Tag Archives: writing tips

September 24, 2014 · 7:24 am

Writing tip Wednesday: “Getting in the suspense of things”

5 TIPS FOR WRITING SUSPENSE

by Kira Peikoff

Full article at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/5-tips-for-writing-suspense?et_mid=693701&rid=239626420

I am a traditionally published thriller author. My latest book No Time to Die just hit shelves this week. When I first started writing suspense fiction, though, I had very little idea what I was doing. It took a humble amount of trial and error to get in a groove and overcome basic rookie errors. Now, seven years later, I like to think I’ve figured out some tricks of the trade. I’ve also been extremely lucky to receive the support and mentorship of some of the top names in the biz, like Jack Reacher’s creator Lee Child and the late Michael Palmer. So without further ado, here are some tips for budding thriller writers that I wish I’d known from day one…

1) Structure Scenes like Mini-Novels: Each one should contain its own narrative arc, with rising action and a climactic moment that signals the end of the chapter. It’s good form to finish most chapters on a cliffhanger—especially the first one. A major dramatic question should be raised in the opening scene, and then resolved in an unexpected or unfavorable way to hurl the main character further into the conflict (and thus drag your readers into the story). Get your protagonist in trouble as soon as possible and never let her get too comfortable or too safe. As far as chapter length, I’ve found that an average of five pages (double-spaced, size 12) works well for keeping up the pace.

2) Plot Strategically to Avoid the Sagging Middle: This rookie error is one I had the misfortune of making early on: I wrote the beginning of a book and then abruptly ran out of steam about sixty pages in. When you’re staring down 240 blank pages without a plan, it’s easy to freeze up. Now I have a method. Once I have the main cast of characters and their conflicts, I conceive a new book in four sections. At the end of each section, I devise a major twist to launch into the next section and keep up the narrative momentum. Once I’ve figured out my four big plot points, I go deeper into plotting the concretes of each individual section, dropping red herrings and hints about the twists to come so that they will be logical without being predictable. This is the most challenging part of the process for me and is apt to change when I actually get to writing. I think of the outline like a highway: you can go off-roading from time to time but you get back on the highway to get to your final destination.

The other three tips are:

3) Alternate Character POVs (Point of Views).

4) Obscure POV when useful.

5) Raise questions and delay the answers.

For details and a chance to win a copy of Kira Peikoff’s book No Time to Die, go to: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/5-tips-for-writing-suspense?et_mid=693701&rid=239626420

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September 17, 2014 · 7:17 am

Writing tip Wednesday: interview with Ursula K. LeGuin

The otherworldly and utterly Portland Ursula K. Le Guin

by Sue Zalokar

“Well, imagination is based on experience. The way everything in the world is made out of the elements combined in endless ways, everything in the mind is made out of bits of experienced reality combined in endless ways. So a child’s imagination deepens with living, with wider experience of reality. And so does a writer’s.”
–Ursula K. LeGuin

Source: http://news.streetroots.org/2014/08/14/otherworldly-and-utterly-portland-ursula-k-le-guin

Ursula K. Le Guin started writing when she was five and has been publishing her work since the 1960s. Throughout her career, she has delved into some of the most insightful, political, ecological and socially important topics of our time. She has created utopian worlds and utopian societies. She boldly challenged gender barriers by simply doing what she was born to do: write.

Her first major work of science fiction, “The Left Hand of Darkness,” is considered epoch-making in the field for its radical investigation of gender roles and its moral and literary complexity. At a time when women were barely represented in the writing world, specifically in the genre of Science Fiction, Le Guin was taking top honors for her novels. Three of Le Guin’s books have been finalists for the American Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize, and among the many honors she has earned, her writing has received a National Book Award, five Hugo Awards and five Nebula Awards.

In Paris in 1953 she married Charles A. Le Guin, a historian, and since 1958 they have lived in Portland. They have three children and four grandchildren.

After some correspondence, Le Guin invited me to her home to talk. I arrived bearing fresh-picked berries from Sauvie Island. She took me into her study and showed me the view she had of the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980.

Ursula K. LeGuin

Ursula K. LeGuin

Urusula K. Le Guin: It was the biggest thing I’ve ever seen and I don’t want to see anything that big again. It was just inconceivable. It was kind of overcast in the morning, after the eruption, but (before that) the clouds were burned off and there was this pillar of – it looked like smoke – but it was really mostly dirt being blown upward by the heat of the eruption. I think it was 80,000 feet. It was awful and beautiful and it went on and on. The column, it moved very slowly. You could see it sort of swirling and there was lightning in it, striking all of the time. It was something else.

