Tag: writing tips

Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 6/13/14

WALK THIS WAY

Are you ready to PUBLISH?  Maybe close to being ready?  Knees knocking at the thought of sending out query letters to publishers or trying to find the right literary agent?  As ancient outrigger pirates and outerspace starship captains are known to shout, “Belay THAT!”

Don’t you just love the word belay?  It is one of those transitive/intransitive verbs that allow writers some creative latitude without totally making up our own definitions.  SO, using the intransitive imperative form, I say, BELAY (stop/quit) focusing on your publishing fears!  And, using the transitive form, I will add, BELAY!  MAKE FAST (secure) your authorship plans with the goal of self-publishing!

At this very moment I have three clients—yes THREE—who are approaching the moment of being a published author through the avenue of self-publishing.  One client (and I) have just completed her manuscript and submitted it to her TEAM of professionals for the finishing stages of this marvelous process.  It is quite comforting to know that you (the author) have your own crew of talented and creative assistants who will help you navigate this brief voyage and make sure you and your book reach the shore with ease.

Over the last ten years or so I have queried, spoken with and worked with several self-publishing representatives in this growing industry which most folks are now calling the Print-on-Demand Publishing industry.  They all have a vision toward the future that utilizes current printing technology at its peak performance while incorporating the professional skills and abilities of real people.  I cannot explain how the technology works so I’ll let you research that for yourself.  Wikipedia is always a good place to start.  However, I can offer my opinion on why this industry is thriving.

First: As our world population grows—so grows the number of creatively inspired writers in all genres.  This self-publishing industry is FILLING A NEED—offering the opportunity of publication to everyone.

Second: In the past, authors were forced to march-to-the-drum of the big publishing houses—and their editors.  If a creatively addressed topic was sent to such a publisher and they actually considered printing it, their editorial process could (and often did) strip the heart right out of the original manuscript.  However, the author had signed the editing agreement and learned to promote the book “as published.”  Of course, other exciting manuscripts were “rejected” and never saw the light of day.

Third: Today, what was once called (disparagingly) “vanity press publishing,” is now Print-on-Demand Self-Publishing and a highly recognized and established business.  The entrepreneurs of a generation ago picked up their dreams and developed what many are calling “a truly legitimate power to be reckoned with;” “an explosive and exciting arm of publishing” that will impact the publishing industry in positive ways for generations to come.

MORE on this next-time…

Thanks for reading, writing and encouraging every fellow author you meet.

Royalene ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene Doyle is a Ghostwriter with Outskirts Press, bringing more than 35 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their writing projects. She has worked with both experienced and fledgling writers helping complete projects in multiple genres. When a writer brings the passion they have for their work and combines it with Royalene’s passion to see the finished project in print, books are published and the writer’s legacy is passed forward.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 6/06/14

TRIGGER WORDS-3

HOPE

This little mini-series about trigger words will pause with this third word: hope.  On the surface, many writers might overlook this four letter word, considering the concept it embodies to be passive—an ingredient that leaves little (or no) flavor in an excellent piece of writing.  However, I ask you to take another look at the word; open your writer’s imagination and consider the following points.

For the writer who wants to dig deep into their characters and the situations they are being placed into, the depth of definition behind this word, HOPE, can take you millions of miles.  As found in our dictionaries, this noun can also be used as a verb.  I’m not suggesting that the word (hope) itself be overused; however, its multi-level meanings have the potential to build deeply impactful characters, scenes and scenarios.

Hope embodies all of the emotional spectrums; it can become the antonym to any negative emotion.

When something your character has dreamed about for their entire lives seems totally out of the realm of possibility—the feeling of hope can reside within allowing the author to dig a very deep hole of despair until just the right moment.  Then—success!

If a character is ill, or physically challenged, there resides within the human spirit a hope DNA (if you can imagine that), that many in the medical profession today have come to accept and actually rely on as part of treatment plans.  Raising expectations increases physical ability—as witnessed during extreme conditions when one character is trapped under a huge boulder and “the hero” is able to move it.  Knowing this is actually possible “in real life” gives authors lots of examples to draw from.

Are you developing one of your characters with a total lack of trust—in anything?  Again, that hope DNA can be a big factor is creating a surprise ending that will not only shock the reader, but that will also be very satisfying.

You’ve heard the idiom: We’re hoping-against-hope for a change in this situation.  THAT is where your readers live.  If you’ve done your job well, and created real people, then your readers will love and hate them—and “hope-against-hope” for the best outcome by the time they reach the last page of your book.

And—just in case you think I’m speaking only to fiction authors—I am not.  Non-fiction writers who tell the true stories of life must consider these aspects of hope so that the real people they’re writing about can touch the lives of every reader.  HOPE allows us all to look forward—with reasonable expectations and confidence—to a good (even better) outcome than what we’ve faced within any particular circumstance.

In my ghostwriting and editing efforts I can emphatically state that EVERY project I’ve helped develop carries a strong thread of hope.  My work with the self-publishing industry also demonstrates that hope is the backbone of the majority of books being published today.  From my perspective hope is the connecting rope that ties writer and reader together.  So it is that I hope more writers will look forward—move forward—and get their works published TODAY!

Royalene ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene Doyle is a Ghostwriter with Outskirts Press, bringing more than 35 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their writing projects. She has worked with both experienced and fledgling writers helping complete projects in multiple genres. When a writer brings the passion they have for their work and combines it with Royalene’s passion to see the finished project in print, books are published and the writer’s legacy is passed forward.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 5/30/14

More TRIGGER WORDS

FIRE!

When that word is screamed into the night (or day), everyone pays attention!  I made it all the way into my mid-50s before I was awakened by it: FIRE!  GET OUT!  FIRE!  Four of our neighbors lost their homes and most of everything in them—but no lives lost!  In my writing years since then, I’ve done a little exploring about that specific trigger word, and a few of the emotional responses it brings to people, such as…

Panic—the adrenalin starts pumping, the heart races and the fight-or-flight instinct prepares muscles to RUN!

Fright—prior knowledge of experiences with fire come into play as a person moves into action.

Tears (and laughter)—high octane energy creates very different reactions in people; some will scream as tears build and flow; others will emit what sounds like laughter as they escape the flames and discover that their loved ones are safe.

Each emotion creates actions and re-actions that force a person—the character in your novel—to move across the pages of your story.  The equation I teach about in advanced writing classes looks like this: Trigger Event + Emotional Response = Identity connection between writer and reader.  When we use the powerful tool of emotion, we must take great care, especially as we select the trigger words that will tap into the reader/writer connection.

There is really no way to avoid tapping in to our own emotions when building our stories and developing our characters—which is a good thing.  However, it is also our job to slip into a character’s situation—a character who is very different than we are—and guess-ti-mate what they might be FEELING.  This will allow the characters to interact, creating reactions to specific actions (or non-actions).  If the emotion is REAL, then this tool is used appropriately and can be very effective.  If the emotion is overly sentimentalized or false, this tool is abused.

Of all the techniques of story writing, building the skill of using emotion appropriately is (in my opinion) the core element.  There are as many mixtures of emotion as there are people on this planet (not to mention all the other planets “out there”).  Emotion is the amazing characteristic of the human condition that will either make or break a novel—or movie.  Most of you have probably heard of the movie reviewer, Roger Ebert.  The following is a quote of his—a very astute observation of the use of emotions in character development:

“Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you.”

There it is—the element of truth in storytelling.  I’ll leave that topic for another day.  For today, I will add one more thought.  If you are in the midst of writing your book—whether fiction/novel or nonfiction—and have lost touch with one of your characters, maybe someone in my field of ghostwriting can help.  The self-publishing industry is an excellent resource for finding whatever assistance you need.  DON’T GIVE UP!  The story you’re writing needs to be told!

Royalene ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene Doyle is a Ghostwriter with Outskirts Press, bringing more than 35 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their writing projects. She has worked with both experienced and fledgling writers helping complete projects in multiple genres. When a writer brings the passion they have for their work and combines it with Royalene’s passion to see the finished project in print, books are published and the writer’s legacy is passed forward.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 5/23/14

TRIGGER WORDS

We all see and hear them every day; those words and phrases meant to snatch our attention from whatever we’re doing and make us “listen up” to what is being sold to us.  Quite frankly, I often feel abused by the PR-tricksters who do their jobs so well that I get caught up in actually believing the so-called-facts about a new product, a “breaking news event” or the perfect politician (really?).  HOWEVER, the astute writer can take a lesson from these folks and learn a few things about communicating.  Let’s take look at some of their strategies.

EVOKE POSITIVE EMOTION:  When emotions run high and the adrenalin is pumping sharp impressions can be made in the human mind.

Words such as: Faith, Hope and Love not only trigger an intimate connection between readers and your characters, they also express deeper spiritual links.  However, mix those three words with other “triggers,” and the emotional impact can run in multiple directions.  These added words might be Vibrant, Energize, Destiny, Empower or Overcome.

EVOKE NEGATIVE EMOTION:  Some PR folks follow the path of making people mad, slicing open emotional injuries in order to turn people away from one product (story or person) and “herding” them in the direction of their client.  (Over the years, I’ve learned to filter most of this type of PR by doing my own research on the topic, so those ads rarely impact me anymore.)

Developing the characters in your novel (or true story) by using words such as Arrogant, Hateful, Cruel, Selfish and Unscrupulous will provide a clear foundation.

MIX THEM UP:  Mixing the main positive and negative concepts with unexpected words is really where writers can heighten character development.  Readers may identify with an empowered person of faith; they probably know a destiny-driven, unscrupulous person of questionable “faith.”

Back in 2009, a blogger by the name of Brian Clark (who happens to appreciate Mark Twain’s writing skills as I do) gave a list of words that will amplify a reader’s attention in any genre.  Read them one-by-one and allow yourself to feel the meanings; feel the depth of these words: Jubilant…Blissful…Conspiracy…Avenge…Reclaim…Vindicate…Surrender…Helpless… Burned….

Author, translator, Bible scholar J.B.Phillips sums up my recent thoughts about words, nicely.  “If words are to enter men’s minds and bear fruit, they must be the right words shaped cunningly to pass men’s defenses and explode silently and effectually within their minds.”

As you, the author/writer/creative designer, continue to enjoy your writing journey, I look forward to seeing your work self-published, not waiting upon a mainstream house to offer their hand.  Most of the writers I know today are producing books that need to be in the hands of readers, NOW.  If you write it and release it, your efforts will make a difference.  What else can we ask for?

Royalene ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene Doyle is a Ghostwriter with Outskirts Press, bringing more than 35 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their writing projects. She has worked with both experienced and fledgling writers helping complete projects in multiple genres. When a writer brings the passion they have for their work and combines it with Royalene’s passion to see the finished project in print, books are published and the writer’s legacy is passed forward.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Friday Conversations With A Self-Publishing Writer 5/16/14

BET THAT OLD TREE COULD TELL A FEW TALES

When working with a neighbor recently, trying to find a different way to write his memoirs, we sat in his comfortable dining room with old photos and memorabilia laid out in front of us.  I brought the coffee that day and the pause in our conversation gave us both a moment to think.  Then he said the most amazing thing:  “I bet that old tree out there could write this book better than I can.”  The fact that he just stated simmered in me for a minute or two; then I turned the page of my yellow tablet and we began again.

Did you plant that tree, or was it already here when you moved in?  “Oh, I planted it the very same week we finished unpacking.  That was 56 years ago.”  And so we began, the memorable pieces of his life following the growth rings of that that old tree.  “The Tree Nursery people told me it was a fast growing, hardy tree,” he continued.  “Just two years into its growth—the year our first child was born—there was a very heavy, wet, deep snow storm.  The branches were just leafing out, so the snow weighed them down; seemed like every time I changed a diaper, I also ran outside to knock the snow off that tree.  It had to be protected, too.”

EVERY individual has a unique and wonderful story to tell, and finding the right platform (the right storyline) to help them develop it is an important part of a ghostwriter’s job.  Here are a few of the useful “hooks,” I’ve found over the years.

  • “Mom! What’s for lunch?” If the memoir writer has mentioned different restaurants or types of food multiple times during your conversations, consider triggering his “life’s memories” by the meals he enjoyed: family gatherings (turkey and gravy), birthdays (chocolate cake with extra frosting), special snacks after school (cookies and milk).
  • “I just got a new IPad! Isn’t it great!” This memoir writer is technologically savvy. That tells me there is a tech-history in her life. Asking about the first radio she had, or the first TV she watched is fertile territory for triggering life-memories around each of those inventions, and so grows the story.
  • “Is that an autographed photo of President Regan?” If your ghostwriting client has a lot of photos displayed, look for a hidden theme. Of course, you’ll see the obvious family photos—those cherished family members are the reason this lady wants to write her memoirs. However, if there are several patriotic photos in plain view, talking about those can open some surprising doors.
  • “Where did all those blue ribbons come from?” Ah, this person holds a whole lot of memories about how those ribbons were won. The process of winning them didn’t just happen. The people, places, events surrounding each one will bring out an excellent framework for building this unique person’s life story.

There is great joy in working with folks who want to share their memories and pass their unique legacy forward.  THEN, when all the stories are in place, there is a special joy in seeing it IN PRINT.  I always share my experiences of self-publishing with my clients.  Even if they want only a few books (for children, grandchildren, great grandchildren), the print-on-demand self-publishing arena is a wonderful opportunity to have their memoirs printed in a beautiful format that becomes a treasured keepsake.  So it is that I encourage everyone:  “Don’t just think about writing your memoir, DO IT!”

Royalene ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene Doyle is a Ghostwriter with Outskirts Press, bringing more than 35 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their writing projects. She has worked with both experienced and fledgling writers helping complete projects in multiple genres. When a writer brings the passion they have for their work and combines it with Royalene’s passion to see the finished project in print, books are published and the writer’s legacy is passed forward.