Answering a Few Questions About Publication

By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

Recently I returned from a national writers’ conference. One of my favorite things to do there was talk with aspiring writers and answer any questions they had about publication and being an author.

Even though I’m home now, I still love the opportunity to answer questions, most of which come via emails. While I don’t always have time to write back, sometimes I answer the questions here on my blog, especially when they’re the kind of questions other writers might have too.

Recently I got just such an email from Hannah, one full of lots of great questions.

Hannah said: I am currently an English major who would love to have a career in writing novels. I would love it if you could share how you got started in the writing world and became successful. How long did it take before you first got published? How long does it generally take for you to write a novel? Do you work for someone who gives certain deadlines or are you self-employed and work at your own pace?

1. How long did it take before you first got published?

It took me approximately 7 years (nonconsecutive) from when I first started writing seriously as an adult to when I got my first book contract. During those years, I read every writing how-to book I could find, and I wrote five practice novels that now collect dust in a closet and will never see the light of day. My sixth book became my debut novel.

The number of years and practice books it takes will vary from writer to writer. BUT what won’t vary is the NEED TO LEARN. Every writer has to take the time and do the hard work of learning the craft of writing by reading technique books, practicing, getting critiques, and honing their skills.

All too often nowadays with the ease of self-publishing, I see too many writers skip the hard work of learning and practicing. Whether going the traditional or self-publishing route, a writer won’t find success without taking the time and work necessary to become skilled.

Once a writer is consistently getting feedback (from critique partners or editors) that their work is starting to look ready for publication, my advice is to seek out agents and writing contests. I made my big break into traditional publication by finaling in a prestigious writing contest. After my final, I re-contacted the agent who already had my manuscript in her slush pile. She offered me representation a few days later. A few months after that I had a three book deal.

2. How long does it generally take for you to write a novel?

After writing close to 30 books and having about 25 of them published, my writing muscles are much stronger now than when I first started. I like to compare writing to running. When a person first decides to take up running, they lumber down the street and can hardly go a block without having to stop for a break. After years of practice and running consistently, they can often go many blocks without needing to stop. Maybe they’ve even worked up to running marathons.

Writing works the same way with lots of slow lumbering, often much fumbling, and eventually going longer with stronger output. I started by writing 500 words a day during my kids’ nap-times. It took me a year to complete one book. That was all I could manage as a busy (and exhausted!) mom. Now, after years of writing, I can complete the first draft of a novel in 8 to 10 weeks. My kids are teenagers and more independent, and I’m in a season where I can devote more time to my writing.

3. Do you work for someone who gives certain deadlines or are you self-employed and work at your own pace?

With my traditional publishers, I’m under contract to write a certain number of books in a specific time period. Generally for me, that means I turn in a book every 6 to 9 months. During contract negotiations, my publisher gives me deadlines for when I need to turn in the first draft and also with the various stages of editing.

For my indie books, I don’t have any deadlines, although I do try to work carefully around my traditionally published books so that releases don’t conflict with each other. Even without strict deadlines for my self-pubbed books, I’ve still found it very helpful for my productivity to establish my own goals and publication schedules. I try very hard to stay on track with the schedule, especially so I can remain timely for the editors, cover designer, beta readers, etc. who are a part of my self-publishing process.

All that to say, I approach my writing career in a business-like way. Not everyone does nor do they need to. It’s just what works for me and my personality. I like to establish yearly goals (sometimes even plotting out my writing and publishing schedule for a couple of years). Then I know what I can fit in and where.

Your turn! How long have YOU been writing? What is YOUR writing process like and how long does it take YOU to complete a novel? 

Should You Become a Writer?

 
By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

I received an email from a young writer named Noor who asked: “I’m in middle school and will be in high school soon. I was wondering if I should become a writer. I love to write and it's one of my passions. But I know a career in the arts can be a tough thing, so I'm not sure if I could do it. Can you give me some advice?”

Should you become a writer?

This is an excellent question and one that many budding writers struggle with no matter their age.

