From the Editor's Desk
Hi and
welcome once again to Fiction Factor! And, as always,
welcome to our new subscribers.
Many of our subscribers would be enjoying the warm summer
months right now - and I admit to being a touch envious -
but spare a thought for those of us who live in the
southern hemisphere. Down here in Adelaide it's cold, wet
and windy today! In fact is has been for a few days now.
Yes, it's mid-winter Down Under and even though we don't
get snow, it still gets bitterly cold at night!
The winter months are not exactly my favorite time of
year and never have been. But there is one thing I really
enjoy when it's cold, wet and stormy outside and that's
sitting on the floor in front of the fire with my notepad
(or laptop) and just writing. When the fire is burning
and there's a brick wall separating me from the storms,
I'm content to write late into night and even until the
early hours of the morning.
What great motivation to throw some more wood into the
fire and spark up my inspiration even further! I may just
do that now ;)
Anything that inspires my Muse for long stretches of time
can only be a good thing.
Enough about our dreary winter. Let's get straight into
the writing stuff!
Did you know that the topics featured in each issue of
Fiction Factor are chosen from the most active topics on
our forum each month? The forum is always busy and
everyone's very friendly and helpful. If you have a
writing question, feel free to ask. Not only will
everyone do their best to help you out, but we'll
probably end up featuring it in the ezine as well!
http://fictionfactor.1.forumer.com
This issue Holly Lisle's "Bring Your Novel To
Life" series continues as she looks at burying your
novel's message.. Tracy Cooper-Posey looks at ways to
create a strategy for quitting your day job and spending
more time writing and Dawn Arkin delves into Romance
writing 101.
It's time now to grab a beverage of choice, sit back, and
enjoy this issue of Fiction Factor!
Lee Masterson
Editor-in-Chief
http://www.fictionfactor.com
"A professional writer is an amateur who didn't
quit."
-- Richard Bach
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Best-Seller!
- Learn to write a GREAT novel from start to
finish
- Find out what editors and agents want
-- 100's of promotion and marketing ideas
PLUS - you'll also get "Write
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Lee Masterson
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Crafting the
Romance Story
Did you know... 55% of all fiction sold worldwide
is romance fiction?
This interactive package for aspiring romance
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Burying Your Novel's Message
by Holly Lisle
In the first two articles (Part I Does Your Novel
Have a Heartbeat- and Part II Does Your Novel
Have a Pulse) , we've explored how essential it is to
have a theme to give your novel direction, and how to
find those themes that will resonate with you.
You'd think that once you have a theme, you could just
sit down and write your book about that, and you'd bring
powerful emotions and passionate storytelling and
compelling, page-turning action to your tale---but it
just ain't so.
If you just write your theme, what you'll have is a
harangue. A message book. Something that will have the
readers who agree with your precise point of view nodding
along---whether it be "Global warming is going to
destroy the planet" or "Global warming is a
pile of cow-flops"---and readers who hold any other
point of view bouncing your book of the nearest wall and
never buying anything else by you, ever.
Bad.
So now you bury your theme. You write about something
utterly unlike the theme you fought so hard to come up
with in the first place.
One of you just went, "Waaaaaait a minute! If I
write about something besides my theme, how are people
going to get my message? How are they going to know that
global warming is evil/ irrelevant/ actually the dawning
of a new ice age? How will I convince them that I'm
right?"
They won't know, and you won't convince them. It's as
simple as that.
The theme is there for YOU. Your job as a novelist is to
tell a story that entertains your reader, that makes him
think, that haunts him long after he finishes the last
page---maybe even that STILL haunts him long after he's
read the whole thing for the fourth or tenth or twentieth
time. I get letters and emails from readers who have done
that, and it's great. They frequently tell me what they
got out of the book, too, what hidden meanings they
found, what they took away from the story.
Funny thing is, they never find what I put in there.
That's okay. They found something that mattered to THEM,
that changed the world for THEM. So I did my job.
If you want to send a message, buy an ad.
If you want to create resonance, you work your theme in.
If you want to have people love your book and treasure it
for what it meant to them, you bury that theme so deeply
only you will ever know what it was.
Here's how.
1) Figure out the key elements of your theme.
I wrote one book the theme of which was "if the
Democrats and Republicans don't recognize each other
isn't the enemy and start working together toward a
common cause, real enemies are going to destroy the
country while those morons are bickering over pork and
entitlements."
The key elements of that theme were:
* People who had more in common than they knew fighting
over trivialities
* Enemies disguised as friends bearing gifts
2) Plan your hiding place.
That book was not set in this time, in the US, or even in
this world. It was a high fantasy novel set in another
world, on an island nation about the size of England and
about the location of Australia with the climate of
Alaska through the Pacific Northwest of Canada and the
US. The cultures were Iron Age plus highly developed
magic, with levels of sophistication ranging from
18th-Century France to the nomadic
hunter-gatherer-herdsmen of the Mongol Horde.
