A Glimpse Inside the Writing Cave

By Andrew E. Kaufman, author of psychological thrillers

It’s that time of year again.

No, I’m not talking about Fall or Thanksgiving or even Santa's much awaited visit (although, coincidentally, these things always happen around the same time). I’m talking about Deadline Fast Approaching Time. I’m talking about Deep Editing Time, or as I like to call it, That Whacky Time.

The Writing Cave in all it's disheveled beauty

The stakes are a bit higher this go-round, because, true to form, I’m running a little behind schedule (It’s a long story.You really don’t want to hear about it). That said, the Writing Cave isn’t exactly the Happiest Place on Earth, just a very messy one, with an occasional bottle rocket of angst firing through it. Guess you might say things are sort of rockin’ here, just not in a fun way—the other one.

Outside the Cave, it’s not looking a whole lot better. The dishes barely get done, we eat what we can scavenge or hunt, and we don’t come up for air unless absolutely necessary (translation: sleep deprivation, minimal human contact, personal grooming habits taken to a bare minimum). Hence, the reason why, while walking past a mirror the other day, I nearly scared the crap out of myself. Staring back was some crazed lunatic. We’re talking the whole nine yards: hair flying every-which-way, sweats and T-shirt beyond disheveled, and, oh… those sad, sleep-deprived eyes. The only thing missing was a sign that read: Will work for the return of my  life... and my sanity.

On the manuscript level, things appear a bit more hopeful, but only because the Cave administrator is a whip-cracking taskmaster (that’s me). Nothing is good enough, everything is out-of-whack, and the writing is in need of serious repair. While on some level, I know that none of this is actually across-the-board-true—on another, I’ve accepted that it’s part of my process. A crazy-making yet predictable process, yeah, but nevertheless, one that keeps me from bending to mediocrity. Well ... there's also the chocolate, the coffee, and of course, my fearless writing partner:

For evidence of my self-abuse, I present the following exhibits, where you will find a few excerpts from the manuscript:

A few minutes later, there are no more tears left to cry. <<You sure about that? 'Cuz so far in this chapter, I've counted ten. Bet he's got a few more>>

I gaze out, marveling at the miles of open-spaced freedom, a backdrop so stunning that it defies words. <<How about taking a stab at it anyway, since, like, that's kinda what we do here?>>

I look up toward the sky and see glistening stars against a velvety backdrop <<Brilliant. All we need now is a paper moon>>

I lean back and take in a cleansing breath <<He already took one of those in the last paragraph. I'm thinking he should be clean by now>> 

On the road, my mind begins lethargically wandering <<kinda like this sentence, huh?>> 

I smile at him, and he smiles back <<sure is a whole lot of smiling going on here. Did I miss the joke about unimpressive beat actions?>> 

The glimpses, although slow at first, were steadily building. The father I so deeply loved and admired, with whom I shared such immeasurable closeness, was gradually slipping away. << I'm thinking a few of those adverbs need to slip away, while we're at it.>> 

The point of this rather humiliating little display? If you think those words just flow onto the pages, think again. A lot has to come before that. Since I write thrillers, there is blood (but I try to keep that on the pages), then comes the sweat, followed by, of course, the tears.

And that, my friend, is how you make a book.

At least in my world.

Nothing got written.

By Sheila Lowe, mystery author and handwriting examiner

A couple of weeks ago, after discharging my duties as conference chair, I spent a week cleaning up post-conference stuff. Figured after that I'd get back to Inkslingers Ball, the book I'm working on (#5 in the Forensic Handwriting series). Somehow, it hasn't happened. The closest I've gotten is reading the last few pages I'd done and making some really nitpicky edits. But nothing got written.

Meetings, birthday, a great movie--About Time. Loads of the ever-present email. All the fascinating murder stories to follow through the Web--a mystery writer's treasure trove. But nothing got written.

My office area was a disaster from the past few weeks, so of course I had to spend all Friday getting things sorted--it looks really nice now. But nothing got written.

I'm not sure where yesterday went. I never left the house. I can't even blame Lexie the Very Bad Cat, as she made herself scarce all day. I do remember doing the L.A. Times crossword and consuming a whole lot of Stuff You Shouldn't Eat (getting ready to start a strict diet tomorrow). Finished reading Elizabeth George's latest tome (700+ pages!!!). But nothing got written.

