Writers in the Storm

Let’s face it, the characters you write about are often more familiar to you than your own family and friends. After all, they’re with you 24-7.

Fixing dinner for your family: “So, yeah, hey, you know I think I’m actually allergic to goat cheese which means you really need to scrub that entire amazing scene at the goat.”

3 am: “Hey, hey, did I tell you about my great-great grandmother who had this fear of bread and that’s what motivated me to become a baker? Yeah, I think that’s a thread that needs to be explored.”

Date night: “You know, this is all romantic and sweet but I think we need to discuss that last scene in chapter 32. It doesn’t work. The problem starts in chapter 4 though. So here’s what you need to do …”

You know everything about these characters, of course you do, you created them. You talk about them to friends and family and perfect strangers like they’re living, breathing people. To you, they are.

Then you finish the book. You pack those characters up and send them on their way to agents or to your editor. But even though you’re getting cozy with a new cast of characters, you’re sure, as sure as you are that coffee is a gift from the gods, that these characters will forever be in your head.

Then publishing happens.

It’s been a year (maybe more) since you submitted the manuscript. A year (probably more) of working on other books, living with other characters day in and day out. Or maybe it’s your dust bunny book that has been released from its dark cave after cough-number of years.

And suddenly you realize something terrifying … those characters you knew every single intimate detail about, the ones who never left you alone, they’ve become strangers. All of a sudden you can’t remember the name of the best friend, the color of the husband’s eyes, the last name of the favorite secondary character.

Yup, those people you knew, just KNEW would always be at the ready in your brain are off on an exotic vacation without you.

I know, I know … you guys are shaking your head thinking, “that’ll never happen to me because I have character sheets and I plot and I write details down.” Yeah, yeah.

Guess what? I do too. I have notebooks and notecards and timelines for each book. I write down all sorts of things I know I need to keep straight. And yet, here I am, revising a book that I started working on back in 2012 and there are details that are totally and completely baffling me.

At the same time, I’m working on promotional pieces for my debut that comes out in May. Other than reading page proofs last summer, I haven’t spent much time with these characters.  Imagine my horror when I sat down to write a blog post and couldn’t remember a key detail about one of the characters.

So, what’s the trick to avoiding stranger danger with characters you yourself created? Notes.

You’re laughing, right?
I know you’re laughing.

We just agreed that we all already take notes and yet, I’m still in stranger danger panic.

Okay, let me rephrase … take different notes.

More than “just the facts”

Yes, you need to remember details such as eye color, hair color, what year someone was born, etc. But it’s the small details about a person that actually make the person and will make it so much easier to remember them when the time comes.

For example …

• What was the name of the character’s first pet? What kind of pet was it? How long did they have it? At what age? Or maybe the mc’s mom didn’t let her have a pet but she always dreamed about the dog or cat or bunny she’d get when she was an adult.
• What’s their favorite drink? Double shot soy latte? Maybe your main character starts every morning with a banana-almond milk smoothie? Or maybe her ex did and she’s now a passionate anti-banana person.
• How does your character like to sleep? On her back or on one side? Pillow scrunched under her neck or propped up? Heavy blanket year-round because of an irrational fear of monsters?
• What does your character like to do when “off screen”? Read curled up on the front porch of her house? Play Sudoku on her phone? Knit blankets for shelter animals?
• Where was your character’s favorite study stop in college? Does she ever retreat to a similar (or same) spot when she needs to get away and think?
• How did she meet her best friend? Did they click immediately or did it take time for the friendship to develop? What don’t they see eye-to-eye on?
• And jot down funny outtakes … wacky typos, deleted scenes, characters that got cut.

All of the above help bring the characters and story back to life and will make talking or writing about the book so much easier.

And, of course, write down every detail because your brain may think it’ll remember the hair color of the main character’s mom or how tall that best friend is but, if your brain is anything like mine, you’ll find yourself reinventing the wheel and then having to uninvent three-quarters of the way through the book.

