Ten Timeline Tips for Tuesday

Good Tuesday, people of the blogosphere! Today I'd like to talk a little bit about those pesky problems we all run into from time to time called inconsistency. I'm gonna give you a handy dandy way to eradicate that problem by giving you ten tips to creating a timeline in MS Word that will help your story (or series) stay the course.

1. When you decide on a year your story will take place in, write it down.
2. Make a quick list of your characters' ages and put their birthdays on your timeline.
3. Use sequential time (don't put 1988 down, follow it by 1992, then jump back to 1964).
4. Be specific - use a calendar and reference months and days.
5. Don't move or change dates while writing (you can add, but that's a different animal).
6. Use a type size that's easy to read (I recommend 12pt or larger).
7. Italics and bold are your friends.
8. Bullets can be used to call out a list of events that occur on the same day.
9. It's okay to have a year where all that happens is a birthday.
10. Color code your characters' names.

Now, for a more in-depth look at each of those tips and why they're important.

#1. You want to have an idea of what the speech was like in the era you're writing about. You also need to know what the world was like. If you're writing a novel set in the 1960's, you won't have someone chatting on a cell phone.

#2. You need to know your character from birth to death even if you don't kill them off during the story. Life events have a way of shaping us into who we are. Know them all.

#3. You don't want to hunt through ten pages of time to know when a character fell down and scraped her knee. If you want to make it when she was nine, you'll be able to look up the year by following the timeline.

#4. Just do it. Your story will be more believable if you do and will help you find pertinent information later with ease, keeping you in the flow of writing. If you have to stop and figure out what Saturday in May little Alice had her twelfth birthday party, you're going to break your concentration.

#5. I don't know how Scrivner works, but if you're hashing out a manuscript in word, changing the date something happened is a PITA. You may have referenced it elsewhere and forget. Make decisions!

#6. This is so you don't suffer eye strain when looking back and forth or searching for something.

#7. Italics and bold can help you call out emotional or life-changing events; eliminating the need for searching through your entire timeline to find out when the character's friend called him ugly.

#8. If you have a particularly stressful day lined up for your character in the past, bullets will help you reference the list quickly and call it out on your timeline for easy spotting.

#9. Even if it's just a 9th birthday party, put it down. You may decide later to have someone drown in the pool and it will prevent you having to look up what day of the week it was on. See #4.

#10. If Margot and Alice both had an event on the same day, color coding will help you see what happened when and to whom as soon as you find the date. Easy peasy.

I hope this list helps you prepare to write using a timeline. For a series or a work with specific dates already set in stone (like the birthing of children in a Historical Fiction novel), it's a must-have tool.

I used one religiously when writing Yassa so I could keep the dates of Genghis Khan's son's birthdays in order. Is it just me or was that a lot of s use?

Do you keep a timeline? Have you ever thought about it?

Well, that's all for today, folks! If you haven't picked up a copy of Yassa yet, it's on sale everywhere for the month of October at just $2.99. Go get one! You can find the links here. Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Interview with Lily Mystic Book Two

Hello, good people of the blogosphere!! To warm you up for my author interviews and blog party next week, I'm giving you a look at the main character in Lily, book two of my Mystic series. I hope you all enjoy meeting her.

Jo: Hi Lily! It's good to have you here today.

Lily: Thank you. It's good to be here, verbally, rather than on-screen - I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet.

Jo: I understand your fear. If I'd gone through what you went through, I'm not sure I'd be sitting here either.

Lily: *laughs* I'm thankful to have been rescued from the hell I was in.

Jo: I bet. So, tell us a little about your modeling career.

Lily: I was famous. I appeared in every fashion magazine that exists by the time I was nineteen. My career really took off when I was eighteen and had already been working for a year. My ex and I did a campaign for Guess and that was the beginning of success for us. We were booked through the next two years after that ad hit the shelves. It was like a fairy tale come to life.

Jo: Will you please tell our readers what happened?

Lily: Well, I was drunk and decided - like a fool - that I should drive home. I crashed on the exit ramp and went through the windshield. I almost killed my ex-boyfriend in the process.

Jo: That's quite a burden to carry. How did you deal with it?

Lily: I'd prefer not to talk about that. Can we talk about Markaza instead?

Jo: Sure. I understand if the memory is too painful. How did you meet Markaza?

Lily: She moved into the beach house next door. That crazy fool went swimming in the Atlantic ocean in January! Afterward, she collapsed on the beach. I put an umbrella up so she didn't get crispy-crittered. She returned it, and we met.

Jo: How did she help you?

Lily: She helped me find a way to love myself again. I'm beautiful, even if I am scarred. It's my heart that counts.

Jo: How right you are. Tell me about moving to New York. Why did you make that decision?

Lily: I got accepted to a program in a college here where I'll be studying ophthalmology. I got a full scholarship from a company called WSTW - Women Save the World - and I took it.

