book, writing

Just Say “No.”

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

4959365203_0206a63ff3It’s hard to say, “no.”

To a party invitation.

To a bully.

To another piece of pie.

As an elementary school teacher, we taught a drug resistance program in our classrooms. It had as its slogan, “Just say NO.”

Our everyday world is filled with all kinds of opportunities, some of which are tempting, especially when we are asked to choose between them and “work.”

Even now, with the beautiful spring weather outside, flying a kite or walking the dog sounds like a lot more fun than sitting at my desk, typing on the keyboard…

I get it. I struggle, too.

And, I confess, that sometimes I opt to go to a movie or out for dinner with my husband instead of editing a chapter for my new book.

But, other times, we writers need to look toward the prize—the completion of a magazine article or a book—and let ourselves want that so badly that we

SIMPLY MUST

ABSOLUTELY MUST

UNEQUIVOCALLY MUST

SAY

“NO!”

So that we can live our dreams and not be caught, in the future,

simply dreaming.

A Writer’s Voice

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

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Whah…whah…whah.” Do you recognize that voice? Sure, it’s the teacher in Charlie Brown.

Each time you hear it, your brain makes certain connections and you know who is speaking.

But what exactly is a writer’s voice and how does a reader recognize it?

Well, a writer’s voice is unique to them. Readers recognize certain authors by the way they put words together—the distinctive way they look at the world.

Readers like, and thus “follow,” writers that have a recognizable voice—one that is original, like no one else’s.

So, give yourself the freedom to say things in your own unique way. Don’t try to copy another writer’s style.

Your voice is YOU shining through.

Become recognizable by allowing yourself to write in a style that is uniquely your own.

Can Fiction Deliver A Powerful Message?

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

 

32838577662_02d6f6f35dLet’s talk about writing goals.

I’m not referring to how many words you’ll write in a day or how many months you’ll allow yourself for writing that next great literary masterpiece.

Let’s consider the question: “Why do you write?” in the first place.

Some say it frees inner anxieties and helps work out problems, in much the same way as journaling.

Others may see it as a future money maker. Hum…

Still others view writing as a way of sharing information or the story of their journey through difficult times in an effort to help others facing similar circumstances.

Let’s go with the idea of helping others.

The next decision would be whether that would be best accomplished through fiction or non-fiction.

If one can share from real life experience, that would be the most powerful.

If not, can the same message be conveyed via fiction?

I believe it can—and I believe, if well-written, it can be just as powerful.

That means doing a little research on the subject at hand, and perhaps reading a couple of non-fiction books on the subject. You can then use the facts to weave a meaningful story with realistic characters.

I am currently writing a fiction book about bullying. As a former counselor, I know some of the facts. I can even recall situations that were shared with me. But, I still found it necessary to do some further research on the internet and interview a few people so that I could create characters and circumstances that would be believable—and that readers will connect with.

Finally, each time I write, I need to get in what I call the “emotional zone” so that I can write from the perspective of the person being bullied.

My writing goal?

To use my character’s emotional journey to help others vicariously experience the pain bullying causes and then join the effort to erase it from our culture.

Whatever It Takes

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

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I’ve heard that artists, in general, are a quirky bunch. They need certain things in their environment in order to get their creative juices flowing.

Writers might demand that the room needs to be at a specific temperature.

Actors may require that friends or family must be in the audience for them to perform well.

Singers often ask for specific things to drink or that the air be purified in their dressing rooms.

I know I find it difficult to write unless my desk is organized.

Whoever you are, we all perform optimally when certain conditions are met.

For most everyone, being well-rested, fed, and hydrated may apply.

So, let’s say you’re a writer. You’ve met your requirement of having a quiet place to write. You close the door and sit down at the computer.

But suddenly you’re distracted by a bird outside the window or a telephone ringing somewhere down the hall. Isn’t anyone going to get that?

Now, you’re off track.

Unable to focus.

You want to push your chair back and forget writing for today, but instead just rewind.

Maybe you need a walk around the block. Perhaps simply refreshening your water glass with a slice of lemon will do it. Maybe say a silent prayer.

Then, get back to the computer and try again.

Whatever it takes. For as long as it takes. As many times as it takes.

I’ve found that one page leads to another…and that page leads to the next…and before you know it, it’s

a book!

Let’s Get Cozy

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

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Sometimes, genres are broken down into sub-genres. One of my favorite reads is the cozy mystery, which is a sub-genre of crime fiction.

Here, point by point, are those factors which delineate them as such:

1- Profanity, sex and violence are downplayed.

2- They are usually set in small, socially intimate communities.

3- The detectives, almost always amateurs, are frequently women.

4- The main characters are usually well-educated, hold jobs which bring them into contact with others in the community.

5- They often have a contact on the police force (a spouse, relative, or friend) that gives them access to important information about “the case.”

6- The “detectives” are usually discounted by the authorities as nosy busybodies,(especially if they are elderly women) but are generally well-liked and gregarious members of the community.

7- The detectives get their information by eavesdropping, or even “stumbling” upon clues.”

8- The murderers are usually members of the community where the murder takes place and have hidden in plain sight. They often explain their motives after the unmasking.

9- The secondary characters are often comedic.

10- The murders often happen off stage, or even before the story begins. The real story is in the solving of the puzzling mystery.

11- These mysteries often have a prominent thematic element introduced by the detective’s hobby or job, such as fishing, golfing, antiques, etc. Some are based on holidays, such as Cozy Christmas Mysteries.