So I guess I'm just procrastinating, and not sure why, as I've set myself the goal of finishing the book (it's 50% done) by the end of the year--and I really like the story.

Today, I had a legitimate excuse, which will carry over into tomorrow. I spent several hours listening to the audiobook files for WHAT SHE SAW, which my wonderful narrator, Aria McKenna, has just completed. It's fascinating to hear someone else's interpretation of one's work. She's done a super job. I just forgot to tell her to pronounce Detective Jovanic's name Yo-Vahn-itch. My bad. I had to give him a tricky Croatian name.
So, basically, nothing got written.

 

12 Tips for Writing Blog Posts That Get Noticed

by Jodie Renner, editor, author, blogger   

I don’t know about you, but I can’t possibly get to all the blogs I’d like to in any given day. We’re all busy people, so we want to know within seconds whether a blog post will offer anything of value to our busy lives. And we might even get annoyed at time-wasters that meander or don’t deliver on their promises.

Blogging is a great way to build a community feeling, connect with readers and writers, and get your books noticed. But a rambling, unclear, too formal, or overly long blog post can be irritating or boring – a turnoff. And can jeopardize your reputation or blog.

Here are some tips for engaging readers with your blog posts so they’ll share them with friends and on social media.

1. Offer value.

When you’re deciding what to write on, focus on what will benefit your readers, and make them come back the next time. Maybe it’s useful info that will help them in some way, or just some entertaining or humorous or uplifting writing for them to enjoy, for a break in their busy or stressful day. If it's a personal anecdote, show readers why your story or content could be relevant to their lives, how they can benefit from your experience.

2. Be clear about your topic right from the start. 

The subject of your post should be evident by the title and the first few sentences. Readers are so busy these days, with long to-do lists and many other blogs competing for their scarce reading/browsing time, that if they have no idea what your post is about, they’ll probably just move on to the next one.

If you can’t describe your topic in one or two sentences, then it won’t be clear to readers, either. Work on that brief description of the post, then take out any digressions that don’t fit under the topic and would be best under another topic or as their own blog post.

3. Hook them in with a great headline.

Give readers a really good reason to stop and read your blog post. What’s in it for them? How will your article enrich their lives in some way? Your headline should clearly tell readers what your post is about, in an inviting way that makes them sit up and take notice.

4. Then follow it up with an enticing intro.

Again, how can readers gain from your article? Make sure it’s obvious right away what exactly you’re going to talk about and why/how it will benefit them.

5. Stick to one main topic per post.

Make sure your post is focused on the initial promise you made in your title and first sentences. Don’t meander and talk about whatever else pops into your mind. That can be irritating to readers, who stopped to read your post because your topic interested them. If you’ve written a long, rambling blog post that covers several topics, even if they’re related, divide it up into several different posts. Then next time you need to submit a post, most of your work is already done!

6. Use a casual, chatty tone. 

Blog posts are not the place for formal writing or lectures. Imagine you’re in a coffeehouse discussing a topic with friends. Keep your “voice” casual, open, and friendly.

7. Keep it brief – don’t go on and on.

Readers and writers are busy these days, so be respectful of their time. For most subjects, it’s best not to go over 1000 words – 1,200 max. An optimal guideline for word count is about 200 to 900 words. If your post is long, like this one, I recommend subheadings to help the readers glean the info quickly.

8. Make your post reader-friendly.

As I said, readers are busy, with hundreds of great blogs competing for their time, so make the info readily apparent and easily accessible. Edit out all the extra wordiness, and if you’re offering several subtopics under your main topic, use bolded subheadings so they can quickly scan your article to see if it would be useful to them. Bullet points are good, too.

9.  Include your readers and invite their opinions.

Use “you” or “we” wherever you can throughout your post to include your readers and make it relevant to them. End your article with a question or two that invites comments and participation by readers. I find I’ve learned a great deal from comments left by readers, which enrich my knowledge of the subject and future articles on that topic. Maybe even start your blog post with a question that will draw your readers in and invite their active participation. Keep your readers involved!

10. Start your blog post a day or two ahead, so you have time to tweak. 

That gives you time to go back and reread and edit and smooth out your writing, use more interesting word choices and examples, etc. Maybe you’ll come up with some great ideas while you’re in the shower, driving somewhere, out for a walk, or just falling asleep or waking up.

11. Edit before posting.

Go through your article several times, at different sittings, looking for repetitions, rambling, off-topic sentences, typos, etc. Read it out loud to catch those little missing words and awkward phrasing. If you pause, put in a comma there, or maybe a period, dash, or semicolon. Then, if it’s on your own blog, after you’ve uploaded it, “view” it and make any final changes. I always find some areas for improvement after I see it as it will appear on the blog. If it’s a guest post, use Windows Live Writer to see how it will look on the blog.

12. Finally, pay attention to formatting. 

If you have trouble with the formatting of your posts, with too much or too little space between paragraphs, you can fix that in two ways:

(1) While you’re still in Microsoft Word, do a Control All (Ctrl+A) to highlight the whole article, then click on the “Clear formatting” in the tool bar (Home tab, little whiteboard & eraser that looks like chalk).

(2) If you’ve already uploaded your post to the blog, fix the formatting by clearing it in the blog. In Blogger, Do the Ctrl+A thing or just highlight the whole post manually, then click on the Tx at the top right (“Remove formatting”). Then correct the spacing between paragraphs, and redo your bolding, italics, etc. Maybe make your subheads a larger font or a different color so they stand out.

And adding an image or two adds to the overall positive experience for readers.

Of course, for guest posting, read and follow all their guidelines!

Bloggers – do you have any tips to add? Other comments?

Blog readers – any pet peeves or suggestions?
 

Jodie has published two books to date in her series, An Editor’s Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction: Writing a Killer Thriller and Fire up Your Fiction (Style That Sizzles & Pacing for Power), which has won two book awards so far. Look for the third book in the series,out soon. For more info, please visit Jodie’s author website or editor website, her other blogs, Resources for Writers and The Kill Zone, or find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. And sign up for her newsletter.

 
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Amazon Programs for Readers, Writers, & Bookstores

by L.J. Sellers, author of provocative mysteries & thrillers

The always-innovative Amazon has several new programs, with each tailored to make either readers, writers, or bookstores happy. Yes, I said bookstores, so read on.

For Writers
Gayle mentioned this program yesterday, but it’s worth looking at again. Kindle Countdown Deals allows authors to discount their books to as low as $.99 for a set period of time, but pays a full 70% royalty, even at that price. (Normally a $.99 book earns only a 35% royalty). With the higher royalty, more authors will offer books at the low price, so it’s good for readers too.

Amazon also features those discounted books on a special webpage so readers can find them and know how long the discounted price will continue. It'll be interesting to see what kind of effect the promotions have on future sales. Note: The program is only available to books that have been in the Select program for 30 days.

For Bookstores
Another new program called Amazon Source allows indie bookstores to profit from the cultural shift toward e-reading. Here are the basic options for bookstores:

• Sell any Kindle device at a 6% margin (or less, should a store decide to discount), any Kindle accessory at a 35% margin and get 10% of all subsequent ebook sales on sold devices.
•  Sell any Kindle device at a 9% margin (or less with discounting), any Kindle accessory at a 35% margin and get no part of ebook sales.

I’m hoping bookstores will get on board, increase their profitability, and lose some of their hostility toward Amazon.

For Readers
Amazon also has two new programs designed for readers. Kindle Matchbook launched a month ago and allows publishers and authors to offer readers a discounted (or free) ebook version when readers buy the print book. Readers have been asking for this all along, and it’s a great idea, even if overdue. Those who participate will build reader loyalty.

A fourth new program for readers and writers is launching in December, but I’m sworn to secrecy so you’ll just have to wait for the details.

What do you think? Will the Source program lure bookstores to participate? Writers: Have you participated in any of these yet?

How do you spell relief?

By Gayle Carline
Mystery Author and Damned Tired Dame

My newest mystery is out with my beta readers. I'm sure I'm not the only author who has forsaken everything and everyone around her in order to write those last 20,000 words, push through the editing and get it into the hands of people whose opinion she trusts (even if she also fears them).

So now what do I do?

1. I've got a great idea for a new Peri mystery, and I'm working out the plot.

2. I'm trying out the new Amazon promotion, Kindle Countdown Deals, on The Hot Mess. Authors/publishers can offer books for a discounted price for a limited time. What's the big deal about this? It's about the royalties. For Kindle sales, if you price your book below $2.99 or above $9.99, you only earn 35% of the purchase price. Otherwise, you get 70%. But by using the Countdown Deal, you can offer your $3.99 book for 99 cents and still earn your 70%. I'll let you know how it all works out.

3. I'm cleaning the house. It's a must after spending several weeks typing and reading and typing again while ignoring the dust and dog hair, but it's become a bit of a ritual. My slate is clean, writing-wise, so my environment might as well be, too. I'm not just cleaning, however, I'm hyper-cleaning. Organizing bookshelves, cleaning curios, moving furniture to vacuum. Did I mention washing windows, including laundering the curtains?



This new book must have taken a lot of my attention, because my house is seriously messy. I've cleaned for two days and only have four rooms done. I may have to burn the furniture. I gotta hurry and get everything scrubbed, though, before my beta readers start giving me comments and distracting me. In the meantime, send Advil, and plenty of wine.

How about you? Are you a binge cleaner? Or are you one of those people who can keep your home clean all the time?

Writers - how do you celebrate when you hand your book off to others (betas, editor, agent, etc)?

Nice To Be Here

by Michael Sherer, thriller author

What an honor to join the author members of Crime Fiction Collective! When my friend LJ Sellers messaged me and asked if I’d be willing to replace a long-time blogger here, I jumped at the chance. Blogs like CFC, Killer Thrillers, Jungle Red Writers, Type M for Murder and others demonstrate the power of author collectives in building readership, generating dialog about a wide range of issues relating to writing and publishing as well as a number of other topics of interest to many of us, and drawing attention to causes that feed our passions.

Blogs like CFC also show how important group strength has become to individual authors’ careers in the Internet age. More than ever, it takes a village not only to raise well-rounded individuals, but also to grow an author’s readership and build his or her career. Readers have so many choices now. Especially with the advent and growth of self-publishing, breaking through the media “clutter” has become increasingly difficult.

My first mystery was published 25 years ago by Dodd, Mead, an old New York publisher founded in 1839. The company’s authors included Agatha, Christie, Ross Macdonald, Judson Pentecost Philips, Cornell Woolrich and many others. Consolidation in the publishing industry was taking place even back in 1988, and Dodd, Mead was a victim of a failed LBO as the industry contracted. Since then, I’ve seen phenomenal changes in the business. I sold my first novel on my own because editors used to read queries from authors and accept manuscripts submitted “over the transom.” 

Relatively quickly, the role of editor at the major NYC houses changed. Editors became pitchmen for the books they liked and believed in, hoping to convince sales, marketing, finance and representatives of other departments sitting in editorial meetings to acquire those books. Once editors got a green light, they were essentially production managers, shepherding manuscripts through the process of becoming books. Authors soon needed agents to get in the door, and agents often took on the role of actually editing manuscripts to polish them enough to get them read by publishers.

Self-publishing, more often known by the euphemism “vanity publishing,” was a dirty word, and a true indicator of poor writing quality. Very few self-published writers sold their books, and fewer still sold enough to attract the attention of a “real” publisher.

Now that game has changed. Self-publishing is slowly gaining the respect it so often deserves. More so-called “mid-list” authors like me, who were dropped by traditional publishers, have turned to the relatively level playing field of e-books, and many are selling far more copies than they would have as traditionally published authors, and in some cases far more than they ever dreamed of. Budding new authors like Theresa Ragan are selling half a million copies of their books, and critically acclaimed and traditionally published authors like Marcus Sakey are turning down half-million-dollar contracts with traditional publishers to either sign with Amazon imprints like Thomas & Mercer or go indie.

For even the best writers there remains, however, the task and conundrum of finding and communicating with readers. And that’s where community comes in. Over the course of the past week I’ve been amazed by the outpouring of love and support for the family of Michael Palmer after his death last Wednesday. More surprising to me was the number of authors who called him friend--good friend, close friend, buddy. In the 25 years I’ve been writing and going to conferences, I never met Michael, and I feel a sense of loss for not having known him, as if I missed out on a secret that everyone else was privy to but me.