Sue Zalokar: I can only imagine. I don’t know much about the history of the eruption. Did you have much warning?

U.K.L.: There was lots of warning. The mountain had been rumbling and shaking and dumping black matter on her snow all spring. It was really bad luck. They thought she’d gone into a sort of a quiet phase and so they told people they could go that weekend to their cabins, run in and get their belongings out. Well, that was the weekend she blew. So that’s why there were 60 to 70 people killed. You can’t predict a volcano.

I got really fascinated with the volcano. About a year and few months after the eruption, the whole mountain was called “The Red Zone.” You could go part way up and then above that, you had to have a permit to go in and the only people that were going in were loggers dragging dead trees out. The roads were destroyed, there were just logging roads. Me, a photographer and an artist, got a permit to go in (to the Red Zone) as a poet, a photographer and an artist.

S.Z.: Awesome.

U.K.L.: How about that? I hardly ever pull strings, but we pulled a few and we got a day pass into the Red Zone. We drove around in this awful, unspeakable landscape of ash. Nothing but ash and dead trees. And the trees, just like grey corpses, all pointing the same direction where the blast of the eruption blew them down.

Well, imagination is based on experience. The way everything in the world is made out of the elements combined in endless ways, everything in the mind is made out of bits of experienced reality combined in endless ways. So a child’s imagination deepens with living, with wider experience of reality. And so does a writer’s.Twenty-five years later, a few years ago, I went back to that same area, which they thought would take at least 100 years to come back and regrow. It’s all green. There are trees coming up and flowers blooming like mad, birds, deer, elk. That mountain, she makes herself over and over. It’s quite a story.

S.Z.: Was there a specific piece of writing that came out of that experience in the Red Zone?

U.K.L.: Yes. I wrote poems called “In the Red Zone” and I wrote a piece with the same title.

S.Z.: What distinguishes experience from imagination in writing and is one more essential to the process of writing than the other?

The rest of the interview at: http://news.streetroots.org/2014/08/14/otherworldly-and-utterly-portland-ursula-k-le-guin

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September 3, 2014 · 7:03 am

Writing tip Wednesday: “Flexible outline”

7 STEPS TO CREATING A FLEXIBLE OUTLINE FOR ANY STORY

Source: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/7-steps-to-creating-a-flexible-outline-for-any-story?et_mid=682609&rid=239626420

The seven steps involve:
1. Craft your premise
2. Roughly sketch scene ideas
3. Interview your characters
4. Explore your settings
5. Write your complete outline
6. Condense your outline
7. Put your outline into action.

1. Craft your premise.

Your premise is the basic idea for your story. But it’s not enough to just have an idea. “Guy saves girl in an intergalactic setting” is a premise, but it’s also far too vague to offer much solid story guidance.

This is why your outline needs to begin with a tightly crafted premise sentence that can answer the following questions:

  • Who is the protagonist?
  • What is the situation? What is the hero’s personal condition at the beginning? How will that condition be changed, for better or worse, by the hero himself or by the antagonistic force?
  • What is the protagonist’s objective? At the beginning, what does the hero want? What moral (or immoral) choices will she have to make in her attempt to gain that objective?
  • Who is the opponent? Who or what stands in the way of the hero achieving his objective?
  • What will be the disaster? What misfortune will befall the hero as the result of her attempts to achieve her objective?
  • What’s the conflict? What conflict will result from the hero’s reaction to the disaster? And what is the logical flow of cause and effect that will allow this conflict to continue throughout the story?

Once you’ve answered these questions, combine them into one or two sentences:

Restless farm boy (situation) Luke Skywalker (protagonist) wants nothing more than to leave home and become a starfighter pilot, so he can live up to his mysterious father (objective). But when his aunt and uncle are murdered (disaster) after purchasing renegade droids, Luke must free the droids’ beautiful owner and discover a way to stop (conflict) the evil Empire (opponent) and its apocalyptic Death Star.

2. Roughly sketch scene ideas.

Armed with a solid premise, you can now begin sketching your ideas for this story. Write a list of everything you already know about your story. You’ll probably come to this step with a handful of scenes already in mind. Even if you have no idea how these scenes will play out in the story, go ahead and add them to the list. At this point, your primary goal is to remember and record every idea you’ve had in relation to this story.

