tips | - Part 8

Write Tip: 9 Tools For Character Development

Published on October 13, 2011March 9, 2020 by Bryan6 Comments

Character Development is core to good storytelling. After all, characters are whom readers connect to and if they are stagnant and unchanging, the story can fail to hold reader’s interest. Growth of characters creates drama and propels the story. So what tools can you use to develop characters well? Here’s ten suggestions:

1) Treat Your Characters As Individuals–People are unique, no two the same, and so should it be with your characters. So each character should respond differently to a situation as any other character. In particular, fight scenes, for example, can often be a place where characters blend into one, as they all react the same. Instead try treating such common scenes as opportunities to reveal character through uniqueness. How would one character fight differently than another? Work this in and your story will be richer, your characters stronger. There are many other common scene types where you can similarly emphasize the uniqueness. Look for them.

2) Vary The Vocabulary–People use words differently, so your characters should as well. One of the best ways to distinguish and develop characters is through dialogue. Educated people use more sophisticated words, while less educated structure sentences differently. Think of this as you develop each character’s voice and use it to set them apart, create conflict and develop them throughout your story. Vocabulary, in fact, is far more effective than attempting to create accents. Phonetically, accents already pose problems and can even devolve into silly or, far worse, confusing dialogue styles which detract from the story.

3) Scene Point Of View–Another way to develop character is by choosing the protagonist whose point of view will tell particular scenes. I tend to consider who has the most at stake in a particular scene and make the scene happen in that POV but there are varied theories. Whatever your method, your characters can be developed well through use of POV. For example, I had a scene where a couple are fighting. At the same time, an old enemy is stalking them, intent to do them harm. I told the scene from the enemy’s POV, even though he never interacts with the couple because it allowed me to further both the romantic storyline and the antagonist’s storyline in one scene through his internal monologue as he witnesses their discussion. Three character arcs and two plotlines were thus furthered in one short scene.

4) Sartorial Style–People’s tastes vary, and so should characters’. What they wear, how they choose it, etc. can be a part of characterization. Everything from color to fabric choices to scale, formality, and even clothing cost can be used to establish character. We use such things daily as we observe others to determine things about them, and readers will use such details as clues to define characters if you include them.

5) Naming–Names say a lot about who we are, and so choosing character names is another way to develop them or establish particular impressions almost immediately in reader’s minds. Someone named ‘Timothy’ and someone named ‘Theodore’ will be considered differently by readers. The first sounds more common and less formal, while the second sounds a bit more haughty and implies a different educational level or even class level. Now that’s stereotyping, of course, so sometimes naming a character contrary to the impression the name gives can also be a tool you use. But whatever the tactic, character naming is a very important tool in their development. In addition to formal names, nicknames can also be employed as well. Whether a character has a nickname, uses it or likes it, can say a lot about who they are.

6) Props–We all have our favorite do-dads, don’t we? Things we take with us everywhere we go. The cliches for women are purses and for men, perhaps, favorite hats, but we all have something. Sometimes it’s small enough to fit in a pocket. Other times, it’s carried around for all to see. Props are a great tool for revealing character. Spend time observing people around you. What props does each person have? Keep a spreadsheet or list of potential props for characters. Yes, when writing fantasy or science fiction you might have to be more inventive than just copying from a list you made at the mall. That’s called writing, dears. In any case, props can add great flavor and speak volumes about characters.

7) Companions–Fellow characters, animal or otherwise, can be great for revealing character. We see how they interact with each other and we learn volumes about who they are. Think about it: what would the Lone Ranger have been without Silver or Tonto? What about Batman without Robin? There’s a reason Michael Keaton quit after two movies: he was lonely (Ok, that might be just a guess). Who a person spends his or her time with says a lot about them and so use it to develop your characters well.

8 ) Backstory–It seems obvious but sometimes it’s easy to forget to dig deeply into a character’s past for material to develop the character. Even things you know about them but don’t include in your narrative can be of value. All the experiences of that character’s past serve to shape who he or she is becoming, from determining responses to various stimuli to emotional hotpoints from happy to fearful. When your character seems to become stagnant, review what you know about his or her past, then ask yourself if maybe there might be more to uncover which would help you as you write. You can only have too little backstory, never too much. It’s core to the internal battles all people face and will enrich your ability to write your characters with depth and broadness that stretches outside the boundaries and limitations of your story itself.

9) Traits–Another that seems obvious but developing your character’s likes and dislikes can take you all kinds of places, especially when you examine how they might clash with those of the characters around them and even the attributes of the world around them. All kinds of instances will soon arise where you can reveal more of the character through actions resulting from these traits. In the process, your story will have built in conflict and drama and perhaps even humor you might not have thought of before. Character traits are a great way to add spicy detail to your story, surprising and entertaining readers at the same time. And don’t just limit yourself to personal preferences either. Character traits can also include physical ticks like clenching hands when angry or a slight stutter or even a limp or other defect.

Okay, there you have them: 9 Tools For Character Development. Have more? Please add them in the comments. I’d love to hear what tools and tricks you employ. Let’s learn from each other.

For what it’s worth…

Bryan Thomas Schmidt is the author of the space opera novel The Worker Prince, the collection The North Star Serial, and has several short stories forthcoming in anthologies and magazines. He’s also the host ofScience Fiction and Fantasy Writer’s Chat every Wednesday at 9 pm EST on Twitter, where he interviews people like Mike Resnick, AC Crispin, Kevin J. Anderson and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. He can be found online as @BryanThomasS on Twitter or via his website. Excerpts from The Worker Prince can be found on his blog.

Write Tip: How To Get Your Book Noticed By Librarians Or Not

Published on October 6, 2011March 9, 2020 by Bryan

Okay so you have a book, congratulations. And one of the best depositories locally to get it attention is a place where book lovers congregate: the local library, right? So how do you make that happen? Just walk in the door, ARC under you arm and hand it to them? Are there better ways? What would a Librarian suggest?

I posed just that scenario to John Klima, a librarian and the editor of Electricvelocipede, and, using my book as an example, here’s what he said:

“Libraries/librarians got a LOT of requests from local authors wanting their material added to the library’s collection. Unfortunately, most of their work is not good.