Cozy mysteries are fun, both to read and write!

How Much Is A Facebook “Like” Worth?

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

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Although you can find articles on the Internet which place the value of a single Facebook Like at between $8-12, others say each like is worth an average of $174.

Things like your budget, resources, and objectives determine just how much a “LIKE” is worth to you.

You may also want to consider that just because someone “Liked” your page doesn’t mean they will automatically like all of your posts or purchase your books.

Experts say that a page “Like” should be viewed as a potential client. In fact, some say that until a visitor to your page purchases a book, they should be considered to have a worth of “zero.”

I think, however, it is more useful (and realistic) for us to consider just how valuable the Facebook Community is to a writer as a whole.

Now, I happen to believe that someone is valuable if they engage in my posts, share content, and interact with me on one of my websites or subscribe to my emails.

Therefore, I want to make them happy. I want them to feel appreciated. I target my marketing to appeal to them.

I furnish them with information, share their opinions, offer them free and/or discounted deals, and of course, I visit their Facebook pages and “Like” them!

Even though we may never meet in person, Facebook Friendships are reciprocal relationships and we need to view them as such.

The value of a friendship?

Priceless.

Researching Genre Romance

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

 

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Shopping for the perfect valentine for my husband was an almost impossible task. No one card could have possibly included everything I wanted to say.

I thought about writing my own valentine, like we often did when we were kids.

That got me thinking about writing romance novels.

I was curious. Just what is genre ROMANCE?

Here’s the breakdown:

Historical Romance– story takes place in the past.

Contemporary Romance– story takes place in the present. (Humorous Romance and Romantic Suspense are often listed as sub-genres.)

Regency Romance- This is shorter than Historical Romance, set in the Regency period and emphasizes society and dialog.

Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal- These stories take place on other planets or in imaginary lands, or involve creatures such as pixies, ghosts, werewolves, or genies.

Time Travel Romance– Romances involving time travel.

Gothic Romance– In the past, this was a separate sub-genre, but currently most of these are being published as Romantic Suspense.

Romantic Suspense- Stories with plots involving drug dealers, serial killers, smugglers, etc.

REMEMBER: If you write in another genre, you will probably find that your story is much more interesting when you infuse your books with a little romance here and there…

Can Pigs Fly?

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

 

30799328490_7a5353645dHave you ever met with friends you haven’t seen in a long time and as you talked, you felt out of step—out of sync?

Like so much time has passed since your paths crossed that you feel like your reality and theirs doesn’t quite coincide?

Maybe your perspectives are different…your interests have changed…

It might be a little unnerving at first, but later, as you contemplate your conversation, you find their ideas are thought-provoking—even refreshing.

Could a change of perspective be good for a writer?

Could it be just the shot-in-the-arm that sparks creativity?

Try this: write a paragraph in your genre. (Say, mystery).

Then, write it again, in fantasy.

Write it as romance or romantic suspense.

It’s the same paragraph. But it’s oh-so-different from teach of these different perspectives, isn’t it?

Now, go back to the genre you usually write in. Use the creative differences from the writing exercises you just completed to re-write your original paragraph.

I have found that when I feel stuck for a fresh way of expression doing this gets those creative juices flowing again.

Want to share what’s worked for you?

 

In Defense of Doodling

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

 

My husband is a doodler.        32010585111_840dc8b024

I guess it simply gives his hands something to do while he watches a football game on television or waits for his order at a restaurant.

But, I asked myself, “Could doodling actually have some kind of value?”

I recall teaching my elementary students to map and use webs to organize information. Could using simple visual language help people think and solve problems, focus, and retain information?

Turns out that good old doodling activates one’s mind’s eye to access creativity with the subconscious mind.

I put it to the test.

I recently made use of doodling to solve a difficult plot problem in the book I am writing.

So, don’t get stuck on plot, character description, or action scenes. If you need to “see” what you are writing for descriptive purposes or keeping track of details, why not try doodling?

You just might find it to be more than mindless scribbling.

Fiction Writers, Do Your Research

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

 

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I struck up a conversation with a gentleman in a hospital waiting room last week. I shared a little about my writing and he responded with a comment that made me think.

He made an observation that, to him, writing fiction was quicker and easier than writing non-fiction because it did not require research.

At first thought, I agreed with him. But, later that evening, I put pen to paper and contemplated whether or not that was actually as true as it appeared on the surface.

Here is a list of just some of the research necessary for every fiction writer to complete in order to write an authentic book:

a) Learn about the setting of your book, such as the state/country, the type of weather, the topography, terrain, type of government, and so on.

b)  What type of people live there? Is their speech distinctive?  In what type of industries might they be employed?

c)  In what year/time period does your story take place? What is going on in the world at that time? What hair and dress styles are prevalent? What music is popular?

d) Do any of your characters experience an illness or disability?  If so, you will need to know how it affects his life, treatments he might experience, etc. How will he interact with others?

e) Do your characters meet with a disaster? You may have to learn about floods, earthquakes, fires, and so on.

f) How old are your characters? What kind of music, games, activities are appropriate?

A good editor will catch some of these things, such as when mine caught it when I wrote  about something that would not have even been invented yet!!

But, don’t count on someone else to do it. You’ve got to do your homework and make your book as authentic as possible.

Some say a book is successful when it is so real that the reader actually feels he/she is experiencing the action right along with the characters.

Part of making this happen is doing the hard work ahead of time.

It’s called: research.