The Unprofessional Writer

Feel the ground quaking beneath your feet? That's the seismic tremors of the publishing industry quaking. 

There was a time when Week Eight of my Basics class was simple and straight-forward.  How to write a query.  How to approach an agent.  How publishing works.

Remember the kids' game, Fruit Basket Turnover?

Well, things are crazy and some of my students are going straight to self-publishing while others are still seeking the traditional route.  It's hard to say what's going to work for any one person so I wish everybody good luck in the path they take.

Here, Kris Rusch tackles some of the quakes and those who are prognosticating on the future of publishing.  Check it out.  It's worth your time.

Common Grammar Mistakes

This link--20 Common Grammar Mistakes That Almost Everybody Makes--is a solid refresher if you need it.

Example:  Who or whom?  (And no, "whom" is not pretentious when it's correct.) Even though the article explains this one, it explains too much (in my opinion). 

It's very simple:

Whether or not you include the 'm' on the end of 'who' depends on whether you use the 'm' on the end of 'he/him.'

If you would say "he" in the sentence, you say who.

If you would say "him" in the sentence, you say whom.

Easy.

Okay, it will probably take some rearranging to make it work.  For example, if I'm going to ask who wants to go with me, in my mind I would process, "Does HE want to go with me or does HIM want to go with me," and come up with,  "Who wants to go with me?"

I am not a grammarian by any stretch, so go read other authorities.  In the meantime, if you want a class in the basics of writing a novel--characterization, plot, scene structure, pace, building a world or universe, and more?  I've got you covered. Starting Monday night, Sept 10 and Tuesday morning, Sept 11.

For those who have taken the basics class and are waiting patiently for the blueprinting classes to finally be offered again, hooray!  Monday night, November 5 and Tuesday morning, November 6.  Just imagine, 3 hours of politics-free discussion about writing on election eve and election morning. That sounds pretty appealing to me!

Also, Collin College is sponsoring a writers conference in October. Find the details here!

The Suspense is Killing Me!

Or it should be.

Few things bug me more than writers who reveal information that would have been more interesting and exciting had they been held until later. I think what people often overlook is that building suspense into your book is not just for thrillers.

Whether you're writing a coming of age drama, a romantic comedy or a retelling of a historical event, remember that using the techniques of a talented suspense writer will you make your story more dramatic, more funny, more real and alive to the reader.

As I've said about "backstory" in class, Don't tell it until you've given the reader a reason to care.  Don't reveal it until the reader is dying to know.

Today's link takes you to a succinct list of four ways to build tension in your writing.  If you don't already follow the Grammarly site, it's a good one!

Suspense!

And then, go visit an exploration of one of the Master of Suspense's most widely-known quotes:

Alfred Hitchcock's Bomb.

Have a great week writing!

Practical Meerkat Returns

I kept pointing you toward the Practical Meerkat posts at Book View Cafe's blog while they were being posted, and then to the book they became.  This is a very useful and informative book for writers, and a great bargain as well.

Well, the practical meerkat has posted again, so I thought I'd let you know.  She addresses the panic and pressure of being a self-employed writer whose career is only as stable and finances only as dependable as the latest contract.

Enjoy!