Traps Writers Should Watch Out For

 Even if we have the best intentions for getting our books completed, there are traps that can undermine our plans.

One pitfall is the fear of failure. It can lead to self-doubt and procrastination and stall the writing process. Another trap is perfectionism, where we can waste time trying to create the perfect story or perfect sentence. It's important to remember that writing is a process – that’s what drafts are for!

Another trap is imposter syndrome, where we doubt our own abilities. This can be especially challenging for writers who are just starting out. But it’s something that even experienced writers can stress about. It's important for us to remember that everyone starts out with no experience (and no published books or stories).

One last trap is when we compare ourselves to others. There will always be someone who seems to have it all together, or someone who has more success.  In the end we have to focus on our own writing journey instead of questioning why we aren’t following the same path as others.

Some days will be better than others. Some projects will be easier while others will be much more challenging. No matter what stage you’re at in your career, don’t let these traps get in your way. Keep going and enjoy the process. 

 

Advice for New Writers

 

Years ago, my cousin introduced me to a friend of hers who was a professional writer. When I asked him for advice he said, write every day. Though I appreciated it, I wasn't sure how it would help me. I was already writing everyday. Was there anything else I should be doing?

Sure, writing every day is important. But if you don't it doesn't mean you can't be a good writer. So, what do I recommend?

For one thing, read books (and short stories) in your preferred genre and books in other genres. Reading in other genres exposes you to different modes of storytelling.

Read books by other types of authors, whether that means reading different races, cultures, genders, etc. You'll get different perspectives and points of view.

Take writing classes when you can – and I'm not only saying that because I present writing workshops!

When writers are starting out, they might not realize the difference between an original idea and an idea that has become a cliché. Another reason why reading is so important.

Be willing to take criticism (when it is constructive) and be willing to evolve. As you learn, you'll become a better writer and you'll learn to trust yourself.

If you want to be a professional writer, understand that being a professional writer is a business. Whether you want to be traditionally published or indie published, you'll have to find a balance between the business and creative sides. 

The bottom line?  Express your creativity, share your stories and enjoy the process. 

 

Just Tell Your Stories

Years ago, one of my cousins said that she didn’t read science fiction because "it wasn't real." I laughed at that one. Authors take real world situations and use fantastic stories to make statements about the state of things. Or they propose solutions to current world problems. Sure, entertainment has to be part of it. Readers don't want to be preached to. But, writers can share comments on society while drawing readers into rich story worlds.

Looking at classic television, the original Star Trek certainly did that. So did The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. Social commentary seemed to be easier to get across if aliens were involved.

As a Star Trek fan, I've read a lot about how Gene Roddenberry had to struggle with the network suits about having a diverse crew. But, they didn't like the character of Spock either, considering him to be too "demonic" looking. That says a lot about how narrow the focus is for storytelling when it has to be filtered through a corporate lens.

Spock was, and is, an iconic character, struggling with identity and acceptance. Finally coming into his own by the end of the last movie with the original crew. His influence is so strong that he made an appearance on the first Trek reboot movie. Something about him resonated with viewers over the  decades. And he's a favorite with fanfic writers who continue to expand beyond the canon.

So, yes, we can create characters who are different, but have similar experiences. That's why I think this moment in time is extremely important. As we experience both a pandemic and a global social justice movement, our stories are extremely important. How many classic stories were written during times of great upheaval? How many were pointing out how we could be better, while at the same time not hiding the inequities?

Whether I'm writing a short story about a robot lover finding his place in the world, or a romance between a princess and a shapeshifter, I'm saying something about human beings in this world. And, yes, saying something about my experience as well.

I still remember finding a book by a Black female sci-fi author, Octavia E Butler. Her work is a major influence on me because she showed me I could also be a sci-fi writer. Why? Because she was there and getting books published. I never knew someone like her existed.

Her books, Kindred and Parable of the Sower get cited a lot these days, but her book Mind of My Mind is my favorite. It's part of a series about humans who have developed psychic abilities. They've been bred over centuries by an otherworldly being. Ultimately they claim their own destinies. They learn to turn the powers that were destroying them into a force that ultimately connects them.

