Author-To-Author: First Page Check List #MFRWauthor @RuthACasie #amwriting

A First Page Check List
I've been catching up with my inbox. It was getting out of hand. Between being in my cave writing, Thanksgiving and the holidays well, lets just say I needed an intervention. 

One of the gems I unearthed was a post by Ray Rhamey of the Flogged Quill. (follow the link to see original article)




The Challenge: Does This Narrative Compel You To Turn the Page?
It's the first page that grabs the reader. Many times its the first sentence.

Here is Ray's first-page checklist:

• It begins connecting the reader with the protagonist.
• Something is happening. On a first page, this does NOT include a character musing about whatever.
• What happens is dramatized in an immediate scene with action and description plus, if it works, dialogue.
• What happens moves the story forward.
• What happens has consequences for the protagonist.
• The protagonist desires something.
• The protagonist does something.
• There's enough of a setting to orient the reader as to where things are happening.
• It happens in the NOW of the story.
• Backstory? What backstory? We're in the NOW of the story.
• Set-up? What set-up? We're in the NOW of the story.
• What happens raises a story question-what happens next? or why did that happen?

I remember the first draft of my first story. I eagerly read it at literary group meeting to three well published authors. I had worked hard on the story especially the opening. I saw it as a movie. The first thing I see in a movie is the setting. So, I diligently, and meticulously, described the scene.

Are you laughing? They loved the description. They told me to save it for someplace else but to come up with something more compelling. It was replaced with a fight scene.

Let's Talk About It.
Think about some of the books you've read or written. How did they begin? What did you like, or not like about it?

Post contributed by Ruth A. Casie
Ruth writes contemporary and historical fantasy romance for Carina Press, Harlequin and Timeless Scribes Publishing. Formerly from Brooklyn, New York, she lives in New Jersey with her very supportive husband Paul.

Her latest book is Knight of Rapture, a Historical PNR Fantasy, with Timeless Scribes Publishing.

For months Lord Arik has been trying to find the precise spell to rescue his wife, Rebeka, but the druid knight will soon discover that reaching her four hundred years in the future is the easiest part of his quest. 

Bran, the dark druid, follows Arik across the centuries, tireless in his quest for revenge. He’ll force Arik to make a choice, return to save his beloved family and home or stay in the 21st century and save Rebeka. He can’t save them both.

Rebeka Tyler has no recollection of where she’s been the past five months. On top of that, ownership of her home, Fayne Manor, is called into question. When accidents begin to happen it looks more and more like she is the target. Further complicating things is the strange man who conveniently appears wherever trouble brews—watching her, perhaps even….protecting her? Or is he a deliberate attempt to distract her? Rebeka can only be sure of one thing—her family name and manor have survived for over eleven centuries. She won’t let them fall… in any century.

website  |  blog  |  twitter 

How Authors Use Twitter @kayelleallen #MFRWauthor #UsingTwitter

My Twitter "Cover" Banner  

Twitter is an excellent place to get news about the writing and publishing industries. The program is easy -- like most things -- once you understand what you're doing. Let's walk through the basics of how to use the site.

This tutorial assumes you have already created an account. If you haven't done that yet, stop and create one now.

Here's a principle to follow on every social media: use your author name. You should always be findable by the name on your book covers.

Tips for Names

You cannot use a space on Twitter. Put your first and last name together. If your name has been taken already, consider adding an underscore (first_lastname) or add one to the beginning or end (_firstlastname OR firstlastname_). You could also add author to the end (firstlastnameauthor OR firstlastname_author) depending on the length of your name. There is a limit to the number of characters.

Do not use the word author first (authorfirstlastname). Why not? Because when someone tries to mention you on Twitter, they will write your name with the @ symbol in front of it (which triggers Twitter to find and link your account). If your name is @authorfirstlastname and they type @firstlastname -- you will not come up in the search. What comes up if they write @author and then begin to look for your name is a list of all people (in alphabetical order) who used author as the first part of their handle. If your name begins with AA or numbers, you might be viewable easily. If not, good luck! It might be pages before they see your name, assuming they stick around that long. Remember: always be findable by your author name.

Log in and Try This

If you already have an account, log in, then click Notifications. You'll see anyone who mentioned you.

Within the rows or boxes that hold tweets, you'll see a star icon. Click that to favorite (like) the tweet. It shows the person who shared your post that you saw it. It's like a thank you.

To send it out to your own followers, click the two arrows (similar to a recycle symbol). A box pops up. There's a place to comment (you can say "Thanks for sharing" or whatever you might like). Then click the Retweet button.

To reply (if you don't want to retweet) click the single arrow. Write your message, and then click Tweet.

To follow, click the person's name. A box pops up about them. Click the Follow button.

