Tag Archive for: Stephen King

Clicking Our Heels: Authors Whose Craft Abilities We Admire

/in /by

Clicking Our Heels: Authors Whose Craft Abilities
We Admire



Although classes and books are ways writers
improve their skills, another way is to analyze the skills of writers we
admire. Here are some writers we each turn to when looking for great examples
of particular aspects of craft, such as dialogue, transitions, description and
action.

Judy Penz Sheluk: John Sanford is the
master of pacing. I love how Tana French takes a minor character in one book and
makes them the protagonist in another. Fiona Barton for cleverly twisted plots
with a simple premise. Agatha Christie because (most of) her books still hold up
today.

Shari Randall: What would Agatha do? Is
a question I ask myself when I run into plotting roadblocks. Her ingenious and
byzantine plotting sets a high bar that I know I’ll never reach, but it does
inspire. For dialogue I’ll turn to the films of the thirties. As far as most
elements of writing, I worship Kate Atkinson in general. For action, I turn to
Dan Brown. He has his detractors, but his stories move.

Juliana Aragon Fatula: Linda Rodriguez
has helped me so much with her Plotting the Character Driven Novel. Stephen King
because he writes the characters I love: Annie Wilkes, and Dolores Clairborne
and many other strong women.

T.K. Thorne: Sue Monk Kidd. I just
think her writing is amazing.

Kay Kendall: For emotional depth I look
to Louise Penny. No one fleshes out personality and motivation as well as she
does. For violent action balanced with understanding of the human psyche, all
written in fantastic prose, I think Tim Hallinan and Reed Farrel Coleman can’t
be beat.

Bethany Maines: I actually look quite
often to movies. A well-crafted script (and there are many that aren’t) is
incredibly informative about getting a story and characters from point A to
point B.

A.B. Plum: Elmore Leonard is my
go-to-dialogue guru. His characters make me laugh out loud, and I admire his
zany plotting – proving nothing is too crazy if you entertain the reader.


Dru Ann Love: I will answer this as the
only book that I reread is J.D. Robb as it has everything, great narrative,
good dialogue, good transition, great visuals, nice suspense and plenty of
action.

J.M. Phillippe: I think it depends on
which genre I am writing in. I was taught a mimicking exercise in college,
where you start to copy, word for word, something an author has written to get
a sense of their literary voice, and then continue the passage using your own
words but mimicking their style. Depending on what genre I am writing, I will
pick up well known and respected authors in genre and do a mimicking exercise.
I am also always expanding my favorite author list that way.

Linda Rodriguez: Toni Morrison and John
Steinbeck are two writers I turn to for improving my dialogue. For description,
I turn to Alice Walker and Stephen King. For action scenes, I like Elizabeth
George and Tony Hillerman. For transitions, I study Ursula K. LeGuin and
Virginia Woolf. For bringing characters onstage and to life, Agatha Christie and
Charles Dickens are hard to beat.

Sparkle Abbey:

Mary Lee Woods: There are so many! I
recently did a program for a local writers’ group on taking your writing to the
next level where I discussed the difference between technically correct and “good”
writing , and really using all the creative tools you have at your disposal to
tell the story. As far as examples, I used: Characters – Nora Robers; Dialogue –
Jennifer Crusie; Description – William Ken Kruger; Action – Janet Evanovich;
and Humor – Laura Levine.

Anita Carter: For plot, Lisa Gardner…always.
For a great fast paced comedy, Laura Levine. For dialogue, Julia Quinn. For
emoton, Virginia Kantra. I also reference Hallie Ephon and Harlan Coben.

Words

/in /by
By AB Plum

Expecting Kay Kendall’s byline? Kay’s on hiatus this week, and I’m subbing.

Years ago (after we stopped chiseling words of wisdom in stone and around the invention of the printing press), I wrote a full page of “high school-news” every week for my daily newspaper.

Like Hemingway and others, I created on my Royal manual typewriter. I met my deadline every week—no matter what. I usually had a minimum of six to eight articles—laid out in columns. Memory says I earned about $.02/word so I sometimes padded my news.

Thinking about those journalistic feats, I realize I was never at a loss for words—or for topics. Now, some days, I find myself reaching for the right word or subject.

In turn, I wonder how many words now exist in English?

Google that question (or variations on it) and you’ll come up with differing views—some of which are pretty close to nit-picking.

Other questions then arise.
  • How many words does the average American use every day?
  • Is it scientifically accurate that men have a more limited vocabulary than women?
  • What’s the most common verb in English?
  • How many words does the average person speak/read a minute?
  • How many words can the typical six-year-old read/speak?
  • How many words do we use in a typical day on our cell phones?

You can see, the list goes on and on and on without asking how many words a writer writes every day? Or how many words in a 300-page novel? Or how do we writers decide on chapter length? Or how many words in a typical sentence? (Ask Hemingway, then read Stephen King). 

And OBTW, who, historically, is the most prolific writer in the English language?

I always thought it was Nora Roberts. Check here for some surprises. Here are a few more authors who, taken as a group, must’ve have used every word in our Mother Tongue.

Our Stiletto Gang blogs tend toward between 300-800 words. In these busy times, that seems about “write” to me. While I could wax on about this subject, I won’t. I am, after all, subbing for Kay. Expect her back on the third Wednesday in June.

In the meantime, enjoy a good book, letting the power of words take you into a new place, meet new characters, solve crimes, travel into space, slay a dragon, fall in love, and maybe shed a few tears.

Who’da thunk 26 letters could bring forth such awesome experiences?
****
AB Plum writes dark, psychological thrillers. She turned out about 500,000 words in the seven-volume MisFit Series. She gave up counting how many words she sliced and diced during edits. She lives in Silicon Valley.














TO PROMOTE OR NOT PROMOTE

/in /by
By AB Plum

With the advent of a new year, who better to paraphrase than the Bard himself?

Promoting is much on my mind in these early days of 2018. I haven’t yet finished my 2018 Marketing Plan. Part of me hates, loathes, and cannot stand having to spend writing time on finding reviews, placing ads, and figuring out new ways to get discovered by readers inundated by newsletters for the latest book promotion.

As a matter of full disclosure, I hop on cross-author/genre promotion bandwagons every chance I get. Local newspapers and national magazines have whittled away their book sections so I’m grateful for those authors who manage to host new offerings. Still …

How much of every day did the Bard spend much time “promoting”? How about Charles Dickens—he, who penned (by hand) 5,000 words a day? According to this same source, Barbara Cartland wrote 6,000 words daily. Stephen King’s a slacker with his per diem output of 2,000 words.

How could they possibly have spent any time promoting their books? Did they write in their sleep?

These questions bring up the issue of time management—a subject I find too personal to share publicly. Once, long ago, I was a veritable Little Red Hen. Somewhere, I took a wrong turn and no longer plant, harvest, bake the bread, and read a book a day. 

Before anyone reminds me that promoting goes with the territory of writing, I admit I know this. If I made New Year’s resolutions, I’d resolve to stop whining, adjust my ‘tude and get with the program.

I don’t make resolutions, but I understand I’m wasting my energy, spinning my wheels, ranting over the foregone: YES! To write for an audience carries the need to promote. NO! To write for myself, no need to do anything but write.

’nuf said.



***
Living off the fast lane in Silicon Valley, AB Plum loves her writing life–even the promo activities which challenge her brain and imagination most days. Check out her latest novel, The Dispensable Wife here. Coming later this month: the box set for The MisFit Series. Notice that not very subtle way she plugged two offerings at once.















