Savvy Authors Newsletter - May 14, 2012

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Congratulations to all Savvy Authors!

Our first congratulations this week goes out to Savvy Authors member Cheryl Yeko. Her debut novel, Protecting Rose, Won the 2012 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Congratulations, Cheryl!

Mary Hughe's book, Biting Me Softly (Biting Love book 4), is a finalist in the Paranormal/Fantasy/Futuristic catagory in the WisRWA's 2012 Write Touch Readers Award Contest. Congratulations, Mary!

HOOKING: A Writer�s Guide to Selling Yourself by Diane Vallere

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

It�s the day �that day�that you agreed to step in front of your reading public to promote your book. Maybe it�s a book fair. Maybe it�s a signing. Maybe it�s a table by the checkout line at the grocery store. Whatever/wherever it is, one thing is for sure. Where you�re going is like another dimension to the writer, it�s the polar opposite of sitting in a chair not speaking, hammering out words on a keyboard, occasionally using words that, if your mother was around, would get your mouth washed out with soap.

You want to sell your book, and by selling your book, you are selling yourself. Only, your skirt isn�t short enough, you don�t feel good in fishnet

It�s Okay to Be Kooky by Liz Talley

Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

First, a huge thank you to Savvy Authors for letting me join them today to talk turkey about books and writing. It�s actually pretty easy to do, considering we�re talking about two of my favorite things, but still, thanksfor having me on.

Several weekends ago I did something I�d never done � I took a girlfriends� weekend get-a-way with my high school friends whom I rarely see unless it�s a funeral or a class reunion. But since we were all turning the big 4-oh!this year, we thought it timely and appropriate to ditch our husbands, children and ridiculous stacks of laundry and go to Dallas to shop, eat and reminisce. We were SOOOOO right. It was perfect, but over the course

Living the Dream Is a Balancing Act by Miranda Baker

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The last time I blogged here at Savvy Authors, I talked about my writing sign posts, the lights that led me down the path to getting published. But guess what? Getting published is only the first part of the journey. The road doesn�t end there � not if you plan to keep writing.

After you get the CALL, after an editor says YES, after you sign a CONTRACT, you face a new set of challenges. For example, on release day, you will be filled with glee. You might also be filled with fear � which

Going deep: Three Ways to Deepen POV by Gunnar Grey

Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

There are some surprisingly easy ways to deepen your story's point of view (POV). Here are three of them.

1) Use the main character's name sparingly. How often do you think about your own name, or use it? Most likely, not very often. And if you're taking the viewpoint deep, then your main character shouldn't use her name all that often, either.

Think about it this way. Every time you use a character's name, the reader pauses to bring that character into his mental focus. ("Remind me: who's Neal?") If your story-people

Top Tips for Writing Love Scenes with Emotional Impact by Cheryl Alldredge

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The thought of writing a love scene often has the power to make a writer moan, and not in a good way. I used to feel that way, but then I took my normal approach to writing problems and studied the heck out of them. I read many, many love scenes�oh how I sacrifice for my art! I also listened to every workshop I could get my hands on. In the end, I came to greatly respect the power of a love scene. Now I look forward to writing them.

After all that research, the most important thing I learned about love scenes is that, like any scene in your story, they should have a purpose, reveal something about the characters and their

Who�s Your Daddy? Building Characters from the Inside Out by Kay Keppler

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Every story, no matter how plot-driven it might be, needs empathetic characters. No action, however plausible in the abstract, will engage your readers if they don�t believe in, sympathize with, and root for your characters.

Take your hero. Whether your �hero� is male or female, an alpha type or a beta, a child, an adult, a dog, an alien, or an action figure toy, your story is about someone or something who�sinteresting or special in some way. And it�s your job to persuade your readers that your hero is worthy of their time.

Some stories�like the Dynasty family sagas,

SavvyAuthors.com

A DRAMATIST�S TALE: Ramping Up Character Intensity by Sally J. Walker

Using the Byronic Hero in Your Writing by April Grey