Ten Things That Scare Every Writer

In honor of Halloween (my favorite holiday) I'm giving you a top ten list of the scariest things writers face.

10.  Writer's Block. Some say it exists. Others deny it. Sort of like Bigfoot. But either way we are terrified of it. Don't lose the muse! BIC (Butt in chair) is the best preventative measure I know of.

9.  Sucking. Yup. We are all secretly afraid we're horrible at the thing we love most. Even those of us who are published! Weird aren't we?

8.  Missing the window. We fret, we revise, we practically bleed to get our manuscripts in their best shape. But what if by the time we get it out there no one wants to buy those anymore? Vampires? Dystopians? Eeep. 

7.  Adverbs. The lazy writer's crutch. But do I find them? ALL THE TIME.

6.  Adjectives. Those pesky, useless, lazy, overdone, oh.

5.  Running out of chocolate. Need I say more?

4.  Cliche. Have you described your MC in the first page as waking up or by looking in the mirror? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Run! 

3.  The computer crashing. It's frozen on me. Word has quit. And it kind of feels like you're watching your best friend be stabbed by a murderer. Okay maybe that's overkill. Maybe not depending when you last saved. 

2.  Did I mention running out of chocolate? How about coffee? Tea? Wine? I'm panicking just thinking about it.

And the number one thing writer's fear?

1.  REJECTION. In any and all forms. Yet we all deal with this monster at every turn. From critiques to agents, to editors, to acquisition boards, to reviews and sales. But we still hang in there. 

Why?

Why do people in horror films keep running into the dark forest? Or the empty house? Because if we didn't there'd be no point. 

What scares you?

Keeping an Open Mind

Happy Halloween!!! In honor of one of my favorite days of the year (I'll keep you guessing on the others), I am reviewing Susan Kaye Quinn's book, OPEN MINDS, which debuts tomorrow. Why this book on All Hallows Eve? Let me ask you - which is scarier? Someone with the ability to not only read minds, but control them? Or This guy? 

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Yeah, okay he's creepy, but I could take him. Or at least run away. In fact, he's the one I chose to interview about the book! And believe me he was difficult to get on Halloween. I had to promise lots of brai- uh, never mind, let's just leave it at he was tough to book.


Me: What did you think of the book OPEN MINDS?


Zombie: GWAAAAMAAWEEEEEEEGOOOOO. *thumbs up or at least some appendage pointing skyward*


Me: Very, um, descriptive. So did you feel it was an authentic teen voice with a good story arc and pacing?


Zombie: *lunges*


Me: *ducks behind furniture* Sorry! Sorry! I forgot - no big words. Was book good?


Zombie: MWAAAEEEEEEWWWWAAAAAA *Another thumbs up*


Me: Agreed. 


I thought Susan did a great job keeping the excitement coming while delivering on an authentic teen voice. This book was unique and that may be the best praise I can give because that is tough to find. She didn't pull any punches as we talked about the other day. Now if you'll excuse me, my guest is looking hungry. *gulp*

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PRIZES!

Susan Kaye Quinn is giving away an Open Books/Open Minds t-shirt, mug, and some fun wristbands to celebrate the Virtual Launch Party of Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy)! (Check out the prizes here.)

Three ways to enter (you can have multiple entries):

1)      Leave a comment here or at the Virtual Launch Party post

2)      Tweet (with tag #keepingOPENMINDS)

Example: When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. #keepingOPENMINDS @susankayequinn #SF #YA avail NOW http://bit.ly/SKQOpenMinds

Example: Celebrate the launch of OPEN MINDS by @susankayequinn #keepingOPENMINDS #SciFi #paranormal #YA avail NOW http://bit.ly/SKQOpenMinds

3)     Facebook (tag @AuthorSusanKayeQuinn)

Example: Celebrate the launch of paranormal/SF novel OPEN MINDS by @AuthorSusanKayeQuinn for a chance to win Open Books/Open Minds prizes! http://bit.ly/SKQOpenMinds

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When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.

Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.

Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy) by Susan Kaye Quinn is available in e-book (Amazon US (also UK, France and Germany), Barnes & Noble, Smashwords) and print(Amazon, Createspace, also autographed copies available from the author).

