Google + (Part Two) - The How & the When

Part Two – How & When.

Since I have been on this G+ journey of discovery, the biggest query most people have is a lack of understanding. Numerous writers have admitted signing up to the service, only to stand on the sidelines peering in, unsure what to do next. I think this is something Google may need to address, and I’ll go into details later about the online help you can access to guide you through the initial process. It’s all there, and is more than adequate, I just don’t feel it’s particularly user-friendly.

 

So, here I shall try and simplify and condense the main rules you need to make a start on G+.

HOW TO NAVIGATE  YOUR WAY AROUND G+

So, you’ve got your password, accessed the G+ logo on your Google dashboard, and you’re all set. If you have a Gmail account you may find many of your profile details, including your user name, will auto-populate. When you log in you will be taken to your Home Page. Once you have added friends (see below) you will be greeted here by a display of your friends' latest blogs (collated via Blogger of course), their latest posts and updates and a general news feed – plus a chance for you to post your own quick updates. It may look a bit empty for now, but it will fill up nicely as you use G+ and interact with other users, and it will usually offer you a steady stream of people you may know due to your existing contacts or shared interests.

Navigating your way around G+ is quite easy. Everything revolves around the drop down menu on the left- hand side of your screen. When you click (on Home) you should be presented with a number of options:

PROFILE -  This is the area where you complete as much information as you want available. It’s also rather like a blog page where you can post daily updates (think of your Facebook home page) So, if you want to tell everyone what you had for breakfast or boast about your daily word count, this is the place.

PEOPLE – This is one of the most important areas. Advice seems to be that increasing your G+ ‘readers’ is crucial to getting the best out of the medium. And before we proceed, here I must introduce you to Circles. Probably the biggest (and arguably most beneficial) of the differences G+ offers over other social media platforms.

Circles or Circling is a way of organising your followers or friends. How you do it will very much depend on what you want from G+. So, in the People section, you are presented with a number of options. Find People (searching for those with similar likes or shared friends) Have You in Circles (people who have included you in their circles) Your Circles (People you have chosen) Discover (Popular sites, categorised into interests)

I’d suggest you look at Your Circles first. Here you can search (via your address book or Gmail account) for people to add. You then either add them to your Circles, or if not on G+, send invites to ask them to join your network and when they accept you can organise them into relevant Circles. For example, for writers these may include – friends, family, readers, bloggers, colleagues. The beauty of taking the time to separate your followers is that you can update and share posts with specific groups. So, for example, let’s say you’re a member of a Book Club, you could include other members in a Book Club 'Circle', and only update them on the date of your next event, rather than informing the rest of your followers who aren’t remotely interested. You can also choose to make only certain Circles visible in your stream on your Home Page. So, if you only want to see your friends' posts when you log on, this can be amended in settings.

PHOTO – This is basically an online photograph album that if you have a Blogger site will already be populated with photos you’ve saved there. Otherwise you can organise uploaded photos to use.

The above are the main categories to navigate around the site. Below that there is a second list – What’s Hot (Display of the day’s hottest sites, blogs, links, videos) / Communities (Display of G+ groups you may be interested in based on your settings, likes and friends)  / Events (Ability to make an Online Invitation to share among friends) / Hang Outs (Ability to run Video Chats, either private, or join public chats) / Pages (Ability to create a Page – eg like an Author Page on FB for your business or interests)  / Local (More for business use, links you to local contacts and links your businesses to others in area)  / Settings (Managing account).

HOW TO UNDERSTAND G+

Also in this drop down under Home, you can access the online G+ Help. This is in very tiny print at the bottom of the menu. Despite difficulty in finding it, it actually offers a lot of information, although I imagine many users do not even know it is there. It shows you in simple steps how to send posts, create pages, interact with other users and a lot more. And there is even a tour that uses a kind of Wizard to guide you around G+, explaining benefits and features. I’d suggest any newbie spends an hour or so familiarising themselves with these interactive tools as they are really beneficial. There is also an option to join a G+ Circle where members explain changes or features and there's also a G+ Help hash tag so you can yell at any time if you're in a fix and someone will assist.

The other main point to get right are your Posts. In a similar fashion to Facebook's latest security updates, you have the ability to share your posts with Specific Circles, Extended Circles or Public (ie anyone who has included you in one of their Circles.) Unlike Twitter, here you have a 100,000 character limit, so although your scope is wider, it still pays to quickly learn to be brief and interesting. It very much depends what you want from G+ but as we are viewing this as a potential marketing tool for authors, the same rules apply as Facebook and Twitter. Repeat posts, but never make a nuisance, check timings so you hit readers at the right time, add hashtags if necessary, and provide a link to your source if you're re-posting others' posts.

