PNWA 2017 Summer Conference Overview

(Image:  My conference badge illustrating what genres I like to write in--Historical Fiction, Sci-fi, and Fantasy)

This past weekend, I attended PNWA's Summer conference, after a year-long hiatus. A different theme is chosen every year, and this one was:

 

 However, due to my work schedule, I had to put off writing for the first, and final days of the conference.  While I enjoyed the event itself, and the new home at SeaTac's DoubleTree Hotel itself, I felt rushed commuting back and forth to it each day.  I'm thinking about reserving a room at the hotel the next time I'm able to attend.

In the past, I've written extensive posts on the details of each workshop, and panel discussions I attended.  I'm not going to do that anymore.  Such posts took a lot of time to write, occupied a lot of cyberspace that I want to devote to gaming, and the webcomics I concoct as a result of the games I manage to play.

So from now on, my writing conference reports will be overviews with plenty of name dropping of links to the authors I know, or recently met.  

Friday

Because I was getting off night shift, and didn't have anything ready to pester literary agents, and publishing editors about, I skipped the Agents and Editors Forums that morning.

I arrived at the DoubleTree with less than 15 minutes to spare, giving me barely enough time to pick-up my attendance packet, and scurry-off to the first workshop on my To-Attend List.  

This was the Craft of Writing Backstory by Cherry Adair, who loves writing action-romances.  Or as she put it:  "Stories about running, chasing, shooting and wild monkey sex." A one-sentence synopsis of her workshop would be:  Don't bore readers with infodumps--instead, entertain them with vivid accounts of running, chasing, shooting and wild monkey sex.

While the second workshop Panster vs. Plotter, made no references to wild monkey sex, it was hosted by the delightful duet of Deborah Schneider (a.k.a. Sibelle Stone) and SaraLynn Hoyt.  In this yin-yang couple, Deborah's the Plotter (a meticulous planner and outliner), while Saralynn's the Panster (as in writing by the seat of your pants).  Both writing techniques have their benefits and pitfalls.  The trick is to write in a way that utilizes the best of both techniques.

After these workshops, I hung around for the Featured Speaker Dinner, which should have been called "Featured Speakers Dinner," because instead of one individual giving a stirring speech; this was a panel discussion with Cherry Adair, Deb Caletti, Gregg Hurwitz, Donald Maass, Christopher Vogler, singer/songwriter Donn-T, and hosted by PNWA's perennial emcee, Robert Dugoni.

While this was a new concept that promised to be entertaining, me and 30 other individuals ended up at the "Kids' Tables."  Apparently, there was a misunderstanding/miscommunication on how many conference attendees would be attending The Featured Speakers Dinner.  The staff ended up scrambling to literally roll-out additional round tables, flip on table cloths, and fling down some silverware.  Then we had to wait for them to cook-up our meals.  

I, along with several hungry victims-of-circumstance dinner companions were at furthest, and most forward "Kid's Table," and couldn't see any of the Featured Guests, beyond where Bob Dugoni was sitting.  So I hardly remember any of the amusing Q&A entertainment.

The Autograph Party afterwards turned out to have some pleasant surprises.  First, the gentlemen I sat next to turned out to be local author Matt T. Ryan.  So I bought his first book, Revenge of the Banker's Daughter. 

(Image by Kitsap Publishing)

I initially thought the woman next to Matt was his daughter.  Instead, she was Sonya Rhen, author of Space Tripping with the Shredded Orphans.

Her and Matt were placed so close together I felt compelled to buy her first book, "Trip 1." The front cove reminded me of a whacked-out, dystopian version of Josie and the Pussycats.

The one thing I did remember from the Featured Speakers Dinner was the response Christopher Vogler made when asked what he likes to do in his non-writing spare time:  Create scenes with toy soldiers.

Oh?

With that in mind, I set out to stalk ask him about his hobby.  It turned out he's not a gamer, but uses playsets as a creative free-form exercise.  I told him about my webcomics, which he thought was neat.  I lied was wrong when I told him I already had a copy of his seminal work, The Writer''s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. So I bought his book Memo From the Story Department, based on my false assumption.

(Image from: Amazon.com)   

 

In my defense, I have another writing book with a similar-colored cover.

After my purchases, I spent the rest the time catching up with Chris (C.C.) Humphreys and meeting his lovely wife Aletha. 

I would have loved to have stayed longer, but I had a long drive back and an early morning workshop I wanted to attend the next morning.

