Hello, I am very excited to be here today.
My writing advise is something I learned early on. I read an article by a romance writer that gave me some of the best advice I got. I made notes on index cards and still have them to this day. I don’t remember the author’s name, but this applies to any genre you are looking to write and cheaper than most writing classes. It is everything from beginning writing to master class all in one.
The best teachers are your favorite books in the genre you want to write. You take five (5) of those books that you really enjoy because what appeals to you is likely clues to how you will write naturally. Don’t make all five the same author, try to sample from at least three different authors. Be sure the books are written in the last five to ten years so you are learning current writing techniques. Now you are going to systematically analyze these books so you can learn from them. This isn’t a copycat exercise, this is learning the craft of writing that specific genre by example.
Tackle one book at a time, read it completely through before starting your analysis of it. If you read it more than a few weeks ago, reread it so it is fresh in your mind. Get a binder with dividers to keep these five analyses in for easy reference.
After you have read through the book, go back and note the following:
How many chapters? How many pages per chapter?
Summarize each chapter in a few sentences. Just the highlights.
Note how the author writes transitions. How does the author end a chapter and begin the next chapter? Is it the same with every chapter or are there different techniques used?
How are scene transitions handled? Scenes are different from chapters. Scenes are contained in one setting capturing a moment of the story. Moving from scene to scene can be awkward so note those transitions. One scene can be the main character with two friends, when another person joins them and the dynamic is changed, that is another scene. But if the person joining is the point of the scene then it is all one scene. Well done scene transitions can make the story flow smoothly while poorly done transitions can make the story choppy and clunky.
How is an action scene (can be anything from actual fist fight to a verbal interaction) followed with a quieter scene? How are the scenes paced? Get a feel for how the author ramps the reader up and then gives the reader a break and note how they accomplish it and where in the scheme of the chapters. Notice how the length of sentences in an action scene are shorter.
Note what is the purpose of each scene? What is it showing the reader, what is each scenes purpose?
How many words per paragraph? This may seem silly, but long stretches of text on a page tends to automatically drag the story. Notice how there may be only a sentence in a paragraph and at most 5 (?) sentences? Notice the white space and how breaking up long paragraphs can make a difference.
How many active characters are in the scenes? How are they introduced for the scene? What actions do the characters do so they aren’t just talking heads but interacting with the setting in some way?
How is time and place indicated and used. Just observe how they note the passage of time between scenes. In Dan Brown’s book Angels and Demons, the entire book takes place in roughly twenty-four hours. Thus there is a tremendous sense of a ticking clock and it heightens the suspense. But it is a thriller, but what about your genre? How is time used in this book? What about the sense of place? Gothic tales utilize the place to accentuate a sense of isolation and an undercurrent of danger – how do they show that? How is weather used, the season highlighted, or the passing of time such as in a saga that takes place over years?
Where are key plot points/surprises/reversals/reveals? Roughly every eighth of the story there should be something to keep the pacing taught for the reader. Take the total of pages and divide by eight. Take that number and put a placeholder every eighth of the book. If the book has 300 pages, then every 37.5 pages you should note what significant thing happens. This is the important pacing of the story, spread out to keep the reader’s interest. It may not be exactly, but around those placeholders.
Is there a theme? A theme is simply the central idea or thread that the writing explores. It can be anything from “family ties” to “secrets always haunt you” or “love conquers all”. It is the high level concept. Harry Potter might be said to have the theme of confronting fears, or death and how it is handled, or acceptance and tolerance of others. See, high level.
If there is humor, how do they pull it off? Humor is subjective and tricky, so how did this author do it correctly? Was it slapstick or more dry? Was it in dialog or a ridiculous situation? How was the humor setup in prior chapters to make it funny when it is introduced?
How much action (from escape, a fight, sex scene, to any more physical scene with a faster pace) and where does it occur in the story. After going through each chapter and the eight parts, you should be able to pinpoint where the big actions take place. You may find now that you are in analysis mode, that you would have done things a little differently in placing the action or certain revelations. That’s good.
After noting all that, now look for the following to write examples for your future reference:
Write down samples of
Good dialog you particularly like
Descriptions of hero(ine)
Description of setting
Example of conflict in scene (overt or subtle)
Example of showing not telling emotions
The book description/blurb on the back (this will help when you have to write one)
This isn’t so you can copy it, but as reference for technique. You can turn to these samples any time and try to use the technique to help you through a spot you are working on. You are looking for HOW they used these elements to create the book you greatly enjoy to help you develop your style and technique.
When I am going from writing a cozy mystery that is very tame to writing a gritty thriller, my analyses of my favorite thrillers helps to put me into the mindset for that genre. I even have samples of how an author gives the reader a short break before another adrenalin moment such as observing the snow falling while the character processes what has happened. I have samples of transitions and so much more.
I hope you find this as beneficial as I have. It has been a treasure trove of techniques and how-to for my writing.
An Accidental Vampire PI
Book One
Avery Daniels
Genre: Paranormal cozy mystery
Publisher: Blazing Sword Publishing, Ltd.
Date of Publication: May 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-7355663-6-8
ASIN: B09XP9TS5N
Number of pages: 298
Word Count: 57,425
Cover Artist: Molly Burton
Tagline: What's a positive thought girl to do when she finds herself one of the undead? Recite plenty of affirmations and use those new toothy skills to assist her PI boss, of course.
