Writing – Page 182 – Jean's Writing

Choosing a P.O.V.—What is BEST for YOUR Story? Structure Part 9

Published on June 1, 2015June 1, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell

If you’ve ever been confused about POV in your writing, today’s Kristen Lamb Structure Part 9 post will help set your mind at ease. Take it away Kristen.

I love comments, tell me what’s happening with you and if you’re not already, please follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!

Kristen Lamb's Blog

This is my Upside-Down-Face

P.O.V. is a word that throws many new authors into panic. What is THAT? Prisoners of Vietnam? Pets of Vegans? Pals of Viagra? P.O.V. stands for Point of View. Traditionally, I’ve not included this lesson in my teachings on structure, but I am amending that since P.O.V. will affect structure.

The structure of a novel written in first person is very different than a novel using multiple third-person P.O.V. characters. Scenes will need a different kind of balancing, so choosing a P.O.V. should not be taken lightly. Yes, often choice of P.O.V. will come from author voice, but not always. Sometimes genre might influence our decisions as well.

Thus, today, we are going to whiz through Kristen’s P.O.V. Spark Notes.

***Just a quick reminder though. Comment over at my new Dojo Diva blog and there is a separate contest for comments with better odds of winning…

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To Do List For Writers

Published on May 31, 2015May 30, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell4 Comments

What is the best way to publish your book?

This past week I discovered more information than I know what to do with.

So hold on to your hat, all my writer friends. There is a lot to learn about sending your baby to market.

Let’s start with Aggregators and Distributors.

Carla King, over at Bowker, did a great job in explaining the difference between aggregators and distributors but most important she explains why we need to know that difference.

Book aggregators and distributors: A short primer by Carla King

Ms. King gives her recommendation based on what your goals as a writer might be.

I’m making a short cut on my desk top for her post. She covers every thing from formatting, publishing and distributing. This is a gold mine for writers.

Click on her link to read what is the best way to publish your book. Yes there is also a lot of advertising too but don’t let that dissuade you from picking up the nuggets to help you reach your writing goals.

Also, do you want additional info on getting an ISBN?

Then Rachael Ritchey can answer just about every question you can think of regarding an ISBN for your book.

Do you need an ISBN for ebook, paperback, hardback or audio?

Find the answers, get the skinny on buying an ISBN at:

Questions People Ask: ISBNs

Now I need to go lay down, I’m exhausted.

Dog Sleeping in her Notebook after Studying

I love comments, tell me what’s happening with you and if you’re not already, please follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!

How to Manage Scenes in a Novel—Structure Part 8

Published on May 28, 2015May 28, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell

Read, study this awesome blogger. Kristen is a wealth of information for all of us writers. Here is Part 8 to help with writing the perfect scene.

I love comments, tell me what’s happening with you and if you’re not already, please follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!

Kristen Lamb's Blog

And….ACTION!

As a fiction author, you will often feel like an acrobat spinning plates while standing on your head and juggling fiery chainsaws. There are so many components to keep track of, lest you end up down the Bunny Trail of No Return. Organization is key when it comes to being a successful novelist.

Before we continue, if you want better odds of winning my 20 page critique at the end of the month, I am running a separately drawn contest over on my Dojo Diva blog where I am talking about why everyone (but especially females) needs at least some basic self-defense training. Comments count for one entry. Comments with a hyperlink count for two. And you get to learn about beating up bad people.

Moving on…

We have spent the past few weeks studying the fundamentals of what makes up a novel, and today we are going to discuss…

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Why not turn that novel into a short story?

Published on May 27, 2015May 27, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell13 Comments

May is almost over and so is National Short Story Month.

Did you submit a short story? Wish I’d spent my time on NSSM instead of reading, studying and ripping my current work in progress (WIP) apart. Now I’m considering just burying it in the back of my closet and denying its existence.