Just as with Spock's struggles to define his identity in two different worlds, her characters are searching for the same things. And, as a Black woman in a society where my identities intersect, characters like that are a revelation. Yes, it's a human experience. But, there are different variations and cultural nuances.

As a SFF author I'm bringing my own perspective to my stories. Whether I'm writing sci-fi about corporate-run planets, or fantasy princess stories. There are no limitations.

 What we write will always include elements of what's happening around us. What we've lived through and how we interact with the world. And, that's a good thing. Especially in times of change and uncertainty, our voices are needed. And, so are our stories.

"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." - Toni Morrison

HERE BE NEWS for June 15, 2020

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Monday, June 8 - 
"HERE BE NEWS" - All the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic, including something something something...  

Thursday, June 11-
“5 THINGS TO HELP YOU THROUGH WRITING When You’re Not Quite Into It…”  Author Ruth A. Casie offers tips for distracted wordsmiths. 

HUGH
Pirates of Britannia Connected World 
Book 1: Sons of Sagamore 
BY RUTH A. CASIE

Family secrets filled with intrigue, treachery, and a 30-year-old murder must be resolved or he'll lose her forever.

Hugh Talbot is a self-made man who built his fortune one coin at a time. One of the wealthiest men in England, people vie to be his client. He is a loyal man who is instinctive and decisive by nature and bases his business on honesty and trust. An eligible bachelor sought after by every mother with a single daughter, he has no interest in a relationship, until he falls wholeheartedly in love with Charlotte.

Lady Charlotte Eden and her father recently from France have taken up residence at their long-neglected family estate in England. A methodical well-organized archery champion she is introduced to Hugh by a mutual friend. His support of her archery endears him to her, add his honesty and good humor and she is doomed. Theirs is not a budding romance. It is in full bloom.

When Hugh introduces Charlotte the daughter of Lord Miles Eden, the Earl of Sagamore to his family, a decades old scandal filled with intrigue, treachery, and murder comes to light. Hugh’s family is turned upside down when his father announces he is the true Earl of Sagamore who had denounced his title and legacy and that his uncle Lord Miles Eden, was killed in a duel three decades ago.
His world in shambles, Hugh’s loyalty to his family will be tested when he must decide if blood is thicker than water.

Praise for Hugh: Pirates of Britannia Connected World – Book 1 Sons of Sagamore:

“Wow, a great story that will keep you on the edge to find out what is going on and how it will all turn out!! Ruth Casie at her best!” ~ L. Dykes, Goodreads

“I loved this captivating story of unraveling family secrets with twists and turns til the very end.” ~ D. Brown, Goodreads

HUGH is a Kindle Unlimited book and also available as an e-book or paperback at Amazon. The Amazon link is: 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088G2CR9J

BREACHERS - They are the cause of many legends, myths, and fairy tales. And they still live among us.

During the month of June, author Linda Mooney is featuring all 3 ebooks are just 99 cents each!

Excerpts and purchase links:  
https://lindamooney.com/Breachers.htm

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HERE BE NEWS for April 27, 2020

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Monday, April 20 - 
"HERE BE NEWS" - The latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic, including something something something.  

Wednesday, April 22 -
“USING THE HEROINE'S JOURNEY FOR PLOTTING YOUR BOOK” – Stuck? Need inspiration? Paranormal romance author Deborah A Bailey shares a story structure method where the main character must face their deepest fears and desires.

Friday, April 24 -
“SHAKESPEARE IN THE TIME OF COVID-19” – On The Bard’s birthday, author Shawna Reppert celebrates the value of the arts … including the art of handwashing, Macbeth-style!

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Writing Advice - Character Goals

Characters need goals. This seems obvious, but it’s a weakness I often find in early drafts (including my own): characters wander around randomly or things happen to them but they never take action themselves.

Characters need large goals. Meaty goals that last the length of a book. These goals don’t have to be complicated. Often they are as simple as defeating the bad guy or staying alive. (Both usually.)