Description:
In 24 hours, Misty Summers had the worst date of her life, was bit by a vampire, and her PI boss may close his business as he goes through a divorce. Looking on the sunny side, she decides to use her new vampire assets and become the investigator to keep her job and income. She doesn’t know what her future holds, but it can’t be any worse! When she starts following up on a missing woman’s case, she finds herself in the middle of murder. Even with her positive thinking and affirmations, she is finding her new reality daunting. But she vows to take a bite out of crime in her small lake resort town.
If you like Duffy Brown, Nancy Warren, Nova Nelson, Dionne Lister, Trixie Silvertale, and Leighann Dobbs, then you'll love this series with a quirky intelligent sleuth, small town lake setting, and tantalizing mysteries. Misty Indigo Summers is a positive thinking kind of gal and a most unlikely vampire and PI.
Buy these fun and clean cozy mysteries and start enjoying Misty's adventures today!
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/SbiadKWhuu4
Amazon
Excerpt:
“I never want to
see you again.” I slammed the passenger side door. Roger sped off in his
red truck, his dragging muffler sounded like a tray of silverware ground in a
garbage disposal. That ended the date from hell. He took me to a
cheap restaurant, we saw the budget dollar movie, and I had to pay for my own
popcorn. I can understand being on a budget, truly, I get it. But then to
get all handsy in a parking lot, right under a parking light! He had the
nerve to get upset when I said no. I had to slap him. When he
slapped me back, I elbowed him in his jewels. The complete jerk.
There was a sickle moon hanging lazily in the sky and a cool autumn breeze
rustled the gold and russet leaves. I walked faster to warm up. I
hadn’t brought a coat since I’d expected to be driven. A gust whipped my
hair across my eyes and I swept it back.
I took a
deep breath and wondered at the smell of autumn, the slightly sharp tang in the
crisp air. I wrapped my arms around myself.
The bright side
was I stood up for myself and put an end to his assault. Unfortunately,
I’m stranded after eleven in a rougher part of town on a Sunday night with
nobody around. I wish I could strangle Roger’s pencil neck. I can
walk off my anger; we don’t have an Uber or such in the small town of Majestic.
I needed to recapture my positive vibes anyway, so a walk would do me
good.
Another positive
item to the evening was I didn’t spring for a new or previously owned dress for
the evening. It would have been wasted on the moron, anyway. I wore
my deep purple sleeveless turtleneck and black pants. It was classic and
more than he deserved. My best friend, Courtney, had assured me this blind
date would be different. Oh, it was different, all right, and not in a
good way.
I’ve never
actually had a good date, not one single good memory of a date. Tears
stung my eyes. Enough negativity. I recited my mantra. I am
ready for the perfect man for me. I am working on myself to be the person
who will attract my perfect partner. After yet another disheartening
experience, it’s all I can do to not blame it all on myself. Nope, the
right man is coming to me. Yeah, okay. I may be trying to convince
myself more than attracting Mr. Right into my life. I’m okay with that at
the moment.
My low-heeled
strappy sandals slapped against the sidewalk, an exclamation point with every
step. There wasn’t any traffic, and I had a couple of miles to go.
Other than my footsteps, it was quiet except for a dog barking in the
auto salvage yard behind me. But I felt a presence and knew I wasn’t alone.
I sped up. I was speed walking now and my heart pounded. This
really wasn’t a good area. Majestic was a modest-sized town, just big
enough to warrant two canines on the police force. I didn’t want to find
out firsthand about the seedy side of town.
Were those
footsteps behind me? I stopped abruptly. I heard a scuff, then nothing.
My senses screamed run, and even though my sandals weren’t the best for
it, at least they were strapped on. I grabbed hold of my purse strap to
keep my purse with me. I didn’t care how it looked; I took off running
for everything I was worth. My mind continued to yell, faster, faster!
One instant, it
was a clear sidewalk in front of me, and the next I ran into a man who had just
appeared. My mind reeled at his abrupt materialization. His eyes
were strange; even in the dark, his eyes bore into mine. I took my purse
and aimed for his head. He moved so fast I barely saw a blur. Next thing
I knew, the guy was behind me, had pinned my arms, and was trying to give me a
hickey!
Worst day ever!
There just is no positive way to look at any of this night. I
struggled, scratched, and kicked but was losing my energy quickly. I
remember slumping to the ground. I think he was still attached to my neck.
I wanted to keep fighting, but I couldn’t even stay conscious.
Avery Daniels was born and raised in Colorado, graduated from college with a degree in business administration and has worked in fortune 500 companies and Department of Defense her entire life. Her most eventful job was apartment management for 352 units.
She still resides in Colorado with two brother black cats as her spirited companions. She volunteers for a cat shelter, enjoys scrapbooking and card making, photography, and painting in watercolor and acrylic. She inherited a love for reading from her mother and grandmother and grew up talking about books at the dinner table.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
.jpg)
Thank you for hosting me on your colorful blog. I appreciate the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteGreat guest post and excerpt, I am looking forward to reading First Bite, which sounds like my kind of book! Thanks for sharing it with me and have a sunshiny day!
ReplyDelete