your task for that amount of time.

• Find your writer friends (e.g. critique group, writing buddy, writers’ group). The support and encouragement is invaluable.

• Many writing groups are hosting “write-ins” or “check-ins” where you talk about your goals and work on your writing. Some groups do this on a virtual call and others with social media posts. It’s a daily check-in on your progress. It helps to have encouragement and to know that you’re not alone.

• Set a writing goal with a deadline. Nothing makes me move faster than a pending deadline.

• Work on other writerly tasks. Update your website or social media pages. Update your biography.

• Find a writing friend and check in on each other weekly. I have two critique partners, and we do this almost weekly as we provide new pages or edits to our chapters.

• If you don’t feel like writing, try doing some research or outlining for a future project.

• Exercise or at least move around. Do something you enjoy (e.g. walks, dancing, yoga, hula hoop). Take care of yourself.

• Check in on a friend. Reach out to to someone and see how they’re doing.

• Find ways to volunteer. If you can’t do it in-person, a lot of groups are looking for people to help with at-home projects.

I hope you and your family are safe and well. We will get through this together. And when we’re able to gather again, we are going to have the most stupendous celebrations and book events. Take care of yourself. And Happy Holidays!

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with E. W. Cooper

I’d like to welcome author, E. W. Cooper to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: Books, dinner with family, my kids, and a glass of wine with husband after a long day of work. But most of all, time with my family listening to their stories about the past and present.

Things you need to throw out: All those clothes from college I’ve convinced myself I will fit into again.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Time, music, and a good idea of where I need to get to in the story.

Things that hamper your writing: Sometimes I just run out of words. That will stop my work cold. That’s when I focus on reading and replenishing that reservoir of ideas.

Things you love about writing: I love the scenes I see inside my head taking shape on the page and hearing the characters talk to each other. Sometimes what they say and do is unexpected. When that happens, I can barely tear myself away.

Things you hate about writing: Editing feels like it can go on forever which can become discouraging. When that happens it’s important for me to remember that the better a book is edited, the better it is for a reader. That’s the goal, after all.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Finding the time to write.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Coming up with ideas for Penelope and Lund is about as easy as it gets. I have the next four books plotted, just not enough time to write them.

Favorite music or song: I love opera, like my main character Penelope Harris, but I listen to all sorts of music new and old. Favorite music from an opera – the “Barrcarolle” from Tales of Hoffman, favorite classic rock “Rock and Roll Suicide” by David Bowie, favorite modern song “Uncle ACE” by Blood Orange.

Music that drives you crazy: Easy listening jazz. Please, no. Sorry Kenny G.

Favorite beverage: Unsweet iced tea – can’t get enough of it. I love it so much, but it keeps me awake all night, so I’ve had to cut back. Unless I’m writing – then I drink it by the gallon.
Something that gives you a sour face: Buttermilk – it makes a great cake but ick!

Favorite smell: Baking bread
Something that makes you hold your nose: Pancake syrup mixed with bacon. Strange but true – I can’t stand the smell of those two things together.

Something you’re really good at:  Writing
Something you’re really bad at:  Singing – don’t even ask me to try. I am so bad at singing it isn’t even a good joke. No one who has asked me to sing has ever asked me to do it again. Perhaps that’s why my main character is an opera singer – she does what I always wish I could?

Last best thing you ate: Chocolate cake        
Last thing you regret eating: That chocolate cake

Favorite places you’ve been: My mother grew up on Long Island, New York and introduced me to it when I was a baby. It’s a little slice of heaven for me. I go back as often as I can to visit family and restore. Santa Fe, NM is a close second.

Places you never want to go to again: I once spent a very uncomfortable and spooky night on a derelict sailboat and I will never do that again.

Favorite books (or genre): Historical mysteries are my favorite, but I have a soft spot for speculative fiction and noir thrillers.

Books you wouldn’t buy: Sadly, I do not enjoy poetry. That is not the fault of poetry. But otherwise, I will read just about anything. My mother is a retired librarian and always has something new to read. We do a lot of book trading between our households.

The coolest person you’ve ever met: Cate Blanchette – she was so friendly and happy. And did I mention – drop dead beautiful? A class act.

