Hey! Over here!

How do you get yourself and your books noticed by the public? We hear that many publishers aren’t doing much PR anymore. How do you stand out from the crowd?

- from Susan

This is either the worst time to ask me this, or the best. I have a new book coming out in a few months from a major publisher, my shot at a wider degree of notice and success. All of which means I’m panicking. Am I doing the right things? Old, worn out strategies? Untried gambles? Offensively BSP (blatant self promotion)? Writing the book is easy by comparison. I alternately feel like I’m onto something and like a wretched failure.

I’ll share what I have heard, what I’ve seen and admired, what I think works when other people do it. But I can’t promise any of it is the magic key. I can tell you that a big publisher can do more for you than a small one, and for me the biggest single advantages are they have sales staffs and distributors, but until you’re a rock star, they don’t pay for tours and ads and the things we all dreamed about when we started.

I will say if anything on this list is something you would like to help me with, you are golden in my book. So, here goes:

1.     Write the very best book you can.

2.     Write a great, short teaser that may go on the book jacket, on your web site, in your PR.

3.     Get a few blurbs – real ones from gracious authors who actually have read your book – from authors whose readers might also like the kind of book you’ve written. (And then thank those generous souls for, in effect, sharing their own readers with you.)

4.     Encourage your publisher to send ARCs out to every reviewer – print and online – they and you can identify.

5.      Talk up your book while trying not to bore people to death.

6.     Set up a few or many bookstore readings right after the book goes on sale. Work very, very hard to bring in an audience. Bookstores notice this. Some publishers say book tours are over, but a few of the mystery writers I admire most do them and sell a whole lot of books. More importantly, they gain fans, which leads me to

7.     Be nice to everyone. Some authors I know have become so popular and so remembered for niceness that they get nominated for awards because people never forget them. (Some people say awards don’t do anything for sales, though, so go figure.)

8.     Accept every offer to do guest blogs (a “blog tour,” they call it) and even hint that you’d like to be invited to some of the most sparkling ones.

9.     Go to conventions, get onto panels at organizations’ meetings, be present and visible.

10.  Line up book club gigs if you can. These, by the way, can be some of the most delightful times you’ll have.

11.  Do giveaways and contests, and anything you can to drive web traffic to your site, Facebook, and Twitter feeds.

12.  Never give up.

13.  . Do not offer to go naked anywhere for any reason.

That’s only part of what I’ve learned and now I shall go into a frenzy of self-criticism for not having done at least five of these things today. Here’s one, however:

Love & Death in Burgundy comes out from St. Martin’s Minotaur May 2, and if you’d like me to be on a crime fiction panel somewhere, speak to a book club about the French connection, invite me to guest on your blog, serve baguettes and cheese at your party…

Keeping track

by Dietrich Kalteis

I have to go along with Robin, a story bible and spreadsheets sound a bit too organized for me. I don’t write a story outline, but I do create a reference sheet for my characters. I keep track of details like backstory, physicality, age, where and how they live, things like that. At the start of a story, I drop a character in the scene, and at that point they’re still pretty wooden. And as I work through the first draft, the characters get fleshed out and develop. Once I get to know them, then I don’t need to refer to the sheet that much.

And I have a habit of rethinking scenes and details as I go, and I often change a character’s name until I feel I’ve got it right, and the character sheet helps me keep these things straight. Nothing worse than attributing something to a character that just doesn’t fit and getting a note from an editor pointing it out.

When I’m away from my desk and I think of something I want to work into the story, I write myself notes. Bits of paper usually litter my desk until I work them into the story, then they get balled onto the floor where they provide entertainment for my cats. 

Other than that, I write a one-page timeline toward the end of the story just to check the sequence of events. And I keep a folder for scenes or chapters that get cut. I used to think I might use the discarded scenes somewhere else, but I never have, so now I just toss it all out when the story’s done.

