Mystery Writer About Writing

eBook Publishing

2011-12-30T12:14:00.000-05:00

If I can believe all I've read and heard this past year, ebooks are the hottest form of publishing, supposedly 70% of all books published last year (2010) were ebooks. The keynote speaker in the first writer conference I ever attended, Jeremiah Healy, said, "The personal computer has made it very easy for people to write. Unfortunately, it also made it very easy for them to write badly." The same thing can be said for the burgeoning number of ebooks available through any number of outlets.

I have published a number of ebooks via smashwords and Kindle Direct Publishing (for some reason Barnes and Nobles and a number of ebook sites will accept books from Smashwords whereas Amazon does not, preferring that the author use their Kindle Direct Publishing) and receive an RSS feed from Smashwords each time I access my email with Outlook. Scrolling through the uploads can be quite eye-opening. The number of amateurish books makes one believe that ebook publishers have become the vanity press of the 21st century.

I find it quite easy to identify some of the lesser experienced writers by checking the price they put on their work. I doubt any accomplished writer would publish a book for free or for as small a price as $0.99 (Barnes and Noble and several other outlets will not list a book unless they meet a certain pricing standard).
Of late, I have seen more and more books by established authors for the Nook and the Kindle so I can't arbitrarily dismiss the platform...I am seeing more an more readers carrying ereaders of one type or another.

One of the reasons it is so easy to publish an ebook is that no special software is required. In fact, Smashwords and KDP prefer that the manuscript be written using Microsoft Word. There are some things to be aware of when preparing your manuscript for submission and the easiest way to ensure that your work will look its best on an ereader is to download the publisher's style guide. It has been my experience that if your book complies with Smashwords Style Guide (available for download at http://www.smashwords.com) most other publishers will accept it with no reservations.

It can, however, be very frustrating when your Smashwords version keeps generating format errors. EReaders do not like tabs, or a sequence of more than 3 spaces used to separate text (I recently had the wonderful experience of preparing a manuscript which contained poetry where the author had used spaces to align sentences to create a visual. For example in one poem entitled PINE, the author spent a lot of time making the lines appear to form a pine tree. It did not work as an ebook--ebooks ignore things such as page breaks and, on my Nook, the pine tree was presented across two screens.) and font can be an issue. EReaders allow the reader to increase the font size for easier reading and therefore most publishers restrict font size to 12 pitch for normal print and no more than 16 for titles etc. Most publishers also require a cover for their higher levels of service. In the case of Smashwords to be included in their Premium Catalog requires you meet certain standards.

Why is inclusion in the Premium Catalog important? To quote Smashwords: "The Premium Catalog includes Smashwords titles that meet certain mechanical requirements for distribution into major online retailers such as Smashwords partners, Barnes & Noble or Apple. Smashwords books that achieve Premium Catalog status receive the greatest possible distribution across Smashwords' growing distribution network. If you're a serious writer and you want to reach the greatest number of readers, you want inclusion in the Premium Catalog. It's free."

In summary, eBook publishing is easy (although it usually takes me 3 to 6 hours to redesign a manuscript to meet Smashwords Guidelines) and virtually instantaneous--in a matter of hours you can see your book or short story in an ePublisher's catalog.

Why I Dread The Holidays

2011-12-15T10:38:00.001-05:00

Connie Opening a Christmas Gift From Her Sister, Shirley

Once again the holidays are upon us and I've been hit with bad news. BeforeI tell you the bad news, I'd like to fill you in on some history. I had aturbulent childhood, so much so that I left home at the age of 17 riding in aneighteen wheeler bound for Boston to pick up a load of beer. I had fivedollars, some record albums and a change of clothes with me. During the ensuingyear I bounced around like a racquet ball going from Massachusetts toConnecticut to New Jersey until I finally enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps inJune of 1966. I turned nineteen in Parris Island (my birthday had passed bythree days before I realized it).

Throughout my service, I did not go home for the holidays, choosinginstead to spend time with friends (especially one particular friend inMemphis) or to stay at the base. During the years I was married to my nowdeceased wife, Connie, I went along with the flow, the period betweenThanksgiving and Christmas was her favorite time of year. All I can say aboutthose years is that for the most part I was able to get through the seasonwithout ruining it for her and our daughter. Then came 2006.

On October 16, I lost my beloved Connie, which of itself was enough todampen any semblance of holiday spirit I had. Then on December 20 my olderbrother, Norman, lost his battle with diabetes and kidney failure. I attendedhis funeral on Christmas Eve and returned to my home in New Hampshire, where Ispent the holidays in seclusion. I have not put up a single holiday decorationsince my last Christmas with Connie in 2005. My dislike of the holidays was, ifanything, strengthened (while I think of her everyday, I find myselfreminiscing of her and our holidays more and more during the season).

Now we jump forward to 2011. Last month I learned that an old childhoodfriend, Bob Cyr, was hospitalized with stage four intestinal cancer. I visitedwith him on Thanksgiving afternoon and again the following week. During theThanksgiving visit he was lucid and we joked about some of the crazy things wedid as kids, several of which I had forgotten. The second visit was not sonice. The cancer had spread and he was unable to carry on a conversation ormaintain a consistent thought. About once every five minutes I had to tell himwho I was. It was earth-shaking for me...a flashback to my wife's last days. Iam still haunted by the last words she ever spoke: "Vaughn, help me."All I could say was, "Connie, I don't know what to do..." Looking atBob and remembering Connie made me think about how helpless we truly are whenour loved ones need us the most.

Bob passed away yesterday, December 14, 2011, at the age of 65.

It always hurts to lose a loved one, but to lose someone at this time ofyear seems to hit harder. For most of us (this writer excluded) the holidaysare a time for family and for giving. To have to remove a loved one's presentsfrom under a Christmas tree has to be devastating. It's bad enough to try andfill the void they left behind... I don't think I can handle too many moreholidays.

In Memory of Connie

2011-10-17T10:13:00.002-04:00

During our courtship 1970

Yesterday (8:30 P.M. last night to be more exact) marked the fifth year since I lost my best friend, my most avid fan and my wife of over 35 years. As I sat in the dark listening to old rock songs from the 1960s and 1970s, I let my thoughts drift and found myself recalling many of the high points in our life together.

Connie and I first met when she was 5 and I was 9. How can you recall that you may ask. Well, she was the aunt of one of my best friends. The very thought of anyone having an aunt younger than them was unique enough to linger in my memory for years. After a brief encounter at my friend's house, I did not think about the little blond again. (She however, went to school with my younger brother and over the ensuing years heard many of my crazier escapades--although I'll never truly know how much embellishment my brother added.) Connie and I met again when she was 19 and I was 23, recently discharged from the U. S. Marine Corps and still half crazy from my time in VietNam.

Once again, my friend and her nephew was the catalyst in the meeting. She was looking for him and found him with me at my mother's home, where he and I were pondering what we should do that evening. As soon as he introduced us, she said, "I've heard about you..." At that moment I thought she and I would never get together. I was wrong...

Two nights later I asked her out and she and I spent every day and evening together after that. We married five months after that fateful second meeting and the next year we were the parents of our one and only child.

Muir Woods, California 1999

Last night, my thoughts were a mish-mash of what we did right and what we did wrong; of all the times we unknowingly hurt each other and how much we grew up together. There were good times and, of course the bad times, still throughout all of it she stayed by me. When I was carousing and drinking, she was there when I returned to my senses; when I battled a severe case of PTSD in the late 1980s, she weathered the storm with me. More than anyone I've ever known, Connie had an immense capacity to forgive (something that I lack, especially when it comes to forgiving myself). She was truly one of God's special people.

Connie was weak in many ways and oh so strong in others (I am still astonished how this woman, who was terrified by the smallest bird, kept her sense of humor throughout her final battle against cancer and faced death with a strength that I can only hope to have myself). She always had the ability to keep me balanced and was the one constant bond that kept our family together on those times when my insanity threatened to tear it apart. Since her passing our family has become scattered and disjointed--something that I know she is not pleased with as she watches over us. Throughout her six month battle against an aggressive form of cancer, she did her crying in private and hid her fear from her family, sparing us as much anguish as possible.

Over the course of our marriage, she many times expressed to me that I was her source of courage and confidence...she had no idea that she was also my font of strength (truthfully, neither did I). If not for her continual support, I'd have spent my life at menial, low-paying jobs. Her presence spurred me to obtain three degrees and a career in hi-tech. When I mentioned to her in passing that I was thinking of writing a book, she encouraged me; the result was Elephant Valley (available as an ebook through Barnes & Noble and Smashwords). When I was discouraged by the rejections from agents and publishers, she again urged me keep submitting and work on something new; the result was The War Within, which was awarded second prize in a major literary contest (soon to be released as an eBook).

Connie's passing rocked me like nothing else ever has and has made me come to grips with one fact about myself...I don't appreciate anything until I lose it. I was once told by a therapist that I walk around with a hole in my chest that I believe only a woman can fill. Well, I now walk around with a canyon in my chest that will never be filled until she and I are reunited again.

Darling Connie, I love you, I miss you and I'm being good so I can join you in the afterlife...

Getting Back On Track

2011-09-28T11:05:00.004-04:00

As anyone who follows my blog knows, I've been away for a while, almost six months to be exact. There are a number of reasons why I haven't blogged since last March...but they are all really excuses and we all know that excuses always sound good to the person making them. Let's suffice to say, it's darned hard to come up with things to blog about on a continual basis.

During my Blogging Sabbatical, I did however, publish my novel Elephant Valley as an eBook. Available through Barnes and Noble as well as Smashwords.com . It's a novel loosely based on my experiences as a helicopter machine-gunner in Vietnam. Although it's not yet available through Amazon, Smashwords does have a Kindle-friendly version in .mobi format as well as the popular Adobe Epub format used by many e-readers.

I have also published several short stories during this period. Among them are Net Profit (co-authored with a long-time friend, Paulette Littlefield Clark) in The Storyteller Magazine (January/February/March 2011 issue) and several others in Breathe; Volume II an anthology of short stories and poetry by northern Maine writers.
The New England CrimeBake is coming up on November 11 through 13. If you haven't registered, it may be too late. The conference limits registration to about 250 attendees and those slots filled withing three weeks of registration opening. There are however, always cancellations so you may want to get on the Waiting List.

I'm also closing in on the completion of The Black Orchid, the second Ed Traynor novel (the first, My Brother's Keeper is available in eBook format from Barnes and Noble, Smashwords and Amazon .

Where Are You Ronnie Jay?

2011-03-22T16:03:00.000-04:00

Several years back I was a member of a writer group that met monthly at the public Library in Exeter, NH. The group had no rules about what type of writing members had to write. I also belonged to another group that met weekly, but was comprised exclusively of mystery writers.

I have to confess that I cannot write poetry, nor do I read it nor do I understand it. I belong to a group today in which there are several poets and each time they read something I am absolutely lost. In fact, what usually happens is that I listen to the comments made by my fellow writers and always ask myself, "How did they draw that conclusion from what was read?" I'm a hard-boiled kind of guy and the nuances of poetic language, as well as the art form are lost on me.

Now, let's talk about the subject of this blog. I recall watching Ronnie Jay when he entered our group for the first time. He was dressed in cowboy hat and boots and told us that he had recently relocated to New Hampshire from Nashville where he wrote country music songs. I won't tell anyone what my first impression was. To get to the point, Ronnie didn't read anything that night, but promised to have something when he came back the next month.

He sat quiet through most of the next meeting and when his turn came he said, "I wrote a little poem about writing that I'd like to read." A few seconds later I was astounded. Ronnie had written the first poem that I could not only appreciate, but also understand. Here's that poem:

The Unknown Writer

Ronnie Jay

I’m an unknown writer

Creative as they come

But, there’ll come a day, I dare say

I’ll be a famous one

I’ll write a #1 best-seller

And oh, the riches it will bring

It’ll sell more in every bookstore

Than Grisham, Crichton or King

I know you won’t believe me

And I can’t make you a believer

But, if I don’t believe in myself

No one else will either

Yes, I know it sounds impossible

To reach those heights of fame

And I realize that I may never

Be a household name

But, it doesn’t really matter

If my dreams do or don’t come true

I’m still gonna keep on writing

Because that’s what writers do

Ronnie disappeared from our lives after that. We assumed that he had gone back to Music City, but if by chance you should read this blog, Ronnie. Leave me a comment and I'll get in touch.

Guns In Fiction Part 1

2010-09-05T09:39:00.001-04:00

If you are a writer of mysteries, suspense or thrillers, sooner or later you will have to bring firearms into your story. Over the years I have read more mystery and suspense fiction than I could ever recall. I have, however found one thing that writers continually confuse and that is the uses and capabilities of firearms, both hand and long guns. So, I've decided to do a few posts on the various types of weapons, their operational characteristics. In this post I'd like to discuss the differences between various handguns and some of what I consider to be common misconceptions that I've seen writers have.

This posting will deal with handguns, specifically revolvers.

First, let's discuss some common terms.

Revolver: a weapon, usually a handgun, in which the ammunition (cartridge) is loaded into a cylinder. The cylinder revolves aligning the cartridge with the chamber and the firing pin.

