When Real-Life Horror Inspires Fiction

 

The other night, one of my favorite horror movies, John Carpenter’s “Christine,” came on TV. Adapted from a Stephen King novel, I enjoy it because it’s not your usual slasher flick—the antagonist is a possessed 1958 Plymouth Fury who weaves a hypnotic spell around every man who owns her. I went online to see if I could find any commentary on either the novel or the film and was shocked to learn a true story of an “evil” car inspired “Christine.” A 1964 Dodge 330 Limited Edition called “The Golden Eagle” has been given the title of “The Most Evil Car in America.” A police department in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, originally used the car. Three of the police officers said to have driven the car killed their families by murder suicide. After the car was sold to another family, several people who vandalized it in the 1980s and 90s came to tragic ends. That’s just the beginning. You can learn more by reading about it here. 

Here are a few other books that were inspired by real-life crimes: 

 • “True Confessions” by John Gregory Dunne is based on Hollywood’s Black Dahlia murder. 

 • “The Girls,” by Emma Cline, features the story of a 14-year-old girl and her involvement in Manson-like cult in the summer of 1969. 

 • Thomas Harris took the crimes of real-life serial killers to craft the characters Buffalo Bill and Hannibal Lecter in “The Silence of the Lambs.” 

 • In 2014, two pre-teens brutally murdered a friend and their defense was that they were attempting to appease a fictional character called Slender Man. Lauren Oliver wrote a young adult novel called “Broken Things,” where the two main characters become obsessed with a magical world featured in a book series and murder their best friend. 

One of my favorite procedural shows, "Cold Case," featured several episodes based on real-life crimes, such as "The Boy in the Box" mystery in Philadelphia, the murder of Adrianne Jones in Texas, and the Martha Moxley murder in Connecticut. Writing this made me think about how many times I’ve used real-life events to create fictional short stories. Since I research true crime a lot for my podcast, it gives me a lot of ideas for stories. North and South Carolina have a lot of intriguing ghost stories and I think it would be a fun project to explore one of them in a novel. 

Have you ever written a story based on a real-life paranormal event or crime? 

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer whose story, “The Monster in the Woods,” is based on the 1977 Oklahoma Girl Scout murders. It recently took second place in the Genre Short Story Category of the Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition.

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Leave a Comment Christine, fiction inspired by true crime, Renee Roberson, Stephen King, writing horror

Why Read?

Renee's post (hot off yesterday's press) about blending genres got me thinking. I mean, I'm in the middle of reading a YA novel that blends genres. It has threads of journalism, along with nubby nubbins of true crime drama. Thinking about blending genres got me thinking about why I read... and why all writers need to read.

It fills the well

Of course, if you read something crappy, it might inspire you to make your lines really sing. I  recommend you read poetic prose. Novels with plots so engaging, your butt has a permanent crease line because you've been stuck on the edge of your seat for 378 pages... and you're gonna mourn when you finish it because it's. Just. That. Good. Subliminally, we become better writers as we read wonderful writing.

It solves problems

I'm writing avoiding writing a manuscript about Emmett Till. It's gone through several iterations. It's a contemporary novel, set long after Till was tortured and then killed. Reading Hollow Fires has given me an idea of how I can get Emmett into the story in a unique way.   

 It's recess

Reading great stuff lets our brain take a break from writing... while still keeping the gray matter semi-engaged. Of course, I could be watching the last season of Ozark instead of reading (which I still haven't done, sodon'ttellmewhathappenedtoRuth) but truly, settling down and reading prose or poetry is better than TV watching or knitting for us as writers...

which leads me to the final reason I'm throwing up to the spirits today:

It's part of the grunt work

Dancers work out. Teachers go to workshops. Boxers tape up their fists (right?). Reading is the pre-writing work writers need to do.

 Stephen King, in his primer On Writing, has given us a memoir-instruction book. He said:

Good writing, on the other hand, teaches the learning writer about style, graceful narration, plot development, the creation of beautiful characters, and truth-telling. A novel like The Grapes of Wrath may fill a new writer with feelings of despair and good old-fashioned jealousy – “I’ll never be able to write anything that good, not if I live to be a thousand” – but such feelings can also serve as a spur, goading the writer to work harder and aim higher. Being swept away by a combination of great story and great writing – of being flattened, in fact – is part of every writer’s necessary formation. You cannot hope to sweep someone else away by the force of your writing until it has been done to you.

Let a good book sweep you away... and then you can work your rear end off trying to write something that sweeps others away.

What book or poem or short story has swept you away? Curious Sioux wants to know.

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5 comments Emmett Till, Hollow Fires, Renee Roberson, Samira Ahmed, Sioux Roslawski, Stephen King

Seven Things Stephen King Doesn't Have to Do

 Oh, to be Stephen King. If I were Stephen instead of Sioux, I’d have dozens of people working to make me happy. They’d be scurrying to ensure I was comfortable at my book signings. A full water bottle at all times. Eyebrows combed to look appropriately intriguing. A chair that wouldn’t make my bony rump ache.

Okay, I don’t aspire to have eyebrows like his, and King’s rear end is probably bonier than mine, but still…

Wait. Wait a minute. Before the chair would be positioned and the water bottle set in place, somebody would set up the book signing tour. A whole lot of somebodys. Since most of us are in the upper nose-bleed section, instead of courtside with Stephen King, we have to set up our own author events. Nobody wants to drive around for months and months with the same boxes of (unsold) books, so what are some creative ideas and smart tips when it comes to book events? Here are a few I’ve stumbled on:

1. Think outside the box. Libraries and bookstores are sometimes overbooked. (Overbooked. Get it?) How about a quirky restaurant on one of their slow nights? I immediately thought of a craft beer spot I love (even though I hate the taste of beer), along with a restaurant that’s run by folks I know really well. It would be a win-win. I’d promote their establishment, perhaps bringing in a few extra customers, and I would be able to chat with their diners.

image by Pixabay

2. Try to bring a bench with you. Sitting on a bench means a friend who wants to pose for pictures with you wouldn’t have to hunch over you. They could sit right next to you. I had not even thought of that. What a simple, no-duh idea.

3. Have a give-away or a contest. One suggestion: Who traveled the farthest distance? I’ve taped tickets under chairs before at teacher events, which is another idea.

4. Host a picnic. Have families bring sack lunches, and everybody gathers in a park. This would work especially well if the writer’s book is a children’s book. As the families munch on their meals, you could have a brief reading and a question and answer session.

5. Don’t sit behind the table. Stand next to the table, to make yourself more accessible. Approach the potential customer, instead of waiting for them to come to you. If your event is in a bookstore, walk around and as you chat with people, hand them a book… Ask them to drop by before they leave. They might just have a credit card or cash in their hand when they come back, ready to buy your book.

6. One blog writer in a post suggested having people sign a book of yours while you autograph their book. This could be their name and a comment about the event, or it could be the makings of a future mailing list. 

7. Have the event as interactive as possible. Giving the audience a chance to participate ensures they’re more engaged. The more people are involved, the more they’re going to root for you and talk you up to other potential readers.

What creative ideas do you have for author events? A soon-to-be-author-of-a-book wants to know...

Sioux Roslawski is a freelance writer on the weekends and a middle-school teacher during the week. In her free time, she also rescues dogs, and has even traveled to Turkey twice on dog rescue missions. In the spring of 2021, her historical middle grades novel, Henry's Story: Greenwood Gone (about the Tulsa Race Massacre), will debut.

If you'd like to read more of Sioux's writing, check out her blog.

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10 comments book signing ideas, Sioux Roslawski, Stephen King, Tulsa Race Massacre

Read to Assemble a Writer’s Toolbox

This is one of my favorite writing quotes, and Stephen King has the weight to carry it off. After all, he’s been selling his work since 1967 and has published something like 83 novels. Go ahead. Try to argue.

But when I saw this quote today, I realized something new. You also need to read widely. After all, a good toolbox contains a wide variety of tools.

Read poetry. Interested in winning the WOW Flash Fiction Contest?  Then read poetry to learn how to make every word count. Reading poetry will also enable you to study how to create powerful imagery and writing that resonates emotionally with the reader.