For a reader to invest in the outcome of a story, there needs to be something at stake, something bad that will happen or be lost if the goal isn’t achieved. What happens if the bad guy isn’t defeated? Does the world end? Do two countries go to war? Or is it something smaller, but deeply personal, for example the loss of a job/spouse/child/friend? (Note the loss can be death or something like the dissolution of a marriage.) Ask yourself if you can make the stakes higher.

Ideally, your book should have both public and private stakes. Often at the beginning of the story, the character may not know the full extent of the problem. Stakes may start small and personal, then get bigger. For example at the beginning of Spiderman: Far From Home Peter Parker’s goal is to date MJ. This remains his personal goal, but he’s quickly drawn into saving his classmates and the world from a monster.

Once your character has a concrete goal, they need to start taking steps to achieve it. Often this means breaking their goal down into little steps. In Spiderman: Far From Home Peter’s first small goal is to sit with MJ on the plane.

Characters need a goal in every scene—and the sooner you give them a goal the better. That way the reader immediately begins to wonder: will they achieve their goal or not.

This can be tricky when you as the author have a reason for the scene that is inobvious to the reader. Let’s say you need your character to have a conversation with the curmudgeon down the hall in order to drop in a clue that means nothing now, but will be important later. But your character has no reason to speak to the curmudgeon. How do you keep your reader from being bored and impatient during a random encounter in the hallway? By giving your character a small goal such as, don’t lose his temper or convince curmudgeon to feed her cat while she’s off on an adventure.

Sometimes characters achieve their goals and move onto the next step. Sometimes they fail and have to try again or set new goals. Either way, the hero’s course should become harder and harder as the novel accelerates towards the climax.

HERE BE NEWS for December 23, 2019

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Monday, December 16 - 
"HERE BE NEWS" - All the latest from the gang at Here Be Magic.

Tuesday, December 17 -
"THE MANY MONSTERS OF CHRISTMAS" - Ghost Horses, Giant Cats, Demons and Werewolves – the Christmas season is both magical and strange. If you thought scary things only come out at Halloween, read Dani Harper's latest post on Here Be Magic! 

Wednesday, December 18 -
"TAKING IT TO THE MAT" - Author PG Forte finds meaning in yoga and some unexpected similarities to writing. PLUS she has a gift for readers: two Christmas stories that you can READ FOR FREE this holiday season.

Thursday, December 19 -
"JUST PRESS PAUSE" - Many of us feel like we're living our lives in 'fast forward' and would like to hit RESET. But a good story needs exactly that kind of momentum. Author Maureen Bonatch offers tips on both.

Saturday, December 28 -

This week's Bring It Back(list) feature is “OAK”, a Celtic Legends romance by PG Forte. Scroll below for all the details, or check the blog post HERE for an excerpt.

OAK
Celtic Legends
Book 2 
by PG Forte

Twice each year, Aine Murphy ventures into the woods to hold ceremonies to honor the Oak King and the Holly King, never dreaming these Lords of the Forest could be anything more than myth. When the legends spring to life in front of her, how can she help but fall for the sexy demi-gods she's loved all her life?

From midwinter to midsummer, Fionn O'Dair rules the Greenworld as the Oak King--a role he feels is beyond his abilities, and one that dooms him to a loveless future, forever craving the one man he can never allow himself to have. How can he resist what Aine offers--the sweet devotion that soothes his aching soul, and the slim chance to live a "normal" life as her husband, if only for half a year?


Holly King Kieran Mac Cuilenn never desired a human lover--until now. Seeing Fionn and Aine together fills him with longing for the love he threw away and awakens feelings he thought he'd buried with the last Oak King. Is there enough magic in the solstice to correct the mistakes he made years ago? Or is he doomed to be forever left out in the cold?

Buy link:  https://www.amazon.com/Oak-Celtic-Legends-Book-2-ebook/dp/B07GJCYKTL
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Wishing you a warm and wonderful holiday season

from all of us at Here Be Magic

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HERE BE NEWS for Sept 30, 2019

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Monday, September 23 - 
"HERE BE NEWS" - All the latest from the gang at Here Be Magic.

Tuesday, September 24 -
“A CLEANSING OF THE SOUL” – After finishing their latest story, sometimes a writer needs to get away from it all – or maybe they just need to re-engage with the real world. Linda Mooney shares her own experience on Here Be Magic.

