Before You Submit: Likeable Characters

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 22 Comments

Do you have a draft of your novel or short story and are thinking of submitting to an agent, publisher or writing contest?

This is a scary prospect, right? Ignore the night demon who tells you to hide your work in a drawer and prepare your story for submission. Besides signing an agent, getting your work published, or winning a contest, there are other benefits to submitting.

Submitting your work is a great way to get feedback from a professional in the industry. We all know this is hard to get, but if you’re lucky, valuable pieces of advice will end up in your inbox.

There are contests, the Debut Dagger hosted by The Crime Writers’ Association is one of them, that will provide feedback on your entry if you are short listed. There are also agents, who when queried, will give you feedback. You might even get comments back from a publisher or editor.

I thought I’d share a bit of what I’ve learned this last year from people in the industry.

The week I’ll talk about liking the main protagonist.

Many writing books declare the reader must like your main character. This doesn’t mean everything about your character should be likeable. No one likes a perfect person. On the flip side, even if your character is nasty, is there at least one characteristic your reader can relate to, like or admire? If not, you might create something.

In a novel, giving your reader someone to cheer for and follow for 300 or so pages might make the difference between the reader dropping your book on the coffee table after chapter one to staying awake late into the night reading until the climax satisfies their need to know what happened to the character.

When I started writing, I struggled with how to make a character likeable. Thinking about what made me like people in real life was difficult to translate into the pages of a novel. How was I to get a reader to like my character?

The Crime Writers’ Association honoured me by shortlisting my novel, Burnt. The comment I received from one Debut Dagger judge on the topic of likeable characters was:

“The thread with the dog is a clever way of engaging interest and building suspense right from the start, while telling the reader something appealing about Kalin.”

Kalin is the main protagonist in Burnt.  In the opening scene, on the run and separated from her dog in a forest fire, Kalin fights for her life. The suspense part: Will she be able to save herself and her dog?  The likeable part: Her concern for her dog.

What I learned from this comment: The actions of your characters can show the reader a likeable trait. There is no need to describe the trait by telling the reader Kalin cares about animals.

I hope this helps you review your draft and get it ready for submission. In the coming months, I’ll post a series on what I’ve learned from the mysterious publishing industry.

Thanks for reading . . .

Click here for a look at my proofreading and copyediting series.

Farley’s Friday: A Wheaten, A Border Terrier, and A Rottweiler

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

Farley here,

Victoria is a magic place in British Columbia. In winter, the beaches are dog friendly. Yup, you heard that right. I can run off leash wherever I want.

You see my friend Piper. She’s the border terrier going crazy in the sand. The sand here is not like the sand in The Bahamas. The smell is a bit funky. I’m told that’s kelp. Now kelp is also slimy, so why would Piper want to roll in it?

Piper

Murphy is much more dignified. He understands the proper behaviour is to wade slowly into the water, stand tummy deep and gaze thoughtfully at the horizon. Piper, well, I don’t think she does anything thoughtfully, but I love her anyway. She part of my FFL pack.

Wool Wool

Farley’s Friday: Drink from a Creek and Get Happy

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 7 Comments

Farley here,

Have you have tasted fresh water, right out of a creek? It’s awesome. I’m on my hike, making sure my human get some exercise, and look what I find. The water is cold and rushing across my feet. I think the supply is endless. Sometimes life is confusing. I have no idea where the water is coming from. At home, Kristina fills my bowl, so who is filling this creek? I think about this great life question and realize I don’t care. Just bring it on.

Hike 1

 

Everyone should drink from a creek every day. It’s the secret to life happiness 🙂

Woof Woof

Today’s the day! Release day for FIRE IN THE WOODS!

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

Jennifer Eaton is a fellow blogger who I’ve been sharing writing tips with over the past few years. She’s been generous in sharing her adventure of getting published, and her debut novel is now available. Fire in the Woods looks like a thrill ride and next on my list to read. Congrats to Jennifer !

Jennifer M Eaton's avatarJennifer M Eaton

Fire in the Woods Revised Cover

I’m super excited to announce that my debut young adult novel FIRE IN THE WOODS is officially available in ebook format. What a great feeling!

A little elf told me that the paperbacks will be available in about a month. Double excitement!

Here’s a few quotes from early reviews from the blog tour:

swish swivel squiggle 2

“Hot alien, quirky heroine & exciting plot… what’s not to like?” HERBOOK THOUGHTSREADS

“Teens will read it for the constant action, snappy dialogue and authentic characters. Adults will ponder the deeper thematic messages for days after closing the book on the final chapter.” Sharon Hughson

“Def can’t put this down” Lainey’s Reviews

swish swivel squiggle 2

It’s great to know that my story is now officially out in the world. I hope Jess and David can help make a few people smile.