Read picture books. As in the 32 page books written for young children. Written for pre-readers, they are meant to be read aloud. Picture books will teach you how to make your words sing and how to engage in word-play. Want to do all of this and also learn to tell a story in 500 words or less? Picture books are the tool for you. Picture books contain a full plot, beginning, middle and end, as well as multiple attempts to solve the problem all in a limited word count.

Read horror. Horror will teach you to create suspense. You will also learn to select setting details that allow you to manipulate your reader’s emotions. Depending on what you describe and how you describe it, a sunny day can be uplifting or ominous, cheery or harsh.

Read speculative fiction such as fantasy or science fiction. In fantasy and science fiction, authors must build bridges that bring the reader into an unfamiliar landscape. Authors also use emotion and other familiar elements to help readers identify with character who are truly alien.

Read epic novels. Whether you choose fantasy, horror, or historic fiction, read sagas with huge casts of characters. You will learn how to introduce large numbers of characters to your readers and how to bring these characters forward when necessary and when to let them retreat into the background.

Read graphic novels. Sometimes I look at a page I’ve just written and realize my characters are talking an awful lot and saying very little. Characters in graphic novels have to get to the point in short order. Learn to make every word of dialogue count by studying this format.

Read mysteries. Even if you aren’t writing a who-done-it, mysteries will teach you how to dole out information a bit at a time. You will learn how to foreshadow coming events and revelations and how to create false leads.

If you want to stock your tool box, read. Read often and read widely unless you think you can fix every writing problem with a hammer.

--SueBE

To find out more about Sue Bradford Edwards' writing, visit her blog, One Writer's Journey.  Sue is also the instructor for  Research: Prepping to Write Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults. The next session begins  March 2nd, 2020. 

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8 comments reading, reading as a writer, Stephen King, Sue Bradford Edwards

Reading to Write

What are you reading right now? What do you mean you don’t have time to read? Look, it isn’t me. It’s Stephen King, but he’s pretty clear on this – if you don’t have time to read, you simply do not have the time to write. He said so. And I have to suspect that the man might have a wee tiny clue.

But the truly shocking thing? The number of writers I know who don’t read or don’t read much. Their excuses vary as widely as the areas in which they write. They just don’t have time. They have families and day jobs. Or they don’t like much of what they’ve tried to read. It just isn’t any good. 

Honestly, I have to back Stephen up on this. You need to find time to do both. Don’t give me that look. I spend far too much time with teenage boys, the kings of scorn, masters of the scowl. You, my dear, are not intimidating. Maybe if you’d read you’d learn how to do it?

Because that is Stephen’s point. Read and you will develop the tools that you need to write. Here are just a few things that you can learn from reading.

Read your favorites, the books, essays, or poems, that made you want to write. Look for the things that you loved. When I was a kid, I was hooked by Marguerite Henry. I loved how she could take factual stories and spin them into compelling fiction. With this true-story vibe, her work has the ring of Truth.

Read things published in the last 2 years and you’re going to learn about the market today. This is important because it is vital to know what is out there now. Look at how it differs from what was published back when your inspiration took root. No way, no how would publishers have touched Maggie Stiefvater when I read YA. Stiefvater's YA has a raw edge. When I cut my teeth, S.E. Hinton was all the rage. Yes, I still love her stories but her books are very different from what publishers are buying today. You need to know about today.

Read, read and read some more. And as you read, pay attention to how the authors do various things. Stiefvater has created an anti-hero I adore. He’s edgy and a more than a bit mean. But he’s also frighteningly compelling.

I’m currently reading Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann. He has spun a true story, 100% nonfiction, into something fast paced and compelling. He uses his timeline masterfully to pull you into the story. He plays with reality, giving you the facts as mainstream society originally saw them and then letting the reader in on what the Osage knew from the start.

Jane Yolen? I read her for a literary air, amazing vocabulary and masterful tellings.

Asia Citro? Her ability to teach science through fiction, combining fact and fantasy.

Lisa Wheeler? Fun word play.

April Pulley Sayre? Her use of rhythm.

Read to study what’s out there. Read to study good writing. Read so that you too can write. Seriously, just do it. It is well worth the time and effort and don't overlook audiobooks.  They can accompany you on a long commute, to the gym and even into the kitchen when you fix dinner.  Just find time to read.  Otherwise?  I'll have to go get Stephen.

--SueBE

To find out more about Sue Bradford Edwards' writing, visit her blog, One Writer's Journey.  Sue is also the instructor for Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults. The next session begins August 14th. 

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3 comments learning to write, reading, Stephen King, studying, Sue Bradford Edwards, writing

Hidden Gems: Quotations Author's Use

There are different types of readers in this world. There are those who get the book and skip right to the first chapter, ignoring everything else. There are those who take their time to read the author's bio on the back flap, and who take in the intricacies of the front cover, before diving in to the story.

And then, there are people like me.

Books fascinate me. Not only by the content (which, undoubtedly, is the most important part), but also by how they smell. How they feel. The covers and the pages and the dedications. One of my favorite parts, however, is the quotations authors use after their dedication pages, and before their first chapters.

The quotations span all genres, time periods, and cultures. Some are from presidents. Others from poets. I’ve seen snippets of Shakespeare, Martin Luther King, and Robert Frost.

To me, each quotation is as much a part of the book as the characters and the setting. These quotations offer a glimpse into the heart of the story. The quotation is a clue – a small puzzle piece – which tantalizes me to unlock its meaning.

I read these quotations before anything else, and then revisit them once I’ve finished the book. This simple act is as delightful as opening an unexpected gift. They provide a deeper connection to the author’s purpose. It’s as if the author and I share an inside joke or a secret story to which others are not privy. The quotations connect us beyond the story and remind me that the themes in my favorite books transcend time.

I have my favorites, of course.

Stephen King’s Needful Things:
“I have heard of may going astray even in the village streets, when the darkness was so thick you could cut it with a knife, as the saying is . . .
                         – Henry David Thoreau, Walden

The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing:
In this decayed hole among the mountains
In the faint moonlight, the grass is singing
Over the tumbled graves, about the chapel
There is the empty chapel, only the wind’s home.
It has no windows, and the door swings,
Dry bones can harm no one.
Only a cock stood on the rooftree
Co co rico, co co rico
In a flash of lightning. Then a damp gust
Bringing rain

Ganga was sunken, and the limp leaves
Waited for rain, while the black clouds
Gathered far distant, over Himavant.
The jungle crouched, humped in silence.
Then spoke the thunder.
                          -T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling:
Death is but crossing the world, as friends do the seas; they live in one another still. For they must needs be present, that love and live in that which is omnipresent. In this divine glass, they see face to face; and their converse is free, as well as pure. This is the comfort of friends, that though they may be said to die, yet their friendship and society are, in the best sense, ever present, because immortal.
                           -William Penn, More Fruits of Solitude

And, lastly.

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese:
And because I love this life
I know I shall love death as well.
The child cries out when
From the right breast the mother
Takes it away, in the very next moment
To find in the left one
It’s consolation.
                         -Rabindranath Tagore, Gitanjali


If you have never noticed these quotations before, try reading them first next time. I promise they will not disappoint.

Bethany Masone Harar is an author, teacher, and blogger, who does her best to turn reluctant readers into voracious, book-reading nerds. Check out her blog here.

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1 comment Abraham Verghese, Authors, books, dedications, famous quotes, Harar, hidden gems, J.K. Rowling, quotations, Stephen King, Tommy Wallach, writing

How I Finally Finished a Book by A Shameful Writer

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” 

“If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”

Both of those quotes are by the great Stephen King, whether you like him or not, read his books or don't, he gives practical and sage advice to writers. I've had the time to read. I've started countless wonderful books by amazing authors, but I haven't been able to get through them for one reason or another--mostly due to my divorce, maybe due to exhaustion from anemia (which I just discovered I had) and single parenthood. But I hadn't finished a book in ages. It's embarrassing. I am a writer after all, and I wasn't reading.

I had this conversation with my neighbor one day--she loves to read. She handed me the book Me Before You, and said, "This is a great book. You will get through this. It's a movie right now." (I'll admit I'm so out of touch with movies for adults that I didn't even know this!) That night, I started it. JoJo Moyes is a very good writer. She drew me in with her quirky main character, Louisa Clark, and the surly hero, Will Traynor. But as I started reading along, and got to maybe page 100, my usual pattern took over. I was reading maybe 1 or 2 pages a night before I fell asleep or thought of a reason to check Facebook. I was sure I knew what was going to happen, and I felt disappointed, and didn't really want to read just another love story.

But one night when I read my obligatory pages (to not feel like a total heel), there was a conversation between Lou and her sister Treena that was so well-written, I fell back in love with the book. Then I read some of the back material about why JoJo wrote the book, and I told myself: give it a chance. One day this past week, I was in bed with a cold, and I read 166 pages to finish this book. When I finished, I was so in love with the story and the ending that I rented the movie On Demand, which I have literally never done before in my life. 

And I'll have you know since then, I've already started two more books--a self-help book, where the author wants you to read one exercise a week, and the new Harry Potter play--on page 45 already! 

So what happened? I found a good writer. I found a good writer that brought me into her story world and made me fall in love with these two characters even though things might not have ended the way I would have written the story. She made me think about life. She made me think about love. She made me think about what is really important, and she gave me back my belief that love is possible even under the worst circumstances. I know that sounds like a lot for one book, but that's the thing about books--they really do change the world.

So even though I titled this post--by a shameful writer, I'm not as shameful about reading as I was a week ago, and I'm praying this continues because I think I'm on the road to a writing/reading recovery. I feel myself taking baby steps and it feels good. 

Margo L. Dill is a writer, editor, and teacher, living in St. Louis, MO. You can find out more about her and her books at http://www.margoldill.com and her writing class in the WOW! classroom here. 

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5 comments JoJo Moyes, reading, Stephen King, writing and reading, writing inspiration

What Successful Writers Do (Besides Writing)

The guy at the bank and I were discussing my business account when I said, “I’m my business. I’m a writer.”

He immediately leaned forward in his chair, eager to hear more. What do I write? Have I been published? Would he know any of the publications? People are often excited to meet a real live writer. I’m not sure why. Writing’s not that exotic, as jobs go. I mean, I love my job but some days, yeah, it can be a grind just like any other job.

And then the bank guy pulled up my account. I could see his keen interest suddenly turn to surprise, and I was pretty sure I knew why. People think writers make a ton of money. I’m not sure why about that, either. I mean, sure, Stephen King, J. K. Rowling, those superstar writers do make a ton of money. But most of us? Not so much.

At least, not from writing. But the bad news for writers is good news for wannabe writers. Namely, writers often want or need to supplement their income. And so they look for other ways to bring in the bucks. Like teaching.

Oh. My. Word. There are so many gifted writers out there who work as instructors in just about any field of writing you can imagine. Here at WOW!, you can find all kinds of classes, offered from all kinds of professionals. But we’re not the only ones offering courses so if you don’t find what you’re looking for here, just take a spin around the web. You’ll find more writing courses than you can shake a pen at!

And you know what else all those excellent writers are doing? They’re mentoring. There was a time when mentoring was something a writer was just lucky enough to find from an older and wiser writer who offered a helping hand. Now, chances are good that you can find a mentor who’ll happily take you on if your writing’s at a certain level—and you’re willing to pay a fee.

Search professional writing organizations for mentorship programs, or search by genre. You can even search plain, old "Writing mentorships."Thanks to the wonders of technology, mentoring doesn’t require face-to-face meet-ups. But make sure that you thoroughly vet a mentor’s credentials before you sign the dotted line and send money.

Oh! And don’t forget workshops! Many successful writers organize workshops, retreats, or conferences. You can get a ton of instruction in just a couple hours or a couple days, and you can meet like-minded writers, sharing a similar journey. Make new friends or even critique partners! (Or maybe find a mentor?)

Yep, the world is teeming with talented writers who offer lots more than just their latest books. And they offer their talents in a way that’s sure to meet any budget. There’s just no excuse for a wannabe writer not to take advantage of some of the best brains in the writing business. And then one day, you, too, can visit the bank and impress the heck out of someone.

Well, until that someone sees your bank account.

~Cathy C. Hall

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5 comments Cathy C. Hall, J.K. Rowling, mentorship programs, Stephen King, workshops, writing classes

Is It Too Serious for Middle-Grade?

In the young adult and middle-grade children's writing course that I teach for WOW!, one of my students recently asked if the plot she was planning for her middle-grade historical fiction novel was too grim for the age of the audience. I told her no, it wasn't, and she had a great idea. I can't share her idea with you on The Muffin, but I can give a few tips if you ever find yourself thinking about writing a book for a younger audience.

1. You can deal with heavy subjects, but sometimes these are not happening to the main character.  Especially in historical fiction books where the history is known (such as Nazi concentration camps or slavery in the United States), you don't want to ignore these grim historical happenings. But you can either tone down the reality, or minor characters can have the tougher role. The main character is not the slave or the refugee, for example.

In my middle-grade novel, Finding My Place, the main character Anna has a lot of tragedy happen during the book, set in 1863 in Vicksburg, MS--her ma dies; her pa is at war; her family has to live in a cave while the city is being shelled. But all in all, these things are happening around her. She is affected by them; but for example, she does not get wounded by a shell. She is not a slave.

Kids are smart, so you can't pretend like real life can not be terrible, but you can tone it down.

2. Life can be grim. It has been. But it can also be comical and happy. 
The other thing you can do is put in some lighthearted scenes or a funny character. Your main character can also be funny at times. Look at the middle-grade novel, Holes. Again, this deals with some heavy subjects--basically children being driven to work under terrible conditions at a juvenile detention camp. But parts of the book are comical. I mean even the main character's name--Stanley Yelnats is a bit silly. If Louis Sachar would have made everything about this book as emotional or heavy as the topic could be, the book might not have been as popular with the middle-grade audience. Most children's movies have a character that is for comic relief--Olaf in Frozen or Eddie Murphy's dragon in Mulan. It works. So think about adding a little comedy in the midst of the tragedy.

3. Read other authors and see how they do it. 
If you still aren't sure what to do, take Stephen King's advice from his book, On Writing: "You have to read widely, constantly refining (and redefining) your own work as you do so. If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.” Talk to a librarian; read middle-grade reading blogs; check out state recommended reading lists--there are ways to find books that deal with grim subjects, and figure out how these successful authors deal with a young audience but a serious subject. Learn from them, and then transfer these ideas to your own work.

So have you ever read a book for 12 or under with a serious subject? How did you feel the author handled this problem? Are you facing this in your own writing? We'd love to hear about your experiences.

Margo L. Dill is the author of three books for children and teaches novel and children's writing courses for WOW! Check out more about Margo at http://www.margodill.com . 

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8 comments Holes, Louis Sachar, Margo L. Dill, On Writing, Stephen King, writing a middle grade novel

Marketing is All About Connecting

Writers, published or not, have to think about marketing. I recently read an article, where the author stated if you're planning to publish a book, you must start building your marketing platform three years in advance. But what does this really mean? Are you supposed to have a certain number of Twitter followers? Blog on a regular schedule? Create business cards and brochures?

Sure, all of those are important. But what's really crucial and what builds your contacts is connecting with your audience. It's really no different than your personal life. With your loved ones, you make connections--there's a give and take in these relationships. It should be the same with your marketing. You need to connect with your audience. You need to provide information or service, and you can also be a little personal, as long as you stay professional.

So how do you connect with your audience and build your contacts?

1. Show your value: No matter what you write: memoir, self-help books, romance novels, or children's picture books--you have something of value to share with people. This marketing strategy is easier for nonfiction writers because the content of their work is usually what their audience wants to learn about. For example, if you write books about saving money, you can provide tweets and blog posts with tips about saving money. Your audience will follow you because they want to learn more.

Fiction writers have a harder time with this, but it is still important. For example, I write children's books. What is my value? My books entertain and teach about a child's world. As a teacher, I also know a thing or two about kids and reading. So, I can provide information on the value of reading, fun kids books, books similar to mine, questions to go with books, and more. I could even point out sales on Amazon or library programs to check out. All of these things have value to people in my network, and they help promote my books and me as a speaker and teacher.

2. Be honest. This sounds so simple, but it's true. Sometimes, we struggle. Sometimes, we fail. I think one of the problems new writers have is that they read a lot of blog posts or writing craft books, which make it sound like if you just try hard enough, a publishing contract will be waiting for you at your doorstep. I mean, the likelihood of eventually having success if you work hard is high, but it's not guaranteed.

Honesty is one reason why I love Stephen King's On Writing so much and recommend it to all my writing students. I don't like reading horror books. But King's honesty in the first part of On Writing , about his struggles with drug addiction and becoming a successful writer and then years later, recovering from being hit by a car, is amazing.

Be honest with your network, but remain professional--this is what King did. How can you do this too?  Let's say: you are struggling with finding time to write. You could send out a tweet: I'm not writing every day. What works for you? Let's say you received a rejection or didn't win a contest, you could write a blog post about this failure. But then give it a positive spin: so I am reworking the beginning of the story and sending it back out to these five places tomorrow.

3. Think about your audience.  Do not think only about yourself and what you want. You need to consider what your followers want to. This is simply a matter of putting yourself in their shoes. Does someone really want to read blog post after blog post about your daily writing struggles or about the tricks your dog can do or about all your success on the bestseller list? No, people want variety. They want value (see number 1) and honesty (see number 2). Mix up your marketing. Think about the authors you like and follow. Why do you follow them? Can you do the same with your own unique twist because that's what your audience wants?

The bottom line is marketing is about connecting. How do the writers you follow connect with you? Study this, and then find a way to do it with your own style and flair.

Margo L. Dill is the author of three books for children and teens, owns an editing business (Editor 911), and teaches online novel writing and children's writing classes for WOW!    

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4 comments connecting with readers, Margo L. Dill, marketing, social media, social media marketing, Stephen King

Three Books for Every Writer

In the season of gift-giving, I've seen a lot of lists for writer gifts. Here are three books that would help ANY writer--no matter what she writes:

Punctuation..? by User Design is a simple book to use--it has 21 punctuation marks, including some that aren't that well known, which is one great thing about this book. Everyone knows periods, commas, and quotation marks. But do you know where to place curly/braces (a type of brackets) or how to use guillemets properly? Each mark also has explanations for different uses as well as examples that are easy to read. There are illustrations for each mark, too. These are simple black and white, cartoon-style drawings, which are somewhat humorous and usually a play on either the examples or the punctuation mark.

This would be a great book for a high school or college student or a writer who needs to brush up on their punctuation. You will not get bogged down with explanation or unneeded remarks on style. When you are trying to figure out if you need to use a comma or not, then turn to the comma page, read the explanation, and go on with writing.

Good idea for a stocking stuffer this holiday!

 Novelist, editor, and workshop leader Jessica Bell had a great idea--create writing exercises to help writers improve their craft in the areas all of us need help with: show vs tell, avoiding adverbs and cliches, and the best one of all--using sensory details in our writing (I need this reminder all the time!).

Bell's books are organized with exercises for you to do. Then she provides some examples to compare your writing or to give you some ideas if you are struggling. These are not books where Bell attempts to tell you how to write or what you should do in your own work. She gives you some tips in these areas that can kill a manuscript and then lists some exercises and great examples to build YOUR OWN WRITING AND YOUR OWN VOICE.

If you are on a budget and can't afford fancy writing classes or conferences, you will get a lot out of Writing in a Nutshell, which has her three previous editions of the Nutshell books inside plus some new content. I use this book to teach novel writing to adults all the time!

If you read NO other writing book ever, except On Writing by Stephen King, then you will be okay. This is the VERY best writing book I've ever read. I still use his advice today, and I am still inspired by the beginning of his book, when King shares how he was a drug abuser and struggling writer AND after he had commercial success but was hit by a car.

But the second half of the book is when King really shines, when he shares his writing knowledge with us all. I don't like his fiction--I'm scared of it. But I recommend this book to every writer I know. You won't be sorry if you read it or give it as a gift!


So happy holidays to you! What writing book would you recommend? 

Margo L. Dill teaches WOW! Women On Writing novel writing and children's writing classes. Check out her upcoming classes in 2015 in the WOW! classroom. Check out her books and bio at http://margodill.com/blog/

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4 comments gifts for writers, holiday gifts, Jessica Bell, Margo L. Dill, Stephen King, writing books

Graduation Lessons

Oh, yay! One day left in May and it’s mine!

I love May. May is spring rains and jasmine trailing around the fence. It’s wild-crazy freedom and singing at the top of your lungs, “School’s out for summer!” It’s joyous, exciting, hopeful graduation days!

I love those wonderful beginnings that graduation brings. I even enjoy commencement speeches. Especially one like Neil Gaiman’s keynote address to The University of the Arts.

Now, honestly, I’m an unabashed fan of Neil Gaiman. I love his novels, his picture books, his graphic comics. And when I saw him speak here one rainy evening and saw his kindness to the kids in the audience, I sort of crushed on him even more. So I would love whatever he had to say. But as it happens, you do not have to be an unabashed fan to love what he had to say. You don’t have to be a writer, either, but there are some really useful bits for us.

If you’re a freelancer, you’ll want to listen extra-carefully when he imparts his Secret Freelancer Knowledge. And you don’t want to miss what he considered his best piece of advice ever that he received from Stephen King. You’ll probably find it interesting that there are problems that come with success as well as failure.

And perhaps most interesting of all, he recommends that you make mistakes. I agree wholeheartedly—and I have the mistakes to prove it.

My first short stories were horrendous. Stunk with a capital S. But that didn’t keep me from sending them out. And then, a contest judge felt compelled to point out just how much one of my stories stunk. I learned from those mistakes—and my short stories improved.

I have a HUGE file of Chicken Soup essays that were rejected. But eventually, after lots of head banging on the desk and rewrites, I figured out what I was doing wrong. Now, my file of Chicken Soup essays that have been accepted is almost as huge as the rejection file.

The novel manuscript that I have revised over and over and over again has nearly brought me to tears (Okay, that’s a lie. I have literally cried.). But with each revision, with each critique, the corrections have made the novel stronger. And I hope, someday, to see it published. That’s when I’m going to throw my own joyous, exciting graduation celebration!

Boy, I really, really hope it’s in May.

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4 comments commencement speech, graduation, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, The University of the Arts, writing mistakes, writing tips

A Great Writing Resource from a King

By Margo L. Dill (www.margodill.com)

Out of the hundreds of writing books that line library and bookstore shelves, my favorite, and the one I actually use, is Stephen King’s On Writing. And my love for his writing book does not stem from my love for his other work. I respect and admire him as an author, but frankly, his tales give me nightmares. I love his writing book because it is honest and funny and practical. Any writer of any genre can use this book to improve his or her craft!

One of the reasons I love his book is because it is an autobiography as well as writing advice on the craft. The autobiography should be inspirational to all of us who complain and hate “our day jobs.” Whenever I am whiny about not being a full-time writer, I try to think of King and his description of doing laundry for a seafood place. I won’t go into it for those of you possibly eating while reading this blog, but let’s just say, being a little tired from working with kids all day is a piece of cake compared to King’s job before he was famous.

But his writing advice is what makes me open the book again and again. It is what makes me share the book with my friends and critique group members and now, all of you. Two of his tips have stuck with me and have worked their way into most of my writing as well as the editing and revising advice I give to my Editor 911 clients (Editor 911 is what I call my small freelance editing business). The first is to use adverbs sparingly (even though I used an adverb right there.) King believes, and I agree, that some writers rely on adverbs to convey their message instead of using stronger verbs or nouns or even dialogue. He gives several convincing examples of how adverbs are really not needed. He also makes the wonderful point that when you do use an adverb every once in a while, it makes an impact on your reader and doesn’t get lost in a sea of adverbs. Of course, he states this point with several humorous examples and in a more poignant way, so check out his book to learn from the master.

The second piece of advice he gives also makes it into my writing, especially into my current ya novel. He says when he reads a description of a character in a novel, he doesn’t need to know what they are wearing. He can open up any clothes catalog to see people and their outfits. He wants to read descriptions that make a picture of the person in his mind with whatever clothes he wants to put on that person, unless the clothes are EXTREMELY important (such as the case of Monica Lewinsky’s dress.) He wants descriptions, of course, but again, I’m going to refer you to his book to find out how to do this!

I hope you will check out his book, which is also available as an audio book, so you could actually listen to it on your commute back and forth to your day job. That way, your free time can be spent putting his advice to work on your latest manuscript.

Happy Writing!
Margo

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2 comments Margo Dill, Stephen King, writing craft, writing inspiration