J.U. Scribe's Blog

In my previous post here, I mentioned how AI is being used by writers and some of the controversy surrounding it in the publishing community. While I’m a firm believer that AI should not be a substitute for good writing and creativity, it can help brainstorm your ideas, refine your writing, and streamline the steps that authors struggle with the most.

Out of all the examples of AI tools I listed in my post, ChatGPT is one of the most well-known and arguably most versatile AI tools available for free use because you can use it for so many different things. While working on my latest draft, Domain of Power (Book 3) in the Legend Series, I realized just how powerful ChatGPT is and why it can help writers at any stage in their writing/publishing journey.

Research

Depending on the genre and the subject matter, research is an essential step in the early stages of the writing process. This is especially true for nonfiction (biographies, how-to, etc) where readers are expecting factually-based information. Even in fiction genres like historical fiction and sci-fi, readers are still expecting a story grounded in realism. ChatGPT can be a very useful tool for asking specific questions you have on technology that your characters would have access to, or what they would eat for dinner! No matter what you are looking for, the key to using ChatGPT effectively is being specific about what you are looking for.

Scenario: Let’s say you want to write a historical fiction novel taking place in ancient Roman times, and you want to know how they traveled in ancient Rome.

You could type:

What did Romans use to travel?

ChatGPT lists several transportation modes ancient Romans would have used, including:

WalkingHorseback ridingChariotsShipsCarts and wagons drawn by animals

You could stop there. But suppose your character is wealthy? And to provide further context, your story mainly takes place on land. You will want to narrow down the specific types of modes of travel your character could have used to add another layer of realism.

Let’s ask ChatGPT this question:

what means of transportation would wealthy Romans use to travel by land?

The above is a snippet of the results ChatGPT returns. Notice ChatGPT not only gives you the names but also important details like how many passengers each one could carry and the advantages each one offered. If your Roman character was taking a short trip and they needed to get somewhere quickly, a cisium would be the most practical choice.

Granted, most of us have never seen a cisium close-up, but the nice thing about ChatGPT is that you can ask it what a cisium looks like, so you can get a written description of its features. ChatGPT can even take it one step further, showing you a picture. Here’s an example of what I got after asking ChatGPT:

show me a picture of an ancient cisium

When it comes to historical fiction, the details matter when creating an immersive setting that transports the reader to that period. While I would encourage readers not to rely solely on ChatGPT for fact-checking, it can be a helpful tool to point you in the right direction.

Again, we’re only scratching the surface of the capabilities of ChatGPT. There are so many ways this tool can be used besides research and brainstorming your next novel, which will be explored in future posts. Don’t forget to hit that follow button so you can be alerted every time I publish a new post.

Overall, here are some key takeaways when using this tool:

Be specific. The more specific you are, the better. No, you don’t have to write out a long, drawn-out paragraph. That’s not needed either. Instead, a concise sentence or two of what you are looking for will suffice so that ChatGPT will narrow your results. You can also provide clear instructions to help the AI structure the information in a certain way (i.e., main and subpoints in a blog article) Dig deeper. After typing your initial questions, ChatGPT may generate follow-up questions. This can help fine-tune your results and provide more in-depth research.

Do you have another genre that you like to write? Try looking up some facts from ChatGPT and see what you come up with, and share your results below in the comments!

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Recently, over the weekend, I had someone in my DMs make a rude comment claiming my book was one of those (fill in the blank) AI books.

But that commenter didn’t realize I don’t rely on AI to churn out books. Many authors are using AI tools to outline their manuscripts or even write their full books!

Since AI’s inception, AI tools have been used in the workplace to make business decisions, automate tasks, or summarize notes (e.g, Microsoft’s CoPilot). Even content management systems like WordPress are incorporating AI, whether it’s generating web images or optimizing your blog post title to improve search engine optimization. We now have AI tools geared towards writers, such as Sudowrite, to help writers expand their ideas and expedite content creation.

But should writers be using AI for their writing?

Before we answer that question, I want to be very clear. I’m not here to bash or shame anyone who uses AI tools. AI is a very powerful tool, and whether people like it or not, it’s here to stay for a while. So, before you decide whether to use it or not, it’s important to know what it is and how it’s being used so you can make an informed decision.

What is AI?

AI, which stands for artificial intelligence, can be defined as a branch of computer science that strives to mimic human intelligence, such as learning, problem-solving, and reasoning.

ChatGPT

The most well-known example of an AI tool is ChatGPT. Similar to search engines like Google, you can type a question, and it will pull relevant data based on what you searched for. But the AI component of ChatGPT takes research to another level. Instead of making the reader sift through dozens of search results to find the information they’re looking for, this AI tool reasons you probably just want to see the answer. So it displays your answer in a concise bulleted list that’s easier to read.

ChatGPT is a very powerful AI tool because you can use it for many different things. As a writer, you can use it to research topics, brainstorm ideas for your plot or characters, write your book blurb, or even outline your manuscript (stay tuned for future posts for more details on how to do this). It’s no wonder many people, including writers, use ChatGPT when drafting their manuscripts. I’ve personally used this tool for researching facts about the ancient Romans since I write in that period. While you still want to do some fact-checking, it’s a handy shortcut.

Even though ChatGPT is pretty clever predicting what you’re trying to say, you still need to be specific in your instructions to get tailored results for your needs. The more information you can give it, the more detailed the results! There’s a slight learning curve in learning ChatGPT, but if you’re familiar with how search engines or chatbots work, it won’t take too long for the average person to learn how to ask the right questions to get specific results.

Here’s my final takeaway on the strengths and weaknesses of ChatGPT as it relates to writing.

Pros:

Great for brainstorming ideasGreat research tool, especially when writing in certain genres (e.g., historical fiction, science fiction, etc)Great for outlining and organizing your ideasFree to use

Cons:

Slight learning curve to learn how to use ChatGPT for more nuanced requests.AI Editing Tools

Today, there are a handful of AI tools, such as Grammarly or ProWriting Aid especially designed to help with the editing process, from helping you improve your grammar, catch spelling mistakes, and much more. These tools are a game-changer when it comes to the editing and proofreading process, especially if grammar is not your strength! Even if you are good in one area, these tools can point out blind spots in your writing and enhance your writing without having to sacrifice your original voice. Let’s focus briefly on one of those tools: ProWritingAid.

ProWritingAid

What I appreciate about ProWritingAid is that it does more than catch your typical grammatical, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. ProWriting Aid also detects things like passive voice, excessive use of adverbs, and repetitive sentence structures. Once you have your manuscript loaded, you can run a full summary report of how well your manuscript is doing in several categories including writing style, readability, pacing, and much more. It even suggests rewrites to make your sentences more concise and engaging. While these suggestions are optional, many of them help fine-tune your sentences.

While you’re getting FREE proofreading, copyediting, and line-editing wrapped into one, it still doesn’t replace the need for a human editor or beta reader. Here are some strengths and limitations of this particular tool.