With G+ a symbol called +Mentioning works in much the same way as the @ symbol on Twitter. If you add + in front of a name at start of a post, it works as sending them a direct message. Or if you post in the body of a public text, it shares the post with them. A handy tip is that if you add a + or @ in front of a regular email address, G+ will send the post. This is a clever way of attracting new followers onto G+.

Two other points about Posts. There are services that offer auto posts, much as auto retweets in Twitter. 'Do Share' for example, enables you to draft and schedule posts for set times. Also, like RT on Twitter, G+ have 'Ripples' which show you how many people have shared your public posts. To access, click on the arrow at top right of your posts, and View Ripples. Through Ripples you can also access cross promotion, where your posts can be organised to post on your other social media sites consecutively which removes the burden of multi-posting.

So, choose your readers, click on the box, write your text, add your links and photos and ... Get Posting!

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR G+ AUDIENCE

So, once you’ve dedicated your time, created your profile, added your photographs, mastered sending Posts, connected with other users and organised your Circles … then what?

I asked the same question and have spent the past couple of weeks trying to ‘use’ the resource to its full potential and I’ll be honest I don’t think I’ve got anywhere near scratching the surface. I'm currently looking at how to increase my followers outside of my normal circle of friends and associates.

Many of the normal social media etiquette applies - Have a good profile; Share good content; Share your posts in public not private; Add your G+ badge to your website and blog; Help others; Invite others to join; Seek out Circles who like the same topics as you do and build new networks of like-minded people. With these ideas in mind, just make a start, write posts and begin circulating and seeking out people and topics that interest you. Before long, you see your Circled number and follower number increase, and your network begins to grow.

I think G+ like most things in life only gives back as much as you put in. And there's no denying there are lots of slight differences you need to master before you are completely competent, but in general most things are similar to other social networking - and the site itself, once you can navigate yourself around successfully, is easy to use, not to mention bright and entertaining. So, play around, have a browse, click links and see where they take you. Some will appeal, others will not - I've not taken the plunge yet with Hang Outs for example. But I like seeing News and Weather updates when I log in. I like seeing new suggested contacts and a resume of my followers' posts. I feel comfortable with the whole set up, and while I'm sure G+ attracts its fair share of trolls and idiots, I also believe at the moment it's adding a new, refreshing and altogether more interesting face to online communication and marketing. And that with a little time investment, it will offer a new face for networking and marketing for authors.

In the last of my posts on G+ I shall report on my first full month on the site and compile a list of Top Tips that will add to your overall experience.

For those who are going to give G+ a go and would like more detailed information, I can recommend What the Plus! by Guy Kawasaki which is packed full of advice on every aspect of G+.

The Writer's Pains

Image by Paul G Neale, artist

by JJ Marsh

My arm hurts.

Between the fingers, across the wrist, up my forearm and elbow, and into my shoulder and neck. The first signs of RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) and a major wake-up call. All those little micro movements on the keyboard, mouse clicks and scribbling by hand have added up to a massive great impediment to a writer.

The effect makes other activities painful. For the first time, I’m grateful that my left-hand drive car is an automatic.

RSI is not the only occupational hazard for your average wordsmith. 

Matt Haig, in 10 Reasons Not To Be A Writer

They have bad backs. Maybe not the debut writers, but by the time of their third or fourth novel, they can hardly walk. This is why Margaret Atwood has to be winched everywhere with the aid of a helicopter. It is why Salman Rushdie is eight inches shorter than he used to be. It is why Julian Barnes always clenches his jaw.

I’m not alone in facing physical aches and pains, (check out Jane Friedman’s great post on back problems) so I asked others about the challenges of writerly pain and how they dealt with them.

Swiss ball

Joanna Penn, www.TheCreativePenn.com

I had increasingly bad back pain for around 9 months in 2012, to the point of waking me at night and I often slept on the couch with extra back support. I had a lot of tests but the doctors couldn't find anything wrong. The physio suggested sitting at my desk on a Swiss ball in order to foster micro-movements. I was only able to sit on it for an hour at first, alternating with my office chair, but within 6 weeks, the pain was practically gone and I always use a Swiss ball at my desk. I find myself bouncing on it sometimes as well as rocking around, plus I can just roll it sideways and lie backwards for a stretch while I'm thinking. It's a cheap and easy solution to the writer's bad back - perhaps not for everyone, but well worth trying!

Room, room, if, if, if, if

Iida Ruishalme – writer from Finland – who suffers from hyper-mobility

I had RSI when I was 15 years old from writing stories by hand. When I got older, I worked in a lab, using microscopes and computers, and the pain came back. So I experimented with speech recognition software for my writing. Both Mac and Windows have inbuilt voice to text systems, which are worth trying, but now I use Dragon software to write my first drafts, emails and so on. It took a while to get used to the commands and learn how to pronounce certain words in English, but now it’s second nature. One thing freaked me out at first – sometimes when I paused to think about what to say next, the computer typed room, room, if, if, if, if. Finally I realised my hypersensitive microphone was picking up the sound of cars passing my window.

Ergonomicist

Roz Morris – http://rozmorris.wordpress.com/

I'm rather well acquainted with RSI. I crippled myself at the start of the 1990s, doing typesetting and layout on computers. I developed a gnawing ache in my arms and hands that was impossible to escape – even when not at work. Acupuncture erased it – but only lasted a couple of hours and cost an arm and a leg. Since then I've relied on ergonomics.

I learned to touch-type, which keeps the hand in an efficient position. I banished the back and shoulder pain by switching to a kneeling stool, which you can adjust so your hands fall into a natural position. Building the muscles in the back and upper body makes a difference - one theory is that RSI can be caused by wasted muscles pressing on nerves. If you can't abide weight training, swimming is good. Wrist rests didn't make any difference except to press on already sensitive nerves, but an ergonomic keyboard worked miracles. I found the curved ones weren't much help, but I discovered a hinged keyboard made by Goldtouch, which you fit to your shape. If you're having a painful day, you can adjust your typing position by changing the angle in the keyboard. 

Standard mice are agony for me, as are those little laptop tracker pads. The 3M joystick mouse has made life a lot more comfortable. I still get breakthrough pain, so I use books to jack my monitor up to a different height. If none of that works, I go to the bad side. I have a notebook computer which is ergonomically awful, but a few days typing in that position gives me enough of a rest to return to the proper set-up. 

Oh, and screen breaks are supposed to be important but I always forget to take them. Guess I could be more comfortable still ...

Making the Break

Ben Myers – author of Richard & Pig Iron – http://www.benmyers.com/

Ernest Hemingway famously wrote standing up, on a Royal portable typewriter. So, it seems, did Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, Virginia Woolf and now Philip Roth, who suffers from arthritis in one shoulder. Victor Hugo meanwhile wrote in the nude, Edmond Rostand, author of Cyrano de Bergerac, wrote in the bath to avoid interruption and Marcel Proust and Mark Twain both wrote in bed (though not together).

Personally, I’m still suffering, so painkillers, massages and many breaks are the best I can come up with ...

Libby O ­– Narrative Ninja from Australia ­– http://rowinggirl.com/

There’s no quick fix. I’m doing physio and limiting my screen time. I also use a software program which enforces breaks – see five free alternatives here. The screen fades and shows a picture of someone meditating. Drives me mad, but seems to be working.

So, whether you use balls, dragons or adjustable mice, there are remedies. But damage takes time to repair. Prevention is better than cure. Take your breaks, move your muscles and above all, protect the instrument.

That’ll be you.

What's in a pseudonym?

 By Gillian Hamer

After the recent headlines about JK Rowling publishing her first crime novel under the name of Robert Galbraith, we wondered what makes authors publish under a different name.

JK Rowling clearly had huge, personal reasons for choosing a pen name. She says: ‘I had hoped to keep this secret a little longer because being Robert Galbraith has been such a liberating experience. It has been wonderful to publish without hype or expectation, and pure pleasure to get feedback under a different name.’

Whilst this is a position most readers would envy, I’m sure most of us can also sympathise.

But what other reasons take writers down this route? We researched a selection of authors – famous, debut, unpublished – to find out what drove them under the cover of a pseudonym.

It’s something our very own JJ Marsh has chosen to do, and she’s in good company, from the Bronte sisters to Agatha Christie to Stephen King, for decades writers have chosen to work outside the constraints a famous name creates. But for those less famous, what is the pull of anonymity?