Single Action: A type of handgun in which the shooter must manually pull back or cock the hammer to place another cartridge in the firing position. Single Action handguns can usually be identified by one of two loading mechanisms. On many there is a gate on the right side of the cylinder through which cartridges are loaded and spent casings ejected.

Double Action: A handgun in which the hammer is cocked and the cylinder rotates with each pull of the trigger. Double Action revolvers can usually be identified by the fact that the entire cylinder rolls out so the handgun can be easily loaded.

Break Action: A pistol in which the barrel and cylinder are released as a unit to allow loading.

Cartridge: Commonly misidentified as being a bullet or a shell. It is a single round of ammunition.

Bullet: Projectile portion of a cartridge.

Shell: A shotgun cartridge.

Chamber: The portion of the barrel into which an unfired cartridge (round) is either aligned (revolvers) or inserted (pistols).

There are a couple of characteristics of revolvers that movies and television seem to routinely ignore and it drives me crazy! Silencers DO NOT work on revolvers--there are too many openings through which sound can escape! Another pet peeve of mine is the absolute misconception that six-shooters have more than six cartridges in them. We all remember the B westerns and crime movies we saw as kids where the hero and the villain seem to shoot forever without having to reload. If you have a gunfight in your story count the times your characters discharge their weapons and ensure that the rounds fired do not exceed the capacity of the weapon.

For a detailed description of various types of weapons consult the ATF Guidebook - Importation & Verification of Firearms.

Ammunition, and Implements of War
In the next post I'll talk about revolvers in more detail.

FORMATTING YOUR SYNOPSIS

2010-08-27T12:42:00.001-04:00

In my last post we discussed what a synopsis is and what it should and should not include. Now lets discuss the format of a synopsis.

A synopsis should usually be formatted like a regular manuscript. There is however some latitude here. If the agent/publisher has requested a one or three page manuscript, using double spacing will not allow you to cover a lot. I prefer to single space my synopsis, after all we are not expecting the reader to make editorial comments so a lot of white space is not needed. I have seen authors use a separate cover page for the title, author's name and contact information and the word count. Again I put this info at the top left of a single-spaced synopsis.

How long should the synopsis be? Again, refer to the agent/publisher's submission guidelines. A single page synopsis restricts you to between two hundred and five hundred words (depending on line spacing), if there are no page limitations stated in either the response to your query or in the guidelines, a general rule is to allow one page for every ten thousand words of your novel. Under no circumstances should a synopsis exceed ten pages. Remember the golden rule of writing "Say as much as possible in as few words as possible" Shorter is better. This is the place to dazzle the reader with your brilliance, not baffle them with BS.

A synopsis should always be written in present tense: "Mike and Anne investigate a series of sniper shootings in Boston." Keep paragraphs short, avoid long blocks of narrative and text.

The first time a character name appears use either ALL CAPS or boldface. While we're on the subject of characters, do not list every character who appears in your novel, restrict your self to the main characters. No one wants to read a Dr. Zhivago type synopsis, by this I mean you have to keep a list of character names to understand who's who.

I know that by now you are probably saying "So what's the big deal?" The big deal is this, after the query letter, the synopsis may be the first thing the agent/publisher reads. Therefore keep it a marketing tool, the only difference is that instead of a large market all you have to sell to is a single person.

I would have a synopsis written and ready to go before you mail out that query...in fact many agents/publishers ask for it in the initial query package.

THE DREADED Synopsis

2010-08-21T00:00:00.002-04:00

Many literary agents and publishers in the United States require that a synopsis (usually one page) accompany a query letter. I cannot think of anything that will make a writer shudder and curse more than being required to write a synopsis. In fact, many with whom I have spoken with don’t really know what a synopsis should be and what one should not be. So with that in mind, let’s discuss the synopsis.

If requested (I recommend you never send a literary agent or an editor more than they ask for. Unless you are very, very confident in your abilities, each additional item you include with the query letter may give the agent/editor another source of information to reject you.) include a one page synopsis of your book. Unlike the query letter, whose purpose is to peak the agent/editor’s interest, the object of the synopsis is to provide a short overview of the book’s plot and major themes. Don’t make the mistake I made several years ago of trying to summarize the entire novel in two paragraphs; this is a pitch, not an outline. Therefore you should concentrate on those elements that are most likely to attract the attention of a reader/agent/editor. Some of these are: The primary characters, the basic plot, the setting, the primary source of conflict, and the theme. Let’s briefly look at each of these.

The Primary Characters. In the query you may only have room to introduce two or three major characters. The synopsis is where you should introduce all the major players (The first time I introduce a character I always type the name in CAPs).

The Basic Plot. Identify the basic what if? Keep in mind that plot is more than the sequence of events—it’s also the reason for them.

The Setting. When and where does the story take place? If the setting is crucial to the plot, say so. However, if the setting is merely background, don’t spend a lot of time describing it. There is nothing that will turn me off quicker than a travelogue that does nothing to move the plot along.

The Primary Source of Conflict. What are the key obstacles your protagonist must overcome? From where does the conflict originate? Is it external or internal or both. Is it with another character, society or nature? Focus on the conflict that is central to the plot.

The Theme. Is there an underlying message to the story? If there is what is it that is beyond the basic plot. Are any important issues revealed as a consequence of the theme? Be careful that you don’t sound as if you’re in a pulpit; you can raise questions or ideas without giving the reader a sermon.

Remember that the synopsis is supposed to illustrate that your novel is coherent, logical, carefully thought out and well written.

In the next post I will discuss synopsis format.

Character Building

2010-08-17T10:48:00.012-04:00

This post features a guest blogger, Wendy Koenig. Wendy is a writer, poet, editor and quilter extrordinaire. When not busy pursuing the aforementioned, she operates a used bookstore from her home in Drummond, New Brunswick, Canada. For more information on Wendy, checkout her website at http://wlkoenig.com/ where you will also find links to her books.

Character Building

Wendy L. Koenig

People are multi-faceted. They all have hopes and fears, hates, likes and failures. Yet, when we think of their personalities, we tend to key on one or two dominant traits. We describe someone we know to another person as, "He's the pushy one." Or "She's so sweet, but a bit ditsy." It's what, in our minds, makes these people individuals to us.

So, too, the characters we write are multi-faceted. When we write them as such, they all blend one into another, with no personality distinctions. Their physical attributes are different, but you could probably swap around and notice little difference. The most recent rejection letter says, "Your characters are cookie cutter." Of course, in your mind, you (as the writer) see all these "people" as distinct.

Remember the way we describe people? Define your characters the same way. Give your hero two or three traits. That's all. Give him two good and one bad (or two bad and one good, if your character is evil). Lesser characters get fewer traits.

I'm currently working on a piece where my protagonist is gentle (good) and long-suffering in patience (good), but when he's had enough, he's brutal (bad). My antagonist, by necessity is almost the opposite: arrogant (bad) and insecure (bad), which makes him a bully. However, he's eventually willing to admit that he needs the protagonist's help (good).

Most of my stories are character driven, so even though there's a "bad guy" in my story, he's not necessarily the antagonist. In this story, he's a supporting character (they get only two traits, both consistent with which side of the moral question they're on): angry and consuming. I have another supporting character who is friendly and focused.

Two more characters round out my cast. Since they're both minor characters, they only get one trait. One is trusting and the other is in-love.

It's important to remember that sometimes stories change as we write them. A minor character could suddenly become important and move into a supporting character role. If this happens, give that character one more trait. But only one; you don't want to interfere with the importance of the primary characters.

Likewise, a supporting character may fall back to supporting status. In that case, focus on just one of his chosen traits.

The most important thing to remember: the place your character plays in the hierarchy. If you lose that, then your characters will begin to show too many traits and once again, they'll become cookie cutter people with different haircuts.

There Is Hope For Thin Ice

2010-07-13T08:32:00.008-04:00

In my last post I wrote that Level Best Books has notified those of us who have either been published in or submitted stories for their anthologies that they will no longer be publishing. The correspondence also stated that if anyone wanted to take on the project they would assist by sharing their design templates and information.

I've seen discussion on several Yahoo groups about the demise of Level Best so to end all confusion I've pasted the email I received:

Dear Writer:
Level Best Books grew out of a belief in the importance of giving voice to local writers and offering opportunities that might not otherwise be available. For seven years, we have sought out and supported New England writers of crime fiction through our annual anthologies, publicity sent to bookstores and libraries, and signing events throughout the region. Thanks to you and other writers, we have accomplished a great deal.

As we began work this year, we knew we were facing even greater challenges, and when we looked realistically at our current circumstances, we realized that we could not complete another anthology.
We are grateful to the many writers who have sent us their best work, set up their own readings and book signings, and by word of mouth spread news of our anthologies. As editors we have enjoyed working with every writer we have published. It has been a privilege to publish the work of some of the region’s best established writers. Our special joy has been discovering new writers, and encouraging beginning writers building their careers.

We regret bringing you discouraging news. This has been a gratifying experience for all of us, and we wish you well in continuing your career in crime fiction.

Finally, we would like the mystery community to know that if a group of writers is interested in continuing the project we have begun, we would be willing to share our design templates and other information, and pass the Level Best name on.

Sincerely,
Kate Flora,
for the editors

Now, the good news. All is not lost yet. I have been in contact with a publisher who is very interested in publishing the anthology and stated that if I can get him the manuscript by late September, THIN ICE can be published on time. Based upon his interest, I have assembled a team of writers to assist me in the editorial process. The problem at this time is that I have been unable to reach either Kate or Susan to discuss this and make arrangements for them to provide me with this years submissions. I'm assuming they are on vacation and incommunicado. We are still trying to reach them. Should this occur it is the intent of myself and my team to keep everything as Level Best designed it, including publishing the Al Blanchard winning story.

Stand by. I'll be posting further developments as they occur.

LEVEL BEST BOOKS CEASING PUBLICATION OF ANNUAL ANTHOLOGY

2010-06-21T20:11:00.006-04:00

New England writers of mystery and crime fiction have just suffered a major loss. I have been notified by Kate Flora, one of Level Best Books editors, that they will not be publishing their 8th anthology Thin Ice. Kate did not go into specifics, but they aren't needed. What is important is that yet another short story market has bit the dust.

Level Best published its 1st anthology, Undertow, in 2003. Since then they have published a number of new New England writers and many who have been published. I was fortunate to have my story, Bagging The Trophy, included in the 6th, DEADFALL, available either from Level Best Books or my website.

If you are interested in ordering copies of the anthologies they are available via Level Best's web site: http://levelbestbooks.com.

I am particularly affected by this because I know the editors of this terrific anthology and consider them to be friends. Kate Flora, Susan Oleksiw, and Ruth McCarty (Skye Alexander co-edited the 1st three anthologies) have all been instrumental in my endeavors to be a writer. Susan and Skye were members of my very 1st writer group and (although I left many meetings limping) were the first professional editors (along with Paula Munier of Adams Media) to critique my writing...as much as it hurt--I learned more in the first two months than I had in the previous ten years! Kate and I served on the planning committee for four New England CrimeBake writer/reader conferences. I will miss working with her.

My Brother's Keeper Available For Kindle

2010-05-14T22:10:00.004-04:00

My mystery novel, My Brother's Keeper is now available in Amazon's Kindle Store. To obtain a copy go to the Kindle Store and search on Hardacker. Or you can use the following URL: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=node%3D154606011&field-keywords=Hardacker&x=17&y=19

The novel is a mystery thriller and the first in my Ed Traynor series. Ed is confused when he's called to a murder scene on a remote road in New Hampshire's Rockingham County. Shortly after arriving on site his long-time friend, Sheriff 'Buck' Buchanan, asks him to identify the victim--Ed's brother John. Ed vows to find the killer and his investigation will lead him to a vicious drug lord and into the world of strip clubs. If that isn't enough, Ed must deal with his turbulent relationship with his brother, who was a suspect in a multi-million dollar rip-off of a drug dealer.

My Brother's Keeper is also available for PC and other platforms through Smashword.com. Follow the link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13886

AT THE END OF THE DAY

2010-05-06T09:14:00.013-04:00

It's my pleasure to post a guest blogger today. Stephen D. Rogers has published over 500 short stories and articles, his anthology Shot To Death is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the publisher, Mainly Murder Press.

I've been speaking at libraries about SHOT TO DEATH, my new collection of mystery short stories, and my writing "career" in general.

One of the most asked questions from the library audiences is how I deal with the frustrations: the slow response times, the non-responses, the acceptances that turn to rejections when a publication folds.

I'm not going to lie and say that dealing with setbacks is easy. Being at the receiving end of slings and arrows isn't exactly fun, and sometimes the irritations and disappointments slide into despair.

That's when it's most important to rediscover the spark. While everyone who sets pen to paper or finger to keyboard thinks of publication, the initial spark is the love of telling a story or crafting a sentence.

If I knew for certain that I would never publish again, would I still write? You bet. I wrote for mumble-mumble years before I was published, and I can't imagine ever wanting to stop.

At the end of the day, I'm a writer not because of the book or the six hundred other publications but because I write.

And sometimes that's enough.

Stephen D. Rogers

http://www.stephendrogers.com

What Has Happened To Professionalism?

2010-05-04T20:42:00.008-04:00

Some how during the last few years professionalism in the publishing industry has taken a permanent sabbatical. Five years ago, a query would rate at least a form letter rejection, but at least you knew where you stood. In the 1990s, human resource departments started it all. Once upon a time, an applicant would forward a resume and then get a response back. Many times that response was a rejection informing the applicant that their resume had been received and although the company had no openings for a person with the applicant's skills and experience, they would keep it on file in the event something opened up. In the middle of that decade resumes went into the black hole... No response and thanks to automated attendants, you could not get through via telephone. You could of course leave a message and the party you sought would get back to you. Riiiight. Maybe when pigs fly.

About now you are asking yourself, what does this have to do with writing? Well, the virus has spread to literary agents and publishers! I believe the increase in agents who accept queries by email may not be the best thing. At least with a letter and SASE, they felt as if they had to reply (again, usually a rejection).

In the past six months I've had both an agent and a publisher disappear from the face of the Earth. I forwarded a manuscript to a publisher after spending a week to insure that it met all of their requirements (I have a binder filled with documents listing their submission standards.) in August of last year. In January, when I had heard nothing, I contacted the Acquisitions Editor via email and was informed that my novel was in the 2nd stage of the approval process and I should have an update in a week. She also implored me to have patience since she was the only person reviewing all the incoming manuscripts. Okay, I thought, at least I'll know soon. Along came April and no response or update. I sent another email to the editor...no reply. I've since sent two follow up emails, one to the editor and another to a person listed in the publisher's documentation as your contact if you ran into difficulty. You guessed it, no response.

The second case is a literary agent. She was with a well-known New York Agency and I queried her in June of 2009. I received no response. I met her at The New England Crimebake in November and learned that she had left the agency where I queried her and had started her own. I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and made a five minute pitch to her. I should have known it would lead to nothing when she said, "I remember your query. Send me the first 50 pages..." I know agents are busy and get inundated with queries, but how long does it take to send a brief rejection via email? This agent is a member of my Friends List on Facebook and she has enough time to be on it daily leaving posts about her busy personal life...

I for one, am mad as hell about the run around agents and publishers give to writers. I spoke with numerous writers at the Crimebake who had pitched to one of the ten or so agents there. Everyone told me the agent asked to see a sample of their work. To the best of my knowledge, not a single one has entered into a contract with an agent. Today, many agents and publishers are downplaying ebooks and their potential impact on the industry. I know why... Based on my experience, to publish an eBook you don't need an agent or a publisher (you are both). They don't like eBooks because if they take off as projected, these unprofessional agents and editors will have to get real jobs, which means they will have to send resumes to HR representatives who won't reply!

First Sale!

2010-04-30T07:03:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, I sold the first copy of my eBook, My Brother's Keeper . It's available through Smashwords.com. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but the book was out there for one day when it was purchased. At one book per day that's 365 books a year! Okay, I know it's not New York Times Bestseller status but it's better than what I sold last year.

More importantly, is the fact that it has motivated me to put my butt in the chair and write again. I've been in a prolonged funk and my random excuse generator was working overtime! I finally got myself in gear though and now feel that there is reason to go on there is someone out there who wants to read my work (at least one person). So thank you, whoever you are, not only for buying a copy of my book, but for getting me back on the ball!

Well, gotta run now, it's time for me to get to work on my next great masterpiece.

My First eBook Is Available

2010-04-28T08:59:00.008-04:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm delving into the world of online publishing. My first eBook, a short story entitled THE LAKE, is available on line through Smashwords.com.
As you may recall, in my last post I mentioned the fact that I was obtaining eBook software on eBay. With Smashwords there is no need to purchase additional software, you upload your eBook in Microsoft Word. However, make sure that you download and follow the guidelines from theirr Style Guide. I found the procedure to be easy and straight forward. I must mention the fact that the Style Guide is written for Word 2003 and if you are a user of Word 2007 as I am, you will have to find where Word has put some of the formatting parameters.
As an added incentive, Smashwords is like a consignment shop. You pay no money up front, they take a small percentage of whatever revenue your work generates. Smashwords will also format your work for all the eBook readers such as the Kindle and the Nook and put it in format to be downloaded to a PC, among others.
So, if you want to get your work out there and start generating some cash for your writing, check out Smashwords.

To Publish or to ePublish?

2010-04-14T11:10:00.006-04:00

The writing world is changing and doing so faster than many of us realize. The introduction of ereaders such as the Kindle, the Sony Reader, and Apple's iPad (which sold 300,000 units on its introduction day) is changing the way the public buys reading material. Readers of my generation (the Baby Boomers) grew up with and developed a love for good old traditional books. However, as Bob Dylan said over 40 years ago, the times they are a'changin'. Today we have the download, most music is sold via download to any number of MP-3 players and the new generation has grown up reading from a screen. So, you ask, what does this mean? It means the eBook is here to stay--and it may not be a bad thing.

There are any numbers of reasons why the eBook is the wave of the future, here are a few of them as I see it:

Readers don't care whether or not they own a book. They usually read them and either give them away or lend them (which in most instances is the same as giving it away).
Readers do care about price. Many pass on purchasing hardcovers and wait for a book to be released in paperback.
People want things now. We have become an impatient society. Who wants to wait for Amazon or our bookseller of choice to send the book via snail mail when an eBook can be downloaded in a matter of minutes.

So what does this mean for those of us who are writers? It means a wide-open market in which we will no longer be prisoners of the publishing industry which has held all the power for a long time. The writer can publish his/her own work faster, easier and at a lower cost. They have no where close to the overhead of a traditional publisher. Rather than a couple of dollars per book royalty from a conventional publisher, publishing your own eBook and uploading it to an eBook book seller, such as Amazon, will net the writer royalties of 70% of sales.

Currently, writing organizations such as MWA, don't acknowledge eBooks as being published, that however will change. A reader can purchase eBooks from MWA authors such as Lee Child from Barnes & Noble's website and Amazon. Think about how much Lee, whose best-selling Jack Reacher novels are always near the top of the New York Times Bestseller List, would be grossing if he got 70% of each novel he sells!

As for me, I'm still going to seek out a traditional publisher, but I just ordered some eBook software (it's available at a very low cost on eBay) and I'm going into the publishing business.

For a detailed look into how profitable self-publishing your own eBook can be, see J. A. Konrath's Blog (A Newbie's Guide to Publishing) and read his posts on the subject.

Latest MWA Anthology Available Now

2010-04-12T14:11:00.013-04:00

The latest anthology sponsored by the Mystery Writers of American is now available. If you are looking for something other than the usual mystery/crime stuff this may be the anthology you've been waiting for.

Crimes by Moonlight contains 20 stories that integrate horror and supernatural with mystery. Several of the authors are friends and acquaintances of mine and that not withstanding, I found the book to be a quick and satisfying read.
Ms. Harris, by the way, is slated to be this year's guest of honor at the New England CrimeBake Writer/Reader conference for details on the conference check their web page at http://www.crimebake.org.

I'm very partial to this conference for a couple of reasons; first, I have attended the 1st eight and have seen this conference grow from a 1 day local event into a nationally recognized Friday through Sunday conference. Secondly I was a member of the planning committee for 4 years and know first hand how dedicated the members of the sponsoring organizations (the New England Chapters of MWA and Sisters in Crime) are and how hard they work to make this conference an annual success.

I'M BACK

2010-04-10T17:22:00.003-04:00

After a way toooooo long sabbatical, I'm back! I intend to begin blogging regularly and will appreciate anyone who would like to participate as a guest blogger. I know there are many writers out there who may not want to blog on a regular basis, but have an interesting topic they may want to do a one-time blog about. If you don't feel comfortable writing a blog, email me with you topic and I may write a blog about it. My problem is that it is tough coming up with GOOD ideas on an on-going basis.

C IS FOR CRIMEBAKE

2009-08-10T08:59:00.010-04:00

The 8th annual New England CrimeBake is only 3 months away! The conference, which features Sue Grafton as special guest of honor, will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Dedham, MA from November 13th through the 15th. In these tough economic times most writers are trying to save money and still attend a conference. If you are a New England writer, I believe the CrimeBake is the ideal choice. It is geared for New England writers, is held close to Boston and has been described as being as good as the big ones by at least one literary agent.

Past guests of honor have included: Janet Evanovich, Robert B. Parker, Tess Gerritsen, Lee Child and Harlan Coburn. The conference also affords the following services for writers: Master classes, free seminars, and (most importantly) the opportunity to pitch your work to an agent.

For more information and registration visit the New England CrimeBake's website.

Bill Tapply

2009-07-31T09:58:00.008-04:00

This morning I got the disturbing news that a good friend of all New England Mystery writers has passed on. William G (Bill) Tapply was a writer, teacher and friend to all of us in the New England Chapter of MWA. He will be missed.

I met Bill in 2002 at the first New England CrimeBake Writer Conference and over the past seven years have attended a number of events with him. He was a man of few words, both in speech and in writing, and spent most of his life passing on his love of the art. If you wanted to get Bill talking, all you had to do was ask about his two favorite pass times, writing or fishing.

Bill was prolific and published more than 45 books and thousands of magazines. I use his book The Elements of Mystery Fiction: Writing The Modern Whodunit as a primary resource. True to form, he has several books slated for release this fall, among them a new thriller and a new mystery.

Bill is going to be missed in both the writing and fishing worlds. I am certain that somewhere on the other side, Bill and his closest friend, Phil Craig, are casting a line as we speak.

PLOT: The Plan or Main Story (2nd in a series)

2009-07-28T00:01:00.004-04:00

The plan or main story. That's how Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary defines plot. It is the force that drives the story. I cannot count the times that I have started out on a story with one intent in mind only to find that the plot is not strong enough to support a novel; yet is a good short story. One thing I find a lot in many published writers is that they take what would be a great short story and drag it out until it is novel length with multiple sub-plots and page upon page of unnecessary description. (Can anyone think of a character that Stephen King has described in detail? I can only think of one instance in which he did so. However, that's a topic for another time...) I have come to believe that as a direct result of the short story market drying up, many good short story plots have been expanded into plodding novels.

So, what is a plot? It is the things that characters do, think, or say that (and here's the key point) make a difference later. Let's take the simple daily act of taking a shower. Of itself, it usually does not make a great deal of difference in a given day (although co-workers may argue that the lack of one might); however, taking that shower in Robert Bloch's story Psycho has a major effect on all that follows. In fact, the scene is so crucial to the plot that readers (and viewers of the Hitchcock classic) overlook the fact that a great deal of money was stolen by the victim. So what makes one shower an integral part of the plot and the other merely an incident in the story? How the shower is weighed and presented in the story. It boils down to several key elements:

What's At Stake? If you want the reader to care about your story, something must be at stake. Something of value must be on the line and in danger of being lost--the protagonist must have something to gain; but equally as important something to lose. A good example is Harry Potter. In each book the protagonists seek new knowledge that will help Harry over come another of Voldemort's evils and what's at stake? Harry's life of course.

Making A Scene. How many times have you been warned "Don't make a scene..." My late wife would always forewarn me before we went to any social event (again, a topic for another blog). As a writer you want to make a scene. In fact you want to make a number of them. When creating a scene in fiction always remember that age-old axiom: SHOW; DON'T TELL. A scene is a single connected and sequential action, to include its embedded description and background materials. There is a simple test you should keep in mind when writing a scene: Does it move the story forward? I will never forget the first time I read a scene for a writer's group. I thought it was a powerhouse of a scene and it quickly became one of my darlings (by now I'm certain you can see where I'm going with this). I finished reading and sat back, waiting for the accolades I was sure were to follow. The first comment was, "It's a very good scene." My chest began to swell with pride. The critiquer (an editor by trade) said, "But it doesn't belong in this story--take it out." The loud noise that filled that room was my ego smashing against the floor. So, you might ask (then again you might not), how did you react? Like all great writers, I pouted for a day or so and then took out the scene and read the story. Taking out the scene had no impact on the story and was therefore not needed.

ARE YOUR ANTAGONIST AND YOUR PROTAGONIST EVENLY MATCHED? Is the playing field even? If the reader feels that either the hero or the villain has no chance they will not invest their time in your story. That's not to say your protagonist shouldn't win; just don't make it too easy. In fact, make it hard as hell for he/she to overcome the obstacles. The bottom line is this, we all want the hero to win; nevertheless, conflict, struggle, dissatisfaction and aspiration are more interesting that a walk in the park.

Effective Plotting: A way to Avoid The Saggy Middle.

2009-07-27T00:01:00.000-04:00

Chances are that at one time or another you've had the problem that I'm dealing with now. Your novel or story started off great guns...then suddenly it came to a screeching halt. I usually know how I want to start and end my stories (I imagine many of you do too) the dilemma is how to get from start to finish and maintain interest in the story. Well, there is a simple answer. Have an effective plot.

I am a very undisciplined writer. If anyone were to ask me to describe my writing style I would say: "Prolonged periods of procrastination intermixed with periods of frenetic writing..." I get a new idea and off I go before I even know if it's going to be a short story or a novel. I currently have 4 novels (and who knows how many short paragraphs describing ideas) in process. At the risk of dating myself, I can be like the 60s cartoon character Ricochet Rabbit. I'll be working on something, get a new idea and off I go on a tangent. Ricochet Rabbit was like that. He would take off in an incredible burst of speed and bounce off things until he reached his destination. So, ol' Ricochet here has all these great novels sitting on a thumb drive; each one stalled at various places.

