Color Wheel Characters by Wendy Paine Miller

Did you get your fill of red, white & blue this weekend? If not, I’m going to discuss the trio, in addition to an entire color wheel of hues. I’ve noticed more and more lately authors are getting gutsy with increasing POV’s. I enjoy reading a book fashioned with several strong voices…that is if it’s done right.

Today I’d like to share the importance of making color wheel characters. Do colors blend into one another on a color wheel? Nope. In nature, absolutely. When painting, sure. But when you look at a primary color wheel one thing you’ll notice is the separation of one color from the next. They are distinct. You can tell which color is which.

This is imperative to accomplish as you write characters. Few things can be more frustrating than reading and experiencing confusion about which character you are reading about.

Even when you’re not writing in multiple POV’s, but are hoping to delineate one character from the next it’s essential to pay attention to the behavior, quirks and defense mechanisms of each character you write. Do you have a hot-headed red character quick to spit angry words? Or how about a cool-tempered blue one, slow to speak, a lip-licking wise soul? Do you have a feisty orange or a mellow yellow? There are so many ways to have fun with individualizing the people in your neighborhood (scratch that—I mean novel).

Perception is one of my favorite modes of tackling this. Take one instance and play with how each of your characters would respond. How would they perceive the event? For example: A player in the World Cup match wrongly receives a red card.

Does one character get up from the couch, arm flailing, swears flying while another sits cross-armed, hmphing while shaking their head? Does one insist, “He deserved it” while another starts to cry? Is one character sleeping, missing all the action? Are you aware why they react the way they do?

Can you calculate how your characters would respond to that?

Off the top of my head I can think of three books that handle multiple POV’s with skill.

The Help. The Poisonwood Bible. Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons.

As a reader, do you enjoy when you can easily tell the characters apart? What books do this well?

If you’re a writer, what are some ways you like toSkittle your characters?

*photos by flickr
**check out my articles inExemplify and Sage this month

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Wendy Paine Miller and I connected through an anthology in which we were both published. Take a few minutes to check out her wonderful blog, All In a Day's Thought.

When an Agent Asks for Your Manuscript

When I highlighted agent Rachel Zurakowski on Friday, I mentioned that I pitched my first novel to her.

And she asked me to send it.

I didn't send it.

Why not?

I wrote "the end" on my first novel at 11:30 pm the night before my first writer's conference, and proceeded to pitch it to three agents over the next couple of days. They all asked for it based on the pitch, but it was far from ready for prime time--a fact I discovered as I sat through all the excellent workshops at the conference. The more workshops I attended, the more I learned that needed to be applied to my manuscript.

I foolishly thought that being "finished" was the most important thing in order for a writer to query or pitch to an agent. But there are two important things to complete before querying: being finished and polished. Needless to say, I never did send my manuscript to the three agents that asked for it, and I'm so glad. I've continued to go to conferences, read books on the craft, and write, write, write. 

If someone had told me (while I wrote my first novel) that this was a "practice" novel, I think I might have given up and cried. After all, my kids loved it. It placed third in a large writing contest. My creative writing students begged to read more than the first three chapters. A winner, right?

It's difficult for those starting out in writing, getting excited about the possibilities of publication, to hear about how long it takes (most) writers to see their book in print. Many writers discover the average tme necessary, and give up on publication right there.

I believe that of the individuals who eventually get published, some are naturally good writers, and others worked hard to become good writers. But what they both have in common is that they didn't give up. They kept on learning, and kept on writing. They went to conferences. Read good books on writing. Joined a critique group. Kept up with what was published in their genre. And it finally happened.

Author Randy Ingermanson says that most writers take about 5 years from the time they begin to write seriously before they're published. For some writers, the process is much longer,  and for just a few it's  blindingly fast (for the story of one author's very long road to publication, check out thriller writer Brandilyn Collins). If you're trying to figure out where you are in the process, read Ingeramanson's article, titled Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Author!


So all you pre-published authors, hang in there with me!

Agent Friday: Rachel Zurakowski

Today's blogging agent is Rachel Zurakowski of Books and Such Literary Agency. I had the pleasure of meeting Rachel (actually, pitching to her) back in 2008.

Let me pause for a moment to share a tip I've learned. When you finish your first novel, never, never, never query an agent until you've had time to revise it through a good critique group. Which is exactly what I did with Rachel. (sorry!) Come back on Monday for the full and sordid story.

What does Rachel have going for her? She's a young agent with energy, and a great head for young adult and post-college age literature. She especially enjoys working with authors in their twenties and thirties, who write for their peers. Along with three fellow agents (one of them the famed Janet Kobobel Grant), she contributes to a blog called Between the Lines.

Some blog posts from Rachel that I especially like:

Tagging on Monday's post about a day in the life of an agent, Rachel shares what Mondays are like.

Are you in a writing rut? Can you even tell? Rachel talks about some writing ruts that authors are not aware of.

Has your manuscript been rejected? Or are you afraid it will be? Read Rachel's post of amazing success stories to see authors who didn't give up (and they didn't sit still, either).

For more about Rachel, check out the Books and Such website, and these interviews.

Interview on Seekerville.

Interview on Story Senei.

To read more Agent Friday posts, click here.

Tips for Genre Writers

If you've never heard of Locus Magazine, it's the magazine of the science fiction and fantasy field. If you write in these genres, then you need to be keeping up with the publishing news Locus provides. If you write something other than sci-fi or fantasy, don't stop reading. No matter what genre you write in, here are some tips about what you need to keep up with.

Read in your genre. Each writer should read widely, but especially in their genre. It keeps you up to date with what is selling, which authors are publishing again, and lets you be aware of debut authors coming on the scene. Reading reviews of new books helps to narrow your choices, and improves your skill as a reviewer yourself. The Locus Online site posts a list of new books published in sci-fi and fantasy, along with book reviews.

Be aware of the news. Who has received the top awards in your genre this year? Do you even know what the awards are? Is there a new magazine (online or in print) published in the area you write? Is there an online forum for writers in the same field as you? These questions are important for writers as they work to become more professional members of the writing community. Locus Online lists all these things for the sci-fi and fantasy community, including a comprehensive list of awards, and an up to date monitor of news in the field.

Join a community. No writer should be a lone ranger. We need each other for encouragement, critique, and to share the excitement of publication. Not to mention help with marketing. Each of us needs to find other writers in our genre who "get" what we write.

This can include attending a convention, going to author events, and gathering like-minded writers for a local or online critique group (here's a great one for sci-fi and fantasy writers).

What else does Locus Online provide? A great blog for up-to-the-minute information. A huge list of links to web pages of interest for sci-fi and fantasy writers. And editorial perspectives from giants in the field like Cory Doctorow.

So, even if sci-fi and fantasy is not your thing, find out how you can keep up with your genre.

Book Review: Love is a Flame

This is a special book for me, because it represents my first publishing credit. Love is a Flame: Stories of What Happens When Love is Rekindled is an anthology, and the first one I ever tried submitting to.


I nearly didn't. The deadline was back in January. I was swamped with preparations for a writer's conference I was heading to in New York City. The little voice in my head said, "It's time to take some things off your plate, and this is one of them."


But one day, I came across something I had written to myself last year. Our family had been going through some difficult times, and I jotted a note telling myself not to forget everything that had happened, and how it all worked out. I realized that writing down the story would, at the very least, be a record for my family and I.


So I spent an hour or two writing the manuscript. Edited the next morning, and sent it off. I was more than surprised to get the email that my story was one of those selected.


Here is the summary of the book from Bethany House Publishers:
Happily ever after. Does it only happen in fairy tales, or in real life? Over the years love may burn strong and steady, but sometimes it grows cold. However, it can be rekindled--and these stories show how. Be inspired by true accounts of how love was revived and renewed.

You'll discover that love can grow stronger and burn brighter through the years as you read more than forty stories from everyday people like

• Jan, whose marriage was restored despite adultery.
• Marsha, who fought pornography and won.
• Bryan, who realized his family, not his career, was his most important responsibility.
• Emily, who learned that real love overcomes unrealistic expectations.
• Jeff, who went from dissatisfaction and boredom to falling in love all over again.

The true stories in Love Is a Flame will warm your heart and show you how to create a new spark in your marriage and build it into a glowing flame.

I can't give a comprehensive review yet, since I haven't received the book. But once it comes, I'll give you a more detailed review.

You can find out more about writing for anthologies here. The editor of Love is a Flame is no stranger to anthologies. James Stuart Bell has edited quite a few collections of stories, including Cup of Comfort. He  also coauthored many books in the Complete Idiot's Guide series.

So think about trying an anthology. The worst that can happen is ending up with a story you can sell elsewhere, like a magazine. And you'll still end up with a publishing credit.

A Day in the Life of a Literary Agent

What in the world do agents do all day long? Is it worth a cut of your book proceeds? You might picture an agent having lunch with editors, or reading submissions with a "rejection" rubber stamp in one hand.

When I decided to find out a little more about what agents do, I discovered incredibly hard-working people, who love the written word. A literary agent's best day is when they discover a new author (yes, a debut author), and get excited about helping to bring another book into the world.

Literary agents do not get paid unless you, the author make money. That is a definite motivator to work! In other words, an agent needs to help your book sell, and encourage a successful career for you in order to keep their office lights on. And their percentage is not that large, considering all the work they do.

As agent Rachelle Gardner points out, agents' tasks can be divided up into four general categories: keeping track of contracts and payments, submitting projects to publishers, other client-related work, and finding new clients. Rachelle explains each of these in her blog post.

An agent needs to be a person comfortable with multitasking. They jump from phone calls to emails to face-to-face meetings. They comb through the indecipherable legal language of contracts, making sure it is favorable to the author. And with all the added complications of e-rights, this is a formidable task!

The different jobs agents do consume more than the average workday. But there is little time for agents to read the dozens-to-hundreds of queries they get each day. An agent often reads some on the way home (if they commute), and may spend a few hours on queries in the evenings, as well. And this doesn't even include the time and money they spend attending writing conferences.

Each agent handles the multitude of tasks differently.  Here are a few other agents who share a little of what their day is like:

The Rejectionist (a hysterical glimpse into the life of an agent)

Two agents at Bookends share what it takes to be an agent.

The ins and outs of negotiating contracts with Rachel Zurakowski.

Two very different days described by Annette Green and Lucienne Diver.

Happy 4th of July!

Due to the holiday weekend, I won't be posting today. Come back tomorrow for a look at a typical day for an agent. Have a great day!

Agent Friday: Bookends LLC

This week, I'm highlighting the Bookends Literary Agency.  The team of Jessica Faust, Kim Lionetti, and Katelynn Lacopo work together as agents, and as blogging partners.

The Bookends blog is a great place to spend some time if you want to learn more about publishing and the submission process.

For instance, they keep a new and updated publishing dictionary. Are there terms you read about on agent blogs, but you're afraid to ask what they mean? This is the place to find the answers.

If you check the right side of the blog, you'll find the team's most popular posts. Things like The Way I Read, Why I Reject, and I Stop Reading When. These kinds of articles are important for writers crafting a query letter. There are also sample query letters to read.

Did you ever wonder about the differences between a synopsis and a proposal? The Bookends blog gives you the answers. There's a post about synopsis, and separate articles for fiction proposals and nonfiction proposals.

I could go on and list their posts on book contracts, word counts, and many articles on craft that I'm planning to read, but this post would get too long. You'll find lots more information about Bookends on their website, with lists of recent deals and a page of frequently asked questions.

To read about the other agents I've highlighted, go here.

Free Resources from Marilynn Byerly

The current advice for new fiction authors is to pick a genre and stick to it, in order to build an audience. Author Marilynn Byerly began her career by writing romance, suspense, thriller, paranormal, fantasy and science fiction. I was curious enough to find out more about her.

In for the long haul. She's been at this for years. Byerly began writing in 1981 after her dad passed away. Realizing the brevity of life, she started to write down the ideas floating around in her head.

An endurance writer. In this interview with Byerly, I discovered that the first novel she sold was the seventh novel she wrote. That's dedication. To keep on writing despite months and years of rejection. Byerly mentions a quote a friend sent her upon her first sale:

Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck--but most of all, endurance.   -James Baldwin

Paying it forward. Byerly has paid her dues, but she hasn't forgotten what it was like to be prepublished, and hungry to learn more about the writing craft and the business of publishing. On her website, she has an index of several dozen helpful articles on writing, publishing, marketing, and copyright.

Two articles that caught my attention were How to Finish a Novel, and a piece on how to keep from using the word 'suddenly' in your writing.

Marilynn blogs about twice per week, on all kinds of topics of interest to writers. My favorites are her link posts. About once a week, she posts a list of links to helpful articles she's found around the web.

If you're curious about Byerly's books, take a look at her website. She offers free chapters, and free short stories she's written.

So if you're a writer who is interested in more than one genre, take a page from Marilynn Byerly's book, and get writing.