by Lynne | Aug 19, 2013 | Uncategorized
Does POV Really Matter?
Did you ever find yourself reading a book, a good book, but find that something is bothering you about it? You can’t quite put your finger on it, so you sigh, throw it down for a while then pick it up later. The story is compelling, the descriptions atmospheric, the characters well-drawn. So what’s the problem?
This has happened to me a number of times and I finally decided it was time to solve the mystery. Ha! After all, as a writer, I could be doing exactly the same “wrong” thing. My readers could be throwing down my book . . . and not picking it up again.
So I decided to become a detective, a writing sleuth. My plan: the next time I came across this dilemma, I would stop and carefully dissect the pages and analyze the situation. Well, as it turns out, this happened on my very next book. I started reading a British WhoDunnit, one with good reviews, which means it’s good, right? Since I paid $12.99 for the e-version, I knew it was not a self-published book. Ahh, a real book. It must be good.
I will not name the book, because I don’t think that’s fair to the writer. In fact, it is pretty good so far. (I’m only a quarter of the way through at this writing.) The book is dark, historic, lots of murders, a country manor, an inspector with baggage. Hmm. Could be any book. But seriously, it’s nicely written and I keep turning the page.
Enter the problem. Point of View. I am in the head of the inspector as he visits one of the key characters, an attractive woman, in the story. I see the room through his eyes, hear the world with his ears, and think his thoughts about the situation as he speaks to her.
Suddenly, I am looking at the inspector through the woman’s eyes. No space break, no page break, just boom. In one sentence he notices her good looks, etc. etc. In the next, she is unnerved by the dark look on his face. She is thinking about what he’s like, etc. etc. Then back to the inspector.
Aha. Caught you! Because this writer is skillful, it wasn’t easy to discern exactly what the problem was. But these subtle POV shifts are disconcerting and give the book an uncomfortable edge. Frankly, they just annoy me, now that I recognize them for what they are.
I have no doubt that many authors are guilty of this POV faux pas. And some may be able to get away with it. I say may because I doubt it. Some of the more acclaimed literary authors like Pat Conroy, whose southern saga, South of Broad, I just finished, or Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City, would never shift POVs in this choppy manner. I haven’t read Stephen King or John Grisham in a while, but I’m betting they don’t shift this way either. It’s actually amateurish and indicative of inexperienced writers.
Why do authors do it? It’s tempting to try to get a lot of information to the readers quickly and to establish who your characters are early. If you go back and forth between characters and get inside each one’s head, the reader will learn a lot right away. The problem is the reader may very well quit reading because they’re confused and never learn anything more. You’re also doing an injustice to your characters by giving them only a few lines of introspection or a brief emotional outburst, rather than a whole scene to themselves. Think about your characters. What’s the best way to get to know them? Flip-flopping inner thoughts with another character? Or devoting a whole scene, even a short one, to them? Tight, snappy dialogue can also give truer insight into a character than myriad POV shifts.
I’m tuned in to these pesky POV shifts now, so I spot them easily. When you start reading your next book, keep this concept in the back of your mind. If something is bugging you and you can’t figure out what on earth it is, see if POV shifts aren’t the reason.
And, more important, keep it in mind when you start writing your next book.
by Lynne | Aug 12, 2013 | Uncategorized
Nah, I’ll Stick to Writing
I was sitting in my car the other day, waiting for the light to change, and I noticed a sign twirler on the corner. He was a young man, wild and frizzy yellow hair, who probably loved sun and surfing when he wasn’t twirling. He tossed the sign five feet in the air, spun it, flipped it and caught it before I could even see what the sign said. Not much good for advertising, since the sign twirler was that good.
The light changed and as I drove off I wondered how I would do as a sign twirler. Not good, my husband said. Not because I was too old, not that agile or deft at spinning. No, not good because I wouldn’t do well looking like a fool. That made me think of other jobs for which I would not be suited. Here are a few. Think about how you would do:
1. Hot Dog Vendor. I used to love getting a hot dog on the streets of NYC and don’t they always look delicious on Law & Order? (They actually are!) Still, could I sell them? The cooking part, no problem. The social chit chat, no problem. Until a disgruntled customer came along. Then I’d probably tell him or her where to go. Hmm, maybe I would be okay . . . in NYC. Fuhgeddaboutit.
2. Mad Bull Ride Operator. We just came back from a Street Fair where there was a, yes, Urban Cowboy-like Mad Bull Ride. As I watched, about ten people rode. All ten fell off in less than ten seconds. A good way to get your frustrations out, however, for the operator. Particularly if the rider gave you the stink eye. Grab that joystick. Left-right, pitch, yaw, down ya go. Eeeha!
