Losing Sight of the Target

by Stina Lindenblatt @StinaLL

 ©Stina Lindenblatt

The choice of genre that we chose to write is based on many things, but the most important driving force is passion. You need to feel passionate about what you write if you want your readers to experience it, too. If they feel your passion, chances are good they’ll love your story. The downside of writing about what makes you passionate is that it might cause you to lose sight of your target.

When I refer to target, I’m talking about the true target audience you’re writing for. If you write middle grade stories, you’re writing for nine to twelve year olds. If you write young adult stories, you’re writing for twelve to seventeen year olds. And when you write new adult stories, you’re writing for seventeen to twenty-five year olds. Those examples are categories, but if I were to ask you who your target audience is for your given genre (e.g. romantic suspense, medical thrillers, cozy mysteries, etc), are you able to identify it?

It’s important to know who your target audience is, but it goes beyond knowing where to direct your promotional effort. Don’t get me wrong. It’s vital that you target the right individuals if you want to see maximum sales. But your marketing efforts might not necessarily focus on your true target audience. Take middle grade fiction, for example. Most middle grade readers between nine and twelve years old aren’t reading book blogs. Most aren’t reading blogs, period. It’s the adults with the purchasing power (parents, teachers, librarians) who read the blogs. The majority of young adult books are bought and read by adults. That’s not to say teens aren’t reading them. They are. But they don’t have the disposable income to buy them. They tend to borrow books from their friends and from the library.

It’s important to know who your target audience is, but it goes beyond knowing where to direct your marketing effort. In traditionally published books, there are checks and balances. The publishers have determined what is acceptable within a given category or genre. Graphic sex in young adult novels will be edited to fit the guidelines (in other words, it won’t exist). The stories and voice will be authentic to the true target audience. If it isn’t, it won’t be published.

These checks and balances don’t exist in self publishing. Which means it’s easy to write young adult books for the wrong target audience (i.e. for adults who love YA stories instead for teens). It’s easy to lose sight of what’s important to teens and write a non-authentic story. It’s easy to write a book and forget who your true target is, but due to pressure from reviewers, you are forced to re-label its genre (from YA contemporary to adult romance). It’s easy to write a book that becomes controversial, for the wrong reasons.

Is this necessarily a bad thing? Often controversy leads to increased sales, which can push a book into bestselling status, because readers love to know why a particular book is controversial.  If becoming a bestselling author is the only reason you write stories, well lucky you. But if you write stories to touch the heart of your target audience, your true target audience, please don’t lose sight of who they are when you write your stories. They’ll thank you for it.

Do you know who your true target audience is? Do you write for them, or do you write the books you crave, even though you’re not part of the true demographic (i.e. a male writing romance)? Or do you try to aim for both?

Stina Lindenblatt @StinaLL writes young adult and new adult novels. In her spare time, she’s a photographer and blogging addict, and can be found hanging out on her blog. 

Drawing the Reader in through Character Emotion

All successful novels, no matter what genre, have one thing in common: emotion. It lies at the core of every character’s decision, action, and word, all of which drive the story. Without emotion, a character’s personal journey is pointless. Stakes cease to exist. The plot line becomes a dry riverbed of meaningless events that no reader will take time to read. Why? Because above all else, readers pick up a book to have an emotional experience. They read to connect with characters who provide entertainment and whose trials may add meaning to their own life journeys.

It is easy to see the power of emotion and how it connects a reader to the story and characters. The difficulty comes in writing it well. Each scene must achieve a balance between showing too little feeling and showing too much. Above all, the emotional description needs to be fresh and engaging. This is a tall order for writers who tend to reuse the same emotional indicators over and over. 

This is why Angela and I wrote The Emotion Thesaurus. We were tired of our characters always shifting their feet to show nervousness and narrowing their eyes when angry. And when we started talking with other writers, it became clear that many of them also struggled in this area.

