Jennifer Becton's Blog, page 10

 Life gets busy and chaotic, and sometimes, I need to look back and remind myself of what I read in my last sitting.

So I’ve decided to keep the chapters of Dead Inside available longer than just two weeks.

When new installments of the serial novel are posted, the old ones will not disappear!

That way, you can reread or just refresh your memory about what’s going on in the story.

If you like what you read, you can share it with your friends, and they can start from the beginning and not miss a scene!

If you’ve read the first chapter of Dead Inside, my unpublished paranormal mystery, then you already know the basic premise of the mystery.

A victim of an apparent suicide is discovered in a locked (from the inside) house with a shotgun in his lap. But his brain, which has been ejected from his skull, is in the next room. On the other side of a wall.

How did the brain get there?

Katherine Ramsland described this unsolved (as far as I know) case in her keynote address at the Writers’ Police Academy in 2011. She asked the audience to ponder not only how the brain ended up in another room but how the death might have occurred. Was it a murder, a suicide, or an accident?

Unsurprisingly, none of us in attendance made any breakthroughs in the case, which has stumped police since it occurred (again, as far as I know). I don’t have many details about the actual case. If I knew anything–name, location, date–I’d enjoy delving into the real mystery myself.

But I don’t.

Still, I couldn’t get this scenario out of my head, and in lieu of being able to provide a realistic answer to the conundrum, I wrote my own, paranormal version of what might have occurred.

Calla’s ambiguous death case in Dead Inside is inspired by the case in Ramsland’s speech. Her work as a forensic psychologist also informed Calla’s role in the book. I gave everything a paranormal spin that causes both the case and the profession to veer sharply from reality.

Help me solve the case! If you’ve read Dead Inside, how do you think the brain into the next room? If not, how do you think it could have happened in the inspiration case?

Read the serialized edition of Dead Inside FREE!
Chapter 1 Available Now!

I’ve spent that last few years trying to figure out how to convert this blog from one that reaches writers and indie publishers to one that reaches more readers.

After a lot of failed attempts to attract readers using pictures, blog posts, and complete randomosity, I realized something.

I’d completely lost sight of what readers want from writers.

So I started thinking about what I look for when I visit other writers’ websites.

That led me to a startling fact: I don’t visit many other writers’ websites. Not for the purpose of fangirling, anyway. (I visit other indie authors’ sites for work purposes, however.) I don’t visit the blogs of the writers I read strictly for pleasure.

Then, I asked, “Why not?”

As a reader, I’m not passionate about the writer. I’m excited about the books the writer creates. I may have a passing interest in how they write or how they got started. I may take a peek at maps or artistically rendered quotations. But ultimately, I want more books, and I want them yesterday.

So that leads me to the belief that readers want more of what they read.

Readers want more stories. They want books faster!

As a writer, I want to share books with readers as fast as I possibly can. The problem is that the complete writing process takes a lot of time, at least for me. Two months are devoted exclusively to professional editing. That’s not counting the time it takes for me to write and rewrite and re-rewrite the text. It takes me time to write, edit, and prefect each book–not as much as George R. R. Martin. But still, it’s a long process.

I wish I could speed up this process, but I cannot guarantee the quality if I try to work faster. And I don’t want to ask readers to pay for a book or story that isn’t the best it can possibly be.

But I can give it to you for free.

And so I give you…

Here’s what you need to know about SnapStories.

SnapStories may be deleted scenes, short stories, and/or sneak peeks at upcoming novels.

Or they may also be unpublished novels that are released chapter by chapter in serial fashion. (Each chapter will self-destruct in 2 weeks when the next chapter is released.)

Content will only be available online (as .pdfs) at BectonLiterary.com.
It will be available for a limited time.
Only one chapter will be available at any given time, so don’t get behind!
The stories won’t be perfect. They will be released online before final editing and additions have taken place.
But they will be complete. Eventually. (In the case of serialized novels, they will be completed over time.)
And they will be subject to change. In fact, in the case of novels, that’s a guarantee. What you read in the free version will not be the same as the final, published book. The published version will likely be quite a bit longer, and the ending may change, all the way down to whodunnit. It’s been known to happen late in my process when a better idea strikes.
Once the final book is published, the free version is gone forever. (I’m not allowed to give away books that are for sale. Ethics, yo.)

Here’s the very first SnapStories installment: the first chapter of Dead Inside, my unpublished paranormal mystery.

Warning

Dead Inside Installment 1 will self destruct on September 19.

 

Dead Inside Snap 1SEC

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Thank you for reading this SnapStories installment of Dead Inside by J. W. Becton.

Get notified when each new SnapStory becomes available!

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Remember
Dead Inside Installment 1 will self destruct on September 19.
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Leave me a comment! What do you think of chapter 1 of Dead Inside?

I’ve spent that last few years trying to figure out how to convert this blog from one that reaches writers and indie publishers to one that reaches more readers.

After a lot of failed attempts to attract readers using pictures, blog posts, and complete randomosity, I realized something.

I’d completely lost sight of what readers want from writers.

So I started thinking about what I look for when I visit other writers’ websites.

That led me to a startling fact: I don’t visit many other writers’ websites. Not for the purpose of fangirling, anyway. (I visit other indie authors’ sites for work purposes, however.) I don’t visit the blogs of the writers I read strictly for pleasure.

Then, I asked, “Why not?”

As a reader, I’m not passionate about the writer. I’m excited about the books the writer creates. I may have a passing interest in how they write or how they got started. I may take a peek at maps or artistically rendered quotations. But ultimately, I want more books, and I want them yesterday.

So that leads me to the belief that readers want more of what they read.

Readers want more stories. They want books faster!

As a writer, I want to share books with readers as fast as I possibly can. The problem is that the complete writing process takes a lot of time, at least for me. Two months are devoted exclusively to professional editing. That’s not counting the time it takes for me to write and rewrite and re-rewrite the text. It takes me time to write, edit, and prefect each book–not as much as George R. R. Martin. But still, it’s a long process.

I wish I could speed up this process, but I cannot guarantee the quality if I try to work faster. And I don’t want to ask readers to pay for a book or story that isn’t the best it can possibly be.

But I can give it to you for free.

And so I give you…

Here’s what you need to know about SnapStories.

SnapStories may be deleted scenes, short stories, and/or sneak peeks at upcoming novels.

Or they may also be unpublished novels that are released chapter by chapter in serial fashion. (Each chapter will self-destruct in 2 weeks when the next chapter is released.)

Content will only be available online (as .pdfs) at BectonLiterary.com.
It will be available for a limited time.
Only one chapter will be available at any given time, so don’t get behind!
The stories won’t be perfect. They will be released online before final editing and additions have taken place.
But they will be complete. Eventually. (In the case of serialized novels, they will be completed over time.)
And they will be subject to change. In fact, in the case of novels, that’s a guarantee. What you read in the free version will not be the same as the final, published book. The published version will likely be quite a bit longer, and the ending may change, all the way down to whodunnit. It’s been known to happen late in my process when a better idea strikes.
Once the final book is published, the free version is gone forever. (I’m not allowed to give away books that are for sale. Ethics, yo.)

Here’s the very first SnapStories installment: the first chapter of Dead Inside, my unpublished paranormal mystery.

When I was a kid, I loved going to the grocery store with my mom. Not because I liked food shopping, but because I got to look in the school supplies aisle while she loaded up the cart with food.

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This Bic 4-color Pen was my ultimate ideal writing device. I mean, 4 colors! And the clicky, slidey things! Plus, you could take off the cover and write with all four inks at once! WOW!

Admit it. You had this pen too. I still have one, but I don’t love writing with it. Ballpoint pens have a place, but they aren’t the pens I use for work purposes.

Now, I prefer gel pens.

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Lots of people love the Pilot G2, including my husband. But I’m going to say it. I don’t love it. It’s a good, smooth-flowing pen with bold colors. It comes in various sizes from ultra fine (0.38 mm) to ultra not fine, otherwise known as 1.0 mm.

However, for my writing style, there is too much play in the spring/tip of the G2 (at least in the pens I’ve tried). The spring moves around within the casing, causing vibration and noise. It totally ruins the feel for me. It’s probably just personal preference. Maybe if you have a different writing style, you’d like it as much as everyone else seems to.

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For years, I’ve been a devotee of the Papermate Gel 0.7. The ink is smooth, and there’s no spring vibration that I sense in the Pilot G2s. They are available in 0.5, 0.7, and 1 mm sizes.

Papermate Gels last a long time and are comfortable for me to hold. They come in numerous colors, but I find the pink and orange not saturated enough to be easily legible. The green and red are okay. But I’ve gone through about a squillion black, blue, and purple inks. The ink needs a few seconds to dry before becoming smear-proof, but it’s not an outrageous dry time. The flow of ink is good, but there can be slight ghosting (A shadow is visible on the opposite side of some papers). (Not as much as the Inkjoy 0.7.)

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Recently I’ve become fond of the Papermate Inkjoy Gel Pens (0.7). These are super smooth and all of the ink colors I’ve tried are legible, including the pink, green, and red. I haven’t tried the yellow or orange, but based on the performance of the pink, I’d be willing to. They come in 0.5 and 0.7 mm sizes.

The company claims the ink dries three times faster than the Pilot G2. I can’t confirm that, but I’ve never smeared the ink (like I have with the Papermate Gel 0.7 above). The ink flow is plentiful, and there can be some ghosting, if that’s a concern. They are comfortable to use, and I want them all.

Uses

I use pens primarily for note taking, list-making, journaling, and planning. Recently, I’ve been grabbing Inkjoy Gel pens. I keep a black Inkjoy with my traveler’s notebook, which has heartier paper inserts. But I prefer the Papermate Gels for my Sugar Paper planner because the paper is thinner and ghosting becomes an issue. I also use the Papermate Gel in my sentence journal.

When it comes to publishing, I don’t edit often on hard copy. In fact, I try to avoid it at costs. It’s less efficient and increases the odds of introducing errors to the digital copy. However, if early readers prefer to read hard copies, I want them to use a bold pen and write big. I am not one of those people who freaks out about red ink. Red is actually my favorite color. But I have readers who believe writing in red ink “feels mean.” (Are you feeling traumatized by that color? If so, go find a safe space to calm down.)

If readers refuse to use red, I want them to use a bold blue, green, or purple ink. (Not black. Have you ever tried to find black marks on black ink? It ain’t easy.) The big writing request still applies because I do freak out if I have to spend half an hour per page looking for the teeny, tiny corrections that are supposed to be “nicer.” If that’s being nice, I’d hate to see their version of mean.

I hardcore love office supplies. I could go on forever about pens. I have a modest collection of fountain pens and a not-so-modest collection of artist stuff: markers, Sharpies, Papermate Flairs, brush pens.

Would you be interested in seeing more pens?

What is your favorite writing utensil and why?

Simpler is better.

That’s my mantra when it comes to the software I choose to use for my process.

Book creation can be broken down into three main categories: writing, editing, and typesetting. Here are the programs I like.

Writing: Scrivener
Scrivener, photo via Literature and Latte

For drafting, I work in Scrivener (for Windows, also avaialable for Mac IOS). I do not claim to be an expert in this software. I use it to about 1/10 of its capabilities. Apparently, you can do quite a bit of outlining, research compilation, and formatting. I don’t do anything like that. At this point in the writing process, I want my text to be a simple as possible. Visit the Literature and Latte website to get comprehensive details and screenshots.

There are two reasons I purchased this software:

Ability to navigate between large section of text with ease
Ability to move large sections of text with ease

That’s it. I wanted to be able to find and move scenes and chapters without having to scroll through the whole document. But the more I used the software, the more I came to appreciate the index cards and binder. I don’t outline in the traditional sense, but I use these features to create a structure to work within. I can have all my scenes divided and labeled, and I can order and reorder them easily.

Editing: Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word via office.com

Before purchasing Scrivener, I also wrote in Word. It was a huge pain for text creation and organization. But I still use Word for all my editing. Word is a nearly universal program in the PC world, and very few people have Scrivener. Also, for straight-line work, Word is just simpler.

After I complete my draft in Scrivener, I export it to Word. My copy editor and proofreaders perform their work in Word. (I almost never work on hardcopy. The only time I ever print a document is for volunteer readers who prefer it. Entering their corrections from hardcopy takes twenty times longer.)

Word is faster because it has the ability to track changes digitally in Revisions mode. Every change suggested by an editor is marked clearly for me to assess. With the click of a button, I can accept or reject each change. I do not have to enter text manually. During the editorial phase, the less manual additions, the better. The more I type, the more typos I can make…and no one reads after the proofer.

Typesetting: Microsoft Word

Typesetting is the process of formatting text for publication. Before this step, I don’t try to make my text pretty. I leave notes about page breaks, section breaks, and chapter heads. But I add the actual formatting later.

Yes, I typeset almost everything–both ebooks and paperbacks–in Word. I meant it when I said that I go for function over form. I don’t care how the text looks on my screen when I’m formatting. I don’t want fancy colors or “interesting” fonts. I want words on the screen. That’s it.

I do care very much how my text looks in ebook or paperback format. It doesn’t take a fancy program to create a clean format. I don’t attempt to code or get involved in anything too complicated. My belief is that the more basic my formatting, the better it translates into each medium. Aside from changing the version name, I do nothing different for Kindle, Nook, or Kobo files. They are all exactly the same. (In a later post, I’m going to cover ebook conversion software and cover creation software.) Paperbacks are more complicated, but Word still gets the job done.

Because I limit the number of programs used in book creation, I get very few “translation” errors. Every program enters its own invisible background information to the text, and that stuff can show up in funny ways when you try to move it to another program. I don’t waste time making my text pretty while I’m writing because I’m just going to strip it out anyway to start fresh.

Which do you prefer: form or function? What programs do you use on a daily basis?

I am a genre-phobe.

When I first started on my writing journey, I was hesitant to send Charlotte Collins to agents and publishers because I feared being forever bound to the Austenesque genre. I have nothing against that genre in particular. I had the same fear about being tied permanently to any one genre.

In the traditional publishing world, once you make a name in one genre, you are encouraged to stay there. It makes sense. If you made a name for yourself as a romance writer, then readers expect your books to be romantic. And they are understandably disappointed if they aren’t. Changing to a different genre means you target new readers.

Essentially, you’re starting over from scratch. To a publisher, whose goal is to sell books and make money, which is cheaper? Selling to an existing audience or cultivating a new audience? Most savvy business people will tell you that it is less expensive to keep old clients than to make new ones. 

From a business perspective, it makes sense to find a genre and stick to it.

If I stuck to one genre, I wouldn’t be true to my eclectic self. A look at my bookshelves will tell you that I’m an eclectic reader. I have nonfiction books on subjects like horses, psychology, self-defense, myth and legend, and homicide investigation. Novels by Jane Austen sit next to Charlaine Harris, Walter Farley, L. M. Montgomery, and Ayn Rand. I want to write what I love, and I love variety. I wouldn’t have been happy to write only Jane Austen-inspired novels and stories or only Southern murder mysteries.

But sticking with one would have been the safer bet.

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Not a lot of my Austen readers made the leap to the Southern Fraud Thriller Series. It was just too different. And that’s okay. I enjoy writing both types of books. And as an indie publisher, I have the freedom to take more risks with my writing choices. I can write a book about overcoming horseback riding fear, modern and historical Austenesque tales, murder mysteries, and even a paranormal mystery.

It all seems so random.

But even though I have eclectic tastes, all my writing contains a common thread: living fear free. Every book I write has that single theme in common. No matter what genre, I want my readers to come away from a book feeling  inspired to face the world without fear. I want to write heroes and heroines who overcome terrible odds. Maybe they don’t emerge completely unscathed, but they do emerge stronger and wiser. Every book I write–no matter what genre–starts with the hope that my words will inspire someone who is facing a difficult situation in their own life.

What genres do you like to read? What books–fiction or nonfiction–have inspired you along your journey in life?

There’s a mystique about writing.

Books seem to come into existence as if by magic, flying from the minds and fingers of authors. They even beam themselves onto our Kindles.

But it ain’t magic.

It’s a labor of love undertaken by regular people, like me, who love stories. We don’t all use the same process or the same tools. Some people have fancy systems, and some of us are simpler.

I’m offering a peek behind the writing curtain and to share what it really takes to write a novel. At least for me.

I don’t currently have an office or I’d start there. I’m planning to transform a guest bedroom into an official work space in the future. I intend to blog the process. (You have been warned.) Right now, I write wherever I happen to be: living room, car, kitchen. I don’t often write at coffee shops. I’m down with solitude.

So, tech tools first. I’m pretty basic, and I’m not brand loyal when it comes to tech. I go for what works, meaning I prefer functionality over form. Pretty colors and sleek designs are nice, but I need something that functions for me.

For writing, I currently use a Toshiba Satellite 17.3 inch laptop because it has:

a ginormous screen

I can increase font sizes for easy reading and still get a decent amount of words on the viewing screen.
I can see my outline and my book text at the same time (in Scrivener, more on that in a future post).
A wide screen means a wider keyboard, which means I don’t have to wad myself up to type.


a number pad

I still can’t efficiently use the numbers on a standard keyboard.


portability

The screen may be huge, but I can still carry it wherever I need to go.


loads of memory

Text files don’t take up much space, but still, I manage to fill up memory fast.

Since we’re talking about memory, I should mention that I backup my writing every night on a portable flash drive. (I also have backups of the backups in various locations.) Yes, I keep multiple digital copies of every single version of every single book I’ve ever written. That means I always have the latest version, but I can also return to a previous version if something goes wrong.

And now for some nagging: No matter what work you do back it up DAILY! And don’t trust backups that live on your computer. That hard drive ain’t gonna live forever. Duplication is the key. Put copies all over the place.

Use a cloud
Use a flash drive, which is what I use
Use your phone
Use a stone tablet and chisel

…but back up your work! Daily. [End nagging.]

I also can’t live without my wireless mouse. I dislike the touch pad on the laptop. I’m far too klutzy to use it effectively, so I usually disable it or set it so that it takes a heavy touch to engage it. Otherwise, I end up deleting text with my wrists. Don’t ask how I manage it. But I do.

So those are my techy tools. Up next, software….

How to be an original thinker or a creative success: try.

And keep trying.

The more output you churn out, the more variety that you get. And the better your chances of stumbling on something truly original….

Being quick to start but slow to finish can boost your creativity. –Adam Grant (See full video below.)

Listen up. Sometimes, you’ve just got to repel people’s whining with your happiness shield. Boundaries are important, even among friends. Watch the video to find out how.