Writer in the Making

Recently I received advice from developmental editor and book coach Savannah. Her advice on setups/hooks set off a lightbulb in my head💡I had to share it with you all! Still having trouble deciding where to start your book? How do you know you’re starting it in the right place? I’ll be sharing Savannah’s advice in this episode. Follow her on Twitter @savannahgilbo

So you’ve found critique partners! Yay! Now what? How well will you work together? Can you gracefully back out if you prefer to look for someone new? How do you keep up the communication? @CPmatchmaking is mentioned in this episode.

Indie authors, what’s a good strategy for pricing your books? Should you price them for free, 0.99, $2.99+. I’ll share how to price ebooks along with paperback books. While you do want to remain competitive in your pricing, are there times when free works in your favor? Should you do this all the time? Of course not. This is your business, so don’t cheapen the quality of your work. Strategy is the...

My journey to publication. While I do plan on traditionally publishing in the future, here’s my experience with self publishing. Smashwords.com is mentioned this episode along with, Goodreads and Booklikes.

Since I’m working on outlining my next novel, I recently discovered yWriter software. This is a software to organize scenes, chapters, characters, and settings at a glance. Listen to my thoughts. I mention K.M. Weiland and Simon Haynes in this episode.

Should you use an outline? If so... which one? I’ll be referring to K.M. Weiland’s How to Outline your Novel and onestopforwriters.com

According to onestopforwriters.com “symbols and motifs add depth by placing harmonic elements into a story to reinforce an author’s emotion rich insight.” Say what? Think of it as another way of using metaphors or similes. Figurative language ring a bell? I’ll explain.

Hooks. They are usually the first opening lines in your manuscript. It’s also your readers’ third impression of you as an author after your cover and blurb. What do you do? K.M. Weiland’s Structuring Your Novel is mentioned in this episode.

Cover design. Is yours eye catching or amateurish? What’s the best thing to do when you’re a writer on a budget? Should you make it yourself? The cover is the first thing readers see before they even read your blurb. Is it wise to make your own or hire a professional? I mention MS PowerPoint, shutterstockcom, bigstockphoto.com, and viladesign.net in this episode. At the end of the day, make the de...

How do you get to know your characters? How do you make them 3-dimensional? Here I’ll share my process of creating well rounded and relatable characters. I reference onestopforwriters.com. This is a longer episode, but I think you’ll thank me😉👍

This idea came to me, so I wanted to share. If you’re a beginner to critique partners, here’s how I practice my skills without necessarily being someone’s partner. I mention Wattpad.com in this episode. Read other works by fellow authors and comment on those who ask for feedback on their work. Also be willing to receive feedback in return. Practice here! :)

I’m loving onestopforwriters.com. In this episode, we’ll explore more of this one stop website for authors everywhere. Not only do they have character builder profiles, but also setting thesaurus’, story maps, scene maps, templates and worksheets, world building surveys, and timelines. I know 😳😄 crazy amazing!

The One Stop for Writers by Angela Ackerman, Becca Puglisi, and Lee Powell. Does this work? From character building, world building, and mapping scenes, you’ll find it here. Is the investment worth it? onestopforwriters.com is mentioned in this episode💻

Wanted to follow up and let you guys know I sent in my manuscript. Total word count, 69,717 words. I did it! I hit the send button! Will you join me? If you don’t write it, who will?

I’m two days away from querying next manuscript. It’s been a long six months. What do you do when you’re right there?

I play the piano by ear after not having touched a keyboard for 17 years! However, almost 5 years later with practice and commitment, I’m now a musician at my church. How does this relate with my writing? Each take practice. Listen and I’ll share.

Backstory: Should I or shouldn’t I? While backstory is okay, you don’t want to drag the story. Here you’ll find out when to use it or cut it out.✂️ I mention Sandra Gerth’s book Show, Don’t Tell.

Is there a right time to publish a book? Are some months better than others? Does genre matter and depend on the time of year? All will be discussed, but my short answer is TODAY is the day to publish your book. Remember “Just Do it” from Nike? Yeah, just do it. Beware 😳 I share my ❤️ here.

How do I write my books? Where do I start? Do I outline? How long does it take me to write? Well... have a listen.📚📝

Is it worth the investment to hire a professional editor? Here’s my story and what it did for me. Use at your our discretion. FirstEditing.com is mentioned in this episode.

How do you know which scenes work best for your book?

Characters arcs, what are they? Do they make a difference in my book or not? I reference K.M Weiland’s Creating Character Arcs.

Which writer’s guides are most helpful? Do I even need one? Decisions...decisions. In this episode, I mention guides by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, along with works by K.M. Weiland, Bryn Donovan, Mary Gray, and Nicholas C. Rossis.

Showing and Telling? Say what? 😳 Should you do one without the other or balance both? I mention Sandra Gerth’s book, Show, Don’t Tell, in this episode.

Critique Partners. What are they and how many do I need?🤷🏾‍♀️