Because clichéd and overused emotional descriptions seem to be a near-universal problem in the writing community, I was thrilled when Carolyn asked if I could talk a bit about character emotion. I’d like to tackle this area of difficulty by sharing an excerpt from The Emotion Thesaurus and giving some ideas on how it can be used to clarify your character’s feelings and freshen up your descriptive writing. 

Let’s say you’re working on a scene about sibling rivalry, and you need to express Sam’s frustration over his younger brother’s insistence on paying for lunch. The first draft might go something like this:

     I gestured for the bill, felt my face getting hot. “Absolutely not.”
     “Too late.” David didn’t even look up. He was already reaching for his money clip.
     My hands clenched into fists. He always did this—it’s why I’d made him promise on the phone to let me pay, for once. Why did he always have to throw his money in my face? It was so frustrating.

While this passage clearly conveys Sam’s frustration, it’s a clunky read. First off, there’s a lot of telling, which is hardly ever a good idea. Another sign of trouble is when the emotion is named (It was so frustrating) because readers don’t want to be told how Sam feels; they want to feel the frustration along with him. The best way to do this is by giving emotional cues that the reader can relate to.

Unfortunately, the cues used here are fairly weak. The flushed face, the clenched fists—we’ve seen them a million times. To show Sam’s frustration in a way that will really connect with the reader, we need some cues that are fresh and unique to Sam’s character. Enter the The Emotion Thesaurus. Here’s an excerpt from the Frustration entry:

FRUSTRATION

DEFINITION: vexation caused by unresolved problems or unmet needs; the feeling of being hindered
PHYSICAL SIGNALS:
Pacing in short spans
Stiff posture, rigid muscles, a corded neck
Clenching the jaw
Speaking through the teeth with forced restraint
Scratching or rubbing the back of the neck
Splaying hands out wide to stretch, then relaxing them
Throwing hands up in an “I give up” gesture
Stalking away from someone, leaving in a huff
A strained voice
INTERNAL SENSATIONS:
Throat closing up
Hardening of the stomach
Tightness in the chest
MENTAL RESPONSES:
Self-talking to calm down, to think straight
A need to ask questions and rehash information
Reining in one’s emotions before damaging relationships
CUES OF ACUTE OR LONG-TERM FRUSTRATION:
Using more force than necessary (stomping feet, throwing instead of handing off)
A display of violence (kicking, grabbing, shaking, or destroying something in release)
A tantrum (screaming, body flung down on the floor, crying)
MAY ESCALATE TO: Contempt, Anger, Impatience
CUES OF SUPPRESSED FRUSTRATION:
Gritted teeth
Swiping at tears, trying to hide them
Silence or minimal responses
Briefly closing one’s eyes

Looking at this list, I see some cues that could work, but I want to make them specific to my character. I can imagine Sam rubbing the back of his neck, but that gesture is kind of overused, too. Instead, I’ll have him rub his jaw—a stubbly one, to further emphasize the difference between the two brothers. The fact that Sam tried to arrange all of this beforehand also shows that he’s a thinker and a planner. Under Mental Responses, I see a need to rehash information; it seems fitting that he would argue his point, try to remind his brother of their conversation in an effort to change his mind.

I’m going to replace the weak cues from my first draft with some stronger ones from above—cues that are a little more unique to Sam.

    I wiped my mouth and gestured for the bill. “Absolutely not.”
    “Too late.” David didn’t even look up. He was already pulling out his money clip.
    “Hey, we talked about this. You paid the last three times.” My voice sounded pinched, like it was squeezing through a straw. I cleared my throat. “I know I don’t make as much money as you, but I can cover lunch.”
    David slipped a gold card into the envelope and waved the server over. “It’s not a problem. Don’t make a thing out of it.”
    I stared at him. “A thing?”
    He nodded—him in his pressed suit with every hair shellacked into place. Like he was the reasonable one and I was overreacting.
    Sucking in breath, I scrubbed a hand over my unshaved jaw, then dropped it to the table hard enough to rattle the dishes. This whole thing was a set up. Knowing David, he’d picked the time for lunch on purpose so I’d have to come between shifts. Everything was intentional with him, and he always knew how to put me off my game.