Pros:

Ability to adjust your settings as it applies to your document type (e.g, technical writing, business, creative writing, etc).Can get more in-depth feedback on your chapter by using Chapter Critique (similar to what a beta reader would do in offering specific feedback on what’s working and what’s not in your manuscript).Can use the Sparks feature to generate ideas on how to edit or expand your writingThe free option gives you access to all the online features I listed above.

Cons:

Some suggestions are only available to premium members, which is NOT free. Some of the features that are available are limited for free members. For example you are limited to nine suggested rephrases a day.You get only one manuscript analysis, and that’s even with Premium members.Chapter critiques only look at the first 4000 characters in your book.Some grammar/punctuation suggestions are inconsistent (Ex: one moment it’s telling you to take out the comma, and then if you do, it’s suggesting you reinsert one back where you removed it).Writing Tools

The final set of AI tools we’ll be discussing are geared towards the writing/drafting process. There are a couple out there like Sudowrite, Jasper, and Writesonic, but we’ll focus on one of the most popular ones for creative writing: Sudowrite.

Sudowrite

This robust AI tool promises to help writers in all stages of the writing process, whether you have already written the full draft or have an idea of the plot. Even if you only upload one chapter, the AI tool will auto-generate a synopsis, characters, genres, and world-building elements (e.g., culture, government, technology, etc.) for you based on the provided content. If the details don’t match your vision, you can revise the synopsis and other plot points. If the auto-generated details are accurate, you can choose the option to write, which will autogenerate the rest of your draft based on the synopsis. If you would like to change what’s written, simply highlight the desired text and choose the option to rewrite.

Sudowrite has a feature called the “Story Bible” where you can outline your book, flesh out your character’s traits, and add world-building elements. This feature allows the user to add or modify what the AI tool has generated for you and helps you keep track of the details about your character, plot, and worldbuilding, so you can keep the plot points consistent.

Here are some pros and strengths to consider when using Sudowrite.

Pros

Great for overcoming writer’s blockCan rewrite sentences, expand on existing ideas and refine your writingHelps accelerate the drafting process by doing the writing for you

Cons

AI Generated content can come off sounding genericSubscription cost to utilize full featuresLots of tweaking needed to get the AI to match your author style/voiceConcerns over AI

The three AI tools I mentioned earlier can help writers at each stage of the writing process whether it’s brainstorming ideas or autocompleting your rough draft. However, there are concerns about whether writers should be using AI.

Going back to the question I posed earlier, at the root of the commenter’s gripe with AI, is that he felt it undermines the integrity of the writer. Let’s address some of those concerns.

Breach of Ethics?

Can you call yourself a writer if someone or something helped you write your book? Before AI, if a writer didn’t want to write their book they hired a ghostwriter to do it for them. Although it’s not widely talked about, a good portion of books have been ghostwriten with the “author” getting the credit on the front cover. These books are still respected and are allowed on reputable publishing platforms such as Amazon.

Granted with AI, it adds another concern: plagarism. While Sudowrite tool claims to guard againt plagarism, I wonder how much of your content is being recycled for the next writer to reuse for their draft. At the end of the day, you still have to make the writing your own by staying true to your author voice even if that means going back and tweaking what AI came up with.

Another concern is the perception of writers who use AI. When I started publishing in 2013, there weren’t any other “shortcuts” let alone AI to rely on. It took months, even years to go from the rough draft to a revised, formatted manuscript ready for publishing. But with AI, writer’s can churn out books in a matter of weeks or less!

Because AI expedites the publishing steps, some may assume using any AI cheapens the quality of the book. While these are valid concerns it really depends on how the tools are used. Are these simply tools to assist in the writing process or is the author relying on AI to do the bulk of the work?

Certain aspects of publishing can be challenging or tedious like editing or formatting especially for first-time authors. There are AI tools for editing and formatting that can help a less experienced writer. That’s where AI can serve as an extra pair of eyes to catch those embarrasing mistakes before you publish the book. Not only can these tools save you time, and money, but they can help polish your book so that it matches the high-standards seen in traditionally published books.

Of course balance is needed when using these tools. I personally never want to use AI at the expense of my creativity. My favorite part of writing is the drafting, so I personally would not give AI full reign to autogenerate my entire draft.

Even if you feel comfortable leaning more into AI for the writing process, AI tools have their limitations. While the suggestions may be decent, it may not necessarily fit your vision for your story. Even if you provide an outline, the AI tool won’t perfectly match your voice and unique style.

While I personally feel that writer’s should not be overly reliant on AI, I’m not of the opinion that any tool that uses AI is “bad.” As I mentioned before AI can be very helpful especially in the administrative or monotous steps in the writing process such as editing.

What I want readers to take away from this article is that AI has its place in the writing world. Each author has to decide if they’ll use these tools and how they’ll use them. While AI is not supposed to substitute for good writing or creativity, these tools can help expediate some of the menial steps in the publishing process from editing to formatting so you can have more time for what you enjoy the most: the art of writing!

Happy writing!

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Have you ever watched or read something that made you feel sad? Think back to that time. Perhaps it was a tragic scene in a movie or TV show. Even when you go back and rewatch that scene, you’re fighting back tears as your beloved character meets their untimely death or grieves the loss of a loved one.

Now ask yourself, why did you cry? What makes an already sad plot point all the more heartwrenching? Behind every amazing scene is a solid script that comes to life and touches your emotions. As writers, we can also create scenes with our words that can be just as impactful even without the visual theatrics. In this post, we’re going to narrow down the steps to pull at your reader’s heartstrings and exercises to put these steps into action.

Step 1: Make us care about your characters

It’s not just enough to throw adversities at your characters. None of it matters unless we care about your characters first. That may sound harsh but it’s the truth. Think back to a horror or disaster movie you saw. The one where an alien invades a bustling metropolis and kills people indiscriminately (e.g. A Quiet Place: Day One). Is it technically “tragic” when an innocent person gets vaporized/eaten? Yes. Is it going to tear you up inside? Probably not.

Now what about a character the viewer got to know? Someone you can relate to. You can see traits in them you admire. Even with their faults, they are still likable. You want them to succeed. And then the alien comes and kills them. Chances are that the character’s death is going to be much more impactful to the viewer because they are emotionally invested in the character and their journey.

So how do we create characters that readers care about?

Let us get to know them. If you are writing in 1st POV, you have the prime opportunity to give us a front-row view into the character’s mind by sharing their inner thoughts and perspective on events. Even in 3rd-person POV, you can still balance your prose with introspection to help readers get to know your characters. We want to know how they think, and why they act the way they do.

Write characters that feel like real people they can relate to. It’s easier to relate to characters where you have something in common with them. Don’t worry about creating perfect, invincible characters. Your readers will have a harder time relating to what we call in the literary world “Mary Sue” characters—characters that appear almost too perfect that they come off as boring. Even your strongest characters have weaknesses. Let readers see your character’s vulnerabilities. Personally speaking, I connect more emotionally with a character at their most vulnerable moments. The moments you get to see your character in those raw gritty moments others rarely see. That’s when you get to peel back the layers and see how the character reacts under pressure. Do they fight, run, or shut down? What are their biggest fears? What do they want most? Those are questions as a writer you want to answer especially about your main protagonist.

