Confirmation Bias

Noun: a particular tendency, trend, inclination, feeling, or opinion, especially one that is preconceived or unreasoned:

illegal bias against older job applicants,

the magazine’s bias toward art rather than photography,

our strong bias in favor of the idea,

unreasonably hostile feelings or opinions about a social group prejudice.

Luckily, as writers we have a huge advantage. The reader is with us at least for the length of the book. They consider your story themes, or purpose because they are alone, have empathy for your characters who are making the main point which is factually based if during that time you are writing for good, not evil, or for truth not falsehood. The reader is likely to be mulling over the premise all the time, especially if the reader identifies with the protagonist(s) struggle.

Where do we see bias in everyday life. There are people who believe vaccines cause autism with overwhelming opposing scientific evidence. People don’t change, at least not quickly. This is why you have a unique chance to write a story of virtue. Write the next To Kill a Mockingbird. Just don’t be heavy handed. Heavy handed is telling whereas a great novel shows. It casts light on the path to truth. Is there any greater truth than true love and the mount of good it does for two people and those around them?

Dialogue is King

 Last week at RWASD we were entertained by Jane Porter, New York Times & USA Today best selling author. She is also the founder and editorial director of Tule Productions.

I could see form the way she approached the subject of dialogue that anyone who took to heart and pen what she said would become a more popular author.

Here's some highlights that I found valuable:

Since she reads a ton of manuscripts she appreciates dialogue more. It carries the story. She recommends the majority of the writing should be dialogue. I believe she said 70%!!

Dialogue should progress the plot

Reveal character

Contain emotional context

Entertain

Tidbits: men communicate authority, women communicate to connect. Relate real, not stereotypical dialogue. Women use much more words than men. {I say men internalize rather than speaking out.}. Set deadlines in the story. Never forget the conflict in every scene. Make speeches brief. Pay attention to pacing (fast is good). Don't forget interruptions, it's reality.

Establish the reason the protagonist takes the journey. It is better if it is based in social concerns rather than pure ego (specifically selfishness). {I think ego is good if it is part of an arc toward redemption.}

I have already improved my WIP because of her.

My daughter's memory

On my daughter Lani's last birthday she thanked everybody for keeping a little bit of distance. A couple kids were not tended to by their parents and hugged her. They had colds. I was horrified and immediately removed them. Today, she would ask you to follow the CDC guidelines for it will soon be over, hopefully. Lani was very much for promoting civil rights and the responsibilities that come with. Honor her memory for me.

The habit of writing

Aristotle stated, “the pursuit of a virtuous activity of (the) soul.” It is about discovering or uncovering your “essential self,” and the perfect wisdom that lives within you, waiting to be revealed and released. Noble Purpose is characterized by an experience of freedom, unbounded joy, and vitality for life and service to others.

The only road to traditional publication is through the harmony of purpose, time, learned skills, and talent.

If you are not creating new writing at least two hours a day and you want to get published, forget about it.

In my travels and my readings of world-famous authors I have discovered they all have something in common. They never stop writing.

If you don’t have a story you are chaffing to write and then dig in, forget about it.

If you don’t dedicate at least two hours a day (Susan Elizabeth Phillips does this) to new writing and perhaps six more hours to related activities, such as editing, forget about it.

Why? Two reasons.

1.       It’s a job. If you worked 5 days a week eight hours a day, you’d be able to support yourself.

2.       If you make a habit of writing, you’ll get good at it automatically. You’ll also remember the nuances, flow of the story, and characters much better, which makes for a richer and publishable story.

My battle with Facebook

 Since "Look Inside" was missing from my Amazon account for almost a month for Cinnamon & Sugar, I felt I needed to reboot. So I invested a small amount of money in a Facebook ad. They shot back that they objected to my focus on body parts. Maybe it was the cover, probably it was the shot of the young man in a bathing suit.

I know that's not what the book is all about but it is partially. So many romances are about attraction on a physical, mental, and spiritual level. It's very hard to show anything else on a cover. In fact, for years the romance industry was and is focused on beautiful people. I have noticed that production companies, such as Hallmark, are opening it up to various body types and sizes. ABC's Bachelor series has dived into interracial but the contestants are nearly all physically gifted. Singing shows focus on singing talent, no matter what the contestant looks like. Regarding romance and an audience for it, it won't be any time soon you'll hear the hero or heroine say, "he/she's ugly, but I'm attracted to her/him." Perhaps romance is confusing physical attraction for love. That's why at least for now, as writers, make sure to develop the WHY. Why are they together. And it had better be more than he has nice abs, much more.

If ever you have a choice on covers, choose the dramatic one over the pretty people one.

I have a chaste photo to try for prissy Facebook.

Time travel

We had just finished watching the classic film, The Time Machine (1960) with my two teenage grandsons on a Saturday night. That’s right. They haven’t been going out (at all). Everybody loved it, even though the graphic representations weren’t comparable to the 2002 version. It didn’t matter. Like any good story whether a book or on the big screen (or TV), it’s character development is what makes the story work. That secures the characters in the hearts of the reader/watcher. The structure of the novel/movie should grab the audience viscerally, engaging the heart. If it’s premise, in this case, time travel, intrigues and stands up to some logic, all the better and necessary. All elements should be tended to when penning the work. Roger Ebert gave the 2002 version 1.5 stars, need I say more. 1960's version did much better.

If done right, the story should have a reflection or more of alternative points of view. In the case of The Time Machine, subtle. As a child I didn’t worry about whether it was right that Wells wanted to change the future. But as an adult, it engrossed me. I’m going to ask my grandsons what they thought at breakfast today.

Fan fiction etc.

Some professional authors are so intrigued by someone else’s novel that they feel compelled to write a sequel. Of course, legally, you can’t do that unless you get permission. One way around this is through fan fiction, once again, only if permitted. Fan fiction doesn’t pay last I checked!

Another way around this is through public domain, that is, the work is free to use. This is very complicated. You can visit https://copyright.cornel.edu/publicdomain or other sites to learn more.

The other way might feel like cheating. You tell a story different enough not to infringe. It’s not cheating. Authors do this all the time especially in pieces. They’re called tropes. Sometimes the work is a whole cloth rendering. For instance, my story, The Wolf of Sherwood Forest, is all about new adults, Robin and Marion. Toss in real wolves, Richard the Lionhearted etc. simmer until the story is fully cooked.

For a more current story you need look no further than the Hollywood remakes. Of course, the studio lawyers tend to that. Let’s use a book as an example. Name any book, you can change the names, the town(s), the adventures, and produce something with the same emotive force. It has been said that all the (basic) stories have been told. You are just borrowing, some more, some less. For instance, in my new release through The Wild Rose Press, Cinnamon & Sugar, I was inspired by, and used the road trip and the walls of Jericho as shown in It Happened One Night. Except, my couple are on the run for different reasons, and travel, spooning, on one Harley Davidson.

Don’t feel bad if you can’t think of anything unique. Forget unique, there is no unique. Only your style is unique.