So figure out YOUR disguise. Your most meaningful themes
are always going to be drawn from the here and now, from
the events in your life that trouble you and frighten you
and elate you---but those themes go into Westerns and SF
and fantasy and mysteries and romances and hard-boiled
detective tales and mainstream novels set in every
possible time and place.
You can
read more of this article here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/message.html
 Create-A-Character
Clinic
Can you create a great character that editors
can't turn down?
Holly Lisle can and she can show you how too!
Learn to bring all your characters to life with
sparkle - from an author of more than 30
published novels!
Click here for more
details: http://tinyurl.com/yqqawa
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 How To Write Page-Turning
Scenes
Let Holly Lisle, author of more than 30
novels, teach you how to write page-turning
scenes that keep your readers up long past their
bedtimes.
Set up great conflict
and sustain suspense that will keep readers on
the edge of their seats - and have editors
begging for more!
Click here for more details: http://tinyurl.com/492sx5
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If You Really Want to Quit Your Day Job - Get a Strategy
By Tracy Cooper-Posey
Got a day job? Wish you could quit? Do you fantasize
about earning enough from your fiction to be able to tell
your boss where to go?
You may think you’re doomed to be a working stiff
for the rest of your natural because the chances of being
picked up by a publisher are anorexic, and if you did win
the lottery, you still have to hit the best seller list
first time out of the gate, or you’re dead again.
Is that what you think?
You’re wrong.
The fiction industry is exploding with possibilities, and
all you need to quit the day job is a decent strategy.
You may never have thought of structuring your writing
career in business terms, but you are a small business
entrepreneur, and what works for any business will work
for you.
To develop your strategy, you need to complete six basic
steps:
1) Research the alternatives available for
fiction writers
If you think being picked up by a big trade publisher is
the only way to go, you really need to research! You can
chose from:
• Electronic publication
• Royalty-paying POD publishers
• For-fee POD publishing services
• Small presses
• Traditional trade publishers
• Self-publishing
These are the major styles of publication available these
days, and there’s hybrids and combinations of all of
them. All of them are legitimate forms of publication and
all of them are building respect, sales, and readerships.
Read everything you can about the publishing industry.
Take notes. Open your mind to the possibilities.
2) Pick the end-goal you want
Most fiction authors start out dreaming about hitting the
New York Times Best Seller list, but this isn’t your
only choice. You could choose to build a niche
readership, big enough to support your writing full time.
It may never grow large enough to get you onto the best
seller lists, but if you’re writing fiction full
time and paying all the bills, who cares?
You may also chose to hang on to the day job for the
benefits and security it provides, and still carve out a
readership of devoted fans who buy everything you
publish.
The choices are effectively endless. Pick what suits your
lifestyle, your comfort zone, and your dreams.
3) Figure out how to get there (your strategy)
Your end-goal will help you decide how to get there. If
nothing but the best-seller lists will do, then you have
to run the slush pile gauntlet, network like crazy and
write very commercial fiction. POD publishing is not for
you...unless you chose to start there, build a platform
(i.e. a readership, fans and a name for yourself), and
get the attention of New York that way.
See, for every end-goal, there’s a dozen different
ways of getting there. That’s why you need to
research, and build your strategy.
You can see
the rest of this article here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/strategy.html
A Word from our
Sponsor
3rd Annual Aspiring Authors Writing Contest.
All genres of short fiction accepted. 5000 word
limit. $6 per entry.
August 15, 2008 deadline. Cash prizes will equal
75% of the entry fee pool.
See more details at http://aspiring-authors.com
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 Did
you know...
Authors who have sold short stories have
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an editor or publisher?
Lee Masterson's step-by-step ebook can show you
how.
Click here for more details: http://www.fictionfactor.com/order2.html
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 Create A Plot
Clinic
Have you ever lost interest in your story only 20
pages from the start and not know how to get it
going again?
Best Selling Author of more than 30 novels, Holly
Lisle, can show you exactly how to structure your
story for maximum effect. Learn to fix problem
plotting while you write!
Jump Start your novel today: http://tinyurl.com/2z3ant
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Romance Writing 101
by Dawn Arkin
Romance writing is so much more than the
"bodice rippers" of the 70's. Today, romance
can on take many forms. Fantasy, science fiction,
mystery, horror, and supernatural themes are becoming as
popular as contemporary, historical, and regency
romances. What was once rejected by publishers without a
second thought is now sought by those same editors.
Regardless of what kind of romance you want to write,
reading current romances in your favorite genre is a
great way to see what is being accepted. While there is
not one set "formula" you can use to write an
award-winning, popular novel, but there are certain
things most romance editors look for when reading
submissions.
