Grace's Mosaic Moments


Saturday, October 27, 2018

Advice for Newbie Authors

A few of Susie's pics from her recent jaunt to London. And yes, she got home with all the "treasures" she picked up mudlarking near Tower Bridge and London Bridge.


Perhaps not everyone's idea of fun, but . . .

 
Susie & other "Tech wives" at Kensington Palace while husbands worked.


Susie & Mike on the Regents Canal, one of my favorite things to do in London
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ADVICE FOR NEWBIE AUTHORS

I'm sure I have given this advice more than once since I began Mosaic Moments in January 2011, but the subject came up again over the last couple of weeks, once from an editing client and also from a couple of visitors to our local chapter of Romance Writers of America. So for those who are at sea about What's Next . . . And those who need a reminder . . .

"I've finished a manuscript," the newbie wails, 
"but what do I DO with it? What's next?"

My answer is—and regular readers will groan over this because I've said it so many times in so many ways . . .

EDIT what you've written!
Do not, under any circumstances, run Spell Check and think you're done. Go back over that manuscript. Find the sentences that don't make sense. The paragraphs where you wrote all around the point, but never actually made it clear. Find the places where you left an important plot point in your head instead of putting it on the page. The characters you failed to identify or describe, leaving them as little more than talking heads. Did you use twenty words when you could have used ten, completely obscuring your point in verbiage? 

The list of what you can do with self-editing is endless. And it must be done! Do not let anyone see your manuscript until it is the best you can make it. If you are unable to see your mistakes, then hire an editor. Do not add to the mediocrity (and worse) currently passing for a novel or novella on the Internet!

Your choices after Editing:       (ms = manuscript)

1. Traditional Publishing. 
This is the one that's been around for years. When I began writing, there were still publishers who allowed Direct Submission from an author. These days, it's almost unheard of in print publishing. As far as I know, Harlequin/Silhouette, who primarily publish short, simple romances, are the only major publishers who still allow Direct Submission. Guidelines can be found on their website.

If you want to submit your ms to other major New York publishing houses, you will need an agent. There are many lists available. I usually recommend Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, and Literary Agents. This book, or something similar, is also available in the Reference section of most libraries. Do your research carefully, selecting only agents who handle the genre you write. Go to their websites and follow their instructions for submission exactly as outlined. As when you were in school, following directions counts!

Warning: This is a long, frustrating process, which is why so many authors have turned to e-publishing (some, alas, way before their work is ready). 

If you are accepted, your publisher will edit your work, arrange for a cover, and probably change the title. Also on the upside, major print publishers will distribute your book through traditional bookstores, though very little marketing is done for any but the most prominent authors or most sensational books. In most cases royalties are paid every six months.

2.  E-Publishers.
I was in on having a book published by an Electronic Publishing Company at the very beginning of this new era, when the infant Starlight Writer Publications asked if they could publish my RWA Golden Heart winner, Tarleton's Wife. Interestingly, my mother, who had been a highly successful children's book author (Wilma Pitchford Hays) had given me an article she'd read on e-publishing, so I was prepared to consider a venture into this new milieu. Tarleton's Wife came out in December 1999, was taken over by two more e-publishers after that, and when the rights finally returned to me about two years ago, I published it through indie publishing on Amazon and Smashwords. It continues to sell even after almost twenty years.

So what does an e-publisher do for you? 

Almost exactly the same as a New York publisher. You submit your manuscript, according to their guidelines. (And yes, they accept Direct Submissions.) Your ms is then accepted or rejected. If accepted, it is edited by the publisher—and frankly, I found my e-editors better than the ones I had at Signet or Kensington! You submit your ideas for a cover, to which they are more likely to pay attention than most print publishers. (Again, I had nine NY-published print books before I turned exclusively to e, so I have some experience in these areas.) Royalties are a higher percentage than those paid by major NY print publishers (which makes sense, as costs are less).

Most e-publishers make your book available in print, as well as online through the process known as Print on Demand (POD). The books are larger than standard paperbacks and much easier to read.

Drawbacks:  With E-publishers you do your own marketing. Authors who spend a good deal of time, effort, and money on marketing have been highly successful. I have no suggestions on marketing as it is not one of my skills. (I just want to be left alone to write—not a good strategy if you want to make a lot of money.)

Also:  E-publishers tend to go in and out of business with all the alacrity of a bouncing rubber ball. So try to get recommendations from other authors of which companies are the most reliable. Certainly, among them would be the e-publishing divisions of the major New York print publishers—divisions they were forced to create after the popularity of e-publishing cut into their profits. These e-divisions of the major publishers accept Direct Submission from authors - see each publishers' Guidelines.