Exercise: Write a list of all your major characters including the antagonist (yes villains should have some motivations too) and write down your answers to the following questions: What do they want? What are their fears? Strengths? Once you have a clear idea, incorporate those strengths and weaknesses into how the character responds to challenges and even in their interactions with other characters.

If you're struggling to answer those questions I posed in this excercise for a specific character, ask yourself, how well do I know this character? Are they pivotal characters I want readers to root for? Or are they simply a background character? After analyzing the character you may realize the character may simply be a background or supporting character. Nothing wrong about them being a background character. Not everyone can be a "main character." Side characters have their place in fiction. Just don't expect readers to get too invested in them.

Tip. Another great way to create multi-dimensional characters that are still likable is to study characters from your favorite books/movies. To see how to make characters that jump off the page, check out this case study I did here on Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games series.

Here’s an example I came up with to create a relatable character:

Emma was late again. She slumped in her seat as her boss began to lecture her again for her tardiness for the second time. This time she had a good excuse. Some idiot rear-ended her at the light after rushing straight from the hospital. Not like they wanted to hear it. Nor like they care she had a sick father.

What did we learn from this snippet about Emma? We learned that Emma has a tardiness problem. We also learn why she was late. We also get a glimpse of the struggles in her personal life that have started to bleed into her work. Some of us reading this can relate to the struggle of caring for a sick loved one while trying to balance their professional life. That last sentence makes the reader a little more sympathetic to the character for being late.

Step 2: Raise the stakes

Now that readers know enough about your characters to care about them, it’s time to raise the stakes. The readers should not only be aware of what the character wants but also what’s at stake if the character fails to reach their goal. As characters struggle to reach their goal this builds tension in the plot. Now that we care about the character we want them to reach their goal. As the story progresses, raise the stakes higher. This creates further tension which creates more suspense. The fact that the characters could lose everything even their lives, only heightens those emotions we have towards them.

Exercise: To help raise the stakes, brainstorm what realistic obstacles could get in their way. Remind readers what could happen if the character fails to reach their goal. This could be done in several ways from a veiled threat, or a close brush with death sending your readers's pulses racing.

Let's pickup with our character, Emma from the earlier example. Let's say she has a dying father. On top of that stake she has the added stake to see him because she wants to make peace with her estranged father. What would be the consequence? Let's say if she doesn't make it to the hospital in time, she might not catch him before he dies. Now the stake holds even more weight because there's a consequence.Step 3: Show Vs. Tell

Now that we care about your character, and set the stakes at an all-time high, we need to show our character’s reactions when they’re faced with failure. We can tell readers, that this character is sad because she found out her father has just one week to live. But that would be taking the easy way out. It would be much more impactful if we could place our readers there in the scene as she receives the devastating news.

Exercise: Think about how you would react if you received devastating news. Do you begin to shake? Do your lips quiver? Does your voice break before you give up trying to form the words? Do you burst into tears and sob? Those are natural human responses in a heightened emotional state. Now we have a frame of reference to describe how those emotions are acted out. Now from that list of visceral reactions, which ones fit how your character would respond. How your character responds to bad things might vary from how you would react. That's OK. Just remember: The reaction needs to feel authentic and palpable.

But isn’t it true a person can feel a mix of emotions sometimes in rapid succession! A person can be angry, sad, hopeless, and more especially if what’s happening to the character is unfair or cruel. When you feel someone is unjustly treated, especially someone you care about, you’re going to take it personally. And if the writer can evoke an array of emotions in the reader that scene is going to be that much more impactful.

Let’s demonstrate how to capture emotion in our case study, Emma.

Emma clicked off the phone from the doctor. All she could hear was “There’s nothing we can do.” She didn’t want to hear that. Not when she was supposed to be giving a work presentation in ten minutes. Hot tears stung her eyes, blurring her vision. She wiped her eyes, smudging the black mascara over her eyelid. I can’t do it anymore. I can’t.

Here in this example, we show how upset our character is to receive the news of her father’s grim prognosis by the visceral displays of grief. Her exasperated thoughts at the end further show how our character is breaking under the pressure to perform while wrestling with the information she just received.

Step 4: Don’t overdo the drama

When writing a sad scene or any emotional scene you do want to show the character’s emotional state either through dialogue, body language, or introspection. Just be careful not to overdo the drama or draw out the scene otherwise the scene can come off as sappy or overdramatic. Keep in mind your prose doesn’t have to feel like one big waterworks. Sometimes writers may kill off characters for shock value. But if not careful this can backfire especially if the death feels random or meaningless.

Sometimes a simple but profound statement can be just as evocative depending on the context. Here are some impactful quotes from the novel, Catching Fire.

“No one really needs me,” he says, and there’s no selfpity in his voice. It’s true his family doesn’t need him. They will mourn him, as will a handfull of friends. But they will get on…. I realise only one person will be damaged beyond repair if Peeta dies. Me. – Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire,

He can’t hurt me. There’s no one left that I love. – Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire

The quotes from Catching Fire I chose are very sobering even though the author doesn’t use too many emotion descriptors here. For the 1st quote, the character Peeta starts off by saying, “No one really needs me.” Although there is no physical description of sorrow by the character, the honest observations from the protagonist, Katniss, of how he wouldn’t be missed if he was gone, adds an added sting to Peeta’s plight making the reader feel for Peeta.

The 2nd example above is blurted out by another character Johanna Mason out of spite. But the fact that she has no one left to love, reminds the reader that anybody Johanna loved has been taken from her. When you stop and consider the context of the cruelty dished out by the Capital against its citizens including the victors, the statement is even sadder!

Let’s see one final example with our recurring character, Emma.

She never heard him say 'I love you.' Not like she expected it. Her father was too drunk most of the time to feel anything. Sometimes living was harder than dying.

Here we get a glimpse into the troubled relationship between Emma and her father. Even without any emotional descriptors, there’s a heaviness in the line ‘Her father was too drunk most of the time to feel anything’ after we learn the father never said ‘I love you to his daughter.’ The final line: ‘Sometimes living was harder than dying,’ makes this scene even sadder.

Summary

Granted the made-up example of Emma would be more impactful if we fleshed her character more and developed the plot further but even in the few lines we were able to see how to create a character that readers could care for and demonstrate how to write lines that make readers say, “I felt that.”

In this post, we focused mainly on writing “sad scenes.” This is not to say I want you to write the most depressing novel. But the steps and exercises I outlined can be applied to any strong emotion you want readers to feel. Intense feelings of joy and ecstasy can be just as powerful and moving for your readers as heartbreak and despair! A mother holding her firstborn after labor, or a parent reuniting with a missing child, are joyous moments that stir the heart. While tears are often associated with pain, you can shed tears of joy too. And if you paced the book well and added the stakes for added suspense, when something good does happen, those feel-good moments are going to feel that much more rewarding!

So, let your readers experience the highs and lows of your character’s journey. Take them on a ride they’ll never forget! They may not remember everything about your book but they’ll remember how it made them feel: the good, the bad, and everything in between!

If you want readers to become a fan, they need to care. And if they are going to care, they need to feel something when they read your book. If you succeed in getting them to care, your readers will thank you and may even become your biggest fans!

