Six Ways To Become a Unique Writer

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I want my manuscript to move from the beta reader's slush pile, the stack on an agent's desk, the buried email in an editor's inbox to SOMEONE who will notice! 

Right?

Sometimes, sigh, this seems impossible. Like, totally.

But, we can't give up! Our manuscripts can make it to the great beyond known as publication. WE can be a success.

So, what is the key to breaking down the barrier?

I've heard editors and agents say they wanted something fresh, but I must admit, for the longest time I didn't fully understand what they meant. Do you? Isn't each story we write fresh...to us?



I have since figured out the answer. What the editors and agents want--and for you indie writers--what the buyers of books want is: to read a unique story which can only be written by a unique writer.

Sounds like a tall order? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe the idea simply needs to be broken down into doable suggestions.

Here are some ways YOU can become a unique writer:

But first, this brief commercial message brought to you by the editors/agents/mentors/beta readers/crit partners you know and love so well and the readers who will hopefully soon know and love you so well. Ready?  Study--study--study. Learn everything you can about writing: technique, editing, flow, etc. Search the books you love to read and figure out why you love to read them. These are the tools every writer needs to begin.

And now I return to the scheduled post ;) 

Six ways to become a unique writer:

1. Be Me. As I write my story am I basically being a performer? To imitate other works I've read, (examples from textbooks, rules, instructor's advice, etc,) is to perform a story. The work will read plastic, unfeeling, and lacking depth. Sure, I need to learn from others, but at some point, I need to let go--show the feelings, my voice, my ideas, my writing, my calling.

2. Write in Story Waves. To capture a readers attention, I cannot write a sweet serene story (yawn) or a power-punch-never breathe action adventure. Every story, no matter the genre, needs to flow in waves to continually engage the reader. An examples of flow can be:
slow, medium, fast, really slow, fast. 

Slow does not mean boring. Slow includes the greatest of emotions that jar a person to think, ponder, consider, plan, walk, sleep, breathe, set the setting, change character's POV, building foundations, etc. A story needs to start with a hook, but we need to be wise. The hook cannot be an unexplained explosion (war? car accident? gas leak, etc). Hook the reader in with masterful writing that shows the stage where the action is taking place.

3. Be Bold. Every writer has a strength (description, dialogue, plot, character development, layering, subplots, etc). Every writer also has a weakness. If I only write using my strengths, my story will be lacking in crucial areas and become a flop. To be a unique writer, I need to be bold, identify my weakness and purposefully develop these portions to the point of perfectly balancing my story. 

*  A. What is your strength? (I think mine is dialogue)
*  B. What is your weakness? (I think mine is spilling the beans too soon--one person in my crit group says "Slow down, Mary. Take them on the journey.")

*  C. Balance- How can you raise your weakness to balance your strength? (I need to perfect the speed of storytelling to match the level of dialogue. I plan to focus on this specific area until I've mastered it.) 

4. Dive into emotions. Think about the main character's message. As he moves through his journey on the pages he should be talking to himself, to others involved, and to God. The reader needs to be inside the MC's skin. That is when the true message gets real. 

5. Show restraint. Writing needs to be more about conveying raw emotions than showing off a writing skill. I need to show restraint from flowery sentences, over-the-top emotions, dramatic-sappy scenes, forced dialogues, and anything written that is more than what is needed to engage the reader.

6. Let your personality show through. Better yet--let it shine through your writing. I say I am a hermit, but I laugh at what others say and do. I say I like to be alone in the woods to think and write, yet I love family celebrations. 

What is my real personality? 

I don't need a test or quiz to find out. I know. The answer is: it depends on the day, weather, and a hundred other things. I don't have a distinct personality.

No. This is not true. I may respond differently to a situation given the day, weather, and a hundred other things, but my personality remains the same. 

Answer these question: *  What is your personality? (Mary is a fun-loving child of God who loves to laugh, listen to people talk, teach, and breathe the fresh air.)

*  How can you infuse your personality into your writing? (I can weave in fun loving scenes, humor, dialogue, a character who changes in their journey, outdoor activities)

*  Where have you successfully infused your personality into your writing and how can you do it again? (I've added humor, outside chase scenes, a comic relief, a character who changes in her journey)

The unique writer is the one who will sell her books, 

get contracts, and convey her message. 

Which of the six points have you mastered?
Which area would you like to improve at this time?

I'll start, from the list above I have the best handle on: emotions.
I would like to improve on: being bold by stepping out to strengthen my weak areas

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If you found any typos in today's post...Mary Vee, (that's me sheepishly grinning), is waving her hand as the guilty party. 