I’ve always thought of writing as a solitary business. Yes, we rely on outside experts to get the details of our books right. But the nitty-gritty of putting the words down on paper or screen is entirely up to each of us. But I’m coming to realize how many of us rely on each other for help and encouragement, from inception of a new book to spreading the news about a special price promotion on Facebook or Twitter.

My biggest thrill to-date as an author—a Thriller Award nomination for Night Blind tho past summer—was exciting because of the company in which I found myself, authors like Alison Gaylin, Sean Doolittle, Blake Crouch and Alex Marwood. Now I’m thrilled to be in the company of the terrific authors who make up CFC, and very happy to be included as a member of this village. 

You’re all members, too, and the only way we can help each other is to communicate what we need. I hope you share your thoughts with me, tell me what you’d like to hear from me and let me know how I can help you. 

What “village” do you rely on most in your life?

Michael W. Sherer is the author of Night Tide, the second novel in the Blake Sanders thriller series. The first in the Seattle-based series, Night Blind, was nominated for an ITW Thriller Award in 2013. His other books include the award-winning Emerson Ward mystery series, the stand-alone suspense novel, Island Life, and the Tess Barrett YA thriller series. He and his family now reside in the Seattle area.

Please visit him at www.michaelwsherer.com or you can follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thrillerauthor and on Twitter @MysteryNovelist. Night Tide is available on Kindle and in print at http://tinyurl.com/nrzlp6x.

Sales and Marketing: The last frontier in the independent vs. traditional publishing turf war?

by A.M. Khalifa, thriller author

Connect with
AM Khalifa on Google +

[Note from Jodie: We're pleased to welcome a new member to CFC: A.M. Khalifa, my client and friend, is a talented, world-traveled author whose riveting international thriller, Terminal Rage, was published in August. Take it away, A.M.!]

I recently spent five days attending the single most important annual event for the publishing world, the Frankfurt Bookfair. The 5-day affair is an immersion in anything and everything to do with the business of books and reading, providing rare insight into where the industry is, and where it’s heading.

Frankfurt Bookfair: The public is still interested in reading

Publishers, printers, digital chain suppliers, agents, and logistics companies convene every year in Frankfurt to flex their muscles as well as make the big deals. Here is my impression on where the industry stands in terms of the rise of independent publishing vs. traditional. 

Books are going to be around for a long time

The most reassuring impression I had is that reading is alive and well. Concerns about the interest in books declining as a result of diminishing attention spans and competition from online media are by-and-large exaggerated. The fair was initially limited to trade visitors, but once it opened up to the public I felt a deep hunger and intense interest in books and authors. The handful of successful writers who showed up were hounded like movie stars.

This is good news if you happen to be a writer. Our craft is still highly in demand. Keep writing, even if the route between you and your future readers seems obstructed by the business side of the industry. It's only a matter of time before even that is democratized.

The final stage of the book revolution is coming

The revolution that's rocking the publishing world is still in its infancy - its real seismic effects are yet to be felt. And it may take a while. The publishing industry feels ominously similar to the music world ten years ago. The big players in Frankfurt seemed tentatively nervous of what is about to come. Gone is the resolute hubris of say, five years ago. Because there are intruders at the gates. Not posing any huge danger for now. But catapulting tiny fire balls at the fortress, patiently making small but effective dents. Microscopic gains that will one day add up.

Advances in technology have resulted in the explosion of electronic books and high-quality print on demand solutions, as well as somewhat reliable distribution networks. This has lowered the entry bar dramatically. Producing a professional book and making it available for sale is no longer a difficult or prohibitively expensive pursuit. 

But herein is the inherent contradiction of self-publishing that is both comforting and worrying for mainstream publishers.

Because anybody can do it, the emphasis on quality has never been higher. That’s the good news for traditional publishers because they can play up how their infrastructure filters out all the duds, and makes sure readers get only the quality material.

The ‘bad’ news however is that even though there is a lot of sub-standard material being churned up, truly amazing works can also slip through the cracks. And once enough excellent writers establish themselves outside the realm of traditional publishing, mainstream readers will start paying attention and look with a more serious intent at indie authors to discover the next great read.