Saturday

After another Hell-for-Leather drive, the workshop I barely arrived in time for was Intersection of World Building and Character Development, by Nicole Persun.  In the past, Nicole usually ran workshops with her dad, Terry Persun. But this was the first time I attended one of her solo performances.  She did a wonderful job instilling in us that character and setting are inseparable. 

And speaking of settings, the next workshop was Location as Character (a.k.a. "Location! Location! Location!") hosted by C.C. Humphries, Joe Beernink, and moderated by PNWA President Pam Binder.  Considering a locale as a character is often critical in writing, because since real people are affected by their environment, imaginary ones should be too.

After lunch, as I entered the Speculative Fiction Short Stories workshop, one of my classmates from Pam Binder's Popular Fiction class was chatting moderator Cat Rambo about disasters.  After our "hellos" she told Cat about my job in Washington State Emergency Management, and I ended up talking a bit about my job.  Cat was an engaging and concise instructor, briefing the few of us attendees on the mechanics of what makes story telling work.  

During last workshop intermission, I ran into Jeff Ayers, the PNWA Board Secretary, who introduced me Gregg Hurwitz.  He commented on the Punisher shaker bottle I was carrying, and I discovered:

(Image from iHerb)

a.  Gregg wrote several Punisher comics #69-95, 75 (2008-2009).

b. He dresses up in a Punisher costume similar to mine. 

Then we had to end things abruptly because the last workshop of the day was about to begin.

By this time I wasn't in the mood to an extensive note-taking seminar.  So the final workshop I chose was Kay Kenyon's Landscapes of Fantasy, from Mythic...

(Image found on Pinterest's Arthurian Legends)

 ...to Dieselpunk. 

(Image of Jet City Comic Show's Bomber Girl by Shane White)

This was an overview of the 15 or so sub-genres of fantasy that has been, and is currently being written.  I never knew there was such a thing as New Weird.  I thought the run-of-the-mill weird was weird enough.

As my epic two-day workshop quest came to an end, it was time for the Literary Contest and Nancy Pearl Book Awards Celebration and Dinner.

Every year, in conjunction with the conference, PNWA hosts a Literary Contest.  By my count there were 103 finalists in a dozen categories, along with 7 finalists for the Nancy Pearl Book Award.  Fortunately, there was no "Kids Table Crisis," which I'd attribute to a grown-pain hiccup with the conference's new home.  However, I didn't take any notes, so I couldn't tell you who won what.

So my congratulations best wishes go out to the winners--you rock!--whoever you are.

And with that, PNWA's Summer Conference 2017 came to a close for me.  

The dates for next year's conference are already being reserved at DoubleTree for sometime next September.

Until I know what my 2018 work schedule will be, I'll pencil myself in as "Interested" when PNWA creates an event on Facebook.

See you next year!  Maybe.

PNWA 2015 Workshop Review #13: The Five Stages of Editing

(Image found on:  The Smell of Books)

This "Lucky 13" workshop was the last session I attended during this year's writer's conference.  Normally, I'd try to post this within the first few weeks afterwards, but this year's fire season was a doozy.

 

At least I finished before the year was out.

 

Let's face it, every manuscript needs a little editing...



(Image, Peanuts by Charles Schulz, found on The Word Nest)

...okay, maybe lots of editing.

Anyway, this workshop was hosted by A.C. Fuller, who provided a succinct presentation on how to edit more effectively.

Editing is an essential part of the writing process, and since writing is art, and art comes from...

(This image was used by Fuller in her presentation, which I found on Passages North)

 

...well, never mind. 

 

Just remember there's no correct way to edit.

 

So apply what works for you.

 

But one of the issues that holds us back from editing our work is procrastination.  This "creative avoidance" comes in six flavors:

 

1. Feeling overwhelmed.

2. Feeling of rebellion.

3. Lacking motivation.

4. Fatigue, or lack of focus.

5. Fear of the unknown.

6. Perfectionism.

 

Fuller suggested using the following Five Stages of Editing to overcome your inner critic.

 

 

(Image found on Lighted Path Coaching)

 

These are:

 

1. Relaxing.

2. Reading.

3. Restructuring.

4. Rewriting.

5. Refining.

 

After the introductory material, Miss Fuller explained each stage in detail.

 

 1. Relaxing

 

Take time off from your first draft.  How much time can vary.

This will give you an opportunity to look at your work differently.