If you have questions or would like this topic discussed in greater detail, let me know in the comment section. I'll gladly do the research and write a post...just for you :)

Mary has moved to Michigan with her husband, closer to her three college kids. She misses the mountains of Montana, but loves seeing family more often. She writes young adult adventure Christian fiction, is honing marketing and writing skills, and loves to pen missionary and Bible adventure stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids.

Visit Mary at her website and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

Let Your Colors Fly...

Right-brain? Left-brain? What's your Kiersey temperament?

Right now on the ACFW course loop (a benefit I highly recommend taking advantage of if you are a member of this wonderful group), Janice Hanna Thompson is hosting a course entitled U.N.I.Q.U.E.

As I've been hiding in "lurkdom" I've spent a bit of time reading the comments and pondering the way God wires us as individuals and as writers.

For instance, I found I'm almost evenly split between left brain (51%) and right brain (49%).  I love making lists and I love plotting my stories.  I have notebooks of story ideas.  I think this is the left brain side of mlle.

I can't make sense of commas.  I love thinking of new and different ways to teach an idea.  Yet I am the ultimate klutz when it comes to putting those ideas together in a practical way.  Yes, most of the elementary school students can put together a simple craft better than I can.

One thing Janice talks about is allowing our strengths and weaknesses to naturally influence our writing.

Personality wise I'm a melancholy.  How can I use that to influence my writing?  This means I have to seek out encouragement at certain times.  When I'm feeling discouraged about my writing I take out a letter from someone who has helped me with my writing.  I can also channel these melancholy times as when I'm introspective sometimes I'm able to best explore my characters.

What comes naturally in terms of writing time?  This is a busy season of life for me as I homeschool my children.  We all go through different seasons.  Something that works for a while may have to be changed.

Distractions?  Can you deal with them?  Are you a sit down in the midst of it and take a minute here writer?

My children are constantly on the go and I am not one who can write well with children jumping on my lap, begging for another cup of apple juice, or asking me to sound out a word for them.  In different seasons writing may fall at different places on our priority lists.

Right now what works for me is half an hour of uninterrupted writing time when my kids are in bed.  I tried to utilize large blocks of time several times a week and implement a word count.

My word count has been higher since I ditched the word count and changed my routine to something that seems to work well for me.

What kind of space do you like to write in? While taking a class this spring I found out that I'm a very visual writer and love to write outside or at a coffeeshop.  Nature is a great inspiration for me and I look forward to taking my laptop to the park this summer. 

I realize we can't always hit our ideals.  Most nights I write at home in a big brown chair.  But my husband is across from me and the house is quiet.  A cup of tea has become a writing ritual that helps me keep focused. 

Here are some fun links to test your personality or your characters' personalities. 

Keirsey Temperament Sorter

Left Brain Right Brain Test

I'm not a psychologist and make no claims on the accuracy of these tests, but they are fun and can give you insight into your writing style.

How does your uniqueness influence your writing?

GIVEAWAY!

Don't forget to enter for our huge giveaway at our Facebook Party, Saturday, August 30! For the big giveaway, we are giving away The Writer's Alley New Design Launch Basket containing the following:

• $20 Amazon gift card
• Here to Stay by Melissa Tagg (paperback book)
• Sandwich, with a Side of Romance by Krista Phillips (paperback book)
• A Side of Faith by Krista Phillips (paperback book)
• Duchess by Susan May Warren (autographed paperback book)
• Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Squares
• A Writer's Conference Jamberry PediPack 

Throughout the day of our Facebook party August 30, we will be giving away the following:

• A Side of Faith by Krista Phillips (ebook)
• A Home At Trail's End by Melody Carlson (paperback book)
• $10 Amazon gift card
• Captured by Love by Jody Hedlund (paperback book)
• The Writer's Toolbox
• Showdown by Ted Dekker (paperback book)
• Love's Reckoning by Laura Frantz (paperback book)
• Vanished by Irene Hannon (paperback book)

You can enter for a chance to win HERE. Just scroll to the end of the post and enter through our Rafflecopter giveaway widget!

Have a great day!

Story Setting: How to Make It Unique and Realistic

Nothing can bring a book to life more than a great setting. Sure, the characters are important, but setting is a close second.

Take Anne of Green Gables, for instance. How many "kindred spirits" want to travel to Prince Edward Island as much as they want to meet Anne? They want to paddle across The Lake of Shining Waters and experience The White Way of Delight in all of its beauty.

We choose the settings for our stories in different ways. But regardless of how they originate, I've noticed there are three primary types of settings writers deal with. I'll break them down below, as well as provide tips for how you can make your setting stand out.

Well-Known, Highly-Visited Settings (for example, New York City)

- Find a unique angle to freshen it up. Don't settle for generalities or cliches. Hone in on a particular neighborhood, a particular store or shop, a park, etc. (Think Breakfast at Tiffany's. Or how about Sleepless in Seattle, when they meet at the top of the Empire State Building?)