Want to take your writing to the next level? Whether you write as a hobby or a profession, there is always room to improve your writing craft. While I’ve been blogging and self-publishing for over a decade, I’m continuously honing my writing skills through experience, reading other writing styles in the genres I write, and learning tips and tricks from professional editors and writers from how-to books to YouTube videos.

As a fiction writer, I narrowed down the top 3 hacks you can implement now to take your writing to the next level.

Imagery and Descriptive language

Ever heard the expression: A picture is worth a thousand words? As writers, we want to create images in our readers’ minds. Pictures help us visualize the setting, evoke a mood, and most importantly, help us remember things. The way we create pictures that stick in our reader’s mind is through using descriptive language. This could be similes and metaphors. But most people associate descriptions with sensory details, like descriptions of the weather or what a character is wearing. But to take your writing to the next level, the sensory details should go beyond just what we see. After all, we have five senses. So when possible, try to include other sensory details in your description, including hearing, touch, taste, and sound.

Depending on the style, some authors use descriptive language to add color and texture to their writing.

Tip 1: Try engaging two or more senses in your description. Here’s an example I came up with to help put this tip into practice:

Susan walked into the kitchen and stared at the apple pie baking in the oven.

OR you could say. Susan sauntered into the warm kitchen. The scent of baked apples and cinnamon wafted into her nose as she gazed at the apple pie simmering behind the oven door.

This is not a perfect example, but in the revised scene, I expanded the original sentence to engage at least two of our senses: 1) smell and 2) sight versus just sight in the original text. We went from telling what happened to creating a scene that puts our reader in the kitchen.

Descriptions are even more effective when they add something meaningful to your writing. In fiction, every time a character appears on the page, readers don’t need or care for a detailed description of what the character ate for supper or what outfit. The focus should be on relevant and intentional descriptions that either support world-building or characterization. “Characterization” is a term used in the literature to describe creating and developing a character. It involves providing details about a character’s personality, appearance, behavior, and motivations to make them more realistic and relatable to the audience. Good characterization is key for engaging storytelling and driving the plot forward.

Tip 2: Ask yourself: Does this detail help create a mood, drive the plot, or provide insight into a character? If so, include it in your draft! For example, a few details about an impending storm can be enough to create an ominous mood but also foreshadow future danger or tension. Relevant details such as a “funnel cloud” or “greenish sky” let the reader know this storm can turn into a destructive tornado.

Those details from our example with the tornado are also intentional because we are purposely drawing attention to the danger. We want the reader to draw the conclusion: this is serious. An intentional description offers well-chosen clues that give us (the reader) insight. For example, a character described with a smoldering gaze or shifty eyes can reveal clues about what the character is like or what they’re feeling at a given moment. This ties back to characterization.

Craft Powerful sentences.

Strong drafts begin with strong sentences. Strong sentences are not only grammatically correct (which is very important too) but they are also clear and concise. You want to use language that’s understandable to your readers. That means knowing your audience. Will they be familiar with the terminology or jargon you use? If you are writing a beginner’s guide to programming fundamentals, you can’t assume the reader will automatically know what a “function” or “variable” means. For fiction, if readers have to stop and reread something because they don’t understand what you’re saying, it slows the reader down and can suck them out of the story.

Conciseness or brevity is important in helping readers not only comprehend the words on the page or screen but also make the reading experience enjoyable. Over the years, I have a deeper appreciation for the mantra “less is more.” This is very true of writing! Long run-on sentences or wordy sentences can be exhausting to read!

In writing, it’s important to get to the point. The simplest quotes are often the most memorable because they say a lot in a few words, making them snappy yet impactful.

Tip 1: Vary your sentence length and structure. Shorter, choppier sentences are ideal when describing a fast-paced action scene. Longer sentences may be more appropriate when there is introspection. To keep things fresh, change how you begin your sentences. Writing tools like ProWritingAid can spot where you started consecutive sentences with the same word and can even suggest rewrites to make your sentences fresh.Tip 2: Try cutting out unnecessary filler and glue words. Filler words are what we reach for when we’re groping for the right word. You should watch out for filler words like ‘uh,’ ‘like,’ or ‘alright.’ You can find some examples of glue words here. Glue words serve a purpose in helping your prose flow, but too much of it can bog your sentences down. ProWritingAid can scan your text for the percentage of glue words in your text.Tip 3: Not sure which filler/glue words to keep? Go through your manuscript and see which filler words are being used and ask: Is this needed (e.g. proper grammar syntax)? If you cut the word, would the sentence still make sense? If the answer is yes to both, it’s safe to say you can delete the filler.Strong Voice

Voice refers to the unique style or personality of your writing. Each writer has their own unique flair that colors the way they deliver their message. It encompasses a writer’s diction or word choice, sentence structure, and rhythm. That’s why if you read an article on the same topic from two different writers, the article will not sound the same. If they did, you would suspect plagiarism!

Our culture, experiences, level of education, and even our audience will affect the author’s voice we’ve developed, even if we’re not fully aware of it. So how can you make your voice shine so people want to read what you have to say?

First, understand your audience. Certain voices or tones may resonate with a certain audience. For example, if you are writing a how-to guide, having an authoritative voice or tone on the subject can instill confidence in the reader that you know what you’re talking about. If you are writing a children’s book, you would likely write in a more light, whimsical tone that would be inviting to a young child.

In fiction writing, your character’s voice should reflect your protagonist’s personality. Are they confident or timid? Do they speak properly or use a lot of slang? Knowing your character thoroughly will help their narrative voice remain consistent and stand apart from the other characters on the page. How can we make your character’s voice stronger?

Tip 1: Choose active voice over passive voice. When possible, structure your sentences so that instead of describing what happens to the subject, the subject is performing the action.

Here’s an example to illustrate:

Passive: She was swung around by the thief and slammed against the wall.

Active: The thief swung her around and slammed her against the wall.

In this example, the thief is the subject of taking action against the innocent woman. The active voice closes the distance between the action and the reader, making the reader more immersed in the action.

Tip 2: Sprinkle introspection between your dialogue. This includes what a character is thinking or feeling during the exchange. For example, how did the character receive the news from their friend? Include your character’s inner monologue to help the reader get inside your character’s mind!Tip 3: Include action between your dialogue. This is important because communication goes beyond spoken words. Communication also involves body language, including facial expressions. The facial expressions or gestures should match the words of the character. When they don’t, this could denote inner conflict or deception from the character. Actions taken while the character is talking can also help set the scene and give insight into the character’s emotional state.

Instead of saying: Amber shouted angrily at Matt, “I’m tired of your excuses. I’m done!”

You could say:

Throwing her hands up, Amber shouted, “I’m tired of your excuses, Matt. I’m done!“

Here we eliminated the need to describe how Amber shouted at Matt. We took out the adverb and replaced it with a gesture to show how exasperated and angry Amber feels towards Matt. We even emphasized the last sentence in italics to express the finality of her boiling frustration.

Tip 4: Looking for extra words to ditch from your writing? Look for adverbs that describe a verb. Instead of saying:

The stars were shining brightly.

