1.
Learn the craft before you begin. It doesn’t matter what genre
you choose, writing a novel is like nothing else you’ve ever written. Read as
many self-help books from the masters, like James Scott Bell and Donald Maass.
Pick up tons of books on sentence structure and the basics. Buy all of the
Emotion Thesaurus books that you can afford by Angela Ackerman. Once you’ve
exhausted English basics, then shoot for fine tuning your writing and know what
your readers want in your genre.
2.
Authors must write for the reader, not themselves. It’s okay to
write a first draft the way you want, but in your edited drafts, your writing
must reflect what your reader is expecting from your genre. As an example:
Romantic Suspense requires that your protagonist’s love interest can’t be
someone she immediately flocks to. If your main character is a woman, she and
her love interest must have a wedge between them. Something that keeps them
apart or drives them from each other at the beginning of your novel. The plot
has to continue to slowly work them back together for afinish with a Happily
Ever After ending. Romance genre endings should be HEA or happy for now. If you
plan to kill off a main interest in the book, remember that you will upset some
of your readers. Never, ever kill a family pet or an animal in your novels, if
you can help it. Readers will forgive a person’s murder, but most won’t stomach
the killing of animals, especially those that are beloved.
3. Invest in the best editors you
can afford. It doesn’t pay to skimp on the editing. I went through eight (8)
drafts before I published Stolen
Obsession.I used beta readers, developmental editors, critique groups, copy
editors and proofers before heading to a professional book formatter.
Professionals will make your work shine. If you publish without perfecting your
work, your book reviews will suffer as will your reputation. Try out several
different editors before settling on your favorites. I’ve found that it’s easy
to lose your writer’s voice if you pick a strong editor who prefers to rewrite
the story for themselves. Readers are subjective and have different
preferences. The same goes for an editor. Choose one who will enhance your
work, not just remove every adjective because it bothers them. I’ve had an
editor like that and had to move on!
4. Writing, Reading and Editors
are all subjective. So are reviewers. Your written work will affect every person
differently. Expect it. The empathy we’re attracting to our characters will
strike everyonedifferently. Some may not like the style or voice; others won’t
like a character’s personality. Still others won’t be expecting romance even
though your work is designed to include romantic interludes. This really
happens! Grow a thick skin and shrug off your detractors. There will be some
who won’t get your writing. It’s okay that some people criticize your work. The
old saying, “You can’t please everybody,” holds true here. Please yourself with
your reader in mind and you’ll be fine.
I also like to read my negative
reviews, not just the positive ones. It’s amazing how much you can learn about
your writing faults by hearing about what irks your readers. Not all criticisms
are authentic or worth more than a few seconds of your time, but if several
point to the same flaws in your writing, it’s time to address it! Try not to
make the same mistakes in subsequent books.
5. Have fun writing and don’t kill yourself doing it!Typing for long hours in front of your laptop or PC takes perseverance. Everyone has a life beyond the keyboard. Take walks and read lots of books in and out of your genre. You’ll be amazed how reading helps with the writer’s block. Having a bad day writing means a better day reading. It’s where I go when the words won’t come smoothly.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/dVRdjq2L3_I
Excerpt From Chapter Four:
The reception area is completely empty, and there’s a smell like metal in damp dirt circulating overhead. Farther in, the ceiling fan is hovering on high speed, and the windows are open.
A dead body inside a warm office leaves an unmistakable odor behind, as did the body Ethan found inside the stall at Walker Farm. Decomp is one smell that sticks with you forever. Adding to the office creepiness, who chose the interior’s decor? We’re surrounded by limestone walls painted an ugly shade of ochre, slightly more yellow and definitely more unappealing than the building’s exterior. The rooms will need another coat of fresh paint to cover a harsh stench known to stick to the walls like cigarette tar does.
No one is nearby, not even the receptionist.
The office cubicles are silent but for a few flapping papers. Not a single desk phone is ringing.
It’s like the office decided to have a fire drill midday, and the employees left their computers on and didn’t bother to close folders—open to anyone passing by. Frames holding pictures of sweethearts and children stand by as guardians for the people who are absent from their high-back swivel chairs.
Officer Raffa returns and mutters in heavy Italian brogue, “Il signore is waiting for his… avvocato difensore.” He points to the room with a closed door. “Come, Mr. Zavos. Your friends stay here.”
“Josh is in there waiting for his defense attorney. Back soon.” Alec touches my arm and looks aBill, sending him a private message.
Alec’s led to a side office, and the solid door closes behind them.
“Is Alec signing autographs, or should I even worry about what’s going on in that room?
Has Josh been here the entire time messing with evidence?” I ask Bill.
“Alec’s prepared for all contingencies. I’m surprised they haven’t taken Jennings down to the station by now.”
A few minutes later, Alec emerges by himself. “They weren’t going to allow us to talk to Josh, but I persuaded him. It shouldn’t be much longer.”
For what feels like an eternity, we sit in ladderback pine chairs with brown cushions while Alec keeps adjusting his watch. I don’t know what Alec had to promise the officer. Autographs are fine with me, but if he had to pay him off, I’d rather not know.“I hope Brad is parked in the shade somewhere.” Alec looks at his watch for the eighth time in twenty minutes and turns to me. “Now that we’re here, they seem to be in no hurry to get rid of us. I’m sorry, Anna. Hold on a little longer.” His smile is an honest one full of regret.
I’ve heard the sentiment from him so often it doesn’t even register with my brain anymore. We both have a lot of work to do in the I-promise-to-do-better department.
The closed door at the back wall opens, and a guy pokes his head out, surveying the room. He’s fiftyish and, with his reading glasses, reminds me of Gen’s studious accountant.
Alec pivots, and his earlier smile vanishes.
“That’s Jennings,” Bill says quietly.
“Yes.” Alec waves to draw the man’s attention.
A confused Josh looks at us and then the floor as if he’s embarrassed. Eventually he settles his eyes on Alec. “I wasn’t sure you’d come. My attorney should be here soon. Come back to the conference room.”
Bill asks Alec, “Is it okay to go on ahead?”
Alec must have compensated the officer well to allow us entry this close to the crime scene.
“Let’s get this over with.” Alec seems queasy.
The three of us move through the aisle between desks and toward the room with a door left open for us. Josh has already gone inside. For someone who wants Alec’s help, he sure doesn’t appear happy or grateful for his effort. A huge effort. This had better not be Josh’s way of buying himself out of the woman’s death. The disgrace of being fired from Signorile after Pearce’s tragedy has to hurt his pride.
There’s news of a deadly virus moving through Europe, and the typical handshake is no longer being used between business execs.
Bill lifts his arm and catches himself. “Mr. Jennings? My name is Bill Drake, an associate of Mr. Zavos. You’ve asked to see him, and we also have some questions for you on another matter.”
“Wonderful.” The man in a sweaty, slept-in polo isn’t thrilled with us staring him down. There’s frost in the room as testosterone flies between glances. No one wants to be the first to break the sheet of ice forming around the presumed blue-eyed killer. Alec hasn’t made any assumptions yet until we talk to him, but Josh’s cool facade feels calculated to me. A superior to Alec, or something like that. For an innocent, I don’t like his peculiar behavior in the presence of a man who’s here to keep his neck from a noose.
“I asked to see Alec. Who are the rest of you?”
He’s behind a chair, using it as a shield to save himself from a CEO who wants to take his livelihood from him again. Or is it because he’s guilty of ending a woman’s life?
Alec pulls out the chair for me, and we all sit at the long conference table with a fancy letter F embellished in the center.
Josh’s temples bead with sweat, and he’s wringing his hands next to a wool felt fedora hat with a band. They seem to be popular in Italy. The guy’s bloodshot eyes and dark circles are sure signs of insomnia and stressing to the max. Wet ovals hang beneath the armpits of his beige shirt.
Alec’s unshakable gaze lands on Jennings, who abruptly turns away.
This meeting isn’t opening well.
Bill addresses Josh. “We don’t have a lot of time. Authorities aren’t thrilled with us questioning you, but they were… let’s say, swayed. Tell us what happened here?”
“She was tied and tortured in my office after I left night before last. I opened the building in the morning at seven and found her lying on her side, strapped to a chair and wrapped in wire near my desk. Lots of blood.” Josh holds a paper towel over his mouth, then uses it to wipe away perspiration. “When I left the building, she was in the conference room. I have no idea how she ended up in the office. Maybe the cat went in there.” He slides the fedora into his lap.
“Who is she?” Alec asks.
“Benita Alvarez.”
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1 comment:
5 Things a Writer Should Know sounds like great advice and I enjoyed reading the excerpt. I can't wait to read Scattered Legacy! Thanks for sharing it and have a magical holiday season!
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