In this series of posts, I'd like to explore some ways a writer can beef up a plot so that it sustains itself until the end. I will try to emphasize two basic problems: plot creation and plot control. It is not enough to create a good plot; you must control the plot until you reach that terrific climactic ending you have in mind.

New Book on PTSD Available

2009-07-23T23:01:00.003-04:00

If there is anything more gratifying than seeing your own name in print, it's seeing someone you've helped get a book published. Such is the case of Dr. Diane England.

She and I met several years ago, shortly after my wife passed away, and I was able to introduce her to Paula Munier, Director of Product Innovation at Adams Media. Diane and Paula discussed Diane's work as a family counselor for the U. S. Air Force in Aviano, Italy. Paula immediately said, "I can use someone with your experience." The outcome of that meeting is THE POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER RELATIONSHIP.

Dr. England has many years experience in dealing with dysfunctional relationships and is a recognized expert in working with narcissistic substance and spouse abusers. She has a PhD in Clinical Social Work from the University of Texas, a Masters Degree in Family Studies from Oregon State University, and a Bachelor Degree in Child Development from the University of Maine (the Alma mater of yours truly) and has practised as a psychotherapist. Her counseling style is empathetic and her writing style makes you feel as if you're sitting in an easy chair having coffee with her.

The book is very readable and is full of case studies that illustrate the issues involved when one or more members of a relationship suffers from PTSD. It is available at most bookstores as well as amazon.com . For more information about Dr. England and her practise visit her web site at PTSDRelationship.com.

Congratulations Dr. Diane!!!

Mysteryman

Tired Of Dealing With Microsoft Word?

2009-07-23T11:51:00.004-04:00

Are you like me, in that you've had it up to your keester with Microsoft? Well there is a solution and better yet it's FREE!

Sun Microsystems has developed an office suite every bit as powerful and useful as Microsoft Office and they are giving it away! All you need do is go to Open Office's website and download it. I've been using its word processor for several months now and find it as functional as Word in fact it will open Word documents and save in Word format as well as its own format.

The product is not a new to the market come-on either. It has been around for a while (I believe it was formally known as STAROFFICE) and users can submit suggested changes to SUN. WOW! A software package that you might actually have some input into! So if you are in the market for (or have recently purchased) a new computer, rather than pay Microsoft for Office download a free copy of Open Office and give it a try--I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Not to mention I'm sure you can find a way to use that licensing fee...

Another DEADFALL Event

2009-06-18T11:10:00.002-04:00

In the event you were unable to attend the events in Exeter, NH or Freeport, ME, several of the DEADFALL writers will be appearing at the York, ME Public Library at 7 PM on July 14, 2009. It's a great chance to get some of us to sign our stories...if you haven't bought a copy of the anthology yet, don't worry, there will be copies available for purchase.

PROCRASTINATION Or Excuses Always Sound Good To The Person Making Them

2009-06-02T10:29:00.004-04:00

This morning as I drank my first cup of coffee, I looked at two things. (1) How I was progressing on the rewrite of a novel and (2) the last time I posted to this blog. It didn't take long to realize that I have not been active enough in my writing career. I asked myself why haven't you been writing on a regular basis. Suddenly my Random Excuse Generator kicked in...

Here's a partial list of why I have been sitting on my keester and not writing (By The Way, each and everyone of them sounded good to me at the time!)

I've been helping a friend move. The truth of the matter is that while I have been helping her move, It has only taken up two days a week at most--and even then I own a laptop and could have easily squeezed in time to write.

I've been busy doing spring things around the house. Truly, I have put up ceiling fans and planted a small flower garden, none of which took more than a few hours to do.

I'm just not in the mood to write today... Duh? Since when is being in the mood a reason for not writing? Serious writers will GET in the mood.

In the forward of one of his earlier novels (forgive me for not listing the title), Stephen King said that some books write themselves and others are toughed out. Therein lies the difference between amateur writers and professional writers. Amateur writers will write as long as it comes easy and doesn't interfere with their other life. Pros have no other life and finish those books that need to be toughed out.

There are as many recommendations about how to overcome procrastination as there are excuses for it. It all boils down to one thing...put your fanny in the chair and write!

Well, I guess I won't get to do any writing today. I had to do a blog post! (I'm only kidding!)

SHOULD I WRITE A NOVEL OR SHORT STORY FIRST?

2009-05-15T08:43:00.006-04:00

At several recent writing events, I've received questions about the difference between a short story and a novel. This question is usually followed by a statement such as: "If the markets for short stories is rapidly diminishing, why should I write them?"

The answer is simple, writing has been defined as saying the most in as few words as possible. A novel allows the writer to drift off in any direction they wish (provided the new path passes the key test: does it move the story forward). The short story, on the other hand, makes the writer stay on task. Most periodicals and e-zines place strict word requirements on submissions (usually no more than 4000 or 5000 words) and failure to follow the restriction will result in immediate rejection. I've yet to meet an editor who is impressed by the length of a submission. Quality not quantity is the key here. As an editor friend of mine says, "Is that writer selling books by the pound?" I also remember sitting in a restaurant reading a rather lengthy novel by a highly successful mystery writer when a literary agent passed by my table and asked, "What are you reading?" I showed her the book and she said, "Looks like a door stop to me." Bottom line, read the periodical or e-zine to which you're submitting and then look closely at the submission guidelines, they are not there because the editor felt they make the magazine look professional.

So what is a short story? A short story is a convenience store robbery. The writer must get in, get the loot, and then get out in a finite number of words. A novel on the other hand is a caper or bank robbery, it requires much more planning and the writer has the ability to use as many words as he/she feels are required to communicate with the reader. (This leads to another problem: How do I write enough to have my work considered a novel--usually 50,000 words or more?)

I've read a number of novels that were in reality expanded short stories. I can usually tell when I'm reading one of these. I jump ahead 10 pages and see if I still know what's going on. In other words, did the 10 pages move the story forward? If not, those pages could have been deleted.

One of my favorite writers is Robert B. Parker. I am hard pressed to think of any other best selling writer who says as much as he does in as few words as he uses. I usually can read a Spenser, Jesse Stone, or Sonny Randall novel in 3 hours and come away knowing all I needed to know about the characters and the plot.

So, what is the answer to the title question? If you can write as tight as Robert B. Parker, then by all means jump right in there and write a novel. If, however, you are like me and most writers, writing short stories will hone your skills at putting the story on paper in a way that you don't waste the reader's time (if they stick with you and don't throw your book down) by including a lot of good writing that doesn't belong in that particular piece. I recall my first experience with a professional critique group (only I would join a group that consisted of 3 editors/published writers and a single unpublished writer--yours truly). I read the intro chapter of a novel I was working on and sat back waiting for the great feedback and flowing praises from my audience. The first comment I got was: "That was a great piece of crime writing; however, it doesn't move the story along--get rid of it..." I was devastated, but I quickly learned that something I'd learned years ago also applies to a GOOD critique group (by good I mean effective): Your true friends will always tell you what you need to hear; not what you want to hear.

So, write that novel if you want, but even if you never send them out for publication, hone your skills and develop your craft with short stories...

DEADFALL EVENTS SCHEDULED IN MAY

2009-04-22T20:49:00.011-04:00

Level Best Books has scheduled two events featuring DEADFALL their latest anthology of mystery and crime stories by New England writers.

At 6:00 PM on May 9, 2009 a number of DEADFALL writers will be at Water Street Books in Exeter, NH and at 7:30 PM on Monday, May 11, 2009 Level Best will be at the Freeport, ME Public Library. Come on out and support a talented bunch of writers.

Also keep in mind that Level Best is accepting submissions for their 7th anthology. For submission guidelines visit their web site at http://www.levelbestbooks.com/

MAKE YOUR HERO (AND VILLAIN) HUMAN!

2009-04-20T09:02:00.005-04:00

Ever read a book in which the hero is perfect? Did it bore you? Did you place the book down saying "No way would this ever happen..."? I read a couple of books by a best selling author (I'll keep the name to myself) and will probably never pick up another by him. Why not, you ask, it is a best selling author? My answer is simple, I find his hero to be unbelievable and the most boring character since Tom Swift (remember him? At least Tom was written for an adolescent audience, not an adult one...). His hero was an all-American quarterback in college, lives in an aircraft hangar filled with antique cars and airplanes, and (the most incredulous thing of all to me) is an expert at anything he tries! If deep sea diving is called for the hero can do it (and he'll probably parachute into the ocean for the dive). There is no machine he cannot operate, drive, or fly... To top it all off, this character owns all those priceless cars and planes while working for the government! (Maybe that part is believable...it seems you have to be independently wealthy to be in U. S. government anymore!) The character is about as believable as Batman, Superman, and Spiderman all of whom are fantasy characters. To me the cardinal sin of this author is that the writer leaves me with the impression that I should believe his character could exist. My response to this "Pllleeeeeeeaaaasssssse! Give me some credit." I cannot abide a writer who thinks of his/her audience as a bunch of pliant, mindless drones who will accept and believe anything that appears in print.

If you want me to read your book and enjoy it, give me a hero that has bad as well as good traits. If the character has to use specialized skills at least let him/her struggle a bit as they learn and master that skill.

Everyone loves Batman (well those of us who love dark fantasy anyway). However, the biggest Batman hits were Batman Begins in which we actually see the years of suffering and training Bruce Wayne had to endure to become the Caped Crusader. You can actually make a case for a multi-millionaire who roams the world and becomes a martial arts expert, who will use his bucks to develop special technology. Like I said possible if unlikely.

So, above all else make your hero human. Instill character flaws and fears (remember young Bruce Wayne's fear of bats?) into your hero. While you're at it, give your villain a redeeming characteristic or two... It will add suspense to your plot and make the characters believable...

Mysteryman

I'm Back!

2009-04-15T11:48:00.006-04:00

Wow! It's been a month since I did a post! I've been out straight since mid-march with all the settling in stuff and helping a friend plan her relocation. A couple of things have developed though:

The New England Crimebake has extended the deadline for submissions to the Al Blanchard Award Short Story Contest. Check out crimebake.org for submission requirements and other requirements.

Level Best Books is having a couple of DEADFALL events in the next month. May 11th we'll be at the public library in Freeport, ME and sometime near that date at the Water Street Bookstore in Exeter, NH (actual date is still TBD). Writers whose work appears in the anthology will be on hand to read from their stories and sign books.

The New England Crimebake planning committee (on which yours truly is no longer a member--but my thoghts are with them) has announced the keynote speaker for the conference. None other than Sue Grafton! Check out the link in item #1 for details on the conference and how to register.

Now that things are settling down in my personal life I'll be posting more often. If there are any writers out there who want to post on this blog as a guest please contact me!

Mysteryman

The Basic Elements of A Synopsis

2009-03-14T12:04:00.004-04:00

At one time or another, an agent/editor has asked us for a synopsis and our first reaction has been similar to the cat's! What should be in a synopsis? What should not be in one? These are the two questions that usually come to a writer's mind when they are asked for a synopsis. There are as many answers as there are people to ask the question of. Here is the format I've used:
First let's discuss some generic format rules.

How long should a synopsis be? If the requester does not give specific guidelines, 1 page for each 10,000 words in the manuscript, to a maximum of 10 pages, is a general rule of thumb. As in all things we write, say the most in the fewest words, if you can do it in 5 pages, do so.

Write the synopsis in present tense. Example: A sniper kills 4 people on Boston Common and homicide detective MIKE HOUSTON is called to the scene... Try to avoid long blocks of text; keep the paragraphs short.

The first time a character name appears put it in caps or bold face. See the example in item 2. Restrict the number of characters to only those important to the story line. Too many characters can lead to confusion.

Content. As stated earlier there are many theories as to what should be in the synopsis. Over time you will become familiar with what your agent/editor requires, however until then here are some pointers.

The Setup. This is the beginning point of your story: premise, location, time frame and main characters' backgrounds. Like the opening line/page of your book, this is where you need to hook the reader. The object here is to hook the agent/editor.

Why? This should be considered throughout the synopsis. Unlike the manuscript, in a synopsis you don't want to keep the agent/editor in suspense. In other words this is not the place to tease the reader. In the example above tell the reader what the sniper's underlying motivation is as well as the reactions and decisions made by your characters.

Characterization. This includes background, personality, occupation--everything that makes your character who he/she is. It does not, however, include a physical description of the character. Unless there is something about the character's physical attributes that affects him/her emotionally, leave it out. A good rule of thumb here is: The less said, the better. You do want the reader to make a connection with your character, so focus on emotional aspects of the character. As I said earlier, only include major characters in the synopsis.

Plot Points. Include all major plot points; do not include subplot points. Focus on the basic story line and your major character.

Conflict. You must present the conflict clearly. Conflicts are simply the barriers your main character must overcome to achieve his/her goal. For example, if your main character has a fear of birds and must pursue the villain into an aviary. The main point here is that the conflict must be difficult for the hero to overcome. The American Indians believed a warrior's ability was as good as those of his enemy...the better the enemy was; the better the warrior was. No conflict = no story...

Emotion. Emotions are always a key element, however in some genres, such as romance, it may be the key element. Inject emotion into your synopsis whenever possible, it keeps it from being a dull read. After all, if the reader finds the synopsis boring, what does that tell them about the manuscript?

Action. Action is what drives most stories forward. However, don't put action into the synopsis unless it results in some important consequence to the plot. When putting action into a synopsis it is better if you adhere to another old axiom: If in doubt, leave it out.

Dialogue. Dialogue should only be used in a synopsis when it creates more impact than a description of the conversation. It is best to use no more than a couple of lines of dialogue in a synopsis.

The Black Moment. The moment of reckoning should always be in the synopsis. At what point does your character believe that the odds against him/her are so great that everything is at stake?

Climax. This is the moment you having been building up to since page one, word one. The final confrontation. It must always be in the synopsis.

Resolution. Tie up all the loose ends. Any questions posed in the synopsis should have been answered by this point. This is not the place to keep the reader in suspense about the ending.

Essential Basics. The 1st essential is to write the synopsis in present tense. Tell the story as if you were relating it to your best friend. Avoid passive language, you want to keep the reader involved. Focus on the main story and avoid extraneous information.

Formatting. Check the submission guidelines! Strictly adhere to them. If you are unsure about something--ask.

Submission. At the risk of being redundant: check the guidelines! Strictly adhere to them. If you are unsure of something--ask.

A writer's clearest work should be the query and synopsis. After months of work completing a manuscript it would be a shame to ruin its chances with a poorly written example of either. Put as much effort into them as you did when you wrote your great American novel!

Mystery Man

THE DREADED SYNOPSIS...

2009-03-12T09:55:00.005-04:00

Sooner or later, an agent or publisher is going to request a synopsis of your novel. I've known a number of oft-published writers who will readily state that writing a synopsis is the hardest thing for them to do.

So, what is a synopsis? It may be best to first say what a synopsis is not. While it is a selling tool for your novel, it is not a sales pitch; that's the purpose of a good query letter. The primary goal of the synopsis is to show that you can write...

It demonstrates your ability to write a story that is coherent, logical and well thought out and organized. It should show that the plot unfolds logically, that the interaction between characters is realistic, and that the story moves at an appropriate pace and will hold the reader's attention.

"So," you may be asking yourself, "what's the big deal?" The big deal is how do you condense a 90,000 to 100,000 word novel into a 5 to 10 page summary. Obviously, it isn't easy; but it can be done.

While some publishers still request a chapter-by-chapter synopsis, most prefer a narrative that follows the story as a whole. The narrative format allows you to concentrate on the key elements of the story without beating your head against a wall trying to say something about each chapter. I believe the primary advantage of the narrative format is that it allows me to focus on the plot and my major characters without mucking up the issue with subplots and minor characters.

In my next post, I'll discuss synopsis format and content...

Keep writing!

Mystery Man

Writer's Chatroom

2009-03-06T10:55:00.006-05:00

Interested in an on-going forum about writing? Check out the Writers' Chatroom, http://writerschatroom.com/, a twice weekly chatroom for and about writers.

Famous writers, up-and-coming authors, and other notables closely tied to the writing and publishing industry are featured guests each Sunday at 7:00 PM EST. These chats are moderated to allow those in attendance to gain the most from each chat. Each Wednesday from 8:00 to 11:00 PM EST, the chatroom features un-moderated discussions between writers and aspiring writers. However, you should read the caveat listed on the website before joining in.

Admission to the Chatroom is free of charge and there is an easy sign-up located on the website's homepage.

The chatroom also offers workshops, contests, a 24/7 forum and a newsletter. Check it out!

Mystery Man

Mark Your Calendar

2009-03-05T00:01:00.001-05:00

The public library in Freeport, Maine has scheduled a book reading/signing with Level Best Books to be held on May 11, 2009. Authors whose work has appeared in Deadfall, the 6th annual anthology of stories by New England writers will be there to read portions of their story and to sign books.

Level Best is currently accepting submissions for the seventh anthology, current untitled. They are seeking original crime stories by New England writers in the following genres: mystery, thriller, suspense, caper, and horror. They will consider stories with elements of the supernatural. The book is usually launched in November at the New England Crime Bake, a writer/reader conference sponsored by the New England Chapters of Mystery Writers of American and Sisters in Crime. Submission guidelines are pretty basic and can be found on their website: http://levelbestbooks.com/.
The guidelines are:

Original stories should be no more than 5,000 words in length and should not have been previously published anywhere, including on the web via an e-zine or your own website.
Stories should not have torture, cruelty to animals, or depict violence toward children.
Each story should be 12 pt., double-spaced. Please number your pages.
In the upper right-hand corner, please include your name and address, phone number, e-mail address, and word count.
Please submit hard copy with a SASE and include a brief cover letter describing your publishing experience. We do not accept electronic submissions.
Level Best Books will accept submissions from January 1, 2009 to March 31, 2009.
If you have any questions about whether you qualify as a New England writer, please query before submitting, info@levelbestbooks.com

Mail submissions to: Level Best Books, P.O. Box 161, Prides Crossing, MA 01965

Revealing Characters (Characterization VI)

2009-03-04T00:01:00.001-05:00

I've come to the final post on characterization. These techniques may be numbered 13 through 16 on my list, however they are by no means less important that those preceding. In fact, they may be the most often used and important of the techniques. They are so intertwined that it's almost impossible to separate them as individual components. They are:

13. Reveal Character By Exposition. The most direct form of revelation, novelists usually resort to it when only exposition will work. It is usually done when two characters discuss another who is not present during the conversation.

14. Revealing Character By Description. This method brings the character to life for the reader. The reader gets a sense of who the character is by learning about the character's appearance, physical characteristics, and dress.

15. Revealing Character Through Narration. This method is employed when the reader learns about a character's traits, personality, and actions through the narrator rather than actions or other characters.

16. Revealing Character Through Action. It is my belief that this is the best way to reveal who your character is. A novel tends to use this method rather than narration to show the reader the details of a character.

Exposition, description, narration, and action rarely occur as isolated techniques, they are best when intermixed with each other. Writers often intermix action with dialogue to avoid what I call "talking head" syndrome where the reader is subjected to line after line of dialogue with no action to break it up. When people communicate there is a tremendous amount of action taking place. What is the speaker doing while talking? Are his/her hands stationary? What are his or her eyes and torso doing? Is he/she sitting, pacing, doing both? On the other hand, what the listener is doing can reveal a lot about how he/she is receiving the message the speaker is sending.

As a summary, the writer should consider one key element: What interests people most? Answer: Human behavior. If a character is to come to life for a reader, he/she must be Human. They must have the general, physical, emotional and emotional traits of a person. These traits must be probed and developed. The deeper you probe the more 3-dimensional your characters will be.

Mystery Man

Finally, A Winner!

2009-03-03T15:54:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Sharon L. Cook of Beverly, Massachusetts who sucessfully identified Nubble Light in York Beach, Maine.

Sharon your copy of Deadfall will arrive soon.

Mystery Man

Revealing Characters (Characterization V)

2009-03-03T00:01:00.001-05:00

Now that I'm getting back in the groove, I'd like to finish up the posts on revealing characters. In previous posts we discussed techniques 1 through 8, so lets talk about methods 9 though 12.

9. Conflict Reveals Character. When a person comes in conflict with anyone or anything, there is an emotional response to that conflict. In fiction, as in life, conflict is the forge that either strengthens character or brings out a persons weaknesses. Conflict is the single most important element of any work of fiction. A story without conflict is not a story.

10. Moments of Truth Reveal Character. A short story may have one moment of truth, whereas a novel will have many, including the protagonist's final showdown with his/her antagonist. How a character handles these moments of truth will tell your reader whether they are brave or cowardly, generous or stingy, or even compassionate or uncaring. Each moment of truth should bring out the character strength (or flaw) the writer is trying to show.

11. Confession reveals Character. Confession is a very important principle for revelation of character. A character's self-confession reveals intimate and direct aspects of the character's personality. While this technique is used in all 1st person narratives, it is not restricted to them. In a 3rd person narrative one character can confess to another.

12. Giving A Person A choice Reveals Character. Which alternative a character chooses when faced with a choice tells the reader a lot about him/her. This principle has been discussed in earlier methods, but is important enough to bear repeating.

In my next post, I'll finish this topic by discussing methods 13 through 16. By now it's evident that there are a number of ways to communicate your characters' traits and personalities to your reader.

Back Live!

2009-03-02T12:34:00.002-05:00

I am finally settled in and have internet access again. Look for daily posts to resume tomorrow, March 3, 2009.

Mysteryman

Almost There

2009-02-26T14:35:00.003-05:00

By next Tuesday, March 3, 2009, I should be back in business with full internet connectivity. Be sure to check back then for the return of regular posts.

Mysteryman

Bear With Me

2009-02-12T09:02:00.003-05:00

I just got back from another trip up north and should have this relocation completed by next week. So, hang in there and by the end of the month the posts should be coming on a daily basis again.

Mysteryman

Revealing Characters (Characterization IV)

2009-02-07T00:01:00.003-05:00

The last 3 posts have been discussion of effective methods of revealing characters. So, lets look at methods 5 through 8:

5. Character Tags: A tag is defined in dictionary.com as " a descriptive word or phrase applied to a person, group, organization, etc., as a label or means of identification; epithet". In writing a tag isolates a character's dominant quality and repeats it. These tags can be one of 4 different types: (a.) Physical: such as repetitive mention of the character's height. (b.) Appearance: This tag is should not be associated with the Physical Tag. It usually related to some aspect of his appearance. A common usage is describing a character's attire as a means of revelation. (c.) Mannerism: uses a mannerism with a motivation behind it to help reveal character. Perhaps a character may be aware of his/her separateness from the other members of an organization or social gathering and covers it by frequent grinning. (d.) Habit: whereas a mannerism is a self-conscious quality, a habit can be acquired thoughtlessly. Behaviors such as cracking one's knuckles or having to smoke after a meal can reveal much about a character. Finally there is the (e.) Favorite Expression: this tag is often used with minor characters. Perhaps you have a minor character who habitually says, "You know what I mean?" whenever he/she is having a discussion. This expression obviously reveals a character's fear of not being clear or of being misunderstood.

6. Emphasizing a minor character by a single dominant trait: A novel in which every character is well-rounded would be so long that many readers may be scared off by its bulk. So the writer must be content with revealing a single dominant trait for minor characters. This is usually adequate because the purpose of a minor character is to help the writer bring out some information the he/she wants the protagonist and the reader to know. Their role is limited and therefore does not require the depth of a major character.

7. Contrasting characters: This allows the writer to strengthen those traits he/she wants to emphasize. The writer need not contrast opposites but can point varying degrees of the same trait. Such as two gamblers can be contrasted by revealing that one is cautious and conservative while another is reckless and operates by the seat of his pants. This method is utilized in all contemporary novels.

8. Names: names tell the reader a lot about character. Consider the following names by which Natty Bumpo is known in James Fenimore Cooper's Leather Stocking novels: Hawkeye (The Last of The Mohicans), Deerslayer (The Deerslayer), Pathfinder (The Pathfinder), and Leatherstocking (The Pioneers and The Prairie). Each of the names reveal different aspects of Natty Bumpo; we know he's an expert marksman (Hawkeye), tracker (Pathfinder) and hunter (Deerslayer). The name Leatherstocking reveals that he is a man of the outdoors and forest, a rustic person. Also if one looks at the chronology of the novels the names are a resume of a sort. Chronologically, the first book in the series is The Deerslayer in which as a young man, Natty is 23 or 24 and gains a reputation as a hunter. In The Last of The Mohicans, Natty is 36 or 37 years old and uses the skills he has gained to rescue a woman from hostile Indians. Not to belabor the point, Cooper effectively tells much about the role his protagonist will play in each novel through the various names bestowed on Natty Bumpo, usually by other characters.

In my next post, I'll discuss methods 9 through 12.

Revealing Character (Characterization III)

2009-02-06T00:01:00.000-05:00

In yesterday's post I introduced 16 ways in which a writer can employ to reveal character and create well-developed and rounded. Today, I would like to discuss methods 1 through 4.

Conflict With Environment: One of the most important tenets in writing is to place a protagonist in conflict with his/her environment. The protagonist's response to this conflict determines his/her primary motivation. Everything the protagonist does to resolve the conflict and everything any other character does to hinder the protagonist, reveals something about their character.

Action: This is possibly the most effective and significant way to reveal character. There is a great deal of truth to the axiom: Actions speak louder than words. Think of your own life, to a time when you believed you would react in a particular way only to find that when you were actually confronted with the situation you acted completely different. As an example, think about one of the most catastrophic things that can happen to anyone, their house catches fire. A person may believe that if this were to happen they would calmly assist everyone out of the house and then use whatever is at hand to fight the blaze. However, once he/she smalls the smoke and/or sees the flames they freeze and are incapable of any form of action. Under these circumstances our fears, impulses and reflections. Returning to the fire analogy, if your character runs into the burning building to save a child, this does not necessarily denote a heroic character; rather it may be a sudden impulse. If on the other hand, he/she freezes in place it does not mean they are cowardly, possibly they had experienced a fire in their childhood and have a strong fear of fires. What about reflection? What does that mean. If your character reflects upon the situation, overcomes fear and then runs into the burning building it reveals bravery.

