How Long Should Your Chapters Be?

June 27, 2014June 27, 2014 Ronovan Writing Action, Chapter Length, Chapters, Format, Horror, Method, Mystery, Romance, Style, Thriller, Tips, Writing, Writing Process, Writing Tips

How Long Should Your Chapters Be?

by: Ronovan

Pick up any two books you have and you’ll likely find they vary in chapter length. Each author has their own style and preference.

To be honest this article isn’t about telling you which length is best. The story itself tells you where the cut off points are for a chapter. Don’t listen to a teacher or whoever about that. Sure an editor can help but when you are writing, get out of the way of the story.

I’ve written chapters 19 pages long and there wasn’t a place to break it up because everything needed to continue in order to flow properly. But then I’ve written chapters three pages long . . . maybe even less.

How do you pick a length? I mean there has to be some idea, right, some method?

As I’ve been writing for over 20 years now, I won’t mention that includes three different decades . . . uh oh, almost four, I’ve discovered methods are like opinions, and to paraphrase an old saying; “Methods are like belly buttons, everyone’s got one.” Okay, so there is another version of that old saying but I went with this one.

Let’s discuss briefly how you would approach determining chapter lengths before you begin writing.

The way I look at it, I would say this, if the action is fast, the short ‘em. If not and perhaps a lot of emotion and all that lovey-dovey stuff, then long ‘em.

The thing is, you’re going to have some of both in a novel. And that is what you really want. Chapter lengths that are uniform throughout a book can lead to boredom. It’s kind of like when you write an essay, or if you write a blog, keep the lengths varied, but not too long.

This doesn’t mean to intentionally alternate between the two, just let the story dictate it. That would be like sing-songing it. Don’t get pitchy dog. Word.

In conclusion?

Action-Short Chapters for me. This keeps the pace quick and exciting.

Suspense/Horror-Longer Chapters to bring in all the nuances that you need to pull a person into the scene. Chapters can be shorter once you’ve established character and made the reader comfortable.

Romance and Mystery-It all depends on what you have going on in the scene. Often times you may want to pull at the heartstrings with Romance more so you may need longer chapters at times. A good writer may not need to do it, but don’t short cut it. Mystery has a lot of examination involved thus longer chapters as well.

Ultimately, the story will tell me when to stop a chapter. It almost jumps on you and says STOP! You just have to learn how to listen.

What’s my personal preference? Good question. But the real question is this; What’s your belly button on the chapter length debate? Share.

Writing Tip: What about Coke? Using Brand Names

June 24, 2014June 24, 2014 Ronovan Writing Brand Names, Creative Writing, Legal, Legal Use of Product Names, Using Brand Names, Writing, Writing Tips

Writing Tip: What about Coke? Using Brand Names

by: Ronovan

I am a somewhat member of an online authors group of sorts and recently a discussion about using brand names came up. I read a few of the comments, but to be honest a lot of them were just a bit . . . well I’ll be honest, self important blowhards just wanting to be disagreeable or agreeing but in essay form.

Here are my thoughts in brief:

It is LEGAL to use brand names in your works. No problems there. Go right ahead and do it.
There are brand names that are what I call standard names for things now. Coke? Here in the South if you ask someone if they want a Coke it’s like asking them if they want a soda. It’s not necessarily being used as a brand name but a type name. A response might be, “Yeah, get me a Dr. Pepper.” Think the same thing with Kleenex and tissue. You don’t care if it’s a Kleenex as long as you get a tissue.
Use brand names when they make sense, especially to the character. I had a character in an action/thriller that smoked a particular kind of cigarette from a specific country. That was relevant to the character and was part of evidence. When the main character went to another country and rented a car I did research as to what kind of cars were there to rent. But don’t go overboard. If you can say the man rented a compact car that had his knees around his chin, do so. But if the character is flashy and seems into material things then you may specify a very expensive sports car. But always have it be relevant.

Use brand names if they are relevant and it’s legal to do so. End of story.

Don’t ALLOW people to control YOU.

June 23, 2014January 3, 2015 Ronovan Writing Blogging Tips, Creative Writing, Success Tips, Writing, Writing Tips

Don’t ALLOW people to control YOU.

by: Ronovan

Why are you not a success? You know why, because everyone is right about you. You give up every time.

Sounds a bit harsh doesn’t it? It does when put like I just did. But that’s the way we are told or the way we think it.

I wrote recently about Female Executive a lady executive from Coca Cola that I heard at a business luncheon. In that article I wrote about doing your best at whatever you are doing at a given time. Well I mentioned she gave two pieces of advice that day. I actually typed those pieces of advice up and saved them on my computer. What? You think I remember all this stuff?

As important as doing your best always is, controlling you is even more so. What do I mean by controlling you?

You LET others cause YOU to give up.

You ever had someone make you so mad that you just decided not to do whatever it was that you wanted to do that you were going to enjoy? If you answered no, I’ll give you a few moments to think about it so you can say yes.

Now that you had a chance to look at my cat, Kitty, I will go with a unanimous ‘Yes’ to my previous answer. And her name is Kitty, that wasn’t just a different way to call a cat. The lady executive explained that growing up she faced many people who told her she could not achieve her goals.

You are black and can’t get a good education.

You are black and female and can’t go to college.

You are black and female and can’t compete in business.

If she had listened to them, she would have allowed them to make her give up. By agreeing with them, she then chose to give in, if she had done so. If you choose not to do something, be it finishing a book, an art project, or a novel you have always wanted to write then YOU choose not to do it.

“But they made me mad.”

See your words there? They didn’t make you mad. You chose to LET them make you mad by allowing their words and their opinions control you.

If they say something the ball is now in your court. Do you return the serve and let them have control or do you just let it go and laugh at their anger over not being allowed to try and win the point?

The only person to control your creative output is you. The only one to control your anger and emotions is you.

“But you have no idea what I go through.”

And you don’t know what I go through either. But I choose to push on, and keep writing, creating, encouraging and loving those I come in contact with. Do I get all of that back in return from everyone? No, but then again I don’t go in expecting or asking it. I can only control me. If I turn out okay at the end of the day, if I accomplished my goals, if I have controlled my emotions, output and interactions then I have succeeded.

Does this work? Ask the lady millionaire who is probably retired by now with a great deal of stock in Coca Cola.

Or ask me. I wrote a 35,000-40,000 word book in one day. Would you tell me that it was not possible? Probably, and I was told I couldn’t do it. But I did and it’s in the revision stages now. I was told I couldn’t start a blog and do anything with it. I’m here. I’m told it’s physically impossible to do what I do, but I’m doing it.

You are here too, reading this and wondering if any of it makes sense. Give it a try. The next time someone cuts you off in traffic, don’t yell, don’t get angry, don’t swear, just let it go.

10 Things Every Writer Needs But Never Thinks About

June 20, 2014June 20, 2014 Ronovan Humor, Writing Advice, Alarm Clock, Butt Cushion, Butt Sweats, Canary, Chest Sweats, Creative Writing, Dog, Humor, humour, Nair, Needs, Plastic Flowers, Sex, Shamwow, Wedding, Writing, Writing Needs, Writing Tips

10 Things Every Writer Needs But Never Thinks About

by: Ronovan

There are things that every writer needs that they never think about and no one will ever advise them on. Well today I will share with you those secret things that only the most experienced and dedicated writers know about and like to keep to themselves. But don’t tell anyone or my life will be endangered. And with that I give to you the first secret need:

A Fluffy Butt Cushion
All serious writers must use one of these. Have you ever noticed that groove that forms on your middle finger from writing for so many years, I call it my writer’s mark? That comes from the wearing away of tissue from all that writing. Well imagine what all that writing is doing to your butt. For some of us that might be a good thing, but for others . . . well I can tell you there are some that need to hang onto what the good Lord gave them or they’ll fall right through the potty seat.

Clock With Multiple Alarm Settings
Those writers who make words their lives forget about everything else. Now enters the need to schedule everything and set an alarm to it.
• Potty breaks
• Lunch
• Taking a drink of water
• Bathing—If not, then skip the next three
• Sex
• Wedding day—if you actually remember to go on a date
• Dates—Otherwise don’t worry about the previous three
If you are a serious writer then you will also need a portable alarm set for appropriate lengths of time after the Potty Break and Date breaks, and possibly the Wedding Day . . . Honeymoons do not require alarms, as long as they are not over 48 hours long.

Nair
This is for men and women writers. Shaving of anything takes too much time. Nair the hair or go super earthy. Unless you are Alan Moore you will not get away with the Sasquatch look.

See-Through Shower Door

With your imagination you will never come out of the shower for fear of what is on the other side of the curtain.

Shamwows
You’re a writer, you know why you need this and where you need this, and I’m not talking about geographical location. Men admit it you have Butt Sweats, get the Shamwow. Women . . . I read about . . . Chest(?) Sweats today. (Sorry I just could not type the other word.) (Why is it warm in here now? Should I include a fan on this list?)

Canaries
These are just in case either; a) the alarm clock does not work, or b) you ignore the alarm clock when it alerts you to shower time. If the Canary dies, it’s time for a shower. Miners used these things for a reason.

Dog
As a writer you’ll need someone who will love you no matter what. Cats are too smart and independent to love you just because you offer them a three day old piece of left out pizza. Plus if you smell like roadkill they will NOT come near you. A dog will still think you are the greatest thing ever since . . . that piece of pizza. Then of course they will intentionally lick your face lovingly after licking their butt. Dogs are sneaky little guys.

Plastic Flowers

Why? You need an alarm to tell

you to go Potty and have Sex

and you are asking why

Plastic Flowers?

A Clue
See Previous Need.

Ideas
If you are making lists of crazy things such a Canaries and Butt Sweat towels then you really need more ideas to write about.

Thus ends THIS list of the 10 Things Every Writer Needs But Never Thinks About. Keep them secret and take them to heart.

Much Respect

Ronovan “Fluffy Cushion” Writes

(I don’t need the cushion. Just saying.)

Writing Tip: A Writing Method

June 18, 2014June 18, 2014 Ronovan Writing Creative Writing, Writing, Writing Method, Writing Tips

Writing Tip: A Writing Method

by: Ronovan

Try the way Stephen King writes. No, do it the Nicholas Sparks way! Nope, James Patterson does it best.

Writers want to be successful and often times they will copy another person’s method of writing because they want to have that person’s success. Let me tell you a secret; the reason their method works for them is because it’s THEIR method.

“But others use it too.”

Others may use a similar method but they tweak it to make it their own at some point. Today I want to share a method I developed.

I slipped my VW Beetle onto the onramp to the express way and headed toward the city. The lights in the distance always took my breath as I thought of big city lights and movie stars. My phone rang.

“Hello,” I said.

“Phil, I need you to head over to the Peachtree office as quick as you can,” said Mike.

I rested my elbow on the door and sagged. “I’m headed home, Mike. This traffic is awful. It would take an hour at least.”

“Has to be done. We have a shipment of cable coming in and I need you there to make sure they do it right this time.”

“You owe me for this,” I said and hung up.

This is a very basic scene any of us could write from experience either our own or someone we know, but now it’s time to twist it.

I slipped my single capacity transporter into the draft tube for the express lanes and headed toward the metro center. The lights in the distance lit up the sky and I thought of just how big the metro area was, and how much a vid screen show set it looked like. The comm screen blinked at me.

“Yeah,” I said.

“Phil, I need you over at the Peachtree loading station as quick as you can,” said Mike, his face smiling at me.

I rested my elbow on the frame of the transport, hand covering my mouth, my body visibly sagging. “Mike, I’m headed home and you know it. The traffic is crazy out and the haulers are backing us up. I don’t know why they choose this time of the day to move those big transports through the most packed part of the metro. It would take me at least an hour to get there.”

“You know if it could be done by anyone else it would be,” he said. He leaned forward, his face closer to the screen. “I need to make sure this gets done right. There is a shipment of Dipthonian Lining coming in and it cannot be messed up like before.” There was begging in his eyes.

“Fine, you owe me big. Off.” The screen went blank.

With practice it gets better. But I use the reality based scene to create a believable SciFi or Fantasy based scene. The only differences in the genres really are a few words and the descriptions of the settings and props. People still have conversations and have emotions. You’re not trying to reinvent those things, so don’t try.

If you really think about it you can take the scene in Star Wars where Han Solo is in the cantina and shoots the other character at the table. It was much like you would see in a western. Everything about it could be translated over to an old western or even a Casablanca type scene with very few changes.

I just thought I would share my writing method. It’s not perfect for everyone. It won’t work for everyone. And if you use it you will tweak it to work for you.

What methods do you use?

Writer’s Digest: How to Be a Writer That Literary Agents Want

June 17, 2014June 17, 2014 Ronovan Writing Advice, Creative Writing, Literary Agents, Platform, Query, Social Network, Writers Digest, Writing, Writing Tips

Writer’s Digest is a great source for all things writing. They even have one area that shows you New Literary Agents open for submissions.

This article is something you may want to take a look at.

How to Be a Writer That Literary Agents Want

RonovanWrites Week(IN)d Review

June 16, 2014June 16, 2014 Ronovan Writing Blogging Tips, Creative Writing, Flash Fiction, Music, Opinion, Photography, Poetry, Songs, Storytelling, Videos, Writing, Writing Tips

RonovanWrites Week(IN)d Review

Writing 101 has been a breath of fresh air and a cesspool of rank fumes. On the one hand I am renewing a lighter side of my writing at times and meeting different and amazing people, while on the other…I’m wading through things I don’t want to know again.

Looking at my work over this past week there have been some ups and downs. I do like the fact that I’m not afraid with different formats and topics. Everything is a learning experience and nothing is a failure as long as you take it and move on.

Blogging Tips

Blogging Tips: Curious about where your ‘view traffic’ is coming from?

Blogging Tips: Why is no one reading my articles?

Fiction

Jacob: Chapter 1 Part 1

Blue Socks

Tears do Fall you Know

Questions

Flash Fiction

Toppings

Follows

My Friday Follows for Inspiration

Life

The Most Interesting Person I’ve Met This Year is…

Maw Maw’s Lovin’

Feline Friday: Missing Kitten

A Father Leads You Through This World…not just brings you into it.

Opinion Articles

I’m Not THAT Man

10 Forgotten Male Solo Artists of the 1980s

Free the Nipple? Hmm… This is an opinion piece giving my opinion of the Scout Willis publicity event recently, not her actions but the general topic itself.

Photography (With a touch of humor)

Wordless Wednesday: Wake me When the Editing is Done

Poetry

Odd One Out

Beauty Triumphant

At Your Risk

They Too Shall Pass-Mara Eastern #314 A Depressed Family

Brown Eyes

Nonsense and Such: Music Scales and Lakes Sub-Par-Nonsensical Poetry?

Could of been cut! one choice-my life

The How of the Consonant Vowels-The Block of Writers

Superstitious of a Day

My poetry Tears at Me

Three Word Wisdom

Video

Fixing a Hole by the Beatles

See Opinion article 10 Forgotten Male Solo Artists of the 1980s (Includes 10 videos)

Friday Night Videos Flash Back: Suzanne Vega-Luka

Writing Tips

Writing Tip: Observation Lounge

Writing Tip: Streamlining your Scene

Writing Tips: Getting the First 50 Pages Right

Awards

Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Writing Tips: Getting the First 50 Pages Right

June 13, 2014June 13, 2014 Ronovan Writing Creative Writing, Literary Agents, Publishers, Queries, Story Consequences, Story Goal, Story Time Clock, Writing, Writing Tips

Getting the First 50 Pages Right

by: Ronovan

“Include the first 50 pages of your manuscript with your query.”

Does that sound familiar? If you’ve queried your book to an agent or publisher then your answer should be yes. It might be even worse than 50 pages. How about that cringing first 10 pages only one?

You don’t have long to hook an agent or publisher and to be absolutely truthful this is if you get past the query letter. Sometimes if your letter doesn’t speak to them they won’t even bother. But I’ve read of several agents who read regardless because it’s not the letter that they are going to sell to a publisher or the public.

What do you need in those first pages to make the person you have queried say send me more?

You need three things, regardless of genre:

I want to know what is the important goal in this book that makes me want to read it
I want to know what will happen if the protagonist doesn’t succeed, what’s on the line
I need to know there a time limit to the situation

Goal

In a novel the goal might be an internal issue but is usually something outside beyond the control of the protagonist.

One of my novels has a goal of saving someone from being murdered. He knows when it will happen, and he knows a handful of people that it could happen to. So what’s the problem, getting people to believe him. The difficult part of it is, since he knows all of the victims so far things are a bit tough on him to get people to listen.

What if?

Now you have the what if the protagonist doesn’t succeed aspect. For my novel it means someone will die. In this case it will be someone he knows. Here we have two what if’s; 1) someone dies, 2) the protagonist will be one step closer to jail because he knew the person and even told people the person might be murdered.

Time’s Up

If there is no sense of urgency then a reader may get bored. In the case of my novel, if a murder could just happen any time then a reader wouldn’t be looking for it. Each murder happens at a full moon or a new moon. This gives the reader and the protagonist time to sweat it out trying to find the killer before that reminder in the sky goes off.

Can you fit all of that in 50 pages, or even 10? Yes you can. You have to do the tough things though.

Cut the scenes that don’t advance the story
Don’t spend a lot of time on a character that won’t be relevant to the story
Don’t give a lot of character analysis or overly describe a setting, let the story and dialogue SHOW the reader who the people are

These are tried and true tips. But they are also more difficult than you think. If it were easy everyone would get signed. Great stories, great novels are sitting in stacks of paper in desk drawers all over the world. This isn’t a new concept. People like to say that the modern age of ease of instant gratification has changed how readers pick books to read, but the truth is that if a person is looking at a book to read they are knowingly planning on investing time to it.

Goal-What If-Time’s Up

Writing Tip: Streamlining Your Scene

June 11, 2014June 11, 2014 Ronovan Writing Creative Writing, Cutting Words, Dialogue, Editing Tips, Flash Fiction, Flow, Keeping Attention, Romance, Scene Tips, Writing, Writing Tips

Writing Tip: Streamlining Your Scene

by: Ronovan

Kill the darlings! Kill them all!

Agents, writing coaches, and even the pros say “Kill your darlings.” It’s the truth. Kill ‘em. Every last lovely one.

Pause for the tears to fall.

Pause over.

I’ll tell you that I only learned about Flash Fiction a month or so ago, or actually learned that’s what a process was called, although I had been using it for years. You take a scene and break it down to its essentials in as few words as possible.

No extra adjectives
No extra adverbs
Tell the story in the dialogue what is happening
Do NOT get explanatory on the reader

They want the dialogue and to find out what’s going on. Yes, there are times when you have scenes with no dialogue. I’m going to give you an example of a scene without much dialogue, before and after cutting it down to the bare essentials. (I hope I didn’t copyright infringe there.)

Here is a romance scene that we’ll see if it can be cut down. I’m not a romance writer so don’t laugh too much. It is 216 words for a very brief scene.

The man looked across the shadowy room and gazed longingly at the silk covered form of what he had desired for so long. She had finally given in. After so many long and frustrating nights of games played and rejections he could tell that she wasn’t going to deny him this time.

He waited for her to come to him. The chasing had been his to do so far, now it was her turn. The moonlight shining through the window shimmered off the red form as she moved to him.

Her breathy voice was more than he had ever imagined it would be. Her red lips and whispered words tickled his ear in a way that he could feel it in his toes. A pain that was much longed for swept through his body.

“Why are you making me wait? You know I’m ready,” she said as her glossy nails slid down his chest, slowly finding their way.

He swallowed hard and slowly took a breath to gain control before speaking. “How do you know I’m rea…,” his voice was cut off.

“I know,” she said as the smile spread across her face. There was nothing more he could say. Silk slid under fingertips as the tender skin of her shoulder gave heat to his lips.

I don’t read romance novels, although I write them in my mind. So I don’t even know if I wrote that properly but it will give me something to go with.

Sexy woman whispering — gettyimages © Original Photo by Kent Larsson

Now here is the cut down version.

The man looked across the room at the body he had desired for so long. After so many frustrating nights of games played and rejections he could tell that she wasn’t going to deny him this time.

The chasing had been his to do so far, now it was her turn to come to him. The moonlight shining through the window shimmered off red silk as she moved.

Her lips whispered words in his ear that sent a pain of longing sweeping down his body.

“Why are you making me wait? You know I’m ready,” she said, her nails sliding down his chest, slowly finding their way.

He slowly took a breath before speaking. “How do you know I’m rea…,” his voice was cut off.

“I know,” she said. She smiled.

Silk slid under fingertips as her skin burned his lips.

The word count for this scene is now 141 down from 216. I cut out a lot of unnecessary descriptions in the beginning that would be revealed along the way. I cut the description of the shadowy room, it was unimportant. I also left out the color of her lips. You tell me if the scene works now, just as well as before or better or worse.

Why all the cutting? To get to where the reader wanted to go while still giving the same mood and not wasting the readers time. Also I leave some things to the imagination of the reader. The physical descriptions of the two people are not given. This means they could be anyone and thus any woman or man can slip into the scene and imagine their fantasy lover.

I didn’t have many opportunities at dialogue tags in this scene but in heavy dialogue scenes you need to occasionally throw in a he said or she said just to keep the reader on track.

Keep the paragraphs short, even if not traditionally grammatically appropriate.
This is not an English class.
Pull the reader to the next part and make them want to moved onward.

If this had been some psychological court case type thing, maybe there would have been more interior monologue, or maybe not. I tend to like the faster paced ideas when there are two or more people involved. A one person scene can get as ‘thoughty’ as they want to be. (Yes, I made up one of my new words.)

Yes, I would have done more with this scene if I were really writing it, but this was just for an exercise.

Let me know what you thought of the scene. Did either scene work? Was one better than the other? Why?

Flash Fiction: A Writer’s Friend

June 10, 2014June 10, 2014 Ronovan Blogging, Writing Attention, Bloggint Tips, Creative Writing, Dialogue, Flash Fiction, Get to the Point, Writing, Writing Tips

Flash Fiction really helps me cut down to the meat of what I want to say.

ronovanwrites

If you’ve never written Flash Fiction then you are missing a great opportunity to learn what Literary Agents and Editors are looking for, ‘Show Don’t Tell’.

As writers we make a major mistake when we first begin writing, we look at word count and page numbers. I advise you to either turn off the word count on your program, or put something over it so you can’t see it. And also don’t format for page numbers to show. Just write.

Let the story tell the story. Your first draft is just that, a first draft, a blueprint to be build upon.

Sure the industry looks at word count often but it’s the story that sells. Writing Flash Fiction does something great for your skills. Write a scene as you normally would, then strip it down to under 600 words or 300 words. If you can do this and still convey…

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Writing Tips: Short and Sweet Keeps Them in Their Seats.

June 10, 2014January 14, 2015 Ronovan Blogging, Writing Attention, Blogging Tips, Concise, Creative Writing, Easy Reads, Writing, Writing Tips

Some writing is just too long and I won’t read it no matter how good you tell me it is!

It sounds harsh but it’s true. And it’s not because you’re not good. There are many types of audiences out there a writer is attempting to engross in their story, article, or whatever other type of writing it may be. Even a research piece needs to keep this in mind.

Make that first sentence engaging-If that first sentence hooks me I might keep going and give it a chance.

Keep the paragraphs short-Short paragraphs gives me this false sense of not committing to a long read. It also allows me to pause quickly if need be and come back to the article if I have to ‘step’ away for a moment without the idea I missed something or having or reread a long paragraph.

If Blogging, give me some visuals-Visuals make for a little something to keep me there and bring me back to reading. It also can help visual people click with your piece and add deceptive length without adding to reading time.

If Blogging keep this in mind-You may be the only reading material that some people are engaging in. I have problems reading books now. I can’t commit to it because I know after two chapters I can’t keep going. Blogs, however, give me something I can read and learn from that are quick and to the point. Break the article up into two parts if it is extremely long. That last part is just a suggestion. (But it might bring back people for a second day of viewing to your Blog. Authors keep that in mind too.)

Unless I am familiar with the work of the writer I will often bail if I see those long paragraphs. We aren’t in a Grammar or Writing class where you have to do things just so.

We write how people talk
We write short paragraphs
We use double negatives

If you are Blogging think of Flash Fiction in your article. Just get to the point and get out. Yes, add humor and entertain, but when it comes to the points you are making don’t draw them out.

Short and Sweet Keeps Them in Their Seat.

Writing Tip: Observation Lounge

June 10, 2014June 10, 2014 Ronovan Writing character development, Creative Writing, Observing, Scene Development, The Daily Post, Waiting, Writing, Writing Tips

Writing Tip: Observation Lounge

by: Ronovan

Being stuck in an airport terminal without any electronic devices probably seems like sheer…bad places…to some people. For me, I see it as opportunity to hone a craft.

Airports are crossroads of the world, culture, society. If you really think about it, the only electronic device you might even want to use is some recording device.

I would use a delay of say 6 hours to listen to conversations and jot down phrases that just capture a moment. Also writing down a visual scene in detail including the emotions it brings out would be great for my writing journal.

Writers always look for descriptions of so many things in their work; people, clothing, hair, jewelry, sounds, even smells. A six hour workshop on observation of imagery would be something we all could use.

In truth we could do this intentionally by going any place that has a fairly large gathering of people; a park, a mall, and even a grocery store. There are little interactions between people you can mention in writing that makes for a connection to the reader that you just take for granted in everyday life.

Inspired from a prompt from The Daily Post.

Cologne and Glass: The Things Memories are Made of (Writing Tip)

June 7, 2014June 7, 2014 Ronovan Odds and Ends Animals, Art, Boats, Cars, Collectibles, Cologne, Creative Writing, Glass, Inspiration, Men, Writing, Writing Tips

Cologne and Glass: The Things Memories are Made of (Writing Tip)

by: Ronovan

What takes you back to childhood days? So you smell the autumn leaves and think of the schoolyard playground, or jumping in leaves? Does a crisp morning with clear sunshine peeking through bare tree limbs throw you back to high school weekends? Can you use this to help your writing? Sure you can. Write what you feel.

For me there is a love affair with glass bottles. Really it can be any type of bottle that has character to it. But today I want to share an art that isn’t really given enough credit.

Avon Cologne Bottles

One of the great tragedies of the world is that men are afraid of the word Avon. That word brings the idea of makeup and pink cars with oh just so perfect looking women with samples for the woman of the house. But there is something a generation or two of men have missed out on. Let me show you why men should be a little more open to Avon, and it has nothing to do with makeup.

Cars are great, especially in glass. Imagine being a kid and walking into what you think must be the oldest house in the world and seeing a whole desk lined with cologne bottles like this. At that moment I was hooked. But maybe cars aren’t really what you are into.

A how about a motorcycle?

A steamboat? Sailboat?

Or maybe even animals.

You just never know where and when you will find works of art. I see these and get flashes of old feelings and they bring words to describe old moments of an old time. Anything can inspire a moment of writing and help capture a feeling you need. When you want to have that nostalgic feeling or a need to feel like a kid, look at something from your childhood. Then close your eyes and write what you see and feel.

Writing Tips: The basic tip to improve your knowledge of genre.

June 7, 2014June 7, 2014 Ronovan Writing Brain, Creative Writing, Imrove Your Mind, Knowledge, Mind, Writing, Writing Advice, Writing Tips

Writing Tips: How to Improve your genre writing.

by: Ronovan

“You are what you eat from your head down to your feet,” a somewhat paraphrase of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin’s, who lived on both sides of the year 1800, “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.”

I was rummaging in my files here and found notes on something I used to teach. No, it wasn’t a History lesson, at least not exactly. But I suppose if you really look at it and think about it History is a big part of it, your intake History. And yes this has to do with writing.

There was a pastor at my church a number of years ago that influenced me in a great many ways, his name was/is Dr. Jim Burkett. He has retired from pastoring now, I believe, but he hasn’t stopped ministry. He teaches Apologetics classes and does conferences.

There was something that he used to say that I use in every part of my life, not just church life. Dr. Burkett had a take on that expression about being what you eat and it came from scripture about renewing your mind.

I paraphrase here his idea in my own words but with the same meaning.

“What you put into your mind is what you get out of it.”

For me I keep my intake as uplifting as possible. If I intake uplifting then I can give out uplifting.

“But how does this apply to writing?”

If you read great writing,

You know great writing,

Then you can recognize great writing in your work.

Don’t read junk!

If you want to be a science fiction writer what kind of books are you reading? Cookbooks and Romance?

If you want to write great science fiction then you need to read great science fiction.

“But I don’t want to be like everyone else.”

Neither do I, but what you are doing is

learning a genre, its elements so that you

can incorporate those into your work.

If you pitch a science fiction piece of yours to an agent and they end up reading a fantasy romance, they are likely going to pass.

Why?

1) You may have pitched to a science fiction person who doesn’t represent fantasy

2) Because their mind was geared for one thing and you gave them another and now they think you don’t know what you are talking about.

“But I want to be writing, not reading. I don’t have the time.”

Yes you do. If you want to have your work out there for the world to see then you need to do the homework.

A lot of agents say read and read more of what you want to write but they don’t always say why. I wanted to give you an idea of what part the reason is.

If you want to have an output of confused junk then read confused junk. If you want an output of great writing in your genre, then intake great writing in your genre.

What Good Intake do you put Into your Mind?

Writing Tips: Following for Inspiration

June 4, 2014June 4, 2014 Ronovan Writing Blog Advice, Blog Tips, Blogging, Creative Writing, Fashion, Foodie, Inspiration, Stalking, Writing, Writing Advice, Writing Tips

gettyimages © Original Photo by Frederic Cirou

Did you know I follow fashion blogs? And I don’t do it to just see the pretty women. As a writer I like to write about a lot of things and the characters in my stories have experiences and sometimes as a man I just don’t know some of the little things that I need to know about parts of society that would make a moment connect with a reader instead of totally destroying the scene for them.

What’s popular in shoes right now?

I have no idea. To me it’s what I like at the time, but for women there is a whole other level to it. And men, isn’t that one reason we should love and appreciate those little things? How often have you noticed how her nails seem to match her shoes and how those shoes show off her ankle just right? It’s an art form.

Pants, skirt, or dress?

I have no idea what is appropriate for certain occasions. I just know when a woman looks nice and that is fine with me. Men are lucky. We just throw on about anything and no one thinks about it because we aren’t supposed to know any better. It’s an observation on society in a way but women are supposed to know what to wear. And when a woman gets it all right, every person looks at them and pauses and the skies open up and angels sing.

I follow Food blogs as well.

You want to describe something a character is eating but all your mind sees is a bacon burger at McDonald’s but they are at a nice upscale Italian restaurant. Food blogs help me see different kinds of foods as, I want a romantic dinner not burger town. When you want to have something that is edible but sensuous to see at the same time, you need to go to the blogs. And men, ribs, steaks, and nachos aren’t going to cut it. The food has to be as sexy and elegant as the woman you are with.

Do I follow certain kinds of blogs just for reference?

No, I also follow for inspiration. I follow Artists, Photographers, Poets, and some that I don’t even know what they would be categorized in. Some of my favorites are those who would fall into the category of Life Survivors. I get inspiration for characters from something they share either emotionally or visually.

Yesterday I read a blog where the woman just poured out her soul and I connected to a spirit that could drive any female character in a book to the top of the lists. We follow blogs to support each other in the blog world but we also do it because we like what we see. And no I don’t stalk anyone. I do watch for posts from everyone I follow though.

Now Follow for Inspiration.

Writing Tips: Short and Sweet Keeps Them in Their Seats.

June 4, 2014June 4, 2014 Ronovan Writing Attention, Blogging Tips, Concise, Creative Writing, Easy Reads, Writing, Writing Tips

Writing Tips: Short and Sweet to Keep Them in Their Seat.

by: Ronovan

Some writing is just too long and I won’t read it no matter how good you tell me it is!

Make that first sentence engaging-If that first sentence hooks me I might keep going and give it a chance.

Keep the paragraphs short-Short paragraphs gives me this false sense of not committing to a long read. It also allows me to pause quickly if need be and come back to the article if I have to ‘step’ away for a moment.

If Blogging give me some visuals-Visuals make for a little something to keep me there and bring me back to reading. It also can help visual people click with your piece.

If Blogging keep this in mind-You may be the only reading material that some people are engaging in. I have problems reading books now. I can’t commit to it because I know after two chapters I can’t keep going. Blogs, however, give me something I can read and learn from that are quick and to the point. Break the article up into two parts if it is extremely long. That last part is just a suggestion. (But it might bring back people for a second day of viewing to your Blog. Authors keep that in mind too.)

Unless I am really familiar with the work of the writer I will often bail if I see those long paragraphs. We aren’t in a Grammar class or Writing class where you have to do things just so.

We write how people talk
We write short paragraphs
We use double negatives

If you are Blogging think of Flash Fiction in your article. Just get to the point and get out. Yes, add humor and entertain, but when it comes to the points you are making don’t draw them out.

Short and Sweet to Keep Them in Their Seat.

Do your best…or not at all…advice from success.

June 3, 2014June 3, 2014 Ronovan Writing African American, Atlanta, Blogging, Blogging Tips, Business, Coca Cola, Creative Writing, Executive, Georgia, Inspiration, Motivation, Woman, Writing, Writing Tips

Do your best…or not at all…advice from success.

by: Ronovan

In my previous life I was in the business world, if only that were meant as reincarnation.

Yes even stuffed animals give me looks of sympathy and pats for comfort. But it wasn’t a complete waste of my life. After all you can learn from every experience, whether it is a good lesson or a bad lesson. This is a bit of a good one.

I attended a business luncheon in Atlanta, GA and there was a very much respected business woman there as the guest speaker. She was a self-made woman who not only had her own business but was also an executive with Coca Cola.

I’m sorry to say there were no free Coke t-shirts but a lot of free and excellent advice, as was the food, although expensive to my company, and miniscule in size the food not the advice.

Now back to our program. The lady spoke of two things that day, one of which I will talk about here and the other another time.

Being Your Best at What You Are Doing When You Are Doing It

The lady had not come from a silver spoon background. She fought her way up including obtaining her education. One reason the lady said that she had become such a success, and this was not ego speaking, was that in everything she was doing at a given moment she was giving it her all, trying to be the best at it.

She felt she had to try harder than anyone else for two reasons; 1) she was a woman in the business world, and 2) she was African American.

At no one point could she be focusing on two things. If she were in school and working on a research paper, that would be the only thing she was focusing on. There was no other class in her mind at that time, no boyfriend in her mind, no TV show, nothing.

If you are writing an article about dogs then write the best article you can even though you might want to watch a movie instead, or be working on a manuscript. You chose to write an article and made a commitment. At that moment you are to be the best dog article writer in the world. Why do anything unless you are going to do the best? What you put out is what people see you as so why put out garbage or half attempted material? And why put out something that isn’t you?

This translates to editors and literary agents as well. If they see that you put everything into whatever you write then they have confidence in signing you. They know they can depend on you to get the job done, that you will not turn in a half effort or be late.

Use this in every job you have. It doesn’t matter what it is, do your best, and be the best.

Read her second piece of advice ‘Don’t ALLOW people to control you’.

3 Writing Tips: To Know When to Stop Writing…for the day…and how.

June 2, 2014June 2, 2014 Ronovan Writing Avoid Burnout, Blog, Blogging, Burnout, Creative Writing, Follows, Tips, Writers Block, Writing, Writing Advice, Writing Tips

3 Writing Tips: To Know When to Stop Writing…for the day…and how.

by: Ronovan

When the laptop falls off your sleeping body or maybe when your ‘other’ smashes it with a hammer? Sorry but I just can’t help but think of Yzma in The Emperor’s New Groove every time I say ‘smash it with a hammer’, Eartha Kitt had an awesome voice. I think we all have our own inner Yzma at times. And Eartha Kitt’s voice was purrrfect for the role. (Yes, I just went Adam West Batman on you.)

But when to stop writing is very important and will help you in how to start the next time you sit down as ready as you were when you left off writing the previous day.

1) Leave yourself with ideas.

There is nothing worse than having worked so hard all the previous day only to sit down the next time and have nothing in your head to go with. You need to end your session with a good deal of material in your mind left. This way you will likely be thinking on it while away from your writing area and when you sit down next time you can immediately pick up where you left off and just let the creative juices flow. If you are concerned you will forget something, make a few quick notes to remind you so you have it ready to glance at when you sit down.

2) Stop before exhaustion stops you.

Too many of us just don’t want to stop as those ideas are flowing, but the truth is some of those ideas aren’t going to be very sharp and you’ll have to fix them later, and you most likely won’t be able to really remember what all you did very well. So set time limits and stick to them. Also ending exhausted makes for a weary begin to the next day of writing.

3) Set time limits and stick to them.

You need a break, you need structure. If you are working on a book, blogging, researching, submitting, and living, then you need to set some boundaries. Most people who write a book want to do it for a living. Keep it fun and creative but you need to keep it in check or it will burn you out.

I have been completely wiped out writing, had writer’s block, and just really been a wreck. I’ve written a 30,000 book in 24 hours and was literally unable to function for two days. You have to set limits. For me it was a bit of a necessity at that moment, and maybe I will explain that another day, but I should have stopped, and no, there was no deadline. It was a great feeling to have accomplished something like that but it also made it so I didn’t want to look at another piece of writing for quite some time.

One part of becoming a success at writing is to keep writing, and to keep writing you need to keep it fun both mentally and physically. How do some of you keep from getting burnt out?

You may also be interested in Writing Tips: Working Through Writer’s Doubt…Just Flip it 3 Ways.

Writing Tips: Working Through Writer’s Doubt…Just Flip It 3 Ways.

June 2, 2014June 2, 2014 Ronovan Writing Creative Tools, Creative Writing, Fiction, Overcoming Doubt, Spark Creativity, Writers Doubt, Writing, Writing Tips, Writing Tools

JUST GIVE UP, YOU CAN’T WRITE WELL ENOUGH TO GET PUBLISHED! Did that get your attention? It gets mine each time I face writer’s doubt when rejected either through email or get the SILENT treatment we all just love waiting for regarding my latest novel attempt. And to be honest, that give up feeling is strong and succeeds for a while…at first. It takes a few battles in the war before you realize that not every agent has the time to reply to the hundreds of people wanting to get their book signed.

But you get over it. You just have to learn to get over it quickly. What are some ways to do that?

Write Differently: I write novels so instead I write

Poetry

Haiku

Flash Fiction

Blog Articles

Rewrite Someone Else’s Stuff

(Take your favorite book or almost favorite

and do one of the following)

Change the setting and time of the book.

Turn it into a Super Hero comic.

Flip the leads.

Make the good guy a bad guy.

Turn the Horror story into a Romance.

Take a World Event and Change the Characters or Location

Change the Leaders into TV show or Cartoon characters and write how they might react in the same situation as the real leaders involved.

Make the World Event happen on an alien World or on a huge space station.

Make the Leaders have split personalities that fight themselves to control what happens.

After a few experiences you learn to immediately go to something to write after a rejection, doubt, or writer’s block. It just comes with the territory. But even then there will be times that it gets to you. Just remember the only way you don’t win is if you give up.

But while you doubt or get down about your project just keep writing something creative. The more you write the better you get. I know that’s old advice but it really is true. I use Flash Fiction a lot as my go to when I just can’t get going on a novel and it really trains me to be a better writer. I scale down a scene to the bare bones while still relaying it to the reader. That’s what you want to do in your regular writing anyway.

The above are just a few of my thoughts on how to overcome those moments, what are some of your ideas?

You may be interested in 3 Writing Tips: To Know When to Stop Writing…for the day…and how.

3 Things Every Writer or Blogger Should Consider

May 29, 2014June 10, 2014 Ronovan Blogging Blog Content. Time Management, Blogging, Blogging Tips, Courtesy, Creative Writing, Writing, Writing Tips

3 Things Every Writer or Blogger Should Consider

by: Ronovan

Blogging isn’t easy. Some make it look that way, and I thoroughly despise them for it. Actually those of whom I speak know who they are and know I love them and just jealous…maybe.

I first showed up in this blogger world to share my creations, my stories. Then I discovered I had more to share than that. And I learned that the blogging world was a community and there was support among that community you couldn’t find anywhere else.

But I know from the title of this article you’re wondering about actual blogging itself. I’ll share three things today:

Cluttered Desk — gettyimages © Original Photo by dumayne

COMMITMENT

“What? Of course I have a commitment to my blog,” you are saying. That’s not where I am really going with this.

Problem:

Blogging becomes addictive. You want to put out great content because you want more followers and views on your site. Those numbers are worse than the word count feature on a word document for a writer. You have a commitment to the rest of your life to consider as well.

Solution:

Schedule time for your blog work, and time for your author work. Then let it go. Live life or you burn out. How can you be creative if your mind is jelly instead of a big blob of electronic pasta?

COURTESY

Be polite to those you Follow and those who Follow you.

Problem:

Words carry an incredible amount of weight in social media settings. We can’t put voice

Lit Thanks Heart — gettyimages © Original Photo by Steve Smith

inflection in there so we have to be careful. We also might end up with a lot of people commenting on articles and some may expect some type of a reply or think you are rude for not doing so. Being considered rude for some of us is a big problem.

Solution:

Always use positive words, never negative ones. And at least click like on a comment someone says on your article. That may sound like a lot but if Followers are important to you then do it. I do it because I appreciate the fact that someone reads my offerings and then takes the time to comment. To me that is a huge compliment.

When you are reading another person’s blog, don’t comment unless it’s encouraging or they are asking for some type of comment. Also don’t assume when others don’t comment on your offerings that they don’t like them. Some people just don’t comment. It’s a time thing for one. We like to read, enjoy, and move on.

Don’t let courtesy rule your life though. I have a bad habit of feeling as though I have to read everything anyone I follow posts, here and on Twitter. That’s a lot of reading and very little time for other things, including my own writing.

CONTENT

Make your content what you like first and foremost, but don’t be surprised if what you like changes over time.

Chalkboard and Lady — gettyimages © Original Photo by Justin Lewis

Problem:

At the same time you need to remember you are putting stuff out there for others to enjoy otherwise you would just keep it on your computer for yourself. But then you also may end up falling into the trap of writing things just to get visitors, views, and follows.

Solution:

This is a truth here so keep reading after what I say next. You write a book and you want to share the chapters, right?

Break the chapters up into parts. I’ve found that people mostly want quick reads of usually under 600 words or so. Why is word count opposite on a blog article than what we think of for a book? Blogs are quick reads. Using me as an example, I want something I know I can get through quickly or I know my mind will drift. Not because of the content, but because of the length. This isn’t a book in front of me that I know how many chapters I have. This immediate gratification. Some will see word count on their readers in the blogger communities and just skip over those over a certain length unless they know the writer very well.
You can have longer word counts if the topic calls for it, but make sure you are being to the point. Readers can tell filler from foundation.
Add visual content. It adds a bit to whatever you put out and makes you feel like you have put out more than just a few paragraphs. I’ve found that since I’ve shortened some of my work and had fun with photos, that not only do more people ‘like’ them but I enjoy putting the work out there as well.

Those are just three things to look at for now.

Next time around I’ll share three things that make coming up with Blogging content a little easier. But until then, peace out and blog out.

Remember, I’m just a comment away. Talk to me here or on Twitter.

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