If your work is not reviewed (and the review doesn’t have to come from Publishers Weekly or Library Journal [although you could try sending your work to Library Journal to see if they would review it]) it’s unlikely that librarians will find it, and if they can’t find it, it’s unlikely that they’ll purchase it. If they do find it, it’s still unlikely that they’ll buy it since they have nothing to verify its quality. Having said that, most books that get published don’t get reviewed (think of all the computer books at a bookstore, almost none of those are reviewed), so librarians need to be very creative about how they do collection development and decide what books to add to their catalog. It’s extraordinarily difficult for small press and self-published books to make their way into the library.

Now, I’m not saying this next part to upset you or make you mad (nor do I think it’s necessarily right or the way things should be), but walking into a library with a copy of your book in hand almost guarantees that your book will not end up in the library’s collection. You’re asking the staff to evaluate and decide on your book on the spot, even if you specifically tell them that’s not what you’re doing. Contacting via email isn’t really any better. A nicely written publicity email (or even a mailed publicity letter) with links to reviews and blurbs would likely get looked at. If you wanted to send an e-version of the book, I’d say to do it in an opt-in fashion, that is, only send it if the librarian asks for it. Don’t presume and send it. It will likely get deleted as a potential virus.

When I get an unsolicited book at work (which happens at least every month if not more often, and I don’t go more than a few days between getting emails about books that are coming out [and let’s not even talk about Facebook, G+, Twitter, etc.]) I give it a cursory glance and then dispose of it. It sounds harsh (it is harsh) but the stuff getting sent to me is just awful. Of course, most librarians are not also editors of an award-winning genre magazine. They’ve likely not spent ten years reading slush fiction submissions (and add in my time at Asimov’s and Tor and that’s ever more years). But I know from experience that the library’s internal conversations about local authors mostly revolve around how we don’t want to open that avenue.

I’m personally disappointed when the conversation goes that way. I understand the concerns, but I think it might be nice to have a shelf/range devoted to local authors. Yes, it would contain a lot of bad writing. And most of those writers would want to have programming devoted to their books. We have people who bring in their book and want to schedule a monthly program about their book. That doesn’t make sense even if you were Neil Gaiman or John Scalzi (it may sound like fun, but month after month of your favorite would wear thin eventually). The library would have to develop very clear guidelines as to what’s accepted and what the library would do about local author programming. What I’d do is an annual local author day and have authors sign up for times for little Kaffeeklatsches or something along those lines. I’ve also thought about hosting programming about creating eBooks and then using server space to hold items created locally. But I haven’t given that much more thought than what I just typed.

I haven’t read your book, but I have looked at the reviews and read the blurbs, so I’m working on the assumption that your book is not awful. Far from it. So this email is sent to you as a caution. I don’t want your work to unfairly get lumped in with the normal dreck that a librarian sees on an ongoing basis. You really need to find a way to contact librarians somewhere outside of the library (somewhere official, not stalking at their homes lol). I can’t speak for your area, but we had a book festival here over the summer. In addition to many of the local librarians, there were a lot of small/self-press authors there who could talk to librarians. No different from going to a SFF con. Also, I would assume your state has a library association (we have WLA) and an annual conference that you could attend and meet and talk to librarians. There are national conventions, but I assume you’re looking to reach your local library. Don’t forget, many librarians go to SFF cons, so look for them there.

Unfortunately, these options aren’t necessarily cheap (the WLA conference is $210 a day if you’re not a member of WLA, which I’m not). But it’s part of the cost of being considered a professional. I’m much more willing to give someone a chance when I’ve met them and they’ve shown themselves to be reasonable human beings. I know that Heather McCormack (my editor at Library Journal) often talks about wanting to give more coverage in their reviews to small press and print-on-demand work. There’s a lot of good stuff out there that people just miss because they don’t know it’s there.”

Okay, not very encouraging? Well, not totally discouraging either. Pretty sage advice, if you ask me. I think there’s lots there to ponder. And that Library Journal idea might be worth pursuing. Certainly a lot in there about how librarians think towards local authors, unknown authors and what not to do. And knowing what not to do is half the battle if you ask me. You didn’t but I said it anyway.

For what it’s worth…

Hugo award winning Editor John Klima is the founder and editor of Electric Velocipede, a former print zine now transitioning to electronic format. He’s also edited numerous anthologies, such as Logorrhea and the forthcoming Happily Ever After. A former book editor/slush reader, he has worked for Tor, Dell Magazines, and Prime Books and been a panelist at several cons. Active on Twitter as @EV_Mag, John can be found online at www.electricvelocipede.com.

10 Tips For Planning A Blog Tour

Published on September 28, 2011March 9, 2020 by Bryan6 Comments

Arguably, one of the most effective ways for book marketing these days is the blog tour. Statistics show that most readers need to hear about your book three different times before they think seriously about buying it. You may have different experiences once you have a fan base, but at least starting out, those are the stats I’ve seen. So how do you get that knowledge out there? Unless your publisher is willing to spend thousands of dollars on a book tour, flying you to various cities, signings and appearances, you need other options. A blog tour is one of those. It’s very cost effective. But it can also be a lot of work. I recently scheduled my first blog tour, which starts this Saturday and runs every day next month. Here’s some things I learned which might help you in planning a blog tour.

1 ) Start Early– Blog tours, like any book tour, are a lot of work to do well. And, in this case, unless you can afford a publicist, you’ll be done the bulk of the work yourself. From booking blogs to planning posts to coordinating a schedule, there are many details here and the earlier you start, the better prepared and less stressful an experience you’ll have.

2 ) Don’t Take No Personally– You will ask people to loan you their blog. Some will say ‘yes.’ Some will say ‘no.’ Don’t take that personally. I ran into people who don’t use their blogs much and didn’t want to open up to that kind of thing for fear it might start a wave. How could they refuse someone else after saying ‘yes’ to me? I ran into people who are against self-promotion and some who don’t understand that it’s the way of the writer in the modern publishing industry. Don’t assume they turned you down because they dislike you. If they do, wouldn’t you rather not know? But at the same time, you aren’t under obligation to help them in the future just as they weren’t under obligation to help you now. I still would though, because it’s the right thing to do.

3 ) Publicize The Ask– Tweet, post on Facebook, Google+ and everywhere that you’re planning a blog tour for the month in question and ask for volunteers. You will get people this way. I did. I would say a third of my tour. Then I emailed others, specifically asked others, and called in repayment for those I’d already helped for the rest.

