Write Now Editing

Writing Tips with Sharee Stover

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If you’re writing romantic suspense, you won’t want to miss today’s interview. Award-winning Love Inspired Suspense author Sharee Stover shares her tips, suggestions, and encouragement.

Welcome!

What is your favorite craft book?
Any of the thesaurus books from Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi are a MUST HAVE in my opinion.

Which do you think is the most underrated craft book? Why?
I’m unsure it’s underrated, but it’s one that I think is essential. GMC by Debra Dixon.

What is your favorite (or most anticipated) writers conference?
Writers Police Academy by far was my most favorite of all the conferences I’ve attended. 

What’s your favorite other source (YouTube, podcast, etc.) for writing tips/info?
I use YouTube, podcasts, newsletters, online classes, etc. and especially love any features with forensic specialists.

Who is your writing mentor/inspiration? Why?
I’ve been blessed with several wonderful mentors over the years who have prayed with me, critiqued my work, and offered wisdom in my writing journey. I appreciate candidness, but also love having their kind support on those super rough days.

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received? Why was it bad?
I can’t say I’ve ever had bad writing advice.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
Learn craft. It’s important to understand the rules before you go breaking any of them if you choose to do so.

What would you say is the best writing tip for new authors?
Get involved with writing groups and attend conferences. There’s a great wealth of information out there. Use it!

What is your best self-editing tip or advice?
I always do an audio read through of my books. Our minds can tend to fill in anticipated words even if they’re missing from the page. Hearing the words helps me to filter out typos or missing information as well as listen to the characters’ dialogue interactions.

Please share your most encouraging tip for frustrated/discouraged writers.
Pray before you start, while you’re writing, and when you’re finished. A rejection letter isn’t the end of your journey. It’s a part of the process, see it as a learning opportunity. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a short break, then start again. Never give up. Never give in. Writing is tough. But there’s so much involved in the journey beyond a published book. Be willing to learn. Nobody knows it all.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to join you today!

Proving his innocence may cost him his life…

After a brutal attack, US marshal Riker Kastell regains consciousness only to find a murdered gang member in his mudroom. Even worse, Eliana Daines—his ex-sweetheart—has a DNA program that pinpoints him as the murderer. And Eliana’s technology has them both targeted by criminals.

Now he and his K-9 must protect Eliana…and find the killer who looks just like Riker before they become the next victims.

Award-winning, Publisher’s Weekly Best-Selling author, Sharee Stover transplanted from Colorado to the Midwest where she lives her happily-ever-after with her real-life-hero husband and three wonderful children. A self-proclaimed word nerd, she loves the power of the written word to ignite, transform, and restore. She writes Christian romantic suspense combining heart-racing, nail-biting suspense, and the delight of falling in love all in one. Sharee also enjoys reading, crocheting, and long walks with her obnoxiously lovable German Shepherd. Visit her at www.shareestover.com.

Website: https://shareestover.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shareestover
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorshareestover/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shareestover/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sharee-stover
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/shareestover
Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/shareestover
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3PgASBB

How I Write: Aubrey Taylor

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We’re down to our last two interviews of the year, and I’m excited to introduce you to indie author Aubrey Taylor. Everyone goes indie for different reasons, and Aubrey’s story is no different. But before she tells us about that, let’s get to know more about her and her writing.

Thank you so much for joining me! What do you write? How did you pick your genre?

Thank you for allowing me to share today! I write historical fiction. Specifically, I’m working on a German-perspective 20th century series entitled Gott Mit Uns. I don’t feel that I chose this genre, rather, God placed it definitively into my heart. As I was doing research for my debut novel, Sani: The German Medic, I began to see glimpses of how much more there is to the story beyond the themes we commonly encounter about the Second World War. However, I longed to go back to the years before the war and explore what led up to it.

Which was harder: the first book or the following books? Why?