When planning your romance, you will need to create the
perfect characters, setting, plot, and sensuality level
for your story. Here are some of the things to keep in
mind while you are writing your romance to make it stand
out from the rest of the submissions.
Hero
A hero should be strong, exciting and bold. He knows what
he wants, and does what is necessary to get it. He has a
purpose in life. He does not have to be rich, brilliant,
political, or economically powerful. But he can be any of
those, if you wish. You want to create a hero who makes
your heart go pitter-patter.
Heroine
Your heroine can be strong-willed or shy. She can have
imperfections as long as they are not overwhelming. She
can look anyway you want, as long as she attractive to
the hero. But one thing she must be is someone the hero
is willing to do whatever it takes to have.
Villain
The antagonist is the best character to write. He can be
as bad as you want, as evil as you need. He should be
flexible and motivated. He knows what he wants and is
willing to do ANYTHING to get it. But he has to have some
redeeming qualities. Every human on the planet, even the
most evil, has something about them that is not evil.
Secondary Characters
Remember, this is a story about your hero and heroine,
not their best friend or neighbor next door. Your
secondary characters should never be more vivid then your
main characters. They can be used to move the story
forward, give information to the main characters, and
provide support to them, but they should never take
control of the story. Every scene should have at least
one of the main characters in it.
Setting
Where you set your romance is almost as important as what
it is about. Your setting does not have to be exotic as
long as you are able to convey it to your reader in such
a way that they can become part of your world. Since
publishers change what they are looking for based on
reader desire, this is the one thing you should be sure
you have researched carefully to avoid the rejection
pile.
Story Basics
The main characters should ...
You can see the rest of this article here: http://romance.fictionfactor.com/articles/romance101.html
(this
link will take you to Romance Factor)
Review
of A Time To...Volume 2
edited by Carol Hightshoe
reviewed by Tina Morgan
Carol
Hightshoe continues to amaze me with the quality of
stories she chooses for her e-zines: The Sorcerous
Signal and The Lorelei Signal. She's brought another delightful
collection together to commemorate the second year of
publication. In "A Time 2" the stories are
well-written, thought provoking and moving. While many of
the authors are new, their style and delivery is rich and
strong.
Well worth the time and money, A Time 2 is a must read
for the science fiction and fantasy lover. I'm looking
forward to the next anthology...
You can
read the full review here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/reviews/timeto2.html
 Write Any Book
in Under 28 Days
Best Selling Author Nick Daws has written 30
books in 3 years. He can show you how too!
It's easier than you think!
Click here for more details:
http://www.fictionfactor.com/bookstore/28days.html
|
 Create-A-Culture
Clinic
Have you ever wanted to create your own
realistic world? Best-selling author of more than
30 novels shows you how to create religions,
philosophies, governments and lifestyles that
will make your fiction story feel real!
Click here for more details: http://tinyurl.com/26uy95
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Writer's Announcements
If you have any writing news or
announcements about your successes with writing, we'd
love to hear about it! Post your publishing announcements
on our forum and we'll get them in the newsletter for
everyone to see!
You can add your Woo-Hoo to our Announcement Forum Board
here:
Writer's
Announcements - http://fictionfactor.1.forumer.com/index.php?showforum=6
This week's news:
Tina Morgan, along
with Jeanne Allen, Piers Anthony, Milena Benini, Orson
Scott Card, Ian Irvine, Wil McCarthy, Simon Rose, Carol
Heightshoe, Bud Sparhawk, Michele Acker, Bob Nailor,
Michael McRae, Darin Park and Kim Richards are very
pleased to announce their collaborative book, The Complete Guide
To Writing Science Fiction, was awarded the 2008 Eppie Award for the
Non-Fiction: Self-Help Category.
Congratulations everyone! Jump over to the
forum and keep the great news coming!
~ "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug
used by mankind." -- Rudyard Kipling ~
Writing Courses
You can see the full list
of available courses here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/courses.html
Fantasy
Writing Course
Fantasy is all about
the strange, the fantastic, the beautiful and the
amazing. Here is your chance to delve into creating a
great fantasy novel. This intensive course looks at
everything from world building to creating races and
cultures, from plotting to characterization, from
questing to role playing – you name it, if it’s
Fantasy related, we’ll be looking at it, in depth,
up close and personal.
http://fantasy.fictionfactor.com/course.html
How to Beat Writer's Block - and Have Fun Writing
from Now On!
Have you ever wanted to shut out your pesky Inner Critic
and just enjoy the pure creativity of writing? It's
easier than you think - once you know how. Presented by a
best-selling author of more than 30 published novels,
Holly Lisle will guide you through breaking Writer's
Block, re-connecting with your Muse, learn to get past
what was stalling you in the first place and enjoy
writing again.