4 ) Expect To Reciprocate– Do return the favor to those who help you, and, as hinted above, even those who don’t. Blog Tours are a great way to spread out to a larger audience and self-promotion is the way of the industry now. So help others and know they’ll help you. It doesn’t always come in the ways expected, but even if all they do is mention your book and name in conversation, people will learn of you who never would have without them.

5 ) Be Creative– Nothing is more boring than a Blog Tour with the same three posts over and over: interview, review, excerpt. Oh, all three are important but try and mix it up. Here’s your chance to show a side of your personality which will engage people. From using humorous interviews of characters, to writing blog posts on topics relevant to the usual theme of the blogs on which you appear, not only will you enjoy yourself more, but the blog owners and readers will love it more. After all, no one person is likely to read 30 days’ of posts about you but if you give them something new each day, people will look for those and check them out. And trust me, when you’re creating most of the 30 posts yourself, having fun with creativity keeps you sane!

6 ) Make It About More Than Selling Your Book– No sales pitches. Nothing beyond book info, blurbs, author bio and a link. Every other bit of content should be about something other than a sales pitch. From reviews to interviews to guest posts, provide something of value to readers and they will be more likely to consider other things you’ve written might be of value to them too and buy your book. You’re selling yourself as much as your book and the best way to do it is by demonstrating you are smart, funny and worth their investment. That never comes in a sales pitch. It does come from creating and providing content they value.

7 ) Post Daily Links– Hard work? Yes. Use a tweet scheduler if you must but always advertise your blog tour stops. I recommend once in the a.m. and once in the p.m. since users are on at different times. Cross post to all the major sites you can. Put a link on the bottom of your emails. Also, be sure and do an index with all the links to introduce the tour and remind people where to find that from time to time.

8 ) Vary The Posts Daily– Try and avoid scheduling similar posts back to back. Guest posts are fine, especially if you can continue a post from one blog on a different blog the next day. This drives traffic. But back to back interviews, back to back reviews–those get boring really quick. So if you have no choice but to do that make sure they’re each unique enough to keep it interesting.

9 ) Podcasts Can Be Tour Stops, Too– Don’t rule out other mediums like radio interviews and especially podcasts as stops on your blog tour. Often online radio shows have blogs as do podcasts, so you can direct people there to find your interviews and change it up a day by giving them something to listen to instead of read. They’ll probably really enjoy the variety. And, let’s face it, hearing your voice or even seeing your face, gives them a more personal connection with you that can only encourage interest in your writing.

10 ) Have Fun– “If it’s not fun don’t do it” is an old cliche, but using the hints above you should be able to make the blog tour fun for everyone, including yourself. The more fun it is, the most interest it will generate and the easier it will be to book the blog tour for your next book. Including motivating yourself. After all, book tours are a lot of work. But if you follow these tips, I’ll bet you’ll find it easier and more fun than you had imagined.

So there’s Ten Tips For Planning Your Book Blog Tour. What are some others? Feel free to comment below. I’d love to hear them. And do let me know if this helps you, because that’s what makes it fun for me to do these posts–that’s what they’re all about.

For what it’s worth…

If you’re curious what I’m doing on my blog tour, here’s the schedule with links: https://bryanthomasschmidt.net/2011/10/01/the-worker-prince-blog-tour-schedule-introduction/

Writers, Be Who You Are: A Process Of Discovery

Published on September 23, 2011March 9, 2020 by Bryan5 Comments

I love when I come across an article, as I recently did on a blog, where a person is so enamored with their way of writing that they insist it’s the only way to do it correctly. Pantser v. Outliner: it’s an old debate. And I think it takes most of us a long time to sort out where we fit on the very broad scale. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say it may vary by project. Sequels, for example, do take more planning than the books they follow, perhaps. And certainly much experimentation is involved as one learns and develops writing craft to sort out what works and doesn’t for him or her. The only advice I feel absolutely confident in offering to everyone, as much advice as I tend to offer on this blog, is to Be Who You Are.

Don’t get me wrong, these advisors mean well. They’re very passionate about what they do. They have rightfully put a lot of thought into it and develop the understanding an comfort with it over time. But the writing journey for me, and most writers I’ve spoken with, has always been a process of discovery. You try something for a while then hear something knew and try it on to see if it fits. Sometimes you adapt it in full, sometimes you just take parts, and so on it goes as you fill your toolbox and learn new skills. In the end, much of it tends to become intuitive anyway. Some things need to be intuitive to be effective, others need more thought and deliberation every time they’re used.

And you know what? There’s nothing wrong with that. We are individuals, after all, unique beings with none exactly like any other. So why assume that such unique beings could have only one way to do something as complicated as writing? It doesn’t even seem possible when you think about it. No, I mean really think about it, setting aside those preconceived ideas. There. See what I mean?

So don’t succumb to any pressure to be like some other writer, no matter how famous they are, how much money they make or how much you like their work. You will never approach writing exactly like them. And that’s absolutely fine. Your journey is not their journey, and their journey is not yours. You have to find your own way. Sure, you can learn from their mistakes sometimes. You can even borrow their shortcuts, but there is no real shortcut to being the best writer you can be except trial and error and writing itself.

Along the way, you choose your tools, and no, they don’t all have to come from Sears. Ace Hardware has good stuff, too, and so does Target sometimes. Even Walmart. It doesn’t class down your writing to use what works for you and toss what doesn’t. That’s just smart. After all, writing is a personal activity and it’s also a business. Run it the way that allows and enables you to be most successful and never look back.

Be Who You Are, writers, and be proud of it. It will continue to change as long as your on the journey, and here’s hoping it’s the journey of a lifetime.

For what it’s worth…

Write Tip: Top 10 Reasons You Should Go To SFF Conventions

Published on September 19, 2011March 9, 2020 by Bryan9 Comments

If you’re like me, you may have been a long time fan who rarely or even never went to Cons. So much of the mainstream publicity surrounding Cons leaves it kind of mysterious about what’s going on. Panels? Is that lectures? Who wants to pay for that. I had enough in college, thanks. Or even scarier–strange people dressed up as aliens who insist you call them “Zorg” all weekend. I have nothing against CosPlay but no, I don’t think I’m calling you “Zorg.” If you recognize those reactions, let me tell you why I changed my mind about Cons and why I think you should, too.