It needs more revision, but this scene’s already a big improvement over the original. Sam’s emotional state is clear, most of the telling has been replaced with showing, and the cues are stronger and say something about both Sam’s and David’s character. The added characterization also serves to increase reader empathy and strengthen the reader-character bond, which is a good thing.

So the next time your scene needs a little more emotional oomph, remember these tips:

1. Whenever possible, show the emotion instead of naming it outright.
2. To show emotion, choose physical, internal, and mental responses for your character that are fresh and not overused.
3. Choose cues that are specific to your character and make sense for him or her.

Thanks so much for hosting me, Carolyn. Best of luck to all of us!

Becca Puglisi is one half of The Bookshelf Muse blogging duo, and co-author of The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression. Listing the body language, visceral reactions, and thoughts associated with 75 different emotions, this brainstorming guide is a valuable tool for showing, not telling, emotion. The Emotion Thesaurus is available for purchase through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Smashwords, and the PDF can be purchased directly from her blog.

Scrivener or yWriter: why I use neither

We've heard why Carolyn uses yWriter and why Sarah uses Scrivener. I'm going to join in with my cutting-edge technology. Well, cutting-edge from several centuries ago: why I write with a fountain pen on paper.

And before you say, "Wow, look at the time! It's 2013!" and turn back to your computer (thank you, Regretsy) I'll state for the record that I switched back to using a notebook after drafting four books on my computer. I'm not afraid of the machine, but I also know its limits. And mine.

So, why pen and paper?

1) Portability. If you're hanging out in the karate studio waiting area where there are more parents than seats, you don't want to be writing on a device that takes up any more room than your lap. Same goes for the subway. It's far easier to hunch over a notebook-of-paper than a notebook computer. And if you drop it or one of the kids steps on it, no biggie. (Don't try that with your MacBook Pro.) Just throw it in your hand bag or diaper bag or backpack, and you can write wherever you want. You also don't need to bring your charger.

2) Cost. The one I'm writing in now sports a thirty-eight cent price tag on the cover. 

3) Aesthetics. And it's maroon. The next one in the lineup? Is green. Deep forest green. It puts me in a meditative mood. My daughter has a sparkly tie-dye notebook for her first novel. She says it's groovy. I didn't know anyone still used the word "groovy," and if I hadn't let her pick out a notebook, I still wouldn't know. See? Paper enhances your vocabulary!

4) Quirkiness.  There's something awesome about holding a bottle of ink (or a ball point pen) and thinking to yourself that your entire novel is in there already, waiting for you to stretch it out. 

Or buying purple pen refills, telling yourself that finally you have a reason for all that purple prose.

Okay, all kidding aside, let's get to my most important reason:

5) Emotional intimacy. The key to writing a novel that stays with the reader is the emotional story, so it's vital not to let anything impede those emotions. I found for myself that while typing, I was losing contact with the emotions in the interests of hitting my word count or even just because there was more physical distance between me and the words. When I picked up the pen and wrote the same story, the emotions came through with much less inhibition.

Quite possibly because I associate the computer with blogging, letter-writing, and business interactions, I found myself typing up sterilized, numb stories. My thirty-eight cent notebook, despite not having Many Cool Features, never got in the way. The ink flows from the pen, and my hand is in contact with the pen and the page. (My husband knows I'm not a jewelry person, but if he ever wants to give me a romantic gift, it's a fountain pen.)

And finally,

6) Enforced editing. You cannot submit your first draft anywhere when it's hand-written. You cannot scene-bomb your critique partners, and you cannot query your unedited manuscript. You have one enforced edit-through because in order to share it, at some point you need to type the manuscript into some sort of word processing program. And while typing over every single word, you're going to catch things you'd gloss over if merely re-reading it (such as that ninety-six word sentence. Or the fact that the characters rolled their eyes five times in two pages. Not that I'm totally guilty of these first-draft gaffes.) 