I asked my Author Facebook groups for recommendations of current e-publishers and received only a few responses. That doesn't mean there aren't more good ones out there, but here are the ones mentioned:  Entangled, Soul Mate, and Lyrical Press, the e-division of Kensington.



3.  Indie Publishing.
This is the Bold New World of the last decade, made possible by companies such as Amazon and Smashwords. I have, at this point, gotten the rights back to all the books I've written over the years and have published around forty books to Amazon and Smashwords. 

So how do you go about it?

Both Amazon and Smashwords post guidelines for their indie-publishing process. Smashwords, in fact, has a free online book with excellent details. (Other online publishing venues probably have guidelines as well, but I prefer to confine myself to Amazon and Smashwords, letting Smashwords deal with all the other online publishers, including Barnes & Noble.

For How to Get Started on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, click here.

For Smashwords Guidelines, click here.

Both Amazon and Smashwords provide guidelines for publishing your book in print (POD) as well as an e-book, but I can't advise on this as I have not used these services. I am happy to be part of the new world of reading, using nothing but my Kindle since 2011 (except for reading old favorites off my bookshelves).

It should be noted that Amazon also publishes Short Stories and Non-fiction. (I have not researched the genres published by other online indie publishers.)

For Indie Pub, you will need an edited and polished manuscript, plus a good cover. I have a cover artist who does my books, but Amazon has a cover service if you'd rather go that way (but that cover will not cross over to Smashwords). Again, if you are unable or unwilling to edit your own work, you can hire someone to do it for you. There are also formatting services, but that's really not necessary. It's not that hard.

I have to admit, however, that the first time you go through this process, it can be a bit daunting. Even after 40 books, I still make a face before beginning to fill out the necessary forms, but basically AFTER METICULOUS EDITING, which also  includes centering your chapter titles, justifying your right margin, reducing your tabs to .3, aligning your Date & Location lines with the left margin, etc., etc., you need to create a blurb according to the publishers' guidelines and select Keywords that readers can use to find their favorite genre. At both Amazon & Smashwords, royalties are paid monthly. For Amazon, the rate is 30% for books priced at less than $2.99, 70% for books priced at $2.99 & up.

Please note:  I did not include formatting your ms into anything other than MS Word. It is not necessary. Both Amazon and Smashwords accept uploads in MS Word. Why should you go to the trouble of formatting your ms in anything else when they will do it for you? (Naturally, if you are technically inclined and want to handle all the tech aspects yourself, or hire someone to do so, this is an option. I prefer to stick with Word and let my publishers handle the tech details.)

Marketing. Obviously, you're it. You spend as much time, effort, and money as you're willing to do. As in most marketing, the more you do, the better your sales. 

And that's it—the bare bones of "What's Next?" No matter which publishing approach you choose, you have to do your homework, make decisions, work at something beyond putting words to the page. No one is going to know you or your work exist unless you tell them. So suck it up, buckle down—whatever cliché works for you—and do the work necessary to put yourself out there. If you create a good product and let the world know it exists, you can make money!


~ * ~

Christmas Novella - available November 2, 2018*
 *A revised & extended version of The Last Surprise (2012)

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For a link to Blair Bancroft's web site, click here.
 


For a link to Blair's Facebook Author page, click here.




For a brochure for Grace's Editing Service, Best Foot Forward,

email: editsbyBFF@aol.com 

Thanks for stopping by,
Grace  
 

 

Saturday, October 13, 2018

More on Characters & Point of View

My son-in-law is currently in London, with a crew & lots of equipment, doing Tech for a convention. He flew out of Orlando Wednesday night - this photo and his comments taken from Facebook:

"So, having an oatmeal stout beer at an English pub, eating a greasy smoky bacon cheeseburger, while listening to Mexican music, with a Halal restaurant right next door.
Quite the gastro-cultural experience!" 

My daughter will join him on the 13th, to do a bit of exploring on her own - undoubtedly including return visits to Harrods and Camden Market (to which she is drawn like a magnet). And when Mike is free, they'll be celebrating a big 20th wedding anniversary.

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NEXT MOSAIC MOMENTS - November 3, 2018 

Please check Index of 6/16/18 for Writing/Editing posts in the Archives
 
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MORE ON CHARACTERIZATION & POINT OF VIEW
 As my regular readers know, I often base my blogs on what I happen to be reading at the time, whether for my editing business or for pleasure. This week I went back to the beginning of a favorite series and started reading straight through, one book after the other, finding it fascinating to revisit the birth of characters who have become old friends after something like eight books. The series: Lindsay Buroker's The Emperor's Edge. 