First, let’s define what it means to “become a writer.” Many people love to put words on paper in a variety of formats and do so for personal inspiration or pleasure. There are some writers who decide to pursue publication with their inspired words because they want to share their stories with others. Then there are those who want to make a career out of sharing their words and stories with others.

So my simple answer is, yes, if you love writing, be a writer. Bring life to the words bubbling inside you and find great pleasure in it.

Should you share your words with others? And should you pursue a career of sharing your words?

It depends.

Should you share your words with others? Just this week my husband told me about a facebook post from a high school student getting ready to self-publish her first book. As he read the post, I cringed. And then I said: No one should ever publish their first book. Ever.

My daughter is a freshman in college studying to become a nurse. If you went to the ER, would you want a freshman nursing student to treat your injury?

She has to study, learn, grow, and practice (A LOT) before people will want her to fix their problems.

You have to take the long hard road of a educating and practicing the craft of writing before people will want to read your words (that is anyone besides family and loyal friends). A first book is simply part of that process of becoming a writer.

(Sidenote: I’m guessing some blog readers will probably argue that a first book isn’t always un-publishable. Maybe there are writing geniuses who can pull off a first-book wonder. Some might be able to eventually overhaul their first book and make something of it. But most of us scrap that first book and chalk it up as a practice effort.)

In other words, don’t rush to share your words with the world. Take your time to become the best writer you can be first.

Should you pursue a career of sharing your words? Let me be honest. Being a full time author (where writing and publishing books is your main job) is extremely tough in today’s saturated book market.

Yes, you may hear stories of both traditional and self-published authors hitting it big. But the large majority of career authors struggle to make a living off their books. I’ve been writing full time for close to ten years. I’ve published over twenty novels, mostly with traditional publishers with a couple of indie books in the mix. I haven’t gotten rich off my writing.

And in rubbing shoulders with LOTS of authors, I’ve come to realize that most of us are in the same boat. We’re staying afloat, but our careers are more like steamboats chugging upstream, not luxury liners with smooth sailing.

All that to say, if you want to make a career out of writing, be prepared for the realities of a competitive publishing market and the possibility of having a supplemental job that can pay the bills.

Rather than end this post on a negative note, I’ll close by saying that if you have a love and passion for writing and want to make a career out of it, then definitely go for it. Chase after your dream. I can honestly say I LOVE my job. I can’t imagine any other career more fulfilling than sitting down every day and creating stories.

But as you chase after your dream, be prepared to work harder than you ever have for anything else. Give it all you have. And with enough hard work and determination, someday you may find yourself chugging upstream too.

What about YOU? What advice would YOU give if someone asked you if they should become a writer?

Advice to a Novice Writer

 By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

In a recent email, Teri asked: “I'm a novice writer. What is the most important advice you can give to someone who is beginning to write a novel? And why?”

As I pondered how to respond to Teri’s email, I realized that if Teri asked a dozen authors the same question, she’d likely get a dozen different answers. We all once struggled (or still struggle) with a variety of different things: crafting an opening that hooks a reader, creating lifelike characters, keeping the conflict and tension high, showing and not telling, and more.

So rather than focusing on writing mechanics, I’ll give a broader piece of advice to novice writers, especially to novice writers in today’s digital age: Don’t rush the process.

In other words, slow down; don’t be in a hurry.

What do I mean by that?

Let me flesh out my advice by applying it to two different levels of the writing process: micro and macro.

The micro-writing process:

The micro process is the art of writing itself. Capturing thoughts. Crafting sentences. Evoking the senses. Twisting plots. Breathing life into words.

Don’t rush the process doesn’t mean write slowly and meticulously and take years to write your first book. Sometimes writing fast and unhindered unleashes the creative process so that the internal editor is completely pushed aside and can’t interfere to erect roadblocks.

Rather don’t rush the process means to take the time to learn everything possible about the beautiful craft and skill of weaving words so eventually you can move from simple, tangled, and knotted beginner samplers into smooth yet colorful tapestries that convey complex stories.

Learn. Practice. Learn. Practice. The process of becoming skillful takes time.

The macro-writing process:

The macro process is the bigger picture of being a writer. Becoming an author. The thrill of seeing words in print. Dreaming of having readers.

