Amazon book rentals

I needed a quick topic today, because we have many guests left over from the funeral of my sweet daughter, Lani.

Every writer I talk to at conferences, critique groups, friendship etc. complains about the same thing.
AMAZON

Whether you published traditionally or it's a selfie, Amazon give you a choice. Share using KBP select and more people will read your book by renting. Yes, you may see pennies because they measure by pages read. BUT, when readers are offered a cheap fee to rent as many as they like, no one buys. SO, if you don't choose allowing rentals, no one will buy your book (In sufficient quantities to make a living).

I have a solution, but not a very good one. Get old fashioned and stick to it. Do paperbacks and hardbacks only! Yes, paperback sales are declining but the other methods already mentioned above are worse.
So why not get it done in paper, print some for your own sales and give aways. You will hold something tangible. Something you can personally pass on to your children and their children.

I read my latest manuscript to Lani before she died. She loved it and made me promise I'd find an agent or publisher. If there's an agent or publisher in my audience, the story's premise is: A white separatist rescues a black girl from drowning [NA (new adult) romance]. Please let me know if you are interested.

Body language versus interior thoughts

Body language versus interior thoughts

It is not a true "either or". BUT.

If you are writing in intimate third or first person, and not as an omniscient narrator, then take care to get this right.

If the POV character is observing another character’s actions he may describe body language observed and may also delve into interior monologue.

If the POV character is in the process of doing or thinking something, then he should not use body language to describe himself unless he’s making a point about what he wants his body language to mean.

Why?

Example: Let’s call our point of view character, Mr. Pov.

Mr. Pov began to swallow repeatedly when he saw the heroine approach. Why did he swallow? Could it be he had indigestion, hiccups, guilt, became anxious, nervous, etc. In intimate third person Mr. Pov should share with us his thoughts. Hiding his thoughts is the same as hiding the story, because the story is being told and shown to us through the eyes of Mr. Pov.

If Mr. Pov witnesses the heroine swallowing repeatedly he can’t be sure why. He may speculate. He may ask and hope he gets a truthful answer.

So many authors who are fond of body language fall into this trap. They sprinkle body language over every character, often because they think they’re showing not telling. Don’t let it be you. Tell interior thoughts to develop and deepen the character. Show body language to get a picture in the reader’s mind.

Mr. Pov cried hoping the heroine would think he cared. In realty he planned his reaction to remake his image. His acting lessons paid off. The truth was he cared for no one but himself, but he wanted her money.

In loving memory

I write today with a depth of sadness I have never experienced. My lovely daughter, Lani Nicole (Richard) Schiller has passed away on March 21, 2019 at the age of 44.
 If any of you would like to learn more about this very special young lady please go to:
https://www.gofundme.com/in-memory-for-lani?fbclid=IwAR1tjJPce7D7CcI40Lz4HKMnMrP8RALV7Xcw9gDciBP9eqi0_x9TdsFwhfc


With all my love,
Bob Richard

p.s. My daughter's last wish was for my NA (interracial) manuscript to be published in the traditional manner. I will, honey.

Scene Structure

Scene structure

I was asked in my critique group by a new-to-romance writer how my scene advanced the plot.

I said, (remember we always feel constrained by time, or at least I do) that I was showing the hero and heroine’s relationship developing, changing.

Afterwards I wondered if that was enough. Remember the book on writing by Debra Dixon, Goal, Motivation & Conflict?

I asked myself what was the goal of the scene.

Goal: To show the hero’s reaching out to understand and enjoy the heroine’s hobby (writing songs, poems or rap).

Motivation: She wants to teach him. He wants to learn, because he was falling in love and had an insatiable appetite for knowledge.

Conflict: A poetry store clerk flirts with the hero which bothers the heroine.

This should be enough, right?

Well, the next scene has an outside irritant introduced. This was my remedy after I thought about how to please my critique group friend. Before her comment, I wasn’t quite sure how to handle the next scene which I labeled meet the FBI agent. So, from trying to justify my little scene about a growing love came the solidification of how the next one should go.

I really appreciate every critique I get, even if seemingly off the mark. Because it often becomes a catalyst to crystalize something in my story.

Scenes:

1.     At least one goal or purpose.

2.    Advance the plot.

3.    Be essential to the story.

4.    Advance or diminish the romance. It is important to include ups and downs and a black moment where they walk away from each other and the reader screams at her book. NO.

5.    Show motivation(s).

6.    Show conflict.

My friend, Ann Siracusa, reminded me to add the following to the list of what each scene should have:
1. Have a beginning, middle and end.
2. Each character should have an agenda.
3. Don't forget the hook at the end of the scene.

Off topic: Last week I was listening to an NPR interview with Benjamin Dreyer, Copy Chief of Random House. His book may surprise you, Dreyer’s English, 2019. He covers grammar and style. He writes about when it is okay to split an infinitive, end a sentence with a preposition, start a sentence with and,& but (but not together). Etc. Want a fresh take on those nasty rules we constantly forget? This book is for you.

Critique group woes

Have you ever worried about writing a novel by committee? I have.

Week after week, recently, I a critter, who has an agent says, “I’m having trouble with believability.” [I’m writing a romance.]

In a critique group, it is not recommended that you not stick up for yourself, mostly because of time and slightly because of egos. So I say nothing. I go home make corrections that I understand and then try to guess what she meant. Is it that my 18 year-old black girl and my 20 year-old white boy are somehow not attracted to each other or I’m writing them wrong? What I usually do when editing from critique group input is fill in more story via dialogue and interior monologue to make the story richer. [BTW. This type of romance is called NA, i.e. new adult.] I look at setting, time lapses, everything. This introspection has never been without value because it sharpens the story.

I was nonetheless curious about what she meant about believability. I asked her on a break and she couldn’t pin it down. So I prompted her with an example that I knew I was going to change. She said, “I don’t know if that’s the way the hero and his dad get along.” I do. The group cannot be expected to remember what you wrote in previous weeks for many reasons.

To name a couple:

1. They missed a week or weeks.

2. They forget. It isn’t their story.

A funny thing happens on the way to the weekly group meeting. I write 3 to 6 pages max, 1 scene or chapter only. My writing is tight and sometimes doesn’t cover some interior monologue that I felt might be helpful in showing more story. I do this because of time limitations. Also, I never summarize previous chapters and/or explain things that have changed because each scene should stand on its own merits or so the experts say.

I remember a vice-presidential candidate saying many years ago, “Who am I and what am I doing here?”

If I don’t understand the other writer’s story, I usually give a pass because I’m not on top of every nuance. BUT. I can’t blame anybody else for getting lost and offering a suggestion that my story in some way is unbelievable. I just take it under advisement. You have probably heard that phrase before in your own group(s). It usually means I’m hurt, I don’t want to talk about, I don’t value your opinion, but it should mean, how can I improve my story and could you be more explicit.

For those now curious, I’m writing the best novel of my life and I have my critique group to thank for it. All of them.