Liebster Award!

Tags

Interview, Liebster Award

Allison D. Reid nominated me for a Liebster Award last week! I was quite surprised and honored that she thought to include my blog. Thank you, Allison, for the honor…it was fun reading your own answers. Before I jump into the questions and my own answers, I’d best share what the rules are for everyone else reading this post, and for those I’ve nominated in turn (the list is at the bottom of the page).

– Say thank you to the person who has nominated you for the award.
– Answer the 11 questions the person has asked you.
– Nominate 11 people (comment on their blog to let them know).
– Ask the people you have nominated 11 questions

Allison’s questions to me:

1. What is your favorite book, or if you prefer, your favorite author?

Well this one is quite easy, although five or ten years ago the answer might have been very different. My favorite author, without question, is J.R.R. Tolkien and my favorite book is The Hobbit, although I think The Children of Hurin, The Silmarillion, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy all deserve mention in the same conversation. They are all excellent reads, and each is unique in its own way.

2. Is there a country you have always wanted to visit, if so where?

This is another one that shifted in recent years. I used to really, really want to go to Scotland. I still do. But I think I’d want to go to England first, followed by Iceland, then New Zealand, with Scotland coming in fourth now.

3. What do you enjoy about blogging, and how has your blog changed in unexpected ways since you started it?

It is great to connect to other writers, bloggers, and readers. My blog changed from being a place for my own writing in 2012 and has evolved several times since then. I’ve tried book blogging, Indie Author promotion, Scripture Study, and book clubs. It is hard finding a niche, and that is okay because right now the flexibility allows me to take on more when time allows and drop other things when I need to free that time for other things. Right now the plan is to review a few books as I can, to continue the Medieval Book Club, and try to network with other authors while promoting information about my own book releases coming up.

4. What’s your preferred writing and/or blogging space?

I don’t really have a preferred space because it is all done at my desk. I do have some Middle-Earth maps on the wall and usually a playlist with either Lord of the Rings soundtracks or Brunuhville playing as I write. But the space itself is very simple.

5. How do you find inspiration?

Reading other writers. Seeing other Indie Authors finding success. Having a multitude of stories dancing in my head that demand to be told and an imagination that can always find inspiration for new stories.

6. What do you like to do for fun when you need a break from writing (or from your blog)?

Playing board games. Not Monopoly and Scrabble and those other games, but the modern wave of board games. There are excellent ones out there, hundreds and hundreds of better games than you grew up playing. And I’d love to talk about them with anyone interested!

7. What started you down the road of writing and/or blogging?

I’ve always had an interest in writing, but blogging in 2012 when I was creating flash fiction, so to speak, and posting them on my blog was what really cemented things. Not only did it lead to the creation of Ava and the Monster Huntress series and of the starting scenes for A Merchant in Oria, but it also helped me to connect to some great authors. One of whom I still am connected with and am eagerly waiting for her Elven Games book to see the light of day. 😀

8. Are there any Indie authors you would recommend to readers looking for a good book?

In no particular order:

Allison D. Reid
Andrea Lundgren
Joshua Robertson
Lillian Oake
Beth Hammond
Stephanie Ayers
A.L. Mabry
Josh Brown
Alex Ness
Patrick S. Baker
Anais Chartschenko
Elin V. Pettersson

And many others who I have missed but are equally worthy of mention and many others whose work I still have not read!

9. How do you keep yourself motivated?

Here is a secret: I don’t do well at this. Motivation comes in waves, where I can spend weeks pouring heart and soul into writing and then months without writing a word beyond the blogging. My seasons of writing come and go, but with a novella releasing this month and the possibility of a book in the near future, I am hoping to see more writing blossom in 2017!

10. What superpower would you choose and why?

Forget superpowers, just give me a T.A.R.D.I.S. and I’ll call it even. I’d much rather be able to travel through time and space than be able to fly, be invisible, have superhuman strength, etc.

11. What four people would you invite to a dinner party; contemporary, historical, or fictional?

I’m going to copy Allison’s own answer here, because I would provide the same answer, including the intimidation factor:

I would go to the Eagle and Child and sit down with the Inklings for an evening. I’d be completely intimidated by all of them, of course, and I doubt they would think much of my writing, but it would be a dream come true to just be in their company.

***

Now here are my nominations for the Liebster Award! (In no particular order):

Lillian Oake
Stephanie Ayers
A.L. Mabry
J.K. Allen
Stacy Overby
Emma T. Gitani
Anais Chartschenko
Katheryn Avila
Andrea Lundgren
Joshua Robertson
Jamie Lapeyrolerie

And the 11 questions, some the same and/or similar to the ones answered above.

1. What is your favorite book, or if you prefer, your favorite author?
2. Is there a country you have always wanted to visit, if so where?
3. What do you enjoy about blogging, and how has your blog changed in unexpected ways since you started it?
4. What is your biggest fandom and how did your fandom start?
5. What is the best book you’ve read so far this year? What books are you looking forward to reading still in 2017?
6. What do you like to do for fun when you need a break from writing (or from your blog)?
7. What started you down the road of writing and/or blogging?
8. Are there any Indie authors you would recommend to readers looking for a good book?
9. What is your favorite method of connecting with your blog readers?
10. What is the craziest thing you can remember wanting to be when you grew up and why did the younger you want to be that?
11. What four people would you invite to a dinner party; contemporary, historical, or fictional?

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Think Like a Poet for Description

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Daffodils, Description, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, Imagery, Jeremy Irons, Poetry Month, William Wordsworth

As we are bringing the National Poetry Month to a close, it seemed prudent to dedicate the final Writer’s Toolbox installment toward how a fiction, or even a non-fiction, writer can enhance their writing through poetry. The main area in which you can enhance your writing comes through description. Because a poem is typically trying to accommodate a certain rhythm or flow internally, poets tend to be cognizant of how they are trying to evoke an image through their word choice. Yet they are also not limited by typical grammatical restraints or sentence structures. They take the time to paint beautiful images that evoke multiple senses. They write similes and metaphors to capture comparisons. They choose words that fall outside of common use but provide stronger images than words like green or big or fast.

Consider this poem by William Wordsworth, “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”, and see the different ways in which he describes the daffodils that he sees and the things they are doing. How much more effective is the imagery in this poem than simply saying “I saw a bunch of daffodils moving in the breeze. They went as far as my eyes could see.”

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

And now listen to the reading of this poem by Jeremy Irons and see how the words being read aloud make the poem, and the images within, come alive:

So try to reconsider your approach to your writing of a descriptive scene. Take a scene in your current WIP, or even just look out the window, and try to write the images as though you were a poet describing these things. While you may not feel that you can get quite as bold and creative in your story, this exercise may help you to find a sentence or two that evokes a truly powerful and stunning image that will take your readers’ breath away.

Poetic Form: Villanelle

Tags

Do not go gentle into that good night, Dylan Thomas, Poetry Bestows Wings, Poetry Month, villanelle

For this week’s Writer’s Toolbox post I am going to be looking at one of the poetic forms out there that is rarely seen, but I find that its repetition offers a wonderful format for a poem. So to begin, we must dive in to what a villanelle is.

The villanelle is a nineteen-line poem that is made from five tercets and a quatrain. It has two repeating lines and a refrain. All of these work together to make a majestic poem. One of the more famous examples comes from Dylan Thomas, who wrote the poem “Do not go gentle into that good night”:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

As you can see by this poem, the first and third lines of the opening tercet are repeated alternately in the last lines of the succeeding stanzas; then in the final stanza, the refrain serves as the poem’s two concluding lines. This provides a nice repetition throughout the entire poem that provides emphasis on certain thoughts or emotions.

Some poets have taken on this form and slightly altered the wording of each repetition of those lines, providing a slightly different meaning throughout the poem. It is a fun form to experiment in, as I found a few years ago when I was testing out various poetic formats. As a special treat, here is the poem I wrote in the villanelle form, preceded by the quote that inspired the poem:

“You’ve got to jump off cliffs and build your wings on the way down.” Ray Bradbury

 

POETRY BESTOWS WINGS

 You soar up high, poetry bestows wings,
to glide above the clouds along the way.
Recite the words aloud until it sings.