It gets harder with each book! Sani is about one soldier’s wartime experience. Now that I have a whole family of Schmidts, I have to figure out what’s going to make the most gripping novel each time. I can’t tell everyone’s entire story, and that creates a problem when I get attached to a certain character and want to keep going with them.

It’s the same thing with historical events. I can’t possibly include everything that happened, especially when we’re talking about such a volatile period of history. What is just begging to be included? A great example comes from Sani: there are accounts of the German Army reopening churches that had been closed by the Soviets, but I can’t say whether this was actually done by the infantry division on which Frederick’s path through the war is modeled. I was so fascinated by these accounts, however, that I couldn’t resist including a chapter on this in the book.

What conference do you most want to attend?

I belong to a group of Christian writers who are in the “mommy” stage of life, just as I am. I love the idea of a small, intimate retreat with these ladies, and that might be what I really need at this point, rather than a large conference.

How do you combat writer’s block?

Flying by the seat of my pants is the best way to combat writer’s block. Sometimes I just have to sit down and write. If it has to be revised, fact-checked or pulled out entirely later, I’m good with that.

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

I do both: plot and pants. I mentioned the pantsing above. I take time to work through the main character’s story arc beforehand, and continue to do so as I’m writing. It seems that with every book, the secondary story arc kind of emerges as I go along. I then have to slow down and develop that alongside (and sometimes within) the primary arc. I’m also already plotting years into the series, two or three books away. That’s the cool thing about series writing. You get great ideas for the future that you can work in to what you’re doing right now.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

Self-publishing was really a matter going forward with the knowledge that God had given me something to say because He wanted me to share it. I didn’t feel that He would have me stressing over trying to share it while being rejected indefinitely. There is so much opportunity in the self-publishing industry. Even if your market is smaller and you have to do more of your own legwork, it is really a (positive) challenge to trust God to get your writing where it needs to go.

I’m also aware that German-perspective fiction isn’t something that publishers here in the States are looking for (although I am tempted to wonder if the release of Netflix’s adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front could change that). Even if WWII fiction is a hugely popular genre, and the interest in WWI is growing, we usually like to see protagonists of a certain type, and not all of my Schmidts fit that description.

I fully respect and admire writers who are under a contract. However, even though I don’t actually think of myself this way, I guess it’s hard-wired into me to want to blaze my own trail. When I was in 5th grade, everyone in the class was asked to choose an explorer to research and write a paper on. I must have been sick the day the list of explorers was handed out, because I managed to pick one that wasn’t on that list. Naturally I only found that out after I’d already written the paper, and to this day I’m not really sure why he didn’t qualify.

What advice do you have for new authors?

God has given you something to say, so be faithful: write, read, walk through the open doors, knock on doors you think might be for you, don’t be discouraged if they aren’t, and don’t stress yourself out trying to meet the expectations of other people. Concern yourself with pleasing God. He’ll do more than you can think or ask. Keep your expectations in Him and discover what His definition of success is. But, be teachable. While we don’t have to meet everyone’s expectations, we can learn a lot from those who have been in the industry for any length of time. We’re not meant to go it alone!

How do you self-edit your manuscript?

If I know I’ve typed something wrong, I can’t just let it sit there. I have to fix it right away. Granted, I used to type for a living, so my WPMs are pretty high and I don’t always look at the screen. A lot of stuff gets missed the first time around. I reread my manuscripts occasionally and am always fixing things as I go through. Unfortunately, I also write like I talk, so even though something might have sounded great in my head, it reads poorly on paper. Of course, I run a few spellchecks throughout the entire process too!