The main juggernaut of the business has now been cornered to the last remaining strongholds of the big publishers: sales and marketing. As most self-published writers know all too well, even if you’ve just written the most ground-breaking novel of all time, if you can’t get it reviewed, and if you can’t get on the airwaves to promote it, and if you can’t get it stocked in all the brick-and-mortar book stores, and if you can’t flood the market with huge print runs, then it doesn't seem worth the effort. And that’s what big publishers are holding on to for dear life: Access to the public and the ability to shape their tastes and needs using unlimited resources.

So where will the revolution come from, one might ask? From a third-party.

Just like Amazon's CreateSpace and Lightning Source democratized the production process for printed books, sooner or later some smart entrepreneur will figure out a business model to provide effective sales and marketing services to independent and small publishers. Not the con artists who currently prey on inexperienced authors like vanity publishers or self-proclaimed literary consultants. But legitimate players. Of course if mainstream publishers can heed the cautionary tales of the music industry, they would be rushing as we speak to plan for the future and make sure they’re providing these services ahead of the competition. But who knows if they will.

In the future, instead of the big five, there will be thousands, even millions of smaller publishing cells, being serviced by professional and effective enabling vendors. Me, you, and others like us. Not just on the production side, but before that at the editorial level, and after that at the sales, marketing and distribution points. Social media will be a part of that menu, not as a main course or even as a side dish, as the prognosticators would like us to think. But more like a condiment.

Readers: Are you looking more to indie writers for quality fiction?

And fellow writers: other than sales and marketing, what other advantages do you feel mainstream publishing has over independent publishing?

And speaking of quality control and competing with traditional publishing, see Jodie Renner's related article on The Kill Zone yesterday: Indie Authors - Should You Revise & Republish Some of Your Earlier Books?


A.M. Khalifa, author of international thrillers, writes exhilarating, contemporary stories pulsating with life and unforgettable characters. His debut novel, Terminal Rage, is a layered thrill ride that moves seamlessly from inside a nerve-wracking hostage situation to far-flung locations across the world, challenging readers to stay ahead of its unpredictable plot.

Sign up to Khalifa's newsletter to stay up to date with his activities and posts. You can also follow him on Twitter or like him on Facebook.

Revenge is Bitter

Evil in All Its Disguises (Lily Moore #3) by Hilary Davidson (Forge hardcover, 5 March 2013).

Reviewed by Marlyn Beebe.


Travel journalist Lily Moore takes a press junket to a resort in Acapulco.  She's a little surprised at how well she's treated on this trip:  business class flight, then a suite at the Hotel Cerón.  Also surprisingly, there are few other guests at the hotel, but the staff inform her that the place hasn't opened to the public yet.

She's taken aback yet again when she runs into another travel writer, Sky McDermott, who doesn't look well:  not only is she much thinner, but she appears to have been recently weeping.  She brushes aside Lily's concern, attributing her appearance to allergies, but Lily can't help but sense undercurrents of ... something.

Over drinks, Skye tells Lily that she's planing to write an investigative piece, in order to get even with someone she was recently involved with.  When she leaves their table in the bar to make a phone call, but doesn't return, Lily becomes more uneasy.  Then she learns that the hotel is part of an umbrella group owned by her ex-fiancé, Martin Sklar, and she's certain that something is amiss.

Hilary Davidson has also been a travel writer, so Lily's professional life is based on her own experiences, but it's her skill with language that makes her prose superb, as evidenced by the opening paragraph of the first chapter:

The snake had coiled itself halfway around my ankle by the time I spotted it.  Cool and smooth against my skin, it inched across my sandaled foot, turning its head back and upward to meet my gaze.  Its slender body was striped with red and yellow and blackish brown. Even though its eyes were all but invisible in its glossy dark head, I was sure it was regarding me with pure defiance.

Her proficiency extends to the construction of the plot; the story is enthralling and very difficult to put down.  It's easy enough to understand what's going on if (like me) one hasn't read the previous books in the series.  I'm definitely going to the library as soon as I can to find them.


FTC Full Disclosure:  Many thanks to the author for the advance reading copy of this book.