Why write a great blurb and how to

This is a simple example from my book Crimson Skies:

The sky is stained crimson with the blood of a thousand dying sacrifices made This Side of the canyon. Each month, on the Day of Killing, the sky pulsates. Wind throws painful screams to the far corners of the world. It rides across the land so everyone knows - and celebrates - rain will follow. That is why the four of them must leave This Side. Leave, or die. Two young woman and two young men escape into the canyon, chased by their city's army. The canyon is riddled with demons and monsters, the journey through is long and dangerous. And one of the girls has a secret that puts them all in real danger.... If they even make it to the Other Side without dying, is it really better there?

The opening line starts off with a bang - the blood of the dead paints the sky red 

This serves two purposes. One, it tells us this place has horror and mystery and perhaps even secrets, which makes it exciting. Two, this tells us it's a descriptive read.

The next line sets up the stage - people must kill, or it just does not rain, ever

But I did not say that exactly, but you understood that from the text. This shows that as a writer I'm not going to spoon-feed my readers. The reader feels acknowledged in their ability to follow a story and interrupt it on their own.

The third part sets the story the reader will follow - four people must run away or die

This tells us who, what and why.

Next I set out a list of problems they face - armies, demons, secrets

This tells the reader there is more than meets the eye here

Lastly I end with a question (though this isn't always needed) - is it better?

That should give the feeling of a resounding "no" so the reader feels the need to know for sure

There is no hard and fast rule. Give away secrets, keep the mystery, play on characters, reveal a different plot. There are tons of ways to write one, the best way is to write a few and ask people to read and pick out the best ones. Ask them what they think and why. In fact, why not send yours through and I'll take a look

Jodi Picoult Signing

So my sister, her friend, my mom and I went to see the author Jodi Picoult. She wrote the book that became the movie My Sister’sKeeper. The ending of her Book vs. The movie was epic, by the way. 

The night  was awesome. She spoke a bit about her new book, Lone Wolf and had some audience volunteers practice howling with her on stage. Her confidence was captivating; I didn’t miss a minute of it.

At the end, we were allowed to ask question.

People asked the usual questions, how do you get your inspiration, what did you think of the ending to My Sister’s Keeper, how was it to work with your daughter on a book?

I got the last question: If you dream of becoming a published author, what do you do?

Jodi Picoult’s reply went along these lines: Polish your craft. Take up writing classes, as many and as often as you can. Read. A lot. Learn from others. Write all the time.

Her advice, while completely sensible, was all something I’d

 heard before and am actively doing. What’s the next step though? I realised I’d missed my chance. I got to ask Jodi Picoult a very important question and I phrased it wrong?! Typical.

Afterwards she signed books. Since I don’t have any of my own Jodi Picoult books (or many books at all for that matter, most books I read are lent to me) my sister let me get one of her books she took along signed. So we went, my sister, her friend and myself armed with books. We were right at the back of the queue and I had a very, very long time to practise the phrasing of my question over and over again.

The more I said it in my head, the more nervous I became. This wasn’t because I was about to speak to an Internal Bestseller, no, this was simply because people in general make me a little nervous. I’m just shy. I had nothing to worry about because she was lovely and kind and help.

Michelle (sister’s friend) had her book and photo’s signed first. Then I went. As she signed I explained that I had already done everything she suggested and is there anything more I could do?

She said this: Write your story, edit it as best as can be done, then find an agent. (At least she said in America it’s very hard to submit to a publishing house without an agent, we don’t have that here, we just have the “very hard to get in and no easier way in” system in my country) She told me she had over a 100 rejections before her first novel was accepted. She said if you have the heart for it, you will make it work.

Basically, don’t give up, even in the face of rejection.

I thanked her, took my sister’s book with Picoult’s signature in it, and stepped back to wait.

Lil then stepped up to the table and said “Please make this to Kelan and tell her to never give up”

My eyes popped. My sister just got a personal message made out just for me and then she gave me the book (I now own my very own Jodi Picoult book).

