writing tips – Page 47 – Jean's Writing

Do you bog down the reader with too many details?

Published on September 10, 2015September 9, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell9 Comments

How much is enough?

Is the Devil really in the details?

Many of y’all are too young to remember Dragnet, a 1950’s TV series. A movie remake in 1987 starring Dan Aykroyd, and Tom Hanks didn’t do justice to the old B&W series.

But so many times I want to make sure my reader “gets” the point. As a result, too often I bog the reader down in details that just muddy the water.

As Joe Friday used to say, “Just the facts, Ma’am.”

Like many of you readers out there, I sometimes skip through a story like Dorothy on the yellow brick road rushing toward Oz.

No one, myself included wants to read the boring stuff. So how do we strike a balance?

Jerry Jenkins wrote, How to Evoke Powerful Images in Your Reader’s Mind

In his post, he suggests that too often as writers, we crush the reader’s imagination instead of igniting the images.

Don’t force the details. Every reader wants an “ah-ha” moment.

Don’t strive for the reader to see what you see.

Resist the urge to explain and trust the reader to follow their own path of discovery.

So what do you think? Is your writing lighting fires or crushing the reader under the boulders of information?

You’ve made it this far so give me just two more seconds and hit Facebook and Twitter and share.
Thank you!
If you’re not already, I’d be much obliged if you would follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!

Where to find your audience

Published on September 8, 2015September 5, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell1 Comment

Ever heard of Wattpad?

Need more feedback, a wider audience, help with your idea?

Feedback

Have a book that needs more exposure?

Check out Wattpad!

Wattpad boasts the website is “Story Telling Redefined.”

Thousands of stories are uploaded every day. There is something for everyone.

I’m just starting to venture onto the website. It is a fascinating place to try out your book, story or ideas. People around the world log on, read and vote for favorites. I must admit, I’m a little intimidated with this site, but I’m now scoping it out because:

Stories are free to read and post. They can be read anywhere, anytime, and on any device.

With 100 Million stories, 40 Million Wattpadders, and 11 Billion (yes with a B) minutes spent on Wattpad every month.

In addition, there are:

Now that is an outreach and a half!

Over at David Farland’s Writing Tips website he posted a guest article by Sarah Benson on how she hit #1 on Wattpad

Everything you need to know to get started—and get rockin’—on Wattpad.

So are you ready to be a Wattpadder?

You’ve made it this far so give me just two more seconds and hit Facebook and Twitter and share.

Thank you!

If you’re not already, I’d be much obliged if you would follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!

Are you almost ready?

Published on September 5, 2015September 5, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell19 Comments

To publish that book!

Where to go, what to do and how!

The questions are many, but hopefully these two experienced writers can help us all figure out the maze of self-publishing.

I’m playing with Createspace and trying to familiarize myself with the process. It can be intimidating, at least for this newbie.

However, after reading the step by step instructions provided by by Bryan Hutchinson over at Postive Writer, I feel a lot better. Bryan was kind with a quick response to my question too.

How to Publish a Paperback Book for FREE Using Createspace by Bryan Hutchinson

I wanted to know if I should use Ingram Spark in addition to Createspace. He suggested I publish everywhere, including Ingram Spark and even Nook Press.

From all I’ve read Ingram Spark is a must to get into stores. Still a bit confused, I was thrilled to open the following post by Jen Lang. She wrote a follow-up piece to article on How to Use CreateSpace and IngramSpark Together by Karen Myers.

Book Production: More Tips on Using CreateSpace and Ingram Spark Together by Jen Lang

Not that’s what I call Kismit.

Maybe you’re not ready yet to pull this trigger, but I think it’s important to be ready for that big day. So curl up on this long weekend and read these amazing articles. You’ll be glad you did.

After all luck is when preparation meets opportunity. (Something like that.)

Hope you learn as much as I did from the two articles and soon we all will say, “Published.”

You’ve made it this far so let me know what you think, and then give me just two more seconds. Hit Facebook and Twitter and share.
Thank you!
If you’re not already, I’d be much obliged if you would follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!

Need to get organized?

Published on September 3, 2015September 2, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell10 Comments

Do you need help organizing your writing?

Well, I do!

Because sometimes I’ve had so many files swirling around in my computer that I forgot which one was the last one.

I check the dates. Grab what looks like the right one, but lo and behold there is another one way over on the other side of a black hole.

Head slap! How in the hell did a 100 pages end up with the cookie recipes?

Listen, I’ve always considered myself a pretty organized person. I like the potato chips on the bottom shelf of the pantry. Drives me nuts when someone moves them around.

But sometimes my fiction runs rampant, and like scurrying little mice, stories duck into hiding spaces on the far side of my computer.