Once you’ve finished, take a moment to review your list. Whenever you encounter an idea that raises questions, highlight it. If you don’t know why your character is fighting a duel in one scene, highlight it. If you don’t know how two scenes will connect, highlight them. If you can’t picture the setting for one of the scenes, highlight that, too. By pausing to identify possible plot holes now, you’ll be able to save yourself a ton of rewriting later on.

Your next step is to address each of the highlighted portions, one by one. Write out your ideas and let your thoughts flow without censoring yourself. Because this is the most unstructured step of your outline, this will be your best opportunity to unleash your creativity and plumb the depths of your story’s potential. Ask yourself questions on the page. Talk to yourself without worrying about punctuation or spelling.

Every time you think you’ve come up with a good idea, take a moment to ask yourself, “Will the reader expect this?” If the answer is yes, write a list of alternatives your readers won’t expect.

3. Interview your characters.

In order to craft a cast of characters that can help your plot reach its utmost potential, you’ll need to discover crucial details about them, not necessarily at the beginning of their lives but at the beginning of the story.

To do this for your protagonist, work backward from the moment in which he will become engaged in your plot (the “disaster” in your premise sentence). What events in your protagonist’s life have led him to this moment? Did something in his past cause the disaster? What events have shaped him to make him respond to the disaster in the way he does? What unresolved issues from his past can further complicate the plot’s spiral of events?

Once you have a basic idea of how your character will be invested in the main story, you can start unearthing the nitty-gritty details of his life with a character interview. You may choose to follow a preset list of questions (you can find a list of more than 100 such questions in my book Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success), or you may have better luck with a “freehand interview” in which you ask your protagonist a series of questions and allow him to answer in his own words.

For the rest, go to http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/7-steps-to-creating-a-flexible-outline-for-any-story?et_mid=682609&rid=239626420

Historical and speculative novelist K.M. Weiland writes the award-winning blog Helping Writers Become Authors (helping writersbecomeauthors.com). She is the author of Outlining Your Novel and Structuring Your Novel

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August 27, 2014 · 8:20 pm

Writing tip Wednesday: “Hero’s Adventure”

HOW TO MAP OUT YOUR HERO’S ADVENTURE IN YOUR MANUSCRIPT

Source: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-map-out-your-heros-adventure-in-your-manuscript?et_mid=688770&rid=239626420

How do the most successful authors of our time construct their stories? If you read them, and if you also read some ancient myths, you will begin to see parallels. You will feel smacked upside the head with parallels. You’ll realize that the top authors of today use storytelling techniques that writers used back when plans were being drawn up for the pyramids.

An excellent book about ancient myths is The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. The title says it all. Across cultures and generations, some variation of a hero figures into every beloved story. And the typical story is about an individual who goes on a quest or a journey. By the end, the individual becomes a hero. This is called the Hero’s Adventure.

The Hero’s Adventure is the most archetypal story of all because it’s the basis for more novels than any other kind of story. Novels of all different genres, from romances to thrillers to sci-fi, are based on the Hero’s Adventure.

So what is the Hero’s Adventure? You know it already, and you may even have elements of it in the story you’re working on. But I suspect you haven’t yet methodically and thoroughly appropriated it for yourself.

The Hero’s Adventure Basic Recipe

Joseph Campbell

Joseph Campbell

Here is a basic recipe to demonstrate how the Hero’s Adventure plays out. This is a template you can apply to your own work-in-progress—you might be surprised by how closely it matches elements you already have in play.

  1. A messenger comes. The messenger might be human, or a message might come from an experience—like a brush with death or a dream. At any rate, something has gone wrong; the natural order of the world has been disturbed.
  2. A problem is presented. Perhaps something has been taken away from the tribe, or some misfortune or malfeasance has occurred.
  3. Someone is marked out as the person to solve this problem. She is chosen according to some past deed of her parents or by her own reputation or happenstance. This person, of course, emerges as the hero at the end.
  4. A challenge takes shape. The challenge may be refused, at first. “No way, I’m not going to risk my neck for that!”
  5. A refusal, often. But eventually the hero decides to accept the challenge. She might even be forced to accept it by circumstances.
  6. The challenge is accepted. The adventure begins.
  7. The hero leaves the familiar world. And she sets off into another world. It’s dangerous. The hero could use some help, and very often …
  8. Helpers materialize. A helper might have special skills the hero doesn’t have, or he might have special insights or wisdom, in which case he takes the form of a mentor.
  9. Setbacks occur. The hero is tested, she makes gains, she endures setbacks, she fights for what is right, she resists evil. The going’s tough!
  10. The hero regroups and gains some ground again. Maybe she needs another visit to a mentor, or maybe she makes a personal breakthrough and overcomes a great inner obstacle, perhaps her own fear.
  11. The foe is vanquished or the elixir is seized. Eventually she defeats the foe or comes into possession of something that will restore the natural order—a cure, or new knowledge that will bring justice or the return of prosperity.
  12. The hero returns to the familiar world. And the problem is fixed, or justice is done. The natural order is restored.