You could say: The stars glowed.

In the revised version, I used fewer words and substituted “shining brightly” with a stronger verb.

Conclusion

Even with the 3 hacks I mentioned, you still don’t want to forget to master the basics of grammar, punctuation, and spelling to make readers take your work seriously. Whether you are a fiction or non-fiction writer the tips I outlined will help you execute seamless descriptions, powerful sentences, and a clear compelling voice. I promise you by following these three hacks you will see a marked improvement in your writing!

On November 8th, 2013, Before the Legend went live on Amazon. It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since I took the plunge and self-published my first book. What I didn’t realize then was that it was only the beginning of my self-publishing journey. Since then, I have published two more books, including the sequel Roman Identity.

I learned many things along the way through trial and error. But I also studied examples of other successful indie writers like David Gaughran when eBooks were starting to take off. Of course, one of the hardest things to this day when it comes to being an author and the writing/publishing process is after the book goes live. If you’re an author, you know firsthand the struggles of marketing. While I’ve tried different methods from email newsletters, giveaways, etc, one of my favorite and quickest ways to boost sales was running free/discounted promos on my books. And with Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday being the busiest times of the year to shop, running free or discounted promos became my go-to marketing strategy over the years.

But this year, I wanted to do something I’ve never done before: offer a permafree book.

What does it mean to offer a permafree book? It means the book is going free permanently. Unlike a typical free promo that may last for a few days, a permafree book is free for an extended period. Of course, an author can decide at any point to price the book to its original price. Perhaps the author wants to test the waters, so they plan to set the book for free ninety days or six months. Or the author may decide to extend it for an indefinite period.

But if your goal is to sell more books, why would you make your book permafree?

While it may seem counterintuitive to profit from a free book, there are many strategic reasons why an author would intentionally set the price to $0.

Promote a book seriesAttract new readersGain more exposure

Let’s discuss each of these reasons.

Promote a book series

Have you ever been to the store and bought two or more of the same items because of a bogo sale? Why buy just one hand soap if I can get two for the price of one? The same marketing strategy applies to books. Since readers are more likely to take a chance on a newer author, if the book is free, it makes sense to price one book in the series for free. Typically, the author will make the first book in the series free to entice readers to take a chance on the rest of the series. Setting the first book in the series free allows the reader to get a taste of your writing style and tone, and get introduced to your characters (if this is fiction).

If they liked the first book enough, they’re more likely to buy other books from the same author. And if you have a box set with three or more books, you doubled or tripled the books sold in one transaction!

Attract New Readers

As I alluded to earlier, free books tend to attract new readers. According to BookBub, readers are 10 times more likely to click on a book that’s free than discounted! That’s because readers feel like they have less to lose by downloading a free book. If you are a new writer, this may be the springboard to attract readers who would not typically take a chance on your book. Every new reader that downloads your book is a potential fan. And fans are more likely to leave a review, sign up to your email newsletter (if you have one) or buy future books.

Added Exposure

Getting new readers ultimately leads to increased exposure. As an indie writer, getting the added exposure is necessary to getting your book noticed in a sea of books. Glowing reviews and word of mouth are organic ways of growing your readership. And if the reviewer has a large social media following, there’s the potential that they could share the review among their followers, bringing more attention to your book. Setting your book free for an extended period allows more time for new readers to discover your free book.

But if you really want to maximize your readership, you will need to advertise your permafree book. Sites like BookBub and Freebooksy are great ways to promote your free book to thousands of avid readers because they can place your book in front of readers who are looking for books in your chosen genre. Each site will have a vetting process as to what books they accept, but promoting your free run to thousands of new readers can give your book the boost it needs to rise in important lists like top free downloads in your book’s respective categories. The number of times people download your book compared to books of the same category factor into your daily ranking. The higher the number of daily downloads, the higher your book appears on that category list. But why is this important for exposure?

For example, let’s say you type in a search result for “how to make lasagna” in Google. What search result are you going to click on? Typically, the top search results are the first ones you’ll click on. Those links will get more traffic because users will probably find what they are looking for on those first couple of results which are at the top of the page. Similarly, the higher your book ranks, the higher it appears it appears on lists and search results, which increases its visibility.

How to Make it Permafree?

Now that we discussed the benefits of making the book permafree and how to maximize its exposure while it’s free, how do you make it free permanently? If Amazon is your primary retailer, you will not be allowed to set the price to $0 directly, so you will have to match the price with an existing retailer that is selling your book for free. You can wait for Amazon to price-match to a competing retailer, but this can take days or weeks before they catch on and adjust the price. The easiest way to price-match is by adjusting the price through a third-party site like Draft2Digital (D2D) or Smashwords and then contacting Amazon. This is helpful because if your book is distributed across multiple retailers, these aggregator sites which serve as middlemen between you and the online retailers is that they set the price across multiple retailers for you versus you having to contact each individual retailer.

Since Draft2Digital also includes Smashwords as one of its retail channels, my preferred choice is D2D. If you haven’t already, first sign up for Draft2Digital and upload your book by following the steps found here.

Once the book is uploaded, go to the tab My Books, select your book and click on the 1st button: “Details.”

Then select under New Price select “$0”

After saving your changes. Navigate back to your Amazon KDP account and select Help. Under the Pricing category on the left, select Price Matching.

Once you get to this page, select the option: “I need more help.” This allows you the option to either send Amazon an email or call them. If you choose the email option, the system will direct you to an email template. The template will provide guidance on what to include in your inquiry, such as the direct link to your book on Amazon, the other countries where your book is sold, and the retailer where your book is available at a lower price. While calling is quicker, when I tried the email route, Amazon got back to me and made the adjustment at the end of the business day.

Overall, the process to price match turned out simpler than I thought. However, if you are running a time-sensitive free promotion, I would strongly encourage you to follow these steps the day before your promotion is announced in an email newsletter.

So will making Before the Legend prove to be a strategic move for me to 1) attract more readers to my Legend Series 2) and eventually drive sales to the sequel or future books? That remains to be seen. But for now, I’m hoping to follow the bandwagon and make the best of this Black Friday weekend by offering some amazing deals to all of my fans.

Click on the banner to download books 1 and 2 from My Legend Series.Want to be first to get the latest deals and new releases?

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If someone were to ask you how often you think about the Roman Empire, what would you say?

A. Rarely

B. Once a month

C. A few times a week

D. Every day

According to a recent TikTok trend, men are more likely to admit to thinking about the Roman Empire at least a few times a week, if not every day! But why the sudden interest in Romans and the civilization they built? And what makes the Roman empire appealing to men? After coming from a blogging hibernation, it’s time for me to weigh in on these burning questions.

Read more: Why is the Roman Empire so popular?Why is it so popular?

So when did the Roman Empire start trending on social media? According to Know Your Meme the renewed interest in the Roman Empire can be credited to a post by a Swedish Instagram user, Saskia Cort who posted snapshots of messages from her followers asking the men in their lives how often they think about the Roman Empire. As you can imagine, the post became viral. Fast forward to 2023, a recent Instagram reel helped the topic trend again. TikTok’s #RomanEmpire hashtag has reached an impressive 1.3 billion views, as per CBS News!