1 ) You Are Not Alone– If you’re a fan of speculative fiction movies, TV shows and books, Cons are congregations of people like you. Oh sure, some may be a bit more extreme than you, like Zorg, but you have a lot in common. You don’t have to like or agree with everyone on politics and religion to be part of this community. Since I got actively involved again in fandom, only twice have I felt rejected for my beliefs and political differences. The majority of people I know in the SFF community don’t share my points of view but couldn’t care less. We have too much else in common for it to matter. We can spend hours chatting about all kinds of topics and never get to politics and religion. And the conversations are passionate and fun because we each love what we’re talking about so much.

2 ) Networking– In addition to connecting with like-minded people, you can connect with like-minded people who might become important career contacts. This is true for writers, editors and illustrators, of course, but it’s also true for others. I know people who have made all kinds of business contacts through Con friendships. Cons are about having fun and building relationships and friendship is full of opportunities. Many Con friendships last a lifetime.

3 ) Meet Heroes– Authors, Editors, Actors, etc. come to Cons for one reason: to meet fans and each other. They are like-minded people, too, and they enjoy the conversations, socializing and celebrating of genre fiction as much as anyone. Most are really accessible and available, especially at smaller Cons. From getting books signed to picking your favorite’s brains, there are lots of opportunities to chat you wouldn’t get anywhere else.

4 ) Swag– Cons vary in the swag you get but both dealers and Cons give away everything from books to food to collectibles. World Fantasy, for example, sends every member home with a stack of new books donated by publishers. Vendors in dealer rooms, authors and others often have samples and special gifts or even bargain deals to offer. Every attendee who wants to has many chances to load up the suitcase with goodies. And many items are hard to find or unavailable anywhere else. ComicCon and DragonCon, for example, often have items custom made for distribution at that year’s Con by various vendors.

5 ) Parties– Like free food and drink? Like to dance? Like to party? Cons are full of opportunities to do just that. From publishers to fan groups, everyone’s throwing parties. You can move from room to room until the wee hours of the morning if you want. And most provide a great spread of food and beverages along the way at no cost to you. Just attending a party often makes the price of your membership a bargain.

6) Sneak Peaks– Publishers and filmmakers and more use Cons to launch books, movies, etc. and also to tease upcoming ones. You can get first looks at books, movies, tv shows and more just by attending a Con. Part of being in the right place at the right time, after all, is just knowing where to hang out, and Cons are the place to take advantage of Sneak Peaks for specfic fans.

7 ) Great Art– Love book covers? Cons are a chance to not only see the work of those artists and more up close but to meet and chat with the artists themselves. Almost every Con out there has an art show and art sale. So you can even walk home with framed copies of your favorites.

8 ) Cushy Digs– One criticism by many of Cons is that they always pick expensive, fancy hotels for their host sites. On the other hand, if you rarely get the chance to stay in such fancy hotels, the reduced Con rate may be a great excuse. After all, being at the center of the action does have its advantages. Especially for those late night parties. And on top of that, most hotels love Cons and usually go out of their way to treat Con attendees with special care. So spoiling yourself with a Con has added benefits.

9 ) Cosplay– Costume Play, if you’re into that, is a huge advantage of Cons. Some people take a different outfit for each day, like my friend Scribe. Others wear the same outfit the whole time (don’t get too close in case they smell). Still, if you like dressing up and need an excuse outside of once a year at Halloween, Cons are a tailor made opportunity for you. People who like that will compliment you on your outfit and creativity and those who don’t won’t stare.

10 ) PhotoOps– You get great opportunities at Cons to take pictures not just with celebrities but with other fans in costumes, set pieces from TV and movies, great locations near where the Cons take place, etc. Cons are full of PhotoOps. And, after all, the number one rule of Cons is: if there’s no photos, it didn’t happen. So take your camera!

So, if you’re a fan of Science Fiction or Fantasy, there’s ten great reasons to join your fellow fans at Cons. What are you waiting for?

For what it’s worth…

Lessons In Letting Go: The Author And His Babies

Published on September 14, 2011March 9, 2020 by Bryan6 Comments

One of the more important lessons I’ve learned since I started on the path to writing professional fiction in 2008 is about letting my babies go. There is a point with every manuscript where you are so close to it, you want to just hold it tightly and keep chipping away its deficiencies, molding it gently and lovingly into the best baby it can be no matter how long it takes. And don’t get me wrong, revision is a good thing. Striving for quality is important and professional. Insisting on perfection, however, is not. Did that just rock you in your boots? Was it unexpected? It shouldn’t be. If there’s anything writing should teach you it’s that you’re not perfect.

Writing is often like holding a microscope lens up to the world and pointing out all the flaws and tears and imperfections. And the more you do it, the more uncomfortable it can sometimes be as things hit close to home and remind you of your own failures, weaknesses and imperfectness. Do you know what I mean? So many parts of me as a writer wind up there glaring at me from the page. And so many things come out through the writing which wake me up from my vain self-ignorance and glorious denial to provide a reality check. There’s always that point where I just can’t stop rewriting. I tell myself time and again “Just another little polish on those adverbs” or “Just another little trimming of expositional diarrhea” and the next thing I know I’ve done a whole new draft. Sometimes I even recognize myself putting back in things I’m sure I took out before as unnecessary. And that’s the first sign it’s time to set down the manuscript and think about what you’re doing.

Does anyone out there know what I’m talking about? And the more you study craft and listen to writers talk about it and read reviews and critiques and read other writers, the worse it can get. You realize “maybe I’m not there yet. I’m not good enough.” And you know that if this work gets published it will be out there forever representing you. And you just can’t let that be your legacy. Am I right?

Why am I thinking about this on the eve of the release of my debut novel? It’s because my friend Patty saw the 4 star review I posted of my novel on Goodreads and lambasted me for giving my own novel anything less than 5 stars. I started researching and found bestselling novelist Kat Richardson, a friend of mine who’s also on Goodreads, has given her novels 4 star reviews. So I asked her for advice.