Making it Pay Off

The winner of Libba Bray's BEAUTY QUEENS is Vicki!!


We talked last time about instilling fear in the reader. Now I want to discuss following through with what I like to call the big showdown. It doesn't have to be a literal showdown. It typically IS the climax though. Maybe it's just a climax for your scene, or maybe it's for the entire book. Either way I want to outline some ways to get the biggest bang for your words. 


I read a book (I won't say which) where the climax came and was over so fast I almost didn't recognize it. Not cool. 

• Keep an element of surprise. If we're biting our nails as the MC reaches for the door we're sure the killer is behind... Maybe the killer is actually sneaking up behind her? Or he is behind the door, but it looks like no one is there, and as she turns away -- keep us doubting and hoping. 
• Make it a challenge. It's true, we want the MC to succeed. We've traveled this far with her. We even want to protect her. BUT ultimately if it's too easy or safe, we are disappointed and rightly so. This is the test you've built up to. Make it HARD. No skating by.
• Give us a moment of doubt. If you've done your job the MC has the tools and know how to get through this even by the skin of her teeth. However, that doesn't mean she'll do it, right? Give us that moment of "Oh no she's not gonna make it!" Even if she does.
• Pull in the clues. You've laid the groundwork. You've planted threads. Now's the time to bring them together. It's always fun when something you've forgotten about as a reader comes back and fits perfectly in place at the crucial moment. 

Any other tips to add?

Photo credit: I know, the pic isn't perfect for the subject, but it was too cute not to use. 

Creating Fear in the Minds of Readers

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I love Halloween, don't you? And since it's coming up next Monday, I thought I'd do some scary posts in honor of this most creative of occasions. Whether you write horror or contemporary, fantasy or sci-fi, chances are there is a point where you want to frighten your reader. Fear is one way to be emotionally invested in a book, and if the payoff is done well (we'll talk about that next time) you have an excellent combination. 


So how do you do it? Do you throw in a scary monster? Not necessary, though I love a good monster. Here are some do's and do not's for setting up the tension. That's right! Tension = Fear, concern, worry, anxiety, nervousness - you get the idea. 


Do:

• Put your MC is danger. Seems obvious, I know. But some of us have a hard time doing that to our beloved characters. Don't protect them.  
• Keep that danger ominous. Yes you have to reveal information to your reader, but don't come out shooting. Think of some of your favorite books. Chances are the villain was built up over time so that his presence was a cloud looming over the MC. Voldemort is a great example. We see from other's reactions (just the fear that using his name instills in all but Dumbledore) that he is someone to avoid. Before he is ever seen, we are frightened of him.
• Play with time. Huh? What I mean is, use your pacing to your advantage. Slow it down right as the tension mounts. Make the MC reach slowly toward that creaking door that you just KNOW the killer is hiding behind...
• Make your MC helpless. Whatever he/she is facing should be the worst possible thing you can think of. Find his Kryptonite and use it to the villain's advantage. We should feel just as helpless when reading it as he does. 
• Make it your MC's fault. If she feels responsibility for the heinous situation, we are doubly invested in her seemingly impossible attempt to right the wrong she created.

Don't:

• Be cliche. Walking down an eerie street in broad daylight can be scarier than a dark and stormy night. 
• Make your antagonist a device. Give the villain some depth. Don't just throw in a mindless monster because it gives you reason to react. Yeah, zombies are scary, but what's scarier is the mad scientist who created them by experimenting on foster kids like your MC. 
• Tell. Yeah I know, that whole show don't tell thing. But it's really helpful when you're trying to instigate strong feelings in the readers and immerse them in a scene. 
• Pull your punches. Don't take it easy on us or your characters. This goes with putting your MC in danger. Dish it out fully. Don't be afraid, you can always clean up the carnage if you must during revisions. 
• Underestimate the reader. Assume we get it. The more details we have to fill in with our imagination, the scarier it actually is. That's not an excuse to fail to describe things or plant the idea in the first place. Just be purposeful in where and how those details come. 

Remember it's that moment of suspense before the killer jumps out from behind the door that makes the difference. Also, if you notice, the majority of these tips aren't so much about the bad guy as the MC.