Aubrey lives in Upstate New York with her husband and three children. She’s busy keeping the home, caring for her family, doing research for and writing her books. She enjoys music and is involved with the worship ministry at her church as well as German choral and dance groups, and plays gigs occasionally with friends as a singer and acoustic guitarist. After all that, she finds time to sketch, craft, and hike. She is a lover of Jesus, the Bible, history, German culture, tea, and cats, and has a special heart for those who struggle with severe anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

You can find Aubrey online via her website and social media pages:

Website: https://www.aubreytaylorbooks.com
Blog: https://www.aubreytaylorbooks.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aubreytaylorbooks/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/aubtaybooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aubreytaylorbooks/

Strangers to Superfans: A Marketing Guide to the Reader Journey by David Gaughran (book review)

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From the author of Let’s Get Digital and Amazon Decoded, this book will change how you think about marketing. Strangers to Superfans puts you in the shoes of your Ideal Readers, and forces you to view your marketing from their perspective.

*Learn the five stages in the Readers’ Journey.
*Identify where your blockages are and how to fix them.
*Optimize each stage to increase conversion.
*Boost sales by making the process more frictionless.
*Build an army of passionate readers who do the selling for you.

It’s not enough to know who your Ideal Readers are, you also need to imagine how they feel when a recommendation email arrives containing your cover. You must figure out why they hesitated before clicking the Buy button. And it’s crucial to determine why they liked your book enough to finish it… but not sufficiently to recommend it to their friends.

The Reader Journey is a new marketing paradigm that maps out the journey your Ideal Readers take in their transformation from strangers to superfans.

I’ve been a fan of David Gaurghran’s articles/posts online for a while now, so I thought I’d take the plunge and read one of his books. I’ve heard amazing things about Amazon Decoded, but this book’s shorter, so I decided to read this one first.

It’s okay, but I don’t feel like I finished the book with much more knowledge or strategy than when I started it. He quickly identifies the five stages of a reader/buyer’s journey toward becoming a fan, but he repeats the information many times without providing any concrete strategies for improving each (there are vague guidelines).

Two things particularly frustrated me. First, that you have to visit a website to get more info (I bought the book for that info). Second, his “case study” in how everything works doesn’t start with an unknown author — it’s the case study of a well-known author with a large following who had already been working with a publicity specialist before Gaughran stepped in. That’s not overly encouraging for an author who doesn’t have any of that yet.

Overall, there’s some good information in here, but you have to dig for it, and if you want more specific information you have to go somewhere else. If you have some free time and money to spend, it’s worth a try to read this, but I might encourage you to save your money and use it on one of his other books.

Get your copy here.

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Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody (book review)

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SAVE THE CAT!® by Blake Snyder is a popular screenwriting book series and storytelling methodology used by screenwriters, directors, and studio execs across Hollywood. Now, for the first time ever, bestselling author and writing teacher, Jessica Brody, takes the beloved Save the Cat! plotting principals and applies them to the craft of novel writing in this exciting new “workshop style” guide, featuring over 20 full beat sheets from popular novels throughout time.


Whether you’re writing your first novel or your seventeenth, Save the Cat! breaks down plot in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step method so you can write stories that resonate! This book can help you with any of the following:

Outlining a new novel
Revising an existing novel
Breaking out of the dreaded “writer’s block”
Fixing a “broken” novel
Reviewing a completed novel
Fleshing out/test driving a new idea to see if it “has legs”
Implementing feedback from agents and/or editors
Helping give constructive feedback to other writers

But above all else, SAVE THE CAT! WRITES A NOVEL will help you better understand the fundamentals and mechanics of plot, character transformation, and what makes a story work!

I think this may be my new favorite craft book ever.

As a fan and writer of character-driven fiction, I’ve always struggled to figure out plot structure. I’ve read a lot of books that talk about that and have learned bits from all of them, but this book explained structure in a way that I really understood. It could be that I’m just finally starting to understand structure after all of these years (and multiple craft books), but I really think the format of this book is what I connected with.

First, the author lists out and explains the different beats of every good story. Then she explains the nine different plot types. Finally, she takes the list of beats and applies it to each of the plot types to help the reader see what it looks like. (She also includes a list of the books that use the various plot types.)

If you want to learn how to write a novel and you learn best from lists and examples, I highly recommend this book. I will reference it often.

Get your copy here!