Then my sister surprised me again, she turned to Picoult and said “My sister is going to make it big.”

I blushed. Picoult laughed and said “Good!”

Picoult then turned to me and said this: Writing is a weeding game. It will thin the herd each time. If you are the only person standing at the end of it, they will want to know what makes this girl think she has something special?

And that I will never forget.

Children of the world

I go to sleep at night plague with thoughts that there are children in the world who are hungry, children who are abused, children without parents.

And I cry myself to sleep.

I have enough love in my heart for each of them, just not the means to help them.

One day I've decided that will change.

Shout Out

This one’s for helping. This one’s for the special ones.

First, this is Tam

Who does things like this and so much more for the people she cares about. Images are from her blog, it's fantastic, follow it!!    

Check out all the awesome things she does here Total TamNation

(picture is from Tam's blog too so pictures are hers, this is Lil)

Then this is Lil, for the research she does on the side into my books while constantly kicking me to push forward with writing

Here is Leanne K  

who created the covers of my books

  Crimson Skies 

     Complicated   

 Creature Takes

   About Writing 

She has a facebook page 

here:   Tattoos

Go like it :) 

This is Moshe who sends my links to his impressive contact list (most are phone contacts, not twitter) every single time I update something. And spreads word to people I don't know so that the first thing they ask when I meet them is "How's your writing going?"

And this is Poofy AKA Sir Kubby AKA KitKat (kitty of many names)

This is because he likes to sit under my chair when I write. And I like knowing he is there.

Thank you to you all

How to edit as best as you can

Once your first novel is finished, I want you to cry.

I didn’t and I wish I did.

Cry. Cry for all the hours of bleeding over something so precious to you that it kept you awake some nights, more nights than you can even remember right now. Cry for the ache in your fingers when inspiration hit and hours passed in the blink of an eye. Cry for all the times inspiration did not hit at all and your fingers itched to move and be of use once more. Cry for the characters you lost along the way and the ones you found. Cry for the pain they felt, the pain you felt for them. Cry for it is over now. Cry for the moments you thought you would never get here and then cry because you did it, you finally did it. And then cry some more.

Then print up your novel, pack it up and put it away.

Everything that it is and everything it cannot be, does not matter now. For as long as you can, ignore it. Write still, about anything; something you saw, something you heard, a short story told at some family gathering. Just keep your writing alive while you wait.

Wait. Wait as long as you can bare. A week or two. Three months. A year. Wait.

I like three months.

Besides keeping up with writing, the next best thing you can do, in this time you’ve hidden your novel, is edit someone’s work. 

Online I find many stories shared with me. Short ones I find best. Then dissect it and pulling it apart in your own writing room and find what works and what doesn’t work (I'm not saying tell the writer this, this is simply for yourself) Be tough with this work. Pull out unnecessary words and parts that tell rather than show. Make notes everywhere you can about everything you think and find as you read others work.

Editing someone’s short piece is so helpful. It shows you the mindset you need to look over your own work.

Now the time has passed, a week or two, three months, a year.

Dig up your novel and when you read it after all that time, you will read as a READER and not as the AUTHOR.

You will find things you never even imagined you would write incorrectly or dully. You will find the same mistakes as the authors in the short stories you edited. You will blush and laugh at yourself for never realising it was a mistake at all. You will be able to tear your book down to the essentials, neaten the edges, and make it SHINE.

BEFORE you do any of that, your very first step is to get a highlighter.

Any colour you like.

Then read your book from beginning to end and highlight the sentences you LOVE. The ones that feel flawless and unique. The sentences that make you swell with pride when you realise you wrote them.

Highlight these moments throughout your book.

Everything that isn't highlighted, needs editing.  