Writers guide readers toward amazing things,
making new, objects seen every day.
You soar up high, poetry bestows wings.

Forming phrases, brilliantly capturing
the true essence within the words they say.
Recite the words aloud until it sings.

 Rounding up emotions and bottling
them in verse, with words the abstract stay.
You soar up high, poetry bestows wings.

The words joined form a smooth cadence, to bring
a musical rhythm to life today.
Recite the words aloud until it sings.

Skillful poets draw in readers, sending
them to places in a day, far away.
You soar up high, poetry bestows wings,
reciting the words aloud until it sings.

Had you ever heard of the villanelle before? What are your thoughts after reading two poems in this form? If you have written, or end up writing, a villanelle please feel free to share a link in the comments!

Perfecting Your Poetry

Tags

poetry, Read, Writer's Toolbox, Writing Poems, Writing Prompts

I’ve been writing poetry off and on since 1999. During these seventeen years I’ve taken English classes, creative writing classes, read poetry books, read poetry essays, written poetry essays, and written a poem a day for a month. My greatest time of growth as a poet came while taking a graduate-level poetry writing course a few years ago, which allowed me to take note of a few habits that helped me to grow and become a better poet.

Sadly, I have not completed a poem since that class concluded. I have done some major revisions on one poem, a short epic called “Taking Down Goliath”, and have started working on two different poems in the meantime. One was taking a previous flash fiction piece that I wrote in 2012 and turning it into a ballad poem. I mean to return to that and finish it at some point, but other writing projects currently demand my attention.

The other I began just this morning. It is something I have felt on my heart for a few weeks now to do, and I just worked up the courage to begin today. I have a journal that sits beside my Bible. I’ve tried journaling. My wife is great at that in her walk with God. Not me. I’ve tried writing favorite verses but find I lose interest quickly. Today I turned to a new page and started writing a poem. My hope is to slowly fill the rest of the pages with some poems and then have a nice chapbook in my possession with poems that explore Bible stories, center around Scriptural passages, and give glory and praise to God.

So the five things I have discovered helped me to grow as a poet are fairly simple. Some may seem to be common sense. Others might seem surprising to you and run counter to what you would usually do when writing poems. Don’t balk at them! Trust me, each of these was very instrumental in my growth, as the challenge from some of them is what is needed to be forged into a better poet.

1. Write More Poetry – This really should be a given for anyone who writes, poetry or otherwise. The more you do something, the better you will become. A blank page won’t get accepted for publication, and the words don’t just magically appear on the page. And, no matter how busy your schedule might seem, there is always time to write. Even if that means waking up earlier or carrying a small notebook and pen with you everywhere you go. If you want to write more often, you will find the time. My own plan with my bigger project is not to sit and write a full poem each day, but rather to get down a few lines. I know I can find the time to do that.

2. Read More Poetry – This is another given for writers. A person who writes Mystery novels will read a lot of other mystery novels. Poets have it lucky because there aren’t many modern novel-length poems that we would have to read. I personally think that the best thing to do is read a variety of poems, spanning across different poetic movements and different time periods. Read the old, the really old, and the new. Read local and read poems from around the globe. It is easy to stick to a poet or an era you love the most, but that can only take you so far. There is a wealth of poetry out there to discover, and many of them are not found in anthologies like Best Loved Poems of the American People. Those are a great starting point, but they are far from being definitive sources. Pick up the complete works of a few major poets. Pick up some of the more specialized anthologies. Get a poetry collection from a local author at an Indie Bookstore.

3. Begin Compiling Your Favorite Poems – This is, essentially, what an anthology editor will do: select their favorite poems and put them all together. If you are like me, you have read anthologies and found some, or even many, of the poems didn’t stand out. But some will stand out. And by taking the time to write them, or type them, you will be reconstructing the poem and seeing it in a new way. Don’t just copy and paste it from a website. Type it out word-by-word. When you are done you will have a best-of poetry collection and you will, hopefully, learn a few things about the poems as you type them out. Bonus points if you take the time to annotate as well!