Jo: Tell me about WSTW. What do you know about them?

Lily: Very little. All I could find online was their mission statement: "WSTW is on a mission to empower women and bring the strongest of them together to right the wrongs in the world." Pretty powerful stuff, huh?

Jo: Yeah, it is. How do you like your roommate, Bronya?

Lily: She's great. We haven't had a lot of time to get to know one another though. What I know and what I've seen, I adore. She seems really eager to make friends.

Jo: I interviewed her a few weeks ago. She's marvelous and has a huge heart. Well, Lily, thank you for your time today. I enjoyed talking with you. One last question: If you could choose who would play you in a movie rendition of Mystic, who would it be?

Lily: Thank you, Jo. I enjoyed being here. If I had to choose... Taylor Swift. She seems innocent enough.

If you want to know what Lily struggled with and how she dealt with it, you'll have to read the book!! Her story will be released 10/30. It's a hair-raiser. Don't forget to pick up a copy of Mystic~Bronya and get up to speed on what's going on! Just $3.99 for Kindle on Amazon!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

CR TBR and RR

Good Friday, people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm sharing my CR (currently reading), TBR (to be read), and RR (recently read) list. My goal here is to introduce you to books you may not know exist.

We'll start with my CR list and go in order. You can read the synopsis via the links provided. They will take you to the Amazon page for the books.

First on my list is a print book I won in a giveaway hosted by One More Chapter.

• Pulled by Danielle Bannister

Being read in tandem with Pulled is a digital book I picked up via a free promotion.

• Breath of Air (The Dryad Quartet) by Katie Jennings

Now on to my TBR list.

• Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
• The Dangerous Kind & Other Stories by Robert Chazz Chute
• New Revelations (Second Sight Book 2) by Heather Topham Wood (Goodreads link, not available for sale yet)
• Hollowland (The Hollows, #1) by Amanda Hocking (Free on Kindle today)
• The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (hardcover will read in tandem with e-books)

On to my RR list. My reviews are posted at these links as well (if I wrote one).

• Soul Sisters by Janiera Eldridge
• Soul Journey: The Greatest Secrets to Living the Live you Want by Lisa Cherry
• First Visions (Second Sight Book 1) by Heather Topham Wood
• Canopy by Crystal Lee (I was one of the editors on this book)
• The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I've only listed the books I've read over the last month. If I went back any further, this page would be out of control!

I hope you all enjoy looking through the books and I hope you find some new authors to read.

What are you reading right now?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Coffee and Writing

That's right, you know what I'm talking about: the stuff of life. Those rich, dark, enticing brews we all know and love called: coffee. The perfect friend for writers when they're struck by the muse and need to keep their peepers open or for the mom who just needs a helping hand to get moving in the morning.

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm chatting about something I imbibe great amounts of on a daily basis. Join me!

I've been drinking coffee for more years than I know. It's always been a part of my life; kinna like breathing.

Things I've learned about coffee through the years:

• Some like it hot
• Some like it cold
• Some like it strong
• Some like it weak
• Some like it sweet
• Some like it bitter
• Some prefer cappuccino
• Everyone has a preference

Beyond how people like their coffee prepared, most of them are brand-loyal. There are many brands out there to choose from. My favorite is Community, but I know some who like Folgers, Doughnut House or StarBucks; to name just a few. I've been lucky enough to find a partner who loves coffee as much as I do. May you all be as blessed!

How does this pertain to writing besides keeping you awake so you can? Oftentimes, I find my characters having a chat about things while sitting around. I introduce coffee. Coffee mugs give them something to do with their hands. It can be spilled, thrown, or make someone ill. Making coffee gives a reason for a character to leave the conversation for a moment to think, reflect, or calm down. Java can give them the jitters or enhance tension in the room. It can also provide fuel for keeping them up all night having a chat.

I've had many many conversations over a cup of coffee; some were life-changing. I write what I know.

Markaza, Bronya, Lily, and some of the other ladies from my Mystic series are always drinking coffee. Why? Because it's in their character bios. How you take your coffee can say a lot about you. Keep this in mind when creating your characters.

I leave you all with a question: How do you like your coffee?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

3D Characters

Good Wednesday, people of the blogosphere! I'm revisiting an old favorite of mine: character creation. So, sit back and buckle up, grab your coffee and your notebook, and get prepared to join me on this short journey.

How long is your book? That's the first question you must ask yourself. If your book is part of a series, how much do you want to reveal in book one? That's question two.

Every character has a past, present, and future (unless you kill them off, you cad!). They all have a set of core beliefs and an intrinsic nature. These things should be decided upon before you ever put down the first word.

I cannot stress enough how important a character bio is. It will give you a document to reference when gauging how a character will react when placed into a specific situation where they have a decision to make. For example: If your character is very humble, they won't brag on their accomplishments in a group setting, take praise well, or be comfortable in a situation where they're the center of attention.

But a decision must be made on how to convey these values to the reader and if/when to tell the reader where the values were instilled in the first place. In a series, don't reveal everything about the character from the first book. Leave some to work in later. In your character bio, be sure and mark through what you have and haven't told in the story.

You do need to make your character 3D though. Show their emotions, living conditions, and perhaps even give a little background information. But those moments of reveal should come from things that occur during the story. Have a reason for showing the reader the past.

If you do the above, your characters will be loveable, connectable, and three-dimensional.

If you're writing Historical Fiction, you already have a good idea of how your character will behave. When I wrote Yassa, I knew Genghis Khan was very strict, believed in God, and was loyal beyond all else. I used his loyalty against him when I made him react to his wife's relationship with Jamuka. It provided tension that couldn't have come from any other source. His inner struggle was severe because of what he did.

If you'd like to get an idea of how powerful characterization is, I've put Yassa on sale for the month of October. It's priced at $2.99. You can pick up a copy on Smashwords, Amazon, or B&N for this price (Amazon will update sometime today, Kobo, iBooks, and others will update throughout the month). Go pick up a copy and have a read. Then pop on over and tell me what you thought.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Bass Ackward

Good morning, people of the blogosphere! How are ya?

Today, I'm going to talk about a few more things I notice when reading that, if you'll take care with, can make your book ten times better. Ready? Grab your coffee and notebook and let's get going.

First item on the table:
Afterward vs Afterwards (note this is not Afterwords! Afterward is an adverb meaning (1) at a later time, or (2) subsequently. Afterword is a synonym of epilogue—that is, a short addition or concluding section at the end of a literary work.)

I'm not talking about definitions here. This is about the use of the S on the end of the word.

Both ways are correct. However, use of the S is a preference thing even though the use of the S is a British standard and leaving it off is the American standard. Again, it's a choice. What I'm seeing is one usage of afterward and a later use of afterwards. That is wrong. If you're going to choose one style, stick with it. Same with backward, forward (Note there is no e in this word. A foreword is an introduction in a book or something you tell a person before beginning a story.), etc...

Consistency is key.

Second item on the table:
Redundancy and unneeded words. You can remove words and phrases like that, just, a little bit, almost, etc... Especially when you're saying something like this: She felt her legs go almost instantly limp. Remember my post on ly and take out the word almost. She felt her legs go limp. It's easier to read and kills the redundancy. Many of the ly words are redundant in nature; hence the reason they can be removed.

Third item on the table:
Paragraphs that jump POV. Some of the most skilled writers in the world can pull this off. You aren't there yet. Stick with one character's POV through as much of the book as possible. It's called head-hopping and it will chuck your reader right out of your story. To give a look through another character's eyes, add some extra space between paragraphs where the switch takes place, stay with that character for more than 200 words, then add extra space again when you transition back if you must. Oftentimes, the switch isn't needed.

Remember, your main character has no idea what other characters are thinking. It's possible for that main character to assume based on body language or facial expressions but please don't have them know unless they're clairvoyant. It comes off sounding like this to your reader:

I hope these tips help you in your writing endeavors. Use them when editing your work and see the difference it makes.

Is there anything you see here that reminds you of something you do when you write?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Paid Reviews and Polls

I've been hearing a lot about paid reviews. I've also been doing some thinking. Questions have risen in my head and I'm looking for public/author feedback here.

I understand that buying a review raises some eyebrows. However, what if those weren't all 5star or 4star reviews? What if the reviewer uses a specific scale, rates the book on specific things, and gives a little detail on each?

For Example:

• Story/plot (1 star)
• Grammar use - not a ton of typos (1 star)
• Well defined characters (1 star)
• A command of the language (1 star)
• Transitions/flow (1 star)

Would you then look for that company or reviewer's posts on books before you bought them? Would their voice mean more or would you still assume they were rating unfairly because money changed hands?

Let's be real for a moment. Indie authors give away hundreds of thousands of books every day with no guarantee of a review. There are many that might pay for reviews if they didn't feel like they were selling their soul to the devil. Let's face it, the guarantee of a 5star review is appealing, but who does that help? Honest reviews will sell more books, right?

I know not everyone can afford to buy a review. But we all know that reviews count in algorithms and that we're desperate for them as indies. They can make us or break us.

What if the company or reviewers publish every review, no matter the star rating, even if they were paid to review the work? Would you be less skeptical of the review once it was written and more apt to seek out that company or reviewer's reviews before making a purchase?

I'm rambling here. Basically looking for reader/author input. If you would, participate in my little poll below.

Answer poll questions now!

Thanks for taking the time. My brain is a hub of curiosity. I'll post results Friday.

Don't forget, if you want some free promotion here on my blog, go check out my post about the BLOG PARTY. Yay!

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo