by Eldred Bird

I write a lot of different kinds of short stories and flash fiction, but when it comes to novels, I’ve pretty much kept my train on the adventure/mystery track. It’s my comfort zone and the place I run to for longer works.

But I’m stepping out of my comfort zone with my latest work in progress. I’m taking on the challenge of a new-to-me genre.

When I say new-to-me, I don’t mean as a reader, but as a writer. I’ve read plenty of fantasies over the years and am currently reading a wonderful series by Northern Ireland author Stephen Black. As I eagerly await his third book (in edits as we speak), I figured it might be a good time to try my hand at the genre as well.

It has been a tremendous learning experience already.

4 Key Pieces of Advice

1. When switching genres, do your research. Find authors who share your target audience.
2. Read, read, read…then read some more. Don’t just read the stories—read between the lines.
3. Pay attention to things like description and pacing.
4. Get a real feel for the genre and then get to work.

Let’s share the experience of genre switching together.

Further reading: James Preston’s recent post here at WITS (that helped inspire this one!) – Switching Gears in Your Writing.

Genres and Sub-genres

When I set off on this new writing journey, the seed of a story was already germinating in the fertile folds of my gray-matter. I knew it fell somewhere on the spectrum of fantasy, but the question was where?

Knowing the sub-genre helps define the target audience and what they expect from a story. Sure, I could just start writing and figure out where it fits later, but the more I write, the more I find having a target keeps me from wandering too far and losing both my own and the reader’s interest.

I was surprised to find out just how many sub-genres fall under the fantasy banner. Wikipedia had no less than 53 different fantasy categories listed, and I managed to turn up at least two dozen more through other sources.

After rooting through the pile, I determined the details of my story best fell into the realms of Crossworlds Fantasy and Low Fantasy, with a taste of Thriller as well.

Target acquired, now on to the next step.

World Building

My stories generally take place in the “real” world in contemporary times. Making the move to fantasy requires a shift in thinking about the story setting.

• Where will the story physically take place?
• What are the physical laws of the location?
• What are the inhabitants like?
• How do my characters get there?
• How do they get back?

And most importantly, how do I work in all these details without resorting to the dreaded data-dump?

My world doesn’t involve magic, so no need to develop that system, but the story does have its own quirks. Staying consistent required me to build a “Rules of the World” document, something I’ve never done before. I broke the sheet up into three main areas: physical location, inhabitants, and laws of physics.

As I create new details other categories will surely follow.

Further reading: Alex Bledsoe had some great tips about fantasy world building in this post: 5 Practical Tips for World Building.

Your Cast of Characters

I’ve been told creating characters is one of my strengths as a writer. By the time I have a rough idea for a main character, they’ve already begun to speak and tell me who they are. When fully developed, these characters  take up residence in my head and help me write their story. Often, the secondary characters step out of the shadows and introduce themselves when needed. And the villains…well, the villains are a little different.

As I’ve said before, I usually write mysteries. In a mystery, it’s all about following the sleuth as they work to uncover the true villain. That villain may not be revealed until near the end of the story. When I write a mystery, I don’t usually know who the true culprit is until my main character does (I like to surprise myself).

Jumping into this new genre requires a different approach. I needed a different kind of villain. Plus I must reveal them much earlier.

Angela Ackerman’s post, Does Your Villain Have Well-Developed Motivations, helped with this one.

One of the big drivers for any villain is motivation. Why do they do the awful things they do? Some feel wronged and others abused. Some of the most memorable villains see themselves as the hero in their own story.

For my tale, I needed to develop a villain who saw himself as benevolent, but better than the common man. He also needed to be charismatic, inspiring followers to see him in the same light he sees himself.

Plot

This is always bug, but even more important when delving into a new genre. My best advice is do your research and read popular books in that genre.

Genre readers generally have specific expectations and if you’re not meeting them they will knock stars off your reviews in a heartbeat (if they bother to review at all). But don’t just read the bestsellers. Look for those hidden gems from new and independent authors who have collected a significant number of four-star and five-star reviews. Odds are they’ve done something to push the genre’s boundaries without going far enough over the line to lose the reader’s interest.

Voice and Point of View

Often different voice is needed for different genres. One way to accomplish this is through shifting point of view.

I normally write in third person-close POV, but I wanted something different this time—something that would stand out. I’ve seen a shifting POV used successfully and plan to give it a go. The shift will force me to adjust my voice to fit the different POVs.

I decided to use both close third POV and first person. When my MC is in the real world, I will use third person. The fantasy setting will be in first person.

This accomplishes a couple of things. First, the reader will always know which realm they are in simply by the POV, eliminating a possible point of confusion. Second, going into third person for the normal world will allow me to tell the aspects of the story the protagonist is not privy to. In the fantasy realm, I want the reader to share the experience with the main character.

Some Final Thoughts

This experience of stepping out of my comfort zone into unexplored territory is not only giving me a new perspective on writing, but a new energy as well. I look forward to the adventure that lies before me!

Do you write multiple genres? What advice would you give someone who is considering it? Please share it with us in the comments below.

About Eldred

by Barbara Linn Probst

I hate social media. It’s an addictive rabbit-hole.

I just don’t have time. Social media takes away from my precious writing time.

I’m no good at creating those visuals and posts.

I’ve heard many authors—myself included—express our frustration and dismay at the expectation that we will not only produce wonderful books, but also carry out what amounts to a second full-time job as our own marketing team. Most of us don’t mind holding events, whether live or virtual, where we get to engage with readers. Nor do we mind interviews, written or recorded, where we can talk about our books and our writing process. But what so many of us do hate is the seemingly bottomless pit of social media engagement.

Facebook, with all those reader and writer groups. Instagram. Twitter. Pinterest.

“Likes” and “follows.” Comments and messages and shares.

Wouldn’t it be great if someone else could do all this for us?

Someone else can—for a price, and with a few caveats. Whether they call themselves virtual assistants, social media consultants, or author assistants, there are people who will manage your social media for you.

What a social media assistant is (and isn't)

Unlike publicists, who seek media coverage on your behalf, or direct marketers, whom you pay to advertise your book on their sites, a virtual assistant takes over tasks that you could, if you wanted, do yourself or learn how to do yourself. They may do it more attractively, strategically, or frequently—but they have no special credentials like the high-level media connections of a good publicist or special access to important gatekeepers. What you’re buying, in effect, is time—and the freedom to use that time in other ways.

The questions are: How much is that time worth to you, and are there other benefits, besides freeing up your time, that a virtual assistant can offer?

My initial research on this topic

I decided to investigate these questions when I thought about how I wanted to launch my second book, coming in April. My debut (April 2020) had a great launch despite the onset of the pandemic, but I wanted to expand my thinking to consider what I did not do—or didn’t do very well.

The obvious gap, for me, was in the realm of social media. Like many others in my cohort, I didn’t grow up with social media and secretly wished I didn’t have to use it. Being both naïve and overly-aggressive (a bad combination), I made some mistakes the first time around that I still regret. For example, having misunderstood the absolute meaning of “no self-promotion,” I am now banned forever from two of the biggest reader groups on Facebook.

I’ve learned a few things since Queen of the Owls made its way into the world. I now understand that social media is a long game, not a quick grab. It’s about the slow, steady development of connection and engagement. Like all relationships, it takes time and commitment. You have to show up every day, not just on birthdays and anniversaries. And that means a serious investment of energy.

Not everyone wants to do that. After all, there’s no end to what we, as authors, might do to reach out to readers! Another thing I’ve learned is that no one can, or should, do everything. I advise those who ask me: “Just do the stuff that’s fun for you, and outsource—or forget—the rest of it.”

And there’s the heart of the matter: what should we do ourselves, what should we jettison, and what should we outsource?

Hiring Some Help

Sometimes the answer is clear. If you want to pitch to the book review editor at The New York Times, you need a professional publicist to do so on your behalf—and even then, there’s no guarantee. Many authors I know are unhappy at what they now consider to be a poor “return on investment” after hiring a publicist at a cost of anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000. They’re wondering if there isn’t a middle ground between spending that kind of money, which most don’t have, and doing it all yourself.

A virtual assistant—someone who can manage author promotion on social media—can seem like an attractive option.  At a cost far below that of a publicist, with a direct appeal to readers that can actually be tracked, social media assistance is a rapidly-growing alternative.

And for those of us, like me, who do have a publicist, a social media assistant can—maybe—take over an important piece of the book promotion that publicists don’t do and that many of us authors don’t do very well.

More research through my network

I decided to look into it. I asked—on social media, of course!—if fellow authors had anyone they recommended. Their responses, including some who recommended themselves, led me on various paths, and I ended up speaking with seven people who offer social media assistance. Some focused specifically on authors; some did not. Most, though not all, required a three-month commitment; prices ranged from $300/month to $1300/month.