4. Use Writing Prompts – It seems like so many of the prompts are meant for poets because they focus on one moment, one scene, one idea. This is a free idea factory for any poet, which takes away the whole writer’s block excuse before it even starts. They also serve another purpose, which is to move you out of the comfort zone. We all have those topics we return to over and over. The prompt moves you into uncharted territory, which is why it also goes well with number five…

5. Experiment – This applies to topics, but also to something far more beneficial. Write poems (note this is plural, meaning do each one more than once!) in new formats, like the villanelle or sestina. Expand beyond the sonnet and, especially, past the modern habit of free verse. If you always capitalize the first word of each line, try writing poems without capitalization. If  each line is always a complete thought, write poems where the only line ending with a period or comma is the last line. Mix things up, sprint so far past your comfort zone that you can’t see it any more. The class forced me to do just that. One of my best poems was also the hardest one to write the rough draft for. I’ve not only discovered new formats for poetry, but I’ve also found that my natural style of writing a poem isn’t anything like what I wrote for those first thirteen years as a poet.

What are some of the things you think are most important for becoming a better poet or writer? Is there one thing that has helped you grow more than any other?

March Guest Posts

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Book Review, Guest Post, King of Ages, Naming Characters, revision, short story

I had planned on writing about Revising vs. Editing here but, given time constraints and the desire to finish my current short story before the April 2nd deadline, I have instead decided to make this a spot with links to all the guest posts I have written and had published over the course of this month. The first of these actually does deal with Revision, and discusses in passing the difference between revision and editing, so that one will be worth visiting!

As an important note to begin, my first newsletter went out today! Sign up now and I will make sure you get a copy of it in your email. This newsletter contains a short article about authors, a spotlight on an indie author you should be reading, a preview of my short story, “Words Like Rain”, and more!

Improving Your Manuscript Through Revision – posted on 3/21 on Hijinksblog

Naming Characters: Fantasy Edition – posted on 3/21 on Our Write Side

Short Story: The Best Birthday – posted on 3/12 on Our Write Side

Book Review: Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld – posted on 3/13 on Our Write Side

Arthurian Adaptation – posted on 3/20 on Lavinia Collins Author Page

A Space of My Own – posted on 3/3 on T.A. Barron’s blog

And, in case you missed it at the end of February, one of my favorite short stories is up on Sci Phi Journal: “The First Martian Church of God” so be sure to check that one out and let me know your thoughts on it!

Writing First Drafts

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First Drafts, Manuscript, Writer's Toolbox, Writing

When it comes time to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, there are obstacles that can get in the way of completing a first draft. This is, by far, the most important step to the process of writing a story or a novel, but there are an endless array of pitfalls standing between starting and finishing the project regardless of word count. Knowing how to overcome these obstacles are what separates those who wish they could be writers from the writers. Here are three techniques that I have found helpful when it comes to writing my own drafts:

Develop a Writing Routine and Stick to it

Raise your hand if you have ever thought to yourself “I should be writing, but I just don’t feel like it right now.” Yep, guilty as charged here as well. Yet I have never finished a writing session that I regretted doing, no matter how much I resisted it before beginning to write. It is easy to prioritize other things, and when you finally have the unplanned free time everything else sounds far more appealing than grinding out some words. As with most things, it takes time to develop a good writing habit. One of the best ways to accomplish this habit is to form a schedule or a routine and stick to it.

Some people advocate writing every day, and in an ideal world that is what we should all aim for. But there are pockets of time each week that we could pencil in the time to write. Find those times, even if they are only 15-30 minute windows, and dedicate one of those each day to writing. Set goals for each writing session, whether it be a time limit (I will sit and write for 15 uninterrupted minutes) or a word count objective (I will sit at my desk until I add at least 500 words to my current project). And stick to it. Figure out the times, and the requirements, that work best for you and then write. Don’t have email, Facebook, Twitter, or anything else open in another window. Put your phone on silent, if possible. Get your writing music playlist going before the timer begins if you are setting a time limit and don’t open it to change songs. Just write.