However, don't stop writing.  Just write other stuff.

 

2. Reading

 

Read your book from cover to cover.

You don't know everything on what your book is about while writing the first draft, so you could make some additional discoveries.

 

a. How to read your book

 

Read in a different format in order to trick your brain.

Read having a pen and notebook handy so you can jot down notes.

Read fast!  Don't get bogged down in editing details yet.

Be realistic about your first draft, but don't get discouraged.

 

b. Reading notes/what to look for--

 

--plot holes/info holes

--incomplete scenes

--weak characters

--scenes or chapters that are too long

--inconsistent flow of the story

--areas to improve on characters and conflict

 

The lowest priority at this stage is checking for typos or grammatical errors.

Also, do not try to fix anything yet, just annotate what needs fixing.

 

3. Restructuring

 

This is the most important stage.

This is where you put the book together.

 

 

a. Plan your first revision

 

Write a list of edits on your notes.

Organize your list of edits from the biggest issues to the smallest.

Have faith that making your edits one by one will improve your book.

 

b. Restructuring includes--

 

--Moving scenes, or changing chapters around.

--Adding/deleting chapters, or scenes.

--Rewriting characters.

--Rewriting portions of the story line.

--Significantly lengthening or shortening the story.

 

Keep in mind, you may have to go through this stage two, three, or multiple times.

 

4. Rewriting

 

Enlist the help of beta readers.

You want the readers to experience the flow of the story.

 

A common mistake is that writers often skip Stages 1, 2 and 3, and start the editing process at this stage

 

Try to learn your own writing tendencies.

 

a. Common problems, or tendencies--

 

--Passive voice, which leads to 15% longer sentences.

--Over use of "it was," and "there were" constructions.

--Word repetition and mixed metaphors.

--Thought repetition and redundancy.

--Telling instead of showing.

--Shifts in point of view (POV).

--Vague writing.

 

b. How to rewrite

 

--Read out loud.

--Use your computer's search function.

--Get others to read your story.

--Hire an editor.

 

And now we finally come to where a lot of folks think the editing process starts...

 

5. Refining

 

This is where we fix the typos, grammar, style and check for consistency.

 

 

So that's it for this year's PNWA 2015 Workshop Review. 

 

I hope you enjoyed these, best wishes to you and your writing endeavors!

 

PNWA 2015 Workshop Review #12: Using Language to Enhance Story

(Image from:  Last Kiss by John Lustig)

One of the main reasons why I love comics and graphic novels is how the blend of words and pictures can tell a story.  Even a one-panel image, like the one above, implies a lot.  I liked how a common expression is paired with a gothic image for comedic effect--not to mention being in the spirit of Halloween.

Anyway, the title of the next-to-last workshop I attended at this year's PNWA Summer Conference my seem self explanatory. 

However, even if you string words together in a coherent manner your narrative may turn out to be as exciting as a technical manual.

Varying language, sometimes by bending, or even breaking grammatical rules could enhance your work.

This workshop was the second one in the conference hosted byTerry Persun and Nicole Persun.

True, the father and daughter duo didn't discuss graphic novels.  However, I found it beneficial listening to Terry and Nicole read select passages from the piles of books they brought as examples on how you can mold words more creatively to create a more vivid mental imagery.

Terry even read from a cookbook.

Who'd a thought making mashed potatoes could be so poetic?

It was impossible to write down all the prose, and I even forgot to scribble down the authors' works they read from. 

I did manage to jot down some keynotes to keep in mind if you decide make alterations to grammatical rules...

No matter what you write, or how you write it, without your work you have nothing to market.

Varying your language usage can affect a story's pacing, characterization and plot.

Make use of foreshadowing, that is, give a hint at what's to come.

You can sprinkle a leitmotif, that is, a recurring idea or image, throughout your story.

Use of fragment sentences--

--Used to focus on an image.

--Focus on emotions.

--Convey the spanning of time.

Long sentences can be--

--Used for lengthy descriptions, which gives flavor to the setting.

--Can be action-based, especially when describing complicated movement.

--Can convey thought.

While short sentences--

--Emphasis on what is currently happening.

--Often appears as dialogue, and can be used as such.

Repeated words--

--Brings the reader closer to the scene.

--Can be used to overlap descriptions, to reinforce imagery.

--Establishes a rhythm.

Most writing instructions recommend banishing adverbs from your work.  However, if done properly, adverbs can set the tone of your story.