Did this interest in the Roman Empire come out of thin air? Initially, it might seem that way since social media giants like TikTok and Instagram have amplified our awareness of the Roman Empire. But the trend wouldn’t have taken off if there wasn’t already interest in the Romans. This interest is evident in the comments in the latest Instagram reel with over 56K likes where both men and women share their personal interest in the Romans or how their loved ones (mostly men) reacted when the topic came up.

To prove this point, I posed the same question to a group of close friends (mostly guys) how often do they think about the Roman Empire? Out of the eight guys in the group, four of us (including myself) thought about the Roman Empire “a lot.” My simple question springboarded into a lively discussion where we spouted off different facts about the Roman empire for over an hour.

The group chat with my friends reminded me of how the ancient Romans influenced us. Even though the Roman Empire lasted from 27 BCE to 476 AD, their legacy remains. Most of us have learned about the ancient Romans from our history textbooks. But it’s more than just “dead history.” Structures built by the ancient Romans from the cobblestone roads, the aqueducts, to the Colosseum are still standing today in parts of Europe particularly modern-day Rome.

The Romans have played a significant role in shaping the modern world. For example the name Palestine was a Latin corruption of Philistia. The Romans used that name after the Jews were expelled in the region to cement their power. Even though most don’t speak Latin it has shaped modern languages including English, Spanish, French, and Italian. But their influence extends beyond just language. They’ve influenced almost all aspects of modern life from government structures, architecture, pop culture, and even popular customs and holidays like Christmas!

Why do the Romans appeal to men?

Not every man thinks about the Roman Empire. Some may give little or no thought. Going back to my group chat, two of my guy friends thought little about the Roman Empire, unless it was referenced in other contexts (from the Bible). The three guys in the chat thought about the Roman Empire a lot, but none of the girls admitted to thinking about it. This got me even thinking… why does the Roman Empire appeal more to men?

Interests

Again, not all men will share the same interests. And the reasons why the Roman civilization appealed to men are going to vary from person to person. But from my own nuanced male perspective and personal observation about society in general, certain facts about the Romans are going to resonate more with a particular demographic based on their shared interests.

Architecture. The Romans were well known for architectural and engineering marvels. One example that stands out to me is the ancient bathhouse, which often housed a series of heated pools, a gymnasium, saunas, and even libraries! Considering the Romans didn’t have all the modern conveniences we enjoy they were definitely ahead of their time when it came to indoor plumbing and their use of concrete. But it didn’t stop with their public buildings. The network of roads they built connected their vast Empire and helped facilitate the movement of the military and goods reminiscent of our modern-day highways.

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These facts about ancient Rome would interest history buffs, especially those into architecture, engineering, or construction.. Considering the STEM fields tend to attract more men on average, it comes as no surprise that facts about Roman architectural achievements will resonate more with this demographic!

Pop Culture and Masculinity

Military. Another aspect of Roman culture that I think a lot of men resonate with is the militaristic prowess of Rome. Rome is well known for its powerful army that conquered numerous territories from modern-day Britain to the north to Northern Africa to the south.

When you think of a Roman, what first comes to your mind? Most would picture either a Roman soldier or an emperor. Our history books, documentaries, and popular movies largely focus on their military conquests. Considering that books and movies with action and military themes tend to be more popular among men, it’s no wonder movies like The Eagle that feature strong male leads would resonate more with men.

Entertainment. Speaking of movies, the Romans placed great emphasis on entertainment. In ancient Rome, people could go to the theater, watch chariot races, or see gladiatorial fights at the Colosseum.

Movies like Gladiator glamorized the gladiatorial games and even now the movie is an iconic part of pop culture. While our games/sports don’t end in a death match, the legacy of Roman sports and entertainment bleeds into the design of modern-day sports arenas. But it also influences what we find entertaining. Just like many Romans were avid fans of thrill-seeking and violent sports, high-risk or combat sports such as boxing or MMA have a predominantly male fanbase.

The fascination with the gladiatorial games has even inspired other popular books, including Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series. This series explores the dark side of reality TV, where youths are forced to fight to the death for entertainment. However, the Hunger Games offers a deeper commentary on the use of entertainment for punishment, drawing parallels to the historical practice of making slaves or prisoners fight as gladiators.

When it comes to understanding why the ancient Romans fascinates men, it may go deeper beyond than just learning arbitrary facts. Could we be drawn to the ancient Romans because of their pragmatic, strategic mindset? Or is it because of their brute power and dominance, which is linked heavily to masculinity? Again, the stereotypical male psyche of being logic-driven or more assertive aligns with the impression we have about the Romans. So naturally we’re drawn to traits or attributes we admire or aspire to be like.

For me, it’s not about how many battles they won or lost, but their innovation in technology and facts about daily living that interest me the most about the Romans. It’s those things I tend to do the most research on because learning about different cultures intrigues me.

So for those responsible for keeping the Romans trending, thank you. If anything, social media is the catalyst in getting others to notice and talk about the Romans even if they were never fans. And for a writer with books based in the Roman era, it’s a good feeling to know there is still an audience for the stories I create.

Who knows, maybe after reading this blog post you’ll be thinking about the Roman Empire a lot more!

Let me know how much you think about the Roman Empire by taking the poll below!

Who says history has to be boring?

If it was, nobody would want to read about it. And they certainly wouldn’t want to stream it. However, In recent years, I observed a renewed interest in period pieces. You can thank shows like Bridgerton that enjoyed rave reviews and high ratings on the popular streaming service, Netflix. The TV adaption of the book series written by Julia Quinn has been so popular that Netflix renewed the show for a 3rd season. Then there are also miniseries like Catherine the Great inspired by the Russian empress on Hulu.

While I admire Hollywood’s attempt to appear inclusive and market to different demographics to make history more engaging and relevant, it hasn’t been without controversy. The latest dispute involves the casting of a biracial woman named Adele James to play the iconic historical figure, Cleopatra, in the Netflix docuseries. Critics have been very vocal against the casting online. The docuseries even prompted a lawsuit from an Egyptian lawyer to block Netflix from airing in Egypt due to the production team’s attempt to “blackwash” Egypt’s history by falsely presenting Egyptian civilization as black. There’s even an online petition to cancel the show with over 88,000 signatures and growing.

Source: Egyptian Independent

Behind the backlash is a very complicated and contentious view on race and an underlying fear that history is being rewritten. However, is history being rewritten when writers and producers take creative licenses to reimagine historical figures? Is there any valid basis for the strong criticism of reinterpreting historical events and figures?

Let’s start with the case study of Cleopatra. Without knowing very little about Cleopatra, you may be of the opinion that sees absolutely nothing wrong with Cleopatra being portrayed as a black woman. In fact, some readers may even think Netflix’s latest depiction of Cleopatra is more accurate than portrayals of Cleopatra shown in older Hollywood films. Elizabeth Taylor’s portrayal of Cleopatra in the 1963 film is regarded as a classic. Even though Elizabeth Taylor is a white, pale woman, many hold her portrayal of this woman as the standard. However, some may wonder: isn’t Cleopatra, Egyptian. And if so, wouldn’t she have a darker complexion?

There is much debate about what the ancient Egyptians looked like. Some say the ancient Egyptians favored modern Egyptians who tend to have lighter, olive/tanned skin, and a looser, wavier curl pattern. This admixture is very similar across much of North Africa, which is strikingly different from the features found in sub-Saharan Africa, with the majority of the population having darker skin and tighter curl patterns. The latter features are associated with “blackness.” In the online photos for the upcoming docuseries, the actress has a medium skin complexion with her black Afro framing her crown into a textured halo. This is a big departure from the braided or sleek bobs the Egyptians were notorious for. There’s no denying by her styling that the producers meant for her to portray Cleopatra as a black woman.

Aren’t all Egyptians black? If you asked modern Egyptians what they identify as you would likely get a very different answer! People forget Africa is a diverse continent, not a country. Within the 54 countries that make up Africa are thousands of distinct languages/dialects, tribes, and ethnicities. Let’s not forget colonization, which brought several different European nations to the continent. With that history comes a wide range of looks. If you’ve been to Africa or studied about the different groups spread across the continent, you will learn that Africans range in skin color, hair type, and height just to name a few. With those differences, it’s naïve to think that everyone would identify as black just because they came from Africa.

This view of Egyptians being closer to the look of North Africans is no doubt a similar view shared by some Egyptians including the lawyer that is trying to sue the Netflix show for its inaccurate portrayal of Egyptians. While some with a more Afrocentric leaning strongly believe that the true Egyptians looked black, critics feel that the Egyptians were distinct from surrounding nations, including the Nubians who were often depicted as having darker skin. As a Nigerian-American, I have no desire to claim Egypt as part of my “African heritage” nor can I assert with certainty what the Egyptians looked like. The best we can go off on is the clues left behind in relief drawings and preserved mummies which often depicted them with reddish/bronze skin and straight bobbed hair or bald.

Regardless of the hue the Egyptians came in, people have to remember that Cleopatra was not fully Egyptian (at least not on the paternal side). To really be able to understand the other side of the debate, I had to brush up on my knowledge of Cleopatra’s background. When doing some research, it’s important to note that Cleopatra was the queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. The Ptolemaic kingdom originally was from Macedonia. During the height of the Greek empire, Greece extended its influence to much of the known world, including Egypt, from around 305 B.C. According to historians, this ruling family of Greek/Macedonian descent ruled Egypt for 275 years. Cleopatra’s rule came at the tail end of the Ptolemaic dynasty lasting from 51 BC to 30 BC. While she lived in Egypt and even spoke the language, her origins were primarily Greek. With Greek influence present in ancient Greek cities, not to mention other groups that lived and interacted with the Egyptians, it’s not unlikely that intermarriages occurred. Even people within the same racial/ethnic group can vary in skin tones, so it’s not far-fetched to believe that some Egyptians had a similar complexion to the actress set to play Cleopatra.

Representation

As a fiction writer of historical fiction, my stake in the example with Cleopatra is not so much to argue what race she’s supposed to be (that’s a slippery slope I would rather not dwell on) but rather the perception we have about history and the figures that we read about.

As I mentioned earlier, history doesn’t have to be boring. Those with a love of history like myself want history to come alive. We want to know how reading about a bunch of “dead guys” affects us.

Fiction writing has been one way of making history come alive and helping us connect to history in a way that makes it more relevant. For many people, representation plays a crucial role in being able to relate to the characters whether it be fictional or real-life figures. But would these newer time pieces be as popular if they stuck to the script and cast people that fit the image most people imagine them to look like?

For some the only reason they would even be interested in the latest time period shows or movies is because they feel represented seeing the lead characters played by people of color. It’s natural to gravitate to ones with a similar racial or cultural background. That shared identity gives at least one tangible thing to connect with a character whether real or fictional. However, I wonder if shows like Bridgerton would be less popular had it not cast Rege Jean to play the leading man that Daphne falls for. It may have still captured the hearts of millions of viewers regardless but would it have the same appeal to other demographics like younger Millenials, Gen Z, or even African-Americans? Probably not. While the book never claimed to be based on true accounts, the producer of the show took a risk of deviating from the source material. And by the general reception it received, it paid off!

Way before the film adaptions and the documentaries springing up for historical fiction and nonfiction, I still enjoyed learning about different cultures and history (especially ancient Rome). Even though historical figures may have acted or looked different than us, doesn’t mean we can’t relate to them. For thousands of years, human nature has remained largely unchanged. They still had to deal with the awkward stages of puberty, falling in love, marriage, raising children, sickness, growing old, and death. They experienced strong human emotions like love, envy, excitement, fear, or anger. They desired companionship. Making a living or maintaining the lifestyle they had. Finding purpose in life. Those feelings and human experiences are timeless. It’s why book-to-movie adaptions like Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret still remains relevant over 50 years since the book’s debut—it speaks to the growing pains of growing up.

Those human experiences are what can connect us to the characters and make us invested in their story. The more you learn about their lives the more real those figures become. Drawing from those basic human experiences is what made writing historical fiction enjoyable. Even though my African background is vastly different from the Greco-Roman world I get inspiration from, I can still relate to the struggles of adolescence and identity which are themes in my coming-of-age novel, Roman Identity.

Authenticity

In the example of my story series, it’s easier to take liberties when you made up the characters or market your book as historical fantasy or alternate history. It’s quite another story to try to take liberties based on actual events or people. Do writers and Hollywood execs have the right to retell history? Yes, there is no law against them taking creative licenses to tell stories they want to see. But on the other side of the coin, I can understand why people may see those retellings as attempts to change history to suit a certain narrative. But one thing about history is that it can’t be changed. What happened in the past, happened even if it’s not acceptable by today’s standards. As much as modern society wants to be politically correct, history has its good and ugly moments.

One of the reasons why people turn to historical documentaries or books is to learn more about the time period. And if it’s a fiction book, that fan is reading it because they want to relive that time period. The way the characters look, talked, acted, and even thought should align with the time period the book is written in. Nothing is more jarring than hearing modern slang or reading about an invention that wasn’t invented yet! Yet as I mentioned earlier history isn’t always pretty. A real teaching moment for newer generations is to allow them to have a more objective view of history that captures the triumphs and failures of history. After all, those that fail to learn history are doomed to repeat. And sadly the world keeps repeating the same mistakes from the past!

So, going back to the original question, can you rewrite history? Unless you live in an Orwellian world of 1984, a Hollywood retelling isn’t going to rewrite what already happened. We live in an information world where you can look up anything at your fingertips to fact-check what you’re told. While articles on Wikipedia can be altered, we have other books, scholarly articles, vintage photos, and surviving artifacts that remind us of our past. Not saying that the holders of information: the media, Tech giants, and the government can’t distort or withhold information (that’s a whole other discussion) the fact of the matter is that enough of the historical facts are still preserved for us to come to a reasonable conclusion of what the past looked like.