Looking at the series from the viewpoint of Mosaic Moments, I realized there's a lot to be learned from Ms Buroker's approach to these books. Also, that her approach to her characters, main and secondary, tends to differ from that of many other series authors. As an aside, I want to add that Ms Buroker's strong point is writing action—totally incredible, over-the-top action, so much so that she goes through something like seven books with the heroine and hero exchanging no more than one kiss and an occasional hug. Yes, some of the secondary characters talk about sex, but that's it. Ms Buroker also does a great job creating her fantasy version of a steampunk world far, far away. And this is the series that stole its hero/anti-hero and "alien" touches from a previous book. Never think you can't steal a good idea or two from yourself and run with it!

Brief background on The Emperor's Edge:

A female "enforcer" (the police of this fantasy setting) is forced to go rogue in an effort to protect her country's young emperor. She puts together an oddball team of five men: a disgraced nobleman, an alcoholic professor, a scarred veteran of the fighting pits (who can't talk), a teenager who longs to practice magic, and the country's most feared assassin, raised for the role from birth by his own government. They call themselves "The Emperor's Edge" and set out help the emperor and get themselves back on the right side of the law.

So why is The Emperor's Edge series different?

As previously mentioned, in most long-running series there is a single main character or a Hero/Heroine situation. Also as previously mentioned, it's important not to let your Secondary Characters overshadow your Main Characters. Therefore you need to be very careful about who is allowed a Point of View. In The Emperor's Edge, Ms Buroker gives each member of the team a Point of View, often a lengthy one. Yes, Amaranthe, the heroine, is primary, definitely the boss of the book as well as of the team, but each of the team's men gets to reveal his background, thoughts, fears, and hopes for the future. Each one is a person in his own right. EXCEPT the Anti-hero, the assassin, Sicarius. Why? Because he has to remain the mystery man. Readers are allowed only to know what Amaranthe and other team members think or know about him. He remains forever aloof. Cold, hard, unrelenting . . .

And yet, here is another point of interest about Ms Buroker's characterizations: she allows her characters to grow and change. In so many series the characters remain "stock." The hero, the heroine, their buddies, the people they work with, are the same, book in and book out. Yes, readers like to know what they're getting, but is it really likely that these characters go for years without any changes in their lives or in their attitudes?

As an exercise, let's look at each of the characters in the team called The Emperor's Edge.

Amaranthe - she begins as a "by the book" corporal, just doing her job patrolling her small part of the city. Then shortly into the first book she is propelled into an entirely new existence, struggling with finding herself on the wrong side of the law and all because the young emperor smiled at her. But she copes, she finds allies—interestingly, all men in a male-dominant society who recognize that she's the one with the ideas, a natural-born leader, and agree to follow her (though each with his own unique reason for doing so).

Maldynado - an outcast from his high-born family, Maldynado changes the least during the series. He is the clown, the complainer, the devil-may-care type. But although he does his best to play the fool, he is intelligent and fights hard.

"Books" - a has-been, alcoholic professor, Books is truly down and out when Amaranthe recruits him for his ability at research. He'll never be a true fighter, but over the course of the the team's demanding training and the many challenges he has to conquer, "Books" becomes an indispensable member of the team.

Akstyr - an 18-year-old gang member with no morals, no past kindness in his life, he realizes he has the gift for magic and will do anything to learn more about it in a country where magic is forbidden. Akstyr also has a great deal to learn about loyalty and responsibility, concepts foreign to him. He makes mistakes, to the point of betrayal, is amazed when the team forgives him. Akstyr takes longer than Books to settle into a dependable member of the team.

Basilard - a man from a pacifist country, enslaved and forced to fight to the death in an arena. He is badly scarred, his throat damaged so badly he can't talk. He can't go home, can't see the daughter left behind, because he is forever tainted by using violence (no excuses accepted). An outcast, and ugly, he is a strong member of the team - except he has to struggle with unremitting hate for another, even more vital, team member, the assassin, Sicarius.

Sicarius - Raised from birth to be what he is - unbeatable, determined, deadly, unemotional, hard as nails - he is one of those special characters who capture the imagination. When he agrees to follow Amaranthe, he becomes the person who has to change the most. She wants to preserve not only the Emperor's life but the lives of absolutely everybody, even the villains. We are only allowed to see what Sicarius thinks about this from the outside - from the observations and fears of the other members of the team. But there is no doubt he has the greatest adjustments to make. (Not always successfully. Like the scorpion in the tale of the Scorpion and the Frog, he bites because he is, after all, a scorpion.) Just when we are led to believe he's got the message, he reverts to type.  But there's no doubt that without him Amaranthe would have been dead several times over. We are finally allowed inside Sicarius's head in Book 6, when he has changed enough that a few "human" traits are beginning to kick in. An omission of POV that is, in itself, a powerful bit of characterization.