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Johnny Depp – really not what I expected at all. He was a very long stretch of bad road. Oddly, he spoke with a British accent the entire time.

About E. W.:

Booklife Prize 2020 Finalist (Mystery/Thriller) E.W. Cooper lives quietly with her partner, children, three dogs, and one cat in a very noisy house in South Texas. A lifelong fan of mystery novels and Grand Opera, Ms. Cooper is hard at work on the next book in the Penelope Harris Mystery series. To read more about the author and the other short stories and novels featuring Penelope Harris, visit her website at www.ewcooper.com. 

Let’s Be Social:

Roll up of everywhere The Jade Tiger is sold: https://books2read.com/thejadetiger

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mysteryattheopera

Twitter: E (@ewc_cooper) / Twitter

Instagram: EW Cooper (@ew.cooper) • Instagram photos and videos

Website: www.ewcooper.com

What I Learned from Art Taylor and Tara Laskowski about Building Suspense

I love the programming that the Sisters in Crime chapters do. I learn so much from the guest speakers. Recently, Art Taylor and Tara Laskowski did a presentation on building suspense in your writing for the Sisters in Crime - Central Virginia chapter. Here’s what I learned.

• Write what you love to read.

• Use what you read as models for your writing.

• Your openings need to catch the reader’s attention and keep it.

• There is a difference between action and suspense. Use shorter sentences for dialogue, action, and suspense.

• Start your story quickly and show the conflict immediately.

• Pacing is key for dramatic tension. When and where do you put in the plot twists? You don’t want to bore your reader, and you don’t want to spoil the twist.

• You want your reader to have a level of uncertainness or uneasiness.

• Increase the dramatic tension to make an ordinary situation menacing.

• Slow down the story or the passage of time to turn down the velocity. Long sentences slow the pace.

• Slowing down the pacing makes it unbearable for the reader. Make them want to find out what happens next.

• Three ways to end a chapter are cliff hanger, a question, or a reflection.

• Reflection at the end of a chapter is often more powerful than a cliff hanger.

• Vary your chapter endings. They all shouldn’t be the same technique.

• You always want the reader to turn the page.

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Lane Stone

I’d like to welcome author Lane Stone to the blog this week for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: Dogs, lighthouses (I’m on the board of Delaware River and Bay Lighthouse Foundation) and travel.

Things you need for your writing sessions: white noise – pre-COVID Panera’s background noise was absolute perfect. 

Things that hamper your writing:  My husband talking to me.  Too honest?  Ok, let’s go with clutter. 

 Things you love about writing: Hanging out with readers.

 Favorite music or song: Cold Little Heart by Michael Kiwanuka is the ring tone on my phone.  I thought the whole soundtrack from Big Little Lies was amazing.

Music that drives you crazy: Neil Diamond music. 

Favorite beverage: Starbucks Trenta Black Iced Tea, Light Ice, Light Water, One Stevia, No cane syrup.  (I’ve gone to Starbucks almost every day since COVID started.).

Favorite smell: My dog, Cordy, wet or dry.

Something that makes you hold your nose: The smell of turnip greens cooking.  (But some days I miss my Mom so much I’d gladly smell it if I could see her again.)

The last thing you ordered online: Alice Boatright’s Christmas mystery, WHAT CHILD IS THIS.  Every year I like to read a holiday mystery. 

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: When my husband plays his Neil Diamond tapes. 

Things you always put in your books: Our first Standard Schnauzer, Abby, is in each of my books. 

Favorite books (or genre):

Books you wouldn’t buy: Autobiographies by negative people, who just want to get in the last word. 

Best thing you’ve ever done: Marry my husband, Larry Korb, 30 years ago.

 About Lane:

Lane Stone is the author of the Pet Palace Mysteries and the Tiara Investigation Mystery series.  The first book in her new series, The Big Picture, will be available in 2022.  She lives in Alexandria, Virginia during the week and Lewes, Delaware on the weekend.

When not writing she’s enjoying characteristic baby boomer pursuits:  traveling and volunteering for good causes, like the Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation and American Association of University Women.  She recently earned a post-graduate certificate in Antiquities Theft and Art Crime.  She can be found at www.LaneStoneBooks.com and https://twitter.com/themenopausedog. 

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