Writers in the Storm

Angela Ackerman

Conferences are full of opportunities to learn, network, and grow. This summer I attended a local 3-day event called When Words Collide, which is a conference for writers and readers. Over 700 people attended, and every hour there were many different craft, marketing, industry, and genre-specific presentations to choose from. A fantastic event!

As a writer, I soaked up the learning sessions. But as a professional author, I also paid attention to conference subtext, watching how other authors, presenters, keynote speakers, and booksellers interacted and carried themselves to be successful in their roles.

Going From Writer to Author: Hello, Learning Curve

Once you start thinking of your writing as a career, you juggle more hats. At conferences, you might teach workshops, attend book signings, participate in author meet-and-greets, or give inspiring keynote talks.

No one really talks about the learning curve as one adapts from writer to professional author, but boy, it’s there. We have so much to learn. Watching what others do can really help us. So with that in mind, here are some of my conference observations.

What Makes a Powerful Keynote

This conference had a panel of keynotes, so 5 speeches total. What an opportunity to deconstruct what made each work (or not). Common elements: each talk inspired in some way, shared a personal story of overcoming adversity tied to writing or publishing (that the entire audience could relate to), it didn’t sugar coat the hard stuff and it demonstrated that perseverance and self-belief are key. The speeches also conveyed optimism and shared a love for what we all do: write.

One speaker made a tactical error in his keynote by targeting two groups (teachers and self-published authors) and made statements about them that were off-putting. This ended up alienating a good portion of the audience as many happened to be members of one of these groups. So the lesson? Understand who you are speaking to and why, and stay away from opinions that may result in the audience feeling disrespected.

Presenters and Panelists Best Practices

I attended many panels and presentations (and participated in some, too). The best presenters were well-prepared, had slideshow presentations, knew their topic intimately (they didn’t read a script), ran sessions on time, and left time for questions. They also incorporated humor in a very natural way, which allowed everyone to connect through laughter. After the presentation was over, time was tight, but if someone had a follow up question, the presenter would exchange business cards with the attendee, and follow up later—very good form.

The best panelists were respectful of one another’s opinions even when they differed, they didn’t monopolize the discussion (as a panelist, it’s frustrating when someone does take over), they came prepared (sadly this is not always the case) and they stuck to the panel’s topic. They also allowed enough time for audience questions.

Successful Author-Reader Interactions

As a readercon, there were many opportunities for authors to interact with fans. At the mass book signing (80 authors), I was sitting next to national bestselling author Eve Silver, so I was able to see firsthand how she engaged each person who approached, asked them questions, made eye contact, and left each one feeling valued and special. (Watching her was great because I always feel like such a dork at signings, lol.)

Aside from the signing, authors who were really on point were those who always made time for readers (stopping in the halls to chat or answer questions, visiting during after-hours socials, etc.) They were approachable, available, inclusive, warm, and genuine.

Booksellers & The Bookstore

The bookstore was massive, with thousands of books on sale and it had a big community feel. Many publishers and organizations had tables featuring their authors' books, and often a reader would only know a book title or author, not the publisher. Even if it wasn’t a book from their house, all sellers made time to help them find the correct table.

Authors (both traditionally and self-published) milled about or helped man tables, so I saw lots of discussion over books and cover art, and invites to enter a draw or take a bookmark…but no hard selling. I think most are now savvy enough to know that just isn’t well received.

A neat tidbit I learned: never display bookmarks or business cards in a stack because psychologically people won’t want to disrupt the pile. So, fan it out and people are more likely to take one with them. Also, CANDIES, people. Put a jar on your book table. Everyone likes a candy to enjoy while browsing.

Interacting with Organizers & Conference Volunteers

With such a massive conference, organizers (all volunteers, no one was paid) had a lot of authors and presenters to juggle. I am in awe of the job they did. Everyone was very accommodating if you needed something, and they went out of their way to help authors who were respectful and genuine. One author I noticed was griping and complaining, and as a result, no one seemed incentivized to go the extra mile. But then it’s common sense to treat the organizers and volunteers with the respect they deserve, and not act entitled.

What are your conference experiences? What tips and tricks have you picked up? Let me know in the comments!

 About Angela

Angela Ackerman is a writing coach, international speaker, and co-author of the bestselling book, The Emotion Thesaurus: a Writer’s Guide to Character Expression, as well as four others including the newly minted Urban Setting and Rural Setting Thesaurus duo. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. Angela is also the co-founder of the popular site, Writers Helping Writers, as well as One Stop For Writers, an innovative online library built to help writers elevate their storytelling. She loves connecting, so please say hello on twitter, facebook and instagram.

Margie Lawson

Writers know the cautions about backstory. I’d bet every basic how-to book for writers warns against overwhelming readers with too much backstory.

Backstory usually kills pacing.

Backstory usually kills momentum.

Backstory usually kills your chances with an agent or editor.

What is backstory?

It’s story history that the writer needs to know to build their story. Usually the reader only needs to know some of that history. Usually the reader needs to know less backstory than the writer thinks they need.

Why avoid backstory dumps and chunks?

They are invitations to skim.

A lot of readers skim backstory. They may speed-read a word in every line, skipping down to where the story picks up again.

No way you want anyone skimming any of your paragraphs. That’s why you’re reading this blog.

I came up with the sentence below when I was teaching an Immersion class in Australia last month.

She hadn't been this tired since she drove across Australia from Perth to Melbourne, trying to get there before her father died.

What does that sentence accomplish?

1. We learn that she loved her father.
2. We learn that her father is dead.
3. Deepens characterization.

Today I’m sharing one rhetorical device that works well for finessing backstory. It’s called anaphora.

Anaphora -- Repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of three or more successive phrases or sentences. The first three must be in a row.
Using Anaphora to Slip in Backstory
1. The Woods, Harlan Coben

I’ve never seen my father cry before—not when his own father died, not when my mother ran off and left us, not even when he first heard about my sister, Camille.

Deep Edit Analysis:

Anaphora: not when, not when, not even when

The reader picked up four hits of backstory in one cadence-driven sentence.

1. never seen father cry
2. not when his father died
3. not when mom ran off
4. not when he first heard about Camille

That one sentence is so smooth and empowered, there’s no temptation to skim.

It worked well, right?

2. The Last Breath, Kimberly Belle, 4-time Immersion Grad

From the moment Cal arrived on the scene—before my father was a suspect, before he signed on as my father’s attorney, even before Ella Mae’s body had been photographed and bagged and carried away—his belief in my father’s innocence has been unwavering.

Deep Edit Analysis:

Anaphora: before, before, even before

Five hits of backstory in that empowered sentence:

1. Cal went to the scene of the murder
2. Dad was a suspect
3. Cal became Dad’s attorney
4. Ella Mae was murdered.
5. Cal fully believed Dad was innocent

Wow! Look what the reader learned. Impressive.

3. Red-Headed Stepchild, Jaye Wells, USA Today Bestseller

The paragraph below is the first paragraph in the first chapter of Red-Headed Stepchild.

Jaye Wells wrote this paragraph when she was in a full day workshop I taught for Dallas Area Romance Authors in 2007. I asked all the participants to write an example of anaphora.

Digging graves is hell on a manicure, but I was taught good vampires clean up after every meal. So I ignored the chipped onyx polish. I ignored the dirt caked under my nails. I ignored my palms, rubbed raw and blistering. And when a snapping twig announced David’s arrival, I ignored him too.

Strong writing!

Deep Edit Analysis:

Anaphora: I ignored, I ignored, I ignored

Three Humor Hits:

1. Digging graves is hell on a manicure
2. good vampires clean up after every meal
3. I ignored him too

What does the reader learn in those 53 words?

1. She’s digging a grave.
2. She’s a vampire.
3. She gets manicures.
4. She’s Goth.
5. She’s been digging that grave for a while.
6. She’s not concerned about David catching her digging a grave.
7. She’s not intimidated by David.

You can tell Jaye Wells had fun writing that anaphora.

In that one short opening paragraph, Jaye Wells deepened characterization, shared a strong and fun voice, and made the reader want to read more.

4. Fear No Evil, Allison Brennan, NYT Bestseller

From Chapter 1:

Fourteen years ago she wanted the exact same thing as Lucy--to get out from under her parents’ thumb. But that was before she'd decided to become a cop.

