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Don’t Cheat the Reader!
  Writing Books Your
  Readers Will Love

Larry K. & Lorna Collins
Reader’s Prayer
     By Sylvia Sikeston, Editor


God grant us the courage to
  not buy the Fiction we
  cannot stomach,
The serenity to read the
  Fiction we can,
And the wisdom to know the
  difference.
Why We Hate Books
• Badly drawn characters
• Spear carriers
• Too many characters
• Unclear protagonist
• Introducing key characters
  too late in the story
• Confusing POV
Why We Hate Books – Part 2
•   Bad writing
•   Too wordy
•   Not enough detail
•   Poor plotting
•   Cop-out endings
•   Unresolved endings
•   Unresolved plotlines
•   Impossible situations
Why We Hate Books – Part 3
• Facts known only to the
  author
• Historical inaccuracies
• Language errors
  – Historical
  – Moral
• Author intrusion
  – “Telling” details instead of
    “showing”
• Preaching
What We Love - Basics


1.   Compelling Characters
2.   A Good Story
3.   A Great Hook
4.   A Strong Voice
5.   Excellent Writing
Characters
• Make them believable and
  authentic – to you and the reader
• Make them distinct and
  identifiable by their actions and
  sounds
• Give them clear emotions
• Complete their arcs
• Keep them consistent
• Make them memorable
• Make them necessary
Characters – Part 2
• Give each character an
  agenda (What do they want?
  Need?)
• Make the protagonist and
  antagonist clear early
• How do they react to stress?
• Know whose POV is being
  expressed
• Create fewer, not more
A Good Story
• Create believable situation
• The larger the event, the
  more important your
  characters
• Create conflicts between
  characters
• Create internal conflict in
  characters
• Increase conflict
  throughout the story
A Good Story – Part 2
• Interrelate scenes and chapters
• Create a primary event to start
  the story
• Use suspense – withhold
  information
• Keep your promises to the
  reader
• Make the reader care about
  the plot
A Good Story – Part 3
• Make it real, make it
  believable, make it true
• Resolve plotlines
• Build to a climax
• Keep your theme consistent
• Write strong ending
Create a Hook
• Decide where to start the
  story:
   – Before the beginning
   – At the beginning
   – In the middle
   – At the end
• Name a character
• Give significant plot
Create a Hook – Part 2
• Give character an
  attitude, a secret
• Create a question in the
  reader’s mind
• Create a mood
• Create a great sentence,
  paragraph or chapter
• Create an intriguing place
Create a Strong Voice
• POV
   – 1st person
   – 1st shifting
   – 3rd person
   – 3rd shifting
   – Omniscient
• Be consistent
Excellent Writing
• Give enough detail
• Don’t be too wordy
• Don’t start the next book
  as the finish of this one
• Make sure the mechanics
  (spelling, punctuation,
  etc.) are perfect
• Use effective metaphors
  and similes
Excellent Writing – Part 2
• Create “cliffhangers” for
  chapter endings
• Give the story a spiritual or
  moral dimension
• Write descriptions to
  appeal to all the senses
• Use active verbs
Writing Basics
• Read, Read, Read

• Write, Write, Write

• Edit, Edit, Edit

• Keep at it!
Final Thoughts
“When you speak, your words
 echo only across the room or
 down the hall. But when you
 write, your words echo down
 the ages.”

 Bud Gardner – Chicken Soup
 for the Writer’s Soul

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Don't cheat the reader

  • 1. Don’t Cheat the Reader! Writing Books Your Readers Will Love Larry K. & Lorna Collins
  • 2. Reader’s Prayer By Sylvia Sikeston, Editor God grant us the courage to not buy the Fiction we cannot stomach, The serenity to read the Fiction we can, And the wisdom to know the difference.
  • 3. Why We Hate Books • Badly drawn characters • Spear carriers • Too many characters • Unclear protagonist • Introducing key characters too late in the story • Confusing POV
  • 4. Why We Hate Books – Part 2 • Bad writing • Too wordy • Not enough detail • Poor plotting • Cop-out endings • Unresolved endings • Unresolved plotlines • Impossible situations
  • 5. Why We Hate Books – Part 3 • Facts known only to the author • Historical inaccuracies • Language errors – Historical – Moral • Author intrusion – “Telling” details instead of “showing” • Preaching
  • 6. What We Love - Basics 1. Compelling Characters 2. A Good Story 3. A Great Hook 4. A Strong Voice 5. Excellent Writing
  • 7. Characters • Make them believable and authentic – to you and the reader • Make them distinct and identifiable by their actions and sounds • Give them clear emotions • Complete their arcs • Keep them consistent • Make them memorable • Make them necessary
  • 8. Characters – Part 2 • Give each character an agenda (What do they want? Need?) • Make the protagonist and antagonist clear early • How do they react to stress? • Know whose POV is being expressed • Create fewer, not more
  • 9. A Good Story • Create believable situation • The larger the event, the more important your characters • Create conflicts between characters • Create internal conflict in characters • Increase conflict throughout the story
  • 10. A Good Story – Part 2 • Interrelate scenes and chapters • Create a primary event to start the story • Use suspense – withhold information • Keep your promises to the reader • Make the reader care about the plot
  • 11. A Good Story – Part 3 • Make it real, make it believable, make it true • Resolve plotlines • Build to a climax • Keep your theme consistent • Write strong ending
  • 12. Create a Hook • Decide where to start the story: – Before the beginning – At the beginning – In the middle – At the end • Name a character • Give significant plot
  • 13. Create a Hook – Part 2 • Give character an attitude, a secret • Create a question in the reader’s mind • Create a mood • Create a great sentence, paragraph or chapter • Create an intriguing place
  • 14. Create a Strong Voice • POV – 1st person – 1st shifting – 3rd person – 3rd shifting – Omniscient • Be consistent
  • 15. Excellent Writing • Give enough detail • Don’t be too wordy • Don’t start the next book as the finish of this one • Make sure the mechanics (spelling, punctuation, etc.) are perfect • Use effective metaphors and similes
  • 16. Excellent Writing – Part 2 • Create “cliffhangers” for chapter endings • Give the story a spiritual or moral dimension • Write descriptions to appeal to all the senses • Use active verbs
  • 17. Writing Basics • Read, Read, Read • Write, Write, Write • Edit, Edit, Edit • Keep at it!
  • 18. Final Thoughts “When you speak, your words echo only across the room or down the hall. But when you write, your words echo down the ages.” Bud Gardner – Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul