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STANDOUT MARKETS THE ROAD TO JONESTOWN AUTHOR JEFF GUINN

Crafting Better
CHARACTERS
GOOD, EVIL & IN BETWEEN:
LAYER ON THE CONFLICT

10 TECHNIQUES TO
ADD AUTHENTICITY

THE POWER OF POV:


TIPS FOR PLOT TWISTS

TOO MANY PLAYERS?


HOW TO KILL
YOUR DARLINGS

T H E W D I N T E RV I E W

Heather Graham
Corner
THE PROLIFIC POWERHOUSE
ON CROSSING GENRE LINES

Your Niche
SECRETS TO SUCCESS IN
TRAVEL & HUMOR WRITING

JULY/AUGUST 2017 writersdigest.com


AUGUST 1820, 2017 | NEW YORK CITY

Featuring Opening Keynote Speaker


LISA SCOTTOLINE

Release Date: 8.15

April Narby

Lisa Scottoline is The New York Times bestseller and Edgar


award-winning author of 28 novels, including her latest work,
Damaged. Scottoline kicks off the 2017 conference with her
trademark warmth, wit and insight into the writing life.

REGISTER NOW

WritersDigestConference.com

Write better. Get published. Build your network. #WDC17 events


FEATU R ES

24
CREATING THE PERCEPTION GAP
Your characters views of the world can do much

CHARACTERS
more than simply define who they are. Heres how
to use perspective to propel your plot.
BY JANE K. CLELAND

28
10 SLY TECHNIQUES
FOR ADDING
DIMENSION
TO CHARACTERS
Even the most carefully crafted characters can feel
flat on the page. Indulge in these cunningly creative
exercises to shade in your protagonist.
BY DEB NORTON

32
SINNERS, SAVIORS
& SYMPATHETIC
HEAVIES
The secret to compelling conflicts? Avoid
type-casting your heroes and villains. Use these

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT PHOTO GETTY IMAGES: VICTOR TONGDEE; GETTY IMAGES: WESTEND61;
approaches to find a better way.
BY DAVID CORBETT

36
KILL YOUR DARLINGS
GETTY IMAGES: MARCO PIUNTI; GETTY IMAGES: NISIAN HUGHES

If your plot isnt working, there may be too


many cooks in the proverbial kitchen. Heres
how to make all your characters count
even if it means bidding some of them adieu.
BY JEFF SOMERS

2 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


J ULY/AUGUS T 2 017 | VOLU ME 97 | NO. 5

INK W ELL

40 10 YOUVE GOT MAIL: In the crowded world of social


media, an e-newsletter gives writers a direct line
THE WD INTERVIEW: to readers.
Heather Graham BY DINSA SACHAN

From full-time mother to famously prolific author, this 12 PLUS: 5-Minute Memoir: Rewriting My Own
bestseller turned an appetite for reading everything into History Jeff Guinn: Walking the Grounds
the ability to write anything. The Winners of the 2016 WD Poetry Awards
BY TYLER MOSS A Writers Guide to Iowa City (of Literature)

C O LU M NS

21 MEET THE AGENT: Mary C. Moore,


Kimberley Cameron & Associates
BY KARA GEBHART UHL

44 2 2 BREAKING IN: Debut Author Spotlight


Naming the Baby BY BAIHLEY GRANDISON

Never underestimate the great power of a great title. 5 0 FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK: Asking the Right
BY JACQUELYN MITCHARD Questions of Potential Agents
BY BARBARA POELLE

48 5 2 YOUR STORY: The Bay Window Affair

The Theory of Everything


BY CASSANDRA GOOLSBY

6 2 STANDOUT MARKETS: The Rumpus; Callaloo;


The winner of the 17th Annual Writers Digest Short
Afar; Homebound Publications
Short Story Competition evoked a bleak medical proce-
BY TYLER MOSS
dure to reflect on humanity in The Removal.
PLUS: A complete list of the winners. 6 4 CONFERENCE SCENE: Book Passage Travel Writers
BY KAREN KRUMPAK & Photographers; Killer Nashville; Midwest Writers
BY DON VAUGHAN

W R I T ER S WOR KBOOK
7 2 PLATFORMS OF YORE: George Orwell

ON THE COVER
N W 6 2 Standout Markets
55 TRAVEL WRITING WITH ST YLE 14 The Road to Jonestown Author Jeff Guinn
BY L. PEAT ONEIL 3 2 Good, Evil & In Between: Layer on the Conflict
2 8 10 Techniques to Add Authenticity
5 8 WRITING FOR CHILDRENS MAGAZINES 2 4 The Power of POV: Tips for Plot Twists
EDITED BY MICHELLE RUBERG 3 6 Too Many Players? How to Kill Your Darlings
5 5 Corner Your Niche
5 9 TICKLING THE FUNNY BONE 4 0 The WD Interview: Heather Graham
BY MARK SHATZ WITH MEL HELITZER
COVER IMAGE MARTI CORN

PLUS: 4 online exclusives 5 editors letter 6 contributors 8 reader mail

Writers Digest (ISSN 0043-9525) is published monthly, except bimonthly issues in March/April, May/June, July/August and November/December, by F+W Media Inc., 10151 Carver Road, Ste. 200, Cincinnati,
OH 45242. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Writers Digest, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. Subscription rates: one year, $24.96; two years, $49.92; three years, $74.88. Canadian
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No. 40025316. Canadian return address: 2835 Kew Drive, Windsor, ON N8T 3B7. Writers Digest, Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. Vol. 97, No. 5. Periodicals Postage Paid at Cincinnati, Ohio, and additional mailing offices.

WritersDigest.com I 3
Right Now at

Accomplished Accomplices
Bestseller Heather Graham is omnipresent in many
segments of the writing communityincluding the
International Thriller Writers, Romance Writers of
America, Sisters in Crime and Horror Writers Association.
In these bonus outtakes from our WD Interview (Page 40),
Graham discusses the benefits of teaming up
both on and off the page.

In Brief
Read Lauren Schenkmans The Removal, the
grand prize winner in WDs 17th Annual Short Short
Story Competition (Page 48), and learn more about her
science-inspired approach to the creative life.

BLOG ILLUSTRATION FOTOLIA.COM: BLOSSOMSTAR; SURGEON TRAY GETTY IMAGES: PAUL TAYLOR; HANDCUFFED COMPUTER GETTY IMAGES: THOM LANG
Criminal Acts
In Sinners, Saviors & Sympathetic Heavies (Page 32),
David Corbett outlines the keys to character conflict in
the mystery, thriller and crime genres. In this companion
piece from our archives, he discusses the nuances of
writing for each one.

To nd all of the above online companions to this issue


in one handy spot, visit writersdigest.com/aug-17.

PLUS: Elevate your efforts on the WD blogs!


5 REASONS FELLOW WRITERS ARE STAND OUT IN THE SLUSH PILE
ESSENTIAL TO YOUR WRITING LIFE At top literary agencies, apprentices
WD Editor Jessica Strawser unpacks and interns are often left to pan the
what shes learned, in the years leading slush pile for gold. Agency intern
up to her novel release, about getting Meg LaTorre-Snyder shares 10 tips for
by with a little help from your friends. impressing those rst readers.
bit.ly/fellowwritersWD bit.ly/slushstandoutWD

CRAFT A PRO ANTIHERO


Modern literature is teeming with antiheroesprotagonists who engage in
despicable behavior, yet still win over readers. Author David H. Weisberg reveals
how he formed his own sympathetic antihero, and how you can, too.
bit.ly/perfectantiheroWD

4 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


EDITORSLETTER
JULY/AUGUST 2017 | VOLUME 97 | NO. 5

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Jessica Strawser

ART DIRECTOR The Complexity of Character


Claudean Wheeler We often hear fiction categorized as either plot-
MANAGING EDITOR
driven (typically in mysteries, fantasies and
Tyler Moss other genre stories) or character-driven (more
often in literary works)but that way of think-
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
ing, like all thinking involving labels, can be
Baihley Grandison
dangerous if taken too literally.
ASSISTANT EDITOR In her WD Interview a few years back, best-
Karen Krumpak selling thriller writer Lisa Scottoline went so
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
far as to assert that plot and character are the
David Corbett, Jane Friedman, same thingand as a former lawyer, she made
Steven James, Barbara Poelle, quite the convincing argument: You are what you do.
Elizabeth Sims, Jeff Somers, Regardless of whether you buy into the thinking that theres no distinc-
Kara Gebhart Uhl, Don Vaughan tion between the two, theres no doubt that plot and character are intrin-
sically linkedin fiction as in life. Who we are, in fact, does much more
WRITERS DIGEST than simply influence how we behave, what we say, how we react, and the
WRITING COMMUNITY manners in which we dress and look and present ourselves. We instinctively
CONTENT STRATEGIST
take pride in being good judges of character; we are well aware when we are
Rachel Randall
being judged by the company we keep.
Youll find that such complexities are evident in this issues character-
SENIOR ONLINE EDITOR
focused features, which aim to illuminate the elements of character without
Brian A. Klems
isolating them.
WRITING COMMUNITY EDITORS First, suspense writer Jane K. Cleland demonstrates how characters per-
Robert Lee Brewer, Cris Freese spectives can be used to give a story interest, momentum, flow and, best of all,
those unforeseeable and yet utterly believable twists readers love (Page 24).
WRITERS DIGEST
Next, writing coach Deb Norton demonstrates 10 clever techniques for
EDITORIAL OFFICES better knowing our characters (Page 28)all of which begin with a simple
(dare I say sneaky) creative exercise designed to draw authenticity to the page.
10151 Carver Road, Ste. 200,
Cincinnati, OH 45242
Having literally written the book on character, David Corbett offers up a
(513)531-2690, ext. 11241; deep exploration of protagonists and antagonists in the mystery, crime and
writers.digest@fwmedia.com thriller genres (Page 32)showing how we can push beyond archetype and
create layers of complex, engaging conflict.
And Jeff Somers (Page 36) takes a hard look at the simple question of how
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE
many characters is too manyand what to do about overload.
Subscription inquiries, orders and
All fiction, then, is character-driven, and with this issue as your guide,
address changes can be made at
you can ensure that the hands on the wheel of your story are steady and true,
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6 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


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8 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


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You've Got Mail
In the crowded world of social media, an e-newsletter gives writers
a direct line to readers.
BY DINSA SACHAN

J
ournalist Ann Friedman
started her e-newsletter,
The Ann Friedman Weekly,
after she lost her magazine
job. Formerly the executive editor at
GOOD, she was navigating the world
of freelancing and looking for a way to
keep her name fresh in editors minds.
Not only has it since helped her land
many assignments, but the newslet-
terwhich contains curated articles
she finds interesting alongside her own
original pieces, as well as GIFs and the
occasional product endorsement
to keep friends, family and dedicated nutritionist, its been helpful to show
has developed an impressive following
readers up to speed on their work. people that I have more to offer in the
of more than 25,000 subscribers.
For some writers, the newsletter general lifestyle realm.
Friedman isnt alone. Writers of all is the new blog. (Though the two can Fantasy novelist Suzanne Johnson
stripes are now turning to this once also work in tandemmany bloggers says her monthly newsletterwhich
written-off tool as a device to reach use newsletters to help circulate their includes blog posts, giveaways and
readers as directly as possibleright posts.) Ariane Resnick, author of news about her most recent releases
in their own inbox. And for those who The Thinking Girls Guide to Drinking, has been her most effective marketing
make it a priority, providing consistent, set up an email list because a blog tool. There are thousands of books
quality content to their subscribers, a seemed like an ineffective use of her published every month, Johnson
newsletter can pay major dividends. time. I was looking for a way to offer says. So how do you find true readers
PHOTO GETTY IMAGES: YAGI STUDIO

advice and recipes, Resnick says. and how do you keep them engaged
WHY TO LAUNCH AN But I dont enjoy blogging: You create between books?
E-NEWSLETTER content, put it out, and no one might A newsletter is a more targeted mar-
If youre a freelancer, an e-newsletter see it. She is also using the newslet- keting tool than a blog because readers
can announce your latest bylines to ter to expand her brand. Rather than are able to opt in (or out) of their own
your audience. Many journalists use it just being considered a chef and a volition. Even if your audience is small,

10 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


those who subscribe are doing so with social media accounts. (You can even
a built-in interest in your work. Theyre designate Sign Up as a call to action LIST FACTORS
your biggest fans, your best custom- To learn more about the technical side
at the top of your Facebook page.) Its
of setting up an email list, visit
ers. Author Jessica Scott, who writes also smart to send polite email invites writersdigest.com/aug-17.
contemporary fiction, recently started to trusted writer friends and editors
selling her indie books on Amazon, without being too pushy, of course.
iBooks and other platforms. Every WHAT TO WATCH FOR
And dont forget to plug a link into
time she sends out a newsletter (which Keep in mind that youre not sending
your email signature. out a company newsletter, so dont
features early news about new books,
Once youve begun to build a list, make it sound like one by using a stiff
teasers of latest releases, and the occa-
your e-newsletter must provide some voice. Employ a casual, professional
sional random bit of information)
kind of inherent value to keep sub- toneone that implies a level of
she sees a 3040 percent bump in
scribers engaged. What you choose intimacy. A big mistake is to see the
sales. When entertainment and travel
to include will depend on the type of newsletter just as a vehicle for sell-
journalist Valentina Valentini started
sending out her e-newsletter featuring writing you do, as well as what you ing, Lewis says. It should really be a
her clips, she was flooded with pitches plan to achieve. vehicle for engagement.
from publicists: [They] wrote to me
saying, Oh I didnt know you wrote for Writers of all stripes are now turning to this once
so and so. That would be great for this written-off tool as a device to reach readers as directly
client I have.
While most offer their newsletter as possibleright in their own inbox.
for free, some have even managed to
Scott offered six chapters of her new Second, recognize the importance
convert it into a revenue stream. The
release as a freebie to her subscrib- of tracking statisticsseeing whos
Ann Friedman Weekly makes money
ers.In her September 2016 newslet- opening your emails (and whos not),
in two waysthrough subscriptions
ter, Johnson enticed her readers to and what subjects are most popular
and classified ads. When readers sub-
preorder a copy of her upcoming novel with your readers (based on click-
scribe for $5 per year, they receive
by raffling off a Kindle Fire. Readers thru rates). Most newsletter services
additional, exclusive content. The
could enter the drawing by preorder- charge based on total number of
e-newsletter also features four to five
ing the book or sending her a postcard. subscribers, so make sure your list is
classified ads, for which Friedman typ-
She also routinely offers subscriber fine-tuned to include only your tar-
ically charges between $50100. Its
exclusives, such as deleted scenes or a get, active readers. After Scotts list
very difficult if youre a freelance writer
sneak peek into a new cover. grew to 21,000 subscribers, she used
to have a revenue stream that you
In anticipation of her new par- analytics to see how many of them
control, she says. I take a lot of career
enting book in 2018, independent actively engaged with her newslet-
security in the fact that this is a thing I
journalist Katherine Reynolds Lewis ter, and ended up cutting her base by
built. Even if its not a ton of money, its
is using her e-newsletter to build her almost half.
income I can count on.
platform as a parenting expert. Her Finally, dont set up an e-newsletter
January newsletter began with a per- if your heart isnt into it. If youre a
HOW TO HOOK SUBSCRIBERS
sonal note, which she followed up writer who thinks about this as a
While it can be tempting to start off
with some book recommendations chore, its not going to be [a good
by adding everyone in your address
and curated articles on parenting. use of your time], Friedman says.
book to your subscriber list, Friedman
An important note: If you want a But for those who do invest the energy,
warns against it. Its terrible practice,
loyal readership for your e-newsletter, an e-newsletter can be an essential
she says. The only person I added
you must send it regularly. Friedman piece of your authorial platform.
was my mother. Instead, to garner
subscribers, add a subscribe button to is fiercely punctual with her weekly
Dinsa Sachan curates an e-newsletter
your website, and promote the news- send. In the last four years, she has packed with international science and culture
letter as relentlessly as you can on your only missed four weeks. news. Subscribe atdinsasachan.com/nucleus.

WritersDigest.com I 11
5-MINUTE MEMOIR

Rewriting My Own History


BY MEADOW RUE MERRILL

T he one detail I most wanted to change about my memoir, I couldnt:


the death of my daughter. It was the primary element that editors
wished I could change, too. And because I couldnt, my manuscript
received rejection after rejection. Each refusal felt like a personal
confirmation that Id failednot just as a writer, but as a mother.
Id never planned to write a memoir. I was a Maine journalist, mom and
would-be childrens author, crafting middle-grade fiction when my family met
Ruth, a 1-year-old abandoned baby from Uganda who was in Maine for physical
therapy. My husband, Dana, and I had often thought of adopting, and quickly
and of how she blossomed into a
fell in love with Ruth, who had cerebral palsy. Soon after, we became Ruths new
smart, thriving, beautiful girl. I wrote
host family. One night, I brought Ruth to my local writing group. She lay on the
of the night Ruth died and of bring-
floor, grinning up at us with her impossible-to-ignore smile. My fellow writers
ing her wheelchair back to Uganda to
were far more interested in Ruth than in my childrens book manuscript.
give to another little girl with cerebral
If you adopt, one said, you should write a memoir.
palsy. I wrote about loving in the face
A couple of months later, our family did indeed decide to adopt. I chronicled
of suffering and grief and heartache
our journey in the local newspaper, then began a book. But after a few futile
and losslike a fool, without con-
attempts at finding a publisher, my memoir languished as a file on my computer.
sidering what such love would cost.
Six years later, in a heartbreaking twist, Ruth died in her sleep from complications
Because no matter how and when life
related to her disabilities. In the painful months that followed, I couldnt bear that
ends, only love is guaranteed to last.
her story remained untold, and so, finally, I finished it.
It was the message my book had
Again, my book met rejection. My agent encouraged me to broaden the take-
been missing.
away messagethe critical part of the story designed to resonate with the widest
Rejection can make us quit. Or
possible audience of readers. While my agent contacted editors, I struggled to find
it can make us dig deeperto seek
my message. Then, the most excruciating rejection of all: An editor at a large house
the best possible way to tell our story
praised sample chapters from my book and said she was seeking a story exactly like
to connect with the widest possible
mineexcept she wanted a book that ended with a healthy, thriving child.
audience. After finishing my essay, I
Her reply was crushing. Regardless of how much I loved Ruth or how hard I
rewrote the final chapter of Redeeming
worked, I could never provide this ending. Maybe they were
Ruth. One month later, I signed
all right, I thought. Maybe an adoption story about a child
a publishing contract. While I still
who dies would never find an audience. It felt like the end of
couldnt change the details of my
my publishing journey. After that response, I took a long
PHOTO OF MERRILL AND BABY RUTH THERESA JACKSON

memoir, rejection did help me rewrite


walk, nearly convinced that my efforts and my love for Ruth
my storyand find its true meaning.
didnt matter. Deep down, however, I knew otherwise.
That night I wrote an essay about our love for Ruth,
Meadow Rue Merrill (meadowrue.com)
about the struggles she faced and the hurdles she over- writes for children and adults from Maine.
came. I wrote about the neurologist who said Ruth was Her memoir, Redeeming Ruth: Everything
so damaged that adopting her wouldnt make a difference, Life Takes, Love Restores, released in May.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Submit your own 600-word essay reection on the writing life by emailing it to wdsubmissions@fwmedia.com with
5-Minute Memoir in the subject line.

12 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


POPULAR
fiction
awards
HAIR-RAISING CHILLERS,
ROUSING ROMANCES & BEYOND
ENTER YOUR BEST GENRE SHORT STORIES in the Writers Digest Popular
Fiction Awards for a chance to win $2,500 in cash, an announcement on the cover
of Writers Digest and a paid trip to the ever-popular Writers Digest Conference.

ENTER IN THESE
CATEGORIES:
YOUNG ADULT
SCIENCE FICTION/
FANTASY
HORROR
MYSTERY/
CRIME
THRILLER/
SUSPENSE
For the full list of prizes and entry details, visit
ROMANCE
writersdigest.com/writers-digest-
competitions/popular-ction-award

Early-Bird Deadline: October 16, 2017


Jeff Guinn: Walking the Grounds
Whether in novels or nonction, when it comes to adding authenticity,
bestselling author Jeff Guinn takes eld research to the next level.
BY STEVE BOISSON

O
n the cover of Jeff the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in
Guinns true crime The Last Gunfight (which was actu-
bestseller, Manson, the ally an arrest gone wrong) and,
usual grizzled mugshot most recently, Jim Jones and Peoples
associated with the former cult leader Temple in The Road to Jonestown
has been replaced by a photo from (yes, I did hack my way into the
his younger years as a smiling, neatly jungle in Guyana, because the roads
coiffed boy. Its an arresting image to Jonestown had been overgrown
one that promises a fresh approach to but, by golly, we found it). The
an amply covered, troubled tale. task frequently involves finding key
Im always trying to figure out the sourcesoften reluctant witnesses
difference between mythology and unsought by previous authors.
real history, Guinn says. The myth For instance, after a long courtship
about Manson: Charles Manson is through registered letters and phone
Jeff Guinn
not now and never was insane. He calls, Guinn earned the cooperation
was a cunning sociopatheverything of Mansons sister and cousin. They or later youll find people who know a
he did was calculated, and to me, that eventually came to believe I was trying lot but have never sought the spotlight.
makes him even more terrifying than to write the truth and from there In researching 2010s Go Down
if he was a lunatic. they were very helpful, Guinn says. Together: The True, Untold Story
Guinn aims in his books to unearth For every nonfiction subject there of Bonnie & Clyde, Guinn tracked
the truth behind common perceptions. are always people who are popular down the outlaws descendants, hop-
His subjects have included Bonnie expertstwo or three people every- ing to hear some family lore. Buddy
and Clyde in Go Down Together body will go to again and again. But if Barrow Williams, the stepson of
(whose two-year crime spree was you actually go to where [the subject] Clydes youngest brother, had stories
as much a reign of error as terror), lived, to places they spent time, sooner to share, along with a particularly

GUINN PHOTO RALPH LAUER

14 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


interesting heirloom: Clydes mothers New York Times bestsellers. All three
Become a
unpublished diary. After we got
to know each other, he said, You
know, Ive got this thing in a box you
might want to look at, Guinn says.
are whimsical fiction laced with history,
and bear little resemblance to the
sheer realism he is now known for.
With both fiction and nonfiction
VIP
WRITERSDIGESTUNIVERSITY.com
Dumb luck supersedes talent. In my under his belt, it wasnt until after The
career, anyway. Last Gunfight that Guinn found a way WRITERS DIGEST MAGAZINE
A similar discovery occurred while to marry his passion for verisimilitude
working on 2012s The Last Gunfight: with a story all his own. Putnam
WRITERSDIGESTSHOP.com
The Real Story of the Shootout at the publisher Ivan Weld approached him
O.K. Corraland How It Changed about writing a less common breed
the American West. Wyatt Earp expert WRITERSMARKET.com
of Western fiction: Fiction that por-
Carl Chafin died before finishing his trayed the West the way it really was.
annotations to the voluminous diaries
of Tombstone, Ariz., resident George
The result is the Cash McLendon tril- equals 1 LOW PRICE
ogy, the chronicle of a St. Louis street
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County recorder Christine Rhodes. with the Writers Digest VIP Program.
of which, Silver City, was released
Shed never shared the manuscript The program includes:
in January. Guinn hopes that his
because she felt people didnt care t ONE-YEAR U.S. SUBSCRIPTION to
authentic portrayal of the Wild West, Writers Digest magazine
that much, Guinn explains. The dia- which features fictionalized takes t ONE YEAR OF ONLINE ACCESS
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ing than the made-up stuff.
always walk the ground, exploring t 10% OFF PURCHASES AT THE
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wrote in 1994, The Autobiography of of 73% off the $186.91 retail value!
Santa Claus. Originally written for a to follow every mile they went.
small, local publisher that later folded,
Steve Boisson is a Los Angelesbased free- THIS PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE
some 10 years down the road a revised lancer whose articles have appeared in the ONLY AT THE WRITERS DIGEST SHOP,
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other Santa-themed books, became History and many other publications.

WritersDigest.com I 15
No matter what you write, a bit of poetic license can be a valuable asset to any writers arsenal.
BY ROBERT LEE BREWER

The Winners of the 2016 WD Poetry Awards

P
oems about serious top-
ics such as war, hunger and This
world injustice leave me BY JAMISON COLE MCLEAN

breathless when expertly


executed. In my many years as Poets In the swirls of green smoke,
Market editor, Poetic Asides colum- There was a cello.
nist and final-round judge of the And we danced broken steps across
Writers Digest Poetry Awards, poems Cobblestones to the twisted rhythm.
that display exceptional control of This is how I fell in love with you.
language and sounds always win me We were swallowed by the mountains jagged teeth,
over, whether I get them or not. And the ash painted us like snow
Verse that makes me laugh is excep- As I carved caverns in your walls,
tionally rare, which means I value it Read the inscription on your chest.
all the more. This is how I fell in love with you.
What has the strongest universal
effect is when a poem surprises and I fell asleep beside you to the lullabies of babies crying,
delights us, when it takes us by the Crying for lives they would never know,
hand and leads us where it wants to go. That we could never give them.
There were many strong contenders This is how I fell in love with you.
in our latest competition1,700 in You introduced me to your ghosts: dogs and shadows.
totalbut I ultimately selected This, Now, late at night, they haunt me too
by Jamison Cole McLean, for the grand Except there is a farm boy and a gangster that follows them.
prize. McLean will take home $1,000 This is how I fell in love with you.
and a copy of Poets Market 2017.
This is both love poem and refrain, I woke up to your eyes like the green flash carrying souls out of this world.
BREWER ILLUSTRATION TONY CAPURRO; MCLEAN PHOTO DARLA K. MCLEAN
as well as a pleasure to read aloud. But you wouldnt let me leave with them.
The WD Poetry Awards calls for You stapled me in place with flowers and a spoon
previously unpublished, original And the sound of your voice creeping beneath my slitted lids.
poems of 32 lines or fewer. The top This is how I fell in love with you.
25 winners receive a copy of the latest You taught me that broken bread still bleeds,
Poets Market (WD Books) and And lifes pound of flesh sometimes weighs more than a pound,
recognition on writersdigest.com. That bridges are for crossing, not for jumping off of.
This is how I fell in love with you.

THE WINNERS CIRCLE When I sing, I still expect you to answer,


To read all 10 winning poems from the And when I trace roadmaps of scars, I still expect them to lead me somewhere.
2016 WD Poetry Awards, visit I expect them to lead me back to you.
writersdigest.com/aug-17.
Because this, this is how I fell in love with you.

16 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


GET
THE TOP 10 POETRY AWARD WINNERS
1. This 7. Sonnet for a Certain Thursday
by Jamison Cole McLean by Heather Wood
DIGITALLY!
2. How to Destroy a Village 8. Dmitry Meets Feozva
Without Using an by Kelly DeMaegd
Exploding Donkey 9. Words
by Simon Walsh by Brian Kirchner
3. A Long Marriage 10. Sphere for Blue Coffee
by Suellen Wedmore by Alexej Savreux
4. Always Look
by Christian Schoon
5. Counterpoint for Ella POETIC CHALLENGE
by Susan Gunter Try your hand at new forms on the
Poetic Asides blog at writersdigest.
6. Heartthrob
com/editor-blogs/poetic-asides.
by Kate Hutchinson

Robert Lee Brewer is the editor of Poets Market and Writers Market (both WD Books) and
the author of the poetry collection Solving the Worlds Problems.

Bob Eckstein is a writer and cartoonist for The New Yorker and The New York Times. His
latest book is Footnotes From the Worlds Greatest Bookstores.

WritersDigest.com I 17
A Writers Guide to Iowa City (of Literature)
The only municipality in the U.S. to hold the acclaimed City of Literature
accreditation, this sliver of the Midwest is a destination youd be remiss to y over.
BY JOHN PERAGINE

I
n 2008, Iowa City became just the
third place in the world to receive
the designation of UNESCO City
of Literature (after Edinburgh,
Scotland, and Melbourne, Australia).
It remains the only one in the U.S.,
though there are currently 19 oth-
ers around the world with this spe-
cial honorawarded by UNESCOs
Creative Cities Network based on

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: OLD CAPITAL BUILDING GETTY IMAGES: JORDAN MCALISTER; HAUNTED BOOKSHOP, IOWA WRITERS' HOUSE, KURT VONNEGUT HOUSE KATE PERAGINE
literature, drama and/or poetry play-
ing an important role in the city and
hosting literary events and festivals
which promote domestic and for-
eign literature. While many people
know Iowa City for its famous writers
workshop, much more is happening
in this bastion of reading and writing.
Here are five reasons to add Iowa
City to your travel bucket list:

1. THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA


The Iowa Writers Workshop, a rigor-
ous and selective Master of Fine Arts
program at the University of Iowa, is once housed the state legislature The nonprofit IowaCity UNESCO
a well-known institution among liter- but now serves as a museum of City of Literature sponsors Octobers
ary academia. More than 25 Pulitzer Iowa history. Iowa City Book Festival, billed as
Prizes have been awarded to Iowa a celebration of books, reading
graduates and faculty since 1936, and 2. FAMOUS FESTIVALS and writing. For young writers, the
notable alumni include Flannery Consider planning a trip to the organization also hosts One Book
OConnor, Donald Justice, Philip Hawkeye State around one of Iowa Two Book in February: a three-day
Levine, John Irving, James Tate and Citys many annual literary events. event that champions childrens lit,
T. C. Boyle. The long sunny days of June and July and includes a special dinner with
Founded in 1847, the 1,800plus harken the Iowa Summer Writing a focus on promoting the creative
acres of UI campus offer plenty for Festivala series of weeklong and talents of school-age children. (Both
visitors to explore. The most promi- weekend genre-distinct workshops festivals are free to attend.)
nent attraction is the Old Capitol taught by instructors from across the In April, thesix-day Mission
building at campus centera country (sign up at thestudio.uiowa. Creek Festival is an artistic expe-
National Historic Landmark that edu/vwu/ucol/mobile, prices vary). rience that features mediums of

18 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


expression that range in both tone town had an impressive legacy, it
and tenor from live concerts to lacked a community support system
literary readings, film screenings for writers. Wilsons solution: the
and stand-up comedy. World Book Iowa Writers House, a literary com-
and Copyright Day takes place the munity center situated in a renovated
same month, and seeks to promote early 1900s home. In addition to work-
reading, publishing and the protec- shops, book signings and write-ins,
tion of intellectual property through the house is also a bed-and-breakfast,
copyright. In celebration, organizers complete with cozy, reasonably priced
encourage patronizing local book- overnight accommodations. (For an
stores and giving a book or a rose to extra special stay, let the proprietors
the literature lover in your life. know your favorite novel and theyll
curate a specialized bedside collec-
3. BEAUTIFUL BOOKSTORES tion just for you from the books in the
Its unlikely Iowa City wouldve house library.)
earned its special designation with-
out two prominent bookstores: The 5. LITERARY LANDMARKS
Haunted Bookshop and Prairie Iowa City is so dense with literary-
Lights Books. themed attractions that UIs The
Established in 1978, The Haunted Writing University project devel-
Bookshop is named after the epony- oped the City of Lit mobile app
mous 1919 novel by Christopher (thestudio.uiowa.edu/vwu/ucol/
Morley about a bookstore haunted by mobile). By simply clicking on the
the ghosts of all great literature. In a name of a famous author or poet,
historic home built in 1847 and with visitors can read a short bio that Antioch Writers
more than 50,000 titles in 80 distinct explains that figures connection Workshop at
sections, youll be too charmed to to the city, and access an interac-
notice the two congenial cats that live tive map that includes photos and
University of Dayton:
among the stacks. Creang Wring Cra, Inspiraon
descriptions of landmarks relevant
& Professional Connecons
Prairie Lights was also founded to that writer, perfect for creat- 32nd Annual Summer Program
in 1978. What started as an intimate
shop eventually expanded, finding
ing a custom tour. Click on Kurt
Vonnegut, and youll learn that July 8-14, 2017
more space in a building on South the Slaughterhouse-Five author Featuring John Scalzi!
Dubuque Streetnow spanning Best-selling, award-
was on faculty at the Iowa Writers winning science con
three and a half full stories of books, Workshop from 1965 to 1967, during author John Scalzi will
present the keynote and
including a coffeehouse located which time he lived in a Victorian lead a cra class.
in the same space where the local brick mansion on North Van For writers of con,
creave noncon or poetry.
literary society met throughout Buren Street with his two daughters. Aend full week, mornings only
the 1930s, hosting such writers or one dayopons for all
as ee cummings, Robert Frost and Beautiful in any season, Iowa City has budgets, schedules and levels.
inspired an abundance of acclaimed Other instructors include
Langston Hughes. Lori Rader-Day, Kathy Fagan,
authors in their creative endeavors. Mahew Goodman and others.

4. THE IOWA WRITERS HOUSE This City of Literature is a must-visit Vising editors and agents oer networking and
pitching opportunies.
Native Iowan and independent for aspiring writers and passionate Aordable, comfortable lodging available on
writer Andrea Wilson returned to her readers alike. WD campus.
Learn more and Register at
home state in 2014. Settling in the www.antiochwritersworkshop.com
Midwestern literary mecca of Iowa John Peragine is a ghostwriter, book coach Presented in partnership with University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio
City, she soon noticed that while the and freelance journalist in Davenport, Iowa.

WritersDigest.com I 19

Poetry
Awards
DOES YOUR POEM HAVE ALL THE RIGHT LINES?
If the answer is yes, enter the Writers Digest 12th Annual Poetry Awards for a
chance to pocket $1,000 and see your poem in the pages of Writers Digest.

Enter your best poem32 lines or fewerin the style of your choice.

 EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE: OCTOBER 2



Discover the full prize list and entry details at
WRITERSDIGEST.COM/WRITERS-DIGEST-COMPETITIONS/POETRY AWARDS
MEET THEAGENT
BY KARA GEBHART UHL

Mary C. Moore
KIMBERLEY CAMERON & ASSOCIATES

M ary C. Moore grew up off the grid in northern California,


the child of hippie parents. An avid reader from a young
age, Moore traveled the world and worked as a veterinarian Sean Danker, Stacey Berg, author
assistant and a zookeeperamong various other jobsbefore author of of Regeneration
returning to her childhood passion, books, in 2012 at Kimberley Free Space (Harper Voyager
(Ace Books) Impulse)
Cameron & Associates.
Many authors are nervous that if they make one wrong move
[when querying], they will be rejected and blacklisted forever, CLIENTS I love books. I love getting
she says. But remember that agents are human and, if you do lost in another world. Oh,
and I just had a baby with my
your best, most of us are kind and understanding.
delightful Mexican partner
Find Moore online at kimberleycameron.com and and I want our bilingual
marycmoore.com, and on Twitter at @Mary_C_Moore. daughter to have access to
WHY SHE DOES books that represent her.
WHAT SHE DOES
Ive lived in three
different countries
FUN FACTS
and traveled to Surrey International
over 30. Writers Conference,
Oct.1922, Surrey, British
Im a UPCOMING Columbia, Canada
Whovian. CONFERENCE

That Ive read Don


QUERY PET Quixote, War and
PEEVE Peace and Les
Misrables in their
MOST PROUD OF entirety and put down
Innite Jest after 200
pages.
I dislike it when an
author attempts to
interpret their book FAVORITE DRINK:
for me, e.g., This Mohito, not
Youve potentially book is about loss too sweet.
spent years writing and redemption. SEEKING
PLACE:
your bookgive at
Tulum, Mexico
least a 10th of that POEM:
on the beach
time researching Anything by
how to and who to Pablo Neruda
GLOBE PHOTO GETTY IMAGES: DE AGOSTINI/G. CIGOLINI

query. PITCH TIPS


Im open to most c- LIVING AUTHORS:
tion, but in particular [Im] digging
Many agents are on social media Im currently seeking QUOTE:
trumpeting their clients work Leigh Bardugo
fantasy, romance, The person, be it
and the kinds of projects they are and Chimamanda
young adult, and gentleman or lady, who
seeking (manuscriptwishlist.com Ngozi Adichie
upmarket book club has not pleasure in a
is a great resource for this) so you right now.
ction in any genre. good novel, must be
can narrow in on who might be intolerably stupid.
interested in your work. Jane Austen

Kara Gebhart Uhl (pleiadesbee.com) writes and edits from Fort Thomas, Ky.

WritersDigest.com I 21
BREAKINGIN
Debut authors: How they did it, what they learned and why you can do it, too. BY BAIHLEY GRANDISON

Sarah Tolcser
Song of the
Current (young
adult fantasy, June,
Bloomsbury Childrens
Books) When her father is arrested
offers from both agents and pub- 2009 when this idea of two child-
for smuggling, Caro must dodge
lishers within one to two months of hood friends came to me. I knew [it]
river pirates to deliver a mysterious
submitting. But I think what really was going to become a novel. TIME
cargo in exchange for his freedom.
happened is: When I was ready, I FRAME: I wrote more than 300 pages
WRITES FROM: New Orleans. PRE- just knew. WHAT I WOULDVE DONE just to get to know my characters
SONG: Id started writing adult
DIFFERENT: [Been more aware of and the plot. Once I knew the story
fantasy about 10 years earlier, but parameters.] I had to work for I wanted to tell, I got rid of more
drifted toward YA largely due to months with my agent cutting the than half the writing. It took me
the focus on girls stories. TIME book down from 120,000 words to a about four years to finish. ENTER
FRAME: I wrote a sketchy first draft
more attractive length. ADVICE FOR THE AGENT: I sent my novel to many
in about four months, then spent WRITERS: [The rule that real writers
agents and received many rejection
the next four months rewriting it write every day] doesnt always letters over two years. I self-published
into a second draft that was actu- apply, and thats OK. NEXT UP: The
ally readable. ENTER THE AGENT: this book in 2015, and received over-
sequel to Song of the Current, and Im
My agent is Susan Hawk [of Upstart whelming positive feedbackand
drafting a new, unrelated YA fantasy.
Crow Literary]. I queried her after interest from a Turkish publisher.
WEBSITE: sarahtolcser.com.
she posted [a call for] something I went looking for an agent again.
When I approached Priya Doraswamy
that sounded like my book in Amita Trasi
of Lotus Lane Literary to represent
Manuscript Wish List (#MSWL) The Color of Our
on Twitter. WHAT I LEARNED: The Sky (mainstream ction, me for translation rights, she read my
absolute biggest learning experience April, William Morrow)
book andsuggested that we try to
is how slow publishing is. You will A sweeping, emotional sell it in the U.S. WHAT I DID RIGHT :
wait months for edit letters, journey of two childhood friends I went through many, many drafts
contracts, pretty much everything. in Mumbai, Indiaone trying to [and] had good critique partners,
WHAT I DID RIGHT: I wrote four escape the brutal world of human editors and proofreaders along the
or five books before Song of the trafcking and another on a mission way. ADVICE FOR WRITERS: The rule
TRASI PHOTO SAMEER RAO

Current, realized they had unfixable to rescue her. is, there are no rules. That, and let-
issues, and put them aside without WRITES FROM: The Woodlands, ting my intuition guide me through
querying them. When you look at Texas. PRE-COLOR: I was attending the entire process, has served me
my story, it seems like everything the Moniack Mhor residential writing well. NEXT UP: Im working on a sec-
happened quicklyI had multiple retreat in Inverness, Scotland, in ond novel. WEBSITE: amitatrasi.com.

22 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


Abbi Waxman again, put it down in despair, spent
The Garden of a year or two trying to break into ONE BOOK, TWO WAYS
screenwriting, failed utterly, got Trasi shares more about her experi-
Small Beginnings ences both self- and traditionally
(womens ction, May,
a new agent, rewrote it again and
publishing at bit.ly/WDBreakingIn.
Berkley) A single
sold it. I had one small child when
I started it, two by the middle and
mother for three years, ever since
three by the end. ENTER THE AGENT: Penguin logo on it, which might be
her husband died, Lilian Girvan is the best thing about the whole expe-
My agent is Alexandra Machinist at
just starting to get the hang of this rience to date. NEXT UP: The next book
ICM Partners, and we were intro-
widow thingwith the help of a is called A Variety of Tremendous
duced by a mutual friend. She sat on
quirky group of gardeners. Things, and it comes out next May,
it for a year, which I bust her chops
WRITES FROM: Los Angeles.PRE- also from Berkley. They bought it
about all the time. I was talking to
GARDEN: My career before books another agent when she finally read before it was finished, which was both
was as an advertising copywriter, it, and then she seduced me over exciting and completely terrifying.
which is where I earned my 10,000 the phone with her incisive wit and I turned to my husband and was like,
hours and learned to lie for a living. love of the book, so I went with her Wow, they bought the next book,
I had ghostwritten a novel for a and she sold it in a month. WHAT and he was like, Well, shit. You better
minor celebrity, and had written I LEARNED: How incredibly long it write it then. Hes like that. WEBSITE:
PHOTO CREEL STUDIOS

several [unsold] novels and screen- takes. The other wonderful part was abbiwaxman.com. WD
plays. TIME FRAME: This book took how much my editor, Kate Seaver,
seven years to finish. I wrote a draft, helped me improve the book. She Baihley Grandison is the associate editor
got an agent, rewrote it, rewrote it also sent me a coffee mug with the of Writers Digest.

Find the courage to create


YOUR BEST WRITING LIFE.
Filled with insightful wisdom and practical advice, Fearless
Writing teaches you how to thrive as a writer, no matter your
genre or career path. From the blank page to the first draft,
and from querying to marketing, the writing life is filled
with challenges, roadblocks and new experiences. With
this book, youll find the inner strength to embark on a
bold journeyand build a lifelong career in the process.

This isnt a how-to book about writing. Its a book about how to
AVAILABLE AT
be a writer. How to prepare yourselfholistically, mentally and
spirituallyto take on a project that exists entirely in your head. WritersDigestShop.com,
GARTH STEIN, INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF Amazon, Barnes & Noble,
THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN AND A SUDDEN LIGHT and other fine book retailers.

WritersDigest.com I 23
THE
PERCEPTION
GAP
Your characters views of the world
can do much more than simply dene
who they are. Heres how to use
perspective to propel your plot.

BY JANE K. CLELAND

I
f youre like most people, when you believe something,
you assume its true. It rarely occurs to us that we
might be wrong, just as it rarely occurs to us that
other people, as fair-minded and principled as we are,
might look at the same events or facts and reach different
conclusions. Yet it happens all the time (and not just in
politics). I call this dichotomy a perception gapand you
can capitalize on its potential to reveal meaningful infor-
mation about your characters and develop deliciously
intriguing plots.
PHOTO GETTY IMAGES: MARCO PUNTI

In Wendy Corsi Staubs thriller The Final Victim, the


protagonist, Charlotte, describes her grandfather as a
rocka kind and generous man whos always there for her.
But her grandfathers sister, her great aunt, describes him
as mean and self-centered. Two women interact with the
same man, yet their perceptions differ sharply. Who, read-
ers wonder, has it right? Is one of them lying? If so, why?

24 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


THE SCIENCE OF PERCEPTION
Perception is well studied, if not always well under-
Is one of them simply misjudging him? If so, what else
stood. Consider the story possibilities raised by these
might she misjudge?
intriguing nuggets:
Perception gaps encourage readers to delve into
your characters motivations, to become more involved IS THERE A DIFFERENCE? An article in Smithsonian
in your story, to place themselves in the incidents you magazine titled Where Men See White, Women
describe, and to try to understand what drives your char- See Ecru reveals that scientists have discovered
acters to act as they do. women do a better job at differentiating between
subtle colors than men. Discover magazine reports
FIND (AND FILL) THE GAPS that while the average woman can distinguish a mil-
From a writers point of view, a perception gap represents an lion hues, some can differentiate as many as 100
opportunity. If I know how a character perceives things, I million colors. How much that matters, of course,
can predict the characters behavior, and if I can predict the depends on your point of viewand the situation
characters behavior, I can create plots that are organic to at hand.
the character. Those are the plots that resonate. DONT I KNOW YOU FROM SOMEWHERE? In Rex
Consider, for instance, a scene in which Lisa visits her Stouts Nero Wolfe mysteries, a character named
friend, Cynthia, at her new home in wine country. Saul Panzer has an uncanny ability to remember
Lets go out back, Cynthia says. I want you to see the faces. If he sees you once, youre in his mental le
vineyards. The grapevines go dormant in the winter, but cabinet forever. Readers might well have thought
still, youre going to die, its so gorgeous. that Stout was exaggerating to set up resolutions
Lisa follows her to a spot that offers an unobstructed to the mysteries that needed Panzers capability.
view of the surrounding valley. Everywhere Lisa looks, Now, half a century later, weve learned that
she sees only ugliness, brown and withered vines, arid people who never forget a face truly do exist:
soil, nothingness. In fact, Londons Metropolitan Police Service
Have you ever seen anything more beautiful than employs a category of detectives known as
these golden hills? Cynthia asks. super-recognizers.
Perception. Where Lisa sees brown, Cynthia sees HOW DID YOU KNOW SHE WAS UPSET? An article
gold. Where Lisa sees a barren scape, Cynthia sees beauty. in Psychology Today explains that a Highly
Cynthia and Lisa are looking at the same valley from the Sensitive Person is aware of subtle noises,
same vantage point at the same time, yet what they see dif- nuanced changes in mood or atmosphere, and
fers both tangibly and intangiblya classic perception gap. delicate scents and tastes that escape most peo-
Will Lisa tell Cynthia the truth about how she per- ples notice. HSPs might not know their ability to
ceives the scene? If so, how will Cynthia react? Will Lisas read people and situations is unusual. Why would
frankness lead to a more honest relationship? Or will they? To them, its the norm.
Cynthia take Lisas criticism personally? Are their dif-
ferent perceptions metaphorical? Do they foreshadow a
breach? Each option leads to a specific plot point, and Miss Sheila, a retired ballerina who brooked no laxity, slop-
perhaps thats why plots based on perception gaps often piness or wandering minds, called out a complex sequence
work so wellthey flow. of steps, watching for mistakes the way a seagull scans the
ocean for fish, ever alert and ready to attack. Midway
MAKE APPEARANCES DECEIVING through class, the door to the studio opened and two
I was 19, in ballet class at a prestigious conservatory. Ten men in their late 20s wearing matching navy blue uni-
of us stood at the barre, facing the mirror. The instructor, forms entered the room.

WritersDigest.com I 25
CREATING BELIEVABLE PERCEPTION GAPS

BELIEF CHARACTER #1 CHARACTER #2 PLOT PREMISE


PERCEPTION PERCEPTION

I know what I saw. MARK SONDRA After their mothers death, two siblings
I hated spending summers I loved spending summers inherit the beachfront cottage where
here, just like Mom did. One here. So did Mom. She they spent summers as kids. Mark says he
look at her face and you glowed the minute we doesnt want it; he just wants the money.
could tell she felt as if shed arrived, as if a light inside Sondra wants to use the house as a week-
been sentenced to a prison of her had been switched end retreat. She cant raise the money to
term. She came only because on. I know just how she buy Mark out, but she refuses to sell.
Dad wanted to be able to feltsummer back home
brag to his friends about his was boring.
summer cottage. I felt like I
was in jail, too, stuck in the
middle of nowhere, away
from my friends.

I know how I feel. JENNIFER TRACIE At the time Jennifers husband is murdered,
I love my husband. Hes kind I hate my husband. He hits she is meeting with her priest about the
and loving. If he sometimes me. He kicks me. I stay upcoming spring fundraiser. When Tracies
loses his temper, well, its because Im afraid that if I husband is killed three days later, she is at
understandable. It only hap- leave, hell kill me. Hes told the library discussing Italian cooking with the
pens when Ive screwed up me he will, and I believe him. reference librarian. Since both men were shot
or otherwise done some- as they left work for the day, the police look
thing to set him off. to see what they have in common. Eventually,
they discover that both Jennifer and Tracie
had placed calls to the Domestic Violence
Hotline several times during the past year.
Further, they got to know one another during
group counseling sessions in the months
before their husbands were murdered.

I know what I like. CHUCK TOM After graduating college, Chuck and Tom
Chuck insists that he can Tom is embarrassed that he join a major ad agency as interns, deter-
differentiate vodkas in mixed cant differentiate vodkas in a mined to prove their writing chops. Chucks
drinks, so he always orders mixed drink, so he lies about arrogance gets him red. Toms humility
the most expensive brand. it, saying he can. He always gets him promoted.
Hes stubborn and arrogant orders the most expensive
about it. brand. Hes modest about
his alleged ability.

YOUR TURN TO TRY

BELIEF CHARACTER #1 CHARACTER #2 PLOT PREMISE


PERCEPTION PERCEPTION

I listen to my gut. Which of your characters Which of your characters How can this perception gap inform
trusts his gut? Describe an doesnt trust her gut? your plot?
incident where that convic- Describe an incident where
tion comes into play. that conviction comes
into play.

26 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


Their names were embroidered in white over their shirt FOCUS ON COMMON DRIVERS
pockets. Phil had a scruffy beard and chewed gum. Greg Perception gaps must be credible, and the best way to
was tall and lithe, like a runner. They walked to the end ensure believability is to focus on essential truths. Ernest
of the barre. Greg squatted and, using a screwdriver that Hemingway once said, When writing a novel a writer
hung from a loop on his belt, began unscrewing the barre should create living people; people not characters. A
from the wall. Phil braced the barre, so it wouldnt fall. character is a caricature.
What on Gods Earth are you doing? Miss Sheila Theres no shortage of real-life examples of how
demanded. perception-dependent people can be.
Greg kept working.
Were taking the barre to the shop for repair, Phil said. EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY: The Innocence Project,
a nonprofit organization that works to exonerate
You must wait until after class!
wrongfully convicted prisoners through DNA testing,
Balancing the barre with one hand, Phil reached into
reports that mistaken eyewitness testimony is a factor
his shirt pocket and extracted a yellow slip of paper.
in more than three-quarters of their successful cases.
Heres the work order. Miss Sheila snapped it out of
Furthermore, nearly 7 percent of these cases relied on
his hand. You got a beef, call the number at the top.
testimony from more than one incorrect eyewitness.
A minute later, the two men finished their work,
STOCKHOLM SYNDROME: The term was coined by
hoisted the barre onto their shoulders, and left. Miss
psychiatrists in the mid-1970s after hostages held in
Sheila used a phone mounted on the wall to dial the
a botched bank robbery developed positive feelings
number on the form. After a moment, she hung up
for their kidnappers. Its since been applied to a wide
and tried dialing again. Then a third time. The truth variety of case studies.
dawned on Miss Sheila slowly. Phil and Greg werent SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISING: In blind taste tests, people
authorized to remove the ballet barre. They were just prefer the taste of Pepsi, yet they buy more Coca-
two guys audaciously stealing it. I never saw the men Cola. Researchers found that people feel more
or the barreagain. It took the conservatory a month connected to Cokes brand.
to replace it. GUT INSTINCT: According to researchers at Tel Aviv
Universitys School of Psychological Sciences, people
If I know how a character perceives who relied on gut instinct were right up to 90 percent
of the time.
things, I can predict the characters
behavior, and if I can predict the The chart on the opposite page shows how you can put
this tactic to work in your own stories. Take note of the
characters behavior, I can create plots ways in which differing reactions related to these com-
that are organic to the character. monly held beliefs can lead to intriguing plot premises.
Then, try it yourself. While this perception-determines-
behavior approach to character development and plotting
Dress the part and act the part, and you create a per-
is a guide, not a straightjacket, perception gaps add genu-
ception gap, which means you can pretty much do what
ine richness to your storytelling.
you want. A character in Agatha Christies novel 4:50
Our perceptions inform our actions day in and day
From Paddington put it this way: If you looked prosper-
outsometimes in ways we arent aware of or even dont
ous, people thought you were prosperous. Perception
comprehend. When two people perceive the same inci-
derives from a conglomeration of facts, opinions, beliefs,
dent in different ways, this gap provides valuable fodder
biology, attitudes and, sometimes, smoke and mirrors. If
for your writing, equipping you to reveal deeper truths.
you doubt this, read Frank W. Abagnales 1980 memoir,
These are the stories readers crave. WD
Catch Me If You Can, a recounting of his best swindles
as the worlds most notorious conman. Abagnale suc-
Jane K. Cleland (janecleland.com) is the award-winning author of
ceeded because he knew that people tend to believe the Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series as well as Mastering
what they see, especially if what they see aligns with Suspense, Structure & Plot: How to Write Gripping Stories That
their expectations. Keep Readers on the Edge of Their Seats (WD Books).

WritersDigest.com I 27
10
SLY TECHNIQUES
for
ADDING
DIMENSION
to
CHARACTERS
BY DEB NORTON

C
haracters are tricky. Even when youve
given them a story arc you love and
mapped every thrilling moment of their
harrowing-but-transformative journey
PHOTO GETTY IMAGES: MATT JEACOCK

even when you feel you know everything about


these people (gender, occupation, favorite movie,
worst fear)they can still remain disturbingly flat
on the page.
What then? The direct approach of trying to
think up the most interesting character ever puts a

28 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


terrible pressure on your imagination and chokes off the What does she try to get away with when no one
inspired ideas youre after. Better, Ive found, to be a bit is looking?
tricky yourself. What websites lure him away from his workday?
The following 10 underhanded techniques are designed
to relax your thinky brain and to draw instead on your ZOOMING IN
curiosity, intuition and slightly devious sense of play. Why Like a writerly James Bond, youve been given some
grapple with the onerous task of coming up with deep rev- amazing high-tech gear. You now have the ability to
elations about your character, when you can just trick her zoom in on anything you want a clearer look at, even if
into giving herself away? its behind, beneath or inside something else!
A word of warning: You will be tempted to read the
following promptswhich invite you to write, quickly
and with wild abandon, for a set period of timeand
You might learn things your
just think up answers instead of putting pen to paper. character doesnt even know herself.
Dont do it! These techniques work best on the page Who can she trust? Who happily trash
(preferably pen and paper, which have no delete key), talks her at the drop of a hat?
precisely because such rapid scrawling gets you some-
where you wont get while consciously crafting the per-
Set your timer for six minutes, then follow your char-
fect response. There are no right answers hereso go
acter anywhere he goescafs, parks, the office, the
ahead and get it really wrong.
gymand fire up your X-ray. What just arrested her
attention, repulsed her, alarmed her, made her smile?
SPYING
What is she fiddling with in her purse? Pills? Pepper
A great way to know your characters more intimately
spray? Whats engraved on the ring shes twisting? Zoom
is to see how they behave when they think no one is
in on everything. Its fine if what you see doesnt feel
watching. The easiest way to do that is simply to spy on
deep and revelatory. Sometimes what you write wont
them. Illegal if you do it to your ex, totally cool if you do
even seem to make sense. Go ahead and get lost,
it to your characters.
because thats when youre mostly likely to stumble
Watch your protagonist through a window or plant a
upon something new.
hidden camerawhatever works for you. Youll see his
private moments as he goes unsuspectingly about his
BREAKING & ENTERING
business at home. Youll discover what she does as she
Why stop at spying when you can escalate to home inva-
drives to work, picks up the kids from school, goes out
sion without the slightest chance of getting caught? Rifle
to dinner. Set a timer and spend three to six minutes on
through your protagonists stuff like a rogue private eye
each of the following questions. Dont try to think up
looking for clues. Dont strive for a stunning discovery.
something interesting firstjust find your character in
Right now youre just miningyoull pick out the gold
a private moment and write everything you see as fast as
nuggets later.
you can.
Choose a place to search, set the timer for six minutes,
What are her morning and bedtime rituals? keep your pen moving all the way to the end, and turn
What are his secret snacking habits? Late night? your curiosity loose. What is your character hiding?
In the car? What is she keeping handy? What seems too tidy?

WritersDigest.com I 29
Appallingly messy? Is she a secret hoarder? Look for Who can she trust? Who happily trash talks her at the
skeletons in the closets and beyond: drop of a hat? Choose one of the prompts below and write
as quickly as you can for six minutes. Again, resist the urge
the trunk of your characters car
to stop and reread or to self-edit. Just keep your pen moving.
desk drawers
Ask what your character:
medicine cabinet
purse, wallet or backpack is like when hes mad
pockets of coats that havent been worn in a while was like when she was younger
pockets of pants she wore yesterday is good at
storage unit is bad at
top closet shelf needs to do to fix his life
back of the underwear drawer. takes too seriously
doesnt take seriously enough
FOLLOWING THE MONEY has going for her
You can tell a lot about a person from his choice of has working against him.
products. Are his cleaners additive-free, organic and Ask if your character:
compostable, or rubber-glove and gas-mask-requiring
germ-annihilators? Does he buy only the brand thats on has any blind spots
sale, regardless of whether its what he really wants? Does is making good choices
he own 14 kinds of cologne, or one signature scent? is reaching her potential.
Set the timer for four minutes and list everything that
might fill your characters shopping bags on a day set EAVESDROPPING
aside for stocking up. Dont stop at the supermarket In the 10-week workshop I teach, participating writers
consider the farmers market, the big-box store, the drug spend a full week practicing eavesdropping in the real
store, the garden center, the boutique around the corner, world to gather dialogue. Overheard chats can be rich
with mischief, hidden motive, power status plays, sexual
even the items he checks out at the library.
tension and subdued pain, and can teach the observant
writer a ton about how people actually speak.
When were at a loss for putting Give this technique a twist and eavesdrop on your
words in our characters mouths, thats own characters. This is especially helpful in my own
writing when I find Ive gone rigid with tension trying to
often when its time to stop thinking come up with something nuanced yet revealing, lyrical
and start listening. yet natural for my character to say.
When were at a loss for putting words in our characters
When youre done, read through your list and under- mouths, thats often when its time to stop thinking and
line five products your character uses every day. Choose start listening. Dont try to control it. Just write what you
one and observe your character using it. Set the timer for hear and then read it over to see what you can discover.
six minutes and write what you see. Does his manner of speech change when he talks to his
kids? What is he holding back? Why did he use that word?
GOSSIPING Try the following locations for six-minute eavesdrop-
Talking about loved ones behind their backs is not recom- ping missions:
mended in real life, but in the fictional realm, it can be a the booth behind your character as she takes her
character-development bonanza. Catch your characters mom to lunch at her favorite diner
friends, co-workers and family at a party, in the break the adjacent barstool as he tries to get a date with
room, or at a reunion and get them talking. You might an attractive stranger
develop entirely new perspectives on your characters the bathroom stall as she and a friend freshen their
relationships, choices, issues and untapped potential makeup in front of the mirror
including things your character doesnt even know herself. the next cubicle as his boss gives him a second warning.

30 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


what he says and does and keep an eye on that poly-
WIRE TAPPING graph needle.
If your character does her heavy communicating in a pri-
Here are some sample questions for provoking your
vate space, youll just have to put a bug under the kitchen
character to lie:
table or behind the therapists fish tank. Now you can get
into that privileged territory of secret plans, sordid pasts Did you marry the right person?
and private pain. Instead of thinking up a backstory for Do you enjoy your work?
your character, listen in as she divulges her childhood Do you believe in God?
trauma to her psychologist. Or write what you hear as Did you want kids?
she whispers her most fragile longings to her secret lover, Do you enjoy sex?
or unloads her guilt onto a priest. Set the timer for six
minutes and write like the wind. MIND READING
Finally, ask the one magic question that can take your
TRESPASSING story to the next level: What is absolutely and completely
While there may be many hidden treasures in any given taboo for your character?
journal, most are filled with the mind-numbing minutiae Often the most revealing thing about a character
of life. You dont have the time or patience for reading is not what she says or does, but what shed never say
all your characters daily musings. In this exercise I bestow or never do. This is where youll find all the richness
upon you the magic power to turn to the exact page you of subtext that gives a story both tension and depth.
wantthe one disclosing the juicy stuff. Set the timer for Theres an old rule that if your characters are saying
six minutes and transcribe the entry you just found. what theyre saying, then you have a problem. Real
If the page in your mind is blank, here are some sug- people leave important things unsaid, drop hints, talk
gestions of entries you might open to: around what they really mean. All you have to do to
find these unspoken treasures is use the most time-
THE SECRET BUCKET LIST: Admissions of tender pri- honored sly technique of them all, and one youre
vate hopes and wild dreams that would come true if certainly already an expert in: getting inside your char-
money were no object, there were no real-life respon- acters head. Simply drop one of the following prompts
sibilities, and there existed a quick cure for fear. Oh, into your characters unsuspecting subconscious, and
look, hes titled it: Things I Would Do in a Second, write for six minutes as she ruminates furiously.
Given Half a Chance.
THE BIG FIGHT: Here she processes, analyzes and I would never
picks apart the blowup with a loved one, co-worker I cant bring myself to talk about
or even a strangerthe things that hurt, the good I never should have
licks she got in, the words she wishes shed spoken. What good is being a writer if you cant play the part
THE BIG SCARE: Weve all had them. of an invasive, inappropriate scofflaw? The reward for
THE HORRIFYING EMBARRASSMENT: Cringe away. all that wonderfully reprehensible behavior is a healthy,
messy overflowing stack of pages chock full of goodies.
LIE DETECTING Feels pretty good, right?
We lie about the things we want to protectand we aim As you read over the results of these prompts, avoid
to protect whats valuable or vulnerable. Uncovering the trap of looking for good writing. Look instead for
those things can break your character wide open. Hook the words and phrases that have energy. Seek out the
your character up to a lie detector, ask some pointed details, quirks, secrets, imagery, habits, skills, preferences
questions and watch the polygraph needle leap and and well-hidden flawsone or all of which might be
wiggle to see which ones cause him to lie. Or go old just the fresh surprise that will bring your characters to
school and track his expression and body language: vibrant, singular, three-dimensional life. WD
Does he deflect, demure, change the subject, go on the
attack? Do his eyes slide left? Does he become very, Deb Norton (debnortonwriting.com) is a writing coach and story
very involved in de-linting his coat sleeve? Set the timer analyst. Her guide, Part Wild: A Writers Guide to Harnessing the
for six minutes, start your questioning, write down Creative Power of Resistance, was released in 2016.

WritersDigest.com I 31
SINNERS,
SAVIORS
&
SYMPATHETIC
HEAVIES
Weaving the Character Web
in Mystery, Thriller & Crime Fiction

BY DAVID CORBETT

O
ne of the great joys of the mystery, crime and thriller
genres is their wealth of intriguing, morally ambigu-
ous and just plain transgressive character types.
That bounty comes with a risk, however: A
type, by definition, is a character confined by his identity, and
thus generally incapable of change.
Avoiding the trap of generating types instead of characters
requires looking beyond their surface characteristics and under-
standing their dramatic function, especially vis--vis the other
characters in the story. Such characters, after all, derive from real
people in the world: cops and criminals and their various asso-
ciates, loved ones, enemies, competitors and so on. The deeper
your understanding of true-life crime and criminal justice, not to
mention how it affects and insinuates itself into society at large,
the more convincing and compelling your portrayals will be.
PHOTO GETTY IMAGES: PEOPLE IMAGES

STAGING THE CONFLICT:


HERO VS. VILLAIN
People are drawn to the crime genre because it is inherently
dramatic. The hero and villain have equal and opposite
objectivessolve the crime versus get away with the crime
and only one can win. For this reason, its crucial not only to

32 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


develop these characters well, but to delve deeply into Her curiosity and sense of fairness create doubt
the specific nature of their conflict. or hesitation.
Remember that the adversaries will be seeking out and Her suspicion turns to paranoia.
attacking each others strengths as well as weaknesses: emo- Her courage or ambition leads to recklessness.
tional, psychological, moral, interpersonal, institutional. The jobs constant adrenaline rush feeds an
This requires exploration of the characters as not just types, addictive personality.
but individuals in a social and institutional milieu. External She becomes so obsessed with justice she harms
acts require internal motivations. others in her pursuit of it.
Push beyond thinking in terms of cop versus criminal, She is so certain of her moral rectitude shes blind to
hunter versus hunted, to instead view their conflict in her own bad acts.
terms of how each party possesses traits that both mirror
The story often leads to a crisis or a decision that forces
and contrast the others. The most compelling adversaries
her to recognize the suffering, injustice or hypocrisy shes
have worldviews that share at least some common ground;
condoned, and she vows to change the way she lives.
its only a part of their dueling moralities that cannot be
reconciled. Both characters are often individualists, even AN UNFORGETTABLE PERSONA: There are thousands of
outsiders or loners, but they can be distinguished in how fictional detectiveswhat makes yours fascinating?
they define self-respect and a valuable life. Their contest
is more than a battle for personal victory; its a clash over
The most compelling adversaries
what it means to live and die.
have worldviews that share some
The HeroGeneral Traits
common ground; its only their dueling
STRENGTH OF WILL (A WILL TO JUSTICE): Even if out-
wardly distracted, cynical or indifferent, the hero is driven moralities that cannot be reconciled.
to achieve justice, either because of a deep faith in the law,
compassion for the people he serves, or simply his destiny.
The VillainGeneral Traits
A MORAL CODE: James Lee Burkes Dave Robicheaux STRENGTH OF WILL (A WILL TO POWER): Often, at the
thinks of himself as a voice for the voiceless. Michael outset, the opponent is significantly more knowledgeable,
Connellys Harry Bosch believes, Everybody counts or powerful and/or motivated than the hero.
nobody counts.
A MORAL CODE OF SELF-INTEREST: This generally reveals
SELFLESSNESS AND COMPASSION: Even if she is a loner or itself in one of two forms: In defiant individualism,
outsider, she still believes other people deserve respect. the opponent possesses a vision that others either dont
share or refuse to accept, and to that end is willing to
PERSONAL STAKES: He does not need to be likable, but
defy or flaunt the ruleswhich he rationalizes dont
his struggle should inspire empathy. The crime calls to
apply to him. In pathological individualism, the
him, the victim haunts him, the perpetrator taunts him.
character exhibits one of the dark triad of personality
IF SHE HAS OUTSIDER STATUS: It typically results from disorders, often found not just in wrongdoers but in suc-
either being morally tainted, being the one genuinely cessful people: narcissism (grandiosity, pride, egotism
moral character in a corrupt system, or both. If shes and a lack of empathy), Machiavellianism (manipulation
morally tainted, typically those immoral acts stem from and exploitation of others, a cynical disregard for morality,
a virtue taken to an extreme: and self-interest) and psychopathy (enduring antisocial

WritersDigest.com I 33
deliver on those expectations in an unexpected way
THE CRIMINAL AS HERO something thats impossible to do if you dont know what
In this sub-subgenre, the hero, who is himself a they are in the first place.
criminal, in many ways resembles the deant individual The genre were discussing here has three principle
villain. But he possesses some redeeming virtue subgenres, each with its own distinct conventions:
loyalty, compassion, honesty, courage. His crimes typi-
MYSTERY/DETECTIVE: The crimealmost always a
cally involve property. If violence occurs, it is usually
murderis covered up by the perpetrator, with the
incidental (as this preserves reader empathy).
cover-up often more important than the crime. This is
As with the deant individual villain, the criminal
the most cerebral (and often least violent) of the crime-
hero perceives society or authority as corrupt: craven,
related genresthink: puzzlewith a theme premised
self-interested, greedy, shallow or largely faceless and
on the need to base justice in truth.
conformist. In contrast, the criminal is deep, uniquely
talented, and unable to adapt to the compromises, pet- CRIME: The story centers on a battle between criminals

tiness and tedium that typify the world around him. and the lawthink: prizefight. The most dramatic of the
In the particular form known as the caper, a group subgenres, its thematic premise asks: What are the limits
of uniquely gifted criminals joins together to pull a heist of individual freedom, social responsibility and official
(again, a crime of money or property, not violence). authority? What is a good life in an unjust world?
Each member of the crew must be capable enough to THRILLER: This is a hybrid form, mixing elements of mys-
improvise once the plan inevitably goes bad. tery and horror, with the hero under relentless attack
In noir, a morally compromised hero strives for a last while trying to stop or solve some devastating crime. The
shot at the brass ring. Empathy is created through our most emotional of the subgenres, its thematic premise
identication with the hero as a little guy up against a asks: How can we survive in a dangerous world?
powerful system or simply inescapable bad luck.
The distinctions among these subgenres require emphasis
of different characteristics of the protagonist and
the opponent:
behavior, impulsivity, risk-taking, selfishness, callousness
and remorselessnessnot to be confused with sociopathy, The mystery/detective hero tends to be more of a
in which empathy and a moral code exist, but only for those seeker or a scientist. The mystery villain often pos-
within a well-defined group, e.g., a gang or crime family). sesses both superior intelligence and great charm and
verbal skilland is primarily a deceiver.
EVIL DEEDS VS. EVIL NATURE: The villain may commit The crime hero resembles a bare-knuckle fighter. The
crime without a totally corrupt soul, instead motivated by: crime villain is typically a master criminal; if not, he
is nonetheless supremely motivated and singularly
Afiction, often from a childhood victimization so
fierce, clever or determined.
devastating and inescapable it shattered all sense of
The thriller hero, given the emotional states the
trust, connection and hope
subgenre demandspanic, horror, dreadmust
Devotion to a cause, as terrorists or revolutionaries are.
be vulnerable not just physically but psychologically
Desperation, in which the character feels the crimi-
and even morally. The thriller villain, like the mon-
nal act is the only way out of a terrible dilemma
ster in the horror genre, must be capable of inspired,
Compulsion, often in the form of obsession or even
relentless, malevolent attack: psychological, emo-
delusions (hearing voices, etc.) tional, physical.
Glamour, where the criminal acts provide status and
exhibit daring and courage. INVOLVING SECONDARIES
The crime genres afford a multitude of fascinating sec-
UNDERSTANDING ondary characters, which fall into two large categories:
GENRE MATTERS those who assist the hero or villain in one or more of her
Genre fiction is not formulaic, but there are conventions, levels of struggle (internal, external, interpersonal), and
and they relate to reader expectations. Your job is to those who impede her progress.

34 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


Avoiding the trap of generating LETTING THE GENRE LEAD
For more from Corbett on the nuances between mystery,
types instead of characters requires crime and thriller ction, visit writersdigest.com/aug-17.

looking beyond their surface


characteristics and understanding The femme fatale or black widow: The dark

their dramatic function. or seemingly vulnerable seductress is often used


to bring the villain close to the hero, serving
as a spy. She can also be the villain (think
These roles are not fixed. Allegiances can change, and Brigid OShaughnessy in Dashiell Hammetts
someone who assists the hero on one level may actually The Maltese Falcon).
be an antagonist on anotherfor example, a sexual rival The sympathetic heavy: Like the rat, this character is
who also helps the detective solve the crime, or a super- an ally of the villain, but his turn toward the hero is
visor who, though initially suspicious or antagonistic, not self-serving; rather, it is motivated by compassion
ultimately comes around. or a moral awakening: e.g., Mike Talmans concern for
A partial list of such characters includes: the blind target Susy in the film Wait Until Dark.
ALLIES: These may be lovers, friends, family members, The faux femme fatale: Her deceitful and manipula-
mentors, sidekicks, informants, co-workers. The babysit- tive behavior is ultimately revealed to be in service
ter who develops a fascination with the serial killer in to a noble cause, usually protection of a vulnerable
the TV series The Fall is a particularly inventive use of loved one. Think Vivian Sternwood in Raymond
the ally character. Chandlers The Big Sleep, or Evelyn Mulwray in the
classic film Chinatown.
VICTIMS: These need not be sympathetic; consider, too, The fall guy: In this case, the not-so-innocent patsy
the reviled victim, who might seem as if he has it coming. gets blamed for the villains crime: Wilmer in The
How do we make the readeror the herocare about Maltese Falcon; Johnny in the noir film Scarlet Street.
this person? Usually the answer lies in some tangential The target and the package: A target is someone
victima spouse, a childor someone wrongly accused. singled out for murder, assassination, abduction or
SUSPECTS: These gain their fascination through secrets blackmail. A package is simply a target who needs
(What are they trying to hide? How does this enhance to be transported from one place to another, such
suspicion against them?) and defenses (What is their as a key witness testifying in a remote jurisdiction,
alibi? Who is willing to stand up for them?). or a fugitive brought back to face the musicor
redeem himself.
WITNESSES: Reliable or unreliable, either can also
The decoy: This character becomes more powerful
become a suspect.
if the hero is at first unaware that he is playing a
SECONDARY OPPONENTS: These fall into two main cat- role. This reveal will not merely provide a plot twist
egories: those in league with or subservient to the villain but expose the hero himself. For example, if he
(triggermen, wheelmen, underbosses, consiglieres, cor- thinks the decoy is really the package, as in the
rupted officials, etc.) or those in competition with the film Narrow Margin, his discovery of his mistake
hero (spiteful co-workers, unsupportive supervisors, fundamentally changes his understanding of himself
corrupt politicians). and his duty.

BETRAYERS: Perhaps the most intriguing and gratifying Each secondary role serves to expose some fundamental
subgroup, these include: trait of the hero or villain. Their best use is to force one or
the other main character to reassess himself, his world, his
The corrupt cop: He may be compromised (black-
task or his morals. WD
mailed), he may be greedy, he may be a sociopath
with a badge. David Corbett is a contributing editor at Writers Digest, as well as
The rat: When an ally of the villain turns against him, the award-winning author of ve novels and the writing guide The
its usually for self-serving reasons. Art of Character.

WritersDigest.com I 35
KILL YOUR
DARLINGS
If your plot isnt working, there may
be too many cooks in the proverbial
kitchen. Heres how to make all your
characters counteven if it means
bidding some of them adieu.

BY JEFF SOMERS

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT PHOTO GETTY IMAGES: VICTOR TONGDEE; GETTY IMAGES: WESTEND61;
GETTY IMAGES: MARCO PIUNTI, GETTY IMAGES: NISIAN HUGHES

36 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


W
eve all experienced that sinking feeling series and take the lesson that this is how you build a uni-
when we finish drafting a novel, turn the verse: by populating it.
key, and it makes a terrible grinding noise But even famously successful novels can sometimes
and lurches around the room, unsteady, arguably have too many characters. One of the best
knocking things off the shelves. The problem could be examples in the history of fiction is J.R.R. Tolkiens The
your plot (perhaps your decision to write the definitive Lord of the Rings (LOTR). In that series, Pippin and
Book About Nothing was poorly conceived). The problem Merry (the two Hobbits who dont go to Mordor with the
could be your technique (an entire book in the second- One Ring) could be deleted from the story without much
person future progressive? Challenge, you will be accepted!). consequence; their entire purpose, from a narrative
It could be the style, the twists, the setting or the dialogue point of view, is to be perpetually confused so things can
there are many ways a story can too easily go sideways. be explained to them for the benefit of the reader.
Luckily, theres an obvious starting point for diagnosis,
because theres a common cause that afflicts many a
Is there a character who has
manuscript: too many characters.
precisely one active moment, in which
THE OVERPOPULATION CRISIS she wanders over to a Plot Lever and
The late film critic Roger Ebert had a rule he called the gives it a pull? If so, think of a more
Law of Economy of Characters, which dictated that due elegant way to pull that lever.
to the costs involved in making a film, all characters in a
movie are necessary to the storyeven those who do not
Actually, LOTR might be the all-time greatest example
seem to be. You could use this law, Ebert argued, to fig-
of character overload. Tolkien spent more than 10 years
ure out plot twists simply by looking for the characters
creating a complex and brilliant mythology for his fictional
who seemed superfluous, because no character could
universe, with some unintended consequences: Some char-
actually be superfluousits too expensive. Try it, and
acters appear for only one scene (Tom Bombadil seems to
youll find it works with just about any movie with a
exist solely so Tolkien can shoehorn in some poetry); oth-
character-based mystery or twist. ers could have easily been combined to cut down on reader
Novels are a different animal altogether. Theres no confusion (a guy named Glorfindel, who you probably
cost associated with inventing new characters as you dont remember, is essentially the same character as Elrond
write. Like a demented Cecil B. DeMille, you can just in terms of plot dynamics).
keep introducing new people, hordes of them, when- You can often pinpoint unnecessary characters from
ever you feel like it. Need a plot hole filled? Create a their absence in film adaptations, where Eberts Law
new character. Need someone unimportant to die in comes into effect. In every movie version of LOTR,
a scene? Create a new character. Bored one afternoon? Bombadil is omitted and Glorfindel is replaced with
Create three new characters. After all, world-building another existing character.
necessarily involves creating people to inhabit that Its easy to argue no harm, no foul with a work as suc-
world, right? cessful and popular as LOTR, but make no mistake that
The problem is that often we overdo it. We start with in contemporary fiction especially, excess characters can
a clear and simple premise, and then the fun begins. Its cause harm. Even people who love LOTR skip the entire
easy to look at the multitudes contained within successful section involving Bombadil because it has nothing
works such as George R.R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire to do with the rest of the story. And when characters are

WritersDigest.com I 37
2. THE SNARK BAIT: Writing a character who effortlessly
comes up with the comebacks and wry observations
is the most seductive kind of Mary Suethe Lone
Snarker. Ask yourself objectively if a characters
entire purpose is to say witty, funny or perceptive
things for the other characters to react to. If yes, you
can probably give those lines to a character (or char-
acters) who actually has some agency in the story.
3. THE POLICE SKETCH: Can you imagine what all of your
characters look like? What their motivations and goals
are? You wrote them; if you draw a blank, so will your
readers, and they wont miss them when you surgically
remove those characters from the book.
4. THE COG IN THE MACHINE: If you look for action as
noted in No. 1, do you find a character who has pre-
cisely one active moment, in which she wanders over
to a Plot Lever and gives it a pull? If so, youll make
your story more powerful and efficient if you think of
a more elegant way to pull that lever.
5. THE CLONE DETECTOR: One of the easiest character
mistakes to make in a novel is simple duplication.
Having two characters with very similar attributes
too numerous, too similar or both, its easy for readers to often means they play similar rolesroles that could
get confused at some point about whos who. If your read- easily be combined into one, making your story
ers interest (or patience) flags, you might not get it back. more efficient and easier to follow.
STEP 2: Put out a hit.
UNNECESSARY CHARACTERS If youve identified a superfluous character or two, here
& HOW TO FIND THEM are a few simple strategies for getting rid of them.
If something seems amiss in your story, how can you tell
whether your horde of characters is at the root of it? 1. THE BLENDER: If your unnecessary character has, like
your most recent ex, a few good qualities, try com-
STEP 1: Put them to the test.
bining him with a character who actually matters,
Many new writers assume there are hard-and-fast rules
preserving what you liked about the useless character
they can absorb and apply to every project, consistently.
and getting rid of the rest.
They ask questions like, How many characters can I have
2. THE SURGICAL PROCEDURE: With a little anesthesia,
in a story? as if theres a fixed number that successful
grit your teeth and delete truly useless characters
novelists refuse to share, or an equation with 15 variables
outright. One way to figure out who can be surgi-
that will yield a precise figure. The truth is, every story is
cally removed is by walking through the final act.
unique, and so the magic number of characters is always
Whos not there? Whos not missed? You may have
different. But you can identify characters who are dead
intuitively left unnecessary characters out of the
weight in your narrative with a few tried-and-true tech-
resolution for the simple reason that they have no
niques, regardless of genre.
PHOTO GETTY IMAGES: MARCO PUNTI

role to play in it.


1. THE ACTION TEST: Look at each character and ask 3. THE UPGRADE: If you like the character too much to
yourself what hes done. Has he taken any action to eliminate her, try to think of a way to give her more
move the story forward, or does he just stand around of a stake in the story by changing supporting details.
and nod? Imagine your story without him: Would Maybe if she was present at that crucial scene, her
the plot still hold together just fine? If the answer is role would be amplified. Maybe theres a connection
yes, he can be removed. between her and another character that complicates

38 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


the story. Upgrades tend to require a fair amount of was there mainly to be a normal guy who was continu-
rewriting, but theyre often worth it. ally horrified by the actions and attitudes of his friends.
4. THE FOCUSING: If youre still trying to rehabilitate As the story evolved (over the course of a decade) I real-
a floundering character, try opening up a clean ized on some level that I didnt need someone to rush
document and freewriting about him. Dedicate a into a room and be horrified every time something
new chapter to him, or go outside your narrative dramatic happened, and Mikes role shrank and shrank
and write a short story with him as the star. Dont but I never actually deleted him. In retrospect, I think
worry about how it connects to your main project, I was simply emotionally attached to Mike, even as his
if at alljust see what you can discover about the footprint in the story diminished. In the final, published
character. At worst, its a creative exercise. At best, version Mike is still there, but he literally has nothing
it may become bonus content for your book. And if to do. He pops up in a few scenes and does nothing of
it goes nowhere, maybe there was nothing there to importancebut the problem is that readers (rightly)
begin with (see No. 1 or No. 2). expect him to do something of importance. As the story
progresses and Mike continues to just hover there, their
CAUTIONARY TALES expectations rise, because they assume I have Mike there
Ive written dozens of novels and published nine of for a reason.
them (so far) and yet I have a big, fat, published exam- This is perhaps the greatest danger of unnecessary
ple of a book with one too many characters: my 2013 characters: When your readers catch on, the illusion that
novel, Chum. you were in full control of your story is compromised.
Chum is an ensemble story centered on a group of People thought I had some awesome, subtle plan for
post-college friends. The story is told in a twisty timeline Mike. And while many have told me they can appreciate
that doubles back on itself, sometimes replaying scenes his role as the Voice of Normalcy in a cast of grotesques,
from new perspectives. The events of the story occur many others were disappointedand, frankly, a little
during major holidays and other events, and in the earli- irritatedwhen it became clear I simply never figured
est drafts I invented several characters as I felt my way out what to do with him. I fervently wish Id had the
through the relationships involved. And so a guy named presence of mind to see Mike for the useless character he
Mike came to be. is and dealt with him when I had the chance.
Fifty percent of writing a novel is knowing what to
cut. Compared to purple prose and pointless subplots,
This is perhaps the greatest cutting characters can be challengingbut the benefits
danger of unnecessary characters: to your story can be huge:
When your readers catch on, the illusion Increased impact for characters who inherit plot
that you were in full control of your story action, witticisms and other beats
is compromised. Easier plot management (and a tighter resulting plot)
due to fewer moving parts
More opportunities to surprise your readerwhere
We writers often become emotionally attached to our new characters introduced late in the game seem like
characters. We think of them as real people, in a totally a cheat, established characters revealing a secret can
non-crazy way (totally non-crazy, I swear). Cutting them be mind-blowing
can sometimes feel like youre erasing someone from exis- More realistic characters, because people in real life
tence, and the most difficult character to eliminate is the have many facets and do not fulfill a single role.
character youve really worked on, the character youve
spent countless hours with. Realizing she simply doesnt Next time you have a story that just isnt working, take
have much to do in your story, and then doing something a long, hard look at your characters and ask yourself: Is
about it, can be surprisingly hardso hard that we may there one too many? WD
convince ourselves that everything is fine just as it is.
Jeff Somers (jeffreysomers.com) is the author of We Are Not
Mike never had a huge role in the story. Chum has a Good People and eight other novels. Hes a frequent contributor to
lot of crazy, unlikable characters. In the earliest drafts he ThoughtCo and B&N Reads.

WritersDigest.com I 39
Heather Graham
PASSION PROJECT
From full-time mother to
famously prolic author,
heres how one bestseller
turned an appetite for
reading everything into the
ability to write anything.

BY TYLER MOSS

PHOTO MARTI CORN

40 I WRITERS
S DIGEST I July/August 2017
H
eather Graham remembers all too well what it feels The word prolic barely does your output justice. How
like to be the only person who takes ones writing in the world do you manage your time?
seriously. Before selling her first novel, When Next First off the bat, Im incredibly lucky. I absolutely love what
We Love, in 1982, she was a stay-at-home mother I do, and I think that makes it easy. Then, the funny thing
of three stealing every minute she could to try her hand at is, I think Im really grateful that I started writing when
genre fiction. As she typed away on an old typewriter (It I had young children, because it doesnt matter what the
was missing an E!), her mother-in-law would call, ask distraction isyou can keep writing. Youll hear this from
what Graham was up to, and say, Oh good, youre not busy. a lot of people who start out writing with children in the
But Graham kept on typing. I was well trained into house. Its like, Please dont interrupt me unless theres
being a Dr. Seuss character, she says. I can write on a blood! You really just get accustomed to working under
plane, in a train, going far, in a car. any circumstance.
Almost four decades laterwith more than 150 novels
and novellas to her name in categories ranging from sus- Still, thats impressive.
pense (the Cafferty & Quinn series) to historical romance You know, though, Im happy to be impressive, but a
(the Cameron Saga: Civil War Trilogy) to paranormal number of people [are, in that regardNora Roberts, for
(the Alliance Vampires series); more than 75 million example] ... I think some of that came from starting off in
books in print in 25 languages; and honors that include a real category [fiction]. Not just genre, but category. At the
Lifetime Achievement Award from the Romance Writers time when a lot of us began, if you were going to make
of America (2003) and the ThrillerMaster award from the a living, you really did have to produce a tremendous
International Thriller Writers (2016)its safe to say she amount. I think the other writers who tend to be very
has, in fact, been busy. prolific are those who come out of newspapers, because
Her popular Krewe of Hunters series, which follows theyre used to, The copy must be on the desk by 5 oclock.
a branch of paranormal investigators for the FBI, is 20 I think its a matter of the discipline that you get into.
books deep (with three more Krewe novels due out this
year). Shes contributed to dozens of anthologies, and is Youve written in such a variety of genresromance,
interminably active in the writing community: Born and paranormal, thriller, historical ctionwhile many
raised in South Florida, she co-founded one of her home writers nd a niche and stick with it. Why such variety?
states first chapters of RWA in 1986, served as vice presi- I was an incredibly lucky child in that both of my parents
dent of the Horror Writers Association, and is one of the were readersreally avid readers. My mom was born in
original members of ITW. Dublin, and when they came to the States, they brought a
In addition to the Krewe of Hunters books, Grahams lot of Irish history books. I read everything that she had
2017 releases include two co-authored novels (The Rising, and just wound up falling in love with history. My dad
with Jon Land, and American Drifter, with actor Chad was a massive [Edgar Allan] Poe fan, so I had everything
Michael Murray); the romantic thriller Law and Disorder, written by Poe. I just had this wonderful, eclectic group of
about a kidnapping set in the Everglades; and A Perfect things coming at mefiction and nonfiction. I never read,
Obsession, Book 2 of her New York Confidential series particularly, a mystery or a romance or a sci-fi. I just read
in which criminal psychologist Kieran Finnegan and FBI anything. When I started out, I dont think I had the con-
special agent Craig Frasier investigate the Big Apples cept of, They must be shelved somewhere.
seedy underbelly. In fact, the first time I had written a historical, I had
At the San Francisco Writers Conference in February, been working on one for a long time with all these things
WD sat down with Grahamwhere she reflected on her that my mom had brought from Irelandit was based
humble beginnings, heaped praise upon her peers and on a true story. It had all these great battle scenes in it that I
shared hope for writers seeking to break through. had gotten out of my mothers books, and [my editors]

WritersDigest.com I 41
Heather Graham

Ive heard people say when reading,Thats awful. I can write


that. You dont want to write it because its awful. You
want to aspire to the very best of what you see.
cut thembecause it was going to be sold as a historic write that on a cover. Its just too long. One book, we
romance, and apparently historic romance readers dont were laughing because they tried to make a palm tree
want to read Viking battle scenes. I think its kind of out of Pozzessereit was kind of funny. Then Shannon
sad that I cant have them back, because I think now [in Drake had actually been for historicals, and that came
todays market I could get away with them]. from two of my kids, Shayne and Derek, walking into
I just didnt have that concept of, You can only the room when somebody told me I had 60 seconds [to
write one thing. I love the fact that Ive been able to come up with] a pseudonym. Commercially, now every-
do other things. bodys turned everything into Heather Graham.
I do think it makes tremendous sense if youre
You have a very dedicated fan base. How much going to write, say, a contemporary PI series and then
do you keep your readers in mind when you pen a vampire seriesyes, use two different names. I used
sequels in a series? a pseudonym, for one, because I really dont like to
You know, I think readers really will let you do anything. fool readers. You want a reader to know exactly what
So many people read fantasygoing back to Lord of theyre buying.
the Rings, to anything like thatpeople are so happy to
embrace a world, but you cant break your own rules, so When youre doing all these different projects, does
you just have to be very careful with that, I think. it help to outline everything in advance?
I [do] outline in advance. I am not kidding you when
Do you have readers who follow you from genre I say I am published because of Writers DigestI had
to genre? absolutely no idea what I was doing when I started off.
Some people will and some people wont. A lot of my The first things that I sold were to [a couple of now-
male writer friends from Mystery Writers or Thriller defunct lit magazines]. Obviously short stories dont pay
Writers are so funny because I will have talked them into as well as a book, but I found out through Writers Digest
going to an RT [Booklovers Convention], and theyre [and] Writers Market that Dell was starting something
always amazed: Romance readers are some of the most called [Candlelight] Ecstasy, and they were desperately
amazing audiences because they really will read any- looking for this kind of story and that kind of story, and
thing. They might be critical of it, they might find that that was where I made my first sale.
it wasnt something that they wanted, but if youre there When I did, I had a really interesting conversation
with a mystery, theyll come and talk to you, and theyll with the editor because ... well, first of all, everybody
buy it. In fact, a couple of the guys one time were talking thought I was having a joke played on me. It was before
to each other after an RT saying, Were not going to tell cellphones and they didnt call back for a while, so
anybody else [about this!], because they were going to it was like, Well, who called me and [left a message
keep all those women coming to their table. saying they wanted to publish me]? Who would be so
mean? And then I finally did get a call. It was the
Youve written under three different names: Heather editor. They had been at a sales conference, and thats
Graham, Heather Graham Pozzessere and Shannon why I hadnt heard anything. But once I was speaking
Drake. Why use pen names? to her, she wanted to know if I had anything else. And
The best piece of advice I have for people starting out I said, Well, yes. Ive got a couple of other projects, but
now is: If youre going to use a pseudonym, make sure they have been rejected. She said, Well, thats OK. I
you use it in the right way. Which is what Id intended said, Theyve been rejected by you. And she said,
it just didnt go that way. When I started, it was differ- Well, thats OK. Because once they made the invest-
ent companies for different things. Using my husbands ment in you, they were willing to work a little harder
name, Pozzessere, is difficult because nobody wants to with editorial.

42 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


How long after your debut was published did you
feel that you were going to make it as a career PARTNERS IN CRIME
Graham breaks down the co-authoring process and echoes the
writer? Was there a turning point?
value of a writing community at writersdigest.com/aug-17.
Id been writing for about two or three years. I had
been getting ... contracts with Dell, mostly for category.
Youve received the equivalent of two lifetime
And another house bought this historical. Then I got
achievement awards, from RWA and ITW.
[another] one of those contractsit was actually several
Reecting back on your career, what is the most
book contractsfor really decent money. I remember
signicant lesson youve learned about life as a
even then being afraid that it wouldnt last.
successful writer?
We always have to be careful. I had heard one time
Theyve always had that thingwrite what you know
and I do think this is truesomebody will buy one book
but I think its more write what you love. When you
by you thats a bad book, they might even buy two, but they
read a book and you think, Oh, that was wonderful
will not buy three.
thats what you want to aspire to. One of the things Ive
heard people say when theyre reading is, Oh my,
You wrote your rst novel after your third child was
thats awful. I can write that. You dont want to write
born, at what would seem like a hectic, exhausting
it because its awful. You want to aspire to the very best
time. Where did you nd the determination to pur-
of what you see out there. If you just stick with what
sue your writing?
you love, thats going to be the way to go. And its not a
I [had studied theater at] the University of South Florida,
box. You can grow. You can do different things as they
which at the time had an absolutely incredible theater
come up.
department because we didnt have any sports teams.
They had a lot of grant money, and it all went into theater.
Is there any additional advice that you want to
The thing you learned from that is a) [how to] get really
impart to other writers?
good at being rejected, and b) persistence. If you dont
Ill tell you my big pet peeve. About 10 years ago, [I was
keep going and going and going, you will not get any-
at an event] with writers, editorsnot any fans, not
where. You must always be moving forward.
readers. There was a panel of editors and agents. There
was a woman in the audience who got up and said,
With as much work as youve produced, how do you
You do realize that in a matter of years, youre going
manage to keep your plots fresh?
to be totally obsolete. We dont need you anymore.
I really love history, and I absolutely love to travel. Theres
All we need is someone who can edit a book, someone
almost nowhere you can go that doesnt have some kind of
who can line edit a book, someone who can come up
a great story. In Key West, we have a guyold creepy guy
with a title and write good copy, somebody who can
who fell in love with a beautiful young girl who wound
market a book, somebody who can sell a book, and
up dying of tuberculosis, and he lived with her corpse for
everybody in the room is just really quiet, and we
seven years. It was Key West, nobody noticed.
kind of [look at each other] like, I think thats what
Wherever you go there are great stories, and I have a
publishers do ...
tendency to utilize them. With the Krewe of Hunters, it
Thats a thing we have to remember. There are won-
is about people who speak to the dead. Those dead you
derful books that are self-published, and should be
wanted to meet yourself, you can bring them back to life to
self-published, because editors couldnt find where to put
work with.
them or what to do with them. And they are wonder-
Also, I am from Miami, and I will never forget one of
ful books. But just remember, if you want a publishing
the quirkiest ones: A fellow died in the electric chair
career, what the word publishing means. Its not, Write
which, of course, hes supposed to die in the electric chair
the book tonight and throw it up on Amazon tomorrow.
but his hair had caught fire first. Now, why he was electro-
Its, Go through the stages. Make sure its edited. Make sure
cuted with hair, I dont know, because I thought you were
its copyedited. Put your best work out there. That would
supposed to shave people first, but anyway: The head-
be my [best] advice. WD
line in The Miami Herald read, Electric Chair Deemed
Dangerous. Everyday life always gives you something to
go with. Tyler Moss is the managing editor of Writers Digest.

WritersDigest.com I 43
Naming THE Baby
Never underestimate the great power of a great title.
BY JACQUELYN MITCHARD
PHOTO GETTYIMAGES.COM: JOHN LUND

44 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


W
ere you among the millions Now that its been baptized as The Sun Also Rises, who
of readers who gasped at the cares that several early European editions of Ernest
entirely unexpected conclusion of Hemingways second novel were published under the
Trespass With Force and Arms? name Fiesta?
Did you begrudgingly read A rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but
Under the Red, White and Blue in high school, only to a book by another title might not sell as well. A title is
recognize its fragile beauty when you came back to it as a creative decision, sure, but it may also be the most
an adult? Were you among the generations of book lovers potent marketing tool in an authors quiver. Thats an
who recoiled in horror at the behavior of the wild chil- urgent goal for fiction, in which the writer is not sharing
dren in the classic novel Strangers From Within? And the secret of a terrific souffl or a strong rsum but the
didnt you just love Traveling Light, which recently spent secret of human experience. A less direct title needs to
two full years on The New York Times bestseller list? somehow still call out to its specific audience, and must
Of course not. still communicate its aim.
You never read those books. A great title is as important as a great name.
But you may have indeed read Scott Turows 1987
blockbuster under its final title, Presumed Innocent. Few THE PARENTS RESPONSIBILITY
people make it through school without being assigned If you think of a title as a name, its hard to overstate the
to read F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby. Long importance. Say youre an avid gardener and want to give
before reality TV showed us the worst of human nature, your child a name that refers to your passion. You can
William Golding had covered that waterfront with Lord call her Hortense, a French name that means gardener.
of the Flies. And you know Christina Baker Klines Or you can call her Holly, the name of an evergreen (and
breakout novel by the name it bears on bookshelves: red). Both names are respectable, but many would say
Orphan Train. Holly is lovelier.
Orphan Train was almost Traveling Light mainly
because nobody could agree, Kline says. The title A great title has gravitas, wit and
Orphan Train had been used many times before and my
publisher was afraid of it for that reason. Traveling Light certitude. It invites readers in initially,
is a lovely concept from my epigraph, but Im convinced
the book would not have done anywhere near as well
and after they understand the titles
with it. role in the story, makes them feel both
Whatever torments she endured as a muse, Fitzgeralds
wife Zelda can take eternal credit for talking him out of intelligent and included.
the mouthful of a title he absolutely loved and into the bit-
tersweet sobriquet that will always be associated with his Margaret Mitchells original title for Gone With the
name. And Goldings titular phrase refers not only to the Wind was Tomorrow Is Another Day, and Pansy OHara
name that the leader of a band of lost boys bestows upon was the original name of her wayward heroine, Scarlett.
the gruesome pigs head they all venerate, but also to a The differencein both, and not just in retrospectis
Bible passage describing BeelzebubSatan, lord of flies. staggering. The title itself, Gone With the Wind, comes
A publishers representative, according to most reports, not only from one of Scarletts lines in that book but,
was responsible. further back, a line from the Ernest Dowson poem Non
Readers can only be grateful. sum qualis eram bonae sub regno Cynarae: I have forgot
Imagining a familiar, successful book by another much, Cynara! gone with the wind.
name is almost impossible. A great title has gravitas, wit Harper Lee had intended to name her famed novel
and certitude. It invites readers in initially, and after they Atticus in honor of the just and wise father in the story.
understand the titles role in the story, makes them feel The novel was based on the life of Lees own adored
both intelligent and included. father, whose name was Amasa, and the character

WritersDigest.com I 45
Naming THE Baby

Atticus was apparently named after a Greek writer Theres a tree that grows in Brooklyn It would be
known for his ability to see all sides of a difficult question. considered beautiful except that there are too many of
The final title, unmatched in its blend of thematic conse- it. Dont overlook your antagonist, if hes a strong one:
quence and lyric rhythm, comes from a line in the story, Lauren Weisberger put hers front and center in titling
an admonition from Atticus never to use a Christmas The Devil Wears Prada.
rifle to kill a songbirdwhich in turn refers to the mis-
A COMMON PHRASE, MADE NEW: Consider the reclaimed
understood recluse Boo Radley.
power of In Cold Blood (Truman Capote), The Perfect
How, then, can we bring such eloquence and nuance
Storm (Sebastian Junger), The Grapes of Wrath (John
to the task of naming our own literary progeny?
Steinbeck), All Fall Down (Jennifer Weiner), Beat the
THE BEST APPROACHES Devil (Claud Cockburn), Cloud Nine (Luanne Rice),
Home Before Dark (Susan Wiggs) and a whole host of
Ideas for titles, much like ideas for stories themselves,
can come from anywhere. There are strategies, however, titles with biblical origins, including The Power and
that can help you shake the tree of your novel, essay or the Glory (Graham Greene), Inherit the Wind (Jerome
short story until the best representation comes loose. Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee) and The Sins of the
Here are a few of the most successful. Father (Jeffrey Archer).
A BORROWED TURN OF PHRASE: In titling Everything Is
A NAME WITHIN A NAME: There are so many terrific and
even iconic examples of eponymous titles: I, Claudius Illuminated, Jonathan Safran Foer used a phrase from
(by Robert Graves); Nicholas Nickleby (Charles Dickens); Milan Kunderas The Unbearable Lightness of Being.
Doctor Zhivago (Boris Pasternak); Anna Karenina (Leo Mark Haddon titled The Curious Incident of the Dog
Tolstoy); Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bront); Madame Bovary in the Night-Time after an adventure from Sir Arthur
(Gustave Flaubert); Dracula (Bram Stoker) and, more Conan Doyles Sherlock Holmes series.
recently, Elizabeth Strouts acclaimed Olive Kitteridge A line in a story can also be the source of a title, and
and My Name Is Lucy Barton; or even Yann Martels that line sometimes refers to something else. For example,
Life of Pi. In this tradition might also fall those name- J.D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye, referring to the
and-theme combinations such as Jude the Obscure protagonists wish to be a savior instead of a misfit kid, is
(Thomas Hardy), Anne of Green Gables (Lucy Maud taken from the Robert Burns poem Comin thro the Rye.
Montgomery) and the poignant Still Alice, Lisa Genovas Kazuo Ishiguros Never Let Me Go, refers to a pop music
contemporary tale of a midlife woman losing her mind, record that is beloved in the story by one of the doomed
but not her soul, to Alzheimers disease. young clones being reared as organ donors.

A PLACE: From Charles Fraziers Cold Mountain to James A POETIC SUMMARY: Common wisdom has it that
A. Micheners Hawaii, many a story has been successfully titles should be no more than three words, but some
established by grounding the title in its location (regard- that defy this rule are golden. Among them: Requiem
less of whether that location is the storys central conceit). for a Heavyweight (Rod Serling), The Perks of Being a
This approach doesnt have to point to such plain geog- Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky), The Last Report
raphy as a town or a country. Consider these: Angel on the Miracles at Little No Horse (Louise Erdrich),
Falls by Kristin Hannah, The Hotel New Hampshire and Douglas Adams The Hitchhikers Guide to the
by John Irving, Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, Mystic Galaxy and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
River by Dennis Lehane, Tampa by Alissa Nutting and (come on!).
Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.
PURE POETRY: Great titles that come from lines of
A COMPOUND STRUCTURE: A simple but, well, haunting poetry are a classic choice. No Country for Old Men
title is this one: The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley (Cormac McCarthy, with a nod to William Butler
Jackson. Another is Betty Smiths A Tree Grows in Yeats Sailing to Byzantium), Of Mice and Men
Brooklyn, the title deriving from a bittersweet epigraph (Steinbeck, inspired by Robert Burns To a Mouse),
some say was added only after the novel was completed: Look Homeward, Angel (Thomas Wolfe, drawing from

46 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


John Miltons Lycidas), From Here to Eternity (James FLIGHTS OF IMAGINATION: From the minds of the
Jones, from Rudyard Kiplings Gentleman-Rankers), greats have come Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (John le
A Fanatic Heart (Edna OBrien, from Yeats Remorse Carr), The Fall of the House of Usher (Edgar Allan
for Intemperate Speech), Paths of Glory (Humphrey Poe), To Have and Have Not (Hemingway), Oldest
Cobbthough better known for its adaptation to film Living Confederate Widow Tells All (Allan Gurganus),
by Stanley Kubrickinspired by Thomas Grays Elegy The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (Carson McCullers), and
Written in a Church Graveyard) and All the Kings Sherman Alexies The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in
Men (Robert Penn Warren, on a line from none other Heaven, which was originally titled Indian Education).
than Humpty Dumpty).
THE FINAL SAY
RELIGION: What poverty of titles would there be if there
Whether youre pitching an essay to a web journal or a
were no Bible? Among the most compelling names taken
book to an agent, your labored-over title will do its job
from the Scriptures: Jacob Have I Loved (Katherine
on submission. But then, just when you love it most, that
Paterson), Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (James Agee),
title might change. Revising a title before publication is
Absalom, Absalom! (William Faulkner), The Last Enemy
usually a collaborative effort.
(Richard Hillary), The House of Mirth (Edith Wharton),
The Needles Eye (Margaret Drabble), The Green Bay Tree
(Louis Bromfield), Number the Stars (Lois Lowry), The A rose by any other name might
Lilies of the Field (William E. Barrett) and Stranger in a
Strange Land (Robert A. Heinlein).
smell as sweet, but a book by another

A DRIVING EVENT: These titles get right to the heart of title might not sell as well. A title is a
things: Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games, William creative decision, sure, but it may also
Styrons Sophies Choice, Willa Cathers Death Comes for
the Archbishop, Anne Tylers Dinner at the Homesick be the most potent marketing tool in
Restaurant, Erich Maria Remarques All Quiet on the
an authors quiver.
Western Front. A driving characteristic is a close cousin
of this technique: Charles Portis masterpiece, True Grit,
is named for that quality in people most sought by Until, of course, youre a big, established name with
narrator Mattie Ross when she sets out, at 14, to avenge many books to your credit. Or does it happen even then?
her fathers murder. Says Jodi Picoult of her most recent novel, Small
Great Things: Originally, it was Living Color, and
A RECOLLECTION: This approach works particularly well Random House didnt like it. I sent six alternatives,
for stories framed with a certain degree of nostalgia: which they also hated. Finally, someone at my U.K.
Richard Llewellyns How Green Was My Valley, Wilson publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, came up with the name,
Rawls Where the Red Fern Grows, Aimee Benders The which comes from a Martin Luther King Jr. quote, If I
Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Ann Patchetts State cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great
of Wonder. way. Its exactly what I was trying to get across in a book
A SERIES SETUP: If you know your book is to be the start about racismthat its systemic and institutional but its
of something more, youll want to be forward thinking both perpetuated and dismantled in individual acts.
in choosing your title. Recognize it as a precedent for Was she upset that the final title wasnt of her own
whats to follow. Stieg Larssons The Girl With the Dragon devising? Absolutely not. Its the perfect title, she says.
Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl The bestseller lists seem to agree. WD
Who Kicked the Hornets Nest and Sue Graftons A Is for
Jacquelyn Mitchard is the bestselling author of 11 novels for adults,
Alibi, B Is for Burglar, C Is for Corpse, etc. are just a cou-
among them The Deep End of the Ocean and her newest, Two If by
ple of the many series that follow a recognizable cadence Sea, now in paperback. She is also a professor of ction and creative
or pattern that was established from the first. nonction at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

WritersDigest.com I 47
Theory
THE

Everything
OF

The winner of the 17TH ANNUAL WRITERS


DIGEST SHORT SHORT STORY COMPETITION
evoked a bleak medical procedure to reect
on humanity in The Removal.
BY KAREN KRUMPAK

hysics is not a common field of study for operation that affects much more than just his body.
aspiring writers, who often think of scientific Readers witness the procedure, in which negative
approaches as uncharacteristically left brain. But moments from the mans life take physical form as
30-year-old writer Lauren Schenkman says fiction and theyre extracted from his body like malignant tumors.
physics have more in common than you might think. As the story progresses, all involved begin to wonder
Theyre trying to get at the same questions, says what will be left in the end.
Schenkman, who has worked in both fields since her Schenkman wrote The Removal for a monthly
time as an undergraduatefirst cultivating a passion writers salon put on by a friend, in response to a pro-
for writing as a staffer for Science magazine, then vided prompt: only the essentials. Schenkman waited
earning a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from until the last minute to write the story, a departure
Cornell University. Physicists are fundamentally for the typically introspective and methodical writer.
trying to understand, What are the laws that govern the Before that, she says, I thought I had to sit there and
universe? Theyre probing the most mysterious, incom- frown really hard, and the words would come out
prehensible aspects of our existence. Writers are also perfectly formed. That doesnt lend itself to creativity
probing the most mysterious, incomprehensible aspects because the inner critic is on full alert. Now she tries
of our existencebut theyre getting at it a totally dif- to give herself permission to write whatever comes
MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS GETTYIMAGES.COM: ALES_UTOVKO

ferent way. to mind.


Schenkman paired the fields in her 973-word story While Schenkman has a substantial scientific knowl-
The Removal, which bested more than 5,200 entries edge base, The Removal is more of a nod to that
to win the grand prize in the 17th Annual Writers aspect of her background than her typical fiction is. She
Digest Short Short Story Competition. Schenkman will recently spent a year in her mothers Nicaraguan home-
receive $3,000 and a trip to the Writers Digest Annual town conducting research for a historical novel about a
Conference in New York City, among other prizes. gold mine as part of the Fulbright Student Program.
The Removal is a haunting, otherworldly tale told The more experience you have and the more you
from the perspective of a man who, suffering from an know, she says, the more tools you have and the more
unnamed malady, has elected to undergo a drastic ways that creativity has to get out and express itself.

48 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


Winners SPOTLIGHT
LAUREN SCHENKMAN

What do you like best about the short story form?


Its something you can hold in your brain because its small
enough. Since theres a short commitment, you sometimes
THE

Short
feel less fear.

What drew you to both writing and science?


Being a very idealistic teenager, I thought, Well, I want to
know everything, so Im going to major in physics and Im LIST
going to major in creative writing. The more were aware
of whats out there, the further we can push the boundar- The 17th Annual WD Short Short Story Competition
ies in our own writing. received more than 5,200 entries. Authors Debby Mayne,
Gina Ochsner and Michael J. Vaughn served as rst-round
What are your goals as a writer? judges, and the WD editorial staff ranked the nalists.
To articulate things for people that they have often
1. THE REMOVAL, 6. BY WHATEVER MEANS,
thought but never been able to articulate for themselves.
Lauren Schenkman, Stephen Hunt,
And to be in a position to be able to help expand the
New York City Battersea, Ontario, Canada
voices that we hear in writing.
2. NEARLY DEAD, 7. 27 JARS OF MUSTARD,
Nikki Chin, Joan Freitag,
What is the best writing advice youve received?
Closter, N.J. Springeld, Ill.
The critic needs to be out of the room [during the rst
draft]. Also, from Elizabeth Gilberts Big Magic, dont 3. WARM-BLOODED ANIMALS, 8. BLUE SKY,

waste time wondering if youre a writer or if youre allowed Kathleen Lane, Richard D. Carlson,
Portland, Ore. Elk Grove Village, Ill.
to be a writerjust give yourself the permission slip.
4. FACT SHEET, 9. REDUCTIO AD ABSURDUM,
Tamara Titus, Sabine Sloley,
SCHENKMAN PHOTO RICHARD SCHENKMAN

UNDER THE KNIFE Charlotte, N.C. Bellingham, Wash.


To read The Removal and an extended Q&A with Schenkman,
5. MILLISECOND, 10. ACCIDENTAL DEATH,
visit writersdigest.com/aug-17.
Sarah Wilson, Stacy Whittemore,
Nashville, Tenn. Lehi, Utah

YOU COULD BE NEXT! Enter your short ction (1,500 words or fewer) in the 18th Annual WD Short Short Competition. The early-
bird deadline is Nov. 15, 2017. For more information or to enter online, visit bit.ly/short-short. To purchase an anthology of the top 25
stories from this years competition, go to writersdigestshop.com.

WritersDigest.com I 49
FUNNY YOU
SHOULDASK
A literary agents mostly serious answers to your mostly serious questions.
BY BARBARA POELLE

Dear FYSA, opening a new document on your Following that, ask what the
I received an offer of repre- computer or grabbing a legal pad agent is thinking insofar as the
sentation for my young adult novel. and writing every agents name and intensity of a round of revisions
When I notified the other agents who the primary reason you queried before shopping to publishers.
had the full manuscript that I was each one at the top. Again, no wrong answer here, just
withdrawing from consideration, I Next, take a look at how long something for you to compare, and
got an additional five offers! What each agent has been in practice and to consider which course you feel
would you advise I ask of the offering how many clients he represents. resonates as the right next step. You
agents in this situation? Well call the resulting comparison can also ask how many editors she
Sincerely, Full Dance Card bandwidth versus experience. A sees herself approaching on an ini-
newer agent with only a few years tial round of submissionsbut dont
Dear Happy Dancer, under his belt may have a greater ask which editors or which houses,
Well, first of all, if I am one of the bandwidth for more personal atten- as you can safely assume if youve
offering agents, I advise you to pick tion and editorial work, while an done your homework that the agent
me. I am delightful. agent with a robust and lengthy is not just sending to Bob Snodgrass
But really, thank you so much client list has the reputation that from Snodgrass Publishing & Hog
for this question, as this happens accompanies years of experience to Feed Inc. (although I heard Bob
more often than most authors realize. guide your career. Which is more was one of the underbidders on
When multiple agents make an important to you? (Hint: There is not 50 Shades). That would count as
offer on the same manuscript, there necessarily a wrong answer here.) another wasted question, and I
are indeed several questions you Next, lets take a look at subrights would open the drawer with the
should be asking the offering parties, management. How does the agent airhorn in it.
and yourself, in order to determine handle film, foreign, audio and Finally, do ask to speak to one
which one might be your best match. merchandising rights? There isnt of the agents current clients. Lets
I should note for others here that necessarily a good versus bad assume none of the clients are going
these questions should also be con- way to handle rights, as long as the to be like, Dude, she day-drinks and
sidered even if only one agent is agent has practices in place in order keeps calling me Gary. My name is
offering. After all, an offer isnt an to take advantage of said rights, as Rene. (Geez, Gary, why you trying
obligationits an invitation, right? well as examples of previous sales to play me like that on a referral
So invite them into a conversation! resulting from these practices. Dont call?) Ask about turnaround and
First, lets assume that each of merely ask, Do you think this can response times on reads and revi-
the offering agents is someone sell film and foreign rights?as the sions, about communication styles,
you chose for a particular reason, answer will be an obvious yes. Thats and about what, if any, support you
and not merely the result of a shot a wasted question, and since you can expect from other agency clients
of tequila and a handful of darts dont want to bombard the agent, and colleagues.
flung at the pages of the Guide to you get only three of those before I Then ask the client, What is
Literary Agents. I would suggest honk an airhorn over the phone line. your favorite thing about working
PHOTO TRAVIS POELLE

ASK FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK! Submit your own questions on the writing life, publishing or anything in between to writers.digest@
fwmedia.com with Funny You Should Ask in the subject line. Select questions (which may be edited for space or clarity) will be
answered in future columns, and may appear on WritersDigest.com and in other WD publications.

50 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


for a moment and listening to what
your instinct is telling you about
This decision most likely will come down what you want your partnership to
to you sitting quietly for a moment and look and feel like.
I truly believe the agent/author
listening to what your instinct is telling you relationship is a unique one, and
about what you want your partnership to there will almost inevitably be a
look and feel like. lot of swells and buckles along the
way. No single publishing path is
the sameit may take months, even
years to sell your book, and the sale
is only the ship leaving the dock.
with him, and what is one thing you qualified candidates vying to be There is a long journey ahead. Find
would change about his representa- your advocate, every little insight someone you can stand strong with,
tion style if you could? Now that can help. whether lashed to the ballast in a
person might say something that you You can ask anything else you storm or gliding in calm waters with
dont prioritize, which is just as solid want, of course, but if I may be so both of your faces tilted up to the
an answer as if shed said something bold, Id like to share something I sun, thinking, What a ride. WD
that you do. Its a helpful insight wrote to a new client of mine whom
Barbara Poelle is vice president at Irene
into the mechanizations of that I acquired in an agent scrum similar
Goodman Literary Agency (irenegoodman.
agent and her business practices, to yours: This decision most likely com), where she specializes in adult and
and when you have fairly evenly will come down to you sitting quietly young adult ction.

QUESTIONS? FEEDBACK?
W E RE H E R E TO H EL P !
TWITTER
Give us a shout-out @WritersDigest, or try a specic editor,
such as @BrianKlems or @JessicaStrawser.
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conversations happen every day.
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DONT LET YOUR QUESTIONS GO UNANSWERED. GET IN TOUCH.

WritersDigest.com I 51
YOURSTORY CONTEST #79

The Bay Window Affair


THE CHALLENGE: Write a short story of 700 words or fewer based on the prompt below.

Out of more than 300 entries, Writers Digest editors and forum members chose this
winner, submitted by Cassandra Goolsby of Denton, Texas.

M
ama keeps saying her before, but she looks to me like
dogs cant talk to one of those snotty cheerleaders in
humans, but only movies. I never liked those girls.
because she cant I drape my arm around Peggys
hear Peggy talking to me. neck. She doesnt pay any attention,
I know my dogs barks. They since shes so busy keeping an eye
change depending on what shes try- on Skip. He and the girl move closer
ing to say. The one she sounds right together. Shes pretty, I guess, but
now means Skips home. falsely so. Her eyes are painted almost
I look up from my newest crayon black, her hair bounces with artificial going, and wet, slimy and pointless
masterpiece to tell Vanessa I want to curls, and her clothes consist of less were the only ways I could picture
run outside to greet my brother. Shes material than a bath towel. Mama describing a kiss. Aiden ran off to
not paying attention, though, with says if I ever dress like that shell lock play ninjas before he got wind of
her eyes out of focus and a crayon me up in my room for a week. what I really wanted to do anyway.
dangling precariously from her fin- Vanessa is prettier. She may not Im 7 now, and know better than to
gers. Daydreaming, I guess. Thats be blonde or dolled up, but she be kissing boys for no reason.
one of the reasons I let Mama keep smiles a lot, and thats way more Skip shouldnt be making lips
her around to babysit me. She lets her beautiful than loads of makeup. with some strange cheerleader girl at
mind wander and says no one is ever The two stare into each others 18, especially one he isnt dating. He
too old for pretend or for animated eyes, then lift their lips together. ought to have more sense than that,
movies. Theres no list of dos and Youd better not watch this. I like I do. I make a note to give him a
donts. Thats why I love her so much. cover Peggys eyes with my hand, talking to when he comes inside.
Vanessa tells me Peggy does talk not bothering to look away myself. Peggys fur comforts me from the
in a way I understand. So I get up Its kinda interesting at first, but disturbing scene. I lace my fingers
to find Peggy without bothering to then they get to where they might through her curls, whispering, Im
rouse Vanessa from her musings. I eat the others face off. I decide its never gonna go off and do that stuff.
know she wont worry where Ive not worth watching and start pick- I have you, Peggy. Dogs are way bet-
gone, like Mama would. ing at a hole Peggy ate in the coarse ter than boys anyway. I dont need to
Peggy waits patiently for me green window seat cushion. Part of love one of them with you around.
on the window seat in the dining me wants to finish my newest crayon She nuzzles my hazelnut hair,
PHOTO SHUTTERSTOCK.COM: SOFYA APKALIKOVA

room. Her gaze is fixed intently on mural for the refrigerator, but I cant assuring me of my position.
something, so instead of darting out leave Peggy to bear my brothers Ginny! Vanessa calls from
the door to see Skip, I pull myself grossness alone. the kitchen.
up next to her. Skip is speaking to I thought about kissing a boy Im in the window seat with Peggy!
a blonde girl standing outside his once. It took me 10 minutes to I yell back. Dont come in here.
flashy red convertible. She tosses corner Aiden Forestier under the She will, of course. And shes
her hair and reapplies lipstick that playground at recess. But then my gonna hate what she sees.
matches Skips car. Ive never seen vivid 6-year-old imagination started Shes Skips girlfriend, after all.

52 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


ENTERYOURSTORY

WRITE A SHORT STORY of 700 words or fewer based on the prompt below. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story.

A man is TO ENTER: Send your story via the online

83
CONTEST #83
submission form at writersdigest.com/
surprised to find your-story-competition or via email to
yourstorycontest@fwmedia.com (entries
himself feeling must be pasted directly into the body of the

both pleased and email; attachments will not be opened).

liberated by NOTE: WD editors select the top ve


entries and post them on our website
the news that he (writersdigest.com/your-story-competition).
Join us online in mid-July when readers will
will soon die. vote to help rank the winners!

The winner will be published in a future issue of Writers Digest.


DONT FORGET: Your name and mailing address. One entry per person.
DEADLINE: July 10, 2017.

GET

DIGITALLY!

WritersDigest.com I 53
The Only Writers Digest Event
Devoted Solely to the Novel

OCTOBER 2729 | PASADENA


Hurrybest pricing ends June 13!
Novel.WritersDigestConference.com

#NWC17 events
WRI TER S

EXERCISES AND TIPS FOR HONING SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF YOUR WRITING

N W
TRAVEL WRITING WITH STYLE
B Y L . PE AT O NE I L

A writers style is as personal as a signature, as


memorable as a face, as individual as a name. The
writers passion (or lack thereof) for the subject matter,
one), or spark your memory with photographs from your
trip. Write short sketches of the scenes that these images
trigger. From there, you can distinguish which entries
as channeled through the act of writing itself, contrib- will best reflect your point of view to form the basis of the
utes greatly to the development of said styleand when article, and thus express your style.
it comes to travel writing, passion is paramount. You Next, put yourself in the readers place: What would
dont just want to tell readers about a place: You want to you want to know if you were going to take this trip?
take them there. Read what other writers have reported on the destination.
A skilled travel writer demonstrates style in the opening Remember that readers are interested in a vicarious
hook that grips readers attention, in the artful descrip- experience, and use buoyant, inventive language to paint
tions that invite them along on the journey, as well as in the a powerful picture.
inspiring, funny or contemplative ending that ties the story As you write and revise, pay particular attention to
together. Along the way, clever turns of phrase, allusions, editing phrases, asides and references that are not timeless.
metaphors, word usage, juxtaposition and other literary Your presence should be felt throughout the pieceyou
tricks help bring to life a destination and its culture. are the character, after allbut dont weigh down the
story by reporting your every movement, thought and
STYLE TO GO conundrum. Let the place and its people dictate what
The best travel writing evokes a clear, vivid sense of you include in the narrative, and let your voice help you
place. Descriptions should contain illustrative details accomplish the rest.
about the people, places and experiences with which
the writer has engaged, all laced together with a nod to THE TRAVELERS VOICE
history and geography. Voice is the way an author expresses personal attitude
The task requires equal portions of selectivity, individ- through word choice, asides, sentence flow, paragraph
uality and quality. Travel writers must rst identify anec- density and other individual stylistic devicesin a subtle,
dotes that show the character of the setting. The details less declarative manner. Rather than assuming a disin-
selected should also reveal some inward reflection from genuous tenor constructed to suit the material, explore
the character who took the tripyou. If youre writing your own mind and linger there as you write about the
about a place after youve returned homeperhaps even character of a place. Be mindful of sticking with the story
a place you didnt foresee writing about at the timecon- theme, but allow yourself latitude for expression.
sult the richly colorful entries from your travel journal (if In a large swath of contemporary travel writing, the
you dont have one, now is a good time to start keeping writers personal perspective is present in the article. The

WritersDigest.com I 55
WRITERS WORKBOOK

story is told from the writers point of view, in a natural imagined status as intrepid adventure writersa disin-
writing voice. But writer participation need not actively genuous approach that will alienate readers.
occur in every paragraph. First-person pronouns should Brisk, straightforward expository writing works best
be used sparingly. Some publications even prefer travel for travel feature articles. Then inject personal asides,
articles be written in second or third person. rhetorical statements, humor and other devices to make
In deciding which experiences to include in a story, I the story move along faster in an informal manner.
listen to my individual storytelling flow, my instinctive
THINK OF YOUR AUDIENCE.
inner voice that is the essence of my personal writing
Consider the tone of the article in relation to its subject.
style. Learning to narrow your focus and accurately select
Expand your word choice to a compelling, accessible
anecdotes to build a visually suggestive travel piece is a
vocabulary. Incomplete sentences are permissible if
matter of practice. It may be easy to say, Trust the inner
your intention is to whip up the pace and create a loose
voice, but sometimes we have to nourish that storytelling ambiance. Jargon and slang are occasionally useful, but
sensibility and encourage self-condence. remember the readers needs when you select similes
Here are some ways to do it. and metaphors. Consider the specic audience you are
FOCUS ON YOUR TONE. writing for. Not every reader is aware of television char-
Style is a matter of voice, but also tonethe type of feel- acters or video game worlds. On the other hand, it can
ing you intend to evoke from readers. Will you create be equally frustrating for a reader to encounter obscure
humor in the narrative by expressing self-deprecation? allusions to classical Greek myths or sports references.
Will the story touch a deep emotional nerve? Do you TAKE RISKS.
have cross-cultural bonds to develop? Is the piece stern What are your favorite metaphors? Do you rely on sports,
or serious: Is the story a microcosm of deeper issues military or business expressions to construct images
poverty, starvation, human rights abusethat you strive and convey secondary meaning? Consider whether this
to shine a light upon? An anecdote can amuse or offend, figurative language does justice to your topic. Stretch
depending on how the story is told. What is your attitude your imagination, and invent some new associations.
toward the place you are describing? Your biases and Compare music to mathematics, food to cloth, construc-
opinions about your experiences there will influence the tion projects to nature. Drive all over the open desert
writing style that emerges as you compose the essay or stretches of highway and cut through the clouds in the
article. Were you changed? Disappointed? Surprised? vast blue sky that is the art of writing. Just dont mix or
Establishing voice and tone early strengthens a piece. overuse metaphors, as I did in that last sentence.
Readers will want to stick with this voice because the tone Aim to employ gurative language as in the
is friendly or funny or smart. The words are cleverly cho- following examples:
sen, juicing the readers mind. Phrases that sound familiar
A woodpecker attacking a hollow tree sounded like a
resonate with readers, making them feel included. There
snare drum
is no singular way to pinpoint the right tone or voice for a
piece. The best you can do is to artfully convey the impres- Background choruses of gossiping tea drinkers echoed
sions derived from your own personal experiences. like a forest of cicadas

BALANCE EDGE AND ATTITUDE. By taking risks I mean stepping out of the no, not
Sometimes writers wonder how much voice is too much. the box, thats become a clich, as has out of the closet,
Usually, unless the writer is noisily whining or employ- off the grid, off the map, off the page. What would be
ing excessive sarcasm, an easy, conversational tone is an effective, fresh comparison to convey exploring turf
the best approach to please readers. Some contemporary beyond the well-known? Venturing out of the hard
writers invoke a mean or edgy tone, which can become drive? Off the deck? Maybe those phrases have become
off-putting in longer pieces. Others inflate their experi- hackneyed as well. Write sensibly, but write with surprise.
ences to create a greater sense of danger, or characterize Sometimes the right metaphor or simile strikes like a
encounters as risky or threatening to enhance their wasp sting (but never like lightning!).

56 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


N W
that appeared in Smithsonian, writer Joel Achenbach
EXERCISE: 
W h S  uses what is missing to describe the setting:

Describe an episode from a recent excursion in your Five golfers, each of whom can strike the ball brilliantly,
city or a journey farther aeld. Then rewrite the are standing on the rst tee at Tour 18, staring at the
scene in several different tones and voices, using the face of a lighthouse straight down the fairway. The
basic information contained in your rst version or hole is supposed to look like the 18th at Harbour Town,
adding more details or anecdotes as you recall them. the great course at Hilton Head, only theres no ocean
Try some or all of these variations: along the left side of the fairway, just a swamp, because
Write the scene from the point of view of a were not in coastal South Carolina but rather suburban
building or a prominent statue. Houston, in what used to be an oil eld.
Cast the scene in a historical light, writing with the
vocabulary and style of that earlier period of time. When you cast about for an image to use in a compari-
Describe the scene as humorously as possible. son, strive for bold originality. Jolt a readers curiosity,
Try writing the travel episode as a war correspon- but remember to be fair to the reader and answer any
dent mightwith staccato short sentences and questions raised in the early part of the article, as in the
no pronouns. following example penned by Patricia Lee Lewis for the
Pretend you are reviewing the destination for Boston Sunday Globe:
a convention of sports coaches or foreign
language translators. Bankruptcy is an awful thing. In 1990, it became an
American brand of purgatory; many considered it a pay-
After youve written the scene from various points
back for an era of greed. For me, bankruptcy ushered in
of view, go over the text and highlight or underline
a time of personal grieving, searching and guilt. At least
sentences, phrases or words that show the particular
I hoped for another chance. And trail cooks spend a lot
style or perspective you were striving to create. Read
of time on their knees.
each version: Is the tone consistent? In the humorous
piece, does the reader feel that a funny person is In this excerpt, the question arises: What does bank-
telling the story? Does the version written with a ruptcy have to do with a travel article? The reader feels
historical perspective lose its tone because of con- curious about how the road from bankruptcy led to
temporary jargon?
being a trail cook. Note how humor lightens a potentially
difcult subject. The writer calls bankruptcy an American
MOVE BEYOND CHRONOLOGY. brand of purgatory and summons the same metaphor
Writing with style may involve shifts in time, perspec- with the phrase trail cooks spend a lot of time on their
tive and mood, although not so often that the reader knees. She answers the questions by the end of the story.
cant follow the story line. Alert readers to highlights Although a writers style may seem amorphous, it is
in the story by placing clues in the opening paragraph, always composed of measured elements. Selectivity of
and then fulll the promise with explanations later in content is a basic ingredient of a writers style. Originality
the story.
of voice and expression conveys style. And, of course, an
Engaging writing establishes a mood. Aim to do so
understanding of various writing techniques is crucial to
quickly. Readers are drawn into a piece when there is
style. In a way, style cant be taught because it is so individ-
something personal about the storyteller included close
ual. But a writer can experiment with phrasing, improve
to the start. That little familiarity serves an important
functionit takes the reader by the hand and whispers her vocabulary and absorb techniques used by other writ-
in their ear, Come along, youll have a good time if you ers. With practice, she can make the work truly her own.
read this.
You might use a comparison to establish an under- Excerpted from Travel Writing, 2nd Edition 2005 by
standing of what existsor what doesnt. In this example L. Peat ONeil, with permission from the author.

WritersDigest.com I 57
WRITING FOR CHILDRENS MAGAZINES
E DI T E D B Y M I CH E LLE R U BE R G

W riting for children does not mean dumbing


down your regular writing.
In fact, penning pieces for kids magazines requires a
Bayrock says. [Kids] have radar about that sort of thing
and wont stand for it. And dont try to force a moral.
Its certainly OK to incorporate a lesson into a magazine
special set of skills. [Its] not something rookie writers do piece, particularly for a religious market, but dont hit
before graduating to adult writing, says childrens writer them over the head with it.
Fiona Bayrock, who specializes in nonfiction.
INCORPORATE PRINCIPLES OF FICTION. This does not
Here are some considerations to keep in mind when
mean you should use fictional characters or talking animals,
crafting and pitching articles for young readers:
Zollman says. Instead, write an exciting or interesting
GRAB THEIR ATTENTION FROM THE FIRST SENTENCE. Kids story about a person or an animal or an event, making the
are a tough audience to impress. If you dont interest them reader feel as if he or she were there. As in fiction, a good
from the get-go, theyll turn the page or put down the article should include an intro that hooks the reader, and
magazine and head for their video games or the televi- the conclusion should satisfy and tie up loose ends.
sion. I probably spend five times longer on the opening Dialogue in fiction quickens the pace of a story and
paragraph than any other part of an article, Bayrock says. makes it more fun to read, Zollman says. In nonfiction,
After the first sentence, I want readers to say something quotes do the same trick, as long as they actually add to
like, No way! Youre kidding! Cool! or Wow! the article and help move it forward.
Bayrock uses a number of different techniques to hook
ASK THE EXPERTS. One advantage of having an expert
her readers. I like to dive right into the action with a sur-
in a particular field review your articles is that you can
prising element, a bit of drama or something really silly,
interview him or her as one of your primary sources,
she says. Shes also not beyond using a little sleight of hand.
Zollman says. In addition to interesting quotes and anec-
I started one article with, Green moist-skinned aliens
dotes, He or she might be able to give you information
with big, bulging, gold eyes are invading the West Coast
that cant be found in encyclopedias or in a casual search
of North America. Her piece was not about aliens from
at the library or on the internet.
outer space but about bullfrogs as an alien invasive species.
An expert doesnt have to be a scientist or work in a
Aside from being a bit of a trickhey, it was all true!it
specific field. Serious hobbyists can also serve as experts.
also served to reinforce the alien and invasion parts of
For a piece for Spider called Cave-a-Thon, Kathryn Lay,
the concept.
a childrens writer with more than 1,800 published pieces
ZOOM IN. Childrens magazine articles are often short, to her credit, turned to the father of one of her daughters
starting at just several hundred words (though they range friends who is a spelunker. I was able to pick his brain
up to 2,000). With these limits in mind, writers must nar- and come up with a fun story.
row their focus. Dont try to cover everything about an
Bayrock cautions that a mindset that the article is just
entire species, or the history of the wheel, or the entire life-
for kids will not serve your research well. Kids deserve
to-death experience of a person, in 400 words, freelance
accuracy and quality, and editors expect nonfiction for
writer and former Highlights editor Pam Zollman says.
kids to be as good as or better than adult nonfiction
Theres just not enough room to adequately cover those
tight and to the point, she says. Every word has been
types of topics. Instead, narrow the focus to a weaver bird
carefully chosen and earned its place in the article. Kids
thats building 28 nests, trying to find one that will attract a
are far more discerning than adults. They wont stay with
mate; to the reason why Yellowstone National Park has so
a poorly written story to see if it gets better.
many geysers; to a childrens festival in Japan; to one event
that helped shape a persons life or career.
Excerpted from Writers Digest Handbook of Magazine Article
DONT TALK DOWN TO THEM. Its important to respect Writing, Second Edition 2004 edited by Michelle Ruberg, with
your audience. Dont be didactic or condescending, permission from Writers Digest Books.

58 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


TICKLING THE FUNNY BONE
B Y M A R K S H ATZ W I TH M E L H E LI TZE R

M agazine and newspaper editors are demanding


more levity in their publications. Even in seri-
ous pieces, theyre anxious to lighten the load. Infusing
to inform and educate in a humorous way. Humor is
appropriate in both of the following situations:
1. THE SUBJECT OF THE ARTICLE IS A PERSON KNOWN FOR
wit affords publications a fresh way to tell a familiar tale.
HUMOR. The trick to proling a humorist is to avoid
Editors also recognize that their readers want more that
upstaging the subject by injecting your own brand of
makes them laugh. Studies have shown that the humor
humor into the article. It is especially risky when you
column is among the most popular parts of any news-
are writing about a seasoned humor professional who
paper. And anyone whos drawn to longer, meatier reads
has spent years perfecting her lines; after all, you have
knows that features and interviews can benefit from
only a few days to perfect your own. If you try to force
humor, too.
the humor, youre bound to come off looking second-
The key to succeeding with a humorous submission is
rate. Make use of the great lines the subject has created.
the perfect marriage of quality humor with the newspa-
Do not rewrite, and do not compete.
per or magazines audience. Look through an annually
2. THE SUBJECT MATTER IS SERIOUS, BUT IT HAS THE
updated directorysuch as Writers Market (WD
POTENTIAL FOR HUMOR. Some article topics are
Books), which lists hundreds of publications and their
inherently funny: a dog who sings along to rock
submission guidelinesor do a search online and iden-
music, for instance. Others are serious but can be
tify publications that match your specic areas of interest
treated in a humorous manner: an old lady who rides
and accept humorous material. Then, its time to formu-
a motorcycle. Its obviously easier to produce humor
late a solid piece to pitch.
when the subject itself is humorous, as is the case in
the rst example. The humor for the second subject,
HUMOR IN COLUMNS
however, must be gentle, reassuring and pleasantly
If the editorial column is the land of Utopia, writer Ed
predictable. It should celebrate ordinary events in
Cohen says, then the humor column is its capital city.
a new way and encourage a smile of recognition
For some time, the two most popular syndicated col-
instead of a hearty laugh. Its success is based upon
umns in newspapers were the personal-advice columns
genuineness of feeling and clarity of writing.
written under the ctional names Abigail Van Buren and
Ann Landers, both of whom were read as much for their Even very serious subjects are more memorable when
humor as for their advice. For many years, Erma Bombeck, mixed with humorbut approach them with caution.
Art Buchwald, Russell Baker and Dave Barry enjoyed mass In serious articles, humor works best as an opener or a
popularity and household-name status. Recently the high closer. You can suck the reader into the story faster with
court of humor columnists has included Molly Ivins, Dan a good anecdote, and the perfect one-liner at the end of a
Zevin, Gene Weingarten and W. Bruce Cameron. piece can leave a lasting impression on the reader.
The average columnist works under deadline several
times a week, and cant rely on the reporters standard TOOLS FOR HUMOR WRITING
excusethat it was a slow news day. Hence, they Humor in columns and articles comes in four forms:
frequently concentrate on the beat they know best: the anecdote
themselves. In some cases, this approach can be quite the one-line joke
successful. Camerons column 8 Simple Rules for Dating the overstatement
My Teenage Daughter drew such a huge audience it the understatement.
resulted in a bestselling book and television series.
Lets look at each in turn.
HUMOR IN FEATURES THE ANECDOTE
When writing jokes, your goal is, of course, to be Written humor demands a lighter touch than verbal
funny. When writing a humorous article, your goal is humor. According to Roy Paul Nelson in his book

WritersDigest.com I 59
WRITERS WORKBOOK

Articles and Features, a light touch simply means a he reached in his breast pocket and took out a biscuit
relaxed writing stylebut not so relaxed that it reads and put it in the dogs mouth.
cute. Rejection slips from editors often mention that an I couldnt help saying, Troy, that was the kindest act
article could have used anecdotes to illustrate generaliza- Ive ever seen.
tions such as frugal, tough or fast thinking. Kind, hell, retorted Troy, I just wanted to nd out
where his head was so I could kick him in the ass.

In s ,
r s be Ultimately its more important for anecdotes to be
humorous than true. Humor writers shade facts and edit
  or a . Y n   true stories to save the punchline for last. When sto-
 to  ory  ! a "# ries are made up, readers should not be clued with lines
like This story may be apocryphal, but (Few readers
$%&, '  )$t one-+/r at know the meaning of that word, anyway.)
 d 1 a pi$e n 34e a 56 Some anecdotes are obviously ctional; others may
need a disclaimer. (But if you start with, One day, God,
789  . Jesus and Moses were playing golf dont bother using
a disclaimer.) For the most part, in humor, editors will
Anecdotes can appear as one-paragraph tales of simple
allot you some breathing room. Heres an example from
humor or as very short stories, rarely more than three
Nels F.S. Ferr:
paragraphs. Both types of anecdotes breathe life into any
article and can either precede or follow a generalization. Three baseball umpires were arguing. Said the rst, I
All anecdotes should: call balls and strikes exactly the way they come. (This
sound true, or at least be realistic man was an objectivist.)
describe a common situation Said the second, I cant do that. I call them
start with an attention-getting opening line balls or strikes the way I see them. (This man was
end with a witty one-liner. a subjectivist.)
But the third had ideas of his own. They are
Here are examples of short and long anecdotes. Note
neither balls nor strikes until I call them. (He was
how they both possess the characteristics mentioned above.
an existentialist.)
SHORT ANECDOTE
THE ONE-LINE JOKE
These days, ask a child a simple question, better be
One-liners are the backbone of humor writing. In print
prepared for a very honest answer. I was babysitting my
pieces, one-liners inject humor without detracting from
6-year-old granddaughter the other night, and when we
the message of the article or column.
sat down for dinner, I asked, Nyika, at home do you
Its important to remember that a joke is written dif-
pray before every meal? And she said, No, Grandpa,
ferently for the printed page than it is for a performer.
we dont have to. Mom is a great cook!
Columns and articles use a high percentage of clich-
LONGER ANECDOTE inspired aphorisms. The printed page also permits more
As I was walking across campus yesterday, I saw one of use of puns and double-entendres, because homonyms
my blind students, Troy, being led by his seeing-eye dog are more understandable in written form.
to the campus gate. Youll nd double-entendres and puns all over the
I followed closely behind because I was curious to editorial pages. Puns are also a staple of newspaper
see how the dog would get Troy safely across the street. headlines and photo captions. Within hours of learning
At the busy corner, they came to a stop when the light that a humpback whale had mistakenly swam 60 miles
turned red. Then, as soon as it turned green, the dog up the Sacramento River into the middle of California,
lifted his leg and urinated over Troys pants. editors were having a whale of a time penning humor-
I watched in amazement as Troy bent down and ous headlines. And when a luxury car fell into a giant
called the dog over and patted him on his head. Then, pothole in Columbus, Ohio, the South China Morning

60 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


N W
Post in Hong Kong ran the picture with the caption The The pattern is familiar to us all. If you rise on a rainy
hole truthMercedes bends. morning and go to the closet for your umbrella, you nd
the umbrella gone. Usually it has gone to the ofce. If
you go to the ofce on a clear morning, and it rains in
Its 
t s to be the afternoon and you go to the closet for your umbrella,
 than ue. Ws e s what do you nd? Your umbrella is gone. In most cases it
has gone home.
  ue !or#s to $% & '()*e
Bakers incisive critique of the Super Bowl, the Miss
+!. ,r & ! - , * r, America pageant and the Academy Awards is a classic
ors 0ll 23 4 56 789 :. example of overstatement:
They are utterly boring, meaningless, pointless, and
A skilled columnist can turn an average one-liner whatever happens doesnt make a goddamn bit of dif-
into a thought-provoking observation on life, children, ference to anything that is going to happen tomorrow.
spouses and even sports. Erma Bombeck lled her col- But when they run, the whole country comes together in
umn At Wits End with clever truisms that are as sharp some kind of great national town meeting.
today as they were when they first ran:
THE UNDERSTATEMENT
Never lend your car to anyone to whom you have Art Buchwalds ironic humor was so understated that the
given birth. uninitiated reader often thought he was deadly serious.
Insanity is hereditary. You can catch it from your kids. After the attorney general published a report recommend-
ing action against pornography, Buchwald wrote:
The Rose Bowl is the only bowl Ive ever seen that I
didnt have to clean. Id like to volunteer my services. One of my greatest
fantasies has been to censor magazines and send those
I come from a family where gravy is considered a beverage. who sell them to jail. My qualications? Ive read
Never go to a doctor whose ofce plants have died. many of the magazines the pornography commission
nds objectionable. Secondly, I know exactly where in
Author and columnist Dave Barry is the king of pithy the store such reading materials are kept. I have done
observations: a lot of dry runs since the report was published. I know
Your hand and your mouth agreed many years ago that, how to distinguish between literature with no redeeming
as far as chocolate is concerned, there is no need to value, as opposed to magazines, which are just trying to
involve your brain. give me a cheap thrill.

It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have Urban legend claims that on his deathbed, actor Edmund
a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind Kean said, Dying is easy. Comedy is hard. It doesnt
people who apparently view it as some kind of recre- matter whether Kean actually said that or not
ational activity.
the meaning behind the quote is accurate. Comedy is
hard, and it takes years of practice, dedication and rejec-
It is a well-documented fact that guys will not ask for tion to be a successful humor writer. That said, dont be
directions. This is a biological thing. This is why it takes discouraged. Life is brief, and you might as well enjoy
several million sperm cells to locate a female egg, the journey. Therefore our final advice is simple: Think
despite the fact that the egg is, relative to them, the funny, write funny and have fun. WD
size of Wisconsin.

THE OVERSTATEMENT Excerpted from Comedy Writing Secrets, 3rd Edition 2016 by
Mark Shatz with Mel Helitzer, with permission from Writers
Russell Baker was a cynic who saw the world as it was. In
Digest Books. Visit writersdigestshop.com and enter the code
his column An Idea That Must Be Unfolded Now, Baker Workbook for a 10 percent discount on this and other books to
used exaggeration to describe umbrellas: help you hone your craft.

WritersDigest.com I 61
STANDOUTMARKETS
An exclusive look inside the markets that can help you make your mark. BY TYLER MOSS

FOR YOUR WEB-FRIENDLY WRITING:

The Rumpus
WHAT STANDS ABOUT: The Rumpus is a place where people come to
OUT & WHY: be themselves through their writing, to tell their stories
Founded by award- or speak their minds in the most artful and authentic way
winning
w author they know how, and to invite each of you, as readers, com-
Stephen Elliott, The menters or future contributors, to do the same.
Rumpus is dedi-
cated to fostering new voices: We want to introduce you FOUNDED: 2009. TRAFFIC: About 200,000 monthly total
to authors youve never heard of before and to provide visitors. PAYMENT: Each month, we set aside $300. All
perspective on books, lms and media that will make you eligible contributors are able to opt in for payment at the
look deeper. The platform has boosted the careers of end of the month, and the money is divided between those
writers from Roxane Gay (Bad Feminist)former essays who opt in. We know that this amount is not enough, and
editor for the siteto Cheryl Strayed, who penned the we are working toward being able to pay a standard indus-
advice column Dear Sugar from 2008 to 2012, and now try rate to all feature contributors and book reviewers.
serves on the advisory board. Under new ownership as LENGTH: 1,5004,000 words for essays. PUBLISHES: Essays,
of January 2017, The Rumpus makes up for its low pay reviews, interviews, music, film, fiction and poetry.
rate with high visibility and the potential for a post to go HOW TO SUBMIT : Submit to the appropriate category
viral. TM at therumpus.submittable.com/submit. DETAILED
GUIDELINES: therumpus.net/about/#writersguidelines.

FOR YOUR ESSAYS, SHORT STORIES & MORE:

Callaloo
WHAT STANDS OUT & WHY: ABOUT: The central purposes of Callaloo are to provide a
Callaloo has received prestigious publication outlet, in English or English translations, for new,
grants from such national agencies emerging and established creative writers who produce
as the Lannan Foundation and the texts in different languages in the African diaspora; and to
National Endowment for the Arts. At a serve as a forum for literary and cultural critics who write
time when the demand for diversity in publishing is gaining about the literature and culture of the African diaspora.
ground, this journal provides a venue for writers from
marginalized communities seeking to lend their voice to the FOUNDED: 1976. CIRCULATION: 1,600. PUBLISHES: Five

cultural conversation. Notable contributors include Jamaica issues/year. READING PERIOD: Year-round. PAYMENT:
Kincaid, Charles R. Johnson and Edwidge Danticat. Despite Contributor copies. LENGTH: No longer than 10,000
the small circulation, Callaloos history of accolades words; no more than five poems at a time. HOW TO
including the O. Henry Award in 2000 for John Edgar SUBMIT: Final, double-spaced manuscripts should be

Widemans story Weightmakes it a strong clip for any submitted in Word documents via the online manuscript
writers portfolio. TM tracking system at callaloo.expressacademic.org/login.php.
DETAILED GUIDELINES: callaloo.tamu.edu/node/208.html.

62 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


FOR YOUR FREELANCE WRITING:

AFAR
ABOUT: The best travel adventures often happen when you WHAT STANDS OUT & WHY:
step off the beaten track or open yourself to the unexpected. Distinguished by its compelling
So, while other travel magazines tell their stories through storytelling
s and breathtaking photog-
itineraries, AFAR tells its stories through people, allowing raphy presented through the lens of
readers to explore authentic local cultures from the inside out. local people, cultural immersion, and
the authentic and unexpected, AFAR has been a nalist
FOUNDED: 2009. PUBLISHES: Bimonthly. CIRCULATION: for the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards Best
275,000. LENGTH: Varies. PAYMENT: $11.50/word. Travel Magazine every year since 2010, and won the honor
EDITORIAL INTERESTS: The front-of book section, Wander, twice. Named Adweeks Hottest Travel Magazine in 2013,
is all about curious things happening around the AFAR was also a nalist in 2014 for a National Magazine
worldeverything from offbeat destinations and fresh Award in the General Excellence category. About 60 per-
takes on places you already know to unusual experiential cent freelance written, this well-paying market is wide open
adventures, both intentionally and domesticallythat to new writers with strong story ideas. TM
are told with enthusiastic, colorful, often first-person
reporting. HOW TO SUBMIT: Email queries to editorial@
afar.com. DETAILED GUIDELINES: about.afar.com/about/
guidelines-and-terms/writers-guidelines.

FOR YOUR BOOKS:

Homebound Publications
ABOUT: We are a small press with big ideas. As an inde- WHAT STANDS OUT & WHY:
pendent publisher we strive to ensure that the mainstream Homebound books have received
is not the only stream. It is our intention to preserve con- numerous honors, including the
templative storytelling. In all our titles, our intention is to Foreword Review INDIES Book of the
introduce new perspectives that will directly aid humankind Year, Nautilus Book Awards, Benjamin
in the trials we face at present as a global village. Franklin Book Awards and Saltire
Literary Awards. The indie publisher places a high value
FOUNDED: 2011. PUBLISHES: 1520 books per year. on its relationship with authors, involving them in the book
IMPRINTS: Hiraeth Press, Owl House Books. ADVANCE: design process and ensuring theyre satised with the nal
Royalty only. ROYALTY: Up to 15 percent on fiction, non- product. Most encouragingly, Homebound has this to say:
fiction; 20 percent on poetry books. RESPONSE TIME: 46 We would rather work with a rst-time author who is full of
months. DESIRED THEMES: spirituality, personal growth, passion and drive than a well-established author who has
Buddhism, sustainable practices, environment, travel lost her or his enthusiasm for the craft.TM
and more. HOW TO SUBMIT: Send creative nonfiction,
essay collections and travel writing via the form at
homeboundpublications.submittable.com/submit. For
consideration, unsolicited fiction must be entered in the
Landmark Prize for Fiction; unsolicited poetry must be
entered in the Homebound Publications Poetry Prize.
DETAILED GUIDELINES: homeboundpublications.com/
inquires/submissions.
Tyler Moss is the managing editor of Writers Digest.

WritersDigest.com I 63
CONFERENCESCENE
Events to advance your craft, connections and career. BY DON VAUGHAN

Book Passage Travel


Writers & Photographers
Conference
Put your wanderlust into words at
this long-running boutique gathering
near the California coast.

WHEN: August 1013, 2017. WHERE:


Book Passage bookstore, Corte
Madera, Calif. PRICE: $650, including
dinner Thursday; breakfast and
lunch buffet on Friday, Saturday

BOOK PASSAGE FACULTY MEMBER JEFF GREENWALD DANA KELLY; KILLER NASHVILLE MOCK CRIME SCENE MICHAEL R. HICKS; MIDWEST WRITERS GAIL WERNER
and Sunday; as well as a Sunday
closing reception. WHAT MAKES
THE CONFERENCE UNIQUE: Those
focused on the niche travel market HIGHLIGHTS: At 12,000 square feet, Killer Nashville
will find a genuine sense of intimacy Book Passage contains a spacious International Writers
between attendees and faculty.
Because it takes place in a book-
event room, a vast patio and a host Conference
of smaller meeting rooms where Walkin after midnight takes on a
store, our conference feels different attendees will be able to choose whole new meaning when crime
than [one] taking place at a conven- from a wide range of craft sessions.
writers gather in Music City, U.S.A.
tion center, conference director Topics include writing effective
Kathryn Petrocelli says. WHO ITS ledes, photographing food and
WHEN: August 2427, 2017. WHERE:
PERFECT FOR: Travel writers and wine, and crafting personal essays.
photographers. Participants range Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville
Half-hour consultations with
vastly in experience, from those South Cool Springs, Franklin, Tenn.
faculty are an additional $95, dur-
PRICE: $375. Includes Friday and
who are just dipping their toes ing which attendees can discuss a
into the field to well-published concept or receive feedback on a Saturday networking luncheons with
folks who are looking to make work sample or proposal submitted faculty, plus agent/editor roundtable
continued contacts, Petrocelli in advance. IF YOU GO: Escape into pitch sessions. Activities available
says. HOW MANY ATTEND: 7590. Muir Woods National Monument, for an additional fee include break-
FACULTY: Writers Don George a stretch of old-growth redwood out intensives/workshops ($18 each),
(The Way of Wanderlust) and Tim forest 7 miles southwest of Corte critiques ($45 each), and the Guest of
Cahill (Lost in My Own Backyard: Madera with a peaceful atmosphere Honor Dinner and Awards Banquet
A Walk in Yellowstone National sure to spur your next travel writing ($95). See website for details. WHAT
Park); editor Elizabeth Harryman project. FOR MORE INFORMATION: MAKES THE CONFERENCE UNIQUE:
(Westways magazine); photogra- bookpassage.com/travel-writers- Killer Nashville is driven by a pay-it-
pher Robert Holmes; and more. photographers-conference. forward ethos to empower the next

64 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


generation of suspense writers. We features intensive seminars hosted
wanted to create an environment by standout authors in a variety
where authors who were already of genres. Manuscript evaluations EDMONDS WA
walking the walk could transfer their and more are available for a fee. See
lifelong knowledge in an environment website for details. WHAT MAKES THE
LOCATED ON THE SHORES
where everyones goal was to eagerly CONFERENCE UNIQUE: Midwestern OF BEAUTIFUL PUGET SOUND
and willfully give back, conference hospitality is a key reason why people
founder Clay Stafford says. WHO from out of state keep returning, OCTOBER 6, 7 & 8
ITS PERFECT FOR: Mystery, thriller conference director Jama Kehoe 2017
and crime writers at all levels. Bigger says. We have a find-your-
FOCUSED ON THE CRAFT OF WRITING
HOW MANY ATTEND: 350. FACULTY: tribe event on the first night that
Novelists A.J. Tata (Three Minutes to encourages writers of particular Conference includes over 30 sessions and
Midnight), Max Allan Collins (Better genres to get together for a loosely panels, pre-conference intensive workshops,
Dead), Anne Perry (Revenge in a Cold facilitated session. We also ask faculty manuscript critiques, writing contest, book
River), Steven James (The Bowers to host tables at mealtime so writers signing reception and networking.
Files series), Glenn Meade (The Cairo can interact with them informally.
Code) and more. HIGHLIGHTS: With WHO ITS PERFECT FOR: Writers new
more than 60 sessions across five to the profession or recently
tracks, Killer Nashville has some- published. We are about helping
thing for everyone. Attractions such writers succeed in the popular mar-
as mock crime scenes (as shown on ketplace, Bigger says. HOW MANY
opposite page) extend beyond typi- ATTEND: 250. FACULTY: Novelists
cal conference fare. For an additional John Gilstrap (Jonathan Grave series),
$55, you can even attend a four-hour Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. the Homo
Thursday workshop with WD con- Sapiens Agenda), Angie Thomas (The
tributing editor Steven James. IF YOU Hate U Give) and WD editorial direc-
GO: Visit the Carnton Plantation, tor Jessica Strawser (Almost Missed
where the 1864 Battle of Franklin You); agents Roseanne Wells (The
inspired Robert Hicks to write The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency)
Widow of the South, just 7 miles away. and Monica Odom (Bradford Literary
And no visit to Nashville is complete Agency); editor Lauren Smulski KEYNOTE

without soaking up some soulful (Harlequin/Harper Collins); and New York Times
storytelling in the form of live coun- many more. HIGHLIGHTS: Writers Best-Selling Author
try music. FOR MORE INFORMATION: looking to build their brand can of The Nightingale
killernashville.com/conference. take advantage of free social media Kristin Hannah
tutoring. The round-robin session
Midwest Writers Buttonhole the Experts will give WWW.WRITEONTHESOUND.COM
Workshop attendees a chance to pick the brains ONLINE REGISTRATION OPENS JULY 20, 2017

Get schooled by top industry pros of faculty members. IF YOU GO: A


at this popular conference on the six-minute walk from the venue, WRITE ON THE SOUND IS A PROGRAM OF

Ball State University campus. White Rabbit Books is renowned for


stocking rare books, comics and col-
WHEN: July 2022, 2017. WHERE: lectibles. FOR MORE INFORMATION:
L.A. Pittenger Student Center, midwestwriters.org. WD
Ball State University, Muncie, Ind.
Don Vaughan (donaldvaughan.com) FRANCES ANDERSON CENTER
PRICE: Thursday only, $155; Thursday 700 MAIN ST, EDMONDS WA
is a freelance writer in Raleigh, N.C.,
evening through Saturday, $300; 425-771-0228
and founder of Triangle Association
WOTS@EDMONDSWA.GOV
full conference, $400. Thursday of Freelancers.

WritersDigest.com I 65
C ON FE RE NC E GU IDE

literary agents. Attendees can also meet and and save: www.stockton.edu/murphywriting.
CONFERENCE GUIDE pitch literary agents and publishers looking for Contact:
JULY/AUGUST 2017 new talent with polished manuscripts. There Peter Murphy
Keep in mind that there may be more is an informative session with the "agents du Ph: 609/626-3594
than one workshop in each listing. jour" to help prepare for your actual meeting. info@murphywriting.com
These workshops are listed alphabeti- Writers also enjoy a Keynote Address lunch on www.stockton.edu/murphywriting
cally by state, country or continent. Sat. & Sun. Open to all levels of literary and
Unless otherwise indicated, rates include screenwriters. Early registration discounts and NEW JERSEY
tuition (T) only. Sometimes the rates also financing available. See website for details.
include airfare (AF), some or all meals (M), Contact: ANNUAL PUT YOUR HEART IN A
accommodations (AC), ground transpor- Lillian or Tony N. Todaro BOOK CONFERENCE, sponsored by New
tation (GT), materials (MT) or fees (F). P.O. Box 2267 Jersey Romance Writers (NJRW), is October
When you find workshops that interest Redondo Beach, CA 90278 1314, 2017. The conference will take place
you, be sure to call, email or check the Ph: 310/379-2650 at the Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel. The
website of the instructor or organization info@wcwriters.com conference offers workshops with noted
for additional information. www.wcwriters.com/aglawc
authors, educators and trade professionals
All listings are paid advertisements. from all aspects of the publishing industry.
2017 MENDOCINO COAST WRITERS
Feature speakers include: Eileen Dreyer, Nancy
CONFERENCE, Sponsored by Poets &
Writers and The Community Foundation of Herkness, Kristan Higgins, Elizabeth Hoyt and
ARIZONA Mendocino County, August 35, 2017, at Damon Suede. There will also be Pitch sessions,
Mendocino Middle School, Mendocino, CA. Published Author Retreat, Editor/Agent panels
WOMEN WRITING THE WEST 23RD The Mendocino Coast Writers Conference is a and a Trade Show, along with many networking
ANNUAL CONFERENCE, sponsored by vibrant gathering that offers morning workshops opportunities. For more information, go to:
Women Writing the West, October 2628, in a wide range of genres and relevant to www.njromancewriters.org/conference.html
2017 at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, differing experience levelsfrom a dedicated
Tucson, AZ. Women Writing the West, an emerging writers workshop to a juried-in master
organization that supports authors and other class. Afternoons are packed with craft seminars, NEW YORK
professionals in promoting the contributions pitch panels, one-on-one consultations, and
made by women to the history, culture and open mics; and every evening offers an WRITERS DIGEST ANNUAL
growth of the American West, invites all opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie and CONFERENCE, presented by Writers
writers to Set in the West: Cultures Old and connection that make this conference, in the Digest. Join us for the Writers Digest Annual
New, on the edge of the Sonoran Desert, a words of a 2016 participant, life changing. Conference, taking place August 1820 at the
relaxing place to pitch your manuscript to an Instructors: Jody Gehrman, Michael Lukas, Kat Hilton Midtown in New York City. This global
agent or editor, network with other writers, Meads, John W. Evans, Shara McCallum. All creative gathering brings together writers
and gain new insights into writing from levels. $575 early bird (T,M,F). Registration from around the world to network, learn from
panelists and speakers. All levels. $139/night opens March 1. Use code WDCG for a free bestselling mentors and customize sessions
conference rate for accommodations. vintage MCWC T-Shirt on arrival. across five tracks of instruction. Dont miss
Contact: Contact: the A-List Keynotes, including New York
Jan Cleere Barbara Lee, Registrar Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline and
P.O. Box 68902 P.O. Box 2087 Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Russoor find
Oro Valley, AZ 85737 Fort Bragg, CA 95437 your new agent at the conferences signature
Ph: 520/909-2299 Ph: 707/485-4031 Pitch Slam! For more information or to
jan@jancleere.com info@mcwc.org register, visit: WritersDigestConference.com
www.WomenWritingtheWest.org www.mcwc.org Contact:
Ph: 877/436-7764, option 2
WRITER'S DIGEST NOVEL WRITING writersdigestconference@fwmedia.com
CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE, presented by Writer's www.writersdigestconference.com
Digest, October 2729 in Pasadena, CA. Back
ANNUAL GREATER LOS ANGELES for a second year, this is your chance to spend
WRITERS CONFERENCE, produced by time at a conference geared exclusively to the WASHINGTON
West Coast Writers Conferences. June 1618, novel and focused on furthering your goals!
2017 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Los Angeles Mix and match sessions across four tracks: Craft, 32ND ANNUAL WRITE ON THE
Westside near LAX. Writers of all genres and Character, Genre and Beyond. Register by June SOUND WRITERS CONFERENCE, is
disciplines benefit from this popular educational 13 for best price. October 68, 2017. Located on the beautiful
and inspirational three-day event focused on the www.novel.writersdigestconference.com. shores of Puget Sound in Edmonds, WA,
craft and business of writing. The conference, the conference offers over 30 sessions and
our 17th, features individual program tracks workshops with noted authors, educators and
for what we call the 3-As (Aspiring, Active and NEW HAMPSHIRE trade professionals on the craft of writing. All
Accomplished) for all novel and screenwriters. levels. Keynote by NYT bestselling author Kristin
Topics are presented by more than 40 literary LIVE FREE AND WRITE, presented by Hannah. Full-day pre-conference workshop
agents, veteran educators, bestselling authors, Murphy Writing of Stockton University. August with Mary Buckham. Also available: critique
industry professionals, and editors in intensive 1318, 2017 writing retreat at Dexters Inn in appointments, writing contest, book-signing
streams of seminars, workshops and panels Sunapee. Spend an inspiring week working on reception and networking opportunities. Go to
so you are immersed in an educational your memoir or poetry. Enjoy the refreshing www.writeonthesound.com for information and
environment all weekend. If you have a work- New England summer with plentiful writing time, online registration.
in-progress, you can participate in Advance encouraging workshops, homemade meals and Contact:
Submission ProCritiques to have your work time to relax. Beginning and experienced writers Ph: 425/771-0228 (PDT)
reviewed/edited by professional editors and welcome. Scholarships available. Register early wots@edmondswa.gov

66 I WRITERS DIGEST I July/August 2017


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BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING | The Ofcial Online Home of George Orwell 


 George Orwell Twitter 
January 20, 2017 at 5:04am 
Now that 1984 is back on the bestsellers list, publisher tells me Im in
Winston Smith
need of a platform. And since freedom is the right to tell people what
@MinistryOfTruth 187d
they do not want to hear, Ive begrudgingly obliged.
All tweets are propaganda. Including
this one.
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To: George Orwell

Re: PUBLICITY PHOTO FOR INSTAGRAM

George,

Attached is a cover image of 1984 that you can use to promote


the book on Instagram. Instagram is a social media platform
in which you engage with your audience through images.
Maybe include a clever caption or an intimate bit of insight
into your writing process. Remember, the goal is to make a
meaningful connectionlet your personality show!

Cheers,
Susan Gooseman
Gooseman Public Relations

Liked by Aldous Huxley and 1,725,313 others


Orwell 1984 on sale now.

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