Relinquish control to your characters

If you are a planner, this advice will be paramount to the worst type of torture. You’ve spent hours developing an idea of how the next scene should play out. You dedicated months to detailing out a strict outline with a flow of events that take you from point A of the novel to point B in the novel. You know what the characters should do, what they should say, and what they had for breakfast for the last three months. But when you start to write they throw a curve ball at you and start to do something else.

Let them.

This is the first draft, after all, and when it comes time to revise your work you can straighten them out and get things back on the track they were supposed to follow. I love the advice of Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird regarding the first draft. She calls it the child’s draft, and suggests that even if your character wants to quip, “Well so what, Mr. Poopy Pants” at some point, you let them. Because it may take pages of unproductive nonsense to get to a point where you write something so strong and beautiful and incredible that you would never have reached by more adult, methodical methods.

It is great to have a plan. But don’t be afraid to do a little pantsing while writing the first draft. Your writing mind might uncover an excellent addition to your story through very unconventional means.

Don’t stop, don’t overthink, just write

When I am writing my rough draft there is a little voice inside that wants me to stop. It hates the momentum I am building because it sees all the little things that I should fix, or could improve upon, or need to research more about to make sure it is accurate. It has taken time and practice, but I have begun to ignore this voice because it is a draft killer. It wants me to get bogged down in the details of the stuff I have already written, preventing me from ever reaching the completion of the manuscript. And we all have been guilty, or know someone who has been guilty, of getting completely derailed by this voice. How can you tell?

If your chapter one has been touched up a dozen times and still is not quite perfect, but chapter two still hasn’t been written. If you have abandoned projects collecting dust, not due to them being uninteresting but because the inspiration flamed out before you could get anywhere close to the end. If you’ve spent hours reading about the nuances of a culture or profession in order to be accurate before sitting down to write a page or two of a scene before moving on in the manuscript.

Avoid the pitfalls of listening to this voice! You will misspell words and write sentences in the passive voice. You will write choppy and forced dialogue. You can have a big [INSERT DETAILS ABOUT SMELTING IRON ORE HERE] in your first draft. You don’t need to fix the little things in order to continue! The most important thing, from my own experience, is getting to the end first. Then you can go back and revise to your heart’s content, spending weeks immersed in detailed research or hours rewriting a single paragraph until it is perfect. Because you will already have a finished product in front of you, something that you can say is written. You might spend years revising a manuscript, going over it 7 times before it is ready to send off (or before you get something other than rejections), but at least it will be done. Reaching the end is something every aspiring writer dreams of.

Not all of them make it there. Be the exception and write your heart out. You can clean up the messy stuff later.

Guest Post: Julia Allen on Writing Fight Scenes

Tags

Fighting Styles, Guest Post, Julia Allen, Weapons, Writing Advice, Writing Fight Scenes

I am super-excited to host an outstanding writer on my blog today. Julia has a blog full of sage writing wisdom, so be sure to check it out in the links at the bottom of the post. You can check out my own guest post on her blog, my monthly column at Our Write Side, as well as a guest post about King of Ages at Lavinia Collins’ blog. But definitely read this excellent post first about writing fight scenes!

How to Write a Fight Scene

Fight scenes are an exciting part of our stories but can be a little intimidating to write. So let’s look at some tips for writing fight scenes that rock.

First of all, you want your fight scenes to match the voice and writing style of the rest of your story. If the rest of your style is written with lyrical prose for instance, you don’t want a jarringly concise fight scene. Keep in mind, however, that using short, punchy sentences keeps pacing fast and keeps those pages turning. Keep track of the players and where they are throughout the fight. Help your readers follow along with the attacks and blocks characters use. Also keep in mind that each character will fight differently. Stay true to your character and their personality and training. And fight scenes are no place for long, drawn-out dialogue. There’s not much room for talking in a real life fight, so don’t add speeches when you write.

Image from Wikipedia entry on History of Martial Arts

Do your homework on the fighting styles and weapons your character will be using. But don’t get caught up in technical writing or jargon, especially if you’re not an expert. It’s off-putting and complicates understanding. Make things simple and clear. You don’t want to give a blow-by-blow commentary of the fight. That’s boring and tedious. Be careful not to lose your readers to confusion; they have to be able to follow along. If you don’t know about fighting, give less details and go for more lyrical description of the event. Keep in mind your character’s training or lack thereof. This will change the way they fight. Don’t make your character a “natural” unless your plot gives a good explanation for how your character can fight like a master despite her lack of training.

