writing tools | Write Now Editing

How I Write: Carol Stratton

April 12, 2021 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Like many writers, Carol Stratton doesn’t limit herself to one niche. She also sometimes wonders what she’s doing! Today, she’s here to tell us how she does it and to share some writing advice.

Welcome! Why did you pick your genre?

I do wonder why I write, especially on those days when nothing exciting comes out of my fingers but jumbled up plot points, dull dialogue, and flat characters. The reward comes when a reviewer says, “This book forced me to look closer at my life,” or “I learned about forgiveness in this story.” These readers encourage me to push on in spite of the hard work. Stories have a way of crawling up into a reader’s soul, able to teach truth (often more effectively than non-fiction). I view my writing as a ministry and find joy when readers catch the spiritual values I weave into my work.

What’s your favorite book on writing? What do you like about it?

Other than some of the basics like Stephen King’s On Writing, and Elements of Style, I love anything written by James Scott Bell. At my first writing conference, I took a fiction writing class from him and so much of his advice stayed with me. When I read his books I can hear his voice talking to me. His books on Plot and Structure and How to Write Dazzling Dialogue are exceptionally helpful. In addition, he is a fun read.

What conference do you most want to attend? Why?

Well, I’d love to attend the Mount Hermon conference in California. As I grew up around that area, I have happy memories of attending conferences at Mt. Hermon, including becoming a Christian at a Young Life conference. To combine spending a few days in the redwood trees with studying writing … now that would be heaven.

How do you combat writer’s block?

I find taking a break and doing something physical helps to jump start my brain. Doing a mindless task allows my mind to wander. And often a walk is another way to sort out a problem scene.

If you’re self-published, why did you decide to go that route? If you’re traditionally published, why did you decide to go that route?

I decided early in my career I wanted to be traditionally published as it seemed a way to get my stories out to more people. In traditional publishing you have editors who critique your work and make sure your writing is the best it can be. In addition, the traditional publisher offers more marketing support. With Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas I also found a strong camaraderie among the authors as we all helped each other get out the word about any new books. Writing is a lonely endeavor, but having that tribe of other authors has made such a difference. I think without some of my friends I would have quit a long time ago.

I did I self-published a children’s Christmas book last October. I’ve always wanted to write a Christmas book and it seemed like the perfect time. I enjoyed the process of picking out a cover and finding an illustrator. It stretched my creativity as I helped the artist envision my characters. Several times she came up with the perfect picture and I thought, “Oh yeah, that’s exactly how my character looks.

What’s surprised you the most about the publishing process? Why did it surprise you?

My biggest surprise came from other authors. I have been so blessed to have made friends with other writers who choose to spend their valuable time encouraging, praying and supporting me with any new book. In turn, I’ve tried to be a cheer leader for their projects. Often family and friends don’t understand the grueling time, the rejection that is needed to complete a book, so talking over issues and celebrate victories with my writing buddies refreshes me.

I’ve been to secular conferences where the competitive vibe is palpable. Other authors are seen as opponents in a rush to get that coveted contract. But in the Christian community I’ve found a different attitude as we are all trying to do the Lord’s work.

What advice do you have for new authors?

New authors have unrealistic, romantic notions about writing. The truth is writing is hard work with lots of rewrites and rejections. I tell prospective writers not to put “Write a book” on their bucket list unless they understand the time commitment needed to become published. But then I say, “If you can’t not write, you have a writer’s heart.” Some of us are born with a God given desire to communicate, whether through the written or spoken word and we have to follow that path.

How do you self-edit your manuscript?

After I’ve finished a rough draft, I close down my computer and take a break. I may not even write anything for a few weeks while my story marinates. When I come back to review my manuscript I am able to look more objectively at my story and can find it’s horrifyingly awful. After fixing some formatting issues and running spellcheck a second time, I print a clean copy, find a cozy armchair and read what I have. I don’t make changes right away but I do read to see if the plot moves well and the characters are well developed. I may insert notes such as, (need an extra scene here) or (this plot point doesn’t make sense) At this point I am working on the main plot.

After I’m satisfied and fixed my plot and beta reader, I print up another clean copy and examine word choices, setting, and dialogue. I’ve found sitting and reading an actual piece of paper helps me focus and see errors better than when I am editing on my lap top.

A novelist, reporter, and freelancer, Carol has penned 500 articles and two books, Changing Zip Codes, and the award-winning debut novel, Lake Surrender (inspired by her work with autistic students). The sequel to Lake Surrender, Deep End of the Lake, is now available.

An avid hiker and baker she also speaks to women’s groups such as Mothers of Preschoolers. Married to her literary muse, John, they have four children and eight grandchildren and reside in Clemmons. She loves to encourage new writers and readers who have moved.

Website: carolgstratton.com
Facebook: Carol Grace Stratton
Pinterest: Carol Stratton
Twitter @Carolgstratton
Instagram CarolStratton51

Parenting a rebellious teen and autistic son, satisfying a demanding boss, and learning to love again, single mom Ally Cervantes learns when you’re in the deep end of the lake you’d better know how to swim.

How I Write: Susan Ouelette

March 8, 2021 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

I don’t write or edit suspense/thrillers because I could never make it authentic. Today, however, former CIA analyst-turned-author Susan Ouelette tells us how her experiences gave authenticity to her debut novel.

Thank you for being here! What do you write? How did you pick your genre?

I write spy thrillers. Specializing in this genre was a natural choice for me because of my background in intelligence. Early in my career, I worked as a CIA intelligence analyst and then for the Intelligence Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Both jobs provided excellent material and inspiration for The Wayward Spy.

If you’ve written multiple books, which was harder: the first book or the following books?

I have written two novels in this spy thriller series (and I’m working on the third). As my first novel, The Wayward Spy was the more difficult of the two stories to write. All of those blank pages that I had to fill with non-stop tension and intrigue! Before I began writing, I read multiple books on writing and tried to incorporate advice from ALL of them. The result? An overly complicated plot. Once I realized that I couldn’t explain the story succinctly, I knew it needed a major rewrite. Writing the second novel was easier. My experience with the first book taught me a lot about what NOT to do the second time around.

What conference do you most want to attend? Why?

I most want to attend ThrillerFest, the annual conference of the International Thriller Writers (ITW), so that I can connect with other thriller authors. Unfortunately, the 2021 conference will be virtual, but I will still “attend.” On the bright side, ITW already has set the date for an in-person (!) ThrillerFest in 2022.

What’s your writing day like?

I wrote the first draft of The Wayward Spy at night, when my young children were in bed, because I needed silence and solitude to get into my characters’ heads. As my kids got older, I began to write on weekends at a local coffee shop. As a full-time working mother, it hasn’t always been easy to find large blocks of uninterrupted time. When I find them, I try to put them to good use.

How do you prepare to write your books: pantser, plotter, both, something completely different? Describe your strategy.

I am a pantser. For both The Wayward Spy and its sequel, the easy part was coming up with the inciting incident – the event that sets the story in motion. And before I sat down at the keyboard, I already knew how the stories would end. The challenge was how to get Maggie and her supporting cast from page 1 to “The End.”The thought of outlining the plot paralyzes my imagination. I prefer to dive in and write. Necessary characters and plot twists somehow materialize as I need them, and it all comes together at the end … well, after a few rewrites!

What advice do you have for new authors?

At the risk of sounding trite, my advice for new authors is “don’t give up.” Here’s the caveat—giving up is not the same thing as quitting. I “quit” writing multiple times. Because of rejection. Because of “I’ll never be good enough” thinking. Because of work and family commitments. That said, even though I “quit,” I never really gave up. I’d rewrite here and there. I’d send out a new batch of queries. I’d attend a writing conference. And eventually, the writing and the opportunities aligned, and here I am – a published author. So, go ahead and quit if you need a break. But don’t ever give up.

If you’ve ever worked with a freelance editor, how did you find that editor? How would you describe the experience?

Working with a freelance editor is what got me from frustrated aspiring author to published author. In 2015, I attended a writers conference where I met Elaine Ash, an author and freelance editor (www.bestsellermetrics.com). It took her two years to convince me to send her my manuscript (I was in one of my quitting phases—see above). Finally, in 2017, I sent her The Wayward Spy. She saw great promise in the story and for the next year-and-a-half, we worked to fix the overcomplicated plot. Elaine has an uncanny ability to see the anatomy of a story. She can spot and fix the broken bones, the atrophied muscles, the excess fat. Simply put, without her editing skills, friendship, and persuasive personality, I wouldn’t be a published author today.

What does your revision process look like?

The revision process includes deleting unnecessary scenes, removing or combining secondary characters, and making sure the story’s timeline makes sense. I always vow to read the entire story once through before I begin revising, but inevitably, I find myself tweaking scenes and streamlining the prose as I go. For both novels, I placed major plot points on a calendar to ensure that events are happening sequentially and logically. At the end of the revision process, I like to read the story aloud to catch clunky dialog and repetitive prose. It’s a bit time-consuming, but well worth the effort.

Susan Ouellette is a former intelligence analyst for the CIA. Her debut novel, The Wayward Spy (CamCat Books, March 2nd, 2021), heavily draws on her experience at the CIA and as a professional staff member for the House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). It was there, during quiet moments in the attic of the of the U.S. Capitol Building, that Ouellette conceived of Maggie Jenkins in The Wayward Spy, an intrepid young woman thrust into a life-threatening situation borne of tragedy.

Publishers Weekly calls The Wayward Spy a “gripping debut and series launch . . . Ouellette, a former CIA analyst, brings plenty of authenticity to this fast-paced spy thriller.”

www.susanouellette.com
fb.me/SusanOuelletteAuthor
https://twitter.com/smobooks
https://www.instagram.com/susanobooks/
https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomsusan_ouellette

How I Write: Shannon Vannatter

February 22, 2021 by Karin Beery 2 Comments

What do agents do, and how do you find a good one?

Which is harder to write–your first or seventh book?

How do you combat writer’s block?

Shannan Vannatter is here to help!

Thanks for being here today! Let’s start with what you write — how did you pick your genre?

Contemporary Romance. I started out trying to write Romantic Suspense because I’ve always watched detective shows on TV. But my books were always heavy on the romance, light on the suspense. Finally, at a writer’s conference, I had an epiphany when the speaker said you should probably write what you read most. I read Contemporary Romance. After that epiphany, everything fell into place.

What’s the most difficult part of writing your genre? How do you work through those challenges?

In romance, the reader knows how it will end. It’s about how they’ll get to their happily ever after. Keeping readers interested and creating believable conflict to keep the characters apart until the end is hard. You can easily write yourself into a corner if you throw so much conflict at them that they can’t possibly overcome it. It’s a delicate balance.

I make sure their GMCs are rock solid before I ever start writing the book. Debra Dixon’s GMC: Goals, Motivation, & Conflict has saved most of my books from the cutting room floor.

If you’ve written multiple books, which was harder: the first book or the following books? Why?

In some ways the first book was easier because I had years to perfect it. But it was also harder since I’d never worked with an editor. The following books were easier because I’d worked with an editor and knew more about what needed to go in a book and what didn’t. But they were harder because I had deadlines of three to five months. My 2^nd contracted book was the hardest. It was the first time I’d ever had a deadline. I learned writer’s block was a real thing.

What’s your writing day like?

I’m an acquisitions/content editor for Scrivenings Press now too. I work from about 11 am to 5 pm and then from 11pm to 2 am on weekdays. I juggle. Most days, I work on editing and do my writing at night. The hours in between, I spend time with my husband and son and do church-oriented things since my husband is a pastor. Weekends are for family and church.

How do you combat writer’s block?

The one time I had it, with my second contracted book, I’d had to turn in a synopsis for the book to my editor. I’m a pantser, meaning when I start a book, I know the characters and the basic plot twists and the end. Having to write the synopsis before I write the book is like pulling teeth for me. Having to write that book according to the synopsis by a certain date gave me writer’s block. I had to put the synopsis away and work on something else until it was out of my head. Then I wrote the book. A few times I got stuck and had to look at the synopsis to get going again. That’s how I still do it. But writing the synopsis is still the hardest thing I do. And often when I write the book, it doesn’t exactly follow the map I laid out of it. I warn my editors that I’m a pantser and things change as I write the book.

How do you prepare to write your books: pantser, plotter, both, something completely different? Describe your strategy.

I come up with my heroine and hero first and give them baggage and careers or living situations that instantly force them to be together, but they mix like oil and water. I work their GMC out according to Debra Dixon’s GMC: Goals, Motivation, & Conflict. Once I have that formula, I work on plot. I use Randy Ingermanson’s snowflake method to write the synopsis. Once I get the proposal done, I submit it. If it gets contracted, I forget everything I knew about the synopsis and write the book. If I get stuck, I go back to the synopsis. But if my characters take me in a new direction, I let them.

Since I’m a pantser, in a perfect world, I’d sit down with the characters, a few twists, and the ending in my head and just write.

If you have an agent, how did you find/pick your agent? What tips do you have for others looking for an agent?

I’m actually between agents at the moment. My most recent agent’s contract was all inclusive. Meaning if I want to write something for my own company, I’d still have to pay her. I don’t need an agent to write for Scrivenings, so I basically would have paid her for nothing. I’m currently talking to an agent I’m excited about and going over my manuscript one more time before I send her the full.

I’ve had a bad agent and I’ve had good agents. My first one realized I wasn’t ready, so she cut me from her list. My second one lost a contract for me and is no longer in the business. My third one was great—it was just a contract issue.

I’ve found a few things that might be a red flag in finding an agent:

If they’ve only sold to one publishing company, they might have a friend there and that’s the only reason they’re selling.

If they own the agency and don’t have any other agents, they may not play well with others which is a bad thing in the publishing industry.

If an agency has only been around a few years, they may not be proven yet.

Trust me, a bad agent is worse than no agent at all.

To find a good agent:

Find an agency that’s been around for at least five years with lots of sales to multiple houses and employs multiple agents.

How do you self-edit your manuscript?

Even though I’m an editor, it’s hard to self-edit. I love my characters and my story, so it’s hard to see any flaws. I have a foolproof technique that makes sure I have the right mix of emotion, conflict, dialogue, setting, movement, and internal thoughts on each page, without too much of anything. I teach a class on it. On top of that, I eat sunflower seeds still in the hull while I edit. Someway, it keeps me focused, cracking those shells and digging out the seed with my tongue. My ankles are swollen the next day, but it works.

Award winning author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter writes contemporary Christian cowboy romance and has over a dozen published titles. A romance reader since her teens, she hopes to entertain Christian women and plant seeds in the non-believer’s heart as she demonstrates that love doesn’t conquer all—Jesus does.

She gleans fodder for her fiction in rural Arkansas where she spent her teenage summers working the concession stand with her rodeo announcing dad and married a Texan who morphed into a pastor. In her spare time, she loves hanging out with her husband and son, flea marketing, and doing craft projects.

Connect with her: Shannon’s Website, Shannon’s Blog, Shannon’s Facebook, Shannon’s Goodreads, Shannon’s Pinterest, Shannon’s Twitter, Newsletter Archives, Shannon’s Amazon Author Page and Shannon’s Bookbub. Sign up for her Newsletter to get a free e-book, recipes, behind the scenes info, & enter exclusive giveaways: Shannon’s Newsletter

Recently, Shannon joined Scrivenings Press as co-owner/acquisitions/content editor.

He came to find the children…will he stay to win her heart?

Learning he’s an uncle shocks Ross Lyles—but after years of handling his brother’s bombshells, at least this surprise is a blessing. A pair of five-year-old blessings Ross is determined to meet, if he can convince their aunt to give him a chance. Fiercely protective, Stacia Keyes is worried he’ll try to take the children…and lassoing her trust is harder than he ever imagined.

Available at Walmart from mid-Feb to mid-March. Or online:

A Texas Bond – ChristianBook
A Texas Bond – Amazon
A Texas Bond – BarnesandNoble

How I Write: Barbara Britton

February 8, 2021 by Karin Beery 2 Comments

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to novel writing, as is evident with Barbara Britton. She doesn’t have an agent. She lets music inspire her. And she’s here to share some of her writing tips and suggestions with you!

What do you write? How did you pick your genre?

I write primarily Biblical Fiction, but I have also published a WWI Historical novel. Looking back, I think my genre chose me. I taught Bible stories to elementary students in a chapel setting. When I decided to write a novel based on a Bible story, that manuscript sold to a publisher. I had been honing my “voice” in my teaching without knowing it.

What’s the most difficult part of writing your genre? How do you work through those challenges?

When you don’t live in the time period that you are writing about, you have to research the lifestyle and customs. With Biblical Fiction, you may have to cross-reference Scripture to get the entire background to the story or characters. With anything related to the Bible, an author wants to get the theology correct. When Scripture is silent on a part of the story, I have learned to place an author note in the back of the book with reasons why I chose a certain interpretation.

Research can take time away from actually writing the story. An author must be diligent to not let research derail their inspiration and determination to get the story written.

If you’ve written multiple books, which was harder: the first book or the following books?

A debut novel may have taken one, five, or ten years to write. No one knows about the book except the author and their critique partners. There is no pressure or deadline to finish the book. Once you publish a book, your readers and publisher want another one and they want it fast. The traditional publishing process is slow, so the faster you write, the more your books can release closer together.

The pressure of “your next book” can slow the creative process or stymie it altogether. I’ve heard it said that if you are going to indie-publish a series, have at least three books written in the series, or all of it written, before you release the first book. Then you can rapidly release the series and keep the interest of your readership. Of course, after the series ends, you will still hear, “When’s your next book coming out?” Only the author knows what is a practical, and realistic, timeline for them to write a book. I can’t write a book in six weeks. I can write a book in six months if I have a deadline. I prefer to write a Historical in nine months.

