First Readers: Helping You Find Your Story

Hello. My name is Cara. I'm a recovering reader and writer. I live and breathe words. But sometimes as a writer I need help ensuring the story I see so vividly in my mind translates into words that resonate with readers. But I wrote the story. I saw it in living color as it played in real time. 

How do I bridge the gap?

I use first readers. Not every reader does this. Sometimes no one sees the book other than their editors until the book is available for everyone. I've had some books like that, but not many. 

I much prefer to work with first readers who help me identify if a story is working. This happens on multiple levels. And sometimes I work with different first readers to ensure that multiple facets of the story are looked at it before I turn it in. My goal is to always send my editor the very best book that I can and first readers are a key piece of the process. So what do I look for?

• Look for readers who love your books. I want a first reader who has already read a few of my books and has a sense of my style for telling a story. I'd call that style my personal writing voice, but I'm not necessarily looking for readers who understand the nuances of writing. I want first readers who are readers first and foremost and that love my books.

• Have a variety of first readers. I tell each reader what I'm hoping to learn from their read of the book. I often have to tell them not to bother with grammar and typos. They are free to mark those, but my editors and I will find most of those. Instead, what I'm interested in at the first reader level of the story is connection. Are they connecting with the story and characters? If they aren't, I want to understand why. What do I need to fix to make the story resonate and be un-put-downable? (Yep, I just created a word!)

• Know the strengths of your first readers. I have one who sees inconsistency in eye color, places, etc., like no other. I rely on her! I have others who understand story and can let me know if the pacing is off. Still others just let me know what works or doesn't work for them. Each plays a valuable role. Understand what each reader brings to the story and know that's what you can hope to get in their read.

• Remember to say thank you. The acknowledgments section of the book I turn in this month will be obnoxiously long. That's okay. Many people have helped me get the idea to the point that it could become a book. And many more have helped me as I've written it. I also like to send little goodies as a thank you. Sometimes it's a pack of red pens :-) But make it something that lets them know you appreciate them. And don't forget a copy of the finished book.

Have you ever used first readers or been a first reader? What did you learn from the process?

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Cara Putman

An award-winning author of twenty books, Cara is a lecturer on business and employment law to graduate students at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. Putman also practices law and is a second-generation homeschooling mom. She lives with her husband and four children in Indiana.

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!

The Gift of a Perfect Match: 4 Keys to Finding a Compatible Critique Partner (Part UNO)

A she said-she said account—Amy and Pepper Style

Okay, so perfect might be a stretch! We all know perfection as something we strive towards but never fully achieve. I mean, let’s face it, no matter how many times we nip, tuck, and thigh-master our words, our manuscripts will never be perfect. We are extraordinarily imperfect. Our spouses aren’t perfect. (Well, yours is pretty close, Ames. Admit it.) Shoot, our kids are obviously not perfect (Except mine are pretty close, mwhahaha - NOT ;-), so how monumental is the task of trying to find a good fit for a critique or writing partner if opinions, styles, and personalities vary as wide as the Atlantic?

If you’ve been trying on crit partners like shoes on the clearance rack, perhaps you should shake up your tactic.

Totally agreed, Ames. I do think timing has a lot to do with it too. I only knew Amy for a grand total of a month before I realized this gal might be what I’d been praying for in a crit partner. It can be a long process – but, just like in baby-name choices -- you want to be picky. The right fit DOES matter – now and in the future.

Ahh, Pep… I love ya! So, having been blessed as crit partners that more than meet each others needs, we thought we’d share some key pieces to look for in that elusive ONE!

1. Writing Match: What this really means…

ALS: You might think this refers to matching genres or styles. Not necessarily. The match up doesn’t have to be that “matchy-matchy.” For example, Pepper writes, well… everything, but mainly Historical and Contemporary Romance. I write Romantic Suspense. The subject matter and personality that grace our pages are vastly different… so how it is that we are compatible? Simple. We understand each others motivations for the story. We talk openly about our intentions for the message and tone we hope to convey, and we also talk candidly about our strengths and weaknesses. This arms us with the best insight into giving the kind of feedback that will strengthen each of our unique styles.

 

Also important, since you will undoubtedly spend countless hours combing over each others work, be sure to look for a style that doesn’t irritate you. Because regardless of how well it is written, if the type of story or the author’s style doesn’t float your boat, you are in for long, tedious months of likely unpleasant and unhelpful feedback. Anyone been there? Or gotten feedback from someone who simply wasn’t even close to your target reader? Finding a writing match is critical in maintaining a long term partnership which will be a great building block for long term growth. Your thoughts, Pep?

PB: Totally agree here, Ames. One of the things that really confirmed the match for me was how much your pacing, style, and even…our shared ‘overwriting’ ;-) worked well for my reading and writing style. It was a wonderful complement. I LOVE reading your work and I think that has to be a giant consideration when determining the right CP-fit. Amy is a mom of two (almost 3) really young kids. I’m a work-outside-the-home mom of five. We have to be careful of the writing time we DO have – and critiquing something that matches our style and interest makes the time we spend worth it! SO worth it!!! (Whole-heartedly agree!) One of the reasons I think it goes smoother in this area too is because I don’t have to do a lot of ‘guessing’ about her intentions in her writing because we ‘get’ each other. My style is similar enough that I understand her intentions (most of the time) and she does mine. This helps maximize the time we spend critiquing.

2. Personality Match: You mean I have to actually like the person?

ALS: Generally, yes. This is a relationship. When we actually like the other person things tend to go more smoothly. Lines of communication are less likely to be bungled and feelings less likely to be hurt. Again, this doesn’t mean that your personalities are the same. But having similar temperaments, or working with someone who ‘gets’ you is a bit like having a boss you can actually stand. (Not that I would know what that is like. Sheesh!) But honestly, our stories are very close to our hearts, and sharing them with someone you can relate to makes even tough critiques more credible, and all the more palatable.

PB: This is REALLY important! Next to my family and colleagues, Ames has to put up with me the most. Since writing is a ‘hopeful’ life career for both of us, we’re planning on being in each others’ lives for a long time to come. We have similar traits in the fact that we’re both more ‘extroverted’, but within that we have very different personalities too. (Amy’s more direct with a sassy edge. GREAT for suspense writing). Thankfully those personalities complement each other more than annoy J J

"A faithful friend is a strong defense."

But here’s the clincher: The key ingredient to our healthy personality match, I believe, is our mutual positive regard. We care about each other, personally and professionally. We chat about dinner and kids and crazy movies. We’ll throw writing stuff in there too, but, for us, it’s more than that. It’s a real friendship.

Another important addition here – expectations!! Ames and I are SUPER busy ladies. One of the beautiful elements of this relationship is that we both ‘get’ the need for flexibility in reading, writing, and critiquing. There are times when I CAN’T get something back to her as quickly as I’d like – and vice versa. Life calls first! Writer after. We have this agreement and understanding

for flexibility around the writing. Praise God for that!!

So there are a few ideas to get you started. Writing doesn’t have to be a lonely endeavor. Spend some time in prayer about it. Strike up a conversation; be honest about what you are looking for. Who knows, your perfect match might be closer than you think.

Your turn: What are you looking for in a critique partner? Or what elements have you found work well for you? Which ones don't?

                                 


                                Merry Christmas!!!
                                  -Amy & Pepper

Pace Maker

You’re a pace maker. I’m a pace maker. We are all pace makers. If you write fiction you establish a pace for your novel. The objective of this post is to help you understand which pace is the way you roll:

Tortoise
Hopefully you don’t fall in this category. You know the plot that goes nowhere. The big, the bad, and the flat out boring. Long descriptive details and a wandering storyline are sure to be identifiers of the tortoise pace maker. However, there are times when you need to pace make like a tortoise and slow it down some. Descriptions, action details, thoughts, and longer stretches of dialogue can work well for your shelled self (as long as you learn to pick up the pace when it’s called for).

Tom & Jerry
You bring it…the tension that is. Just as Tom & Jerry are famous for fighting, throughout your novel you keep the conflict strong. Sensitive not to leave your readers exhausted and in need of an actual pacemaker when you write prickly stress-inducing scenes, you pay attention to when a good make up scene is necessary.

Road Runner
(I debated also writing Speedy Gonzales for this one. He’s another favorite… I watched a lot of TV as a kid.) You zip from scene to scene, leaving readers breathless to find out what will happen next. Dialogue moves your book along, well-timed dialogue that doesn’t move so fast your readers are bereft of grounding.

Flintstones
You keep up with trends. You know the market. You’re careful (especially if you write commercial fiction) to tackle relatable plots. You’re intentional about pacing according to present day expectations. No lengthy weather descriptors to kick off your first few pages or overwhelming setting details. You move right along with the help of Fred’s two feet.

Swiper the Fox (from Dora)
You’re an expert at stealing a scene. You swipe it with a surprising twist or a heart-clutching secret revealed. You’re fast. You’re sneaky and your novels will sell (or are selling) like crazy. I’m thinking you’re a mystery pace maker.

Tigger
Bounce-er-ific. Hoo. Hoo. Hoo. You like to use shorter sentences when you want to speed things along nicely. You’ve got the moves down. And you are known for your moves. Skilled with mastering upbeat, inspirational plots, you encourage readers to follow your pace as it bounces right along.

"Writing simply means no dependent clauses, no dangling things, no flashbacks, and keeping the subject near the predicate. We throw in as many fresh words we can get away with. Simple, short sentences don't always work. You have to do tricks with pacing, alternate long sentences with short, to keep it vital and alive...Virtually every page is a cliffhanger—you've got to force them to turn it." ~ Dr. Seuss

What kind of pace maker are you?

*photos from Flickr

Writing in the Nooks and Crannies of Life

I’m weird. I’ve come to accept it. My brain works in a very different way – which is a plus for the daily chaos of my life. I think we each learn ways to fit our own writing into the style of our lives. So today – I’m going to talk a little about my way. Julia helped inspire this post, along with the Seekerville ladies. Julia’s question about how I create stories made me wonder how many other people out there are weird like me…and not afraid to admit it :-)

For one thing: I don’t write books in order. I just work around inside the story until it’s all together.

For another: I write more than one manuscript at a time. I usually have two going simultaneously and usually in different genre

Oh, and that would lead to weirdness #3: I write in all types of genre.

Weirdness #4 - I talk to my characters, interview them, write journals from their perspective, and act out scenes - sometimes purchasing props if financially possible. How are you going to be able to describe the feel of a dagger in your hand if you dont' experience it, right? (My excuse and I'm sticking with it)

So how do all these random acts of madness fit together to make a story?

As many of you may know, my days are pretty packed. I’m a pastor’s wife, mom of five, and full-time university instructor/speech-language pathologist. I run at high speeds (usually) from the time my feet hit the floor between 5:45-6am until about 9pm (add another 30 minutes if I walk on the treadmill). Then, if I don’t have grading or lecture preparation to do, I can write. (again, this is assuming that no one has a late project due the next day, or costume to create, or homework to finish…you get the point).

I think, my brain is like a massive filing cabinet. Most of the drawers are a mess, with schedules and kids’ homework all smashed together, but one drawer is in nice order. My writing drawer. My novels are filed away perfectly separated, maybe even color coded :-).

To be perfectly honest, of the five books on my computer right now, two are complete and three are in progress. BUT I have at least 10 more in my head that I can give you a quick synopsis about if you asked me. They’re there – in my files, with character names and plots already in place. I just haven’t gotten around to writing them yet. (Of course, I had a friend tell me once that he thought my mind was more like the storage room in the back of the general store. I know the supplies are back there, but I might get lost trying to find them) Funny guy. HA! (eye roll)

For me, the creation stage happens wherever I am. I don’t have time to sit down for long stretches and outline. Outlining happens in my head throughout the day so that when I have time to write…I’m READY. But I make wise use of stoplights, carpool line, and lunch breaks. Here are a few of my notebooks I keep with me. They are color coded per story. I usually carry two of the four notebooks with me, depending on the novels of my focus at the moment.

As you can see, inside there are different handwritten notes pertaining to the certain story. Unless my 3 year old daughter gets a hold of the notebook, like in the top right corner (note the pink drawings :-)

When I have an opportunity to sit down and plan – Sometimes I’ll write out a sketchy 12 act structure, but that usually doesn’t happen until I’ve written a few chapters first. I usually write out the characters internal/external wants.

Then, I try to pull up OneNote and take a look at (or create) my story folder. As you can see, I have a character page, a setting page, research pages, and a dialogue page. The dialogue page is my one ‘table’ I use. It’s where I place pieces of dialogue that I get out of chronological order, so I can find it later.

I know that some people have a wonderfully thought out method to their writing-madness. As I develop as a writer there are certain skills I'm honing, but the only thing that is absolute...is 'expecting the unexpected.'

So –in summary

1. I get an idea (it can come from anywhere. Sometimes an intriguing character, sometimes an amazing plot, and sometimes just a question stirring in my head)

2. Throughout the next few days/weeks, I’ll let the idea stew while I’m at work, driving from clinic to clinic, sitting in carpool line

3. I start writing a chapter or two

4. Go to OneNote and start creating a folder

5. Continue writing in whatever place of the book I need to – in one of my wips, I am chronologically on chapter 3, but already have the final chapter written. I also find jumping back and forth between wips keeps me actively engaged in both, instead of getting disinterested in the story.

Writing happens – but I have to MAKE it happen. It’s not easy, and I don’t always work it out well. It has to fit into my lifestyle, the nooks and the crannies of it. That’s all I have, but God’s given these moments to use this talent for His glory. And I LOVE to watch how his talents unfold, even in the smallest of opportunities.