Wednesday, September 25 -
“MOVED!” – Author PG Forte announces she’s arrived – and survived! (Now all she has to do is thrive…) 

“SCARY MOVIES” 

With Halloween on the way, the Here Be Magic gang has come up with a four-part series of posts for October! Each Friday we’ll have a new fun topic ---- and since Halloween is the perfect time for treats, we’ll also have a GIVEAWAY for you to enter!

Watch for this fun post on Friday, October 4th,
and for more installments on the
following Fridays in this month.

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WHY I LOVE RED INK - the Vital Role of Editors

Writing is one thing. Editing is another animal entirely.

My formal career years were spent in communications, including writing for radio, newspaper and magazines. After that I began writing fiction, and I'm currently working on my 10th novel. But no matter what kind of writing I'm doing, one thing has really stood out for me over the years:

A good editor is my best friend. 

Sure, I’m the person creating worlds on my laptop. But let me tell you, after I’ve stared at all that text on the screen for hours or days or weeks, my perspective isn’t worth spit! 

That’s why – both during and after the construction of a story – I can’t express enough LOVE AND APPRECIATION to the people who fill the following roles in my writing life:

• BETA READERS
• STORY/CONCEPT EDITORS
• DEVELOPMENTAL EDITORS
• COPY EDITORS

These roles tend to overlap a lot, making it tough to draw a definite line between them, or even title them properly. And some talented folks wear more than one hat (which is really good news for those of us on a skinny budget). 

Whatever you call them, the wonderful people who do these jobs are dedicated to saving me from total embarrassment… er, I mean, making sure that YOU THE READER have a pleasant reading experience! 

Actually, it’s the same thing.

THIS IS WHY –

An error in your novel can make you look unprofessional, sure, but that’s not the worst of it. A MISTAKE TAKES THE READER OUT OF THE STORY!  Whether your novel is like a pleasant Sunday drive or a white-knuckle roller coaster, you want the reader happily involved right to the very end. Something as pedestrian as a spelling mistake – or heaven help you, a hole in the plot – are like scattering nails on the pavement, or cutting the power to the amusement park. It interrupts the experience. 

Many promising stories get set aside by the reader, unfinished. Or read but not fully appreciated, because the ride wasn’t smooth.

• BETA READERS – My first line of defense is my test audience, the Betas, and they have the unenviable job of reading the story IN BITS AND PIECES. Here, please read this scene …  or this chapter … or the fourth version of the beginning of the book. Beta Reader feedback is absolutely vital, and most of it has to do with how they feel. Do you LIKE the characters? Do you CARE about them? Is the world believable? Would someone really say this, or do that? Is the ending truly satisfying? 
• STORY/CONCEPT EDITORS – The story editor is like an engineer inspecting the STRUCTURE of the story. Does the anatomy of the novel hold up throughout? Is the pacing consistent? Is there a soggy middle? Does the ending deliver what the beginning promised? Are the characters developed enough? Did the story follow the rules of the world the author built, was some detail unresolved, or did something go off the rails entirely?
• COPY EDITORS – Grammar, punctuation, and spelling have to be inspected by a human eye. The evil that is Spell Check not only doesn’t catch everything, sometimes it makes it WORSE – I mean, just look at your phone! (Yesterday I texted my daughter that I was sending her a pterodactyl...) Like most writers, I have my personal punctuation demons too. I’m totally reliant on my copy editor to catch the incorrect usages of dashes and commas. 
• DEVELOPMENTAL EDITORS – A developmental editor looks at a good story and sees how the writer could make it even better. These are the folks who tell you kindly but firmly that you have WAY too much backstory. That Chapter Five is redundant. That there’s no driving purpose for that ONE scene you love so much. That a secondary character has totally taken over and another character should be axed. That the story doesn’t begin in the right place... You don't have to do everything the developmental editor says. But you should definitely listen, weigh, and consider.

TO ERR IS HUMAN –

Striving for perfection is good, but that doesn’t mean you’ll reach it, because you’re human and your team is human. Despite the best efforts of everyone involved, it’s not only possible but likely that there’s still a mistake or two lurking in your story. Hopefully, it’s just a comma or a typo, but sometimes it’s worse than that. After your novel comes out, you just might bang your head on the desk because something big got overlooked.