I also spoke with two people who offer “social media coaching”—with far higher price tags—but am not including them here because that service is quite different; nor am I including the many webinars and workshops that are available, for free or at minimal cost, to teach authors how to enhance their own social media skills. I didn’t want someone to coach me on fishing techniques; I wanted to hire a fisherman.

I encountered a number of models—different ways of working, with different price tags and different strengths and drawbacks.  I ended up selecting someone who seemed to be the best fit for my needs and style. While she hadn’t worked with authors, specifically, she was creative and flexible, which were two priorities for me.  I didn’t want someone with an expensive prix fixe package who required a three-month minimum commitment, as many did. I wanted to be able to explore and ramp up slowly, which this VA allows me to do.

So far, it seems to be working well. I come up with the concepts and she executes them—a division of labor that’s letting me keep to a reasonable budget, since she charges by the hour. On the other hand, there are possibilities I’m electing to forgo, such as analytics, story reels, optimization strategies, and so on—on the premise that no one can do, or cover, everything. For now, I’m simply outsourcing the creative part, which requires skills that would take me too long to learn to do well. If you’re curious about what she’s done for me, you can see some of her animated and musical posts on my Instagram wall, which I often repost on Facebook as well.  (Note: I also post on my own sometimes, and only use her to create posts that I couldn’t do myself.)

Considerations for your decision

How you decide to approach this question will depend on your goals, budget, the demographic you want to reach, and your personal style. What’s best for me might not be best for you, so here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Do you want to turn over your entire social media presence to someone else, or do you want to be an active partner in developing the content of the posts? Are you looking to outsource entirely or to collaborate? Will you be adding personal posts, as well?
• Do you want to do your own captions and commenting, or do you want someone else to learn how to represent you and comment as if they were you? Are you looking for someone you can trust to be your voice?
• Which platforms, and how many platforms do you want to engage on? What is your target audience of readers, and where do they tend to hang out?
• What sort of frequency are you looking for in your posts? Do you want to include stories, links to video or audio, questions for discussion, follow trains?
• How important are ongoing analytics to you? Do you need to have quantified data on a regular basis? If so, how do you plan to use that data?
• What other marketing strategies do you have in place, and how central or important is social media in that overall plan?
• What time frame are you willing to commit to?
• How much money are you willing to spend?

Final Thoughts

In all cases, it’s important to remember what a virtual assistant cannot do. Since a VA has no access to your phone, she can’t post photos of you doing book-related things. Her posts will, of necessity, have a certain “artistic distance” to them.

Again, it’s a matter of knowing what you’re good at and have time for, determining a budget, and finding someone who suits your temperament and goals. You might even decide that what really makes sense is to manage your social media yourself, and that’s okay too.

And there can be unexpected benefits—for either or both of you. Since my forthcoming book—the one my VA is focused on promoting—is told through the eyes of a musician, a lot of the posts are music-related.  We’ve used piano music in the background, images of sheet music and pianos.

Here is what my VA wrote to me in a recent email:

“You should know that all of this work around pianos inspired me to start learning how to play. My dad is a musician and plays every instrument in the book, but I stopped piano lessons as a teenager. I have my grandma's beautiful antique piano sitting in my living room, so I downloaded the Simply Piano app and have been practicing every day! I'm loving it! It's something that I have wanted to do forever, and working with you gave me that push I needed to start.”

Is that cool, or what?

Over to you, now …

How do you feel about using social media for book promotion—whether you do that yourself, or see others doing that? Do you think it’s a great way of engaging that you enjoy, or simply a “necessary evil?”

About Barbara

BARBARA LINN PROBST is a writer of both fiction and non-fiction, living on a historic dirt road in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her debut novel QUEEN OF THE OWLS (April 2020) is the powerful story of a woman’s search for wholeness, framed around the art and life of iconic American painter Georgia O’Keeffe. QUEEN OF THE OWLS was selected as one of the twenty most anticipated books of the year by Working Mother, a debut novel “too good to ignore” by Bustle, was featured in places like Pop Sugar, Entertainment Weekly, Parade Magazine, and Ms. Magazine. It also won the bronze medal for popular fiction from the Independent Publishers Association, placed first runner-up in general fiction for the Eric Hoffer Award, and was short-listed for the $2500 Grand Prize. Barbara’s second book, THE SOUND BETWEEN THE NOTES, launches in April 2021.

Top Image by Thomas Ulrich from Pixabay

by Julie Glover

The last time I worked on my novel was…

I don’t know.

We don’t have time for me to tell you the whole story, but I turned up sick on October 9, 2020 and haven’t been back to my old self since. I’m better, but I have good days and bad days and too many doctor appointments as I work through what’s going on and how to treat my issues. (No, it’s not Covid.)

But whether it lasts days, months, or years, nearly every writer has had their plans interrupted by illness. How can you still make progress when you don’t feel well? Here are a few ways to keep moving forward.

Take Care of Yourself

Taking a break and caring for your health may seem like stagnation of your writing plans. However, it’s actually moving forward, because if you don’t care for yourself, you’ll get less done in the end.

At times, I’ve felt bad, tried to push through, and ended up spending three hours completing a task that would have taken an hour if I’d only waited until I felt better. I understand the frustration of wanting to get things done, but it’s vital to work smart when you don’t have full energy reserves.

Your best option may be to set your manuscript aside and spend time in the fresh air, grab a nap, or take an Epsom salt bath. Prioritize feeling better so that you’ll have the energy and focus to work on your book when you can.

Study Your Craft

If you can’t work on your book, read someone else’s. Or watch movies or TV series, noting story structure, great dialogue, and setting details. Take a Masterclass or a writing class online. Read blog posts about writing (WITS has a lot of great content!).

When my mind tuned out of my book, I tuned into Netflix, Amazon Prime, and audiobooks, sampling shows and books that made for wonderful entertainment and learning experiences.

While you’re having to take it easy, pick up some great lessons that you can later use to write or edit your novel.

Write Short

Divide your work periods into shorter segments. You may not be able to sit for hours and work on your book, but maybe you can do a scene a day or a set word count. Perhaps what you can accomplish is a blog post, a blurb, or an outline.

One of the lovely symptoms I’ve had is brain fog. I discovered early on that I couldn’t concentrate on a full novel, tracking the character arc, plot, and subplots across chapters and scenes. So, I penned a short story. That was the length I could handle, and my coauthor and I were able to release a fresh story in our supernatural suspense series.

Figure out what length of project you can work or for how long you can focus, and then do that. After all, if you can’t take big swallows, small bites still get the job done.

Do the Non-Writing Stuff

Most authors don’t get to shut themselves away, write their brilliant manuscript, emerge to hand it over to an editor, and move along to the next project. These days, authors also maintain a website, participate on social media, engage in marketing, track their sales, order or create book covers, and so on.

While not feeling 100%, you might still make progress on those tasks that require less effort than writing.

Me? I have a series of paranormal shorts I wrote some time ago that just need a little editing to be publication-ready. Since they will be cheap $.99 buys, I’m doing my own covers. (Not always a good idea. Check out this post, this post, and this post on book covers!) Working up these covers is right at my work capacity right now. It takes little effort to scroll through stock photo sites looking for ideas, download pics, upload pics, mess with text, etc. By the time I get to editing my shorts, I’ll have covers done or mostly done.

What small tasks can you accomplish? You might start by checking off some of these 30+ Ideas for Bite-Sized Book Marketing.

Stay Connected

While feeling unwell, you can also feel isolated. You can’t go places, do things, write stuff, interact like you usually do. Keep your spirits up by connecting with other writers.

My optimism gets a boost whenever I chat with fellow writers and learn what they’re doing. We discuss stories, characters, the writing life, etc., and it reminds me that I’m still an author—just on a brief hiatus.

Whether it’s checking in with other writers in a Facebook group, attending a writers’ event virtually, or calling up a friend, stay connected with the writing community. Your peeps can help you weather the short or long period of illness that knocked you back a little, and you’ll be back on your feet soon.

That’s what I’m planning. Soon, I’ll be back in my novel again, polishing it up to a shine so it’s ready for the world!

What other ideas do you have for making progress when you’re sick? What words of hope or encouragement can you offer others struggling with illness?

About Julie

Julie Glover is an award-winning author of mysteries and young adult fiction. She also writes supernatural suspense under the pen name Jules Lynn.

While not feeling quite herself lately, she still managed to release Gryla's Gift, a Christmas-themed story in the Muse Island series (co-authored with Kris Faryn and free in Kindle Unlimited), and Driving Emma, a young adult contemporary short story.

When not writing, she collects boots, practices rampant sarcasm, and advocates for good grammar and the addition of the interrobang as a much-needed punctuation mark.

Top image credit: silviarita from Pixabay