To send a tweet to a person, or to mention them, type a short note, and then type the @ symbol. Begin typing their name immediately after the symbol (mine is @kayelleallen). If you are already following them, their name will show up as a possibility, and you can choose it to have it enter for you. When you reply or retweet, it will go to them without having to add their name. Try a few and see how you do. :)

If you like to read about a specific thing, use a hashtag (#) to search for it. For example, if you love Lord of the Rings, or the Hobbit -- use #LOTR or #Hobbit. In Twitter, go to the search bar (upper right) and type one of those. Hit return, or click the magnifying glass in the search bar. Tweets from anyone who used the term you searched for will show up. Try it with almost any word (no spaces) and you will see the possibilities. The popular searches for writers are many. Try these:

·                     #amwriting

·                     #amediting

·                     #writing

·                     #romance

·                     #suspense

There are whole books on Twitter, but this gives you the basics. Give Twitter a try. It's a lot of fun and you will have a new way to reach your readers and friends. Besides... it's also a great way to keep up with favorite TV shows, movies, music, sports, and anything else that interests you.

===
Kayelle Allen (who follows the #Thranduil and #Loki hashtags)

Author of the Tarthian Empire Companion, a World-Building Bible and Guide to Writing a Science Fiction Series
Amazon http://bit.ly/companion-az Smashwords http://bit.ly/companion-sm
Website http://kayelleallen.mobi Blog http://kayelleallen.com/blog
Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen Facebook http://facebook.com/kayelleallen.author
Google+ https://plus.google.com/+KayelleAllen/

The Writing Process: Meeting your Editor #mfrwauthor #mfrworg

Okay so we’re going to speed up the time clock. You’ve done your homework and you have all your media sites set up. You’re ready for that first sale. For this month’s blog we’re going to deal with a publisher, small or large there are some basic things that every author should know.

The craziest things can affect the purchase of your book. It’s a very subjective world. If the acquiring editor read a book just like yours in a previous manuscript and they didn’t like it they could read yours with that book in mind. They could have a significant other who is a lot like your hero or heroine. If they had a fight recently that could affect the purchase of your book. The last book this editor bought was a lot like yours and it didn’t do well...you get the drift.

But today is your lucky day – you made it through all of that and they bought your book. Do the happy dance! Now comes the hard part. A total stranger is going to take your baby and edit it. They aren’t going to know how many times you edited it before you sent it in. Things you think are gems they might think need to be cut. That sentence that you agonized over for two days is reworded in an instant.\

Always remember this. They are not calling your baby ugly. They are trying to make your book the best it can be. As an author and an editor I know we’re too close to our own work. We’ve edited it to death and our eyes see things that aren’t there and don’t see the mistakes that are there. We all need fresh eyes to see our work.

Next month more on this editing process....

Barb:)

Barbara Donlon Bradley wears many hats. She’s a mother, wife, care-giver, author, and editor. She’s a senior editor for Melange Books, and writes for Phaze and Melange books/Satin Romances with over twenty titles under her belt.

Author Sites:

Website: http://www.barbaradonlonbradley.com/

Publisher: http://www.phaze.com/author.php?author=21

Blog: http://barbaradonlonbradley.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barbara-Donlon-Bradley/118673448173249

Twitter: https://twitter.com/barbbradley

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/barbaradbradley/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7773192-barbara-bradley

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0072OTZJE

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Barbara-donlon-bradley

ARe:http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Barbara+Donlon+Bradley

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/Search?Query=Barbara%20Donlon%20Bradley

Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/search/books?Keywords=barbara%20donlon%20bradley

A Thunderclap Storm for Our ReTweet Day #MFRWauthor #MFRWorg

Marketing for Romance Writers monthly retweet day is 5/13.

This month we are sharing and supporting our thunderclap campaigns.

 

First, you need to create a Thunderclap campaign

• Set the go live date for May 13, the date of our #MFRWauthor retweet day.
• Also use #MFRWauthor in your Thunderclap message.

Second, add your url to the comment section of the blog. It normally takes three days for a thunderclap campaign to go live so don't delay.

Third, support the main campaign. Here is the campaign for MFRW

https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/25456-hear-the-thunder-of-mfrwautho?locale=en

Fourth, support the other campaigns listed. Remember to check back often so you support everyone who is doing this.

Here's to creating an awesome storm on May 13,

Tina

Tina Gayle writes stories with strong women fiction elements. Visit her website and read the 1st chapter of any of her books. www.tinagayle.net

Novel Theme. Author Theme. What’s The Difference, and Do You Have One? #MFRWauthor #MFRWorg #WriteTip @MoniqueDeVere

Mention theme and some writers will groan. There’re so many, aren’t there? There’s theme, then there’s theme, and then there’s... well, theme. We have the story theme, author theme, and tropes—which some writers/readers call book theme.