BARBARA SCOTT-EMMETT / BARBIE SCOTT

I chose a pseudonym for my erotica to differentiate it from my more serious work, and also, initially, to keep my real identity secret. The secret is now out but I will still continue to use Barbie Scott for my two collections of erotic short stories - The Stiletto Heel & Other Stories and Dinner with Daniela & Other Stories, and a novella which will be out soon.

All novels and erotica can be found at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Barbara-Scott-Emmett/e/B0034OP504

ALEXANDER SCOTT-EMMETT / JIMMY BAIN

Both my grandfather and great-grandfather were called James Bain Elstob so I chose Jimmy Bain because I wanted to honour my Glasgow ancestors. Also, I thought it suited the genre and the style of my gritty humourous Glasgow crime novels better than my real name does. It's short, sharp and suggests there'll be no messing about.

The Bumble's End by Jimmy Bain - A tale of greed, death and toffees - is available now at https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004RK0T9G and all good online booksellers. The Long Drop Goodbye, the next in the series, will be ready shortly.

LORRAINE MACE / FRANCES DI PLINO

I write children’s novels (the first will be published in the USA in March 2014) and didn’t want a situation where a child picked up one of my crime novels and said: “Oh, look, Mummy, a new book by Lorraine Mace. I like her books.” I had visions of the poor mother trying to explain the contents of a hard-boiled crime thriller to a traumatised child. It seemed safer to write crime as Frances di Plino (the feminine version of my Italian great-grandfather’s name) and keep my own name for the children’s novels.

As Frances di Plino, my latest novel, Someday Never Comes, will be released by Crooked Cat Publishing on the 16th August.

Blog: http://francesdiplinoreviews.blogspot.com

JJ MARSH

There are two reasons I use a pseudonym for writing. Firstly, because I have built a good reputation in my day job under my real name. I want to keep that identity distinct and separate. Secondly, my real name sounds like I write about rabbits – the fluffy, cuddly sort, not boiled by a deranged Glenn Close. JJ Marsh came about when I was writing a collaborative project with my sister, whose name also starts with J. I borrowed Marsh from my step-dad, with a nod to Ngaio.

You can find out more about my crime series here:

http://www.beatrice-stubbs.com/

CHARLOTTE, EMILY & ANNE BRONTE / CURRER, ELLIS & ACTON BELL

In 1850, Charlotte Bronte put a stop to the speculation about the sex of the Bells.

‘Averse to personal publicity, we veiled our names under those of Currer, Ellis & Acton Bell, the ambiguous choice being dictated by a sort of conscientious scruple of assuming Christian names positively masculine, while we did not like to declare ourselves women, because – without at the time suspecting that our mode of writing and thinking was not that is called ‘feminine’ – we had a vague impression that authoresses are liable to be looked on with prejudice.’

AGATHA CHRISTIE / MARY WESTMACOTT

Christie published six romance novels under the name of Westmacott. Rosalina Hicks, Christie’s only daughter believes the pseudonym gave her mother the pleasure and opportunity to fulfil her wish to write something different.

She said: ‘Although Mary Westmacott never enjoyed the same critical acclaim, the books received recognition in a minor way and my mother was pleased people enjoyed them.’ And Christie certainly enjoyed writing them. In her autobiography, she said of her novel, Absent in the Spring, published in 1944: ‘This was the one book that satisfied me completely. I didn’t want to change a word. It was written with integrity, with sincerity, it was written as I was meant to write it, and that is the proudest joy a writer can have.’

STEPHEN KING / RICHARD BACHMAN

As the great man himself explains: ‘Because in the early days of my career there was a feeling in the publishing business that one book a year was all the public would accept, but I think a number of writers have disproved that by now.’

ED MCBAIN / EVAN HUNTER

Born Salvatore Albert Lombino, he legally adopted the name Evan Hunter in 1952. A prolific literary writer, Evan was advised by his publisher that publishing too much fiction, or indeed any crime fiction, may weaken his literary reputation. As a consequence, he wrote under many different names: Curt Cannon, Hunt Collins and Richard Marston for much of his early crime fiction work before settling on Ed McBain in 1956 with the publication of Cop Hater, the first novel in his acclaimed 87th Precinct Series.

JONATHAN FREEDLAND / SAM BOURNE

Some reasons are purely personal and some come down to cold, hard business, but for Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland, it was a mixture of both.

He says: ‘The name Jonathan Freedland just doesn’t sound like a thriller writer’s name, whereas Sam Bourne does. Publishing experts said my surname has too many syllables. It’s too long. It’s better to be higher up the alphabet. All these commercial considerations. But for me, personally, it’s the idea of separation from the day job, just to keep the two distinct, in reader’s minds and my own.'