She said this: “I believe in honesty, not self-inflation. I don’t think the books are perfect and I think 5 starts ought to imply near-perfection. I have rated some higher than others because I, as the author, feel some are actually better realized products of my intent. ”

And that made me reflect on the times since I handed in the manuscript when I’ve gone through and nitpicked the novel, worried what reviewers will say, worried what readers will think, worried about the pros I respect whom I asked to blurb my book. And then the blurbs started coming in and they were so positive. And although yes, the authors may not be telling me the flaws they see, they are willing to have their name associated with my book in a sort of endorsement and that means something, right? It’s like being accepted into an exclusive club of sorts…like my writing just became legitimately professional level. Even if it’s beginning professional. After all, it doesn’t matter how big a name, every author had a first novel. And most of them have written better books since. So letting go is part of the process, isn’t it? And as hard as it is, it’s a healthy part of it.

For me, I would never rate my own book 5 stars out of 5 because I know it’s not perfect. I know I’m not perfect. I mean, I gave Robert Silverberg’s “Lord Valentine’s Castle” 5 stars. I gave “The Lord Of The Rings” 5 stars. My book can’t even begin to compare. In fact, by those standards, I’m thinking three would be stretching. I am no Silverberg. And I am no Tolkein. But Silverberg and Tolkein started somewhere, didn’t they? And it’s probably a place very similar to where I am right now as far as how they felt about their own work. Silverberg has criticized his own early work as not very good. I read it and thought it was still brilliant. So given that reality, should I really feel too concerned about putting something out there at this time that’s not the best I’ll ever write? My answer to that is: Of course not! What I have to worry about is putting out something right now that’s less than the best I can do at this moment.

Since handing in The Worker Prince final draft to my publisher, I’ve written short stories and most of the next book in the trilogy. I have found myself breezing through certain aspects of the writing which I really struggled over and agonized through when I wrote Book 1. How can that be? And through my chat with Kat and considering Patty’s pushing me I realized it’s a natural part of growing as a writer, learning craft and internalizing what you learn. Of course things you’ve learned get easier over time because they become like instinct. And other things need to be learned. I’m sure when I finish Book 2 and turn it in, I’ll be wondering if it’s good enough. Book 3 as well a year after that. My whole career I’ll probably release every novel I ever write with the same reservations. It’s natural. It’s normal. But that doesn’t mean it’s not time to let them go.

In so many ways for novelists, our books are like babies. We do our best to guard them, nourish them, raise them up to the best they can be. But then they reach 18 and it’s time to set them free, let them face the world on their own two feet and come into their own. It’s a natural part of the lifecycle of a novel or short story. And I’m pretty sure after what I’ve experienced that as flawed as my first novel is no one is coming to stone me or insist I retract it or apologize to every other person who’s a real novelist for besmirching them by daring to label myself the same, you know? Okay, it doesn’t release until October 4th so I may be wrong, but somehow, I don’t think so. Somehow I think I’m ok. And you know what? That’s a good lesson to learn.

For what it’s worth…

Write Tip: 8 Tools For Using Humor In Your Fiction

Published on September 7, 2011March 9, 2020 by Bryan

Humor can be an important part of both character development and reader engagement. When used well, it can endear both writer and characters to readers. When used poorly, it can ruin an otherwise successful tale. Here’s some tips for how to use humor effectively in your stories and novels.

1 ) The Running Gag– This tool is one of the stand-by tropes of good comedy. Typically employed following the rule of threes, the running gag will repeat three times, with each one increasing in absurdity and corresponding laughter inspired. The first two act as set-ups for the big pay off of the third. Study any sitcom or romantic comedy and you can always find running gags used to great effect. For example, a character slips on a banana peel on the sidewalk in front of his paramour’s door, embarrassing himself. The next time he goes there, he looks around carefully to avoid something similar but this time, something falls from above, knocking him down. The third time, perhaps during the finale of the story, he winds up ignoring the fear and facing running after her behind a banana truck whose cargo is falling out scatters across his path, leading to all kinds of slippery footwork. This is a basic slapstick example. Most running gags or more complicated. But I think it gives you the idea.

2 ) The Love-Hate Relationship– Nothing brings out humor better than two characters thrown together who are constantly at each other’s throats–not in the “I want to choke you to death” sense, but rather in the “hurling biting insults and cutting down” sense. Watching them each attempt to outdo the other can be mined for great humor and, at the same time, used to build character. One of the best ways is for them to exploit each other’s flaws for their comments.

3 ) The Flawed Character– No one’s perfect. We all know this about ourselves. Your characters become more real when you also show this about your character. And the worst part of flaws? The way they embarrass us or put us in difficult situations where we look bad in front of those we want to impress. Exploit these situations, and you’ll find all kinds of humor in them. Another advantage is that readers are drawn to characters who are flawed in relatable ways. “Oh man, I know just how he feels!” That response endears your character to your reader and draws them into your story. It’s just part of using your character’s humanity to build empathy and sympathy and connect him or her with your readers, which, in turn, keeps them more involved and interested in your story.

4 ) The Subverted/Misunderstood Context– While creating empathy is helpful, at the same time, your character needs distance from readers for them to see the humor. If they identify too much, they won’t laugh at the humorous situation in which the character finds him or herself. It helps to have the character see the humor in the situation, nor matter how painful it may be, but again, make sure it is not too painful or offensive or the readers will be turned off. Key to this is subverting or applying misunderstood context. People interact daily with different worldviews and understandings of the context in which that interaction occurs. Mining that for misunderstandings and humor or allowing circumstances to subvert one character’s correct understanding of the context can be used to mine humor in the situation for readers.

5 ) The Fish Out Of Water– There’s always humor to be found in situations where a character is put in situations or places with which he or she might be unfamiliar or even made uncomfortable–a priest visiting a crack house, for example, or a Sunday School mom in an NFL locker room. The interactions with other characters who are comfortable in that world and even the character’s reactions can be used for great humorous effect.

6 ) Exaggeration– Exploiting a character’s perspective through exaggeration is a great tool to create humor. Pushing the character to the edge of their limits can result in funny reactions, dialogue and situations for readers and interesting ways of building or wrapping up a scene. It makes everything a bit more outrageous, but to use it effectively, everything the character does needs to have elements of exaggeration throughout. It starts small and builds to be most effective, until they are pushed to a point where they explode (figuratively, of course, in most cases).

7 ) Surprise– Another great tool is the element of surprise. If a character walks into their apartment to find all their furniture turned upside down or a totally unexpected situation, or if events unfold in ways that catch both characters and readers by surprise, humor can result. The surprise can be either physical or emotional, but as mentioned above, it can’t be too painful or offensive that it would alienate the reader. The character’s discomfort is fine and can be used for humor, but the reader’s own discomfort has more limits and must be carefully considered when using any of these tools. Be sure to arrange the elements of the scene to maximize tension and release. This will make the effect of the humor more powerful.

8 ) Satire/Parody– South Park, The Simpsons, and many other popular TV Shows employ satire and parody to mock socially relevant attitudes or even current events and point out flaws or ironies in these situations and you can too through your characters and plots. These two can be tricky to pull off well. Avoiding preachiness, for example, can be hard when it’s a subject on which you feel passionate. Take great care never to push the humor too far. Most especially, allow readers to draw their own conclusions. A few prompting remarks can be carefully exploited through dialogue but don’t overdo it. Especially if you yourself have spoken out publicly about such issues, readers will tend to see right through it and the moment may be destroyed. Still, satire and parody are classic humor tropes which should always be a part of your toolbox when writing humor.

So there they are: 8 Tools to be employed in adding humor to your fiction prose. Like any tools, using them takes practice and development of skills. Some do tend to have more natural instincts than others, but like most tools, these can be learned and incorporated instinctually into your writing arsenal. Despite being age old methods, they remain popular because they consistently work. If they work for other writers, you can be sure that, when done well, they’ll work for you.

For what it’s worth…

Write Tip: Top 10 Tips For Using Social Media Well

Published on August 29, 2011March 9, 2020 by Bryan

If you’re at all concerned with marketing yourself or your products, by now you’ve probably heard a million times how important Social Media has become for marketing yourself and connecting with/building an audience of customers. The challenge can be knowing exactly how to go about it without coming across as pushy or self-centered and alienating more people than you draw. Here’s ten tips from successful people who use social media on how you can approach it with greater success:

1) Be The Best You-– “But you can still be you. Uhh, unless “you” just so happen to be some kind of Nazi-sympathizing donkey-molester. In which case, please back slowly away from the social media.” – Chuck Wendig, Author He has a great sense of humor but mixed in is great advice. His point is that you should present yourself well but not whitewashed. Readers want to know YOU not the person you project yourself to be. Don’t be a jerk. Don’t be a salesman. Just be you, but a good, likable version. Warts are okay within reason, after all, the human you is the you people want to connect with, but put a little makeup over the warts so they appear their best. The human but attractive you is still the goal.

2) Have The Right Conversations— “Conversations among the members of your marketplace happen whether you like it or not. Good marketing encourages the right sort of conversations.” – Seth Godin It’s not just whom you talk to but how you talk to them. People are talking about your product already. Being a part of the conversation means learning how to talk to them. Don’t be pushy. Don’t sell. Just talk and listen. And listening may be the most important part. Whether you’re a writer or in another profession, finding the conversations you need to hear and engage in, listening first, then joining is the best way to discover the audience for what you sell.

3) You’re Not In Control— “If you think you are in control, you’re fooling yourself. As soon as you start listening, you realize you’re not in control. And letting go will yield more and better results.” – Charlene Li, Author Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, Type A or not, the tendency is to want to control everything about your marketing, sales, etc. You want to control how people respond. But in truth, you can’t. Of course we all want to sell books and build our audience as authors. We all want to build product awareness and desirability as sales people. Social Media is a great tool. But it’s also a tool you don’t produce. Instead, you use it by participating. And that means, you can’t be in control of anything but yourself. How you act, what you say, how active you are–you can control. But everything else is out of your hands.

4) It’s About Passion— “Don’t worry; skills are cheap, passion is priceless. If you’re passionate about your content and you know it and do it better than anyone else, even with few formal business skills you have the potential to create a million-dollar business.” – Gary Vee, Author of Crush It It’s less about how skilled you are than how passionate you are. You can build skills, but you can’t build passion. So don’t worry about developing skills, worry about getting across your passion. That, in the end, is what will hook people’s interest in you and your words. There’s nothing more compelling than someone passionate about what they’re selling or discussing.

5) Learn About Them First— “On Twitter, Search is your friend. Are you writing a book about archaeology? See who’s talking about it. Looking for Buddhists? Oh, they’re there. Look for them. Start following them. Start seeing what they’re talking about.” – Chris Brogan, Author/Speaker on Marketing This goes hand in hand with what I said above about how listening may be the most important part. How can you engage with people if you don’t understand what their interests are? Social Media is about conversation and networking and that involves give and take. It’s not about you. It’s about the community. Take the time to get to know the community. Who’s out there? What are they interested in? Why?

6) All Users Are Equal— “There aren’t very many things you can do as a marketer to attract a huge number of highly followed influencers to your content beyond the same tactics that you would use to attract a huge number of ‘normal’ users.” – Dan Zarrella, Social Media Expert Don’t focus on attracting celebrities or people with big lists of followers, focus on attracting people period. All followers will be attracted the same way. There is no short cut to get the big users. All users become followers for the same reasons, in the same ways.

7) It’s About The Long Term— “’Build it, and they will come’ only works in the movies. Social Media is a ‘build it, nurture it, engage them, and they may come and stay.'” – Seth Godin If you’re not in it for the long term, why should your followers be? It’s not about today, it’s about tomorrow. Like building a good marriage, a house, or a career, Social Media is a long term effort and strategy to be worked on daily. Don’t make it about today. Make it about the long term.

8 ) It’s Called Social NETWORKING— “The most successful marketer becomes part of the lives of their followers. They follow back.” – Marsha Collier, Author Do you remember me mentioning community? It’s called Social NETWORKING for a reason. It’s about interaction, two way. Hand in hand with listening, people will invest in you as much as you invest in them. Yes, celebrities don’t have time to engage with everyone. I get that. Neither do those with thousands of followers. But when you have something to say in response then respond. When you see a cool link someone passed around, share it and credit them. Find ways to encourage and thank your followers for their interest in you by taking an interest in them.