From the rest of your text 

• Pull out words that clutter your sentences
• Say your dialogue aloud and every word that sounds forced, cut it from your work. Leave in only the dialogue that pushes your story forward, not the ones that explain the story
• Make sure your action and fighting scenes are written in short sentences, hurrying the action along. Long sentences draw it out and make it seem slow
• Check that every character in a scene has a purpose to that part and then to the story as a whole
• Make sure your characters have flaws. No one is perfect. Your reader will love them even more
• Every time you tell the reader something, see that you honestly cannot show them instead
• Take out scenes of leaving and arriving places, unless it has importance, we don’t need to know how they got there, we just need to know that they are there now
• Take out predictable and clichéd series of events. If you have to write out 10 possible scenarios for each action, that's fine, the first few will be expected choices so scrap those, the ones lower down will surprise both yourself and the reader
• Keep your writing simple, your plot and characters involved

There is so much you can edit, but I think I will leave it there. 

I’m eager to hear what you would add to this list and if you find this upload helpful? Love to hear from you!

KEL

What Perspective Should You Write From?

First lets discuss perspective

• First-Person: Written as “I” or “my” story. 
• Second-Person: Written as “you” or “your” story (I very rarely come across stories like this)
• Third-Person Objective: Written as “his” or “her” story and does not reveal any character’s thoughts or feelings.  Characters may reveal their feelings through actions or dialogue. (Again, this is something I've read very little of)
• Third-Person Limited: Written as “his” or “her” story and reveals one character’s thoughts or feelings. (This, in my experience, is the most commonly used Third Person)
• Third-Person Omniscient: Written as “his” or “her” story and reveals more than one character’s thoughts or feelings. (This may become confusing for the reader to follow so must be done carefully)

(If you are unsure you fully grasp what perspective really means, look over the glossary again then pick up several different books and identify which perspective it is written in after reading the first paragraph/s.

Take note of the differences in these perspectives, how they affect the openings and tone of a story.)

Now lets start. This is not an attack. This is a difference in opinion.

It was mentioned in a particular blog I read that choosing a perspective (first or third person, usually) required a lot a thought from the writer about the book they intended writing to find which best fitted their story. It strongly dismissed choosing a first/third person perspective simply because it was EASY to write.

This is where I disagree, strongly.

Ok, yes, put in the time, research, and mental thought process to figure out which perspective works best for your story. This is important.

But if this is your first book? If you are new to writing? If you are still developing your craft? 

While I strongly advise testing your limits, going outside your comfort-zone and trying something new to push your skill, IF you are at that stage where you feel you’re secure in your writing as it stands.

Even if you are a strong writer and one perspective works for you over the other, perfect.

But there is nothing wrong in writing in a perspective that is easiest for you!

My mother likes to tells us a particular quote (though she no longer remembers where it comes from) when we are discouraged or otherwise in need of herding in the right direction. It goes something like this, “If you can’t, then do what you can.”

Honestly, sometimes the best way to get something done is the easiest way. Now, please, note that I am not telling you to cut corners with your writing nor am I telling you to stay stagnant and not improve your writing because it’s “easier not to.” 

But I am saying is that if something works for you and your story AND it happens to be easy, then you’re one lucky writer!

This should be a passion of yours, not a nightmare. If you try to force a third person perspective when you naturally write in first person (visa versa) people will very quickly pick up that you are not comfortable with this perspective and your story will come across as weak and disconnected.

Editors and publishers would much rather read a story in a perspective the author has control over because that is a colossal part of the story-telling process. This is a part you do not want to take chances with.

If you have thought about it and decided that, you need a perspective completely different to the one you find easiest for your story, then by all means go ahead! I’m not saying don’t. I am simply saying make sure your writing comes naturally.

If the new perspective change is giving you trouble, write several pages in that perspective before undertaking your new story. You want to really capture the essence of this new perspective change before taking it to your precious story. If you've put in the time to think it all through, put in a little more to make the change appear natural in your next book.

Here are some exercises to do in different perspectives to help you really grip the changes between the two of them:

First Person Perspective – Write a diary entry of half a page to a page long

Third Person Perspective – Rewrite a recent event you’ve heard. E.G. your friend told you about their trip to the store. Write down the trip as if you are following that friend’s tale

Here are some things that may help you swap over:

Take a paragraph or half a page of your own written work. 

If it is First Person, I want you to rewrite that piece again in Third Person (or Vise Versa) it may take you some time, an hour maybe two, if you aren't used to swapping perspectives.

After you've rewritten your piece in a different perspective

1. Write down a short list of pros from the new perspective
2. Then write down some cons you experienced from this
3. Write down how it influenced character, plot and basic story telling

By doing this simple thing you will A) find you are able to swop perspectives when you may not have thought you could before and B) find out what works for you and your story by weighing up your own personal opinion of which one you prefer.

And it’s as simple and easy as that.

Kel

Importance of marketing

I struggle with this "Marketing" thing ALL the time.

I believe the biggest problem with this is due to my lack of computer and Internet knowledge. I am also a shy and timid person. Figuring it out on my own is painful at best and so I avoid it at all cost.

Through spending time online and starting rather awkward conversation that usually begin with "Hi, we don't know each other, but your profile looked interesting and I like the topics you discuss" and most fail to even get a reply, the rest either get a "do I know you?" or half-hearted "Hi" in return.

Occasionally, very occasionally do I meet people who are just plain Awesome.

I suggest if you are one of these timid, shy people utterly terrified of your computer/blog/accounts full potential, then finding these awesome people is worth putting yourself out there!

For example, just by writing and posting a lot, even though I do a terrible and very basic job on the Internet as I don't know how to any better, I got approached by people who did know better!

First, a very nice person over Twitter asked to link a quote of mine onto their website here: http://americanliterarymeritaward.com/Writing_Tips.html - "Don't allow the number of writers out there scare you..." Kelan Gerriety

Later, a lovely young man started his own "blog" which he uses to promote writers and he found me and offered me a spot in his blog, I even got to write my own "shameless plus" as he calls it. I call it an "enticing blurb" but it's the same thing really.
Mattxell Shameless Plug - Crimson Skies

I am also on a site called Wattpad - KelanG on Wattpad
This has helped find an entire community of writers at various levels of progress.

What I like about this site over Twitter is that on Twitter I've found masses and masses of very serious writers all with series of published and self-published titles under their belts.

On Wattpad there is a wider mix (I've found this to be true at least, other opinions may vary) of writers at different levels :

1. Your writing skill's own niche
2. Writers below your skill level
3. Writers above your skill level

I found it easier to find a group/niche where I fit in as writer, while being surrounded by people whom I am able to help (which every writer needs for both confidence and spotting similar problems within your own work found while reviewing other's work) and I am surrounded by people far more advanced than me who I could study and speak to freely. This all helps writers grow.

On this site, when I follow people's work and read/comment on their stories, they tend to notice very quickly and it's an easy way to connect with people. 

I've found stories I fell in love with and I gladly spread the word to every online site I visit. I've found people who's personalities just shone and that made their writing glow and I, again, quickly spread word of their outstanding work.

I've made several "friends" there too, who do the same for me and in 2.5 months I've reached an audience of 4000+ readers.

I know nothing of marketing online or how to make a fancy website/blog or make the perfect tag to create flow through my sites. 

What I do know how to do is to be honest, polite, helpful and involved.

This gets you noticed too. And for a better reason, I think. This doesn't show off my computer skills, but it does show off who I am as a person and with all the support I get, I've found the person I am does not suck!

So go and build relationships. (No, not online dating! Strictly Writing Relationships)

When people are opinionated or you strongly disagree with them, I've found it easier to leave the page/discussion and stay away from subjects that may just turn nasty, because really it's upsetting and a little pointless. They won't change their opinion and I'm very sure you won't either.

But when you read something you like, tell the reader why and which parts, even tell them which parts you found slow or disconnected because that helps a writer too! 

When you find someone compatible, reach out to them, start a conversation. And when you find someone who made you smile or who was just really nice, go out of your way a little, maybe Tweet their link or mention it in a forum. It doesn't matter if they never find out, because I promise even if they don't return the favour, being that kind of person does not go unrewarded. 

So write and talk and reach out, because it comes back to you. Especially if you're just no good at marketing, like me, this is something everyone can do.

Kel

Writing a short story as an exercise

I wrote a book.
And then I took some advise very seriously.
I printed it up, I found a nice red pen and then I put both the red pen and printed manuscript in my cupboard where it has sat for 3 months. 

It is still sitting there. By the time I look at it again, I will look at it as a READER and not as an AUTHOR. Which is an invaluable method of self-editing.

I suggest everyone who is serious about writing does this, it helps in ways I cannot explain in one simple blog.

Above is not an image of that book, by the way. Nope. That is a book I've being writing since I've locked the other one away.

I needed something to do to keep my skills fresh and my mind turning while I waited. Write every day isn't just something authors suggest to wanna-be-writers, it really does sharpen your craft. So even though my main protect is tucked away nicely, I still had to work on my craft.

I decided to take something I dreamt vaguely about and put it into an experiment/exercise.

The exercise goes as follows, WRITE WHAT SCARES YOU.

I'm very upset that I can't remember where or from whom I read it, it did not come from me but I've interrupted and used it in a way I understand.

What I understand by this is not write horror or some such genre, but rather write outside your comfort-zone.
It is scary to do anything at all outside of our comfort-zones. Most writers I know are especially sensitive, and protective even, of their writing so this a practically challenging challenge.
But one you will benefit from immensely.


This is what I did:

• I wrote down a list of things I was comfortable with or good with

(like: female characters, first person perspective, planning out a story from beginning to end... etc.)

• Then I wrote a list of things that made me nervous

(People reading unedited work of mine, fight scenes, having no direction in the story... etc.)

• Then I wrote down a list of places and character traits/character tones I had not ever tried before

Then with no idea for a story and no planning other than narrowing down my fears, I sat down at the computer and I began to type. 

I had a very strict rule, I would not think beyond the next sentence every time so there could be no planning. 

I also forbid myself from changing anything. I was not allowed to delete scenes or swop or change. 

If I wrote myself into a corner (which I did often!) I would stop and upload at the point (which also helped me not change what was written) and I'd leave it for a few days, give it no thought at all. The first day, I'd do nothing. The second day too. But the third day, you must write or succumb to writers block. The third day, without a plan, I sat down and fought my way out of whatever corner I'd written myself into a few days before and go charging ahead, completely afraid and somehow free in my writing.

I actually tried and forced myself to write to a point where I could write no more, where I was essentially in a corner and I had no idea what I'd do next, because I wanted to push myself with every piece I wrote.

Another thing I did was this: I updated pieces I'd not edited and for a large part, not even proof-read - hence the spelling mistakes here and there. I did this for three reasons

1. If I read through it, I'd be pressured into editing as I read and that would change the story and defeat the "make what you write work not change what you write to work" challenge 
2. It was scary to let people read something I knew was flawed. But this helped in a way too. People were able to see where my raw and initial writing technique needed more work put into it. This helped in one other way too, self-esteem. When people loved it, I thought "Wow! And this is only the rough draft!" And then when people hated it? I thought, "Yeah, but this is only the rough draft!"
3. My third reason was because I find it easier to edit a story once everything is complete because it gives the plot a whole-feeling so it's easier to place foreshadowing and to take out over-details and so on afterwards than it is to figure out during (that's just me though, everyone is different)

What I am saying is this: 

Put on a blindfold. Spin around. Take a step in any unknown direction and run at it!

This is your passion? Tackle it in every way it comes at you. Start with your fears because passion is smothered by the scent of it.

Pick up a pen and write what scares you until you've mastered a new skill in your work.

Send me a link, I'd love you read what you've written.

You can also read Crimson Skies here

Kel

  

Welcome, breast problems?

So my life has always seemed a little... hectic... (yet somehow I always end up wishing there was something more exciting happening in it) I guess excitement and drama are hardly the same thing. Let me show you:

Latest? I found a lump. In my breast.

And Then? The doctor found another.

Worse? The doctor called in a SECOND doctor for a second opinion.

Can you say "Terrified Much"?!

It was like something out of a movie. My heart dropped. Panicked people usually get hot, heart pounding, hands sweaty, right? Not Kelan! Oh, no, I get cold. I'm always cold. I got freezing. Now, I'm lying there half-naked in an overly-air-conditioned room (which I'm sure felt lovely and refreshing to the doctors, fully clothed working in the middle of summer, but I was hardly clothed and without sight of the sun I get cold, weird I know).

I decided I had cancer. What else would a second opinion be needed for? I then decided to finish my book (It's finished, it needs editing) and sell it and make meeeeeelions of dollars ('cause I'd rather be paid in dollars) and leave it to my family for after I died or something. I also decided that even though people with cancer get very sick (obviously, bare with me, I'm working towards something) and weak and treatment knocks the... drive(? not sure the right word here?) out of someone, I'd be strong and healthy enough to write. I'd also be just sick enough to be in hospital so that I could find nothing else to do, but write.

I'm getting away from myself here. My dad does that. His stories of a simple trip to the shops last well over twenty minutes. We are natural story tellers... Also easily distacted.... I did have a point... mmm... Oh! Yes! So, waiting there thinking I'm gonna die, the second doctor comes and checks me out.

They speak Afrikaans to each other. The two doctors come to read my results.

I think it's a South African sixth sense to know when someone in the country cannot understand our compulsory school taught second language. (Another trait I get from my dad! Let's view this quickly: Mom? Fluent. Older sister? Zulu too! Little sister? Just fine. Kelan? What did you just say and can you say again this time muuuuuch slower and then in English, please. I think my main problem, besides all the learning disabilities, is that I want to write, and in English too, and it's hard enough to master that without cramping my very distracted brain with other things)

With my amazing non-Afrikaans talent I heard them say "Fibroid" and "You can't tell her that, her doctor must."    (I'm taking a very proud moment here, because I almost never understand this language spoken! In fact, I've pretended on more than one occasion to be a foreigner in my own country just to avoid the embarrassed of explaining why I can't speak our second language!)

Now, this was a word 'Fibroid' I half-understood. The biggest half of that was that it was not cancer. I stopped being cold. Fibroadenoma is not pleasant but I'm not complaining!
My dad later said I got the expert opinions of two doctors while having only paid for one, that's my dad; always fantastically optimistic!

 (all written content is my own, links and images here are off the Internet)

I have to go again in 6 months to be sure nothing has changed, because apparently it can. It also needs to be removed. Both of them. So I have six months to sell my most-amazing-book-ever and make enough money to cover the cost of the surgery. Yes, most amazing book ever is pretty accurate because I am seldom proud of myself or things I do, therefore my book must be half-way decent.

Hahaha from amazing to just kinda decent, this self-esteem thing's a problem. Maybe that one needs fixing next, after surgery.

ANYWAY, I did some Googling (because really whenever anything goes wrong, what else can you do?)
Right now I'm trying to find you a link, because apparently 30-60% of woman are effected by this!
Ok, I searched for, like, a really long time! And this one I think is best:

http://www.007b.com/fibrocystic_breast_pain.php

Hope it helps someone.

http://mylanguages.org/multimedia/afrikaans_audio_phrases.php - That's some strangely audio-ed phrases in Afrikaans, if anyone wants to listens. Turn your volume down, it's very loud and scary if you don't!

If this helps someone too, cool! Otherwise, that was just for fun.

Kel