And yes, my own desk has a forehead-shaped dent in it. I wrote a full-length novel where no less than SIX professionals read the completed manuscript, and not a single person caught a major plot hole before it went to press.

To say that I was utterly mortified by that experience would be an understatement. I thought about leaving the country, changing my name, taking up drinking... I even wanted to quit writing. However, a good friend pointed out that such things have happened to the Big Dogs too, those writers whom I look up to and admire. If they could live through it, then so could I. Not very happily, but I’d live. 

More importantly, I’d LEARN.

Not all editors, proofers, and betas are created equal, and sometimes you just haven’t got the right combination of skills on your team. I certainly had a lot of people looking over that poor manuscript – but it was like a baseball team composed of five amazing left-fielders, three wonderful second basemen, and a talented pitcher. Something was definitely missing...

And BTW, the size of your team doesn't count. You can have a team of TWO if they have the right mix of skills.

Other things I’ve learned: 

Just because someone has an ad in a writing magazine doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a good editor – or more importantly, a good editor for YOU. Not even if they used to work for a publisher (or still do). 

Likewise, there are some fabulously gifted editors out there who have never been formally trained, but have an eye for story like Tony Stark has an eye for innovation. That goes for Beta Readers as well. 

You'll have to do some asking around, and then some testing and trying (many people offer to edit samples of your work before you commit to hiring them). 

I know, I know... My own personality type hates the trial and error process even if it's just to figure out my favorite ice cream. Yet it's necessary in order to find not just the right people with the right talents, but someone who shares your vision for your work AND that you are able to work with. I promise you that it's worth it to make your story the very best it can be.

Your readers will thank you.

Writing the Project You Fear

I’ve seen this advice a few times: write the project you’re afraid of, the book that you know is going to challenge you to the limits of your ability, the book that you’ll have to level up to complete.

I’m not entirely sure I agree with this advice (more on that below), but this year I’m going for it. I’m taking another stab at my teen novel (working title Replacing the Princess) that I stubbed my toe on last year. I’m determined to work hard and do it justice.

The novel has several difficult bits that I’m juggling: a non-human main character with gender issues who is not entirely likeable (because she’s an assassin), and a secondary viewpoint character who is a Person of Color and, in the current version at least, comes from a fantasy version of a First Nations culture--which means I need to come to a better understanding of cultural appropriation.  I’m also struggling with the ending. I want it to have a strong climax that isn’t an outright cliffhanger yet sets up book two nicely. On top of my usual goals of telling a fast-paced story in an interesting world with dynamic characters… well, it’s a lot. I may succeed. I may fall flat on my face. I may fall flat on my face, then later succeed. We shall see.

I want to grow as a writer. I want to level up. But the idea of being this ambitious for every project is one that I find, frankly, exhausting.

Mostly, however, I think the advice is a bit misleading, because it makes it sound like there are easy novels to write.

True story: my previous big project before this one was supposed to be easy--a rewrite of a trunked adult fantasy novel of mine (working title Path of Power) that I had some new ideas for. I had last worked on the novel eight years before and, while I liked the main storyline, I felt my writing skills had improved significantly. I thought it would be easy-peasy to pull this one out, shake off the rust, and produce a competent, saleable fantasy novel in about six months.

Yeah. That would be a big, fat no. It took me a year, and it was *not* easy. It was every bit as hard as starting a new novel fresh would have been.

Because I had grown as a writer, I wasn’t satisfied with the simple story I had previously told. I decided it needed more viewpoint, including from multiple antagonists (a headache I solemnly swear NEVER to do again), more plot twists, better world-building, stronger characters… better everything really. The book almost doubled in length.

So, in summary, writing an ambitious book is hard. So is rewriting a trunked novel. Pretty much writing any book up to high standards is hard. 

If you find this advice inspiring, by all means go for it! But if the thought of it exhausts you, don't feel that you're chickening out or letting yourself down. As long as there is something you love about the current project then it's the right project for you.

 Onward! Persist!