Self-Discovery and Self-Realization: This method is a corollary of method 2. Character is revealed through action, but the character's ability to judge him/her self is also introduced. This method has been used effectively in war novels and movies. A character may believe he will be brave when faced with combat, only to freeze in place and be unable to act. Conversely, he may be fearful of combat and discover once he is subjected to it that he has courage he was unaware he possessed.

Motivated Action: This technique is a corollary of 2 and 3 above. The delineating factor here is that the character is clearly motivated to act a certain way. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is clearly motivated by his belief that the law is a sacred thing and therefore is compelled to defend Tom Robinson, whom he believes to be the victim of a miscarriage of justice. This method is utilized in many traditional novels.

It easy to see how a writer cam employ any combination of these methods to reveal character. In my next post I will discuss methods 5 through 8.

Revealing Character (Characterization II)

2009-02-05T00:01:00.003-05:00

Now that we have learned that there are four traits to a well-rounded character, how do we go about revealing these to the reader? The last thing we want to do is to present them, in other words how do we show the character's traits rather than tell the reader what they are. Novelists actually employ as many as 16 techniques to reveal character and to develop characters who are three-dimensional and well-rounded. This series of posts will look at each of these in detail. However, before we can effectively discuss them we must know what they are.

Character can be revealed by:

Conflict with the environment
By Action
Through self-discovery and Self-Realization
Through Motivated Action
Character Tags: These tags may be physical, appearance, mannerism, habit and favorite expressions
For minor characters, emphasizing a single dominant trait
Contrasting characters
Names
Conflict
Moments of truth
Confession
Giving a person a choice
Exposition
Description
Narration
Action

Obviously, I can't cover all of these methodologies in one or two posts, so I'm off on another series of them.

Next up: Discussion of methods 1 through 4.

Characterization

2009-02-04T00:01:00.007-05:00

Ever get a rejection letter that states: "The characters are not well developed." or words to that affect? Me too...

So what does that generic statement mean? It's the editor/agent's way of saying the characters are not realistic and don't come alive for a reader. How can you make your characters interesting and realistic? Well, let's take a look.

In their book Structuring Your Novel: From Basic Idea To Finished Manuscript, Robert C. Meredith and John D. Fitzgerald define characterization as: "...the use to which each character puts the traits with which he or she is endowed." In a short story showing one side of a character is acceptable, in a novel, however, you must show all 4 sides of the major character. These 4 sides are:

General Traits: those formed by heredity and environment.
Physical Traits: those expressed in the person's physical make up.
Personal Traits: found in the character's social and ethical aspects.
Emotional Traits: the mental or psychological cast of the character.

If you expect a reader to get involved or at least become interested in your protagonist you must effectively communicate his or her traits. This requires the writer to know his/her protagonist intimately and to truly care for him/her. If the writer doesn't care about a character why should a reader?

I utilize a couple of forms that I created on each of my major characters. On these forms I conceive my characters. I include everything from date and place of birth to describing the character's relationships with a number of different types of people. The forms are too detailed for a single post, however drop me an email vhardacker@netzero.net and I'll send them to you as a Word attachment.

Can You Identify This Location?

2009-02-03T00:08:00.000-05:00

There's another copy of DEADFALL on reserve for the first person who can correctly identify the location on the picture to the left. Contest is open to anyone who has not won in the past year.

Email your answer along with mailing information to: vhardacker@comcast.net.

We Have A Winner!

2009-02-02T14:05:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to Paulette Littlefield Clark of Junction City, Kansas, who correctly identified the Bush waterfront home at Walker's Point in Kennebunkport, Maine!

Paulette, your copy of DEADFALL will be in the mail shortly!

Breaking News

2009-02-01T00:01:00.009-05:00

Due to an unexpected turn in my personal life, I'll be relocating back to northern Maine. As a result, blog updates will be sporatic at best through the month of February. I promise that by March 1st I'll be back.

Contest Answer

2009-02-01T00:01:00.006-05:00

Unfortunately, nobody correctly identified the photo to the left. So, since I'm itching to give away that copy DEADFALL, I'll run this until someone wins. Now ain't I a nice fellow?

Objective vs Subjective Writing (Last In A Series)

2009-01-31T02:23:00.015-05:00

Now that we have discussed the 8 different narrators, lets look at the relationship between POV and the writing's degree of objectivity or subjectivity. First a couple of definitions.

Subjective Writing: The writer seeks to record the feelings and sensibilities behind his/her characters' thoughts, statements, and actions.

Objective Writing: The writer leaves it up to the reader to imagine/determine the feelings and sensibilities behind each character's thoughts, statements and actions.

Subjective writing enters into the thoughts and feelings of a character, whereas objective does not. It should be noted that POV does not determine whether writing is subjective or objective. What is the determining factor is how much of the character's emotions, feelings are explicitly described. In subjective there is a great amount of detail. Objective, on the other hand, has little if any. Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises was written using objective writing. Harper Lee's classic, To Kill A Mockingbird, uses subjective. LeCarre's The Spy Who Came In From The Cold utilizes both forms.

So, by now you may be asking yourself, "Which style of writing should I use?" The answer is simple, which ever comes naturally to you. Some writers are naturally subjective (this is especially true of the majority of new writers) and others are objective.

Writing is possibly the most personal endeavor done by Human Beings. No one can write for you, you must do it alone. You can get plenty of assistance from a good critique group once the writing is done. Until you write it there is nothing to critique. The greatest thing about writing (at least for me) is POWER! Can anyone think of any other endeavor where you are in effect GOD? You control the weather, locale, feelings, emotions and yes, even whether a character lives or dies... Now how cool is that?

Finally, the most important piece of information in this series appeared in this blog entry. It is: Write what comes natural to you; let your voice flow. Nothing is any more difficult than attempting to write against your grain, so to speak. Just watch out for those inadvertent POV shifts!

Third-Person Shifting Viewpoint Narrators (9th In A Series)

2009-01-30T12:01:00.007-05:00

Even though I have listed this POV as being the 8th of 8, it is the second most popular (First-Person Protagonist Narrator being most popular). Some novels are best told by a single narrator, others by multiple narrators. Shifting narrators in third-person is no problem so long as the writer observes a couple of rules. Before we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this POV lets review these important rules.

Whenever possible, the introduction of a new narrator should be done with a new chapter. This allows the reader to adjust to the new viewpoint and it allows the reader to become acquainted with the character from whose POV the chapter is being related. Using multiple narrators within a chapter can be utilized, however if the writer is not skillful when doing it the reader may become confused. This leads us to rule #2.

Once the reader has become acquainted with all of the narrators and can interpret each of the different POVs, the viewpoints can be shifted back and forth even within a chapter.

Let us now review the advantages of this POV:

The writer has a choice between restricted and unrestricted omniscient powers.

Multiple narrators gives the novel a broader perspective.

Shifting viewpoints provides relief and variety to the reader, thereby sustaining interest.

It allows the writer to communicate more emotion to the reader. The reader can vicariously experience the role of each narrator.

The writer has greater scope to characterize the individual narrators and other characters through their 5 senses.

This POV only has one disadvantage, or maybe pitfall is a better word. It can lead to the writer being too analytical, going into more detail than a character requires.

A novel that successfully uses this POV is LeCarre's The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.

First-Person Shifting Viewpoint Narrators (8th In A Series)

2009-01-29T00:01:00.011-05:00

This style of writing uses a POV that shifts from one character to another. It seems to be utilized more of late than at any time in the past. Many thriller writers use different variations of this. As an example, James Patterson has used it in several of his Alex Cross novels in which he tells the story from Cross's viewpoint in First-Person Protagonist narrator and also relates the antagonist's viewpoint, usually in Third-Person Protagonist (maybe Antagonist is a better choice of words) narrator. Mr. Patterson it should be noted is an extremely experienced and accomplished writer and he is able to do this without revealing the antagonist's identity unless he expressly chooses to (as he did in his most recent Alex Cross novel, Cross Country).

Some writers will use a mixture of viewpoints using this one and Third-Person Shifting Viewpoints. Patterson does this in Cross Country.

However, this POV can be very useful if you are relating a story from the viewpoint of multiple characters. For instance if your novel deals with a sequestered jury, you might alternate chapters so the story can be told from the viewpoint of each juror. The writer should take great care to ensure that they do not become redundant by rehashing facts and event the reader is already aware of.

Another novel that uses this POV is Wilkie Collins's classic The Woman In White .

Third-Person Minor Character Narrator (7th In A Series)

2009-01-28T00:01:00.005-05:00

This POV is seldom used because the writer must continually use proper names instead of pronouns so the reader will know who is talking. Unless you are a very experienced novelist, I would suggest you avoid this POV at all cost. Below is an example of how tedious this POV can be to a reader.

Ed Traynor didn't see Buck Buchanan until Buck returned to town a week later. Buck told Ed that he had found a terrific fishing place in the White Mountains. Ed said they would have to check it out one of these weekends.

Imagine 250 to 300 pages of this type of narrative? It wouldn't take long before this book found its way back to the bookshelf or onto a table at the next yard sale.

First-Person Minor Character Narrator (6th Of A Series)

2009-01-27T00:01:00.011-05:00

This is a POV where the narrator takes a detached view in relating the story. It is possibly best illustrated in the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories and novels. This POV offers many of the advantages of writing in the First-Person Supporting Char actor and Third-Person Supporting Character Narrators POVs. The advantages are:

1. It can make the stories believable and realistic. Image how telling the stories with a First-Person Protagonist narrator would have made Holmes sound like an egotistical braggart. Having Watson narrate turned Holmes into a believable and interesting character.
The narrator can describe the protagonist.
The narrator is never asked to prove his/her knowledge of the protagonist.
It makes it easier to sustain reader interest.
It allows the narrator to present a philosophy of life that might be presumed as being presumptuous if recounted using any other POV.

Disadvantages include:

Use of omniscient powers is restricted.
The reader can participate in events and actions only to the extent the narrator does.
This POV tends to be more detached than either of the protagonist narrator POVs.

One of the difficulties with using this POV is that it forces the writer to use he said/ she said a lot.

Third-Person Supporting Character Narrator (5th in a series)

2009-01-26T00:01:00.009-05:00

This POV offers no real advantage and is in fact difficult to use in an effective manner. The problem lies in its inherent ambiguity. It forces the writer to use multiple references. The following is an example of the problem:
What follows is taken from Structuring Your Novel: From Basic Idea To Finished Manuscript by Robert C. Meredith and John D. Fitzgerald:

Fred James was tired as he and Jim Harding found the trail leading to the old mine. He knew they couldn't reach the mine before nightfall. He watched Jim stare at the weeds and bushes that had grown over the trail. He asked Jim if he would mind camping where they were overnight.

The last sentence was purposely written to illustrate this POVs major disadvantage, which is that the narrator must refer to the protagonist as He. In the same paragraph, the protagonist refers to the narrator as he which in the hands of an inexperienced writer can lead to confusion on the reader's part--this could be disastrous...

Do You Know This Place?

2009-01-24T00:01:00.007-05:00

I will send a free copy of DEADFALL, Level Best Books latest anthology of crime stories by New England writers to the first person to correctly identify the location in the picture above.

Send your answer to: vhardacker@comcast.net. Contest will end on January 31, 2009 or until the someone wins. Be sure to include your mailing address in the email.

First-Person Supporting Character (4th in a series)

2009-01-23T00:01:00.002-05:00

A supporting character narrator can be any character who is the protagonist' relative, friend, or associate and can be either supportive or unsupportive of the protagonist. Probably one of the best know of these is Dr. Watson of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Since the narrator is a participant in most of the action, the first-person singular I is used less than the first-person plural we. The advantages of this POV are:

1. It can make a story more believable and realistic than if narrated by the protagonist. A supporting character narrator can describe the protagonist as the best, the greatest, or as being heroic and the reader will accept it without thinking it is bragging or boastful. He/she can also relate events about the protagonist without the reader questioning their credibility.

2. The supporting character narrator is seldom called to support his/her knowledge of the protagonist. He/she can reveal personal things about the protagonist's life going back to childhood to the reader. The reader will assume the narrator either experienced these events or the protagonist related them to him/her.

3. This POV allows the narrator to describe the protagonist. He/she can show how the protagonist's responds physically and emotionally to events as they occur.

4. This POV can reduce or eliminate reader boredom. If at some point n the story, the author feels the reader may become bored, the narrator can relate something interesting or exciting about another character.

5. The supporting character narrator has more freedom than a protagonist narrator and is therefore less restricted in the use of omniscient powers.

Disadvantages of this POV include:

1. A reader can only participate in events to the extent the narrator does. This can be a huge disadvantage because many dramatic and exciting scenes cannot be written in action. For example, if the protagonist and his/her significant other have an argument off screen, so to speak, the narrator can only tell about it. This violates the "Show; Don't Tell" Rule. In a court of law the event would be labeled "Hearsay".

2. The reader may identify with the narrator rather than the protagonist, this is not the case in the First-Person Protagonist Narrator or the Third-Person Protagonist POVs.