Today I’m going to be talking about author theme, but first let’s take a quick look at the other two.

Story theme

Story theme is the same as the novel’s theme and can  usually be described in a single sentence. Something like, “action speaks louder than words”. It’s what the story is about, the message beneath the surface and it has nothing to do with your plot points on an obvious level. For instance, you might have a character, or even set of characters, who constantly say one thing but do another. That would be the story theme “action speaks louder than words”. 

I normally look to Idioms to find a nice pithy statement for my story themes. But there’re other places we can also look. I’ll list a few in case you might like a bit more of an example.
Story themes can be boiled down to traditional sayings.

Idioms – a phrase with a different figurative and literal meaning.
Exp: “Rags to Riches.” Or “Keep a stiff upper lip.”

Adage – a memorable, traditional saying that has gained credibility through long use.
Exp: “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Or “Things are not always what they seem.”

Proverb – a short saying which expresses common sense or a basic truth.
Exp: “A monkey in silk is a monkey no less.” Or “It’s no use locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.”

Maxim – a well known saying that expresses a truth or rule about life or conduct.
Exp: “Opposites attract.” Or “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

Epigram – a clever statement expressed in the form of a concise amusing or satire poem.
Exp: “I can resist anything except temptation.” Or “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

Tropes

Another book “theme” people speak of, is the story trope. These are tried and tested, reoccurring literary devices used to instantly tell the reader what sort of romance she’s picking up. Such tropes are: the second chance/reunion romance, secret baby, friends-to-lovers, older brother’s best friend, matchmaker, office romance, one-night-stand, sexy protectors and the list goes on. Used in category romance/commercial fiction, tropes drive the story.   

And now we come to...

Author Theme

Recently, I found myself thinking about the way I approach my stories, and it suddenly dawned on me that while I usually know my story theme, I don’t think I’ve ever stopped to work out my author theme. 

This started to bug me. 

What did I really write about? 

Okay, you might be thinking, “Huh? Author theme, what on earth is that?”

Or you might be thinking, “Who doesn’t know their author theme?” Well done for figuring yours out already, smarty-pants, thumbs-up to you. :)

Now, for the rest of us mere mortals who never really thought about our author theme. It's the core topic every writer writes about. The same fundamental subject that runs through all of her stories. Something like perhaps an author who always write about orphans in some way. Maybe one of her books is about a character whose parents died and she ended up in foster care. Another book might be about a character who felt abandoned because the parents were always working, and yet another book might be about having to grow up fast and look after a parent or siblings because the parent was sick or had a substance abuse problem. You get the idea, right? While none of these stories are the same, one similarity remains at the core—this character is an orphan.

So I started to think I didn’t have an author theme. What do you do when you get stuck? 

Phone a friend. 

In my case, I emailed my dear, dear friend who I met in a critique group around ten years ago and we've remained friends every since. She’s read most of my books and she has such a wonderful, sharp eye. When I asked her what she thought my author theme was she said, “You write about daddy issues.” 

Right there, in words that leaped from the email reply, was my answer. At first (for about thirty seconds) I thought, nah, I’m sure I write about something else. Something far more profound—haha, yeah right. But as I ran my books through my mind I realised she was spot on! Every one of my books contained characters that had some sort of daddy issue. The novel I'm writing right now features a heroine with daddy issues. 

What does that say about me? You guessed it, I have daddy issues. My parents got divorced when I was eight and suddenly my daddy—the light of my life—was no longer there. Oh, man, I feel like I’m baring my soul here. Is it any wonder that we as authors experience such a deep sense of hurt when someone tips a negative hat to our books? How many times have you heard a writer say, “I poured my soul into that book!” Because we actually do.  

Going forward, I believe my books will be stronger for me having this knowledge. I will certainly make sure my character’s have their chance to forgive and heal.

I challenge you to find your author theme if you don’t yet know it. I bet, armed with this knowledge, you’ll be able to strengthen your books and jump to the next level in your writing.  

So, what do you think about author theme? Do you already know yours? Are you going to leave here and spend some time pondering your author theme? I'd love to hear your take on this subject.

Until next time, write with clarity and style!
Monique 

 Author/Screenwriter Monique DeVere currently resides in the UK with her amazing hero husband, four beautiful grown-up children, and three incredible granddaughters. 

Monique writes Romantic Comedy stories some call Smexy—Smart & Sexy—and others call fluff. Monique makes no apologies for writing fun, emotional feel-good romance! She also writes Christian Suspense with a more serious edge.  

Monique loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her by visiting her http://moniquedevere.blogspot.co.uk to learn more about her and check out her other books.