3. Phone Psychic. Now this is a distinct possibility. I have few psychic, or is that psycho, abilities, but if you’re on the phone, who would know? I could write a script, ready-made for the caller. Let’s see, young woman looking to find rich husband. Older woman looking to find rich husband. Obviously rich husbands are in short supply. Business exec trying to get ahead. I could do this psychic thing. Biggest problem — I’d be bored silly waiting for the phone to ring.
4. Live Mannequin or Human Statue. You know these amazing people who can hold a pose for minutes at a time, without blinking or sneezing. Like the one I’m standing near in Avignon, France. This, I can say, with all honesty, I could not . . . nay, could never do. I can’t stay still for 30 seconds, let alone minutes. Eeeek.
5. Snake Milker. This job caught my eye when I looked up unusual jobs. No wonder. Now, I’m an animal lover. I even love snakes. But I draw the line here. Eeegads. What more can I say?
6. Central Park Gondolier. When I was in Venice last year, I watched from the many bridges the gondoliers rowing by with their tourists. Looks like a fun and easy occupation, right? Until you remember they must clean the gondolas top to bottom and the bottom is underwater. I have a thing about going underwater. Especially dirty water. Maybe the water is cleaner in Central Park than Venice, but I think I’ll pass.
So, in the end, I’ve made my decision. I’ll stick to writing.
by Lynne | Aug 5, 2013 | Uncategorized
The Importance of Book Titles
In 2000, Literary Agent, Noah Lukeman wrote “The First Five Pages.” In this thin little gem on writing, he said that if the first five pages didn’t hold the reader, it was bye bye book.
Before you get to the first five pages, however, you must be grabbed by the title. When I browse a bookstore (what?) or surf online for a new book, the title is what captures my attention. (The book cover design is also important, but I’ll leave that for another blog.)
Let’s peruse the market to see what I mean. Some book titles say it loud and clear and leave you with no doubt what the book is about. David McCullough is a good one for non-fiction: “1776,” “John Adams,” “The Johnstown Flood.” No question about what the subject of each book is. Even novels can be pretty straight forward – the title hints at the story, although often more subtly. “Interview With a Vampire” is just that. “The Affair,” “Hostage,” even “The Patriot” gives you a hint about the novel’s plot.
Some books on writing use clever titles to attract you, but you still know what kind of advice they’re going to offer. “Eats, Shoots & Leaves” by Lynne Truss and “i never metaphor i didn’t like” by Dr. Mardy Grothe both use humor and a play on words to get their subjects across.
Humorous titles are a great gimmick to attract people to your book, but only if the book lives up to the humor. For those Catholic readers, this may resonate: “Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?” by John Powers. I’m not even going to touch that one. How about this: “Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong,” by James Loewen. Lies about anything always pique the imagination.
Here are a few titles that caught my attention while I was researching my books. “The Story the Soldiers Wouldn’t Tell: Sex in the Civil War” by Thomas P. Lowry, M.D. Another universal topic of fascination – sex.
When I was researching my book on the Salem witch trials, I ran across this one and laughed out loud. “Puritans at Play: Leisure and Recreation in Colonial New England” by Bruce Daniels. Kind of an oxymoron. Still, I bought it and the book was incredibly interesting and helpful. Had the title been just the second part without “Puritans at Play,” I’m not sure I would have noticed it.
There are the titles that use seductive words like “code,” “enigma,” “paradigm,” “dilemma” to proclaim a mystery or a conspiracy is hiding between the jacket covers. Think “The DaVinci Code” by Dan Brown.
Other techniques. Robert Bloch’s :”Psycho” hits you in the face with images of a mad man or woman, while Baldacci’s “Absolute Power” makes you think – who has the power, why, how, what does he do with it? As you read, the title becomes clearer and clearer until, whack, it too, hits you in the face.
Erik Larson’s “Devil in the White City” is a beautiful play on words. Black against white, good against evil. In Laura Hillenbrand’s “Unbroken, “she captures the spirit of one man, a World War II hero, in one powerful word.
My first book, “The Triangle Murders” began its life as “Tenement.” When my critique group suggested I come up with something a little more mystery-genre rather than literary since the story is about murder, arson, and foul play. So, I went with a simple “murders” using the name of the factory that formed the backdrop, The Triangle.
When I worked on my Civil War mystery, myriad plot elements fought for the title: different time periods, history, forensics, photography- both civil war and digital, massive conspiracies, and so on. It took a while, but “Time Exposure” was the result.
My recently published book, “Deadly Provenance,” was originally titled “Provenance” and posed a challenge. It’s about the Nazi confiscation of art and a missing Van Gogh painting (in actuality still missing.) I thought “Provenance” was perfect, until it dawned on me that not everyone would be familiar with the word. They might think it was a city in Rhode Island or the end of Cape Cod. Good grief. Plus the word might conjure up “art” but not necessarily mystery or murder. So I changed the title. Does it work?
You tell me.
by Lynne | Jul 29, 2013 | Uncategorized
It Really Matters
I’m nearing the end of a mystery that has me completely riveted. I haven’t been able to put it down for three days now, and I know I’m going to be bummed when I finish. Fortunately, a sequel is coming out in September.
The title is “A Killing in the Hills” by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Julia Keller. The prose is distinctive and original, the characters intense yet believable, and the story is artfully compelling. But when I analyze why I am so enjoying this book, I have to say, it’s the location. It takes place in a small, poverty-ridden town in West Virginia. Keller paints a grim and sorrowful image of a backwards country town thrown into chaos by a horrifying triple murder.
The idea made me think of other books in which the location kept me turning the page. Peter May’s “The Black House” takes place on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. A forbidding and dark, cold place and perfect for murder. Then there are TV series like “The Killing.” The Killing takes place in Seattle, but somehow the filmmakers managed to film only on days when it was raining — pouring buckets, actually. Bleh.
I guess I have a penchant for dark, cold, wet, poverty-stricken and forbidding places. It seems like crime would be rampant. But crime is pretty darn rampant in Las Vegas and Los Angeles and they’re not exactly dark and cold locations.
I also like big city grit. New York, LA, Chicago but there’s something about small, isolated towns that calls to me. To prove that location is an important factor for me, I’ve tried three of Louise Penny’s books now and really haven’t been thrilled. But I keep trying because they’re set in Québec and I’m fascinated by the area.
I’ve enjoyed the Amish series by Linda Castillo, which takes place in a small town, Painters Mill, in Ohio. Love the backdrop. And Stieg Larsson’s “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” Trilogy. I guess I love cold and snow as well as dark, dirty and cold.
Obviously, my feelings about location feed into my own writing. First book, the poverty-stricken tenements of the Lower East Side in NYC, second, the Civil War battlegrounds with its dead and dying, and third, Nazi Germany and France during the occupation. Can’t get much grimmer than that.
How about you? Does location fit prominently in your choice of where to set your stories? Do you pick places that are familiar, or those that are foreign and exotic, so you have to learn about them? A good trick for getting a travel write-off. How do you select the books you read? Does location play a role? Think about it.
Now, lest you think I live in one of these cold, dark, grim places . . . you’d be wrong. I don’t want to live there. I just want to read about them. Jeez, in San Diego, if the sun isn’t out 350 days, I’m depressed.
Hmm, I wonder if Jack the Ripper would have equated our morning marine layer with London fog.
by Lynne | Jul 22, 2013 | Uncategorized
Still Not Quite a Dream
I’ve just self-published my third mystery. About a year ago, I blogged about the dream and the nightmare of self-publishing. I want to give an update now.
First, let me say, I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned that I made a mistake using a company called BookBaby. Their accounting system is dreadful. It takes months to find out what your sales have been. Their excuse? Amazon takes a long time reporting. I don’t buy it. This is the reason I’m tempted to switch to Amazon’s KDP Select. Frankly, it makes me tired just thinking of changing, however. But I will at some point.
I will say that BookBaby did some excellent book cover designs for me. Check them out. And they were pretty inexpensive. But then I tried having them do the paperbacks and was very disappointed. They offered no help unless I had some premium package, and in the end, the books wound up with ridiculous margins and no page numbers or headers. Yikes. Thanks a lot, BB!
I went with Create Space (Amazon) and did POD paperbacks and have been very happy. Plus, their sales figures come in right away. Glad I own stock in Amazon and not BookBaby.
So, I’ve conquered the publishing aspect, sorta, kinda. Now what about the marketing? I’ve been focusing on social media. While I’ve made some good friends, and have some fans, I’m not soaring. What’s next? After self-publishing (or any kind of publishing) comes self-promotion. Endless possibilities. Maybe.
I could pay for advertising. I could hire a publicist. But I’ve come up with another idea. I’ve got a hook for my latest book that might generate interest. Widespread interest. I won’t tell you about it here; you’ll find out soon enough what it is and whether it’s successful. This “hook” will also allow me to provide regular updates to keep the idea constantly re-energized.
Author Lynne Kennedy
I guess I can say I’m into phase two of my book drama. Wish me luck!
And, by the way, writer friends, despite all the “I’s,” this is not just about me. Insert your name in one of the I’s above because many of you have had similar experiences.
I’d love to hear your success stories.
by Lynne | Jul 15, 2013 | Uncategorized
Is He Still a Joe?
One of the most important, but often most difficult part of writing a novel is selecting names for your characters. When you begin you might already have some in mind. But as the characters morph during the writing process, that name might no longer fit. If you’re writing a series and the same characters reappear, you still need to name new characters.
Villains’ names are particularly important to get right. Common sense tells you that “Melvin Fuddrucker” is probably not the best handle for a serial killer. Or is it? Do you want to throw the reader off and let him like or sympathize with your bad guy? Do you want the reader to think: Melvin, hmm, an accountant or a store clerk, when in reality, Melvin is a triathlete, computer genius, and serial killer? Obfuscation may be a good thing.
The good guys shouldn’t be shortchanged either. You want your characters to be memorable and to have your readers calling them by name six months after they’ve read your book. I have a hard time remembering names six hours after reading some books. But characters from other books stay with me for a lifetime. LONESOME DOVE by Larry McMurtry comes to mind. How can you forget Augustus, Call, Newt, or for heaven’s sake, Pea Eye?
So how do you choose names?
One thing to remember. Try not to have too many characters with the same first initial. So, Bob, Bill, Binky, Belinda, and Bruce would probably be confusing. A couple are okay, of course. My two main characters are Maggie and Mead. Duh. One’s a first name, one’s a last. But I’ve avoided other “M” names unless they are historically necessary.
Also, unusual names are okay but too many are dicey. Throw a few Jenovas in with the Jennifers. Don’t make them too hard to pronounce, either out loud or in the reader’s head. It’s frustrating. Of course, if many of your characters are from countries other than the States, throw that idea out the window. But, perhaps, giving them a nickname will make them easier to recall.
One problem with historical novels is that using the real names of people involved can present problems. For instance, in some books by Sharon Kay Penman, one of my all-time favorite writers of historical England, she explained that the spelling of some characters had to be changed to distinguish one Maud from another Maude. (Lots of Henrys, Johns and James as well. Yoiks!)
Timing is very important. Names fall in and out of favor over the years, so take care not to use a very modern YA name like Aisha or Brandon in a book about merry old England.
When you’re creating a character name from scratch, consider these: personality, looks, age, ethnicity, stature in the community, occupation, attitudes toward politics, etc., values, whether the character is single, married, gay. Does the character remind you of a good friend, a bad friend, a worker, colleague, television or movie character (Dexter? Miss Marple? Morse? Lynley? Zen?) Does the character have a sense of humor? Is the character always depressed, upbeat, brutally honest, or unbearably shy? What are their quirks, flaws, hobbies, passions, hates? Does he carry around a blue plastic bag instead of a briefcase like Tony Hill?
Do you want the character’s name to conjure up something in the reader’s mind? Like Charlie Parker in John Connolly’s books makes me automatically think of the jazz musician.
My villain, Jack Cade, better known as John Wilkes Booth
I had a difficult time giving my villain in TIME EXPOSURE a meaningful name. He was, by profession, a Shakespearean actor in disguise on the battlefield as a sutler (a guy who went around selling goods to the foot soldiers.) What name would this actor choose for himself? He selected the name Jack Cade for his cover. Why?
Jack Cade was actually a real person who led the peasants in the Kent rebellion of 1450. He was also a character in Shakespeare’s play Henry VI, Part 2. In the play he talks to his friend, Dick the Butcher, whose most famous line is “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” I thought my villain would get a kick out of that, and since he probably didn’t want to be called Dick the Butcher, Jack Cade he became.
Don’t underestimate the importance of your character’s names. If you want your readers to love a character, naming him Hitler or Attila would be a tough sell. Find names you like as you read books or newspapers, watch movies, or meet new folks at a party, and jot them down for the future. You might even try the phone book, but then you don’t have the advantage of seeing the name in action on a real person. Make something up, but explain in the novel what the name means to the characters involved.
While Shakespeare said “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” it would be hard to conjure up a picture of a beautiful flower if you called the rose, Limburger.