Don’t rush the macro process means write with abandon, without the pressure to publish. Give your mind the freedom to simply create. Take the time to please yourself before worrying about pleasing potential readers.

The first book and maybe even the second (third, fourth, and fifth for me), are all part of the journey, experiencing both the joy and angst of the love affair with words.

All too often, novice writers channel their excitement for their stories into publication instead of practice. With the ease of self-publishing, the discipline of delayed-gratification is ignored for short-lived fulfillment, which often turns out not to be so fulfilling when the difficulties of selling and marketing become a reality.

Write several books. Get feedback. Tread into publication carefully.

So, that’s my advice to the novice writer! Don’t rush the process. If it’s worth doing, then it’s worth slowing down and doing it well.

How about YOU? What advice do you have for a novice writer?

3 Ways to Add Depth to a Novel

By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

 I recently received an email from a young writer, Theresa, who asked this question:

“My books come out more like short stories (under a hundred pages) rather than full books. Are there any tips or tricks that you can share with me about further developing the story line and characters to make my books longer?”

Thanks for a great question, Theresa!

Most of my adult novels are approximately 100,000 words in length (over 300 pages). As I thought about what I do to reach that amount, I came up with three main things.

1. Give the external plot more than one type of literary conflict.

Most writers develop their plot around some kind of external conflict usually involving a “bad guy” (also known as an antagonist or Man vs. Man). That’s all well and good. But there are other ways to bring about additional conflict: Man vs. Society, Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Himself, Man vs. Technology. (Here’s a really great post that explains the “Big Five” types of literary conflict.)

I often try to have more than one of these types of conflict going throughout my physical plot. For example, my heroine in For Love & Honor is not only battling a creepy antagonist (Man vs. Man), but she’s also struggling against the community who thinks she’s a witch (Man vs. Society) as well as starvation and hardships from a castle siege (Man vs. Nature).

The more types of literary conflict we add to the physical plot, the more complex our story becomes.

2. Give your characters deep internal problems to work through.

Another way to add more layers to a story is by making our characters deeper, getting below their skin to the heart. We have to delve inside the real, raw, emotional issues and problems that our characters are going through.

A word of caution. This is more than just our characters expressing their reactions to the physical plot, which is important too. Of course they need to show and express appropriate feelings in regards to the antagonist.

However, an emotional plot is a bigger internal conflict that we weave throughout the entire story. This is usually a character flaw or problem like fear, pride, insecurity, etc. that is related to our character’s backstory.

For example, in For Love & Honor, the heroine is struggling with insecurity over a blemish that she’s been born with. This insecurity stems in part from her father’s rejection of her as a little girl for that blemish, which has made her feel bad about herself and believe that others will reject her too. Throughout the story, circumstances force the heroine to wrestle through this emotional issue. Her growth is part of her character arc—working through the insecurity and becoming a stronger person by the end of the story.

The more we intertwine this emotional plot with the physical, the fuller and richer our story will be and the better our readers connect with our characters.

3. Give the setting the respect it’s due.

Another way stories can lack depth is by overlooking setting and focusing too much on plot and characters.

Setting is hard to “get right.” Sometimes we err by not getting enough setting details, especially in our effort to develop a fast, page-turning plot. Sometimes we err by randomly tacking on setting details almost as an after-thought. And then sometimes, we even ramble on eloquently, but the purple prose usually only bores readers.

Instead, we want to give the setting the respect that it’s due and treat it as both part of the plot and as a character unto itself. To do so, we focus on descriptions and sensory details that relate to the moods and pace of the plot. When we do that, the setting comes alive, like another character that has needs and flaws and history that we can slowly and carefully develop.

When we view the setting as more than mere descriptions but as a living force within the story, then we’re usually able to add the appropriate details at the right times, keeping our readers grounded in the story but not overloading them.

My Summary: Obviously, there are lots of other ways to add substance to novels including varied subplots, additional character viewpoints, developing minor characters, creating more scenes, etc.

As we’re looking at increasing a novel’s length, we clearly don’t want to add more words just to reach an arbitrary word count goal. Rather we should make every word count for something.

What about YOU? How do you add depth to your stories? 

Now Available!

5 Reasons Your Plot Stalled

It's my privilege to host Janice Hardy here on my blog today. Janice is the author of several fantastic writing resources, including Planning Your Novel: Ideas and Structure, a series of self-guided workshops that help you turn your idea into a novel, and the just-released companion guide, the Planning Your Novel Workbook.

Today, Janice shares some insights on how our plots tend to stall. But she doesn’t just stop with common plot problems. She gives insightful tips and excellent questions we can ask to help us jump-start our stalled plots.

Join me in welcoming Janice to the blog!

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5 Reasons Your Plot Stalled

By Janice Hardy 

The plot is the engine of the story, and like any engine, it can stall. In most cases, the plot simply runs out of fuel and once you refill the story tank, the plot drives forward again. It's just a matter of figuring out which fuel your particular engine needs.

Maybe you're missing the goal (the common unleaded fuel of the story world), or there are no stakes, or no character motivation. The wrong characters might be filling the tank, or the protagonist is making the wrong choices. Refill the tank with the right mixture, and you'll be back on the road in no time.

Plot mechanics are pretty straightforward, so when a plot stalls, it's usually due to a small number of reasons. Let's take a look at the most common ones.

1. You Forgot What the Goal of the Scene (or the Book) Was

The lack of a scene goal is the number-one reason plots stall. There’s nothing for the protagonist to do to drive the plot forward. She doesn't want anything, isn't trying to stop anything, she's just living her day or performing random tasks that aren't leading to anything.

In some cases, the problem is bigger and the novel itself is lacking the goal. This is common with premises novels, where the idea isn't formed enough to create a solid plot, so there's nothing external for the protagonist to do. For example, a romance where the goal is to "find love again" is too vague to plot. It's the specifics of how the protagonist finds love, and the choices she makes to act in ways to achieve that goal that create the plot--such as, take up a hobby to meet potential partners.

How to restart the plot: Look at your scene and determine what the protagonist wants, and the reason that scene is in the novel. If you're not sure, ask:

• What does your protagonist want in the scene?
• How does this goal advance the plot to the next scene?
• What must be done to resolve the core conflict of the novel?
• What are the key steps to resolving the core conflict?
• Does the stalled scene contain one of those steps? Should it?

2. The Outcome of the Scene Doesn’t Matter

A lack of stakes is the second-most common problem with stalled plots. The protagonist has things to do and problems to solve, but the outcomes don't matter and don't affect the bigger story at all. Solving the problem gains the protagonist nothing, and failing to solve the problem loses her nothing. If you cut the scene, the overall novel wouldn't change.

How to restart the plot: Make the protagonist's actions have consequences. Resolving that problem and achieving that goal should matter in some way. Success wins her something important, or prevents her from losing something she cares about. Unsure of the stakes? Ask:

• What will happen to the protagonist is she fails?
• What doesn't the protagonist want to see happen?
• How will this scene affect either the characters or the story?
• How does failure here make things worse for the protagonist or people she cares about?

3. The Protagonist Has No Reason to Act

Sometimes your characters take a joyride with no destination in mind. Sure, they're driving all over the story, seeing the sights, having a grand time, but there's no reason for them to be in that car. The protagonist is doing what she's told, but she has no personal reason to do it--she's just taking turns as you call them out to her. Without a reason to act (the character motivation), there's nothing driving the scene goal.

How to restart the plot: Give the protagonist personal reasons to take on those scene and story goals (the stakes can help here. Low or no stakes almost always accompanies a lack of motivation). Ask:

• Why is the protagonist acting?
• Is there a personal reason or is it because the plot says so?
• What makes the protagonist care in this scene?
• Who might be hurt if the protagonist doesn't act or makes the wrong decision?

4. The Wrong Character is Acting

Backseat drivers, right? They think they know the best route to take to get anywhere, but they end up shouting directions and getting everybody lost. If the wrong character is the one driving the scene, your plot can end up down a path the story wasn't supposed to go in. It might be a small side trip, or a major detour. It might even be the right direction, but the wrong character is driving, so when the plot gets there, the next leg of the journey goes the wrong way.

How to restart the plot: Make sure the characters driving the pivotal scenes moving the main plot forward are the ones who will be resolving the core conflict in the end. Other characters might drive for a short leg of the trip (say, a subplot or two), but the main plot is driven by the main characters. If you're not sure who's behind the wheel, ask:

• Is someone other than the protagonist making the decisions in the scene?
• Does the scene goal belong to someone other than the protagonist?
• Do the stakes apply to someone other than the protagonist?
• Would the scene be stronger or go in a better direction if a different character was driving it?

5. It’s Got the Wrong Directions

Plots rely on character choices to move forward, so if the protagonist makes the wrong choice, the plot can stall. If the choice is too easy or doesn't affect the story or characters at all, it's not adding fuel to the plot engine. Choices should make things harder for the protagonist, and create uncertainty about what comes next. They move the plot forward by giving the protagonist the next goal.

How to restart the plot: Look at moments when the protagonist makes a choice. If there's no conflict to making that choice, or the choice isn't hard, then the decision won't matter. If the choice is obvious (such as, press the button everyone lives, don't press it and they all die), it's not really a choice.

Choices create changes and if nothing changes, the plot can't move forward. If you're not sure, ask:

• Is the choice a real choice or one where the "right" choice is obvious?
• Does the choice offer options that all have potential problems and stakes?
• Are there consequences associated with the choice?
• Does anything change based on this choice?

A stalled plot is annoying, but it's possible to restart it with the right fuel. Before long you'll have that engine sputtering back to life.

Has a stalled plot ever left you stranded? How did you get it moving again?

Win a 10-Page Critique From Janice Hardy

Three Books. Three Months. Three Chances to Win.

To celebrate the release of Janice's newest writing books, she's going on a three-month blog tour--and each month, one lucky winner will receive a 10-page critique from her.

It's easy to enter. Simply leave a comment and enter the drawing via Rafflecopter. One entry per blog, but you can enter on every stop on the tour. At the end of each month, Janice will randomly choose a winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Janice Hardy is the award-winning author of The Healing Wars trilogy and the Foundations of Fiction series, including Planning Your Novel: Ideas and Structure, a self-guided workshop for planning or revising a novel, the companion Planning Your Novel Workbook, and the upcoming Revising Your Novel: First Draft to Finished Draft. She's also the founder of the writing site, Fiction University.

For more advice and helpful writing tips, visit her at www.fiction-university.com or @Janice_Hardy.

3 Tips to Help Increase Writing Output

 By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

One of the questions I’m asked a lot lately is how I manage to write as many books as I do. This year I have four books releasing. I’m on track to have four books release next year as well.

If all an author needed to do was write the first draft and send it off, four books would perhaps be an easy feat. But we all know that an author is tasked with the responsibility of writing more than just a first draft and being done.

I generally do at least four sets of edits per book including a final read-through to catch typos and last mistakes. With four books published in a year, that means a total of sixteen different edits.

In addition to the writing and editing, of course there’s also the marketing for four books. Sharing all that I do to market my books would take an entire post in itself!

Of course, there are a myriad of other details that we as authors must attend to on a daily basis: social media, emails with readers, communication with industry professionals, blog posts, etc. And if you’re especially insane like I am, you also add on other projects like getting reversion of audio rights on old books and using the Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) to indie publish on Audible.

With all of the work involved in editing and marketing books, how in the world can an author possibly write one book a year much less four?

As I thought about what I do to remain a prolific writer in the midst of all the other responsibilities of being an author, I realized that three things help me:

1. Have Iron-Clad Self-Discipline. 

I’m crazy self-disciplined. It doesn’t matter if the world is crashing down around me, I make myself write six days a week. Healthy or sick. Well-rested or tired. Happy or depressed. Calm or chaos. When I’m writing a first draft I make myself write without fail.