The beauty of fiction is to create stories we want to tell. I think taking a thoughtful approach to inclusion is sharing true stories from different marginalized groups that feel authentic and believable. There are stories to be shared and more important lessons we can learn from history that can shape our present and help us build a better future.

***

Missed me? Never planned to be away from my blog this long but of course life happens. Finally settled into a new place and the creative juices are flowing. If you want to be the first to get alerts on new blog posts or new content don’t forget to subscribe.

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All good things must come to an end.

That includes sales too. It’s officially the last day of this week’s cyber sales for The Legend Series which comprises my books Before the Legend (Book 1) and Roman Identity (Book 2). Before the Legend is free to download on Amazon here for now but in the future, there are plans to go wide and make the eBook available with multiple retailers. But for now, Amazon it is.

The eBook for Roman Identity is on sale for 99 cents USD (eBook only) on Amazon here. For those that don’t use Kindle, it is available to download from other retailers in an ePUB format including Apple, B&N (Nook), and Kobo. Please see the dedicated sales page here for full retail details.

But you only have until today to take advantage of this sale before the price drops back to $4.99. So grab it while it’s hot.

Find out the real reason why editors tell you not to use adverbs in this informative post.

A Writer's Path

Experts will tell you that adverbs don’t belong in a book…but what do the experts really mean?  Why do they hate adverbs so much?  Anytime I read a writing “rule”, I do research to understand what people are trying to tell me, because it’s never what the rule says.

View original post 890 more words

It’s been a long time since I’ve worked on any new writing projects and even longer since my last blog post. So what did I do in my spare time between work, theocratic, and family responsibilities? One word: reruns. Yes, I’m guilty of binging on TV reruns of some of my favorite teen dramas. I quickly went from a casual viewer to a fan. But what’s the difference between a casual viewer and a fan? And how can authors utilize this knowledge in creating avid fans who can’t put their books down?

First, let’s start with defining the difference between a casual viewer and a fan. Now granted the two terms aren’t exclusive. A casual viewer can turn into a fan. The difference between the two is the emotional investment the viewer has with the character and the plot. Almost any show can make you laugh or smile but that doesn’t mean you’ll keep watching the show. It’s only scratching at the surface of the range of feelings. To convert us into fans, that show needs to tap into deeper emotions within us, whether consciously or unconsciously. To help break down the difference between the two terms I put together this simple infographic. Let’s dissect this further starting with emotional attachment.

Credit: J.U. ScribeEmotional Attachment

A casual viewer– has little or no emotional attachment to a character(s). They can easily compartmentalize the characters from their own lives. If something terrible happens to the character, you may feel a superficial sense of pity. If they miss their flight or stub their toe on the couch you might say, “Oh well.” That’s because the plight of the character doesn’t bother you or get under your skin if something embarrassing or uncomfortable happens to your leads.

Meanwhile, a fan has strong emotions for a character’s plight. They actually care if something good or bad happens to the main leads, especially the protagonist. For example, they empathize with the main character who missed their flight because they know they won’t make it to their father’s funeral and you care enough about the character that you secretly wish that someone could right the wrongs of a very lousy day.

Why important in fiction writing?

You want characters that readers will actually care about. When something tragic happens to your character you want it to pull at your reader’s heartstrings. You want to feel those butterflies in your stomach when your character falls in love for the first time otherwise the story falls flat.

Readers: When you put a book down after reading the first chapters, ask yourself: did I feel invested in the character? The answer is almost always “no.” In any stories especially character-driven stories, it’s essential to create stories with believable and likable characters so that readers can relate to and root for them. Even when the reader is not actively reading the book, you want the reader to still be thinking about that character as if they were a real living, breathing person.

Anticipation

Casual viewers– They are indifferent when it comes to whether they’ll continue watching the show. There’s no rush to stay tuned for that cliffhanger.

Fans – Can’t wait to find out what happens next in the plot because they already care for the character.

Why important in fiction writing?

In addition to writing interesting characters, an interesting plot goes a long way in building anticipation. It takes the right mix of dynamic characters, good pacing, tension, and plot twists to create a story that readers will eat up. One popular way to lure readers to keep on reading is to create cliffhangers at the end of the chapter. Shows like Kyle XY employ this masterfully to keep viewers curious to tune in to the next episode. Every other episode ended on a cliffhanger and the next episode picked up where the last one ended, only to be thrown a new development or twist.

Knowledgeable

Casual viewers– have a high-level overview of the basic plot, and know at least one or more of the main characters. They may know just enough to get by without being lost with what’s going on in the show.

Fans– their knowledge of the show goes beyond a high-level overview of the characters and plot. They pick up on the details most people may miss. They may even remember the specific dialogue and certain scenes. They are more likely to remember random trivia about a show. Avid fans likely understand the deeper themes of the show and can even pick up on the subtle nuances in the character’s mannerisms to the point they can sense the character’s emotional state just by their body language.

Why important for fiction writing?:

For readers to feel like they know the characters, writers need to create dynamic, 3-Dimensional characters. Readers should understand what drives the character or makes them tick. As for the plot, showing vs. telling will help the character’s world come alive. Transport readers to the scene by engaging all five senses (where possible).

Loyalty

Casual Viewers– A show may be entertaining to them but is easily replaceable. It doesn’t take much for them to lose interest.

Fans– for the most part, fans are very loyal. They will stick it out to the end. They will follow the series faithfully even during the less than thrilling scenes.

Why important for fiction writing?:

Almost every new reader starts off as a casual reader. As a reader, you decided to pick a certain book based on the promise made from either the cover design, the blurb, the free preview, or all of the above.

To writers: if you want a reader to keep reading your book need to convert them to a fan. But you don’t have long to do that. People have short attention spans and too many other options these days. If the story starts with too much exposition or jumps around too much in the beginning, giving readers “whiplash,” they may give up before you get to the “good part.” As a reader you want fans! Why? Because fans and let me add this caveat, “avid fans” will not only finish the book but are more likely to read the other books in your series or any other books for that matter you wrote. Because they are enthused about your story they are more likely to leave a glowing review without you having to prompt them. They are also more likely to tell others about your book. For a new writer with an almost nonexistent fanbase, that is crucial if you want your book to reach even more readers and gain a larger following.

What do Star Wars, Hunger Games, Games of Thrones, and Harry Potter have in common? Well, one thing they have is a large avid fanbase! If you were to ask those fans they are attached to the characters. They are fiercely loyal and attached to the characters and the plot. And because of that attachment they eagerly anticipate or follow whatever sequel comes out next. While it’s unrealistic to expect such a large fanbase, especially for indie writers who are just starting out, you do want some fans to vouch for you. Those fans are the very ones that will encourage you to continue on even when you feel like giving up because you think nobody cares or understands your vision. They motivate you to keep writing and to do better when they offer constructive criticism.

So is it egotistical to want fans? Not necessarily depending on your motive.

Can you expect millions of followers? Maybe. At least not right away. But don’t sweat about the numbers or pleasing everybody. Focus your energy on your target readers. Those that get your vision. Those that support your dreams. Those are the people you want in your corner.

So go find your fans! They’re out there waiting for you.