Don’t write like Hollywood. Work on being more realistic and avoid the one-punch knockout and fighting through grievous injuries. Injuries matter, so don’t ignore them. At some point, certain injuries are too big to fight through. They’ll affect how well your MC can fight, hindering them as well as weakening them. And an experienced female character can defeat a male without special advantages.

Image from eschipul on Flickr

Real fighting is ugly. There’s the scent of sweat and blood, swelling bruises, and broken bones. Include these concrete details. Also, keep in mind how your character is dealing with the psychological aspects of fighting, both of not wanting to fight and how well they cope with hurting others. People don’t want to hurt others generally, so deal with these aspects in and after your fight.

 

Let your MC lose some fights and get hurt. They shouldn’t be able to fight an experienced fighter and walk away unscathed. And know your weapons before you use them and how they’ll affect the fight. If you have a new fighter, the weight of their sword can lead to early fatigue and result in a loss. Add these details to keep things realistic.

There are some tips to get you started writing your big fight scene. Is there anything you struggle with when writing fight scenes? Any go-to methods you use? Comment below and let us know how you write fight scenes. Also, check out my blog, my weekly column at Our Write Side, and follow me on Twitter for more writing tips and inspiration, and happy writing!

Julia
BIO: Julia received her BA in Creative Writing and English from Michigan State University. She did her senior thesis in poetry under the tutelage of Diane Wakoski, but has been focused primarily on fiction as of late. Common writing themes that can be found in her work address identity and the type of strength that can be found in ordinary people. Julia is currently working on a Young Adult fantasy novel and can be found at local cafes in her hometown when writing, and painting, drawing, or reading when not.

Strong, Heroic Female Characters

Tags

Ava, Female Characters, Monster Huntress, Women in Fiction, Writer's Toolbox

“So, why do you write these strong female characters?

Because you’re still asking me that question.”

[Equality Now speech, May 15, 2006]”
― Joss Whedon

That quote from Joss Whedon has stood out in my mind for years, ever since I first heard it. The fact that it was a question being asked, not just once, but supposedly 48 times, shows that people can still struggle with the idea that women are just as capable of being awesome major characters in books, television shows, movies, etc. Granted, things have changed since that response by Whedon in 2006, but I am fully aware that I may encounter the same question when my own stories, which feature a strong female protagonist, get published. So I thought it fitting that, for my first writer’s toolbox post, I would share a few things that I have learned about writing strong female heroes, which can also be applied to writing female characters in general.

For the female perspective on how to write male characters, check out this great post by the writer who will be getting featured on this blog on Monday!

Tip#1 – Don’t place limits on what they can do simply because of gender.

This should be a no-brainer, and all the women reading this are probably already smiling and nodding enthusiastically because it is true. There are truly few things in the world that a man can do that a woman cannot, and vice versa. Yes, your character may have limitations based on your description of them (if they are a slender 90# wisp of a woman, they might not be able to swing a massive two-handed sword very effectively) but to disqualify them for something based on gender is dumb. If you are writing a story and get to a point where you would have the main character do X to solve it, don’t change that simply because your character is a woman.

Tip#2 – Your female characters should not be flawless physical specimens.

In fact, they should be as varied in size, strength, and appearance as your roster of male characters. Not every man you write is young, handsome, muscular, with perfect hair. They are not all suave or chivalric. They don’t all turn the heads of characters everywhere they go. Your female characters should be just as diverse as your male ones, both major and minor. They should not be perfect, nor believe that they are flawless in appearance. They should be just as flawed as a male protagonist. And no, having the one old crone does not count as varying your women.

Tip#3 – A strong heroine can like girly things.

This one came as a revelation when writing a scene for my book when Ava was younger. She had grown up idolizing her dad, having no real memories of her mother, and wanted to be a hunter of monsters just like him. Which meant her clothing of choice was geared toward travel and adventure rather than dresses. But there is a point where she is forced to dress like a noblewoman and gets her hair done and all those things that go with it. To my surprise as the writer, she loved getting to dress up. It didn’t make her a different character, but rather added another complex dimension to her. It makes the reader wonder if, under different circumstances, might she have grown into this other character who might attend balls and dance the night away.