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To Be or Not to Be: Writing Subplots by James R. Callan

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Recently, I was giving a talk on plotting. When I came to the topic of subplots, a lively discussion ensued. Some felt any book called a novel had to have a subplot. That was countered by some who felt that you should avoid subplots altogether. A few felt that subplots were there to beef up the word count. And others felt that was exactly why you should avoid subplots: they distract from the main plot.

I called a halt and offered these guidelines for sub-plots

  • It is a sub-plot. Therefore, it is sub (subordinate to, under, below, beneath) the main plot. It is second fiddle. So on all levels, it must remain secondary.  It must not crowd the main plot for space or attention. 

But, it is a plot.  Therefore, it needs the elements of a plot.  It must have a beginning, a middle, and an end.  It needs an arc.  It cannot coast along at the same level from start to finish.  And it is an important part of any plot, sub or main, that someone (or more than one) must change.  Keep in mind that person could be the reader. If you can change the attitude or mindset of the reader, that is a change, and much more difficult to achieve than changing a character of the book.

  • It must satisfy at least one of these two criteria.
  1. It must add to the reader’s understanding of the setting, the surroundings, the texture of the story. In my book Cleansed by Fire, the subplot involving a mysterious character close to the drug scene gives the reader a feel for the texture of the town, that is, the drug problem in the small town. Without my preaching about the problem, the Earl subplot makes it clear.
  2. It must give the reader a clearer understanding of one or more characters in the story, preferably the protagonist.  A well crafted subplot can allow the author to define the protagonist without “telling.”  It is an excellent vehicle for “showing” the reader the true nature of the protagonist without “telling.” Using the same example above, Earl allowed me to bring out a number of characteristics of the protagonist without “telling.”

So, in the example I have given, a subplot served two important jobs.

But what about the question: subplot or not. Subplots can improve a book. Subplots can help the author with two important areas: help define the texture of the story, and help the reader better understand certain characters – and in a way that works well for the author.

If you can use a subplot to accomplish one or both of the two conditions above, then by all means add a subplot.  If the subplot is used to simple bulk up the book, add words, get in something that you the author wants to say that is not necessary to the story, then leave it out.

Rod Granet, award-winning novelist and womanizer, is the main speaker at a writers conference. But after the opening session and in front of a crowd, Maggie DeLuca, Father Frank’s sister, accuses Granet of stealing her story and says he will pay for it.

That night, Granet is killed.

The sheriff quickly zeros in on Maggie and she is hauled off in handcuffs. The sheriff is convinced he has the murderer and threatens Father Frank not to get involved in this case.

But the sheriff is not the only one threatening Father Frank.

Can Father Frank stay out of jail and alive, and find the real killer?

After a successful career in mathematics and computer science, receiving grants from the National Science Foundation and NASA, and being listed in Who’s Who in Computer Science and Two Thousand Notable Americans, James R. Callan turned to his first love—writing.  He wrote a monthly column for a national magazine for two years. He has had four non-fiction books published.  He now concentrates on his favorite genre, mystery/suspense, with his sixth book releasing in 2014.

www.jamesrcallan.com/ 
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1eeykvG

ABOUT ME

Editor. Teacher. Novelist.
A passionate lover of fiction, Karin doesn't just write novels, she helps others write their best stories! A certified substantive editor with the Christian Editor Connection, her goal is to help authors to put her out of business by equipping them with the tools they need to become better writers.

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Karin understood my advertising and marketing writing needs and accomplished the project in record time. She asked all the right questions up front to equip herself with enough … [more]

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Substantive Fiction Editing: A substantive edit looks at the big picture. Start here to tackle the big issues before moving on to the nit-picky details. Substantive edits not only point out … [more]

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Lover of all things fiction, I also love University of Michigan football, the Detroit Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings, kayaking, gluten-free cupcakes, and my husband.

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Fiction: Substantive Editing Classes Substantive Editing for Fiction 101 In Substantive Fiction Editing 101, we’ll look at the basics of a well-written novel and learn how to help our … [more]