So, while there are varying reasons for the decisions to write under a pen name, many seem to have sexual connotations. Have times changed since the Bronte sisters decided to keep their gender ambiguous?

Back to JK Rowling.

Her publisher changed her name on the first Harry Potter book from Joanne to JK because they believed that girls do not care who had written a book, whereas boys would be unlikely to buy a book by a woman. Now, with her move into crime fiction, she has chosen Robert as a pen name, adding weight behind experts’ advice that as more women read crime, they prefer to read novels written by men.

Is this true?

I’m not sure Agatha Christie would agree!

Everyone is a critic!

The Dos and Donts of Critiquing

by Gillian Hamer

There has been a lot of negativity in the past about the pros and cons of online writing sites and writing groups in general. It’s fair to say that it can be a source of tension, and more than once I’ve heard comments from fellow writers along the lines of – ‘so what does he know, he’s not published either’ or ‘so what makes her JK Rowling all of a sudden.’

Critiquing another person’s work can be a minefield. But done well, ie learn the rules of engagement, and it can be a rewarding experience – for both parties.


· Help yourself …

Working with other writers will hone your writing skills – whether you’re the one giving or receiving the critique. In certain dry spells of my own writing, getting involved with commenting and advising on another writer’s work has been instrumental in helping to get my own writing flowing again.

Often, as a critiquer, you begin to recognize faults that crop in up your writing, but were invisible to your own eyes until you saw the same faults in others. You can see from the other side of the fence what it takes for readers to connect or sympathise with characters, and use that knowledge to improve your own work. And for the cost of only your own time, you’ll learn invaluable advice for improving your own work whilst also helping someone else.

However, it can be a wasp’s nest and it’s best to have an idea of the etiquette and skills required to be a successful and helpful critiquer. There is an art form to providing well-constructed, thoughtful criticism, and it’s important to recognize the fine line between personal preference and quality of the writing.



· Don’t judge every book …

Writers are told early on they need to develop a thick skin. And that’s very true. While agents, editors and publishers are unlikely to sugar coat any criticism, as a fellow writer, that doesn’t give you the right to crucify another person’s writing without thought and wisdom behind the words.

Remember, if you’ve been writing for a decade and have achieved a decent level, don’t judge everyone against the quality of a published author’s work. Remember everyone has to start as a ‘Learner Driver’ and use that analogy to encourage and advise in the right manner.

I am a fan of the sandwich approach. If I have to impart bad news, I would rather begin with a positive comment – ‘I really enjoyed the fresh ideas you brought to this crime novel’ – followed by a piece of advice – ‘However, I think you need to put a lot more time into crafting POV’ – then ending with an encouragement – ‘I think you have an original idea here, I’d love to read another draft.’

Of course, not everything can be sweetness and light, but you can see what I mean. There are ways to impart bad news, and personally, I think the most helpful thing you can do for a newbie writer is to give examples or suggest alternatives.


· If at first …

Also, a good critique is a well thought-out review where the writing (rather than the writer) is put under the spotlight. If you have time, try to read the work twice. First as a reader, making notes as you go – then as a writer, red editor’s pen in hand. The more time and effort you put into a critique, the more it will assist the writer. There’s nothing worse than a half-baked list of comments and it’s usually blatantly obvious when the person hasn’t put any effort into their responses.

And if you find you need to impart bad news, which can often be the case and should not send you running for the hills, always try and be constructive. Don’t say – ‘you’re using the wrong words’ – try ‘that word is vague, how about something more compelling like …’ The same with sentence structure. Rather than just highlighting a poorly constructed sentence, why not rewrite it, once or twice, and give examples of how this would improve the work.


· You can’t please everyone …

It’s a sad fact that on some online sites, there are writers who do not want criticism, and when they ask for feedback what they really want to hear is how great they are. You will only learn by experience who they are, and should you review work and find the writer wants to enter into a huge debate, I’d be inclined to ask if they have specific questions. If not, try not to get into a back and forth debate where you feel the need to defend your critique while they try to defend their work! This is never beneficial to either party.

Accepting a critique also carries its own etiquette. Your writing will only improve if you can graciously accept a critique – no matter what its content. Always take from any critique only what connects with you as the writer. Do not go through a manuscript and blithely change every item the other person has raised … but do give every single point due consideration. Remember, this person has given their time and experience to assist you, and even if you don’t agree with everything (or anything!) they advise, always be respectful and gracious. DO NOT enter into a heated debate with a critiquer. They will not change their minds because you tell them too. If you have further questions, by all means ask, but if you cannot agree – then silently leave it at that.

· My top tips for critiquing …

1. Always start with strengths before addressing weaknesses.

2. Make solid suggestions for improvement, don’t be vague.

3. Be positive, even when you’re covering negative subjects.


I have over a decade’s experience on numerous writing sites and have asked some of the best critiquers I have had the pleasure of dealing with for some of their top critiquing tips. There should be at least one little gem here that connects with you.

· What’s the best piece of critique advice you’ve received?

“I would say read as a reader and don't over analyse. Trust your gut reaction, most prose only gets one chance to impress/hold a reader. And things that trip you are likely to trip others. Also take the time to mention the good bits as well as the bad, we all need a bit of encouragement from time to time.”

“Strike out every other adjective and adverb.”

“I can't remember the author now but one well known writer apparently has a bit of paper stuck to their writing desk saying ' BE THERE'. I think this is really great advice as it reminds you to keep the narrative realistic and helps bring the prose alive.”

“Characters based on real people are the least real on paper. It made me chuck away an entire book, and recently scrap two characters completely from the Beatrice series. It's like Roger Rabbit - the mixture of the real and the animated make one or the other stand out.”

“Origami. Don't have your characters asking questions you want your reader to be asking. Your reader should be asking these questions as a result of the unfolding story, and if they aren't, you haven't folded it properly.”

“A tip I was given from a very experienced writer on receiving critiques was, by all means take advice from others on plot, character etc, but always remember that writing a novel is not a team sport.”

“My tip is to read your work out loud. If you start cringing, you know it has to go.”

“Cut the crap.”

 
· What’s the favourite piece of critique advice you offer?

“SHOW not TELL. It's an oldie but a goody. Don't tell the reader it's intriguing, show them something intriguing.”

“The trick is to read as a reader, not as a writer. I'd add to that, we all know what kind of story we would like to see, but at the end of the day, it's the writer's story, not yours, and it is the job of a critique to bring out the best in the story that is there, not write a new one.”

“A critique should help a writer to find his or her own unique voice, not have it overlaid with the voice of the person providing the critique.”

“When cutting unnecessary words begin with adverbs and adjectives. And the only verb you ever need as a speech tag is ‘said’.”

“End every sentence, paragraph and chapter with the strongest word. Don’t sort of sputter to a halt in a, you know, kind of weak and wishy-washy … erm … way. And mind out for alliteration an’ all.”

“Take what works for you but DON'T feel that you have to take on board every bit of conflicting advice. On the other hand, if all critters are saying the same thing, you should probably listen to them.”

"Cut the crap.”

You've come a long way

As writers, we learn but sometimes forget how little we knew when we were starting out and how hard some concepts can be at first. – Sheila Bugler

This week, some writers gathered in a coffee shop. The conversation ranged across perspective, transmedia, ultimate audience, validation, voice, and whether or not the barista was a Jedi. During a fascinating discussion about aims and inspirations, I had a moment of ooh.

As always, I participated in the conversation as if I knew what I was talking about. Then, as the clouds of steam parted, I realised I actually did. Ooh. How did that happen?

It happened because I learnt from others. Due to the steady, informal bettering of my writing comprehension, I don’t even realise how much I’ve learnt. So I went back through critiques of my work, notes on workshops, advice I’ve adopted and all those Post-It Notes of the Mind, which gradually assimilated into know-how. And I asked the other Triskelites to do the same.

Here we collate a selection of precious personal nuggets and Triskele treasures to share with you. It reassures us of how far we’ve come, and reminds us how far there is yet to go.



Read. You’ve got to read to write. If you’re a writer who claims not to be an avid reader, then I’ve got a very special word for you, and it’s not a good out loud one. Dan Abnett

What to write. If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it. – Toni Morrison

Lose inhibition. To make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, first you need a sow's ear. – David Michael Kaplan

Write. First drafts are to fill the reservoir, which I then go fishing in. – David Mitchell

Who to write for. The reader. Literature is a gift, so I write for the most intelligent, sensitive, enquiring, open-minded reader there is. – Christos Tsiolkas

Observe. Fiction is an accumulation of detail which yields meaning. Life is a series of details and is born of who you are. Get out there, get out of yourself. A cornerstone of writing is empathy. – Bret Lott