Returning to Amaranthe - her goal is to save the Emperor and have her team returned to the list of "good guys." To do that, she breaks just about every law, tradition, and commandment imaginable. The adjustments she has to make to her staunch principles are likely the greatest changes of all. Sicarius only has to learn not to kill everyone who so much as looks at him askance, while Amaranthe schemes and plans an endless series of adventures far outside the law. And, in the process, turns Sicarius into a Superhero.

Dialogue note:

In any book, series or not, it is important to give your characters their own style of dialogue. A reader should be able to look at a bit of dialogue (beyond a word or two) and recognize which character is speaking.  The Emperor's Edge is excellent example.

Amaranthe is always the boss (except sometimes privately with Sicarius). She gives the orders. She also tends to be impetuous at times, so determined to succeed that she takes really serious risks.

Maldynado is always the wise guy, full of quips, complaints, talk of sex; full of himself, etc.

"Books" falls into the pedantic at the drop of a hat. On and on until someone shuts him up.

Akstyr is always the street kid, the hopeful worker of magic, never quite one with the team. Sullen, hanging back from work, not as well spoken as the others.

Basilard "signs," his words in italics. Except on a few occasions when he resorts to pen and paper.

Sicarius speaks only when necessary, and then as few words as possible. Always the silent but deadly partner, doing what has to be done, including being a harsh taskmaster for the team's training. If he says a hundred words in each book, that's a lot for him. He participates through action, not communication. Social interaction is unheard of; even Amaranthe, who loves him, suffers from never knowing what he's thinking. Until Book 6, that is, when we are allowed into his head at last and see his struggle to understand the most basic human emotions, a struggle made so much stronger because the revelation has taken so long.

SO WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM ALL THIS?
1. As emphasized previously, variety (distinctly different personalties) are an important part of creating Secondary Characters.
2.  Some series are more "team efforts" than others. In these cases, allowing Secondary Characters lengthy Points of View is part of the style. 
Grace note:  #2 above does not apply to books that are primarily Romance!)
3.  Each character should have his/her unique dialogue style. (Which does NOT mean you can leave off the dialogue "tag"!)
4.  It is possible to have a "hero" (or other important character) without a Point of View. (As in Gothic novels written in First Person.)
5.  Although Plots are important, it is CHARACTERS who make a book. And it's more interesting if they change and grow over the course of a series. If their "good guy" attitude occasionally wavers; if they have doubts and fears, endure considerable suffering before their final triumph (which in The Emperor's Edge series takes eight books). 

Grace note:  Even if your books do not go to the extremes of Ms Buroker's series, the concept of change still applies. Keep your characters interesting; don't let them go static. Keep readers wondering what they'll do next, not going "Ho-hum, same old, same old—able to leap tall buildings at a single bound." (If you saw Black Panther, you will recall that he loses his super powers after drinking a ceremonial potion. Just as Superman is adversely affected by Kryptonite.) These "gimmicks" are long-established ways to make characters vulnerable, for where's the suspense if the Good Guy/Gal wins every challenge?

WARNING: Read # 2, plus Note again. Only in series that are "team efforts" can you allow lengthy POVs from Secondary Characters. In most books and most series, it's vitally important to keep in mind the rule I've stated so many times before: Never let your Secondary Characters overshadow your Main Characters. Even in The Emperor's Edge series we are never allowed to lose sight of the fact that Amaranthe and Sicarius are the Main Characters, although in one of the books Maldynado's POV occupies fifty to sixty percent of the pages and Sicarius disappears for a great portion of the book. This is what makes a good writer—someone who can allow multiple Points of View but never stray from the overall point of the series. 
I should add, that Ms Buroker waited until Book Five to give a Secondary Character an extended Point of View. It's not something you can do until your Main Characters are very sell established in readers' minds.  

So . . . HANDLE POINTS OF VIEW WITH CARE. Watch what you're doing like the proverbial hawk. Are Points of View from Secondary Characters suitable to the genre you're writing? Are they making your book better—giving it more depth, more color, perhaps more action? Or are they drawing readers' attention too far from your Main Character(s), turning the focus in too many directions, bringing momentum to a skidding halt?

That's the whole point of these articles on Secondary Characters: How to use them to enhance your book, not detract. I hope I've helped.

~ * ~
 Another example of a series using multiple POVs, my Sci Fi Saga, Blue Moon Rising, particularly the final book, Royal Rebellion.



