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Writing Tips

Using Mind Mapping For My Book Outline

October 1, 2017 By Rick Leave a Comment

Mind mapping a book outlineA Bright New Idea

I’m working on a new novel outline and as I was working on the characters, and getting all these terrific ideas and scenes, it occurred to me to mind map as I developed the outline.

There’s always so much going on in your head when you’re outlining that it’s easy to forget some of these great ideas – and how characters relate to one another. Answer: Start a mind map and keep adding to it as your outline evolves.

[Read more…] about Using Mind Mapping For My Book Outline

Filed Under: How I Do What I Do, Writing Tips

A Writer’s Vision – Stay True To You

November 27, 2016 By Rick Leave a Comment

A Writer's Vision.  What do you see?

Every writer has something unique to them that they must say.  No one has your experiences, your view on life, and the words that you use like you do.  That’s why writers are always read and followed…but only if you stay true to you.

You’re not Stephen King, John Grisham, or even Rick Jantz (that’s me).  And you don’t want to be.  It doesn’t make sense to copy that which you aren’t.  But it does make sense to study them and follow their “how to write formulas” because they work (mine may still be debatable but give me time).

Writing is not a pastime, something to be done when you have the time or when it’s convenient.   Writing is a “have to do” attitude that takes you off of your couch, away from your TV and to your private spot that releases the pent up passion and stories you have to tell.

[Read more…] about A Writer’s Vision – Stay True To You

Filed Under: Writing Tips

What Do Your Readers Want? Is Your Book For Them Or For You?

January 29, 2015 By Rick 2 Comments

What do your readers wantMany authors struggle with how to deliver what their readers want to read. If we knew what they wanted we would write it. Right? After all, wouldn’t that be the way to a successful book? It would be like having the inside track on becoming a successful author.

But I don’t know that we always do that…I know I don’t. Sometimes we (I) write for ourselves with maybe some distant thought of keeping our readers in mind.

[Read more…] about What Do Your Readers Want? Is Your Book For Them Or For You?

Filed Under: Writing Tips Tagged With: audience, write for your readers

I’m Ready To Write My Book – Chapter One – Oh Crap!

January 23, 2015 By Rick Leave a Comment

desktop typists illustrationIn previous posts I talked about research, using celebrity pictures, and creating an outline. Now I’m ready to write my book and put some words together to create a story. I proudly type, “Chapter One.” And smile in anticipation.

Oh crap, this isn’t right at all. I’ve struggled and come at it from all sorts of angles but I finally give up. It’s not the blank page or writer’s block…I haven’t found the right intro yet. The story needs to start somewhere else.

[Read more…] about I’m Ready To Write My Book – Chapter One – Oh Crap!

Filed Under: Writing Tips Tagged With: start writing, using characters

How Important Is Writing A Book Outline? I’m Ready To Chuck Mine!

January 21, 2015 By Rick Leave a Comment

Should you throw your outline in the garbageI know we each have our own style of creating book ideas, coming up with characters and settings, and some even do outlines…like me! But this second book in the Matt Kemp series doesn’t want to even get off the ground, and it’s all because of my outline.

I’m curious, how important is an outline to each of you?

[Read more…] about How Important Is Writing A Book Outline? I’m Ready To Chuck Mine!

Filed Under: Writing Tips Tagged With: book outline, draft

Using Pictures Of Celebrities To Describe Your Characters

January 16, 2015 By Rick Leave a Comment

Using pictures of celebrities to describe your charactersI’ve read that many writers will actually use celebrity pictures to visualize their book characters. I had never done this before so I thought I would try it for my new Western, “A Witness To Murder.”

But first, let me explain something. This story would feature a young girl who would befriend the hardened U.S. Marshal, Matt Kemp. I wanted to explore what Kemp thought about kids and if he even liked them. Plus, the townspeople of Vail would not easily turn a child over to a murderer.

[Read more…] about Using Pictures Of Celebrities To Describe Your Characters

Filed Under: Writing Tips Tagged With: writing characters, writing research

My Book Setting Question: Where Would I Hide A Town?

January 14, 2015 By Rick Leave a Comment

Where Do You Hide A TownI was really intrigued with the idea of what Matt Kemp, the U.S.Marshal in “A Witness To Murder”, would do when he discovered that the people of a town had gone missing. But the first question I had to answer was: where did the people go?

[Read more…] about My Book Setting Question: Where Would I Hide A Town?

Filed Under: Writing Tips Tagged With: setting, western town

How I Chose The Book Title: “A Witness To Murder”

January 12, 2015 By Rick Leave a Comment

How I Chose The Book Title: "A Witness To Murder"If you’re like me then you have to have the perfect title for your book, right? And sometimes that title is the inspiration of your story and you keep it through all the drafts or sometimes you might use a working title, knowing that you need to come up with a final one later.

With my second book in the U.S. Marshal series I actually started with “Empty Town” but as I developed the outline I knew that the title needed to change.

[Read more…] about How I Chose The Book Title: “A Witness To Murder”

Filed Under: Writing Tips Tagged With: book titles, writing tips

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