But Ava draws the line with the shoes. She won’t wear those fancy shoes no matter what the circumstance. Because there are limits to how girly she’s willing to become.

So there are a few tips that I have for the men as they set out to write a strong heroic female character. She doesn’t have to be the main character, but your story can still have strong, supportive female characters. These tips should help you to avoid writing flat, one-dimensional women in your stories.

But the best thing to do in order to learn to write strong female characters is to read literature that has those strong female characters. Here are a few series recommendations:

Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas
Graceling series by Kristen Cashore
Alanna series by Tamora Pierce
Abhorsen series by Garth Nix
Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson
Green Rider series by Kristen Britain
Seraphina series by Rachel Hartman
Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld
Eon duology by Alison Goodman

What are some of your favorite books or series with strong, complex female characters?

Podcasts: A Great Resource for Writers (And Readers!)

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In Our Time, Podcasts, Rex Factor, Saga Thing, Sword and Laser, The Tolkien Professor, The Writer's Edge, Writing Excuses

As I alluded to in one of my posts last week, I like to listen to podcasts. The primary time when I get the opportunity to listen is when I am going for a run, which will hopefully start to happen more often now that the weather is warming up for me. I used to listen to music when I ran, thinking the rhythm and familiarity with the song would keep me motivated to push through and enjoy running farther and longer. It was perfect for about 30-minutes or so but I found something lacking. It wasn’t enough to make me want to run, just enough to keep me going for a while.

Next I tried listening to audiobooks while running. It took several failed attempts before I found a book with a good enough narrator, with an interesting enough story and good pacing, to keep me motivated while running. That book helped me get through some long runs, including a half-marathon, but when it came to its eventual end I had no desire to try and discover a new audiobook to listen to exclusively while running. I already listen to audiobooks during my daily commute. I wanted something different.

That is when I discovered that podcasts are perfect to suit my needs.

There are a number of podcasts out there, and I have already discovered that not all podcasts are created equal. But it is almost a guarantee that if you have an interest of some sort, there is at least one podcast out there covering that interest. Even if it is only several episodes covered here and there.

I have a go-to podcast for running, but I also mix it up with a few others. So here are a few of my favorite podcasts to listen to and what you can expect to discover when listening:

Writing Excuses – I came across this one when I was looking more into what other books Brandon Sanderson wrote after reading Steelheart. Their tagline is “Fifteen minutes long, because you’re in a hurry, and we’re not that smart” and most of their episodes fall in the 13-18 minute range. There are a ton of episodes in their archives covering all sorts of topics that writers want to learn more about and they are currently in their tenth season of producing this podcast. This is my go-to podcast for running because I can listen to one on a shorter run and several on a longer one. They currently put out a new one per week, so you will never be short on episodes to listen to.

The Writer’s Edge – This is a newer discovery for me, but I have really enjoyed it. This is a newer podcast and only has six episodes so far, but the content is excellent and the delivery of the information is entertaining. You can find them on YouTube as well, so even if you don’t want to take it with you there is a way to listen at home and enjoy the sage advice from this team of writers.

Sword and Laser – This podcast is, essentially, a book club podcast with a pair of hosts that are entertaining. If you are interested in Fantasy or Science Fiction, their discussions will certainly touch upon books to add to your TBR list and topics to keep in mind as both a reader and a writer. This would be an excellent way to also keep abreast of current trends in the writing industry because they spend time talking about current books as well as older ones.

The Tolkien Professor – This podcast may have a narrower appeal to some, but to a Tolkien fan like myself this will become a favorite. The Tolkien Professor has podcasts covering all of Tolkien’s major works, going through them either chapter by chapter (The Hobbit and The Silmarillion) or in manageable chunks (The Lord of the Rings). He also delves into some of Tolkien’s shorter works, and even into some of the Tolkien contemporaries and other stories in similar genres such as Faerie Stories. I learn a lot every time I listen to one of his episodes as he explores things in such detail that I wish I could attend his lectures in person.