What’s your favorite book on writing? What do you like about it?

One of my favorite craft books is Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View by Jill Elizabeth Nelson. The book makes Deep POV easy to understand. It’s a short book and the answers to Jill’s questions and exercises are in the back of the book.

What writing book do you want to read next?

A book that I recently purchased and want to use more in my writing is The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. I like seeing the list of physical reactions to emotions in the book and the reasons for such emotions. I once had an editor tell me that my character had sweaty palms too many times. A writer has to vary the emotional and physical reactions of their characters.

How do you combat writer’s block?

I try to have a playlist for each story. I find music that is the essence of my character or tells the emotions my characters are going through. I like fast-paced music for action scenes and quieter songs for impactful scenes. I play the music before I sit down to write, and it helps put me in the mood to write.

I also recommend having critique partners and deadlines to submit chapters for review. If you have to get a chapter written for your fellow authors, you will find the time to do it.

What’s surprised you the most about the publishing process? Why did it surprise you?

I began writing stories before social media existed. Publishers and agents didn’t talk about platforms because they didn’t exist in the world of fiction. Now, a writer must have a following on several social media platforms, and a website, before their work will be considered by some agents. Being active on social media takes time. The interaction can take time away from drafting new stories.

Some authors will hire virtual assistants to manage their social media accounts. This helps with the time crunch, but it costs money. A writer has to find the right mix between being engaged on social media and making their writing a priority.

How do you self-edit your manuscript?

Grammar is not my best subject. I rely on grammar books, Google, and my critique partners to catch mistakes before I submit my manuscript to my publisher. I write my story on paper and edit it as I type it onto the computer. I review a chapter before I send it to my critique partners for feedback. When I think my story is done, I will read it from start to finish. I also send it to beta-readers for their comments. When I think the story is as good as I can get it, then I send it to my publisher.

I do not have an agent. If an author has an agent, the agent will go over a submitted manuscript for errors or improvement.

Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She is published in Biblical fiction and enjoys bringing little-known Bible characters to light in her stories. Barb ventured into Christian Historical fiction in 2020 with “Until June.” Barb is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America, and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Find out more about Barb’s books at http://www.barbarambritton.com/books.html

Barb is also active on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass (book review)

December 28, 2020 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Take your fiction to the next level!

Maybe you’re a first-time novelist looking for practical guidance. Maybe you’ve already been published, but your latest effort is stuck in mid-list limbo. Whatever the case may be, author and literary agent Donald Maass can show you how to take your prose to the next level and write a breakout novel – one that rises out of obscurity and hits the best-seller lists.

Maass details the elements that all breakout novels share – regardless of genre – then shows you writing techniques that can make your own books stand out and succeed in a crowded marketplace.

You’ll learn to:

– establish a powerful and sweeping sense of time and place
– weave subplots into the main action for a complex, engrossing story
– create larger-than-life characters that step right off the page
– explore universal themes that will interest a broad audience of readers
– sustain a high degree of narrative tension from start to finish
– develop an inspired premise that sets your novel apart from the competition

Then, using examples from the recent works of several best-selling authors – including novelist Anne Perry – Maass illustrates methods for upping the ante in every aspect of your novel writing. You’ll capture the eye of an agent, generate publisher interest and lay the foundation for a promising career.

This was a re-read for me, as I’d read this book several years ago and wanted to revisit it after I had a few more years of writing experience. My opinion about the books hasn’t changed:

It’s a great book full of good information, but it’s NOT for new writers.

You really can’t write a breakout novel until you can successfully write a novel. As an editor, I see too many manuscripts from authors wanting to breakout, but they haven’t yet mastered the basics.

I also think it’s important to realize that breakout novels aren’t for everyone. Do they sell well? Absolutely (that’s why they’re breakouts)! But out of all of the examples he used, not many of them are contemporary, and not many of them are in the style/genre that I like to read.

Takeaway?

There’s some great info in the book and it can definitely help you improve your writing, but first you need to learn the basics. Then you need to figure out if this type of breaking out is what you really want to do.

I absolutely recommend reading this book, but not at the beginning of your writing career. Get your copy here!

How I Write: Carol Stratton

How I Write: Susan Ouelette

How I Write: Shannon Vannatter

How I Write: Barbara Britton

Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass (book review)

ABOUT ME

Copywriting

Editing

Author Page

Resources