~ 28th September 2008 ~

Welcome to Fiction Factor
The Online Magazine for Fiction Writers

Volume 8: Issue 9

ISSN # 1444-9633

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In This Issue

=> From the Editor's Desk
=> Interweaving Your Novel's Themes & SubThemes
=> Horror Fiction - Ten Cliches to Avoid
=> Interview with Marta Stephens
=> Writing Courses
=> Paying Markets


Read the whole issue online here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/newsletter/aug08.html

From the Editor's Desk

Hi and welcome once again to Fiction Factor! And, as always, welcome to our new subscribers.

Happy Halloween! Halloween is only a month away - so this issue we've decided to keep with the spirit of Halloween, so all our great market listings are aimed at horror writers. Dust off those old manuscripts you've got sitting in drawers or files and start submitting!

If you're looking for more horror markets, don't forget about our fre*e Horror Market Guide ebook. It's the largest compilation of purely horror markets anywhere on the net. We've just updated it yet again and it's yours to download here: http://horror.fictionfactor.com/horrormarketguide.html Check back frequently as we update our market guide ebooks regularly with the latest places to sell your stories.

We're also very pleased to bring you a sneak-preview of Holly Lisle's best-selling ebook "Create a Plot Clinic". Holly has kindly offered our subscribers a freebie introduction to her excellent plot-creation book. You can download it fre*e here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/dl/plotclinic.pdf

We have a huge issue this month, so let's get straight into the writing stuff!

This issue Holly Lisle's "Bring Your Novel To Life" series continues as she looks at interweaving your themes and sub-themes into your novel. William Meikle delves into ten cliches to avoid in horror fiction and Terry W. Ervin II interviews crime/suspense author Marta Stephens.

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

Interweaving Your Novel's Themes & Subthemes
by Holly Lisle

Part VI of the 8-Part BRING YOUR NOVEL TO LIFE Series

If you missed the first five articles in this series, you can find them here: Part I Does Your Novel Have a Heartbeat, Part II Does Your Novel Have a Pulse Part III Burying Your Novel's Message Part IV Playing Chicken With Your Novel Part V Dig Deeper With Your Novel's SubThemes


When you're writing a book, you want every page to drag the reader to the next one, even if she's late for work, even if it's two o'clock in the morning and he needs to be up at six, even if the plane has landed and your weary traveller really must get bags in hand and get off the plane. You want what you're writing to be compelling. Enthralling. Un-put-down-able.

And that's where the themes and subthemes we've been working on come together.

First we'll put together an example where our main theme of rage against misused power, by now well disguised, becomes the story of a heroine who has been wrongfully accused of murder and must prove her innocence. We'll have a subtheme of unhappy divorce, wherein the heroine's two children are being told by her ex what a horrible person she is.

We could do an enormous number of things with these two storylines, and I know dozens of ways to meld themes and subthemes together and use them to play off of each other, but I'll give you my three favorite techniques here.

THE BLENDED SCENE

Start with the heroine discovering the body of a stranger in her basement. Since she and her husband split up, there hasn't been anyone down there but her and the two kids, who are five and eight years old. She carries a load of laundry down the stairs, trips over the the body, scatters laundry everywhere, and goes racing up the steps to call the police, just as her ex arrives to pick up the kids for the weekend. She's frantic, her husband first thinks she's joking, then thinks she's hysterical, and finally goes into the basement and comes out as she's calling the cops. He's not sympathetic---he wonders what's going on in that house since he left, what sort of atmosphere she's raising his kids in, and when the cops arrive, he gives a statement, then hustles the kids out of there fast, wondering aloud if she's had men in the place while his children were there.

• Locate the characters---other than the main character---who are involved in the theme and those involved in the subtheme. In this case, those characters are the police (theme), and the ex-husband and kids (subtheme).

• Decide how to create ties between theme and subtheme--in this case, the husband ties the police into his vision of his ex-wife as a bad mother by suggesting she's been entertaining strangers in the house with his kids present. The police, meanwhile, will tie the husband into the story as another suspect.

• Get elements of both theme and subtheme into one scene.

THE INTERCUT

Now we're going to play with time and space. We'll write alternating four alternating scenes, two from the point of view (POV) of our heroine, and two from the POV of her ex. In each scene, we'll work either the theme or the subtheme, but not both.

You can read the rest of this article here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/interweave.html

Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Memoirs, Screen-Plays ... You CAN 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 worlds? 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

Horror Fiction - Ten Cliches to Avoid
by William Meikle

For anyone thinking about writing in the horror genre, there are certain situations that, over the years, have been done so often that the audience knows exactly what to expect. Using any of these is fine if you're being post-modern and ironic as in the Scream series, because you can get the audience laughing as they jump. But if you're trying for the big scare, here are some situations to avoid, and alternative scenarios to consider.

The woman alone in the old dark house

She's usually blonde, big breasted and not very bright. She shouts things like "Who's there?" or "Is that you Joe?" Then she goes into dark rooms to see what's in them. Tippi Hedren plays a fine example in The Birds, as does Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween. This scene has been so successfully lampooned by the Scream series that its going to be hard for anyone to do it again; but if you must, you'll need to find a new way of raising the tension. Making the woman blind has been done, as has having a man being stalked by a woman. But how about having the stalker existing inside mirrors, and only able to reach out at arms length. What happens if he gets a knife?

The kid who's Mom isn't Mom any more

The kid says "That isn't my mom" A smug doctor says, "It's all in your mind kid: The Mom leads the kid off, and the next day both Mom and the kid give the doctors far-away stares. This was a staple in 1950's paranoia flicks like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Invaders from Mars, and was given a new lease of life in Dark Skies. Serious thought is needed to give a new slant. How about if its the pets that are getting taken over, and only the kids notice?

The experiment gone wrong

They say things like "Morals are for lesser mortals" and "The ends justify the means" Then their creation jumps up and bites them. Think of all the movie versions of Frankenstein or Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and you can't go far wrong. A more recent example was Beau Bridges in Sandkings, the pilot for the modern Outer Limits. Anyone planning on using this scenario should really meet some scientists. Many of them are weirder than their fictional equivalents, and they provide great material for stories.

The mob of villagers

Sometimes there's a ringleader, such as an old woman whose grandchild has been killed. Other times there's just an angry mob shouting "Rhubarb" and waving torches. Perhaps the best example is actually in a spoof, Young Frankenstein. How about trying a calm mob? I can't think of a new way of doing this that would be scary, but maybe you can do better?

The priest who's lost his faith

There are two ways this can go. The creature says "Your feeble god means nothing to me" and kills the priest in particularly gory fashion. Or the creature says "Your feeble god means nothing to me" and the priest steps up to the base and drives the creature away. There are fine examples of the first in Stephen King's Salem's Lot, and John Carpenter's The Fog. You could try having the creature banishing the priest to hell? I haven't seen that one... yet.

You can see the rest of this article here: http://horror.fictionfactor.com/articles/cliches.html
(this link will take you to Horror Factor)

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

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

How Author Royalties Are Calculated
By Stephen L. Nelson

If you’re going to make a living by writing books, you need to understand how a book royalty gets calculated. That’s how the author gets paid, ultimately, if the book becomes a successful bestseller. What’s more, the royalties the publisher expects the book to earn determine the advance the publisher will pay the writer up front.

Royalty Accounting Only Starts Off Simple

Royalty calculations start out pretty simple. Royalties get calculated by multiplying the price of a book by the royalty percentage. Sometimes, the price used in the calculation is the retail price that the customer pays for the book in some bookstore.

Assume that you’ve written a book that retails for $20. Further assume that the royalty percentage is five percent. To calculate the royalty you earn per book sold you multiply five percent, or .05, times $20. The result equals $1. So that’s the royalty you earn for every book the publisher sells.

Many authors and agents prefer royalties based on retail prices. The calculation is simple to understand. It’s simple to compute. And there are limited opportunities for argument about whether the calculations are correct.

Big Authors Often Do It Differently

Some very powerful authors receive a set royalty amount per book—such as $1—which is essentially a variation of the royalty based on a retail price. The agent, through his agent, says something to the publisher such as, “I don’t care what you sell it for, just give me $1.”

You can see the rest of this article here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/royaltiescalculated.html

Crafting the Romance Story Did you know... 55% of all fiction sold worldwide is romance fiction? This interactive package for aspiring romance writers is so successful, so easy to understand, so carefully written that any writer could come up with a romance story within weeks. Click here to launch your romance-writing career today!

The Best-Seller Secret You can become a best-selling author! Did you know that you really can get your book to the top of the Amazon Best-Seller list? There is a specific formula that will make your book rise to the top of Amazon's best-seller list - do you want to know what it is? Click here for more details: http://tinyurl.com/44cynt

Interview wih Marta Stephens
by Terry W. Ervin II

Marta Stephens is a crime mystery/suspense author whose desire to journal her thoughts evolved into a life-changing passion in 2003 that has led to the birth of her Sam Harper Crime Mysteries and her debut novel, Silenced Cry (2007). Her second novel in the series, The Devil Can Wait Pearl will be released in 2008. Stephens also runs an authors’ group blog, Murder By 4.

Marta lives in central Indiana with her husband, daughter and son. She has a degree in Journalism/Public Relations from Ball State University, is a member of Sisters in Crime International, Sisters in Crime Speed City Indiana Chapter, and the Midwest Writer's Workshop. Silenced Cry, received honorable mention at the 2008 New York Book Festival and was among the top ten in the mystery category of the 2007 Preditors & Editors Readers Poll.

For additional information on Marta Stephen’s works, links to her blogs, and how to contact her, visit her website at www.martastephens-author.com

***

Marta, why did you select BeWrite Books as the place to submit your first novel? Has the fact that you reside in the United States and your publisher is based in the United Kingdom caused any difficulties and/or proven advantageous?