The person who accepts the challenge and prevails is elevated to a special position, somewhere above human, somewhere below god. She is the hero.

For examples of this in literature: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-map-out-your-heros-adventure-in-your-manuscript?et_mid=688770&rid=239626420

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August 13, 2014 · 7:13 am

Writing tip Wednesday: “Two more agents to consider”

Catherine Luttinger

Catherine Luttinger

Catherine Luttinger of Darhansoff & Verrill. Catherine recently rejoined the agency and is looking for clients now. Catherine is primarily interested in science fiction and fantasy. To her, that includes anything that could even remotely be labeled as such. Viable submission material includes everything from classic space operas to the apocalypse; alternative universes, dystopias, and eco-thrillers—as well as the paranormal, horror, zombies, plagues, and time travel. She is also willing to look at historical fiction, mythology re-told, YA, thrillers and mysteries. You may also pitch her pop-science nonfiction.

Details and how to contact at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/literary-agent-spotlight-catherine-luttinger-of-darhansoff-verrill

///

Stacy Testa

Stacy Testa

Stacy Testa joined Writers House in 2011 as an assistant to senior agent Susan Ginsburg and has been actively building her own client list since 2013. Previously, she interned at Farrar, Straus & Giroux and Whimsy Literary. Stacy graduated cum laude with a BA in English from Princeton University. Follow her on Twitter: @stacy_testa.

Stacy is looking for literary fiction and upmarket commercial women’s fiction, particularly character-driven stories with an international setting, historical bent, or focus on a unique subculture. She also represents realistic young adult (no dystopian or paranormal, please!). For nonfiction, she is particularly interested in young “millennial” voices with a great sense of humor and a strong platform, startling and unique memoirs, and voice-driven narratives about little-known historical moments.

Details and how to contact at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/new-literary-agent-alert-stacy-testa-of-writers-house

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August 6, 2014 · 8:25 pm

Writing tip Wednesday: “The final selfie”

[Editor’s note: I admit that this is a bit of a stretch in terms of a writing tip. However, writing your own obituary might be you last chance to say something about yourself in the way that is uniquely you. The man below, Kevin McGroarty, did just that, and his obituary became a minor Internet event. I guess you could call it your final selfie.

You could also use the obituary “format” as a way to write obituary for the characters in your novel or short story. You could even have your character(s) write his, her, or their own obituary notice(s). So, read this and I hope you enjoy. I did. And it made me think what I might say about myself. I put together a poem, which I may post at some point.]

Link to obituary and guest book:http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timesleader/obituary.aspx?n=kevin-j-mcgroarty&pid=171858898&fhid=4786

Kevin J. McGroarty

Kevin J. McGroarty

WEST PITTSTON, PA — McGroarty Achieves Room Temperature!

Kevin J. McGroarty, 53, of West Pittston, died Tuesday, July 22, 2014, after battling a long fight with mediocracy.

Born 1960 in the Nesbitt Hospital, he was the bouncing baby boy of the late Lt. Col. Edward M. McGroarty and Helen Jane (Hudson) McGroarty, whom the New York Times should have noted as extraordinary parents.

He was baptized at St. Cecilia Church, Exeter, which later burned to the ground, attended Butler Street Elementary, which was later torn down, and middle school at 6th Street in Wyoming, now an apartment building.

He enjoyed elaborate practical jokes, over-tipping in restaurants, sushi and Marx Brother’s movies. He led a crusade to promote area midget wrestling, and in his youth was noted for his many unsanctioned daredevil stunts.

He was preceded in death by brother, Airborne Ranger Lt. Michael F. McGroarty, and many beloved pets, Chainsaw, an English Mastiff in Spring 2009, Baron, an Irish Setter in August 1982, Peter Max, a turtle, Summer 1968; along with numerous house flies and bees, but they were only acquaintances.

McGroarty leaves behind no children (that he knows of), but if he did their names would be son, “Almighty Thor” McGroarty; and daughter, “Butter Cup Patchouli.”