9) It’s Not About Numbers— “Quit counting fans, followers and blog subscribers like bottle caps. Think, instead, about what you’re hoping to achieve with and through the community that actually cares about what you’re doing.” – Amber Naslund, brasstackthinking.com It’s not about how may, it’s about what you say, how you say it and how they connect with it. People who feel that you care about them will care about you. So don’t worry about stats as much as content and interaction. And make every word count. Be real with people above all. They’ll respond to that more than anything.

10) Keep It Informal— “Informal conversation is probably the oldest mechanism by which opinions on products and brands are developed, expressed, and spread.” – Johan Arndt It’s not a website or marketing brochure. It’s not a commercial. It’s not a news feed. It’s your social media feed. Relax and be a real person. Of course you need to watch what you say. The internet, after all, is public. Things can come back to haunt you. But that doesn’t mean you have to be stiff and formal. Relax and enjoy yourself. If you don’t, you won’t fit in, because that, above all else, is what Social Media are about–relaxed conversation.

A few inspirational quotes which have inspired me from various sources. How do you use Social Media? What lessons have you learned? What great quotes do you have? Feel free to share below. I’d love to hear them.

For what it’s worth…

WriteTip: How To Register A Copyright For Your Prose

Published on August 25, 2011May 20, 2020 by Bryan8 Comments

In the current climate of instant everything, protecting your work is important. Anything you post online or email to a friend could potentially be stolen. So how do you protect yourself? One important method for serious creatives is by copyright. Now copyrighting is handled by the Library of Congress a Federal agency. It’s not the best approach in all cases, because it’s not inexpensive. At a cost of $35-65 per written work, that can really add up. But it does provide security. By law, copyrights last the author’s lifetime plus 50 years and can be renewed indefinitely by legal heirs. You’re also listed and a copy kept on file in the archives at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. which can be used as evidence in legal proceedings should you face the misfortune of having to sue to protect your intellectual property. So there are advantages to this but it may not be right for you in every case. Much information can be found on the Library of Congress sites at www.loc.gov and www.copyright.gov.

By law, Copyright exists from the moment of creation. So protections are already in place under the law. However, registration of copyright can be important in providing stronger proof and enabling you to sue for more damages in the case of infringement. This post examines how to go about officially registering a copyright claim and when it might be a good idea to do so.

How To Determine If Copyright Registration Is Necessary:

1) Is your creative work at risk? If you post it online, the answer is yes. If you turn it in as a class assignment, the answer may be no. Most professors would never violate your copyright. And in most cases, when you are first learning, school work isn’t going to have serious potential for marketing. So the likelihood of your work being stolen and distributed is pretty minor. What is the intended audience and how is the work being distributed? If your work is really at risk, then copyright may be a good idea.

2) What is the type of prose? If it’s fiction, poetry, or nonfiction on a significant topic, copyright is wise. But how do you know it’s significant? What’s the subject? If it’s scientific with unique contributions to the study of the topic, involves a subject of great interest (celebrities, political issues, religion, etc.), then perhaps it’s worth copyrighting. Some raw scribbles, probably not. It’s up to you to determine and in this day and age, caution should be the watch word, but do use wisdom.

3) Do you own it? If your work is a work for hire, you have no right to claim it. A work for hire is a creative work instigated by someone else but created by you on their behalf. In most cases, your contract stipulates that they own all rights. If not, that should be worked out. If you are writing technical manuals for a product owned by a company, the copyright will belong to them. If you are creating something original from your own mind for them, that’s another question. But you must own a work to claim the copyright. If your work is derivative of another property, such as a Star Trek tie-on novel, you likely cannot copyright it. If you can, you can only copyright the original portions which were not previously created by the originator.

4) Is Your Work Valuable? If you are just an unknown person posting on a blog, putting copyright notice (c) on the blog itself should protect you. The law states that your copyright is owned by you the moment you publish the work and suggests putting appropriate notice. Registration through the Library of Congress is merely a formality for extra protection in court or legal matters. It’s a way to prove definitively that your claim is valid. If you are a celebrity or you work will be significantly distributed, then the chances are it will come to be of such value as needing extra protection.

Once you’ve determined that it’s appropriate to register a copyright, then you need to get the materials necessary together.

What You’ll Need:

1) A clean copy of your manuscript--Typed for clarity is best. And make sure it’s the version you want to protect. Do all editing and other adjustments. Formatting itself is not copyrighted, only content, so layout is not the concern, just the content itself. Also be sure and put your name, address, phone number and other relevant information, including a copyright notice on the work. Don’t put a date as that won’t be official until you actually file.

2) Form TX–the official copyright form, which can be found here: http://www.copyright.gov/forms/formtx.pdf

3) A check or credit card–to pay the filing fee which is currently $35 online and $65 by mail.

4) A stamped envelope–if you intend to mail your submission.

Once the materials are ready, then you can file as follows:

1) Fill out the appropriate form in detail. List all pertinent information as concisely and clearly as possible. Be sure and save a copy of the form for yourself in case it 1) gets lost in the mail; b) you need it for reference, etc.

2) Paperclip the form to your work and place in envelope. Mail it. No need for Priority, Registered or Express or tracking. All of these cost extra. You will get confirmation that it’s been received by mail when your copyright certificate arrives. However, if you have the money and want reassurance, you can pay for these as you wish.

To file online,

1) Find the Electronic Copyright Office online at: http://www.copyright.gov/eco/ and register yourself. Read the relevant information about acceptable file types, etc. When you are ready, fill out the form here: http://www.copyright.gov/eco/help-registration-steps.html

2) Once the form is filled, attach your document. You will be prompted. Again, view the list of acceptable file types above to verify yours will be accepted in its present format.

3) Make electronic payment. This can be done online with credit or debit card or electronic check and you will be prompted.

4) Submit. Click the button to submit when you are finished.

Processing time can vary, and the Copyright Office site issues the following warning:

The time the Copyright Office requires to process an application varies, depending on the number of applications the Office is receiving and clearing at the time of submission and the extent of questions associated with the application.

Like everything else in life and especially when dealing with government, you will have to wait, but you will receive a copy back of your registered form signifying recognition and acceptance of your claim with the official date of copyright. This can be kept in a safe deposit box or file.

That’s it. Allow a few weeks for a record of your copyright to be searchable in the Library Of Congress database. But you can rest assured you will soon have a legally registered copyright protection for your work.