SHARING WITH STEPHEN KING

/in /by

By Kay Kendall

Never before have I imagined I shared anything with Stephen
King.
STEPHEN KING
He is very famous. I am not. His mind spins out inventive books in record time. I am a slow writer. King has published 54
novels and nearly 200 short stories. Kendall has published two novels and one
short story.
And yet, and yet. Yesterday I read Stephen King’s interview in
The New York Times and learned how we
are alike. Needless to say, I am thrilled.
What we have in common is not an ordinary habit. It’s
nothing like a preference for one kind of peanut butter over another—crunchy
versus smooth. Nope. Our shared pattern is pretty significant. Our minds are
involved—and so are our writing tendencies.
Here is the relevant passage from the interview:
Q. You’ve said that when you’re
not writing, if you have a break between books, you have especially vivid
dreams. Why do you think that is?
A. You get habituated to the
process, which is very mysterious, but it’s very much like dreaming…Once the
book is done, the stories are done, you don’t have anything in particular that
you want to do. The process goes on, but it goes on at night, your brain does
that, and you have the dreams. When I write again, it stops.
And this same thing happens to me too. Yes,
it does!
You may be thinking that this happens to other writers too,
but I have yet to come across another author with this pattern. When I explain how
and why my most vivid dreams start and stop, people tend to stare at me strangely.
I hope it doesn’t seem like I’m clutching at straws, putting
myself in the same camp as this super-gifted writer, Mr. King. But what it does
is give me impetus to keep on writing. This is surely a sign that means I am
doing what I was meant to do. I write. I make up stories. I mix fact and
fantasy and call it fiction.
Just as I did when my mother insisted that I take a daily
nap every afternoon when I was much too old to nap. I would lie there for the
requisite hour and spin endless stories to entertain myself. I am doing the
same thing still, now that I am all grown up.

~~~~~~~

Kay Kendall’s historical mysteries
capture the spirit and turbulence of the 1960s. DESOLATION ROW (2013) and RAINY
DAY WOMEN (2015) are in her Austin Starr Mystery series. Austin is a
22-year-old Texas bride who ends up on the frontlines of societal change,
learns to cope, and turns amateur sleuth. Kay’s degrees
in Russian history and language help ground her tales in the Cold War, and her
titles show she’s a Bob Dylan buff too. Kay lives in Texas with her Canadian
husband, three house rabbits, and spaniel Wills. In her former life as a PR
executive, Kay’s projects won international awards.

Missing

/in /by


By Evelyn David

My muse has taken a hike – like in the Himalayas.
I’ve lost my MoJo, my ability to create murder and mayhem at will. It’s not
that I can’t think of delightful ways to kill off villains – in real life and
fictionally. But it seems I have misplaced my ability to create a coherent
storyline, one that won’t leave readers scratching their heads and wondering
what the heck happened, if anything.

In my defense, I’ve got lots of good reasons why the muse
went missing. Real life intruded and the poor thing probably felt neglected. No
attention was paid to the tiny bursts of inspiration she’d proffer. “Hey,
how about a story about a neighbor who was an Elvis impersonator. Or “How
about a murder victim who mumbled ‘Camelot’ with his last breath.” But after
I’d ignored enough hints about getting back to work, I suspect my muse headed
off to someone else who would appreciate a clever inspiration of whodunnit. Heck,
she’s probably feasting at Stephen King’s house right this minute – and I don’t
blame her a bit.

The Master of Terror understands. Stephen King once said
that the “scariest moment is always just before you start [writing]. After
that, things can only get better.” But of course, that assumes you can start.
Sue Grafton, mistress of the alphabetic mysteries, was blunt: “I carry a
notebook with me everywhere. But that’s only the first step. Ideas are easy.
It’s the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the
goats.”

And Mary Heaton Vorse, activist and journalist, was even
blunter: “The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants
to the seat of the chair.”

So I’m putting out the welcome mat, baking some chocolate
chip cookies (for the muse and me), and following the immortal advice of James
Thurber: “Don’t get it right, just get it written.”

Break’s over; time to get back to work.

Marian, the Northern half of Evelyn David

 

—————
 

Evelyn David’s Mysteries 

Audible    iTunes

Audible    iTunes

 

Brianna Sullivan Mysteries – e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries– Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah– Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah– Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Lottawatah Twister – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Missing in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Good Grief in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Summer Lightning in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Lottawatah Fireworks – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

The Ghosts of Lottawatah – trade paperback collection of the Brianna e-books
Book 1 – I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries (includes the first four Brianna e-books)
Book 2 – A Haunting in Lottawatah (includes the 5th, 6th, and 7th Brianna e-books)
Book 3 – Lottawatah Fireworks (includes the 8th, 9th, and 10th Brianna e-books)

Sullivan Investigations Mystery series
Murder Off the Books Kindle – Nook – Smashwords – Trade Paperback
Murder Takes the Cake Kindle – Nook – Smashwords – Trade Paperback 
Murder Doubles Back Kindle – Nook – Smashwords – Trade Paperback
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Moonlighting at the Mall (short story) – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords


Zoned for Murder – stand-alone mystery
Kindle
Nook
Smashwords
Trade Paperback


Romances
Love Lessons – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Make My Day

/in /by

By Evelyn David

I talk a very good game. I’m the mother of four. I’ve given
that speech about you shouldn’t need outside validation to feel worthy more
times than Kim Kardashian goes to the tanning salon.

I know authors, actors, musicians, all insist they don’t
read reviews.  Kevin Bacon was absolutely
right when he said, ” I don’t read criticism of my stuff only because when
it’s bad, it’s rough-and when it’s good, it’s not good enough.”

And yet…

I obsessively check Amazon rankings and reader reviews. No
question that one small note of reproof is enough to put me in a depression so