Use descriptions specific to each character.

One final word of advice:

If your style is out of the ordinary, be sure to talk to your agent/editor and express your concerns about wordage.

In the meantime, continue writing and Happy Halloween!

(Image from:  Last Kiss by John Lustig)

PNWA 2015 Workshop Review #11: Book Trailers for Marketing & More

For this workshop review, I thought I'd use my webcomic trailer to Breakout from Bongolaan--as an example of what not to do when creating a book trailer. 

I made my initial trailer before I attended a lecture on making book trailers.  I actually like my latest trailer, which I remade when I took additional photographs for my webcomic, despite its shortcomings which I'll mention in parenthetical comments on this post.

This workshop was hosted by Rian Fiske and Steve Ahlbom of Visual Quill.

First, what is a book trailer?

--It's an advertisement for your book.

The internet has changed the way we market products and today's society is the most marketed in history.

What a book trailer is not--

--A plot reveal (mine is)
--A story summary (mine is)
--More important than your book (I'm still writing my webcomic, so I hope not)
--Boring! (I hope mine isn't)
--Unappealing (I hope mine isn't)
--Too focused to a specific person or group (okay, mine is guilty of this last one)

A good book trailer--

--Has a good script, is brief and creatively edited.

Time length:

30 Seconds = Good
60 Seconds = Okay  (mine's just over a minute)
90 Seconds = Not Good

A book trailer should evoke a visceral response from a viewer, not an intellectual one, and the mood should be similar to the book.

A book trailer is an important part of book marketing because--

--It takes advantage of the explosive growth of online advertising videos.
--It's on a shareable medium.
--It fosters a deep like-know-trust connection.
--It keeps your book in a reader's mind.
--It's cost effective.

Some interesting statistics--

--Viewers are 64% more likely to buy your book.
--There's usually an 80% increase in conversion rates on your website.  That is, visits turning into actual purchases.
--There's often an increase of 2 minutes per stay per viewer on your website.
--92% of mobile viewers share videos with others.
--There's a 19% to 300% increase of sales if a book trailer supplements e-mails and flyers.
--These statistics hold no matter what genre you're writing.

Elements of a good book trailer--

--Visually hint at what takes place.
--Keeps the story moving and is not too short, or too long.
--Uses a good selection of graphics and music.

Bad book trailers are everywhere.
--Most aren't trailers, but rather do-it-yourself (DIY) slide shows (like mine).
--DIY tools exist, but you still need to use them correctly.

What makes a book trailer bad--

--Low quality graphics and photos.
--Too many graphics.
--Too much explanatory text.
--Poor music.

The five elements that make a quality book trailer are:

1. It's not a plot reveal.  Think of it as a pitch session.
2. Plan the entire trailer with a story board.
3. Production quality is essential.  Hire a professional, if necessary.
4. Know what style you're using and make sure it all hangs together.
5. Don't confuse building your brand with selling your book.

Here are some tips if you are going to go the DIY route:

Your book trailer needs a script, so here are some things to consider--

--Start with your book's synopsis.
--Duration should be between 30-60 seconds.
--Consider this rule of thumb:  50 words = 30 seconds of video.

Utilize appropriate music for your trailer.  Music sets the emotional tone and should coincide with the tone of your book.

Editing tools for your DIY book trailer--

--PC users can utilize Windows Movie Maker.
--Mac users can utilize iMovie.
--Tutorials are available on Lynda.com.

And speaking of websites, there are several doityourselfers can make use of.

(Image found on: Freepik)

For free high resolution images there's--

--Unsplash and
--Gratisography

For images that you have to pay for, but may be unavailable elsewhere, check out--

--Veer
--Getty Images and
--IStockPhoto

IStockPhoto also has video and music available for downloading.

One site dedicated to video downloading is VideoBlocks.

(Image found on Lakewood Music Boosters)

To add music to your book trailer for little or no cost, there's--

--FreeStockMusic, and AudioBlocks

While paid sites include--

--Premium Beat and
--Pond5 (which also includes photos, videos and sound effects)

For my book trailer and the gaming videos I've produced, I've used--

--SoundDogs (which also includes sound effects)
--Shockwave-Sound,
--and my personal favorite has been--
--Kevin Macleod's Incompetech (Kevin requests donations for downloads)

On deciding whether to use voice-over or text in your book trailer, either will work if done well.

Once you've made your book trailer you'll need to distribute it.  For this, you'll have to go beyond Facebook, YouTube and Vimeo.

Upload your trailer on top websites in your niche or genre, along with your personal website, your Amazon Author page, library catalogues, and distribution sites like OneLoad.  Also, be sure to set up a computer to play the trailer during book signings.

If you'd rather hire a professional to create your book trailer, there's a few questions you need to keep in mind--

--How much will it cost?
--What can I expect?
--What will the pro do for me?

Prices range from $400 to $4,000, with $1,200 being the average.  The more material and input you provide, the less it will be in price.

As to the last two questions, you'll have to discuss the details of the services a professional offers to provide.

With all this information, hopefully you'll be able to say "Lights! Camera! Action!" soon.

(Image found on Pintrest)

PNWA 2015 Workshop Review #10: The Five Essential Elements for a Short Story

(Image from:  Mr. Donn's Site for Teachers & Kids--Stories)

First, a note on the intrusion/hacking I reported in my last post. 

It looks like the Indonesian gambling spam, courtesy of Read List from "Thrillofadventure" has been purged from my blog's Read List.  I hope this hasn't affected any of my readers' systems.  Thank you for your patience.

Now getting back to the PNWA 2015 review I meant to write a few days ago...

One of the most daunting issues to me as a writer is the idea of stringing 100,000 words of "literary code" into a coherent novel.  So before I turned to writing webcomics, I looked into writing smaller works from Flash Fiction to Short Stories, and everything else just shy of a novel.

When it comes to writers conferences, I'm always interested in workshops on shorter works; in this case, The Five Essential Elements for a Short Story, presented by Bharti Kirchner.

Miss Kirchner always gives a pleasant presentation, and I've enjoyed attending her seminars.  In fact, I attended her Jump-Starting a Short Story five years ago.

Going over my hastily-written notes, I can't discern five distinct essential elements this year's workshop was suppose to be about, but I managed to scrawl over five pages of my notebook.

So I'll just post what I have in the order I scribbled it down...

Why write a short story?

--Provides feedback and experience in between longer works
--Short stories are popular again, thanks to the internet.
--Short story collections are popular, especially if compiled into a common theme.
--Can provide insight to writing techniques.

What is a short story?

--It's not a personal essay.
--It centers on something happening to a character that means something to that person.
--It's a complete story.
--It's not a character sketch, vignette or anecdote.
--Each sentence must have an impact.
--You must create an emotional effect on the reader.
--There must be an internal change to the character.

What makes a short story work?

--An action or gesture that evokes something occurring beyond the character.
--A mental image of the passing of time, which can be flexible.

Structure of a short story.

--The character understands something profound.
--The readers learn or feel something when finished.
--The first and last paragraphs must be strong, especially in first person.
--The story contains a mystery that grows.

Timespan of a short story.

--Time is comparatively short, but flexible, as previously mentioned.
--It's better to have a narrow timeline as opposed to one dealing with global issues.

How many characters should be involved?

--Usually no more than three.

Elements of a short story are--

--Character
--Plot
--Setting
--Dialogue
--Voice

Character development in a short story--

--Character can be revealed through dialogue.
--Know your character--what does he want and what motivates him?
--Keep in mind the nature of the speaker when writing dialogue.

The voice of a short story can be ordinary, but natural, as if sounding from a real person.

Advancing the plot in a short story--

--Ask "what if?"
--Ask "what does the character want?"
--If the character is thwarted, what provides the momentum?

Short story styles--

--Dropping the reader into the middle of the story.
--Writing the story from the point of view of one of the characters.
--Writing the story from a character's point of view, but talking about another character.

Tips on staying motivated to write a short story--

--Write every day, even if it's only a few sentences.
--Think about the end of your story--and fill in everything else.
--Think about dropping your first paragraph.

And finally, short story markets--

--Magazines
--e-zines
--literary contests
--Writer's Digest publishes Writers Market that lists opportunities
--DuoTrope is another site that you can sign up for and search for markets

So that's it for my stammering on short stories.

(Image found on Writers & Artists)

PNWA 2015 Workshop Review #9: Project Manage Your Book to the Finish Line

(Image from:  CEP America, The Role of Project Management)

 

 While it is said that Writing is art, but Publishing is business; the dividing line between these two aspects are not clearly defined. 

 

Writing, or any artistic endeavor requires work, and work becomes a project, and a project may be one of several projects, and so--each and any project needs to be managed.

 

In this workshop, our hostess Wendy Kendall, explained how one could turn their Work In Progress into a finished product by using project management techniques.

 

(Note:  My attempts at finding Wendy Kendall-Author's website kept leading me to Wendy Kendall-the Fashion Designer in the UK).

 

First she defined what a project is:  A temporary activity to achieve a goal. 

 

She then went on to make the following recommendations:

 

Plan to win (by finishing your book).

Increase your level of commitment by telling others what you're planning to do, or actually doing.

 

Fear is your biggest enemy.

However:  Never let fear of striking out get in your way (Babe Ruth).

 

Commitment means sacrifice.

But don't try to do it all, which is where managing this project comes in.

Don't use lower priorities as an excuse to procrastinate, (which is often referred to as "Creative Avoidance").

 

Maintain self-commitment to your goal.

Having a goal will inspire you.

Make sure your goal is visible to you.

Stay focused and imitate the habits of successful people.

 

Identify what parts or your life/activity you can control when you're feeling overwhelmed (which may be often).

 

(Image found on:  The GradPost at UC, Feeling Overwhelmed)

 

Manage your time.

Define your own success.

 

Establish a specific finishing goal.

Put specific steps in your plan--then follow them.

 

End your writing day on an upswing, so you look forward to getting back into it.

Celebrate successive milestone you completed in each step.

Don't say negative things about yourself, and don't listen to negative and unconstructive comments.

 

Wendy recommended using a personalized project plan worksheet.

 

Identify required activities.

Identify dependencies and red flags that need to be mitigated.

 

Wendy defined a dependency as something that relied on something else in order to complete.

 

Gather fans by utilizing social media and platform-building.

This can include writing on-line columns, blogging, Twitter, Facebook.

Your platform and the material you write will become your brand.

Make separate personal and author social media accounts.

Know the demographics of potential fans on social media.

 

Despite your best efforts your plans may go astray.  If this occurs, find the point-of-departure and either restart from that point, or "take a detour." 

 

(Image found on:  CNX, The History of Project Management)

Finally:  Success is not guaranteed.

 

But:

 

Losing doesn't make you a loser!

PNWA 2015 Workshop Review # 8: Bringing the Past to Life

(Image from:  Writing Historical Novels; Being a Disciplined Author by Julian Stockwin)

My reading habits seem to suffer from a split-personality disorder.

On the one hand I love reading sci-fi and fantasy.  This taps in to my curiosity and wonderment about the future and different worlds.

On the other hand, history was my favorite subject during my K-12 years.  However, text books can be boring.  Sometime during my adolescent years I discovered exploits of Horatio Hornblower and Richard Bolitho, which got me hooked on historical fiction.

So I didn't think twice about attending this Bringing the Past to Life workshop immediately after attending one on sci-fi and fantasy. 

It's in my reading nature.

Anyway, the workshop was hosted by:

Dave Boling

Bharti Kirchner

Janet Oakley, and

Candace Robb

This workshop was an open panel discussion, much like the sci-fi workshop.  But instead of looking forward to the future, or different worlds, we examined the framework of the past and examined how to make stories fit into that framework.

Regarding this genre there's a few questions that you can ask yourself.

First off:  Could your story be classified as Historical Fiction?

Usually if the setting takes place 50 years or more in the past.  A setting earlier than this is considered more contemporary.

(Image from:  Pin Us, Brown Water Navy Vietnam)

Next, ask yourself:  Why have you been drawn to historical fiction?

It could be:

You have a personal connection to the past (ancestors who lived during a certain time).
Or, you have a desire to understand what it was like to live in the past.

Finally:  Can you bring meaning to historical moments?

To accomplish this you need to:

Immerse yourself in the time and culture.
Make sure everything in the story works within a specific time frame.


Remember:  History supplies the plot, you do the research and create a fictional family.
Also keep in mind that the past is more complex and sophisticated than people today realize.

To conduct effective research:

Utilize websites that end in "org," or "edu" (organization and education, respectively).
Seek advice from librarians, historical society members and museum personnel.
Put your story in a place you want to travel to--because you'll need to in order to give your story an element of authenticity.

To keep you motivated, choose a topic you're passionate about.
Try to create a "chills moment."  That is show the reader how rough life was in the past.

People, even within your own country, didn't talk the same way they do now.