Oh, and all the notes you’re taking … consolidate, consolidate, consolidate. For this second book, I have a notebook (I stopped taking notes in here about half way through the first draft), I have the notecards I plotted the revisions with (these made perfect sense at the time, not so much now), and I have various pieces of paper from brainstorming sessions with my critique partner and my editor.

That was my big lesson learned. For someone who loves to plan and organize, I was amazed at how unorganized I was with my thoughts/research for my stories. Book 3 has a lovely notebook with tabs and calendar pages and lots and lots of paper. It goes with me everywhere!

How do you avoid stranger panic with your characters? What tips and tricks have worked for you?

About Orly

Orly Konig is an escapee from the corporate world, where she spent roughly sixteen (cough) years working in the space industry. Now she spends her days chatting up imaginary friends, drinking entirely too much coffee, and negotiating writing space around two over-fed cats. She is a co-founder and past president of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and a member of the Tall Poppy Writers. She is rep’d by Marlene Stringer, Stringer Literary Agency LLC.

Orly’s debut, The Distance Home, will be released by Forge on May 2, 2017.

You can find her on on Facebook, on Instagram, on Goodreads, or on her website, www.orlykonig.com.

June Stevens Westerfield Have you ever known exactly the information you want to put out into the world, but then draw a blank as to how to do it properly?  Would you believe that, strangely enough, that happens to authors a lot.  Like a really lot.  You’d think that those of us that fancy ourselves talented with words wouldn’t be faced with that issue, but alas, it happens. That happened to me with this post.  I’ve known for several weeks I was going to post this week about the importance of media and press kits.  You see, I wrote a book on the subject last year and so I know quite a bit about it.  The problem is, I just wrote a book on the subject.  How do I give you the same information in a new way? The irony is that this is the exact same issue many authors face when presented with the need for a media kit.  All of the information one would put in a media or press kit is already out there in the world for anyone to find if they look for it, so do you really need to put together a specific kit?  The short answer is, yes, of course. And the answer to my issue, the one about presenting the information to you in a different way, is that I’m not going to.  Wait…what? What I’m going to do is give you an excerpt of my book, Author Media Kit Essentials.  This excerpt is the entire first section, in which I discuss the different types of kits you should have (yes, there are two), when you should prepare each, and why each is important. Stick with me to the end, because there is a surprise waiting for you!

Author Media Kit Essentials 

Getting Started Welcome to Author Media Kit Essentials.  My name is June and I will be your guide on this adventure.  I’m a bestselling “hybrid” author, that means I’m both self & traditionally published.  I’m also a branding & design specialist with Author Branding Essentials.  The information contained in this book/post is based on my own experience, hours upon hours of research, and consultations with other authors, acquisition editors, and agents.  I’m confident that by the end of this, you will be armed with the information you need to build your own press and media kits. What is a media kit and why do I need one? The most basic definition of a media kit is a packet of information used for promotional and public relations purposes.  That's all it is; information.  What information is gathered and how it is packaged into the kit is what makes it a powerful tool Media kits are used to facilitate public relations and promotional efforts of businesses and their products or services.  Your instinctual response to that last sentence may have been "but I don't have a business."  But that response is wrong.  If you are a writer of any kind and are published, or your goal is to become published, you don't just have a business.  You are a business; at least in a sense. Let's break that down a little.  Publishing is a business.  The act of being a published writer or author is a business.  Your author name is your company, your brand.  Your books (and other writings) are your products.  If you write nonfiction and give lectures or other talks to schools, groups, or businesses, then you also provide a service.  For the purposes of this book/post we are going to focus mainly on promotional tools for writers who have authored a book (or books) and are promoting their author brand and books.  The differences between a press kit and a media kit. You may have heard the terms media kit and press kit used interchangeably.  In general, that is okay.  They are, essentially, the same thing.  However, as an author, you need to very distinctive packages of information.  They will contain some of the same information, but their purposes are very different. For the purposes of this book/post, when we use the word "press kit" we are discussing a publicly available package of information you will use to connect with bloggers, press & media outlets, the public, book clubs, and more.  From here on out our usage of "media kit" refers to a kit of information you will put together specifically targeted to promote you as an author and your pre-publication book to agents and editors.   To sum up: The basic uses for press and media

