Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part IV
Posted on June 22, 2016 Leave a Comment
Messala-Dominant
If you’re writing about corporate culture or your main characters are partners or close colleagues in their jobs, the DISC personality profiles might help you define your characters. Because characters with conflicting personalities make the best story. Click to Tweet #amwriting #characters
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part III
Posted on June 15, 2016 Leave a Comment
Characters with personality make your readers identify and care about them. There are several ways to determine what your character will be like. Are they introvert or extrovert? Dominant or stable? Sanguine or Phlegmatic? Myers-Briggs, DISC, and Personality Plus are tools writers can use to create characters. Click to Tweet #amwriting #characters
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part II
Posted on June 8, 2016 2 Comments
In the beginning…in creating characters, we must begin at the beginning. We’ve talked about a three-word description, and basic information. How do we determine what the basic information will be? Who do you want it to be? Determining the basic information about the character is paramount to creating one amazing character. Click to Tweet #amwriting #characters
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part I
Posted on June 1, 2016 2 Comments
Charlton Heston in Ben-Hur
Starting a new series of blog posts on characterization this week. Why is it that some characters stick in our minds? What is it about them that causes us identify with them and admire them? I’ll be looking at these questions and others in this new series. Some say it’s all about plot. Others say it’s about character. Click to Tweet #amwriting #characters
Platform Tips––Part V
Posted on May 25, 2016 Leave a Comment
Dividing a stage into four parts, each week, we’ve been talking about one section of platform. The first section was a blog. Section two was social media. Section three is marketing. The fourth section of platform building is Contacts & Education. Click to Tweet #amwriting #platform
Finding Worth in the Work
Posted on May 17, 2016 Leave a Comment
This little novella was entered into a contest, and has made the semi-finals. Will it be worth it? I don’t know. We’ll see.
The last few weeks I’ve been discussing how to handle criticism in relation to the novella I was working on as part of a collection recently submitted to a publisher. It’s been a difficult time, and yet, I’m learning something. I’m beginning to get the perspective that it’s the accomplishment, and not the results, that counts. Click to Tweet #amwriting #perspective
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Platform Tips––Part IV
Posted on May 11, 2016 Leave a Comment
from Flickr
We’ve been discussing “platform” and what it means to aspiring authors, and defined it as influence and measured in terms of “discoverability.” Dividing a stage into four parts, each week, we’ve been talking about one section of platform. The first section was a blog. Section two was social media. Last week I talked a bit about the different social media and what they represent. Section three is marketing. Click to Tweet #amwriting #platform
Platform Tips––Part III
Posted on May 4, 2016 Leave a Comment
from Flickr
Though we hate the word, authors must have “platform.” We’ve defined platform as influence and measured in terms of “discoverability.” Maintaining a blog is one part of a multi-discipline approach to platform. Social media is the second most important thing you’ll do to build your platform. Click to Tweet #amwriting #platform
Tips for Growing Platform – Part II
Posted on April 27, 2016 Leave a Comment
from Flickr
Last week, we established that “platform” is your sphere of influence. In today’s changing world of publishing, authors need to be entrepreneurs and help sell or entirely sell their own books. Publishers used to pay authors an “advance” on royalties. Many traditional publishers have dropped that practice, or offer extremely low advances, some as low as $1,000. Click to Tweet #amwriting #platform
The new “buzz word” is “discoverability.” How easily will readers find your book? That translates into how easily can readers find you? That’s what we’ll be talking about in this series. This week, I’ll be talking about blogging, but we’ll get into social media beginning next week.
Tips for Growing Platform––Part I What is Platform?
Posted on April 20, 2016 Leave a Comment
Platform. An ugly word for writers. I’ve been sharing recently about changes in the publishing industry and how they affect pre-published authors like me. How publishers want us to be “publish-ready.” We can learn the craft of writing, but we now also have to be marketers and networkers. Click to Tweet #amwriting #growingplatform
Donna L.H. Smith 