- Make sure the setting details are accurate. Since your readers have likely been there, they'll notice any inconsistencies or misportrayals. And you don't want to pull them from the story with a setting flub that's easily fixable.

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Real Settings That Lend Themselves to Uniqueness (for example, Sandwich, Illinois, in Alley-Cat Krista's book ----> )

- Play up the unique aspects. Whether it's the town name, like Krista's book, or a unique geographic location (a beach town, for instance), bring those things to the forefront in the story. Let them be key players. Think of the setting as another character in and of itself, with its own quirks and personality.

- Present the setting from an authentic viewpoint. It might mean you've already spent time there, or it might mean you need to go on a research trip (or do a virtual visit online). Look at the setting from fresh eyes and seek out the traits that first get your attention. Your readers are relying on you to transport them there, and they want the full experience, not a high-level skimming.

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Fictional Settings Based on Real Settings (For example, The town in my book is set in the same geographic area as a town where I grew up. I gave it a different name to give me creative liberty with the story details.)

- Even though the setting is fictional, make sure you get the details right on a general level. If you've created a fictional town in Minnesota, it's not realistic to have 90-degree weather in December. Consider the general geographic area and keep it true-to-life.

- Create unique details, but avoid making them too over-the-top. Readers want to be transported to a great story setting, but they also want it to be believable. Once you cross the point of being too outrageous, the reader may give up on the book altogether.

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No matter which type of setting you write, the key is to keep it unique and realistic. A well-written setting will enhance the story, not detract from it, and it will likely create lifelong fans. All you have to do is visit Prince Edward Island to see the proof. :)

What types of settings do you typically write? How did you end up planting your stories there? What are some of the quirks or unique "personality traits" of your settings that play a role in the story?

*Special note: There's a fourth type of setting I didn't cover here--fictional story worlds created by fantasy writers. Since I have no expertise in this area, I'm leaving it to the capable hands of the fantasy experts. :)

**Green Gables photo from www.anneofgreengables.com.
***Deer photo from http://minnesota.publicradio.org.

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Sarah Forgrave is a stay-at-home writer-mom who feels blessed to pursue her calling and passion. She writes contemporary romance for the inspirational market and is a contributor to the webzine Ungrind.

To learn more about Sarah, visit her personal blog at:
http://www.sarahforgrave.com/blog

Is Your Voice a Full Symphony...

Or does it blend in with the choir.

Voice can easily take a good book and make it memorable.

Or lack of attention to voice can make a well-plotted novel seem humdrum.

I recently listened to Kaye Dacus' workshop on Voice from ACFW's 2010 conference. Dacus lamented the fact that much of CBA fiction is beginning to sound the same. Sure, we've followed all the rules to a tee. But perhaps the cost has been too high, as in some cases we are losing our voice, our very distinctiveness. It is an excellent CD I can highly recommend.

 (Oh and by the way, if you haven't done so, be sure to read Kaye's Writing Series Index. Its chock-full of great writing advice on nearly every topic imaginable).

I had recently finished a book that had disappointed me. The writer had seemed to follow many of the rules we have learned about through countless writing books. Keep it fast-paced. Avoid passive voice. No adverbs. Show, don't tell.

I talked to my husband and finally found out what was troubling me. There was nothing that made this book unique. This book could have been written by anyone in my mind.

Recently I read another book by an author, Chris Fabry, who I think of as an armchair author for me. After reading several of his books I feel like I'm getting to know his voice as a writer and there's a comfort in that.

Another author I have recently read is Ginger Garrett. Her genre and style of writing are quite different from Chris', but she has a distinctive voice of her own that I love reading. Garrett is a storyteller who serves as a familiar travelogue on journeys through biblical lands, or early American history. She immediately captures my attention.

Another favorite of mine for voice is Laura Frantz. She is one of the rare historical fiction authors who has mastered the voice of the time period she writes in. Her beautiful prose is old-fashioned in a way that uniquely distinguishes her.

A common MFA in Creative Writing exercise I'm told is to imitate your favorite authors' styles. While I have no doubt there is value in this exercise...let's remember we're not called to be the next Willa Cather, L.M. Montgomery, or whoever else it is we admire.

Let's not forget that we can offer what no one else can...our voice.

Who are your favorite authors when it comes to voice? How would you describe their voice? Or how would you describe your own voice?

Julia enjoys writing women's fiction whenever she can find a chair free of smushed peanut butter sandwiches and lego blocks. She is a wife and homeschooling mama of two littles. She also enjoys reading and reviewing books for The Title Trakk, a Christian review site.