Merce Cardus

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LinkFest ~ Best Reads on Writing, Screenwriting & Self-Publishing: Rules For Writing A Novel

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W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM on writing a novel.

WRITING

 

The first draft of my YA novel BLANK was a complete disaster. I had taken a random approach to writing it, jotting down whatever I could between diaper changes and other distractions. I tried not to concern myself with structure or plot, thinking I would fix all that “later.” When “later” became hundreds of pages that somewhat resembled a novel, I knew the task ahead of me was not for the faint-hearted. I experimented with many approaches to get BLANK ready for submission (and eventual publication), and survived, only slightly traumatized, to share these tips for repairing even the most chaotic of first drafts.

This week’s video shows you the two important (but often overlooked) ingredients in figuring out how to write funny dialogue your readers will love.

Grandpa Joe died back in 1992 but his memoir was most recently included in a memory book, lovingly made by his descendents for a family reunion in 2013.   We all loved re-reading it. So, here is what you need to know to get started on yours.

One of the most common writing challenges is avoiding point-of-view errors. It doesn’t seem to matter where we are along the writing path—from newbie to multi-published—point-of-view errors crop up like many-headed hydra. Just when we think we’ve got them all, there’s another head coming around to bite us from behind.

When you’re writing a character, it’s important to know why she is the way she is. Knowing her backstory is important to achieving this end, and one of the most impactful pieces of a character’s backstory is her emotional wound. 

Have you ever read a character’s emotion that is so real — said in a way that you’ve never read before? One that makes you think — That’s just what it feels like!

How To Make a Character Interaction Chart

You hear it all the time: readers’ time is precious, and they’re not going to waste it on books that aren’t da bomb. I certainly feel that way about my own reading choices. What’s my main criterion for instantly recognizing when a book isn’t going to be worth my time as a reader? Voice.

Recently, I’ve been trying to reconcile the different ways talk about revision and understand the differences. It seems to me that there are several distinct differences, each with its own strengths.

  • How To Spot, Fix and Eliminate Passive Voice In Everything You Write, Men with Pens | Tweet

One of the keys to holding a reader’s interest from beginning to end is mastering the skill of writing in the “active voice”.   It isn’t that difficult, actually – you do it all the time – but it’s very easy to make the mistake of slipping into passive voice throughout your work. Passive voice, left unchecked, slaughters reader interest more efficiently than a glaring typo.

You used the term, “pantsing the plotter” in one of your WU comments. I loved the image of the unsuspecting Plotter losing his pants at the hands of the mischievous Pantser. But as a Plotter myself, I’m not jazzed about getting pantsed. Will you explain this phrase and share how that process unfolds as you write a novel?

Why POV is vital for your story is this is how you are going to slip your reader ever so subtly into the skin of your characters. Get your readers so comfortable they never want to leave. When we make POV errors? It shatters the fictive dream. That is why getting really good at POV is vital. We must maintain the magic. Here’s the secret that a lot of writers don’t realize about POV.

Our love of storytelling comes from reading. Under the covers at night. On trains and planes and buses. During lazy Sunday afternoons or on holidays. Books become your best friends.

Related books:

SCREENWRITING

 

  • MEET THE READER: Components of Screen Storytelling – The Protagonist, Script Mag | Tweet

A few months back I wrote a column that laid out the essential elements of screen story structure. The column was well received and a number of readers asked me to do the same for the other vital components of screen storytelling. That seemed like a good idea, so I thought I would follow up by laying out the essential elements of the most important component of a film narrative following its structure: the Protagonist.

The defining feature of those writers that make the leap from hobbyist to represented writer earning their living from their passion is that their approach to screenwriting is intensive – they simply write more and write more often.

How to get through it and recapture one’s creative energy?

What does theme mean? How should we understand it? How can we use it in our writing?

Related books:

SELF-PUBLISHING

 

Kindle free ebooks sell ebooks because they help sales ranking.

How do you promote a book well without bringing misery on yourself? Here are a few ideas that I discuss in my book Write without Crushing Your Soul.

Marketing isn’t easy especially if you still have a full time job and want to focus on your next book. The challenge here is that if you don’t market, no one will know about your book.

Amazon KDP Select has it lovers and haters, but…

I’ve never liked emailing my blog posts to my email lists. I figure they signed up for free stuff, not to be updated with every post. But I just realized that’s a huge mistake.

I’ve put together a list of the 11 reasons why I never return to a blog. 

Related books:

 

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