 For a link to Royal Rebellion on Amazon, click here.

~ * ~
For a link to Blair Bancroft's web site, click here.
 



For a link to Blair's Facebook Author page, click here.




For a brochure for Grace's Editing Service, Best Foot Forward,

email: editsbyBFF@aol.com 

Thanks for stopping by,
Grace  
 

Saturday, October 6, 2018

Recipe Time


Sneak Peek at the cover for my new Regency Gothic (late fall 2018?)

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For a video of a family of deer crossing the road 
near my daughter's house, click here.

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TRACK CHANGES UPDATE

 I am happy to report that if you make the changes noted in my post of 9/15/18, they remain in place. You do not have to go through all that for each document.


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RECIPES

It's been a while since Mosaic Moments presented recipes, so here are three recent discoveries I hope you'll enjoy. Sorry, no photos. I was too eager to eat them!


From Publix:

Great American Burger Stromboli (Log Roll)

I'm fascinated by this one because of all the possibilities it presents. It could be made with Deli ham slices, turkey or chicken slices. With whatever cheese strikes your fancy. With as many pickles as you want. Or maybe spinach. And perhaps Ranch dressing instead of Thousand Island. Your imagination is the limit. I'm looking forward to being creative with this one.

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 refrigerated pizza dough* 
6 slices American cheese** 
1/3 cup Thousand Island dressing
12 dill pickle chips
Aluminum foil

* I used regular Pizza dough, not Thin Crust
** I used Swiss slices instead of American

Preheat oven to 400°. Line baking sheet with foil. Preheat large, nonstick sauté pan on medium-high 1-2 minutes. Brown meat 4-5 minutes, stirring to crumble, and until no pink remains. Drain fat. Combine meat and dressing in large bowl.

Unroll dough onto lined baking sheet and stretch into a 13 x 9-inch rectangle. Place meat mixture lengthwise down center of dough, spreading evenly, leaving a ½-inch border. Top with pickles and cheese. Roll one LONG side tightly around filling; press edges to seal.

Bake stromboli 18-20 minutes or until brown. Let stand 5 minutes to cool. Slice, Serve with additional dressing, if desired.

Warning: if you slice the "log" too soon after baking, the "rounds" tend to squish!

Grace note: I froze half the loaf, uncut; a week later, I thawed it, cut slices, and reheated them on a foil-lined sheet pan at 375° for c. 9 minutes. 

Note 2: If you prefer a bit more spice, you can present the slices with Chili Lime sauce, ketchup, or other favorite.


 * * * *



Orange Chicken

I believe this recipe (scribbled on a legal pad) came from Facebook. It's simple and very tasty.

1 cup barbecue sauce*
1 jar Sweet Orange Marmalade
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 chicken boneless chicken breasts, cubed to c. 1"

*I used Sweet & Spicy

Note: The recipe did not call for "browning" the chicken first, but I did it anyway. Just lightly enough to turn it opaque white. 

Mix the marmalade and soy sauce. Set aside. Brown chicken lightly, add marmalade sauce and sauté. (No time given in original recipe - you have to "play it by ear." I let it simmer until the flavors were mixed and I was certain the chicken was cooked.)

Serve over rice or couscous. 

* * * *

 From a "Muffin Pan" recipe book:

BBQ Chicken Pizza Cups

1 refrigerated pizza dough*
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped**
½ cup barbecue sauce
1½ cups mozzarella, shredded
¼ red onion, cut into strips
Cilantro, chopped

*I used Regular, not Thin Crust
**I bought Perdue packaged cooked chicken

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray two muffin pans.
Note: I felt that the ingredients were only enough for 12 muffins, so I used only one 12-hole pan.

Original instructions:

Leaving the pizza dough rolled up like a log, slice into 16 rounds. Place the rounds in the cups and bake for 8 minutes.

While they bake, mix together chicken and barbecue sauce in a bowl.

Remove muffin pans from oven and press dough down. Divide chicken and onions among the 16 cups. Top with cheese.

Place muffin pans back in the oven and bake for an additional 15-18 minutes,* or until cheese is bubbly. Top with cilantro and serve warm.

*13-14 minutes might be enough.

Grace note:  Although these were tasty right out of the oven, they held together better as leftovers reheated the next day in the microwave. From "knife & fork" food, they turned into "finger food," particularly fun for kids or for a sports party.


~ * ~
For a link to Blair Bancroft's web site, click here.
 

For a link to Blair's Facebook Author page (updated 9/14/18), click here.
For a brochure for Grace's Editing Service, Best Foot Forward,
email: editsbyBFF@aol.com 

Thanks for stopping by,
Grace