I first heard about BeWrite Books several years ago after they published a short story anthology that included the works of a friend of mine. Since then, I got to know several of their other authors through writers groups who were all very pleased with their association with BeWrite. I was familiar with the quality of BeWrite’s books and the professional manner in which they conduct business. Another plus was that I knew they had published several mysteries over the years and would be open to considering my genre – crime mysteries.

In response to doing business across international lines, my initial concern focused on the exchange between the BGP and the US dollar, but it’s worked out fine. The fact that we are an ocean apart doesn’t factor into the equation though, not in this day and age of computers, e-mail, and online shopping. BeWrite Books has years of publishing experience, an international reach and full-time professional editorial and technical staff in the UK as well as in Germany, France, Canada, USA, and Australia.

I feel very fortunate to be with such a great team of experienced editors and a publisher who believes in my work.

You can see the rest of this great interview here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/interviews/martastephens.html

~ "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


Thriller Writing Course.
Learn how some of the masters of the modern thriller get readers' spines tingling. Masters like John Grisham, Michael Crichton, James Paterson, Patricia Cornwell and more. Join our thriller course today and get your thriller career up and running.
http://www.fictionfactor.com/thriller.html


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

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

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)


ClockWork Phoenix 2 - Tales of Beauty & Strangeness
http://www.clockworkphoenix.com/
Seeking stories under 10,000 words for annual print anthology to be published by Norilana Baooks in July 2009. Editor Mike Allen says: "CLOCKWORK PHOENIX 2 is a home for stories that sidestep expectations in beautiful and unsettling ways, that surprise with their settings and startle with the ways they cross genre boundaries, that aren't afraid to experiment with storytelling techniques.

"The stories should contain elements of the fantastic, be it science fiction, fantasy, horror or some combination thereof. A straight psychological horror story is unlikely to make the cut unless it's truly scary and truly bizarre. The same applies to a straight adventure fantasy or unremarkable space opera — bring something new and genuine to the equation, whether it's a touch of literary erudition, playful whimsy, extravagant style, or mind-blowing philosophical speculation and insight.
Deadline: November 16, 2008
Payment 2 cents per word plus one contributor copy.
Submission Guidelines: http://www.clockworkphoenix.com/#guidelines


Dark Jesters: An Anthology of Humorous Horror
http://www.novellopublishers.com
Deadline: November 30th 2008
Novello Publishers is seeking 10 hysterical stories to fill their first trade paperback humorous horror anthology.
Word count is not to exceed 2,000, NO EXCEPTIONS. The shortest accepted piece will be 1,500, but closer to the 2,000 mark is ideal for this project.
Stories must be horror-oriented-no scifi unless in the vein of "Alien." Stories will be selected (mainly) on their humor content: the harder you make the editors laugh the better chance your story will be picked. Any story that insults the horror genre will not be selected; "humorous horror" does not mean we want to "make fun" of the genre. We want to see "real" horror stories with a humorous angle. Whether your story deals with classic monsters (such as vampires), the apocalypse, serial killers, ghosts, or (you fill in the blank), we want the readers to laugh 'till it hurts.
Payment: $40.00 and one contributor copy.
NO REPRINTS.
Submission Guidelines: http://www.novellopublishers.com/guidelines.html


The Phantom Queen Awakes - a Dark Celtic Anthology
http://www.morriganbooks.com/?page_id=120
The Phantom Queen Awakes, will focus on Morrígan’s tripartite nature. We want stories set in the ancient world of the Celts (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celt for some information), that talk of Morrígan. She does not have to be a central figure (although she must appear at least once in the tale), however we would prefer it if she was.

Mark and Amanda are looking for stories that push the boundaries, for tales that resound with the reader long after they’ve been put down. Supernatural creatures are allowed, although they must be in tune with Celtic mythology. We do not want gratuitous violence or sex scenes. The editors would prefer stories of a darker nature, and are much more likely to take well written stories with this in mind.
Word Count: up to 6,000 words
Deadline: 1st December 2008
Payment 1 cent per word, no reprints
Submission Guidelines: http://www.morriganbooks.com/?page_id=120


Potter's Field 3
http://www.samsdotpublishing.com/pottersfield.htm
Deadline: 31st December 2008
A print anthology of tales from the graveyard. Stories should be between 2,000-8,000 words. We do not want gore, blood, splatter, slice-and-dice. Sure, it might be good fun to make balloon animals out of someone's intestines, or find out how long the heart will continue to beat after it has been ripped from the body with a runcible spoon. But that's not what we want. We want stories that will scare readers, not stories that will make them gag. This is not to say that someone in your story cannot bleed, or die. Just put a lid on the icky stuff.
Submission Guidelines: http://www.samsdotpublishing.com/pottersfield.htm

~ "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." ~
~ Groucho Marx ~


© Copyright 2000-2008 Lee Masterson. All rights reserved.
Individual articles Copyrighted by Individual Authors


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Contact Details

Lee Masterson - Editor-In-Chief, FictionFactor Group

Tina Morgan - Managing Editor, FictionFactor Group


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*** Disclaimer: Mention of a market listing, contest, course or product
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