Moreover, when you have to hand-write and then re-type your entire manuscript, you're going to notice the five-thousand-word-long road trip in which nothing happens, and you'll wonder why it's so important that you have to spend over an hour typing it. (I type at 100wpm, but even at that speed -- fifty minutes. Really? Do we really need that scene?) It's my opinion that the explosion of 500-page novels happened at the same time as the advent of the word processor, and it's not always a good thing.

I wait until the end and retype my whole manuscript at once. A friend of mine writes three chapters at a time and then starts typing up a chapter for every new chapter she writes, so she's always typing about three chapters behind where she's written. Whatever works is best.

And that's the final key: whether you find a fountain pen makes you feel more intimate with your characters or whether you want a program to shuffle virtual index cards, try multiple methods until you find the solution that works for your writing. And then don't be afraid to switch around as your projects demand. Your tools don't have to be cutting-edge as long as your method supports your creativity. For linear writers who need mobility, the best solution may be the good old-fashioned way.

---
Jane Lebak is the author of The Wrong Enemy. She has four kids, two cats, and one husband. She lives in the Swamp and spends her time either writing books or ejecting stink bugs from the house. At Seven Angels, Four Kids, One Family, she blogs about what happens when a distracted daydreamer and a gamer geek attempt to raise a family. If you want to make her rich and famous, please contact the riveting Roseanne Wells of the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. 

The Publishing Pulse: Feb 1st, 2013

If you are a horror, science fiction, or fantasy author, here are the financial realities you can expect.

Are small publishers the wave of the future?

How to create a marketing plan to increase your chance of the hitting the #1 spot on Amazon.

Tax tips for UK indie authors who get US royalties. If anyone finds a similar article for Canadian indie authors, please let me know. Thanks.

Three simple ways to engage readers on your author facebook page. 

Agent Natalie M. Lakosil explained what to do if you receive an offer of representation.

How to get the right author reviews for your stories.

New Adult books are grown in popularity in the last few months. But before you start writing one, thinking it’s nothing more than YA with graphic sex, please read this post first.

Have a great weekend!

Stina Lindenblatt @StinaLL writes young adult and new adult novels. In her spare time, she’s a photographer and blogging addict, and can be found hanging out on her blog.  

Is Your Writing a Hobby or a Business?

A new year means a new headache for many Americans because it's the beginning of the dreaded tax season.

I use the word "dreaded" very lightly, though, because I actually enjoy doing my taxes. (Don't judge me. Statistically, I cannot be the only person to admit that.) I use tax software to organize and file my yearly taxes but, even so, it still takes a working knowledge of tax preparation to do it right.

This year, I am filing with a new occupation: a writer. Are you?

It all comes down to whether your writing is a hobby or a job. Hobby Writers file differently than Job Writers. There are benefits and downsides to each of those positions so it is very important to determine where you stand.

I do not pretend to offer professional advice: so, here is my champion disclaimer. *Ahem*

Disclaimer:

Don't take my bizarre love for filing taxes as professional advice because I am definitely not an accountant. I am still learning as a writer and, for me, this is just one more lesson.

Please refer to www.irs.gov and their publications for the rules and regulations that govern this topic and ask a real accountant for advice.

(Just remember--I write speculative fiction. I lie for a living.)

Okay, now that we've established that, I want to let you know there are a lot of things you can consider when trying to determine your own position as a Hobby Writer or a Job Writer.

Do You Operate Your "Writing Job" in a Business-Like Manner?

For several years, I've been "grooming" my activities in preparation of becoming a Job Writer. Like any business person I, as a Job Writer, should do things to promote myself and my writing. These are some of the things I did to show I wasn't scribbling only for the fun of it.

• Joined a professional writing organization, such as Pennwriters, RWA, Pikes Peak Writers, the Maryland Writers Association, or the Science Fiction Poetry Association (to name some of my favorites.) 
• Entered contests, either for the prize or for feedback.
• Networked by distributing business cards, using social media, or maintaining a website or blog.
• Kept a file of what I've sent to editors and agents--even the rejections.
• Attended conferences, took online classes or seminars (even free ones), and read books on the craft of writing and publishing.

A Job Writer will keep records of all these things, often incurring expenses such as in the case of memberships and book purchases. A Hobby Writer may not be as interested in making substantial monetary investments or building a network.

Once you decide you are a Job Writer, you'll need to prove you can back up that claim. In the event of an audit, the IRS will look for key elements to determine your status. According to the IRS, an activity qualifies as a business if it is carried on with the reasonable expectation of earning a profit.

I pulled this from the IRS website:

In order to make this determination, taxpayers should consider the following factors:

• Does the time and effort put into the activity indicate an intention to make a profit?

• Does the taxpayer depend on income from the activity?

• If there are losses, are they due to circumstances beyond the taxpayer’s control or did they occur in the start-up phase of the business?

• Has the taxpayer changed methods of operation to improve profitability?

• Does the taxpayer or his/her advisors have the knowledge needed to carry on the activity as a successful business?

• Has the taxpayer made a profit in similar activities in the past?

• Does the activity make a profit in some years?

• Can the taxpayer expect to make a profit in the future from the appreciation of assets used in the activity?

Are You In It For The Money?

Do you write for the joy of it? Or because you want to see your work published and selling? Even if you are not yet earning royalties, you may still be a Job Writer. What it all comes down to is the time and effort you put into your writing--as well as a motive to earn a profit.

Before my novel was published, I was writing and submitting short stories and poems, while using Duotrope.com to track my submissions. Never knew it would come in handy at tax time, but it will--all because it shows nearly every submission and response I've ever sent. Likewise, my Query Tracker account is a record of all the agents I've approached. Both spreadsheets contain ample proof that I put serious time and effort into getting published.

Keeping a calendar will help, too, especially if you are big into events and activities. Mark the days and time for each activity you attend--and, while you're at it, mark off things like blog tours or days you devote to polishing your query.

Basically, keep a time card. Hobby Writers may not have an inclination to keep such records, but they provide valuable proof for Job Writers.

Do you depend on income from the activity?

I know I'm not ready to give up my day job yet, but that's not going to stop me from filing as a Job Writer. Every business starts off small and often incurs losses in the beginning--just as indicated in the next bullet point in the list. The point is, earning a living as a writer is my ultimate goal--and one day, I hope to support myself with my writing.

Losses and dry spells are to be expected, just like in any business. Besides, everyone in the publishing business starts off small. Think about that. Why would I be different?

Have you changed your methods to improve profitability?

What this basically means is: are you attempting to grow as a writer? Do you enter contests to obtain feedback? (Read more about that here) Do you take classes in person or online to improve your skills, learn new ways of promoting, or pick up new writing tips? Do you try different outlining or storytelling techniques, searching for a better method?

All of these things change the way we write and the way we attempt to get our projects noticed. If the ultimate goal is selling that novel, then those activities help you meet this requirement.

Do you have the knowledge needed to carry on the activity as a successful business?

Do not think this means you need a license or degree to be a writer. However, you do need to learn about publishing before you dive in. Lucky for you, there is a splendid place called the Query Tracker Forum, which is an excellent place to start toeing the waters. There is also a hoarde of fabulous publishing blogs and websites that help demystify the publishing process. The knowledge is out there, waiting for you.

You can also expand your knowledge through conferences, webinars, and reading newsletters from published authors. Even reading blog posts such as this one demonstrate your intent to learn more about the business of writing. (You're welcome, by the way. :D)

The last few bullet points discuss past, present, and future income.

