Writing and a Bowl of Jell-O

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

Jell-O is brain food. As a kid I had heard this not even knowing what it meant. Later in life I realized it was a joke but a joke I like to hear. I never thought I would hear it used in a way to express someone’s opinion of one’s writing ability.

A Christmas party was held in our small city and among the attendees was our small town newspaper editor, William. William was an easy target when it came to typos or any incorrect information. After all William was the only guy in town with that kind of exposure. No one else would dare step forward and put themselves on the line like that. It was much easier to do nothing, play it safe and look for reasons to ridicule the one that does. William was even made fun of for the Chinese Proverb he used as a statement of his endeavors; “It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.” In this case “the darkness” obviously represented ignorance.

At some point during the party one of our citizens had enjoyed the eggnog a bit too much and decided to strike up a conversation with the Editor. He told William that each night before he goes to bed he eats a bowl of Jell-O and reads Williams weekly newspaper. William found that interesting and asked him why. His answer was, “That way I have nothing in my stomach and nothing on my mind.”

Over the years I have thought how funny that was and how many applications it could be used in. But I also know how painful that must have been to William. The newspaper was his livelihood and, as the editor and creator of the weekly editions, his baby.

The truth is each citizen of our little city knew how important this newspaper was to our community. It brought the news of the birth, education and marriage of our children. It brought to us the news of the heroics of our school teams and the beauty of our pageants. It brought us the deaths of our family, friends and acquaintances.  I also know many times the patron delivering the joke had rushed to see his name, the name of his child, wife or his championship walking horse there in print along with a photo. He wanted his endeavors shared with the world and expected William to do the honors.

William knew they joked about him but he also knew they bought his papers and more importantly he knew why. I suppose as a writer we all feel unappreciated at times. I have thought how lucky William was to know that his work was read every night before this patron went to bed. As a writer that may be enough. 

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog. Enjoy your Jell-O.                

Writing Reviews: What Some Readers Don't Know

By T.K. McEachin

It’s no secret to those who know me personally that I am not a huge fan of the Harry Potter novels. Needless to say, if these novels or any others encourage reading in children, that alone is reason enough to admire & respect the authors. So, a few months ago, J.K. Rowling enters the adult fiction genre with her latest book, The Casual Vacancy. After reading so many of the bad reviews that were unrelated to the quality of the book itself (silly comparisons to Harry Potter, for example), I realized one thing: many readers simply do not understand the purpose of the reviewing ability many websites give them. I estimate that approximately 20-40% of reader reviews are unfair & biased (which is their right upon coughing up the cash for the book, technically). Many are useless in that they tell you nothing about the book itself. I’m one of those avid readers who will peruse dozens of reviews for a work of fiction, to aid in my buying decision. This is especially the case, when deciding whether to buy a new book that a seasoned author has written, when I didn’t care for the previous one(s). Even if I don’t like a book, I don’t always give up on an author and when reviewing, I try to find some redeeming quality to share along with the negative aspects, after all, I’m a writer as well.

In order to determine if these biased ratings on the part of some reader reviewers seems to be a trend, I analyzed the bad reviews for many well-known writers of several fictional genres and some neophyte, self-published writers on Amazon. Not that one has to write a dissertation on what they loved or disliked about any book, but so many of the reviews I saw (only looking at one and two star ratings) were a mere 1 to 3 sentences of “Why does this book cost so much?” or “This author can’t write” diatribes. Some of them were so idiotic and vicious, that I began to wonder if they were the ex-lovers or former, childhood bullying targets of the author, under the guise of a pseudonym, dishing out karmic revenge. Yes, some were that bad.

Folks, the purpose of a review is to share your assessment after reading a novel or at least after reading the free sample available for most books. Either you’re going to love or hate the book, or find yourself somewhere in between, but the review is to give honest feedback to other, potential readers. If you hate (or love) a book, be specific in describing why. Were the characters realistic, memorable or believable? The dialogue? How well did the author make use of literary techniques? Did the book use adequate, excessive or too few descriptions? Did the book contain grammatical errors? Those are the types of questions that readers should answer in a review. If you’re only going to say, “I didn’t like the book” (excuse my candor), but can you please explain why you didn’t like the book when reviewing? Otherwise, you’re wasting your time and that of potential readers like me, who rely heavily on reviews.

The other point I’ll make, is that if you’re unhappy about the price or availability of a novel (for example), the review section is not the place for those types of complaints, especially since such complaints usually come from those who have not even read the book. It’s very unfair for an author to take a ratings hit by someone who hasn’t even read their book. Those hits are even harder to withstand if you’re the struggling, self-published writer, as so many are, without the backing of a major publishing house, mainstream, professional reviews or the coveted window spot in your local bookstore. Go to the author’s website and utilize the contact information, utilize the complaint section of the bookseller website administrators or utilize the chat forum of sites like Amazon to create a topic about how Book X’s price is too high, not the review/ratings feature of websites. With that said, I’m not the ratings police officer, but after observing so many vague or unfair 1 and 2 star ratings, I thought I’d remind folks of the purpose of the ratings feature. 

To my fellow writers, I cannot wave a magic wand & make your negative ratings disappear, but given the percentages of unfair ones, learn to take some of them with a grain of salt and others to improve your writing. On another note, given the number of authors who utilize paid reviewers out there, who give 5 star ratings because, well…they are paid to do so, perhaps that brings some balance to the entire system…or karmic revenge.

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T.K. McEachin is an up & coming writer of fiction & political/cultural blogger born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She studied Biology & Philosophy at Georgia State University. She is the host of BlogTalk radio show Book Reads, where she interviews writers of fictional works and allows them share live excerpts of their works. She is very active in several local and national writing & critique groups and is an editorial writer for several political & literary sites including Herman Cain's CainTV & Black Literature Magazine. Her first novel, The Elements Book I, the first installment in an epic Fantasy series, will be released in 2013. You can learn more about Talitha at www.theelementsbooks.com  Follow Talitha on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Elements-trilogy/119397508143921 
“Most of our failures are not due to a lack of effort, but rather to a contentment with mediocrity..."
--T. K. McEachin

Speech! Speech!

by Gary Fearon, Southern Writers Creative Director

While surfing channels this weekend I came upon an exciting scene that made me stop and watch. A building was on fire, and inside the building was a hostage situation.  The show was a TV action/drama series I'd never seen before but had been meaning to check out, so I stayed with it for a while.

The fire effects were well done (no pun intended) and the tension was immediate and inescapable.  That is, until the fire chief handed his microphone to a negotiator to try to talk the captor into coming out of the inferno. The monologue that followed was unrealistic and awkward as this fellow lit into a long, slow, what-is-the-meaning-of-life soliloquy that would have put Shakespeare to sleep.

More consumed now with the fakery of the dialogue than any action on-screen, I was jarred back to my own reality, in which I soon became aware of something rather interesting: If it had been George Clooney or Anthony Hopkins uttering those same words on a movie screen, it wouldn't have seemed inappropriate at all. Up on the silver screen we're used to big, show-stopping speeches, and we accept them at face value.  Somehow a TV drama doesn't pull off bigger-than-life behavior with quite the same grace.

Which got me thinking about the limitations and liberties of the different mediums and genres we write in.  The characteristics that make each one unique have certain parameters that, when crossed too far, seem inherently unnatural.

We're all familiar with certain "message" episodes of sitcoms we remember fondly.  From Happy Days to Cosby to Rosanne to Full House, you could often see the wheels turning as an episode dealt with some social issue.  There would always be one character who was an expert on the subject and got to step up on their soapbox.  When these sitcoms didn't stick to comedy, we appreciated their attempt to make the world a better place, but it often didn't feel like the right place and time.

One of the longest-running crime dramas still in production is a great show except when one of the detectives tells another cop, "Until we get these drug traffickers off the streets for good, kids will never be safe from the 24% chance that they'll be offered their first fix before the age of 13."

Whether it's a noble effort to be applauded, or a lazy writer's way of seeming more meaningful, we can spot heavy-handed dialogue a mile away, and would do well to avoid giving our readers the same cause for complaint.  Even if we do have a point to make, the heavier the message, the more necessary it is to do it with finesse.  

Develop a talent for gracefully edifying your audience while they think they're just being entertained, and you have a chance to become one of the 2% of authors who will sell more than 500 copies in 2013.

Getting Rid of the Parts Readers Skip

By Dan Walsh

We've all done it. You’re reading a novel that’s captured your interest and, before long, you find yourself skipping several paragraphs to find “where the story picks up again.” The writer writes well. That’s not the problem. The problem is they write too much. Sprinkled throughout the interesting, exciting parts you find a lot of blah-blah-blah.

Like you, my life is pretty busy. When I get to read fiction, I do it to be refreshed and entertained. If a book has too much blah-blah-blah, I put it down for good. Guess what I don’t do after that? I don’t recommend it to others and, likely, won’t buy another book from this author. Neither of these are good things.

I’ve published 8 novels in the last 4 years, most with Revell. My novels have received hundreds of customer reviews on Amazon (most are 4-5 Stars). Perhaps the most consistent comment I get (and one of the most encouraging) is: “I couldn’t put it down.”

That’s the reaction an author wants from his/her readers, no matter what genre you write in. Readers who feel this way about your book, will tell others and buy your other books. Agents and editors will offer you more contracts.

As I look back I realize that some, if not a good deal of my success, ties back to my favorite writing quote by NY Times bestselling crime author, Elmore Leonard; “In your writing, try to leave out the parts readers skip.”

I latched onto this advice and have followed it ever since, not just when I write but especially when I edit my work. Here are 3 practical tips I’ve learned about getting rid of the parts readers skip before sending in your manuscript.

1. See Research as a Spice, not a Main Ingredient

Whether we write historical fiction or contemporary, research is a part of our writing life. We should be devoted to it if our stories are going to come across with relevance and credibility. But our tendency is to imagine that all these fascinating details will be as interesting to our readers as they are for us. It’s not true. Really, it’s not. Figure that 90% of your research will be blah-blah-blah to your readers. You spent all that time for the 10% you put into your book.

2. Descriptions? We Don’t Need No Stinking Descriptions

We are writing books for people who live today, not fifty years ago. We live in a video/visual generation. Most of our readers have watched hundreds if not thousands of movies and TV shows. Most of the words we write describing locations or what our characters look like are wasted. After a few lines our readers have already formed pictures in their heads and skip past everything else we say.

3. Resist Over-Explaining

At a social gathering, have you ever found yourself stuck in the gravitational pull of someone who talks too much? Don’t you hate that? Sadly, many writers suffer from the same malady. Not with our speech but with our pen.

Say what needs to be said well, but only once. Resist the urge to explain the same thing over and over again to your readers in different ways. It’s all just blah-blah-blah.

Learn to view the cutting room floor as your good friend. Think of it this way: the words lying there needed to be written so the better words could find their way. That’s the only thing that should wind up in our books, the better words.

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Dan Walsh is the bestselling author of several books, including; Remembering Christmas: A Novel, The Discovery and The Reunion. He has won 3 ACFW Carol Awards. Five of his books have won RT Reviews “Top Pick” rating. Two were finalists for RT’s Inspirational Book of the Year for 2011 and 2012. Dan is a member of ACFW and Word Weavers International. He lives with his wife, Cindi, in the Daytona Beach area where he’s busy researching and writing his next novel. You can reach him at http://danwalshbooks.com

The Girl with the Mismatched Gloves

By Darcy Sharp

Have you ever felt like an exchange student from Spain who went to try-outs, only to discover that your new friends call your football “soccer” and their version of football involves guys well over six-feet and wearing helmets–who come barreling down the field at you with the sole intention of squashing you like a bug? No? Well, I have.

Although, I am probably more like the clueless Spanish exchange student and the well-prepared American jock who writes fiction not political thrillers or mysteries but post-apocalyptic dystopias. This is clearly why I am a Political Science major. It might seem hard to fuse my writing passion with my career as an undergraduate since American Presidency professors do not usually take too kindly to delightful short stories about how George Washington was really fighting zombies when I am supposed to be writing on the theories behind presidential decision-making.

Trust me on this.

People seem to think that I have two hats and switch from one to the other when I am switching topics of styles of writing from technical to hey-this-is-my-story-and-a-main-character-can-have-natural-blue hair-if-I-think-it-is-needed. This is not entirely true. I do not have two different hats; in fact, I like to think that my seemingly juxtaposed skill sets actually complement each other. I picture myself as wearing two different gloves. One glove is bright and sparkly while the other is perfectly functional, but at least they are the same color. But, unlike two hats, I can wear them both at the same time.

Teachers usually assign the same topics to every class. There is not a huge chance that an individual student is going to come up with a revolutionary idea about the topic. However, using the creative part of the fiction writer’s brain, the academic can perhaps put one of those old ideas in a new light, surprising the teacher and snagging a higher grade.

In fiction writing, the work should have some somewhat logical, cohesive quality to it. It should be crafted and, even if the world in an entirely new one, everything that happens should make sense in the context of that world. Example, yes, you can have blue hair, but is that supposed to draw attention or not? If the answer is no, then why not? Whether you are creating your own planet, or writing a short story about a bakeshop in Savannah, you had better make sure you do your research. Nothing teaches you research skills like a grade resting on a 20-page, inorganic term paper.

It might seem like strange advice, but go and buy an old English textbook. Flip to a random end-of-chapter assignment and do it. Do more than one. They might just help your writing. Or convince you to never become a lawyer. Either way, I helped you out.

I wonder if I could turn this into a thesis.

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Darcy Sharp lives in a small Tennessee town and attends University of Memphis, where she majors in Political Science and minors in Criminal Justice/Criminology, Legal Thought/ Liberal Arts, and Theater. Between high school and college she worked as a Paralegal Assistant. She currently serves as the Chief Justice of Student Government Association and the Co-Secretary General for the Model United Nations Organization on campus.  Her current writing project is a post-apocalyptic novel as well as a mystery or two in short story format for a plan anthology book.

Marilyn Monroe Dialogue

By Annette Cole Mastron, Communications Director for Southern Writers 

This week in 1962, Marilyn Monroe died at the age of 36. I recently watched the new HBO documentary, "Love, Marilyn" and was struck by how little I knew about Marilyn. It is a unique insight based on the boxes of Monroe’s own writings that were discovered just a few years ago. Marilyn was also an avid reader and read the textbook, "The Thinking Body," by Mabel Elsworth Todd. Based on this book, she developed her signature "Marilyn Monroe" walk.

My favorite role of Marilyn Monroe is her breakout 1953 film noir movie, "Niagara," in the role of Rose Loomis opposite Joseph Cotton, who stars as her husband, George Loomis.

My attraction to this movie is two-fold. I love a mystery especially when it unfolds quickly and maintains a number of twists and turns. The movie has a beautiful setting at Niagara Falls hence the name, "Niagara." Rose Loomis appears supportive concerned wife of a WWII veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder. As every mystery fan knows, looks can be deceiving. A honeymoon couple staying at the Rainbow Cabins gets wrapped up in the Loomis couple's problems, and of course, a murder occurs. 

Dialogue in "Niagara" is the perfect balance of sass and spunk with some memorable lines. The screenwriters were Charles William Brackett; who also wrote Sunset Boulevard, Richard L. Breen, who also wrote the 1953 "Titanic," and Walter Reisch, who also wrote "Gaslight." These men knew how to write snappy stylish believable dialogue.  

Here are a few of my favorite movie quotes from "Niagara:"

[First movie line, voiceover as we watch him at the base of the Falls]
George Loomis: Why should the Falls drag me down here at 5 o'clock in the morning? To show me how big they are and how small I am? To remind me they can get along without any help? All right, so they've proved it. But why not? They've had ten thousand years to get independent. What's so wonderful about that? I suppose I could too, only it might take a little more time.

And
[Upon seeing Rose Loomis in a low-cut, tight-fitting fuchsia pink dress]
Ray Cutler: Hey, get out the firehose! Why don't you ever get a dress like that?
Polly Cutler: Listen. For a dress like that, you've got to start laying plans when you're about thirteen.

And
George Loomis: Parading around showing herself off in that dress. Cut down so low in the front you could see her kneecaps. 
Polly Cutler: Stunning. 
Geroge Loomis: Would you wear it?
Polly Cutler: I'm not the kneecap type. She's a pretty girl why hide it?

And  
George Loomis: Let me tell you something. You're young, you're in love. Well, I'll give you a warning. Don't let it get out of hand, like those falls out there. Up above... d'you ever see the river up above the falls? It's calm, and easy, and you throw in a log, it just floats around. Let it move a little further down and it gets going faster, hits some rocks, and... in a minute it's in the lower rapids, and... nothing in the world - including God himself, I suppose - can keep it from going over the edge. It just goes.
Polly Cutler: Don't worry. I'm one of those logs that just hang around in the calm.

When you have trouble crafting believable dialogue, flip on a movie with quick smart dialogue. It will help bring dialogue to your pages and authenticity to your characters, while moving your story forward. 

As your female character walks away from her love interest, just think of your character's repartee and describe the way your character walked away. Remember Marilyn Monroe's walk in "Niagara" attempting to walk across the borders of the United States and Canada. 

Sashay on!

Gotham City or New York?

By Regina Jennings

We love to immerse ourselves in the rich setting of a novel, but for the story to work the location must feel real, whether it is or not. Knowing that the book is set in an actual location adds authenticity, but if you decide to place your novel in a real city, what are the limitations? What are the advantages?

If you decide to create a fictional town you are free to manufacture history. Although constrained by national and world-wide events like wars, plagues and elections you can create sweeping consequences for your protagonists and their neighbors. If you stay with a true site, not only must you consider the nationally known events, but also natural disasters, crime sprees, workers’ strikes and local advancements (electricity, suffrage, railroads, etc.). While these details can limit your story, they can also provide convincing motivations and conflicts. Was there a local outlaw? Was the local lord a scoundrel? Is this region famous for a certain product? Crop? Music? Choosing a town or city helps you narrow your research.

Another benefit to using an established location is that you don’t need to invent street names and businesses. Maps and newspaper advertisements will tell you much about the commerce and the people who live (or lived) in that neighborhood.

As far as marketing goes, a well-known location helps readers relate to your story. They’ll have expectations and possibly memories that will add to their interest in your book. If you choose a smaller town, the locals (and in my experience, even people from adjacent counties) will promote the book. People are eager to see how their community is portrayed.

My first two books, Sixty Acres and a Bride and Love in the Balance, are set in real towns in Caldwell County, Texas. The local history adds to the story and I’ve had several influencers from the area assist with research and publicity. My third book Caught in the Middle is also in the series, but because the plot involves railroad corruption, I didn't want to use an actual town. There’s only one railroad through there and it’s a matter of public record where it ran—and still runs. In order to have flexibility with the plot, I created a fictional town on down the tracks.

Regardless of whether you use a true location or create one of your own, you’ll want a rich, memorable setting. Readers love to feel like they’ve been there, even if your community only exists between the pages of your story.

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Regina Jennings is the author of Love in the Balance and Sixty Acres and a Bride. She is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City with her husband and four children.

Regina can be found surrounded by laundry or at any of these places online–

Website – www.reginajennings.com 

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/ReginaLJennings

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ReginaJennings

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/Regina_Jennings

Selling Books...What If?

By Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief for Southern Writers Magazine

You've got a large broadcasting company and a large cable company unable to come to terms on fees to be paid and the cable company goes black on those channels for a short period of time, customers can’t see their shows…then the cable company puts the shows back on. Possibly to prove a point? I would imagine the broadcasting company got the message since negotiations have resumed as of this writing.

It got me to thinking– what would happen if publishers and bookstores were at odds over how much money is charged and the bookstores decided not to carry that publishers books. What would happen to the authors published by those publishing companies? That means no author whose book was published by that company would be carried in some bookstores.

In today’s arena, it is imperative that authors have many avenues designated to sell their books. Authors need to be in bookstores but they also need their books in other places they can refer the readers.  Perhaps authors should have their book for sale on their own website or at least be prepared to add it there should the need arise. Many authors don’t want to get involved with the day-to-day selling, and I can understand that, but sometimes it is necessary.

That is one reason we designed our bookstores. For our guest posters on SWM's blog, Suite T, we are in the middle of updating our bookstore. What that means, is everyone who guest post on Suite T will have his or her name mentioned in the Suite T Store. People can go there, click on your name, and it will take them to your books.  We also have the bookstore for every author that is in our magazine. Then the third bookstore, is for up and coming. We are working every day to get the names of authors in those stores.

If you don’t see your name in Suite T’s bookstore, please let us know. You can  staff@southernwritersmag.com and give them your author’s name and the name of your current book. We will take it from there. We will then give you a button to put on your website/blog so people will have another place to come to buy your books.

The more places people see your name the more books you will sell.

In your FACE – BOOK!

By Elaine Raco Chase

Hum the ominous "Dum - - - de - DUM - DUM" (Dragnet March) as you read the opening.
     Ladies and gentlemen – the story you are about to read is true. The names and facts have not been changed because she is innocent.

     This is the city – Facebook.

     Every 24 hours a little bit of everything happens – over 1 billion people use it each month.

     Some of it is public. Some of it is personal. Success. Failure. It's all there.
     I work and promote here.  I'm a writer.

     It was late Friday, January 25^{th -} it was sultry in cyberspace.  I was promoting my romance novel, Best Laid Plans, which was going to be free for the weekend. 

     My partner – hmmm…I didn't have a partner. 

     My boss...hmmm…I'm the boss. 

     My name is – Elaine Raco Chase

     The crime – an author (me!) had been run down, banned by Facebook.  Seriously injuring her attempts to make sure her free novel was known to all. 

     The perp: unknown. Reported postings as spam.

     No way to find the perp – but suspect it was a "troll."

     The final outcome – read below!

While every author I know dreams of being "banned in Boston" – that always equals a number one spot on every bestseller list – being "banned on Facebook" is more nightmare than anything. Both indie and traditional published authors need to connect with readers. Ebooks are – invisible.  They take up no shelf space. They can't be held unless they are in an eReader.

And we authors need to get them into eReaders.

I did what thousands of other authors have done, are doing, are thinking of doing – I joined numerous Facebook groups and pages that want, no, beg for authors to post their books/links on the site. Especially if those eBooks are free. I made a variety of fun postings for Best Laid Plans, with the Amazon link for US/UK, and posted away. 

Did I over post?  I didn't think so…I was following other authors who were posting as well.  I took breaks, revised posts, and again followed other authors through the groups/pages.
 

Then – it happened. My computer screen went totally: white! Not the traditional blue screen of death but WHITE.  

I blinked at it.

It blinked at me. Then a blue banner popped up that read: your post has been reported as spam – you have been blocked for two days. If you try to post we will delete you from Facebook.

Delete me from Facebook! Wait a minute, I yelled to the white screen, Facebook is a public company. Where's Freedom of Speech? Where are my rights?  

I have none. Neither does anyone else.

Facebook has done some interesting things…they now want you to pay to promote…there's a little link that pops up. I chose to ignore that.

Anyone can tag your post as a "spam" – and that sends a message to FB police department.  The same person can tag your post as "spam" over and over again.  Then the Dragnet hits. You may get a pink tag that states: you are posting too fast. You may get the direct "banned from posting" notices, like I did.

So what's an author to do?

I haven't stopped posting. I have done just a few in the morning, then a few more later in the day. So far, so good. I try keeping the postings fresh and post about different eBooks/audiobooks – but it is hard when you have a free book and want to get the message out.

I've enlisted a "street team" to help…those are fans/readers who actually volunteered to post on Best Laid Plans that weekend.  One person got a pink slip for re-posting my post. I've heard from over 20 authors who were also banned/threatened by Facebook when they, too, posted on their books. And their postings were tagged: spam!

A common promotion tool – the Facebook Blog Tour – was shut down by FB. Why? Because an author who waited too late to join got angry, and reported the blog tour postings as "spam" – and the entire tour was shut down. 

Be careful out there in Facebook land. If you're an author, vary your promos for time and content.  If you are lucky enough to have a street team make sure they know the ever-changing rules. 

As for the FB promote here link – I'll leave that to you. It may work better but factor in the cost.

Well I'm off to promote….but will walk a fine line!

Oh, how did my free book do?  #10 in contemporary romance; #20 in all free Kindle books. Nearly 10,000 downloads. 

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Elaine Raco Chase is the award-winning author of seventeen paperback novels with over 3 million books in print. She is published in 25 countries and 15 languages. Was past President of Sisters in Crime International, a charter member of Romance Writers of America.
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