• Sell yourself and your book to agents and editors
• Accessible information for bloggers and other press
• Have readily available and easy to find information for book clubs, teachers, and students

I’m not going to self-publish, so I won’t need to do this. One of the misconceptions new authors have is that if they are published by a traditional publisher they don't have to worry about the marketing side of things.  This is very wrong thinking in today's market place and can result in low sales and authors being dropped by their publishers or agents.  That is, if you can even get a publisher or agent without a media kit and solid author platform.  You can learn more about creating your author platform in Author Platform Essentials, and we'll go into more depth later in this book about how a media kit can be an essential tool to help you snag an agent and/or publishing deal.  But for now, know that, in today's ever changing publishing business, agents and publishing houses look more favorably on an author who proves, even before their foot is in the door, that they are dedicated to their own success and will put in the work it takes to ensure that success.

*** Important Note ***

No matter what stage you are at in your career, whether you have several books published or are just putting the finishing touches on your first manuscript and are getting ready to shop it, you should have at least the beginnings of both a media kit and a press kit.  If you don't, don't fret.  By the end of this book you should have a good grasp on what you should gather together and how to present it. Did that grab your interest?  I hope so.  I hope you will want to read more because I am offering Author Media Kit Essentials for FREE on Amazon for five days. (This is the surprise!) Author Media Kit Essentials will be FREE from February 6-February 10.  So hop on over there right now and grab your copy!  

What are your questions? Do you already have a media kit? Did you create it yourself, or hire it out? For those who have one, what feedback have you received when you use it?

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About June

June Stevens Westerfield is author of romantic fiction.  She has been in the publishing field one way or another for over decade. She has helped launch several small publishing houses, worked in acquisitions, editing, cover art, web design, as a blogger, radio host, and assisted many authors in their self-publishing journeys.  Her particular expertise is in design and branding.

On a personal note, when not writing or working for ABE, she designs greeting cards.  She has a wonderful husband, a brilliant stepson, 6 fur-children, purple hair, and a chronically filthy house.

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About ABE

Author Branding Essentials is dedicated to offering comprehensive author centric branding and design services at competitive prices.  As an Author, your name is your brand. Building your Author Brand is key to success. Many agents encourage authors to begin building that brand long before they are published. At Author Branding Essentials we understand the unique criteria it takes to build an author brand, versus another type of business.  We can help you decide on the best options for your author brand and help you implement them. 

There are a lot of exciting possibilities for everyone this year, all relating to the changing energies around us. You don't have to believe in anything "new age" to admit that the first month of 2017 flew by like a rocket. And that's just the start. I wanted to pull forward some of the ancient lore for a fun look at the potentials for 2017.

First off, Happy Fire Rooster Year! 

The Chinese Year of the Rooster just started, so we'll begin with "rooster characteristics" that can enhance your year:

Honesty: Pay particular attention to what you say and how you say it. Try not to "fudge factor" information by sweetening it to fit the communication. If your manuscript isn't finished, don't tell an agent or editor it is.

Energetic: Plenty of energy is available to you this year, but you've got to be smart about how you use it. Take care of the physical needs of your body, like sleep, water, and exercise, even if you're on deadline. Your writing is going to reflect your personal energy. (My non-writer friends know when I'm writing battle sequences. I'm more reactive to getting cut off in traffic, conversations are "terse"-their word, not mine, and I walk faster even though I'm scouting out my surroundings for ambush possibilities. Yes, I actually mentioned that on a trail last month.)

Intelligence: Writing a book requires intelligence. So if you've been holding back, or you haven't finished something you started last year, this is the year to finish it. You've got what it takes. Need to fill in plot holes? Put your brain to work. Have to revise an ending? Brainstorm possibilities. Then brainstorm more.