Move in. The author needs to inhabit the character rather than writing from on high. That individual’s actions in order to achieve his/her desire must make sense for that person. Many writers make the mistake of lobbing obstacles at the protagonist. Real pity is aroused by seeing the character as undeserving of suffering. – Sam North

Point of view ... like perspective in a realistic painting – it changes the size and shape, the nature and identity, of characters, objects and events in accordance with their proximity to the viewer … an audience member needs to be told whom to attend to and empathise with. – Jane Smiley

Develop your style. Style is diction; style is cadence; style is syntax; style is word choice and the spectrum of a writer’s vocabulary; style is length of sentences and the careful placement of different length sentences into a paragraph in the way a master stonemason would set stones into an unmortared wall meant to last for centuries; style is repetition and knowing when not to repeat; style is omission; style is misdirection and subliminal suggestion; style is specificity set into deliberate vagueness; style is crafty vagueness set amidst a forest of specificity; style is the motion of the mind at work; style is the pulse and heartbeat of the narrative sensibility; style is balance; style is the projective will of the writer creating a portal of access to the receptive will of the discerning reader; style is the sound our words make on paper. Style is goddamned hard. – Dan Simmons

Listen. Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open. Stephen King

Work your words. You are an excellent wordsmith, however, why use twenty words when two will do? When I read your writing it's like it's covered in a veil, a fine mist and it makes me want to scream. If you could erase that mist, polish those words until they shine, your writing would sparkle like a diamond. – Critique Circle

Rewrite. Ensure every scene, every line, every word earns its place. Check that every line, paragraph and chapter ends with the strongest word. – Janet Skeslien Charles

Subtext and imagery. In skilful hands it’s poetic. The small boy stealing a carved acorn from The Hundreds in The Little Stranger, the young lass with dextrous hands sewing fake pelts onto dogs in Fingersmith. The curtains and layers of disguise in Tipping the Velvet. The work of Sarah Waters

Use the reader. This may be the first book you’ve written, but it’s unlikely it’s the first book your reader has ever read. Use your reader as a resource. Use their expectations – meet them or subvert them. Use their imaginations by describing sensory, sensual experiences. Patricia Duncker

When to stop. Every work of art is a solution to a problem. How to say a thing. A work of art is never finished. It’s just abandoned. John Banville.

Distil your story. Story elements are character, situation, objective, opponent, disaster. Write the story question: TWO sentences – one statement which establishes character, situation and objective. One closed question which nails opponent and disaster.

When humans start growing to twelve-foot high, John Storm wants to find out why. But can he defeat traitors in high places who would kill him and fake an extra-terrestrial plot? Dwight V. Swain

Know yourself. If you can write just badly enough, you can make a lot of money. Flannery O’Connor

Collaboration. More fun, less lonely but also more frustrating. This to me is like the question: are you more yourself when you’re alone or talking to a friend? You’re always yourself, but different kinds of self at different moments? I’m always working, but differently, not better or worse. Naomi Alderman

Know your market. There’s confusion between literary merit and saleability. You may be rejected because your agent/publisher can’t see how to sell your work. Define your bottom line as a writer. Do you want your book to find an audience? That’s always possible. The old models are no longer working, so it’s time to create ones. For most books, there is a readership. You just need to find it. David Applefield

Protect yourself. While writers’ platforms are essential, “protect the instrument”. Make a conscious choice to switch off and use your writing mind. You are a writer. Spend three days away from the internet. Protect yourself from that intrusiveness and the anxiety it creates. Colin Harrison, Simon & Schuster



Feel free to share your best writing tips – we’re all still learning ...

Meet the Editors - John Hudspith

John Hudspith

Let’s start with you – how did you become an editor?

Many years ago I got involved with two peer review sites and became addicted to critiquing the work of others. I found the review process: dissecting, analysing and being forced to explain my analysis with intelligible written words, both illuminating and strangely satisfying. So much can be learned about the writing craft by practising the objective review process, by writing it down. My reviews were well-received, one writer asked if I could apply the same to the whole novel and there was my first client. Word of mouth brought more writers my way and within a year I was a full-time freelancer.

What kind of editing do you do?