House of Blazes is set during the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. For this one, a lot more research was needed than the three previous stories which are set in present time on the West Coast. At first, it was a bit daunting, knowing Google wasn’t going to be like one-stop shopping, but I really enjoyed doing the research. I learned a lot about some interesting times and places as I worked my way through and organized a mountain of archives, period maps and photos, and endless personal accounts. Aside from keeping what I needed in a file, I expanded on the one-page timeline to keep the story events running true to the path of the real events.

The next couple of stories I wrote are historical as well but didn’t need as much research. The timelines are back to being simple, and I just used them to check the sequence of events: Zero Avenue is set during the early punk rock scene in Vancouver and will be released later this year, and Poughkeepsie Shuffle is set in the mid-eighties and revolves around gun smuggling between Toronto and upstate New York. It will be out sometime next year.

My Fabulous Writing Life – Or the Wonder of Me, Part Deux

Now that we’ve told you all about our writing journey, here are some insights into our writing life, and how we live it.

by Paul D. Marks

Before I get to the question, I want to congratulate Catriona and Art (Criminal Minds Emeritus) on their Agatha noms. Good luck! And now to the question at hand:

Ah, the glamorous life of a writer. TV interviews. Being invited to speak on cruises going around the Greek islands and getting the royal suite. Being invited to be Jennifer Lawrence’s boy-toy and accompany her to the Academy Awards (look for me on Feb 26th). And, of course, you’re immune to every disease under the sun. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Ok, time to change the channel. I think the most basic insight is just do it. Put yourself in a chair, face the blank screen and start typing. Even if it’s just stream-of-consciousness and most of it won’t be used. I look at that like the finger warming exercises a pianist does. Playing scales. And, of course, don’t give up. A writer writes – how’s that for original?

Some of this may be repetetive of earlier posts, but since we’re re-introing ourselves, I figure why not and I’m lazy. So here’s a little refresher from a couple of previous posts on my fabulous writing life or the Wonder of Me, Part Deux:

Do you do anything to get in the mood to write? Do you need anything special beside you?

Well, if I was Hemingway, I’d drink heavily.

If I was William S. Burroughs, I’d shoot up.

If I was J.K. Rowling, I’d run to the nearest café for a caffeine fix and a dose of writing.

But since I’m me, I don’t do any of those things.

I don’t have any set routines that I go through before writing each day, but I do tend to goof off, uh, procrastinate, on the internet or Facebook. No, make that I do research on the internet.

And research is always fun.  It helps get me in the mood and I can pretend I’m working.

Sometimes I’ll walk the dog. Or weed, not do weed, but weed the yard. Don’t ask me how that helps get me in the mood.  But it has to be done. Besides, killing weeds gets me in the mood to kill the badguys in my stories.

In the good old days, I might skydive or SCUBA dive.  Anything with ‘dive’ in its name, including the Maldives – though I know it’s pronounced Maldeevz. Or take a trip to Paris, Perris, California, or Parris Island, but not that one with the Eiffel Tower. I just can’t swim that far. (Insert SCUBA photo here. Amy wanted me to put a diving pic here.  Unfortunately, those are buried away in one of many boxes somewhere – unlabeled, of course.  And shoved in corners everywhere.  But someday they’ll be gotten out and scanned.  Unless Amy wants to spend four months going through them right now 😏.  And if you saw our garage and closets you’d know that four months is underestimating.)  So, this is as close as I could come for now:

And depending on what I’m working on, I might listen to music.  That’s probably the most serious answer here and what I really do more than anything. The music often has the same tone and mood as the story. So if I’m working on a dark story I might listen to the Doors or Leonard Cohen. If I’m working on something set around the time of World War II, in the 30s and 40s, I’ll listen to swing music. Sometimes I just listen to baroque, my sort of all-purpose go-to music—which seems to fit any mood, at least for me.  So here’s something to get you in the mood.  I could have gone with the Andrews Sisters, but couldn’t find a live version:

Where does the writing muse strike you?  Anywhere or do you have a favorite place to write?

The muse can strike anywhere. Anything and everything can spark ideas, either ideas for new stories or ideas for scenes or bits for something I'm already working on.  I can be walking the dogs or driving or at the beach. Watching a movie, having a conversation with someone. The muses are everywhere, you just have to be tuned into them.

One of the places that they strike often is in the shower.  For some reason that frees up my mind.  To that end, I keep a diver's slate in the shower to write down notes so I don't forget things by the time I get out.

But getting ideas and thinking about new works or works-in-progress come anywhere and everywhere.  There's a FB meme attributed to Eugene Ionesco that says "A writer never has a vacation. For a writer life consists of either writing or thinking about writing," and it's very true.

My favorite place to write these days is in my home office. Not very romantic, but it's got everything I need close at hand. Probably more than I need. I know some people say you shouldn't have a TV or phone in your office, but I do.  But I can turn them off.  And I have a nice view. Pictures on the wall that inspire me.  Mostly album covers and movie lobby cards, some other things.  And, of course, my picture of Dennis Hopper flipping the bird from Easy Rider.  When I was younger I had a full-sized poster of that shot, now it's just a little 8x10.  Oh how we change as we get older.

Now that I think about it though, who is Hopper flipping the bird to?—I’m the only one here.

I also have access to diet Cherry Pepsi and Waiwara water.  And I used to like to scarf down Red Vines while I wrote, but that is, unfortunately, a thing of the past.

Plus I have my assistants to help out:

When I was younger, I had dreams of sitting on the Left Bank, sipping Absinthe and writing. But, as I may have mentioned before, when I did try drinking and writing all I wanted to do was play. So no writing got done. And when I was a student I would wonder about people who could study or work in libraries.  I always wanted to flirt and goof off. And every movement around me distracted me. Same for writing in parks and other such places.  So none of that for me. No, the best place and, therefore, my favorite place to write is definitely my home office.

Well, that’s about it for now and I’ve got to start getting ready for my date with Jennifer. The tailors are waiting and the valet is….well, he’s drunk, but don’t tell anyone.

###

Releasing Monday January 30th, 2017: Coast to Coast: Private Eyes from Sea to Shining Sea, that I co-edited with Andrew McAleer. Here’s what people are already saying:

“High fives all around!” —MWA Grand Master Bill Pronzini. 

“Tough, taut and terrific!” —Hank Phillippi Ryan. 

“A bang-up read of PI fiction from a gallery of impressive authors. Coast to Coast: Private Eyes from Sea to Shining Sea is compelling, fun, and full of surprises. A treat.” —Shamus Award-winning author John Shepphird

Available at Amazon.com and Down & Books

www.PaulDMarks.com

Click here to: Subscribe to my Newsletter

😎😎😎

Ganging Agley

"Now we've told you about our writing journeys, here are some insights into our writing lives."

by Catriona

Here is my official writing life:

MACRO
I write three books a year. For thirty weeks a year, I write 2K words a day (Mon-Fri) until the 100K first draft is done. Then for nine weeks a year (3 x 3) I research the book I've just written. For nine weeks a year (3 x 3) I edit the researched book. I take two weeks off on holiday in the summer and two weeks off at Christmas.

MICRO
I check email, deal with social media and cross-post blogs before 7 am. Then I go off-line and write/research/edit till lunch. Healthy lunch, quick email check and a brisk walk, then I write/research/edit/re-edit/proof-read/write cover copy till five. I make dinner. Neil comes home. We eat at six. We do the dishes. We work till nine. I write blogs and blurbs, answer emails, read books to moderate, interview and review. All screens go off at nine.

Here is my real writing life:

MACRO, MICRO, LOCO
If I take today to do all the page proofs it'll be off my desk and off my mind and I can get back to the work in progress tomorrow. Then if I write 3K words a day (including on the plane and at Left Coast), I'll only be two weeks late. So if I keep writing that while I research the one before it, I can catch up by cancelling weekends. NO MORE BLURBS! (Oh wait, except that one sounds like fun. I want to read that book. If I'm blurbing it I can call it working). And I need to edit thirty pages a day of the UK version of that one to get it done, so I don't need to take it to Malice. NO MODERATING THIS YEAR! (Oh wait, I forgot to say that in time. Never mind, this panel looks like fun. I'll read all their books in the evening, using the time I've freed up because I dropped everything to proofread in a oney.) Aw man, I'm reading a Guardian article about Trump. How did that happen? Better go to the coffeeshop and say no to the Wi-Fi code. Ooooh, Twentieth Century Women is on at the Varsity. That's what I need: to look at Annette Bening's beautiful face and clear my mind. And a burrito. Email Neil and float the idea of a pictures and Dos Coyotes night. (Oh wait. Neil's in Florida. I knew that. (But that means I can sit up in bed and write without disturbing him.)) Aw man, it's after midnight and my laptop battery has five minutes left. How many words have I written? Five thousand? Is there any chance they're worth the keystrokes they took? I'll fix it in the edit. When am I editing this? Which book is this?? When did he go to Florida???

"My Way" (someone had to use that, right?) by Cathy Ace

Now we’ve told you all about our writing journey, here are some insights into our writing life, and how we live it.

Fresh & happy, my first book 2012

I truly believe that, when it comes to “living the writing life” we’re all like Ol’ Blue Eyes, doing it our way. And that’s as it should be. There’s no right or wrong way, just my own way - the way that works for me, now. And what I’ve learned is that the way it works for me changes over time – it has to, because I hate and fight against routine of any sort. Always have. Always will. I seek out new challenges, adore the battle to comprehend them, do my best to master them, then…I find uncharted territory more appealing.

First novel? I danced around the living room when a publisher asked me to submit a manuscript. They invited me to do so in June. They wanted it by the end of the year. I phoned them in October to check if “by the end of the year” might, in fact, mean before Christmas. They said yes. I started to write the book. I emailed it to them on December 21^st (I checked my email records). I finally received news that they were going to publish it on May 11^th (that I remember, it would have been my late-father’s birthday). For that book I wrote for about an hour and a half every day, printed out, edited, made amendments, then wrote for another hour and a half – repeat. Eventually a book came out at the end. 

Then the “hard work” set in. When I realized I was about to become a writer – a published author – I read about writers who produced a daily word count, and were writing every day. I panicked. I felt utterly inadequate. I can’t write every day of the year, I’d just write nonsense. I can’t write to a word count, same reason. Me? I write when I have a deadline. And it seems my psyche needs that deadline to be galloping toward me at an alarming pace for it to spur me to action. 

Currently I’m working on what will be my twelfth traditionally published novel (I’ve self-published two other books) as well as two short stories which seem to flit in and out of my “got to do it” mentality; because I have two series of books each with a different publisher – one in Canada, one in the UK – I have to show them I am supporting my work in the marketplace but, for one series, I have different launch dates for the UK vs the USA/Canada so promotional effort is staggered for different series/markets; I’m Chair of Crime Writers of Canada; I write for two different blogs, and run three/four blog tours per year.

 

Luckily, I have always thought a seventeen-hour work-day is normal. I’m also fortunate that I married a fellow workaholic. We each understand the other. I’m blessed with high energy levels (and drink a fair amount of coffee) and am stubborn/determined (delete according to specific situation). 

So – for me, when it comes to “the writing life” this is how it goes: I’m always thinking of future tales to tell; usually I am plotting at least one book; research at the keyboard/on location is ongoing for one book; I’m plotting and outlining one book; I am writing a book; I am editing a book; I am re-editing a book; I am promoting at least one book – all these things are now happening simultaneously, for the three books per year I tend to have published, so they, inevitably, overlap. The toughest thing is that I am usually facing a deadline JUST when a book is coming out. It sucks!