McGroarty was a veteran of the advertising industry since 1983. McGroarty was a pioneer in Apple computing, purchasing one of the first in the Wyoming Valley in 1985. He would like to remind his friends: “Please, don’t email me, I’m dead.”

McGroraty was a founding partner of Pyramid Advertising, and finally principal owner of award-winning Rhino Media until 2006. He was also an adjunct instructor at Luzerne County Community College, from 2005-2009.

He will be laid to rest at Mount Olivet Cemetery, section 7N. He asks to please make note of his new address. McGroarty’s headstone reads: “I’ll Be Right Back,” one of his favorite sayings. He leaves this world with few regrets, one being told in grade school, his adult life would see the Hershey candy bar rise in cost to over a dollar. He maintained given the resources and initiative, he would rally the good citizens of the Commonwealth to a revolution that would force that price to its original 35-cent market value, a dream he was not able to fulfill, by his own admission the reason: “I was distracted by many beautiful women.”

In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to please give generously to the Pennsylvania State Police Troop “P” Camp Cadet Fund.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Monday in St. Cecilia Church of St. Barbara Parish, 1700 Wyoming Ave., Exeter, following a brief rant of how the government screwed up all of the Bugs Bunny cartoons trying to censor violence. This will be presented by his attorney, Bret Zankel, Esq. Friends may call from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday in the church.

McGroarty leaves behind a thought for all to ponder, given years of gathering wisdom from different religions and deep study of the Greek philosophers: “It costs nothing to be nice” and “Never stick a steak knife in an electrical outlet.”

Arrangements by the Metcalfe-Shaver-Kopcza Funeral Home Inc., 504 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming.

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July 30, 2014 · 7:30 am

Writing tip Wednesday: “Two agents to consider”

Whitley Abell

Whitley Abell

Whitley Abell joined Inklings Literary Agency in 2013. Before joining Inklings, she completed successful internships with Carol Mann Agency and P.S. Literary Agency. She is based in St. Louis, MO, where she daylights as a production manager for several medical and S & T journals.

Whitley is primarily interested in Young Adult, Middle Grade, and select Upmarket Women’s fiction. She likes characters who are relatable yet flawed, hooks that offer new points of view and exciting adventures, vibrant settings that become active characters in their own right, and a story that sticks with the reader long after turning the last page, be it contemporary or historical, realistic or supernatural, tragic or quirky.

Details and how to contact at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/new-literary-agent-alert-whitley-abell-of-inklings-literary?et_mid=680502&rid=239626420

—

Alexander Slater

Alexander Slater

Alexander Slater graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2007. He began his career in publishing that year with the Maria Carvainis Agency, first as an intern, and then as an assistant. He has been with Trident Media Group since 2010, where he started as the assistant to both agents Kimberly Whalen and Scott Miller.

Alexander is interested in children’s, middle grade, and young adult fiction and nonfiction, from new and established authors. As he says, “I’m looking for projects that will rise above the rest…characters you’ll remember well past childhood…books that translate well to film because within them contain incredible stories, not because they’re the latest trend.” He particularly loves authors like Frank Portman, Jim Shepard, Jenny Han, and Rainbow Rowell.

Details and how to contact at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/new-literary-agent-alert-alexander-slater-of-trident-media-group?et_mid=680502&rid=239626420

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July 23, 2014 · 7:23 am

Writing tip Wednesday: “Very Short Fiction Contest”

Glimmer Train’s Very Short Fiction Award

Glimmer Train

Glimmer Train

Deadline: July 31, 2014

  • Prizes:
      1st place wins $1,500 and, of course, publication in Glimmer Train Stories.

      2nd place wins $500, or, if chosen for publication, $700.

      3rd place wins $300, or, if chosen for publication, $700.

  • Other considerations:
      Entries should not exceed 3,000 words, but any shorter lengths are welcome. (Writing Guidelines)
      Winners and finalists will be officially announced in the October 1 bulletin, and contacted directly the previous week.
      Reading fee is $15 per story. Please, no more than 3 submissions per category.
      Simultaneous submissions are okay. Please notify immediately if your submission is accepted elsewhere.

    • Details at: http://www.glimmertrainpress.com/writer/html/index2.asp

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    July 16, 2014 · 7:16 am

    Writing tip Wednesday: “Contest — ‘Still'”

    Source: http://www.stilljournal.net/contest.php

    Contest deadline is August 31, 2014.

    Contest deadline is August 31, 2014.

    The editors of Still: The Journal announce the fifth annual Writing Contests for fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. Contest entries should be in keeping with our publishing philosophy which states: “Our emphasis is on the literature of the Southern Appalachian region, and we are committed to publishing excellent writing that does not rely on clichés and stereotypes. We want to feature writing that exemplifies the many layers and complexities of the region or that is written by an author with a connection to the region.”

    Contest Rules:
    Submitted contest entries must be unpublished and should not have previously appeared in print or online in any form, including personal blogs and websites.

    Simultaneous entries are accepted as long as you let us know if your submissions will be published elsewhere before the contest ends.

    We accept ONLY electronic submissions and fee payment through Submittable.

    The contest reading fee is $9 per entry, payable through Still’s Submittable account, which can be accessed below.

    An entry is defined as:
    one short story,
    or one creative nonfiction piece,
    or three poems.

    Multiple submissions in multiple genres are acceptable as long as you pay a separate entry fee for each submission. Contest entry fees cannot be refunded under any circumstances.

    Manuscripts should be typed in a standard 12-point font and should have numbered pages. Prose must be double spaced. Poetry should be single spaced. Prose entries must not exceed 6,500 words. Poetry entries should not exceed 80 lines per poem.

    All contest entries are processed and read on a “blind” basis; therefore, your name or any other identifying information must not appear anywhere on the manuscript(s).

    Submissions should be sent as a Word document, rich text file, or PDF file only.

    Deadline is 11:59 p.m., August 31, 2014.

    Winners will be notified by September 30, 2014. Winning entries and finalists will be announced publicly in Issue #16 Fall 2014, Still: The Journal.

    All entries will be acknowledged.

    Failure to follow any of the above guidelines will result in disqualification. No entry fees can be returned.

    Inquiries or questions should be directed to contest@stilljournal.net

    Contest Prizes:
    Winners of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction receive $150 each and publication in Still: The Journal #16: Fall 2014. All other contest entries will be considered for possible publication. Previous first prize contest winners are ineligible to enter 2014 contests in the same genre but may submit to other genres.

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    July 2, 2014 · 10:31 pm

    7 Things Every Twenty-First Century Writer Needs To Do | PHOENIX Magazine

    7 Things Every Twenty-First Century Writer Needs To Do | PHOENIX Magazine.

    Writing can be a lonely business, and the fragmentation of the publishing industry can leave aspiring authors feeling unsure as to whether they’re got more or less opportunity of getting their work read than ever before.

    Last weekend’s Writing In The Digital Age conference – an event organised by leading manuscript assessment service The Literary Consultancy – was a rare opportunity for the UK’s leading publishers, editors, agents, writers and digital innovators to gather in an atmosphere of honesty and openness to swap experiences, perspectives and practical advice.

    From a blistering keynote by journalist and sci-fi author Cory Doctorow to a panel about what book reviewing means in the twenty-first century, it was a rollercoaster ride through the opportunities and challenges on offer for those of us mad enough to cobble together careers based on words.

    If you fall into that category, here are seven things you need to know.

    1. Take control of your own career.

    Whether you choose to self-publish or pursue the traditional route, it is no longer viable to shut yourself in a garret and expect the royalty cheques to come. Orna Ross, founder of The Alliance of Independent Authors, got it in one when she said that “every writer should be an indie [independent].” Define why you want to write, what sort of things you want to write, how much money you want to make, and the lifestyle you want to live while you’re doing it. Make it into a proper business plan, with a timeline, marketing strategy and KPIs. Then go out and find the tools and partners that are the best fit.

    2. Self-publish, at least once.

    Ross also insisted that even trade published writers should experiment with self-publishing at some point. It’ll give you a much better understanding of the full range of publishing services and tools out there, and will encourage you to get over the mental barrier of sharing your work. Beware of making anything public too early – you still want to thoroughly polish before you slap an ebook onto Amazon – but genre novels, specialist non-fiction, short stories and experimental formats might get more traction on niche platforms than in the traditional marketplace. You won’t learn until you start producing, and there’s real value in overcoming your ego and learning how to ‘ship.’

    Other points covered:

    3. Turn one manuscript into multiple streams of income.

    4. Think beyond books and experiment with multimedia storytelling.

    5. Get creative with funding.

    6. Don’t sacrifice editing for marketing.

    7. Never give away your DRM.

    Details at: http://www.phoenixmag.co.uk/culture/7-lessons-every-twenty-first-century-writer-needs-to-learn/

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