Some might describe what I do as `heavy` editing. But see, that depends on the level of understanding of the craft the individual writer is at; some needing more help than others. `Help` being the key word here, because when you employ an editor, you must realise he is not a machine or robot programmed to exactness and thereby guaranteeing perfection with your work. No, your editor is a hired help, a fellow of the craft, a writer himself, and what you are in fact doing by employing this chap or chappess is handing a fellow artist a chisel and inviting him to give you a hand. And that is exactly what I do; examine structure, pace, characterisation, dialogue, mood, tone, props, production values and camera angles and give a hand with getting these things into shape – ensuring all the while that the writer’s voice/style receives the most important enhancement of all and that `story` works.

How do you approach working with a client on a manuscript?

I ask for three chapters, synopsis, what the inspiration is for the work and a little information about the writer. I read the chapters, study the synopsis, then provide an appraisal along with the first chapter edited and a quotation for completing the work. There is no charge for the appraisal and sample edits. Before any writer engages with me I want them to see what I can bring to their work. Before parting with your hard-earned, always ask for a free sample and ensure the editor engages with your work, your voice, and can bring something delicious to your table. If your editor doesn’t make you drool, find one that does.

How would you describe a successful author/editor relationship?

A successful editor will be aware of the conventions and reader perceptions of every genre in which he works. A successful editor, with in-depth knowledge of the craft, will teach his writer these things of reader perceptions and camera angles and voice and the nuance of words. To edit the work of another and watch them learn as the process moves along is to watch a writer evolve and I’m privileged to have experienced this many times upon reading the work of returning writers and finding they have taken on board all I said about narrative POV values and mood creators, and their word choice is now so picky I could cry. And so it goes on. A successful author/editor relationship is one of passionate teacher and hungry pupil.

How does the situation differ when you’re editing non-fiction?

Non-fiction covers only a small area of my work; author bios, CVs, web pages, that kind of thing. However, I was recently approached by a woman who had written a memoir, secured an agent, but had had no bites. The writer felt sure she had a book worth reading and asked if I could take a look. This was a challenge; the subject matter was harrowing and real: coping with the death of a child. Geves Lafosse and her family had lost Juliette to leukaemia at the age of five. Could I do this writer, this mother, this family, and most of all Juliette – justice? I investigated with trepidation, applying the elements of good storytelling which meant considering restructuring, de-fluffing, and looking closely at word choice and I discovered that `story` could be enhanced without changing the reality of it. Structural changes, de-fluffing, word choice, camera angles, all went to improving reader’s experience. 

Look out for `Watching Petals Fall` by Geves Lafosse. A beautiful memoir.

http://geveslafosse.com/

What kind of genres do you prefer to work on?

Something excites me in reading any genre and that is the author’s mark; the heart of his voice; his tricks and trademarks, those natural in-built mechanisms employed subconsciously as writer’s slit wrists soak his soul into the page. It is this that makes each writer, and so it matters not genre but voice. However, I’d never say no to a dirty weekend in a haunted house.

I’m intrigued to know how you get into the writer’s voice, how you know what kind of words might work, what sort of sentence rhythm will fit and how you know it will still sound like the author, not the editor.

A writer’s voice is the storytelling voice. I imagine I’m sitting across from my writer, staring over the campfire flames, listening to story being voiced out loud, and watching every inflection. Those nuances I mentioned earlier; how the writer subconsciously employs the various tricks, connectors, scene-setting techniques, tension pulls – those are the roads to unique voice and rhythm – writer’s DNA.

Robert Gottlieb says the editor’s relationship to a book should be an invisible one. Do you agree?

Invisible in that writer’s style/voice remains intact, yes.

In the age of independent publishing and authors doing it for themselves, does the future look rosy for editors such as yourself?

If you mean busy – yes. However, as in any trade, there are cowboys. Be sure to ask for that free analysis/sample and that your prospective editor connects with you and your work before scooting off to Paypal.

Writers often agonise over blurbs and synopses. Would you be the kind of person who could help a writer distil the essence of a story?

Distilling a five page synopsis to a one page synopsis is a favourite undertaking; almost akin to editing a short, or stripping back flash fiction for word count. I adore the process of peeling away the unnecessary and leaving the necessary. And the same goes for blurbs; knowing how to punch with minimum effort, how to grab with words, while understanding reader’s perception requirements; this is the key to successful brevity.

What do you write?

I’ve published two books in the Kimi series so far; paranormal sci-fantasy with aliens and crows. I’ve tried my hand at many short stories which I’m publishing as an anthology, and the WIP is an adult fantasy horror.

John’s editing services: http://www.johnhudspith.co.uk/

Kimi’s blog and books: http://kimissecret.wordpress.com/about/