Author: Kristina Stanley

Ending a Scene

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 9 Comments

So here I am again, adding a new column to my spreadsheet. Honestly, I don’t know how anyone can write a novel without an ever-evolving spreadsheet.

Previously, I blogged about Starting a Novel Scene and Before the Story Begins, and I don’t know why I didn’t notice at the time, but perhaps I should be checking how I end each scene.

I believe variety will help make a novel more interesting to read, so I added a new spreadsheet column called The Ending.

It contains one of four entries

  • Action
  • Dialogue
  • Thought
  • Narrative

The first draft is written without thinking about this. I want to write what comes naturally, and I want the story to flow.

But once the first draft is complete, it’s time to use various techniques to ensure the novel is as good as possible. This is when I check whether the scenes end in different ways. If all the scenes end with narrative for example, the novel might be tedious to read.  This is a less artistic part of the process, but no less important to the end product.

Anyone else have spreadsheet tips they want to share?

Puppy Love

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 12 Comments

 

I couldn’t resist posting this photo.  Kids, dogs and toys are a great mix. Bringing home two new puppies on the same day almost four years ago was a happy moment day. What more could anyone want?

 

Can you find . . .

Farley (Wheaten Terrier – 9 weeks old)

Piper (Border Terrier – 8 weeks old)

Murphy (Rottweiler – 4 years old)

 

One Family – Two Publishing Strategies

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

The big question is: to self publish or go with a traditional publisher. #writetip #writing

My brother has just published his first novel: Maxwell Huxley’s Demon. He chose the self-publishing route. His book is available both in paperback and as an e-book.

Some say this is the easy route. After watching the amount of work Mike put into this, I don’t believe that’s true. He went through the same vigorous process of editing and proofing, of finding beta readers, of taking feedback. He found YA readers to comment before he published, making sure he had feedback from his target audience.

I decided on the traditional route and have an agent. Margaret Hart at the HSW Literary Agency is representing my work. This route involves the same amount of work my brother’s chosen route.

Mike and I are watching each other and learning from both processes. What we did learn is that we both love writing, so no matter what option you chose, if you love to write, the end result is you have created a novel. While we watch, scheme, plan and wait, hoping that Mike’s book takes off and mine gets published, we continue to write. That’s what this is all about.

Renewed Enthusiasm

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Do you ever take a break from writing?

Sometimes a little break can refresh the imagination. Usually I write everyday, but this month I made a change to my routine. I’ve spent four weeks traveling with family, including 3 kids and 3 dogs. This consumed my time. I decided at the beginning of the trip that I was going to take them time off just to enjoy the moments.

Now that I’m close to getting home, I can’t wait to get writing again. I can feel my fingers typing and the story building. I think a break once in a while is good for the creative process.

Summer Exercise for Dogs

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 9 Comments

If you can get your dogs near water, it’s a great way to exercise them without over heating them.

Farley (Wheaten Terrier – 4 years old) loves to dive.

Piper (Border Terrier – 4 years old) is learning to swim. She tries not to go too far out. At the beginning, she wouldn’t even put her paws in the water, so we’re making progress.

Murphy’s (Rottweiler – 8 years old) big breakthrough was stepping on the back of the boat. Farley had to show him it was okay.

Each dog has their own fears and limitation and it’s up to us to figure out what they are and give them the opportunity to overcome them and enjoy the water.

Maxwell Huxley’s Demon in Paperback

~ Kristina Stanley ~ Leave a comment

 

The roller coaster of writing continues in my brother’s world. Michael Conn’s debut novel, Maxwell Huxley’s Demon is now available in paperback form. After months of work getting the cover designed, the proof read and checked, it’s here and we can hold it in our hands.

The paperback version novel is hosted at:

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

CreateSpace

 

Maxwell Huxley’s Demon remains available in e-format.

Enjoy!

 

To Keep Reading or Not To Keep Reading?

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 11 Comments

Sometimes I feel bad about starting a book and then not finishing it. I don’t do this often, but here’s one reason why the book goes back on the bookshelf.

Last week, I blogged about Likeable Characters and why an unlikeable character might make me put the book aside.

Then I started reading a book, which I won’t name, and tossed it aside after three chapters. I picked it up again and examined it. The first three chapters were all telling and a bit of back story put in.

I couldn’t connect with the character. I felt no desire to find out what happened to them. It’s not that I didn’t like the character, it was the writing was too distant for my taste.

Too much telling and not enough showing puts distance between the reader and the character. Too much distances lessens the connection and give the reader on reason to keep reading. As usual, just my opinion.

What makes you put a book down?

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Maxwell Huxley’s Demon – Free today

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

Now is your chance to grab a free copy of Maxwell Huxley’s Demon (YA Fiction). It’s at  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00865NIRI

Enjoy if you get the chance.

In MAXWELL HUXLEY’S DEMON, when nine-year-old Maxwell Huxley and three others break free from their mountain-top “school” for gifted children – a place where kids mysteriously vanish when they turn ten – a fantastical chase around the world begins. Pursuing answers and freedom, Max unintentionally creates a new world: a world where friends and family meet their demons, where artificial beings come to life, and where nanotechnology is indistinguishable from magic. Maxwell pays a heavy price to discover what he was bred for.

One part Ender, one part Bourne, and a dash of Harry.

Likeable Characters?

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

How do you know if your character is likeable? #writetip Or at least sympathetic, or interesting, or has some characteristic that will keep your readers reading?

When I started writing, I couldn’t figure this out. Then I discovered it’s easier to tell if a character is unlikable or uninteresting. I started to look, and I mean seriously look, at books where I couldn’t connect with a character.

Things that bother me:

  • A character who’s having a pity party for one for tooooooo long.
  • A character that does nothing but whine.
  • A character that is all evil – really there has to be something more than evil.

To me, a character who has a likeable trait, any trait, makes them sympathetic.

Maybe they have a kind streak. Say the character is about to commit a crime, or has just committed a crime, and they stop and help a dog that’s been hit by a car and it lying at the side of the road. That might make me cheer for their escape – depending on the crime of course.

Maybe they put something or someone ahead of their own desires.

Maybe they have a sense of humour.

But mostly, they need to care about something. If they don’t care about anything, how can I care about them? And if I don’t care, why would I keep reading?