This POV has its place. It lends itself well to humorous novels, however a new novelist might be better off if he/she kept the protagonist as the focal point.

Third-Person Protagonist Narrator (3rd In A Series)

2009-01-22T00:01:00.001-05:00

This POV has all the advantages of the First-Person Protagonist Narrator, discussed yesterday, except the writer loses in the personal touch that use of the pronoun I allows. However, it affords the writer the added advantage of using either the restricted or unrestricted omniscient power. This allows the writer to describe his/her protagonist and inform the reader of things the protagonist doesn't know.

Let's now look at the disadvantages.

1. The loss of the intimacy the pronoun I allows.

2. All the disadvantages of the First-Person Protagonist Narrator.

3. The danger for inexperienced writers to shift POV in midstream.

This last item is the greatest of the disadvantages. Avoiding it is a matter of projection. If the writer can truly project him/herself into the character when using this view, POV shift can usually be avoided. However, if they cannot, they must use unrestricted omniscient power exclusively when writing in this POV.

First-Person Protagonist Narrator (2nd In A Series)

2009-01-21T00:01:00.003-05:00

In this viewpoint, the narrator is the protagonist singular. There are many advantages to this viewpoint, especially to the first-time novelist. These are:

1. Writing in 1st person comes easily since it is the most common way in which we communicate with each other. It offers a self-imposed discipline that the writer obeys. Use on the pronoun I confines the writer to the protagonist's POV and avoids inadvertent POV shifts.

2. The protagonist is the center of attention, which allows the reader to participate in all the events.

3. Since the reader shares the protagonist's most intimate thoughts, feelings and attitudes, they easily identify with the protagonist.

4. The protagonist shares his/her personal experience thereby nullifying any reader resistance to the story's credibility. It enables the narrator to speak with conviction and adds realism to the story.

So, what are the disadvantages?

1. The writer's omniscient power is restricted. He/she must confine themself to those things the protaganist sees, feels and experiences first hand. Since the protagonist can only be in one location at a time, this restriction is physical as well as mental.

2. Modesty is forced upon the narrator. While he/she can act brave and heroic, he/she cannot say they are brave.

3. There is a danger that you cannot hold the reader's interest, forcing the writer to make the protagonist colorful and exciting.

4. Description of the protagonist is confined. The protagonist cannot describe the expression on his/her face while experiencing an event.

In summary, the advantages of First-Person Protagonist Narrator, out weigh the disadvantages. More novelists employ this POV than any other and it is the predominant one in mystery novels.

Point of View: What Works Best For You (1st In A Series)

2009-01-20T00:01:00.002-05:00

Point of View is simply the way the narrator of a story, scene or chapter views the action taking place. There are a number of POVs a writer can use and we'll discuss them in a few minutes. When using a POV it is important that the writer be cognizant of inadvertent POV shifts in their work. I cannot recall how many times my writer's group catches me in POV shifts. So let's start off defining the various POVs.

There are eight possible POVs and all traditional novels are told using one, or sometimes more than one. The eight POVs are: First-Person: Protagonist Narrator, Third-Person: Protagonist Narrator, First-Person: Supporting Character Narrator, Third-Person: Supporting Character Narrator, First-Person: Minor Character Narrator, Third-Person: Supporting Minor Narrator, First-Person: Shifting Viewpoint Narrators, and Third-Person: Shifting Viewpoint Narrators. In this post, I will discuss the Omniscient Power; what is it and does POV affect it.

I'd like to begin by defining Omniscient Powers. Omniscient powers are used by the writer to convey information that will assist the reader in understanding the story. This information can relate to characters, environment, and events. The omniscient view is a dispassionate view and the phrase omniscient powers conveys that the writer is playing GOD. Using these powers the writer can record conversations, enter into a character's thoughts and emotions, and even pass through locked doors. In short, the writer has absolute control on every aspect of his/her characters lives, even down to the era in which they live and what the weather will be like at any particular time.

The first thing a writer must determine is which level of omniscient power he/she will use; restricted or unrestricted. This to some extent is determined by the POV the writer has decided to use. If you are going to tell your story in First-Person you must use restricted omniscient powers and the following editorial rule must be observed: Only that portion of the action, narration, and description can be covered which the narrator can personally observe or deduce from his/her 5 senses, and no material beyond his/her perception or range of knowledge can be included in the novel.

In selecting the correct POV, the writer must ask some questions.

1. Is the story best told in 1st or 3rd person?
2. Am I going to enter into the thoughts and feelings of one character (restricted view) or into the thoughts and feelings of more than 1 character (unrestricted view)?

Which ever way the writer decides, he/she should not use restricted view in one portion of the novel and unrestricted in another (although of late there have been a number of novels that have done just this--usually established writers who will do a chapter in the protagonist's POV and another in the antagonist's).

Forthcoming posts will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each of the 8 possible POVs.

Over The Fence: Plot Continued

2009-01-19T03:01:00.003-05:00

"How's it going?" Larry asked.

"Okay, just finished working on a scene in my latest novel."

"The last time we chatted you mentioned scenes. I thought scenes were something you see in a movie."

I sipped from my can of soda. "Actually novels, and to a smaller extent short stories, are full of scenes. I think Robert McKee uses the best definition of scene in his book, STORY. He defined a scene as: ...an action through conflict in more or less continuous time and space that turns the value-charged condition of a character's life on at least one value with a degree of perceptible significance. Ideally, every scene is a STORY EVENT."

"That's a long definition," Larry said, "can you simplify it a bit?"

"Sure, a scene is is a sequence of events that seem to happen as if the reader were watching and listening to it happen; it's built on talk and action."

"I see, so a scene is like a chapter?"

"Nope. Although there are a number of popular writers, James Patterson comes to mind, who make each and every scene a chapter; others may have several scenes in a single chapter. Chapters are just a way to divide a book into pieces. Think of a book, any book in which there are no chapter breaks. "

"I don't think I've ever come across one," Larry said.

"Stephen King used no chapter breaks in Dolores Claiborne. I believe if any one but a writer of his stature had done it the reader would struggle to finish the book. How many times have you said, I'm going to finish this chapter and call it a night? We'll get into chapters later when we discuss structure of your novel."

"Okay, getting back to scene," Larry said, "a scene is a story within the story?"

"That may or may not be true," I said, "a scene isn't random; it must have a meaning. The true measure of whether or not a scene belongs in the book is to ask yourself one simple question: Does this scene move the story forward? If it doesn't scratch it."

"Hmmmm, there's a lot to this writing stuff that I've never thought about."

I glanced at the sky and saw the sun was hovering on the western horizon. "See you tomorrow? We'll talk some more about structure."

"Wouldn't miss it."

Over The Fence: Plot

2009-01-16T03:01:00.001-05:00

I saw my neighbor, Larry, waiting at the fence and walked over to him.

"Hey," he said, "I wondered if you'd forgotten that we were supposed to meet."

"Nope, if I recall we're supposed to discuss plot."

"That's right."

"I suppose we should start by defining what a plot is."

He nodded.

"Not to make it overly simplistic, it's what happens in the story."

"That's it?"

"Not really. In truth the plot is built from a number of significant events. In your mystery now, what is the significant event?"

"The crime? I'm thinking making it a murder mystery."

"That's a good start, most mysteries are about murder. Robbery and caper novels seem to be more thriller than mystery."

Larry's brow furled. "I thought they were the same thing."

"Similar but different. Both usually start with a crime. The difference is that in thriller, everyone knows who did it, or is planning to do it. The plot then becomes, how do we stop him or her. Mystery, on the other hand, is a 'whodunnit'. We, neither the reader nor the protaganist, know who did the dastardly deed. The plot is how we find out who did it. Plots are really a matter of cause and effect."

"I get it," Larry said, "like in physics for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."

"That's it. Let's leave it like this; plot is the things your characters do, feel, or say that make a difference to what follows the cause."

"Thanks, I'll see what I can do about coming up with a basic plot for my novel."

"Do that, then we can discuss how to utilize scenes to bring the plot to life."

The Hardest Thing I Ever Had To Do...

2009-01-15T03:01:00.000-05:00

Okay, so tell me, what is the hardest thing you ever had to do as a writer? For me it can be expressed in a phrase I was told by an oft-published friend... "There are times when you have to kill your darlings..."

My first reaction was to say: "What?"

The answer I got was simple. The scene was great, it was full of action, both physical and psychological. So what was the problem you ask? It didn't belong in that novel for one very valid reason: It didn't move the story along.

How does a writer determine whether or not to kill his/her darling? I have to read the story out loud at least twice, once with the scene and once without it. If after the second reading I find that the story has not suffered by eliminating my darling, I have to kill it.

Keep in mind the single most important rule of writing (Forgive me if I forget who first said this) "The goal of the writer is to say the most in the fewest words."

Happy writing.

Mystery-Man

Book Review: Heat Lightning by John Sandford

2009-01-14T03:01:00.000-05:00

The best-selling author of the Lucas Davenport Prey novels has returned with his second book featuring Detective Virgil Flowers.

Flowers is called up to investigate a series of killings that appear to be the work of the same killer. He determines that all of the victims had a common link; they served in Vietnam in the turbulent period before the U. S. pullout and eventual fall of the South Vietnamese govenment.

I found the book to be as fast paced and absorbing as Sanford's prior works and in many ways find Flowers to be a much more interesting protaganist than Lucas Davenport. I highly recommend this for lovers of mystery/thriller novels.

Mystery-Man

Over The Fence: On Writing Short Stories vs Novels

2009-01-13T03:01:00.001-05:00

The other day I was outside when my neighbor called to me over the fence. He and I don't talk a lot so I was not sure what he wanted. However curiosity got the better of me and I meandered over.

"I hear you do some writing," he said.

"Yes," I said, "I've published some work."

"Well, I'm thinking of writing a book and I wondered if you could help me out."

That got my attention. If there's anything I can spend hours talking about, it's writing. "Sure, what do you need to know?"

"Everything."

"Well," I said, "that narrows it down some." I couldn't help but smile.

"Seriously," he replied, "I've done some technical writing for my company, but I've never written fiction. Surely, there are some basic rules and guidelines."

"My best advice is that first and foremost, you should have an idea of what you want to write."

"I want to write a mystery novel."

"Well, a lot of writers start out with short stories. There aren't a lot of paying markets, but there are tons of online magazines looking for material. If nothing else, it will help you build a writing resume for when you finish the novel and start seeking an agent to represent you."

"Do I need an agent?"

"No, but they have something most new writers don't have."

He looked a bit skeptical. "What's that?"

"Contacts in the publishing industry. Many agents worked at various publishing houses before setting out on a career as an author's representative. But that's a bit premature, lets talk about writing something first. The agent will come later."

"Okay. So what's the difference between a short story and a novel; other than a bunch of pages."

"Well, it's really not all that complicated," I said. "Let's use an analogy."

"Okay." He leaned against the fence and I knew I had his interest.

"A short story is like robbing a liquor store."

His brow wrinkled. "Really?"

"Yes, there isn't a lot of time for plot or character development; so like a liquor store heist; you get in, get the loot and get out fast. A novel on the other hand is like robbing a bank or an armored car. It requires a lot of planning and time."

"I get it. In a short story you need to get to the point fast; whereas in a novel you can spend some time developing the story."

"Exactly." I glanced at my watch. "I have to run some errands. Tell you what, why don't we meet here again tomorrow and we'll discuss plot."

He smiled and said, "Sounds like a plan to me. See you then."

DEADFALL Reviewed

2009-01-12T03:01:00.001-05:00

Level Best Books' sixth annual anthology of crime stories by New England writers has been given a glowing review by Rae Francoeur in the Arts Section of Wicked Local , a local distributed newspaper in Rockport, Massachusetts.

The review states in part: "Deadfall: Crime Stories by New England Writers" is a veritable cache of inventive ways to die, offbeat characters that kill, and crime fighters who thought they'd seen it all." The review goes on to mention several of the anthology's stories, including: I found myself laughing a number of times. "Bagging the Trophy" by Vaughn C. Hardacker is a lively, funny story about a lawyer with the attorney general's office who's trying to get a suspected killer to implicate himself.

To read the review in its entirety click here to go to Wicked Local's website.

Every Writer's Library Should Include:

2009-01-10T03:01:00.001-05:00

Andrew McAleer, author of Mystery Writing in a Nutshell (The World's Most Concise Guide to Crime and Suspense Writing), has published a book that should be in every writer's library. The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Novelists is available through http://www.amazon.com/.

McAleer is an accomplished writer whose books include: Appearance of Counsel, the Afterword to the Edgar Award-winning biography, Rex Stout: A Majesty's Life, and the well-received P.I. novel, Double Endorsement. The editor of Crimestalker Casebook, Mr. McAleer is an active member of the Private Eye Writers of America and the Mystery Writers of America. He has contributed to numerous publications including The Strand, Mystery Scene, Hardbroiled, Mystery Time, The Baker Street Dispatch, Whitechapel Journal, Futures, The Lizzie Borden Quarterly, and The Gazette: Journal of The Wolfe Pack. His legal essays include a critical analysis of the Lizzie Borden Grand Jury and the History of Suffolk Law School. President of the Boston Authors Club, Mr. McAleer practiced criminal law privately in Massachusetts and taught The Master Sleuths at Boston College. He is the 2003 winner of the Speckled Band's Sherlock Holmes Revere Bowl Award. At this time he is pursuing a life-long ambition and is a new member of the United States Army.