An example of a listing can be found here. I own several copyrights to musical works as listed. Not everything under “Bryan Thomas Schmidt” is mine, however.

I hope his helps you better understand the copyright process.

Write Tip: 12 Essentials For A Successful Author Website

Published on August 15, 2011March 9, 2020 by Bryan22 Comments

I’ve spent a lot of time studying and designing websites the past ten years. I’ve done so for Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, non-profits and individuals. I’ve done it for myself. With the rapidity of change on the World Wide Web, there are constant lessons to be learned. But my author website has grown in a little over a year from 10 hits a month to over 1000. Sure, I have a long way to go. But that kind of growth shows I’m doing something right, doesn’t it? It’s taken some work, goal setting and dedication. And now it seems to be paying off. There are a few key essentials I’ve discovered which can make the difference between a successful and unsuccessful site for authors. So I’m presenting them here to help any of you who might still be sorting out your sites:

1) Your Photo. Readers what to connect with you, that’s why they visit your site. So the proper balance to capture is a mix of professional with personal touches. Your site needs to look professional, have professional design and layout and data. But also allow personal connection, in particular, through your contact pages and blog. But even more than these, it needs an author photo. Whether the photo is informal or formal is your call. Most people I’ve talked with recommend something in between. Torn cutoffs, a t-shirt and a beer in your hand probably isn’t the best message. Nice looking jeans and shirt, relaxing with a dog is ok. In part, it depends on how you want to connect. Do you want to befriend readers or be in contact but keep them at a distance?

2) Contact Information. Make it easy to contact you by providing a contact page with a text entry form to email you, links to your Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc. and an address for press inquiries or sending books for autographs, etc. You don’t have to give out your personal address and phone number or email. In fact, I recommend you just don’t. But don’t make it impossible to contact you either. Plenty of add-ons are available to use a generic email that forwards to your private email, etc. You can protect yourself well, but readers want to connect with you and you should enable it, not make it a challenge.

3) List Of Works. In the past, this was always called the ‘Bibliography’ page, but more and more that term is being regarded as old fashioned and people are listing their works under ‘Works’ or separated by categories like ‘Books’ and ‘Short Stories.’ How you choose to label it is up to you but list them, the date of publication, where they appeared, and whenever possible provide links to anything readers can access online. Not just purchase links, mind you, but links to read your work and get to know you. Your work itself is your greatest marketing tool. If they read it and like it, they’re more likely to buy more. And list them in order of release so people can read the books of your series in correct order.

4) Biography. Who are you? Readers want to know. Don’t tell them too much but do tell them enough to give them some hint of you as a person. Where do you live? Just the state is fine, but feel free to mention the city if you’re comfortable. Are you married? Do you have kids? Do you work full time? Have pets? What are your hobbies? Give them a taste of the real you so they get a clue as to what makes you tick and can connect with you as a real person, not just some name on books they read or buy.

5) Favorite Authors. Part of telling readers who you are is letting them in on how you’re inspired, how you developed as a writer, where you came from. This happens in not just you Biography but also by mentioning some of your favorite authors. Every writer has such influences and often they run deep and permeate our worker. Readers may already have guesses as to who those are. Let them in on it. It’s yet another way they can feel connected. After all, they may well like some of those authors, too, and, if not, you may help them discover new favorites.

6) A Blog. It’s best to incorporate the blog right into your site, but if not, have a direct link that takes them there. Your blog is where you share your heart–your writing process, a little about life events, what you care about. It’s where readers dialogue with you through not only reading and emotional responding but also with comments. This is where you build those relationships and friendships. Fellow authors and other professionals will stop by too.

7) Links. Don’t just mention your favorite Author or websites, link directly to them. This way visitors to your site don’t have to work hard to visit those places, they just click and go. It’s the way of the World Wide Web, and believe me, it’s a distinguishing mark of a professional website. People appreciate that you provide resources and make them easy to get to. They get frustrated when you make it hard. And you don’t want your comments streams filled with dialogue about that, believe me. So make it easy and thus a pleasure to visit your site. This includes, as previously stated, making it easy to follow you on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and wherever else you are active with social media and online.

8 ) Post Regular Updates. Don’t just set up your website and leave it to rot. Update it. This should be done at least once a week, and the more the better. Post blog entries on regular days. My main blog posts go up every Monday and Thursday. Anything I post in between is extra but my readers know they can come to my blog those days every week and find new content. That makes it easy for them to know when to check in. You should make it easy, too. Reply to comments in a timely way. It shows your readers you care and thanks them for their interest. Update your news, Works, and anything else as required. Make sure things are as up to date as possible. People stop checking websites when they sit static too long with nothing new and no updates. And once they stop, they may not come back.

9) Feeds. If possible have links to your RSS feeds, Twitter feeds, etc. right on the site–on every page. Make it easy for people to click and then follow updates. It will help hold their interest. There are lots of authors with sites. You want to keep them coming back. The more ways you provide for them to stay connected, the better.

10) Appearance Schedule. People connect with you then they want a real face to face connection. Let them know where they can meet you.

11) Determine Your Boundaries First & Stick To Them. How much personal v. professional information are you comfortable sharing? Where are your boundaries? Know before you start to avoid issues later. Do not mistake blogging for anything but public sharing, so be sure you want everyone to know before you post it.

12) An Easy To Remember URL. Okay, this probably should be number one, because it’s the most important of all. But after doing all the other stuff, if people can’t remember your website address, they won’t come. The easiest way to do it is to use your name but if you have a famous property like Robert Silverberg’s Majipoor, then that might work, too, but it needs to be something readers know widely and always think of you. After all, you need to pick something you can live with forever. It’s not that you can’t change your web address, people do. But changing it makes it likely someone will not be able to find you again. So you want to start with and maintain a URL you can live with forever if possible. Choose wisely.

Think of any I didn’t mention? Feel free to list them in comments. There’s certainly a lot more one can do with an author site than what I’ve mentioned. Links to buy your work, links to interviews and reviews, etc. Sometimes these are included in your blog or news feed and sometimes you want them separated to their own pages, like I’ve done. It’s your call. But provide them so people can find them somewhere. I do know that these basic bits will get your website up and running and working well from day one. You can always expand and fine tune it later, but starting strong is very important. I wish you success with your websites and hope this is helpful.

For what it’s worth…