Ever read a book where you. Just. Don’t. Care? There’s danger…and ooh, the hero saved the day. Big surprise! You guessed that from the start. So here’s some ideas to make your plot a cliff-hanger and drama-filled rollercoaster… 1. Two bad choices Give your protagonist a choice…but make both of the options bad. Save the boyfriend, or the world? Rob the bank to get the ransom money, or let the hostages die? Walk away and live with regret, or stay and die? Even small choices can matter, as long as it adds an extra notch to the problems. 2. A real possibility of failure We know James Bond will always save the day and get the girl…but what if he doesn’t? What if there’s a real chance of failure? We’ve got a sinking feeling; it could actually happen, the baddies could win, the author might be going to surprise us… And then: phew! He did pull it off! The world is saved! But that little moment of doubt, that little inkling of worry…it just ratchets up the fear factor. 3. Build the tension The morning starts with one small task; the dog’s not well, take it to the vet. And then the car won’t start. And then a bullet goes through the windscreen. And then the apartment’s surrounded by goons. And then the President’s called because there’s a nuclear crisis – and the dog just threw up on your hero’s shoes. Add a bigger problem, and a bigger problem…and that first thing has still got to be done. Just keep ratcheting up the trouble. 4. A solution causes more issues Sure, your hero has just done that favour for the Head Honcho of Something – but now they’re in deep shit with Head Honcho’s enemy. Well, that didn’t go as… read more →
If you write (or if you enjoy reading!), you might be asked at some point to look over someone else’s work. You might be asked what you think of it, and – if it’s unpublished – to give some feedback. This is usually known as alpha or beta reading, or critique. So if you’ve agreed to read someone else’s work – whether a short story, a section, a chapter or a full novel – what should you be thinking about? There are three main parts; expectations, critique, and feedback. Check the author’s expectations First thing – before you even look at the manuscript – is to check what the author actually wants. Checking at this stage can save a lot of work and heartache later on! What do they want from you? Writers might not necessarily tell you directly, so ask a few questions; there’s no point wasting time and energy on something that won’t be useful to the writer. What is their major concern with the piece? Do they want every flaw pointed out, or just major plot issues highlighted? Or do they consider the manuscript finished, and want you to do a final read before sending it to a publisher? What’s their time frame? Do they need it back in a week, several months, a year? Do they have an aim in mind – for example, an open submission period? Have they got other work to be getting on with, or are they likely to get impatient and bug you about the work even if they’ve said several months is ok? And, most importantly, can you do what they’re asking (ie. read a novel) in that timeframe? Are you sure you want to take this on? It’s not a nice point to have to put in, but every editor has come… read more →
When you send a submission, different publishers ask for different things. However, it will usually be at least the first 10,000 words, which should be your first 3-5 chapters. This is what the editor will read and what they will use to decide if your book is any good, and then decide if they want to read the rest of it. And it’s not just the editor; later on, the reader will do exactly the same thing. Ever flicked through the first chapter in a bookshop or read it on Amazon? What made you want to continue and buy the book? What made you put it down and move on? It’d be your impression from the first chapter or two. Basically, the start of your book is pretty freakin’ important for giving a first impression. Have a think about the first five chapters of your book. Have a think about any critique you’ve received. And if you’ve ever uttered any of these phrases or you think they might apply to you, please take a long, hard look at your work… “It gets better later…” I can and will stop reading. If you haven’t hooked my attention in the first five chapters, then you’ve lost me. The same goes with the longer view; if you don’t grab me with the first book, why am I going to read until Book 5 of your series when the ‘real’ action starts? You need to get me interested now. “This is just the prologue…” So why are you starting here? Start with the action! Start with the story! Tell me the parts you find fascinating! When you become a millionaire best-seller you can always do a “pre-story” novel or novella or something, but for now – get to the interesting bits. “Oh, you’ve got… read more →
I’ll start with a disclaimer and some credentials; I’m involved in the submissions and editing process for Grimbold Books, my publisher. It’s a small indie press, which in many ways is wonderful – anyone involved get to do a bit of everything! But it’s really made me realise that when I first started submitting writing to publishers, I had absolutely no idea of the process that goes on once your writing has hit the submissions inbox. Surely they just…read it? And then publish it? Well, yes…sort of. But it’s a bit more complicated than that. So, before you do any of this, go and read 5 Questions to Ask Before Submitting a Short Story. It applies to novels, too! Stage 1: Submission Read the subs guidelines! I know they’re annoying and it’s a pain to have to format (I submit too, so I have a lot of sympathy for the never-ending task of re-formatting things) but it really does make reading easier. And on the same note, please send the amount asked. If the guidelines wants 10,000 words, a little under or over is fine…but don’t send your entire manuscript. Having a synopsis is nice; it gives us some idea of how the story unfolds. We often won’t have time to read the entire thing, so the first 30 pages and a synopsis is excellent. Tell us something about you; you don’t have to seem quirky, but just some insight into who you are is nice. However, your work will speak for itself, so if (like me) you’re fairly self-conscious when it comes to showing off, you won’t miss out by not giving a huge bio. And lastly (again) – read the guidelines! You want to make the publisher’s job as easy as possible – and that means sending what… read more →