Before she realized how truly dangerous the city could be. Before she realized that justice wasn't always swift, that the system didn't always work.

That some murders would never be solved.

Deep Edit Analysis:

1. She and Lucy both wanted to get away from their parents.
2. She’s a cop.
3. The city is dangerous.
4. Justice isn’t guaranteed.
5. Some killers may never be caught.
6. Two anaphoras: Before, before, before; that, that, that.

Strong character. Strong voice. Strong writing.

5. Blinded, Stephen White, NYT Bestseller

My Sherry? After my heart attack she couldn’t wait to get the hell out of our house. Out of town. Screw Thanksgiving, screw my rehab, screw whatever this whole thing was doing to Simon. Screw our marriage.

Screw me.

Deep Edit Analysis:

1. He had a heart attack.
2. His wife left him after he had a heart attack.
3. He’s in a cardiac rehab program.
4. He knows his heart attack and Sherry leaving has to be tough on their son Simon.
5. He knows his marriage is over.
6. He feels screwed.

Another strong voice, but oh-so-different. Stephen White shared humor and heart and the POV character’s I’m-so-screwed attitude.

BLOG GUESTS: I’m curious. What scene elements do you skim?

Do you skim backstory? Setting? Thoughts?

Share your ideas!

Thanks so much for dropping by WITS blog today.

Post a comment, and you have TWO CHANCES to WIN!

1. A Lecture Packet from Margie Lawson

2. An online course from Lawson Writer’s Academy – worth up to $75!

If you all WOW ME with an avalanche of comments on this blog, I’ll double the number of winners!

The drawings will be Sunday, 9:00 p.m. Mountain Time.

Upcoming courses offered by Lawson Writer's Academy:
1. Five-Week First Draft – Sept. 26 – Oct. 31

Instructor: Koreen Myers

2. Queries That Sell, and More! – Oct. 3-30

Instructor: Laura Drake

3. Diving Deep into Deep Point of View – Oct. 3-30

Instructor: Rhay Christou

4. The BrainMap: Create Intricate Plots and Unforgettable Characters, Oct. 3-30

Instructor: Shirley Jump

5. Disasters & Doctors; Wars & Warriors – Writing Thrillers and Other Dangerous Novels, Oct. 3-30

Instructor: Julie Rowe

6. Sticky Newsletters, Oct. 3-30

Instructor: Becca Syme

7. How to Write Dialogue with a Psychological Punch, Oct. 3-30

Instructor: Lisa Wells

8. Visceral Rules: Beyond Hammering Hearts, Oct. 3-30

Instructor: Margie Lawson

Margie Lawson—editor, international presenter—teaches writers how to use her psychologically-based editing systems and deep editing techniques to create page turners. Margie has presented over a hundred full day master classes for writers in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and on cruises in the Caribbean.
To learn about Lawson Writer’s Academy, Margie’s 5-day Immersion Master Classes (in Denver, Washington, D.C., Phoenix, Canyon Lake, Dallas, San Jose, Albuquerque, Australia, and more), her full day Master Class presentations, on-line courses, lecture packets, and newsletter, please visit www.margielawson.com.

Alex Bledsoe

World building is a common concern among fantasy writers, since so much of what we do depends on the reader believing IN the setting. You can have the best story and great characters, and torpedo them all with an unconvincing and inconsistent setting. Of course, you can also go too far in the other direction, adding needless details and descriptions that bog down your prose and make the reader skip ahead to the next bit of dialogue.

I’ve written eleven novels in three very different settings: an entirely fictional fantasy world, Memphis in the year 1975, and contemporary Appalachia. It’s safe to say that, for at least some readers, all three count as brand-new unexplored territory. So the challenge in each was essentially the same: create a world that supports the story and themes without overpowering them. In other words (and to paraphrase Elmore Leonard), don’t write the parts that readers tend to skip.

Here are some helpful guidelines (not rules, because there really are no rules) that I’ve developed out of my own process.

1. Decide how your characters relate to the world. Remember how Luke Skywalker stares around the Mos Eisely cantina? It’s all new to him, and when we see it through his eyes, it’s new to us. A few scenes later, Han Solo confronts Greedo, and it’s clear that for him, there is nothing unusual about talking to a bump-headed green alien. That’s two perspectives of the same world. Both are valid, and (an important detail) both scenes tell us about the world and the characters. It’s perfectly acceptable to describe a world omnisciently, if there’s a reason for it. But it’s often more effective to show us the world through the characters, because it does the double duty of establishing both settings, and personalities.

2. Keep it as consistent as possible. Was Dr. Watson shot in the arm or the leg when he served in Afghanistan? If you read Conan Doyle, it turns out to be both, because Doyle simply didn’t remember that he’d established it one way before describing it as the other. Remember the early Star Trek episode, “The Enemy Within,” when ineffective transporters trap Sulu and his landing party on a frozen planet? Why, you might ask, did they not just send down a shuttlecraft? Because that episode was written before they had established the shuttles.

There are lots of examples of this, particularly in the wild, untamed landscape of comics. A world, generally, isn’t developed whole and in detail all at once. It’s put together as needed, often in a hurry, and occasionally with willful disregard of what’s been established (see the long history of Doctor Who). That said, consistency is certainly the goal when inventing a world, if you want your reader to believe in it. So those examples are not excuses, and any mistakes are not the fault of your editor, your beta readers, or anyone else. After all, it’s your name on the cover. So make the best effort you can to keep your world consistent within the rules you establish.

3. The smell pass. I’m going to paraphrase a story I read about, I believe, the great western painter Frederick Remington (and it’s a paraphrase because I can’t recall the source). He showed his mentor a painting he’d done of some horses tied outside a saloon at night. His teacher said, “How long have those horses been out there?”

Remington was taken aback. “I don’t know,” he answered.  “A while, I guess.”

“Well, what do you reckon those horses might leave on the ground if they’d been there a while?”

So Remington dutifully painted in the manure.  His mentor then asked, “What’s the temperature like?”

“It gets cold in the desert at night,” Remington said.  “So I suppose it’s cold.”

“Manure’s warm.  What would happen to it in the cold?”

“It would steam, I guess.”  Which he dutifully added.

The point for all us writers is to remember that there are other senses than sight and sound that define a world. One of the last revisions I make is what I call a “smell pass,” where I look for moments where the odors of a given setting might register on the characters. It could be good smells, of course; but the ones that register on us are usually the unexpected ones. It’ll test your powers of description to convey it, but when you get it right, your world will have a new, vivid dimension.

4. Don’t forget the climate. Building on the smell pass, don’t forget things like the temperature, humidity, and season. There’s a tendency in fantasy to kind of default to a perpetual spring/summer setting, or to only mention climate when things are really extreme, such as storms or droughts. But everyone checks the weather before deciding what to wear, and we all bitch about the heat, the dry, the cold, or anything that’s not a perfect sunny day. Let your characters do this as well. Decide, too, what they think about the climate: do they prefer hot or cold days? Do certain types of weather bring back memories?

5. Go for the crucial detail, not the in-depth description. This is probably the most useful single thing I’ve learned about establishing a world, and I learned it by doing it wrong many, many times. As I mentioned above, pages of gray unbroken text will just have your reader skipping ahead to the next time a character speaks; they may be fun to write, but they’re death to your pacing.

The trick, then, is to find that crucial detail that conveys much more than it states. A smell can imply its source, the description of one fallen soldier is much more immediate than trying to describe a dead army, the way a word is said can summon up the whole backstory behind it. Of course, sometimes more detailed and vivid description is necessary; but using details also draws your reader in, forcing them to engage with your story in a more active way. Horror has always understood this: the monster you can’t see is always scarier than the one you can, because your mind supplies all the detail, and it’s specific to you.

As I said, these are guidelines, not rules. For every “don’t” warning, you can find a writer who “did” successfully. Rather, these are things I try to always think about when I’m starting a new work, whether in an existing world or a brand-new one. They’ve served me well, and I hope they’re helpful to you.

What guidelines/tips do you find helpful when world building?

About Alex

Alex Bledsoe was born in west Tennessee an hour from Graceland (home of Elvis) and twenty minutes from Nutbush (birthplace of Tina Turner). He's been a reporter, photographer, legal copy editor and Kirby vacuum cleaner salesman. He now lives in Wisconsin.

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