Writers in the Storm

By Laura Drake

We’ve talked about it in other posts. How learning your writing process is finding your way in a pitch black room, full of furniture. You can learn by banging your shins, but there are less painful ways. Hopefully, this post will help.

I’m an organized person, and it would make me crazy trying to locate details in my WIP. Which chapter did the dog first show up? Or the first kiss? Or harder yet, the smaller details – what kind of shoes did the old man wear the second time the heroine met him?

I’d end up scrolling through two hundred pages. And get distracted...

Oh, now there’s a clunky sentence.

Wait, did I really use the word ‘jerk’ twenty-three times in this book?

I did NOT just compare his private parts to a DEER ANTLER! (yes, I did, and my crit group will NEVER let me forget it.)

Before you know it, I’d be hopelessly mired in the text, and forgot what I came for.

I’m an accountant by trade (well, I used to be - Ah, retirement) so if I need something organized, of course, the first place I go is Excel.

I know all you math-adverse readers have now broken into a sweat. Follow me here – no formulas are involved. If you can open the program, you can do this. Promise.

First, I thought about what information I wanted to capture. Here’s my list (yours may differ)

• The length of each chapter
• What happened in each chapter – by scene
• Track POV – so I could check the balance in my novel
• Track the romance, and where it happened.
• Timeline
• Word count

So I made up what I call my Chapter Cheat Sheet. Here’s what it looks like for my novel, Her Road Home:

If it's too small to read, click on it and view it full-size.

• I now know how many pages each chapter is, and the word counts (if you total the word count column, you'll have the total word count of the book)
• The pink highlight = chapters that advance the romance. I can see quickly where it is, if it's clumped together and if I have enough or too much
• The column in the middle shows scenes, using only a few words, separated by '/'
• The POV is shown by the color coding in the scenes; Green for the Heroine, Purple for the Hero
• Blue I used to denote scenes that could be cut, if I ran over my allowed word count
• Red was problem scenes I knew I'd have to come back to later
• The far right column is a timeline - because I stink at them

Note that I have more than one sheet to this workbook. You can use them for a more detailed timeline, or anything else you'd like to track. Revisions usually means cutting and pasting scenes in different places, so I'll create a new sheet for my newly revised version.

As you may know, I'm not a plotter. If you are, you may start a cheat sheet before you even begin the book!  Since the thought of outlining makes me perspire, I complete my cheat sheet as I go.

Honestly, this tool has been invaluable for me. It gives me a bird's eye view of the entire novel on one screen. I can't imagine writing a book without one. Please let me know in the comments if you'd like a copy.

Hope it helps save your shins!

What do you use to organize your WIP? Any suggestions for us?

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About Laura

Laura Drake is a city girl who never grew out of her tomboy ways, or a serious cowboy crush. She writes both Women's Fiction and Romance.

She sold her Sweet on a Cowboy series, romances set in the world of professional bull riding, to Grand Central. The Sweet Spot (May 2013), Nothing Sweeter (Jan 2014) and Sweet on You (August 2014). The Sweet Spot won the 2014 Romance Writers of America^®   RITA^® award in the Best First Book category.

Her 'biker-chick' novel, Her Road Home, sold to Harlequin's Superomance line (August, 2013) and has expanded to three more stories set in the same small town. The Reasons to Stay released August, 2014.

In 2014, Laura realized a lifelong dream of becoming a Texan and is currently working on her accent. She gave up the corporate CFO gig to write full time. She's a wife, grandmother, and motorcycle chick in the remaining waking hours.

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Kathryn Craft
Turning Whine into Gold

The waiting was over. My agent called last Tuesday with word about my submission for novel number three: my publisher had passed.

(Read paragraph break as needed time for truth of this to sink in.)

We strategized. Then my agent said, “Okay Kathryn, well, I’d better go get a little rest and then head to the hospital to have my baby.”

Life. Its unpredictability never ceases to amaze.

My agent had hoped to be negotiating my deal on the way into the delivery room. She loved the characters and their story. I had my own reasons for wanting this book deal.

My second novel, The Far End of Happy, was the culmination of a seventeen-year calling to write about my first husband’s suicide, a goal that had led me up a mountain of healing and self-awareness—and completing it felt a bit like stepping off that mountain and into the void. I honestly don’t know who I’ll be beyond this book release, but if I had another book deal, at least I’d still be an employed novelist. With a running leap, maybe I could jump from one mountaintop right to the next and skip the void altogether.

Yet here in the void I now find myself floating, so I look around. It feels familiar. I’ve been here before, right after the suicide, when I had to deal with the horrific black hole my husband’s loss had torn in our lives.

Back then, the void taught me that when you can’t see where you’re going, it’s not a time to be running or leaping anywhere. You must take time to reorient to the new reality, as any heroine would at the start of a new tale.

I begin by accepting my situation and seeking its wisdom. A break could well be a blessing—less stress as I promote for the next few months. But to ensure that the break will be as short as possible, I intend to get back in touch: both with myself and a love of story that extends well beyond the topic of suicide. I could write about anything! What will it be?

Here are some of the strategies I plan to employ:

1. Commune with my bookcase.

Of the books I’ve read: why did I decide to keep them? Of the books I haven’t yet read: what drew me to them? The answers will reconnect me to the type of stories I love and the writing I hope to emulate. I look forward to this.

2. Re-enter the world for a spell.

While writing on contract last year I learned that to finish on time I had to remain driven and sequestered. While out in the world doing all I can to promote the new book, I hope to take a little time to make cogent observations about life that will fuel my writing.

3. Reconnect with friends and family.

While feeling unmoored after my husband’s suicide, I called friends who knew me back when my dreams were forming, and when the characteristics that would shape me were just starting to bloom. One friend said, “Tell me one time when you really wanted to do something in your life and you were unable to achieve it.” That kind of perspective is a lifeline when you are flailing in the waters of self-doubt.

4. Feed simpler passions.

The void itself doesn’t offer up a whole lot of material. I need to rediscover the richness of my own inner landscape, one step at a time. Where did I put that harmonica and learn-to-play book I was gifted a few years ago? With concerted effort I could introduce my next reading with a bit of mouth organ blues. I miss exploring new places on foot, too. So does my body. The fresh air will reinvigorate me inside and out. And where better to people watch?

5. Ramp up my developmental editing.

A practical concern on one hand, as I don’t have an advance on the horizon. Yet a life affirming decision as well: when you aren’t sure where you’re headed, it’s always a great idea to extend to others the experience of which you are confident.

The writing life experiences seasons of change like any other. This year, my creative winter just happened to sync with Mother Nature. There is no need to fear it if you use it. Experience has taught me: when you step out into the void, in faith, some pretty amazing things can happen.

How does the concept of “seasons of change” relate to your writing life, and what have you done to reinvigorate during your creative winters? Please share! Then go tweet congratulations to @AgentShea on the arrival of little Lucas.

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About Kathryn

Kathryn Craft is the author of two novels from Sourcebooks: The Art of Falling, and The Far End of Happy, out May 5.

Her work as a developmental editor at Writing-Partner.com, specializing in storytelling structure and writing craft, follows a nineteen-year career as a dance critic. Long a leader in the southeastern Pennsylvania writing scene, she hosts lakeside writing retreats for women in northern New York State, leads workshops, and speaks often about writing.

Kathryn lives with her husband in Bucks County, PA.

Website: http://www.kathryncraft.com/

Ellen Meister

Churlish. Mean. Difficult. Insensitive. When I first got the idea to introduce the acid-tongued Dorothy Parker to social media, I had no idea I would soon be using those adjectives to describe Facebook.

It started in early 2011. I was working on a new novel that resurrected the great 1920s literary wit as a fictional character in a contemporary setting, and I thought it might be fun to see if I could connect with a few hundred fellow fans. Four years and over 147,000 followers later, my relationship with Facebook feels less like a love story than Stockholm Syndrome. But I've learned to tame my captor—or at least keep it from hurting me too much—and I'd like to share that knowledge with you, dear writers.

First a little background. For the uninitiated, Dorothy Parker was a poet, theater critic, short story writer, book reviewer and essayist. Most of all, she’s known as the sharpest-tongued wit of the Algonquin Round Table, a group of writers and other Jazz Era notables who met daily for lunch throughout the 1920s.

Here are some of her famous quotes that my Facebook followers enjoy:

• “That woman speaks eighteen languages, and can't say 'No' in any of them.”
• After seeing a young Katharine Hepburn in a stage performance: “She ran the gamut of emotions from A to B.”
• “If all the girls who attended the Yale prom were laid end to end, I wouldn't be a bit surprised.”
• On being asked her opinion on the most beautiful words in the English language: “The ones I like are ‘cheque’ and ‘enclosed.’”
• When challenged to use the word “horticulture” in a sentence: “You can lead a horticulture but you can’t make her think.”
• After terminating an unwanted pregnancy: “It serves me right for putting all my eggs in one bastard.”
• "I hate writing, I love having written."

In the beginning, my relationship with Facebook really was a love affair. It was the perfect place to build a following and connect with Dorothy Parker fans, and I can honestly say it was both fun and practical. In addition to enjoying the interactions, I was creating a platform for my books, Farewell, Dorothy Parker and Dorothy Parker Drank Here. These were folks who would be legitimately interested in my subject matter.

But as time went by, Facebook made it harder and harder to connect with the page's fans. They tightened the screws on their delivery algorithm until it was nearly impossible to reach more than a tiny fraction of my own followers "organically." In Facebook lingo, that means "free." So even though these folks had indicated that they wanted to receive daily updates from the page, Facebook wouldn't deliver unless I ponied up some cash. And not a token fee, mind you, but a huge pile of money. Indeed, the fees are so outrageous—so many hundreds of times over what could actually constitute a return on investment—that it's simply impossible.

Fortunately, I've learned some secrets of the delivery algorithm, and they all begin and end with engagement. In other words, the more likes, shares and comments a post generates, the more Facebook delivers it. Consider the following:

Evening is best

It stands to reason that you'll get  the most engagement if you post when the greatest number of followers are on Facebook. I've seen varying statistics on this, but my own experience bears out that evening is the best time to post. For my page, which has followers all over the world but a heavy concentration on the East Coast of the U.S., the sweet spot is 5 pm – 9 pm, Eastern Time.

Elicit comments

The more comments your posts get, the more Facebook will deliver them. So if you include a question or some other request, the responses will help your post get delivered. And don't be shy about putting your own two cents in the comments. Your engagement counts, too, and followers enjoy the give-and-take.

Like your own posts

Your own likes count as engagement, so be sure to like your status right after you post it. And if you have other Facebook pages, switch to those identities to like and share your posts.

Images work better than straight text

Facebook's algorithm is geared toward delivering images more widely than text. So either create an image that includes your message, or post an image and include your message as the description.

Post your image first, then add the description

I think it's always a good idea to include some kind of description with your image. However,  for maximum delivery, I've discovered that it's best to post the image first, and then click "edit" to add your description.

Be cautious with your call to action

I used to routinely include calls to action such as, "Like and share if you agree!" However, Facebook has been upfront about the fact that they consider this gaming the system, and they have rigged their algorithm to watch out for this language—even embedded in images—so they can quash delivery. (In other words, they want to minimize organic reach so that they can charge you their exorbitant fees.) Experiment with your language to see what works and what doesn't.

Share your good news

Facebook's algorithm has a soft spot for good news, so if your followers comment with words like "congratulations" and "great news," your delivery will be greater.

Content is king

This is probably obvious, but it 's important to remember that the more engaging your posts are, the more likes, shares and comments you'll receive.

One final note about building your following. It's fine to ask your friends to like your page, but don't consider that your end goal. You want to broaden your reach to find the kind of followers who enjoy your content. So keep it lively. Post often and vary your updates. And from time to time, point people right back to your page, so that if they're reading the post via a share, they are encouraged to give the page a "like." Click here to see an example of how I handle that.

I hope you found this information useful. If you have any of your own Facebook tips, feel free to share them in the comments. In the meantime, I leave you with a final Dorothy Parker quote to ponder ...

“If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy.”

Good luck friends!

Are you a Dorothy Parker fan? What is your favorite Parker quote? What Facebook tricks have you learned? Please share in the comments! 

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About Ellen

Ellen Meister is a writer, reader, teacher, mother, wife, and Dorothy Parker fan. Her six-word memoir is "Not as blond as I look."

She is also the author of DOROTHY PARKER DRANK HERE (Putnam 2015), FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER (Putnam 2013), THE OTHER LIFE (Putnam 2011), THE SMART ONE (HarperCollins 2008) and SECRET CONFESSIONS OF THE APPLEWOOD PTA (HarperCollins 2006), as well as numerous essays and short stories.

Ellen teaches creative writing at Hofstra University Continuing Education, mentors emerging authors, lectures on Dorothy Parker and the Algonquin Round Table, and does public speaking about her books and other writing-related topics. Ellen is the voice of Dorothy Parker on her hugely popular Facebook page.