 The “sitting at the keyboard writing the first draft of a book” is the part that – for me at least – means “writing”, and is the most fun; it comes after the thinking, plotting, planning and research for that book. That part of “writing” is something I get to do and enjoy for about four weeks at a stretch, three times a year, when I am writing in full flow, and loving it. (The process, not necessarily the output.) I do this sort of writing for three, four or five hours at a time, forcing myself to leave my seat to stretch, usually when everyone has gone to bed and there’s no reasonable expectation for me to be replying to emails, or responding to Facebook posts, or Tweeting like a madwoman.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s 11.24pm and I have a deadline for a manuscript in 11 days. Needless to say, it’s nowhere near finished. It’s going to be a WISE Enquiries Agency Mystery (title to be decided in conjunction with my publisher, though I know what I’d like it to be) wherein, for their fourth outing, the WISE women are juggling various “cases” including malevolent moles, an unsuitable suitor, disappearing domestics, a vengeful vandal, purloined potcheen and…oh no, that’s enough for you to be going on with. I’m sure it will all come together at the end – it does in my outline. Speaking of which, back to it…

Cathy Ace is the Bony Blithe Award-winning author of The Cait Morgan Mysteries (#8 The Corpse with the Ruby Lips was released on November 1st) and The WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries (#3, The Case of the Curious Cook, was released in hardcover in the UK on November 30th and will be released in the USA & Canada on March 1st).  You can find out more about Cathy, her work and her characters at her website, where you can also sign up for her newsletter with news, updates and special offers: http://cathyace.com/ 

My Writing Life, or La Dolce Vita

“Now we’ve told you all about our writing journey, here are some insights into our writing life, and how we live it.”

- from Susan

Reading last week’s Minds authors makes it clear(er) to me that I’m not going to be anyone’s role model on how to construct a writing life. I have no brilliant insights, only a few basic tools I use to hack my way through the underbrush that tangles my writing life. 

Motivation is important. For me, there’s nothing quite as motivating as a contract for a book. I wrote the first Dani O’Rourke mystery on spec, no agent, no publisher. It took awhile and more rewriting, polishing, and playing around with the manuscript than a good writer wants to do. The next two in the series were under contract, moved along smartly, and only went off the rails a few times.

Another motivation for me is love – love of the idea, the characters, the vision I have. The first book in the new series was inspired by the realties a couple I know well faced when they transplanted themselves from northern California to a rural town in Burgundy to live out a romantic dream. I visited them a few times and the stories they told, the frustrations, the discoveries, and the quirkiness of their neighbors demanded storytelling. I didn’t think at first it would be a mystery, but my agent persuaded me to steer it that way. No contract, but she was confident it would sell. I just finished the draft of the second, spurred on by the two-book contract I got and my pleasure at diving again into the fictional community I created for the first book.

After motivation come work habits. Here’s where I’m sketchy. For months, I will write every day, sometimes with Annie Lamott’s “butt in chair” as my only discipline. On the luckiest days I’m in that zone of writing excitement where I can’t peel myself away to eat. Unfortunately, I can’t predict or create that spirit arbitrarily. Things happen that break the daily habit and the more days that go by without writing, the more days are likely to go by. This is bad. If you treat going to the gym the same way, you know that it begins to feel like the activity is a mountain too high. All I can do is go back to square one, to Lamott’s stern command, and peck away until the mental muscles get back in shape.

One of the two orange reasons I am easily distracted:

The third important part of my writing life after motivation and work habits is my writing community. I get so much from my work with Sisters in Crime, with my participation at the big conventions and the smaller writers’ conferences. I am revved up going to someone’s launch party, sharing coffee with an author friend, or a panel with two others. I listen to their successes, their struggles, their frequently funny descriptions of interactions with agents, editors, bookstores, and their fans. I am comforted to know they face hurdles in their writing lives, maybe not the same ones I do but equally significant ones. It makes me feel there’s hope for me yet.

If you’re newly on the path to publication, there’s hope for you too – never give up! Truthfully, for all the setbacks, it is la dolce vita.

So, this is book one in the Dani series, newly re-released along with the other two:

And, this is book one of the new series, officially out May 2: