Books: How to Write Dazzling Dialogue

How to Write Dazzling Dialogue 
My Verdict: Read It

How to Write Dazzling Dialogue: The Fastest Way to Improve Any Manuscript by James Scott Bell is a quick, satisfying read. This book definitely has a few things every writer should know and a number of different exercises that you can try with your current work.

Most of the exercises are editing/review techniques:

• Pick a scene heavy with dialogue and randomly replace one of your lines with a random line from a published book. (Ch 6)

There are also a few which would help in plotting character relations:

• Character Web - bubble map the relationship between all characters [everything from lover, sibling, coworker, to don't know him]. (Ch 6)

And everything has examples, either short crafted sentences or from well known scripts and books. 

Pick up this book if you want a concise review about dialogue and exercises that you can try with your current work.

Homework: start two lists, exercises you have tried that succeeded/were helpful, and exercises that failed.


Rating Scale: Keep On Desk, Own it, Read it, Skim it, Don't Bother

Books: Wired for Story

Wired for Story
My Verdict: Don't Bother

If you want to read about scientific "proof" that just relates common writer advice, then this book is for you. Otherwise, skip it.

Wired for Story: The Writer’s Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence by Lisa Cron attempts to give scientific reasons why you should follow particular story advice. All of the story advice I've heard before, and agreed with, so the scientific proof is unnecessary.

If you do pick up the book, try to:

• Skim through the chapter for the bold print: MYTH vs. REALITY (usually one or two in each chapter). If it makes sense to you, skip ahead to the next bold print.
• Read the checkpoint list at the end of each chapter. If something in one of those doesn't make sense, go back and read through the chapter. These lists could be helpful for reviewing your novel.

Homework: make a list of all the things you should check your novel for during revisions.

(Examples:

• Weather consistency [doesn't change from winter to summer accidentally],
• side characters don't change names or features [do you have too many side characters when one could do the work of all],
• too much/little dialogue in a chapter,
• too much/little scenery [blank room syndrome], etc.)

 Rating Scale: Keep on Desk, Own It, Read It, Skim It, Don’t Bother

Books: The Emotion Thesaurus

The Emotion Thesaurus 
My Verdict: Read It

Have you ever wanted a list of ways a character can express emotion so you can pick out what’s right for your character? The list exists. The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi is a catalog of over fifty different emotions. Each emotion is detailed on two pages consisting of: definition, physical signals, internal sensations, mental responses, cues of that emotion when acute or long-term (also what the emotion may escalate to), and cues of that emotion when suppressed.

Reading this book cover to cover is not helpful (but it is a little enlightening about which emotions have cues that overlap). You should use this book either:

Before you do the majority of your writing (while you are plotting out your character’s traits)

or

After you write (so you can fix all the clichés you had to leave in your first draft just so you could finish writing the whole story).

I do not suggest using this book while you are writing your first draft because it is more important to get the whole story written down instead of written beautifully (that’s what revision is for).

Maybe you’ve got your three main characters completely mapped out without this book, but what about your side characters? While you’re revising you should decide what motivation each side character has for being on stage. If they aren’t earning their keep, you’ll have to give them the hook. Skim through The Emotion Thesaurus’s Table of Contents as you consider each character. They’re a side character, so they have a life we don’t care about that happens off stage, but how does that affect them while they’re on stage? If your character is in the ER does the Reader care about a boring helpful doctor or one who is angry that his wife just left him? Side characters are an opportunity to up the tension of a scene, not just a means to getting to the next scene.

If you do read this book cover to cover I’d suggest reading one entry a day. Let the ideas for each emotion really sink in. As you read the suggested phrases you might be reminded of the last time you read/heard those words used. Take a moment to note now how you felt about them. Was the phrase used well or did it stick out like asparagus in chocolate pudding? If it was from a book, did you end up enjoying the book as a whole? Reviewing what works for you, and what doesn’t, is a great way to think about what will, and won’t, work for your readers.

As a separate activity set aside some time to flip to the end of each entry and review the Writer’s Tip in the grey box. They’re a good review.

After you try this book out, definitely consider owning it.

Homework: pick a chapter of your novel at random and identify what words or phrases you might be overusing. Spend time figuring out what you really want your character to display and think of alternative ways to say it.

Rating Scale: Keep on Desk, Own It, Read It, Skim It, Don’t Bother

Books: Write Your Novel in a Month

Write Your Novel in a Month
My Verdict: Skim It

In Write Your Novel in a Month: how to complete a first draft in 30 days and what to do next by Jeff Gerke attempts to tackle a lot of information. He purposefully chose to summarize a variety of topics in order to fit everything into one book, because other books have gone in depth on individual themes (some of which he has written). If you want to write a novel or have gotten lost somewhere on your path, this book might be able to point you in the right direction.

Please note that the title says “first draft”. The “thirty days” mentioned throughout the book is meant only for writing your first draft. Not thirty days to conceive your idea, write your novel, and be able to send it to publishers in thirty days. The book is split into three sections: Planning Your Novel (before the thirty days), Writing Your Novel (in thirty days), and Publishing Your Novel (takes place after the thirty days and includes several more revisions of your draft).

Gerke returns to one piece of advice over and over as he covers different topics: “One commandment for fiction…You must engage your reader from beginning to end.” (p. 14-15) As with all writing books you can pick and choose which advice fits for you and what doesn’t.

The most important thing in picking out any writing book is to read the first twenty pages. If the author’s voice, opinion, or structure doesn’t align with what you enjoy – don’t read it. Some people need a casual voice that speaks directly to them. Others want a lecture that’s boiled down to almost no personality. Keep in mind which one you need before spending time trudging through a book you can’t stand.

As a closing note: Gerke states in the introduction, "Film is the highest, most powerful form of storytelling in our culture today, in my opinion, and the principles that make for strong cinema also make for strong fiction." (p. 9).

Take that opinion as you will.

Your homework: spend at least fifteen minutes objectively thinking of your skills as a writer. Pick out the top item you do best, and the worst. Then find a book for each that specializes in that topic. (The best will either confirm or deny your expertise and the worst will help you improve on something you already know is a problem).

Rating Scale: Keep on Desk, Own It, Read It, Skim It, Don’t Bother

Guest Aileen Erin (Shameless Plug or Useful Advice)

Today’s Guest at Wordsmith’s Key is Aileen Erin! 

     Aileen has five novels published through Ink Monster (http://inkmonster.net/) and more coming soon.

Below she has answered questions relating to her:

• personal & professional life,
• writing/editing & web presence tips,
• and of course a shameless plug. (Shameless because in order to get your writing out there in the world you have to talk about it with everyone).

Personal Questions

If you ever suddenly made plenty of money what would you do?

     Put it all in savings and keep writing! I know, I know. Most people would say they’d quit their day jobs and follow their dreams. But if I’m writing, I’m already doing that. So, I get to just keep doing that. Maybe I’d go write in a fun location. Stay for a couple of months in a castle in Ireland while I write a fantasy book or something. But writing is my passion. So, if I manage to win the publishing lotto, I’d just keep writing.

How much of your life goes into your books?

     Every character I write has a little bit of me in them. For example, in the Alpha Girl series, Tessa has my love of electronic music and romance novels, Meredith has my love of crazy hair colors, Claudia has my love of classical music and classic books, and Chris has my love of art. But as for how much of my actual life is it in the books—none of it. Thank God! There are no crazy witches coming after me. I’ve never had a vampire attack or bite me. And—unfortunately—I can’t shift into a werewolf. Reality bites sometimes. ;)

Recent Favorite Book

     This is a hard one because I read so many books. I’m a book a day reader! But I just finished The Leveller by Julia Durango, and thought it was a really fun read. I was hooked in from the beginning. It’s about a not-too distant future where video games are so immersive that you go comatose while playing. Nixy is a leveller—meaning she goes in and finds kids her age whose parents want them to stop playing the game and kicks them out of the virtual world. Pretty neat! Really dug all the gaming stuff, and Nixy was a strong female protagonist—which is essential for me.

[The Leveller by Julia Durango: http://juliadurangobooks.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-leveller.html ]

Professional Questions

What was the best thing you ever did to get published?

     Decide to do it on my own. Okay, so I know that’s not the usual route, but starting my own publishing company was the best decision I ever made. I knew if I went the traditional route I’d make very little money—if any—for years. So, after graduating with my Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, I did the opposite of what I was supposed to do. I never sent a query anywhere. I never submitted chapters or my manuscript. I didn’t contact any agents or editors. Crazy, right?! But I’d been researching the business of writing and publishing for years, so I took my career into my own hands. Since then, Ink Monster—the publishing company that I co-own with fellow author Christina Bauer—has moved a combined 500K+ books. I’m cool with those numbers. ;)

[Seton Hill University: http://www.setonhill.edu/academics/graduate_programs/fiction]

What was the hardest thing about getting published?

     Since I didn’t go the traditional route, the hardest thing is to keep all the publishing balls in the air while writing. I have to split my days—mornings for publishing work and afternoons for writing. Being the publisher and the author means much more work. But the reward of having control over my career is more than worth it.

Tips for Writing

What is the number one thing that keeps you writing?

     Having a deadline. So many distractions can get in the way of writing, but if there’s a deadline, I don’t like missing it. So, I’ll do anything to hit my word count goal in order to make sure that doesn’t happen!

What gets in the way of writing?

     Literally anything—from family to a good book to social media and marketing my books.

What is the easiest part to write?

     The first act! I love writing a first act. The second act is usual a bear to get through. Then, the third act usually comes quickly. But I love setting everything up. I love a new idea and a new book. Everything is all fresh and new and shiny. It’s my favorite part to write.

What is the hardest part to write?

     The second act. It’s as long as the first and third acts combined, and can be the trickiest. It’s where all of the “work” of the story gets done. First act is fun because it’s setting up the book, and the third is just the climax and wrapping everything up. But the second…it can be a slog sometimes.

Tips for Editing

Weirdest advice you’ve ever heard?

     I don’t know about weird, but I know some people who edit with all kinds of crazy systems involving multiple colors of highlighters, post-it notes, and scissors. The idea of doing all that makes my brain hurt. I send my chapters to my editor every week, and revise each one per her notes. Much easier and no highlighters involved.

Most useful thing you’ve heard?

     You’re not writing in stone. Everything can be polished and made better. I learned that in a general writing class in my undergrad. It was the first time I realized what revision and editing was. She would give us a grade on our first draft; one that would change as we revised. She would give a ton of notes to help us turn that grade into an A. The first paper I turned in came back with a C. I’d never gotten a C on anything before. I nearly flipped! But then she explained revision to me, and I turned it into an A. Seeing the grade change in such a significant way really fueled my love for editing. Now, I don’t mind writing a shitty first draft, because I know I’ll only improve it from there. It’s just something to get me started so that I can start polishing and make it shine.

Tips for Web Presence

How much web presence do you think is necessary (how much do you do)?

     A lot. Unfortunately. This is why I spend half my day on publishing stuff. Readers really want to know you as a person. Not just what you’re writing or when your book is on sale—they want to know YOU. What are you doing today? What’s for lunch? It seems silly, but it’s true! I recently did a photo-a-day challenge, and had a reader reach out and say, “I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing your posts daily. I feel like I know you as a person, not just an author and makes reading your books all the better!” I feel like that sums it up pretty nicely. Knowing you—as a person—makes them like your books more. Crazy, but true! So, over the past few months, I’ve been making more of an effort to reach out and talk about my daily life. Hopefully, it keeps readers more engaged! Fingers crossed!

What are the three most important things to do?

• Be consistent.
• You don’t want to disappear for three months, and then post every day for a week. You want to stay consistent with when you post. It doesn’t have to be every day, but it should be at least a few times a week.
• Be honest.
• You have to be true to yourself. You don’t want to lie about who you are or what you like/dislike. The truth will shine through. So, be honest about who you are, and trust that readers will like you for you.
• Only use tools that you feel comfortable with.
• If you don’t like twitter, don’t use it. If you like Instagram, use that. You have to find what works for you. And then be consistent and honest.

What is the most important thing not to do?

     Don’t ever, Ever, EVER respond to negative reviews. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. If they don’t like your book—even if they turn it into a personal attack—don’t engage. It never goes well, and you always end up looking bad. I’ve seen a number of authors—even very famous ones—do this, and it’s just always a train wreck. Stay far, far away from your negative reviews. Just take heart in the positive ones and turn a blind eye to the rest. Keep going. You’re not writing for the people who don’t like your book. You’re writing for the people who love your book.

Shameless Plug Time!

What would you like to talk to us about?

     The final book in this arc of the Alpha Girl series, Alpha Unleashed, is coming out September 29^th! Tessa will be back, but I’m taking a wee break to write something in a new series (more on this when I have a cover finalized) after Alpha Unleashed. But I’m super excited for what’s in store for Tessa and Dastien. I think readers will be happy with where this series arc will end. ;) ;)

     If you haven’t read it, there are four other books in the series. They’ll be on sale the month of September, so you can catch up before Alpha Unleashed comes out!

[For more on Aileen's books: http://inkmonster.net/authors/aerin]

Thanks so much for visiting Aileen! I’ve added your next release to my calendar so I don’t miss it.

If you want to ask questions of upcoming guests fill out a quick form at: http://www.wordsmithskey.com/survival-guide.html