Click
Here for your course and your bonuses!: http://tinyurl.com/26uy95
Writing
Great Horror Novels!
Join a multi-award winning, best-selling horror author
Kenyon Charboneaux and learn what it takes to write great
horror novels! Limited spaces available - be quick!
http://horror.fictionfactor.com/course.html (This link will take
you to Horror Factor)
Romance Writing Course
Increase your chances of writing a great romance
manuscript and having it accepted for publication. Join
our romance course today and launch your romance writing
career!
http://romance.fictionfactor.com/course.html - (this link will take you to Romance Factor)
 Writers Wanted!
Great Pay Quick Jobs
Best Selling Author Nick Daws exposes
little-known writing markets willing to pay great
rates for writers willing to work now!
Click here for more details: http://tinyurl.com/tr2ga
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 How to Beat
Writer's Block
Writer's Block isn't just about being stuck
wordless - it's the thought of all the hard work
ahead of you bringing you down
But you can bring back the thrill of creating
stories easily with Holly Lisle's audio course on
beating writer's block for good!
Click Here to jump start your writing again: http://tinyurl.com/5b9b39
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Paying Market Listings
You can find the complete
Market Index here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/markets.html
Happy Market Hunting!
(Disclaimer: Mention of a market/ contest in Fiction
Factor is not necessarily an endorsement. Check all
guidelines in full before submitting)
Spacesuits
and Sixguns
http://www.spacesuitsandsixguns.com
Spacesuits and Sixguns is a magazine of contemporary pulp
fiction – simple, straightforward storytelling with
an emphasis on action. We’re not looking for
Lovecraft or Howard pastiches, or stories set in the
1930’s. Read a dozen pulp fiction stories, soak it
all up, then ask yourself: what if this happened in my
hometown today. All genres accepted -- detective, horror,
mystery, adventure, SF, sword and sorcery. We love them
all. Give us about 4000 words. Shorter is fine. We're
flexible. If it’s longer and it's good, no problem.
Rule number one - be fun! Payment is 3 cents a word/$100
max for fiction
Submission Guidelines: http://www.spacesuitsandsixguns.com/submissions.html
Haunted Legends
One-time print anthology to be printed by Tor
Books is seeking to reinvigorate the genre of
"true" regional ghost stories by asking some of
today's leading writers to riff on traditional tales from
around the world. We don't just want you to retell an old
ghost story, but to renovate it so that the story is dark
and unsettling all over again.
Payment is 6 cents (US) per word up to 8,000 words.
Reading period opens July 15. Do not submit before.
Deadline is July 31 2008.
Please read guidelines carefully before submitting.
(besides they're actually quite amusing guidelines...)
Submission Guidelines: http://nihilistic-kid.livejournal.com/1098831.html
Interfictions
2
http://christopherbarzak.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/a-call-for-stories/
The Interstitial Arts Foundation will be publishing a
second volume of Interfictions. We invite submissions for
an Anthology of Interstitial Fiction, to be published by
Small Beer Press under the auspices of the Interstitial
Arts Foundation in ??? of 2009.
What We’re Looking For:
Interstitial Fiction is all about breaking
rules, ignoring boundaries, cross-pollinating the fields
of literature. It’s about working between, across,
through, and at the edges and borders of literary genres,
including fiction and non-fiction. It falls between the
cracks of other movements, terms, and definitions. If you
have a story idea that’s impossible to describe in a
couple of sentences, it may be interstitial.
We’re looking for previously unpublished stories
that engage us and make us think about literature in new
ways. Rather than defining “interstitial” for
you, we’d like you to show us what genre-bending
fiction looks like.
Our submission period will be from October 1, 2008 to
December 2, 2008. Do Not Submit Before!
Interzone
http://ttapress.com/category/interzone/
Needs: Science Fiction and Fantasy intelligent, unusual,
innovative. Avoid S&S , space opera, traditional
ghost stories.
Other: Do not submit the same story to more than one TTA
publication. Email submissions being accepted during
certain reading periods -- see website for details. Will
respond to overseas via email. Pays £30/1000 words on
publication (3p UK per word - approx 5.5 cents US per
word).
Fiction: to 15,000 words.
Submission Guidelines: http://ttapress.com/category/interzone/guidelines/
Brio
Magazine
http://www.briomag.com/
Seeking
short fiction up to 2,000 words to suit teenaged girls.
Romance stories, sibling rivalry and situations faced
daily by teen girls are especially welcomed. Brio’s
target audience is teenaged girls from 12-15 and Brio
& Beyond’s target audience is older teenaged
girls from 16-19.
Both Brio and Brio & Beyond pay between 15 and 35
cents per word on acceptance.
Submission Guidelines: (downloadable) http://www.family.org/sharedassets/correspondence/pdfs/GeneralInformation/Brio_Writers_Guidelines.pdf
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