WRITERS' GROUP GUIDELINES

2009-01-09T03:01:00.000-05:00

A good writers' group is not a social teaparty (Although the members will form close personal bonds--how can they not? Where else will you find a group of people who will (or should) tell you what you need to hear, not necessarily what you want to hear.). If a group is to meet its purpose guidelines should be set at the first meeting. Here are some that one of my groups uses.

Purpose: The Purpose of this writers’ group is to help writers grow as writers whether they are seeking publication or not.

1. This is a safe place to read and discuss your work.

§ What is said in this group is said in confidence.

§ What is said in this group is said out of care and support.

§ As a writer you don’t know what you are really writing until you read it out loud.

§ As a writer of published works you must be (or appear to be) comfortable reading your own work out loud.

§ All group members hear the work at the same time.

2. Sharing of resources.

3. Open discussion of writing.

Expectations:

1. Come prepared to participate.

2. Share your news and industry contacts – good and bad – with the group.

· Helpful magazine articles.

· New markets.

· Upcoming workshops.

· Contests.

3. Be respectful of others opinions. We can disagree, critique, and debate but we must do so without attacking another group member or another group member’s opinion.

4. Share tactfully.

5. Bring no more than 1000 words to share with the group.

6. Offer to read for others (especially for newbies and second or third – or more – readings).

7. Decisions on projects, etc. are by group consensus.

Agenda:

1. Introductions.

2. Group business.

3. News.

4. Agent/Publisher contacts.

5. Critiques.

I realize that over time, as personal relationships grow, many of these guidelines will fall by the way. In fact, for a small group of 3 to 4 writers, they may not apply at all. But, if your group is large (I've been in groups that were as large as 10 to 15 writers), you should strictly adhere to the '1000 words', which is about 4 pages in manuscript format. Only you and your group can determine what works best for you.

Guidelines For Critiquing Another Writer's Work.

2009-01-08T03:01:00.000-05:00

Every year at this time I hear many writers comment that they need to find a GOOD writing critique group. If you are a member of a group already here's some guidelines my group uses for Critiquing.

CRITIQUE GUIDELINES

1. Listen to what the author says (s)he wants/needs from the critique. That is your minimum responsibility to the author.

2. Be positive. Think positive, constructive, dietetic (i.e. not too sweet) sandwich cookie with your critique.

3. Be tactful. You may have to eat your own words so make sure you wouldn’t mind eating them.

4. Ignore the genre of the actual writing, critique the writing itself.

5. Begin with your over all opinion.

6. Critique as the story flows from beginning to end.

7. Be as detailed in your critique as possible.

a. Ask the author questions to find out intent.

b. Make comments as clear as possible.

c. Pay attention to active vs. passive voice.

d. Does scene advance the story?

e. Try to make suggestions as to how the writer may improve his/her work; rather
than sound as if you are rewriting the author’s story for him or her.

8. If the author wants/needs to tighten his/her writing point out where this could happen.

9. End on a positive note.

Resolutions vs Objectives

2009-01-07T09:37:00.000-05:00

Well, 2009 is here and like most people I think about resolutions for the New Year. Of late I've come to believe that resolutions are doomed to failure as soon as they are made; so I choose to set yearly objectives.

So, you may ask, what's the difference? Well, a resolution is defined as: A resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something. An objective, on the other hand, is something that one's efforts or actions are intended to attain or accomplish. I've never seen anyone develope a plan for a resolution. Objectives on the other hand usually involve some sort of plan or course of action. So that being said, here are a list of my objectives for 2009.

1. Stop procratinating and WRITE! My style of late has been prolonged periods of procrastination, intermixed with frenetic periods of writing. The problem is obvious, the former out numbers the latter.

2. Expand my network of writers and people in the industry. I've already started on this one by signing up on facebook.com and building my list of friends.

3. Take time to touch bases with old friends.

4. Finish the novel I started last fall!

Tom Peters, a reknowned motivational speaker, once stated, "If you have more than three or four objectives and/or priorities, you have none..." So there are my four objectives for 2009. How will I achieve them? That's a topic for another blog!

Great Forum To Meet Writers

2009-01-04T15:28:00.000-05:00

I recently joined Facebook.com and was amazed at how many writers are using this terrific networking tool. If you aren't already on it you should check it out at http://www.facebook.com . Best of all it's free!

New On-Line Mag Seeking Submissions

2008-10-22T09:30:00.000-04:00

The Litchfield Literary Review, a semi-annual on line publication, is preparing to launch this fall. We need your work to fill our pages.

We seek works about New England, or on any subject written by New England based writers. We pay $5.00 per accepted submission and only accept e-mailed submissions. Writers are welcomed to submit up to three pieces at one time. We welcome short fiction of less then 6,000 words, non-fiction, flash fiction, one act plays, ten-minute plays, interviews, book reviews and essays.

We respect writers and will reply to all submissions in a timely manner. Honest. We acquire first time publication rights, but all rights revert to the author after publication. Authors are invited to include a bio and a photo, which will be published with their work, if they so choose.
Please send work to Submissions@Thelitchfieldliteraryreview.com. Remember to include a snail mail return address so we can forward a check to you should we run your work.

Times Running Out!

2008-10-16T13:54:00.000-04:00

The New England CrimeBake is a month away and the registration period during which applicants can receive discounted fees is fast ending. Sign up ASAP if you'd like to save a few bucks (and who doesn't these days).

Are You The UNKNOWN WRITER?

2008-09-29T15:44:00.000-04:00

The Unknown Writer

By
Ronnie Jay
© 2004

I’m an unknown writer
Creative as they come
But, there’ll come a day, I dare say
I’ll be a famous one

I’ll write a #1 best-seller
And oh, the riches it will bring
It’ll sell more in every bookstore
Than Grisham, Crichton or King

I know you won’t believe me
And I can’t make you a believer
But, if I don’t believe in myself
No one else will either

Yes, I know it sounds impossible
To reach those heights of fame
And I realize that I may never
Be a household name

But, it doesn’t really matter
If my dreams do or don’t come true
I’m still gonna keep on writing
Because that’s what writers do

Level Best to launch annual anthology at New England Crime Bake

2008-09-29T09:28:00.000-04:00

The New England Crime Bake, writer/reader conference will be upon us soon, November 14 through 16. Among the many events being offered, Level Best Books will be launching its latest annual anthology of crime stories by New England authors. This year's anthology is entitled DEADFALL and includes my story, Bagging The Trophy. Also included will be stories by such well known New England writers as Stephen Rogers and the as yet unannounced winner of Crime Bake's annual Al Blanchard Award. DEADFALL will be available for purchase at the conference.

This year's keynote at the conference is Harlan Coburn and will include a sneak preview of the film based on his novel, TELL NO ONE. Serious writers may also want to check out the Master Classes being taught by accomplished New England authors: Hallie Ephron, Peter Abrahams and Gary Braver.

Registration is open to any and all who are interested in the mystery/thriller/true crime genres; but don't delay as the master classes are filling up and the early bird discount expires on October 1. You can register by going to http://crimebake.org/.

New England Crime Bake

2008-07-19T10:46:00.000-04:00

The New England Crime Bake Conference is coming up sooner than it may seem! The conference is at the Hilton in Dedham, MA the weekend of November 14. If you want to be part of the master classes, manuscript evaluations and one-on-one agent pitches you should go to Crimebake.org and register soon.

As is usual for the conference, the keynote speaker is yet another BIG name in mystery writing, Harlan Coburn. The hotel has a limited number of rooms available at a reduced coinference rate so, don't ptocrastinate, register now.

MFOB: Best of Year One Available Soon

2008-05-11T07:16:00.000-04:00

In my last post I mentioned that Mouth Full of Bullets Magazine was publishing an anthology of the best stories published during its first year. Well, it will be available soon. B. J. Bourg, editor, recently announced its availability from the publisher. The list of authors in it will include many who are familiar to members of the mystery writing community and mystery fans. Writers such as Earl Staggs, Stephen D. Rogers and yours truly.

In Bookstores Now

2008-04-27T09:43:00.000-04:00

An anthology entitled My Teacher Is My Hero, edited by Susan reynolds, is now available for purchase in bookstores and online. Why is this such a big deal? It's obvious... It contains a piece by yours truly. The anthology contains short essays about those extraordinary teachers who have impacted our lives. It's worth a read and is affordable. BTW, if you go into B&N looking for it, it's in the Education section. They consider it a reference for teachers.

Another piece of good news is that my story, It's My Job, has been selected to appear in a forthcoming anthology of the best stories of the magazine's first year. It entitled: Mouth Full of Bullets: Best of Year One. If you haven't checked out MFOB you should do so. It's published quarterly and you can find it at http://mouthfullofbullets.com/.

If you're a fan of mystery and are looking for a conference to attend this year, check out the New England CrimeBake (http://www.crimebake.org/). It's a great conference in it's sixth year and has attracted some great keynote speakers such as Robert B. Parker, Janet Evanovich, and Lee Child. This year's keynote is Harlan Coburn. The conference is held in early November in the Boston Area.

Well, time to get back on the keyboard...

Mystery-Man

The Writing Environment

2007-09-19T12:30:00.000-04:00

I just got back from an idyllic week in far northern Maine where I isolated myself and cranked out the next installment of the novel I'm currently working on. I find that I'm most productive if I place myself in isolation, away from phones, internet and television. The lake by which I spent 5 terrific days was ideal. In fact, the only radio stations I could pull in were in Quebec and French speaking. I had nothing left to do but write!

Writing is possibly the single hardest thing one can do. It's a solitary endeavor and, no matter what anyone says, it's hard! Trying to write at home is really difficult. I find myself constantly interupting myself to check email, surf the net (under the lame excuse of doing research) and dealing with home issues. It's easier today than it was when my wife was still alive. She always seemed to think that if I was at home I was available to whittle away at her ever-present list of Honey-dos. (I must admit though that I'd gladly tackle that list today if I could have her back.)

I have of late been rather productive. I completed a piece for an up-coming anthology called: My Teacher Is My Hero and am closing in on the end of the novel...speaking of which.

It's time for me to stop avoiding it and get back to work.

Mystery-Man

I'm Back!!!!

2007-08-20T15:00:00.000-04:00

I haven't been on the blog for quite sometime as my summer has been extremely full, what with my grandson's busy baseball schedule and trying to sell one novel and finish another. I did however get a short story published in Mouth Full of Bullets (http://www.mouthfullofbullets.com) and was happily surprised when the editor, B. J. Bourg chose it as the cover story. If you haven't yet stopped by MFOB, you should. It's a quality magazine with a lot of good stories. I won't mention the fact that it's free.

I've also been busy working on the New England Chapter of Mystery Wroter's of America. We're implimenting a number of new changes and its been wild and wooley. Also I'm serving on the planning committee for the annual New England CrimeBake. A writer/reader conference sponsored by the New England Chapters of Myatery Writers of America and Sisters In Crime. It will be held over the Veteran's Day weekend (November 10 through 11) and this year we've changed our venue to the Hilton Hotel in Dedham, MA. The conference features pitch sessions with agents, terrific panalists and this year Lee Child will be our keynote speaker. To show you the quality of our keynotes the list includes such well known writers as Robert B. Parker and Janet Evanovich. I'd really like to see you there. Check it out at our website, http://crimebake.org/index.htm.

Well time to get back to the writing thing... I got a novel to finish.

A/VOCATION

2007-02-28T14:43:00.000-05:00

I submitted short stories for over twenty years before I had my first sale. Since then, I've placed over four hundred stories, articles, and poems with more than a hundred publications.
Still, the questions I'm asked never change.
"Do you enjoy writing?"
As much as one can enjoy an obsession.
"Have I read anything you've written?"
I don't know. What have you read?
"What did you think of [insert title here]?"
Just because I write doesn't mean I use "Books In Print" as a reading list.
"If you write, why aren't you rich?"
Now THAT's funny.

by
Stephen D. Rogers

Stephen D. Rogers has written and published over 400 short stories. He makes his home in Massachusetts and is currently Vice-President of the New England chapter of MWA. You can learn more about Stephen and read some of his work at: http://www.stephendrogers.com

Hey Writers

2007-02-27T14:18:00.000-05:00

Welcome.

The intent of this blog is to discuss and comment on all things related to writing.

Let me introduce myself. Obviously, writing is my passion. I have published a number of short pieces and am shopping a novel at this time. I live in New England and am active in the New England writing community. I try not to restrict my writing to a particular genre, but always seem to migrate back to mystery/thriller.

I am a member of the Mystery Writers of America and serve on the board of director of the New England chapter. I'm on the planning committee for the Mystery Writers of America New England's (MWANE) annual writer conference, the New England Crimebake (if you haven't attended one you should. It is becoming the premier conference in the northeast and focuses on the craft--regardless of genre).

Look here for articles and items of interest to writers, including any number of guest bloggers.

So, welcome in and feel free to comment.

Mysteryman