These sound pretty straightforward to me.

I have yet to earn significant amounts from my writing, yet I have every intent to file as a writer. Why? Because I put a lot of money into my business last year--I went to conferences, I purchased tons of promotional swag, I paid for advertising, and I entered contests. What I spent far outweighed my income…and, hence, the day job comes in handy again. (Huzzah.)

If I was better informed before now, I would have filed sooner--I've been running a "writing business" for a few years now but I let my lack of reportable income keep me from filing as a Job Writer. I could have been deducting my expenses for as long as I've been a member of Query Tracker, because that was the year I decided I would pursue publication. Last year, however, the hobby officially became a job, so my own path was clear.

It's a tough decision that I had to make for my own reasons--and so must you, if you are still in the unpublished phase. You should become familiar with these IRS guidelines because you can get your "business" in order and look ahead to the future. Even if you aren't ready to declare yourself a Job Writer now, one day, you might. These points may help shape you as a professional writer and may even point you in a new direction of growth.

It's never too soon to get your business in order.




Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer. Visit Ash's blog at www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com for news on her urban fantasy "Bleeding Hearts: Book One of the Demimonde" (Pink Narcissus Press 2012) and the follow-up "Blood Rush" due May 2013.

The Case Against Blogging

The advice recurs on forums all the time: authors must blog to accumulate "platform." I've heard newly agented authors say "my agent says I should blog."

But is it good advice?

Setting aside for a moment the fact that I'm writing this on, erm, a blog, the answer is that blogging is not for everyone. It depends on your goals, your life and your style.

Some authors receive fierce sustenance from blogging. These are the happy people who blog like they breathe--easily and without angst. And don't get me wrong--a personal blog can be a super way to build your audience. When I think of blogging success stories, I think of authors such as Elana Johnson and Hilary Smith. These two lovely ladies have for years thrilled their readers with a lively discussion of the writing life. Examples of blogging success abound.

But it would be a mistake to say that every author and prospective author should aspire to become a blogger too. Before you drink that particular glass of kool aid, ask yourself a couple of tough questions.

Can I Spare the Time?
To blog well means to spend quite a few of your precious authorial hours working on something which is not a manuscript. Not only must you spend time writing blog posts, it takes time as well to build up your following. That means time spent reading others' blogs, commenting on them, and becoming part of the greater blogging community. If the very idea of spending time on those pursuits makes you quiver with anxiety, you are not insane. Blogging is a commitment. And if you approach it halfheartedly, your readers will notice.

Also, a blog is like a pet, providing companionship and entertainment. But pet owners are often slow to realize that it also needs frequent walks, and special food. And if you want to fritter off and neglect your blog for awhile, its liveliness and readership will soon flag. (Blogs, at least, do not poop on the floor in anger. They merely wither, like neglected houseplants.)

Am I a Becoming a Feedback Junkie?
To blog is to receive quick feedback. Warning: those blog stats and that comments section can be come an addiction. If you write a successful blog post, and twice as many people read and comment than you usually attract, that feels great. It even feels productive. For an aspiring blogger, it is. But if your number one goal is to write and sell books, this can become a trap. It's easier to brainstorm blog posts than to try one more time to fix the things wrong with your pesky chapter 27. If your goal is to write books, don't give yourself new and pretty excuses to set that goal aside. A little self knowledge can go a long way toward answering this question.

Should I Guest Blog Instead?
When you launch a book, guest blogging is a must. When you guest blog, you are making an exchange: you provide free and interesting content to another blog in exchange for fresh eyeballs. For many authors, this is a terrific compromise--you build audience without the distraction of an ongoing blogging project. If you would like to try your hand at blogging, consider offering a post or two to bloggers you admire. It's a great way to experiment.

Sarah Pinneo  is a novelist, food writer and book publicity specialist. Her most recent book is Julia’s Child. Follow her on twitter at @SarahPinneo.