Rex Factor – Looking to set your story during a point in English history? This will be invaluable, as they have already covered every one of England’s kings and queens and are currently working their way up through Scotland’s monarchs now. Not only is it good for historical research, but it is also a lot of fun to listen to.

Saga Thing – This has become one of my true favorite podcasts to listen to. They cover the Icelandic Sagas, one at a time, and discuss the events that take place and then pass judgments on those sagas with categories like Best Bloodshed, Best Witticisms, and Best Nickname. Each saga concludes with the two hosts each drafting one person from the Saga to become one of their Thingmen. They are currently covering their eighteenth saga with more episodes coming all the time. They also do some mini-episodes to cover certain aspects of Icelandic culture or history. As a newcomer to the Sagas and all things Icelandic, this has been a wonderful podcast to listen to and enjoy.

In Our Time – A podcast put out by BBC Radio 4, this is where I turn to if I need a primer on a subject or time period or even a work of literature. Odds are they have already done an episode about it. This is certainly an interesting place to dabble in arts, sciences, history, literature, and more.

Have you listened to any of these great podcasts? What podcasts do you, as readers or writers, listen to on a regular (or semi-regular) basis? Leave a comment below and I look forward to discovering some more great ones to add to my list in the future!

How to Help Authors

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author, Book Review, reading, sharing, social media

This is a topic that gets covered extensively among the writing community, and there is a lot of great wisdom to be passed along from writers to newer writers. If you love an author or their book there are a lot of ways that you, as a reader, can help make an impact to drive up the sales and popularity of either that author or their book. Today I will be covering five ways that you can start to help your favorite budding authors gain the exposure they need to help solidify their writing careers.

1. Buy their book! – Okay, so we’ll start out with the no-brainer to begin. If you like the author or love a particular book, the best thing you can do to support it is to buy a copy to own. The format doesn’t matter, so whether you love hardcovers, paperbacks, or eBooks you can take your pick and support the author that way. If they don’t have a book of their own yet, buy the book anthologies and magazine copies that have their stories featured, as these help to show the publisher that there was an interest in those stories which will make it more likely that they will consider a second story from the same author in the future. Also, don’t forget that books make excellent gifts! If you don’t have the funds to buy the books, see #3 for another way you can help.
2. Read their book in public places – This will let other people seeing you read the awesome book, and the curious ones might even ask what you are reading. Don’t hold back when they ask, but rather see this as an opportunity to convert them to the fandom of your new favorite book or author. If you can get them excited, perhaps they will become curious enough to do step#1, which helps to show the interest in that author or book.
3. Request it at your local library/bookstore – If you can’t afford to buy a copy for yourself, or if you already have a copy, ask about that book at your local library or bookstore. This shows the librarians and bookstore employees that there is some interest in the book, and every library or bookstore should take note and jot down when someone asks about a book they don’t already have. If enough requests are made, you may find that someday soon that book is there for sale or checkout.
4. Review the book! – Apart from sales, reviews might be the second most important factor to influence the success of a book. When you read a book you love, or even one you just enjoy, take the time to write a review. It doesn’t have to be long, but it should be honest and as spoiler-free as possible. And then post it in multiple locations, especially on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. The more reviews a book has, the more likely a reader will be to investigate into the book and, perhaps, buy it. If the story is only on a website, be sure to like it and leave a comment so that it shows some reader activity and involvement.
5. Spread the word – Social media is the ideal method for sharing information about your favorite author or book. If it is a book, share the cover of the book or your review (or another review that pops across your feed that you agree with) for your friends or followers to see. If it is an author, share links to their blog, their books, or their short stories. Become the street team to spread the word about that author to those who are yet to discover them. Word of mouth is a powerful tool so read and share about everything they write that you can get your hands on and generate some buzz about that author and their writing.

 

So there you go, five ways you can help your new favorite author or book gain some exposure or popularity. A few dedicated fans doing these things on the behalf of a book or author can help drive interest that otherwise might never surface. What are some authors or books you are currently excited about and might be able to help promote?