deep that there isn’t enough chocolate on this earth to make me happy (and
believe me, I’ve tried). But conversely, there are times when the self-doubt as
a writer is also so strong that a complete stranger taking the time to post a
positive, yea, a glowing review, is enough to sustain me for at least 24 hours
before the doubt creeps in again.

ZONED FOR MURDER is our newest, full-length mystery and it’s
not set in any of the universes we’ve previously created. It’s a little more
serious with a higher risk quotient. It’s scary to create something different. Reader
expectations of who you are as a writer can force you into a mold that you
might be eager to break or maybe just expand. Sometimes it works. Ask Stephen
King, who can pen both Carrie and On Writing, with equal brilliance. And sometimes it doesn’t. Check with
Arthur Conan Doyle. He had to bring back to life a character he loathed because his readers demanded it and didn’t care to read anything else he wanted to write.

So the decision to try something new? Fulfilling as an
author; terrifying as a writer who needs…wait for it: outside validation that
she really is an artist, not just a pretender.

So forgive me for tooting my own horn, since I just finished
saying that I wanted someone else to blast it, but this review of ZONED FOR MURDER, from someone I
don’t know, gave me, if only briefly, the courage to write again. Because fear
can paralyze the creative juices.

“I fell in love
with the characters in this book, especially Maggie. I found this book
entertaining and spell binding.” Then she adds, “I will recommend this books to my friends.”

Not only did she like it, but that critical word-of-mouth
campaign that marks the success or failure of most projects – this wonderful
lady was happy to participate.

Stephen King, whose books terrify me, the Northern half, but
absolutely delight the Southern half, is a wise writer. I respect him enormously. He
explained why he writes, “The answer to that is fairly simple—there was
nothing else I was made to do. I was made to write stories and I love to write
stories. That’s why I do it. I really can’t imagine doing anything else and I
can’t imagine not doing what I do.”

Ain’t it the truth?

I don’t know if Stephen King reads reviews. I suspect not.
He also said, “If you wrote something for which someone sent you a check,
if you cashed the check and it didn’t bounce, and if you then paid the light
bill with the money, I consider you talented.” And perhaps for him, the
check is validation enough.

But for me, I need more. Maybe I should work on that, but in
the meantime, whether it’s to an author with a new book, or to the plumber who just
fixed your leaky toilet, taking a moment to compliment someone on a job well
done may be just the thing that makes a stranger’s day.

Marian, the Northern half

———–

Zoned for Murder – Kindle (Exclusive at Amazon this month)

Brianna Sullivan Mysteries – e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah- Kindle (Exclusive at Amazon this month)
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Lottawatah Twister – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Missing in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Good Grief in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Sullivan Investigations Mystery – e-book series
Murder Off the Books Kindle (Exclusive at Amazon this month)
Murder Takes the Cake Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Moonlighting at the Mall (short story) – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Romances
Love Lessons – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

What the Heck is Scaffolding?

/in /by

This week, we’re talking about writing process here at the Stiletto Gang and I am fortunate that I get to go on Wednesday, because it gives me a point of comparison to work with, given that Evelyn and Marilyn have written before me. I’ve come to the conclusion that the writers alongside whom I write here are much more organized and have a clearer vision of where they’re going and why in their stories than I do.

As with almost everything in my life, I’m convinced I’m doing it the wrong way.

When I started writing about Alison Bergeron six years ago, I started at the beginning, with the body in the trunk. From there, I jumped around, writing scenes as they popped into my head, going backwards and forward in time, finally reading the whole thing and filling in the blanks. I even had a couple of flashbacks to Alison’s college days, which thankfully, my eagle-eyed agent kindly asked me to remove. For those of you who read the “chicken salad sandwich” scene (and for those of you who haven’t, hopefully that will pique your interest), know that I wrote that shortly after I wrote the first chapter. I let my characters “talk” to me and tell me what they wanted to do and when. I still do this, by the way. I’m so intimately acquainted with Alison that when I write something that she wouldn’t say, she tells me, which keeps me honest. And no, I’m not crazy, even if I do have six or seven pretend people living in my brain talking to me about who they’d like to see murdered and why.

However, when I read my first draft of the manuscript now, I cringe. (See? That’s what a good editor will do for you.) Doing the book this way made more work for me, but it was my writing process and everything turned out fine in the long run. But there were a lot of inconsistencies that I’m glad my editor saw through to what she considered a good story with good characters. Still, I wondered if there was a better way to do this or if indeed, I was doing it correctly. I turned to my old friend (I call him that even though we don’t know each other) and writing teacher Stephen King for guidance.

On Writing was published in 2000 and is basically my writing bible. In it, King talks about his life, leaving nothing—including his bout with substance abuse—out while spinning the tale of how this kid from Maine grew up to become one of the greatest writers of our generation. But the message I took from the book mainly was that whatever your process, if it works, it works. No reason to tinker.

So I gave my process a name. I call it “scaffolding.” As time has gone on and I’ve written more books in the series, I’ve streamlined the process. I do write in order, but I do go back almost every day that I do write and see what I can add, delete, or revise. Do we need a clue? A red herring? A better ending to a chapter? It’s kind of convoluted but it works for me. Thank you, Mr. King, for giving me permission to approach writing as a bass-ackwards process of plot discovery.

And now, Alison and I are going to have lunch. She told me that she’s hungry and wants chicken salad. (Just kidding!)

Maggie Barbieri
http://www.maggiebarbieri.com