Flamboyance: Okay, this one isn't my strong suit. I typically try to fly under the radar. But, I'm upping my game in this category because if there's a time to dip my toe in the water, this is it. I'm committing to being a little flashy (don't laugh, this is huge for me...maybe I'll even buy an article of red clothing!), putting myself "out there" in ways I'm definitely not comfortable with (yes, more social media pics). But I'm going to have fun with it. Who knows? Being a little brighter, noisier version of myself could be fun. And I can always blame it on the Rooster.

Flexible: My first book is scheduled to release June 8, 2017. If something happens to the production schedule, I'm going to be flexible without going crazy. (Yes, I know. I can say this now, on February 1.) If I need to change appointments to take advantage of opportunities, I'm going to be flexible enough to do that, too. Flexibility is key to successful revisions, when you're considering changing from the original vision of your story. Flexibility to the demands of a writer's life can help you maintain your sanity.

Confident: Embark on this year with confidence that you can attain your dream. Set and work toward reasonable goals. Each time you've achieved success, you will be more confident for the next step on your career path. 

We all know what a real, living rooster does, especially if you live near one. You're called to rise and shine and get to work early. Ever watch a rooster strut? Let's make this a year that helps us all to "strut our stuff." 

You know I'm a mathematician, right? Well, numbers have their own energies. Just ask anyone if they have a lucky or favorite number. Everybody has one. The cool thing is, my lucky number doesn't have to be the same as yours to be lucky for me.

Pythagorus, a Greek mathematician and philosopher, led a secret society devoted to the study of how numbers
influence our lives. Stay with me. I'm not saying that numbers can be used to predict the future, but if you've ever read your horoscope, or if you can answer the question, "What sign are you?" what about the possibility of asking, "What number are you?" Same difference, right? 

Along that line, 2017 is considered a "one" year in a nine-year cycle. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that we must have just finished a "nine" year, which closed that cycle. Completing unfinished business made last year a difficult one for all of us. But now we have the excitement and potential of this "one" year to begin new endeavors, to try new things. We have a license to experiment, be it with a new genre, a different kind of POV, or just finishing the dang book and seeing what happens. If you haven't entered a contest, maybe it's time. If you haven't sent out query letters or pitched your story, now is the time.

Did I think about any of this number/Rooster Year stuff when I decided to self-publish my books in June last year? Nope. I think last year's energy helped push me in the direction to finish a big loop in my writing path, leading me to this year's opportunity. Actually, I thought my first book would be ready to release last November, five months after I made my decision to indie publish. I guess flexibility started early for me.

Here are some additional words and a  phrase to notice in your life this year: Adventures. Ingenuity. Curiosity. Joy. Synchronicity. Patience. Resourcefulness. Help each other. Opportunities.

We all have magic inside of us. That's why we're writers. Bring forth your magic this year. Be amazing.

How does 2017 look to be shaping up for you? Did January leave you in its dust? 

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ABOUT FAE

Fae Rowen discovered the romance genre after years as a science fiction freak.   Writing futuristics and medieval paranormals, she jokes  that she can live anywhere but the present.  As a mathematician, she knows life’s a lot more fun when you get to define your world and its rules.

Punished, oh-no, that’s published as a co-author of a math textbook, she yearns to hear personal stories about finding love from those who read her books, rather than the horrors of calculus lessons gone wrong.  She is grateful for good friends who remind her to do the practical things in life like grocery shop, show up at the airport for a flight and pay bills.

A “hard” scientist who avoided writing classes like the plague, she now shares her brain with characters who demand that their stories be told.  Amazing, gifted critique partners keep her on the straight and narrow. Feedback from readers keeps her fingers on the keyboard.

When she’s not hanging out at Writers in the Storm, you can visit Fae at http://faerowen.com  or www.facebook.com/fae.rowen.

Photo credits: Pixabay