(Image from:  All Posters, Captain Horatio Hornblower)

While you can't, or at least shouldn't, reproduce ancient speech patterns, you can use a similar format on how they addressed each other.
Use the proverbs, sayings and phrases that were common at the time.

No matter what you discover in your research, writing your story might seem like a struggle.

Just remember to keep at it--no matter how slow the going may seem.

(Image from:  Wikipedia entry on the USS Constitution)

PNWA 2015 Workshop Review #7: Key Elements of Science Fiction and Fantasy

(Image found on Wikipedia)

 Since I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy, I thought attending this panel discussion on the key elements of these genres was in order.

Panel members were:

Nancy Kress

Jennifer Letwack (editor)

Kat Richardson

Terry Persun

Nicole Persun

I often encounter Terry & Nicole at literary events like this, and I enjoy their presentations. 

Here's a list of tidbits I managed to jot down:

While sci-fi and fantasy "...explore strange new worlds..." this doesn't mean anything goes in these realms. 

Strange, or otherwise, these worlds have to make sense to the reader.

So in Worldbuilding you need to understand the economies, money, and political power of the society you're creating (Nancy Kress).

While sci-fi/fantasy are based on "what-if" speculation, the genre has always looked at our society and extrapolated from it.  The genre serves as a reflection of our society.

Readers want to see characters involved with technology/magic.

Worldbuilding is the environment for character development and interaction.  The setting isn't merely a backdrop, but a prop to illustrate how your characters interact.

Sci-fi and fantasy are inheritors of the Victorian Novel, which addressed sweeping questions about society.

Speculative fiction has always set up as a mirror against our society.

As to writing the story--don't info dump.

Create a desire within a reader to explore the world you created.
Scatter the details throughout the book.
Once you know your world, the details will seep in.
Assume your readers know more about your world than you do.
Insert only the details that will move your story forward.
Be sure to add the other senses, not just sight.

Consider sci-fi and fantasy to be resting on top of the three-legged stool, with each stool representing:

Character
Plot
Setting

If any one leg is weak, then the entire story will fall.

Despite the exotic settings, a sci-fi or fantasy story needs to answer these two key questions any author of fiction should ask himself:

What do my characters want?

What could go wrong?

Failure to answer these satisfactorily and your manuscript will face an editor's wrath...



(Image: Death Dealer by Frank Frazetta)

PNWA 2015 Workshop Review #6: Treat Your Book Like a Start-Up

(Image from:  Innorobo.com)

You're probably worried I'm jumping the timeline track again a la Quentin Tarantino, apparently skipping from Workshop Review #3 to #6.

I assure you I'm not.  At least not this time.

According to my notes, I have the Agents and Editors Forums listed as Workshops # 4 & #5, which I previously posted.  I wrote them first because during our busy fire season, these laundry-list entries were quick and easy to concoct.  (We're still dealing with wildfires here in WA State, but the weather has taken a turn for the better and we're slowly getting the fires under control--for now).

Anyway, the Treat Your Book Like a Start-Up was presented by Lucy Silag.

Since nearly every start-up needs more than just a CEO, a book often needs the help of more than one author in order to get published. 

This is where beta readers come in.

(Image found on Steven Symes blog, from Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson)

Miss Silag's tips on recruiting beta readers:

 

Select readers who are familiar with the genre you are writing in.

Find a reader who is another writer.

Betas can be found through writers groups, librarians, social groups (online and in real life), on-line forums and workshops, as well as through writing classes (classroom and on-line).

 

Keep in mind you're not just giving out your manuscript for folks to read at their leisure--you need to get feedback.

 

If you're not getting the feedback you need, you'll need to rethink your start-up strategy.

You may have to remind your beta recruits about adhering to the deadline you've established.

If a beta doesn't follow through, then it would be wise to seek out another recruit for your next book.

 

(Image found on From Isi, originally from Peanuts by Charles Schultz)

 

Finding reliable betas can develop into meaningful relationships and networking.

 

After obtaining the feedback you need, you'll feel more confident about publishing your book.

Another good indicator occurs when a reader says your book reminds them of another popular work.

 

There may be times when you don't agree with a reader's feedback, so it helps to recruit as many betas as possible in order to get something of a consensus.

 

To help alleviate any difficulty, be sure to read widely in you genre so you know the standards.

 

And speaking of standards, if you join Book Country, the site provides standardized critique data, which you could include in your query letters.

 

Finally, be sure to thank all your beta readers.

 

(Image from:  Jenna Moreci's YouTube Channel)