I also ignore the internet. It takes a lot of self-discipline not to respond to facebook messages or emails until later in the day. But I’ve learned that it’s all still waiting for me when I’m done with my day’s writing. My writing has to take priority over the other aspects of the job, because ultimately it’s my stories that keep me in business, not social media.

2. Set and Stick to Goals.

I usually determine how much time I have to write the book based on deadlines. For example if I have two months, then I break that down into how many words a week I need to write in order to finish the book in eight weeks.

If I have editing projects that need my attention while I’m in the middle of writing a book, I usually work on those after I finish my daily word count goals. The only time I set aside first draft goals completely is when I work on a content/macro edit. Otherwise, I stick to my lofty goals to the best of my human ability.

3. Open Creativity Through Writing Sprints. 

When I sit down to write for the day, I usually start by reading a page or two of what I wrote the day before. I edit a little bit but mostly the reading is to get myself back into the story flow.

Once I’m acclimated, I set mini deadlines for writing sprints. I use a sticky note and write down two things: how many words I plan to write and the time deadline. For example I may give myself the goal of 400 words in thirty minutes. Once I reach that thirty minutes, I give myself another mini-deadline.

What I find is that these writing sprints force me to ignore my internal editor and just write. Some days I do better at it than others, but overall such sprints force me to focus on the STORY rather than get side-tracked by smaller details that often hang writers up and slow them down.

What about YOU? How do you maintain a steady writing output? What helps you to keep writing? We would love to hear your tips and tricks!

6 Things I Tell Myself Once I’m Done Writing a Book

By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund
 
Recently I finished the first draft of a new book of a new series. Not counting the research, the book took me approximately eleven weeks to write.

Usually after I type out the last few words, I expel a deep breath of relief. And then I tell myself the following 6 things:

1. “Thank God for the editing process.” 

In fact, thank God for the MANY edits that the book will undergo in the months to come including my own self-editing as well as my publisher’s various levels of editing.

Even though I’ve written over 20 previous books, I wouldn’t ever think about skipping the editing process. I put every single one of my books through the most stringent and vigorous editing process. In fact, I’ve learned to be grateful for the feedback that can make my books better.

2. “Wow. I actually made it to the end.” 

As I was writing it, I felt the normal mid-book panic and asked myself questions like: Is the tension strong enough to keep readers' attention? Where is this story taking me? Will I be able to wrap up the plot believably? 

I admit. I second-guess myself and my writing ability with almost every book. So I feel satisfied at the end when somehow I manage to land the book at the destination without too much turbulence.

3. “Don’t get too attached to the words.” 

After all, they’re just words. Words. Sentences. Paragraphs. As much as I love my book, I will go back through the document and ruthlessly eliminate some of the prose that I labored and sweat over.

To make the process slightly less brutal, I’ll open up a new, blank document and save those eliminated sections there. Not that I’ve ever used any of the eliminated words again. But knowing that my hard work isn’t totally wiped out makes the process of cutting easier.

4. “Whew! It’s a relief to finish another book.” 

I love being in first draft writing mode. I love playing the roles of my characters and living out their stories.

But those 10-12 weeks of living in another world get a little intense. I push myself hard with daily word count goals, and I’m very strict about getting in my “words” for the day.

That means I sacrifice other things (like free time!) during the weeks I’m writing the first draft. While I’m emotionally and physically drained after I finish climbing Manuscript Everest, there’s also a sweet sense of accomplishment.

5. “I hope readers like it.”

I always write the books I love to read. I figure why write anything else?

However, various readers come into my books with differing expectations. I’ve long since realized that I can’t please everyone with every book. But I do hope that each book hits the sweet spot for the majority of my readers. And so at the end of every book, I sit back and ask myself what things about the story will or won’t please my readers.

6. “It’s time to put the baby to bed.” 

In other words, I need to stick my book in a virtual folder, step away, and say goodnight to it. I need to let it sit there untouched for a while (weeks if not a few months).

After time away, when I finally go back to it for my first round of self-editing, I’m not so in-love with it anymore and able to approach it more objectively. I’m able to see issues and flaws more clearly and also able to start the hard work of editing with more enthusiasm.

What about YOU? How do you feel after you finish writing a book?