Blurb:

Fire in the Woods Revised CoverWhen a plane crashes in the woods near Jess’s home, the boy of her dreams falls…

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Farley’s Friday: A Wheaten Goes Hiking

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

Farley here,

I’ve been in British Columbia for over a month, and let me tell you, this province is doggie paradise. I’ve covered over 90 kilometres of trails through the forests, up hills, down hills, through streams, and yes, sometimes on the golf course. Although I’m not allowed on the fairways or greens, whatever that means. I have to stay on the cart path or on the rough. I’ve gotta watch some golf today and figure out what my new commands are. Can’t be looking unintelligent to my humans.

How did I manage to get my humans to take me on two hikes a day – everyday? I should have been an actor. Who could resist this face?

Walk please

When I’m out running free and get tired I take a break and search the wilderness for deer. I think of myself as the protector of humans. I’m on the rough here, I but who can be sure? I notice a pit full of sand. Who put that there? And why does someone rake it every morning? My humans get very excited if I roll in it and dig for golf balls.

I didn’t find any deer today, but I know they’re out there. I am a diligent dog.

Farley checking for deer

So when I get home, I don’t go off duty. I see no reason the deer have amble close to our house. Most of the day, I relax on deck, but then one of the forest creatures gets too close, I let them have it. Well, I bark like crazy until it clears my space and my humans are safe.  You can’t see the deer in the photo, but she’s crossing the driveway just below me.

Farley on deck

Once she’s out of sight,  I’m exhausted. It’s time to watch golf and learn some new words. Oh, and for Kristina to make me dinner. She loves to pamper me 🙂

Woof Woof

The Golden Leaves of British Columbia

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Spending a large part of my youth in Ontario, I’m used the reds, oranges and yellows of fall. The forest of British Columbia have a different look and feel to them. Just as beautiful, but not the same.

BC Yelloe

The mountains are an inspiration to me when I think about writing. As I stopped and took in the scenery, I thought of the importance of getting details correct when writing a novel. Before living in BC, I might have assumed all forests transformed into a multitude of colours in the fall. There is nothing like seeing your imagined setting in real life.

Now, I’m not saying you have to visit every place you write about, although, if you’re lucky, maybe you get to, because with today’s technology, you can see the places without ever going there. Google Earth is a wonderful way to explore a setting, getting familiar with an area before putting words to a page.

Online videos, photos and travel blogs are also a good source to travel from the comfort of your back porch.

Every day the forest of the Purcell  Mountains inspire me to be a better writer. And now that I’m used to seeing only yellow leaves, I find them just as beautiful as the multicoloured trees of the east.

Thanks for reading. . .

Farley’s Friday: Toys for Wheaten Terriers

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 12 Comments

Farley here,

This place is PAWsome!

I run and run and run. I find toys everywhere.

Kristina tries to take this log from me, thinking she can use it in the fireplace, but the I don’t let her. The fireplace makes the house hot and I don’t like the heat, so my mission is to hide anything my humans might like to burn.

Farley and LOg

I carry the log for several kilometres, and I have to admit, my jaw is getting a little tired. Eventually I have to give, and I lie down on my neighbours lawn. By the way, they were very nice and put in soft grass for me. Florida grass is too rough and hurts my paws. This grass is soft, and I love to hang out and let the blades tickle my belly.

As I chew my stick-log I see Kristina angling toward me. I have two choices, I can let her have the stick-log, or I can run away. Guess what I chose.

I have fun jumping to the left, then to the right as she tries to grab my toy.  She laughs, and I think she’s having fun too. In the end, because she’s so nice to me, I let her have my toy. She puts it in the fireplace to burn later.

What she doesn’t know is tomorrow, I’ll find another one and we can play the chase-me game again.

Woof Woof.

Put Your Novel In A Drawer

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

I’m walking my dog Farley home and the forest is whispering little reminders to me, making me think, giving me story ideas.

To my left, we come across a doe and two fawns. We’ve been in the mountains long enough that Farley behaves  – for a moment. I decide I’ll be safe if I walk on the far side of the road away from the deer. The mama deer, she decides I might rethink that plan. Her two fawn hide behind her, and she turns and faces me.

She struts her fronts paws, telling me to back off. And I do. I’m not sure if she’s about to charge.

Dusk is upon us, and I’d like to reach home before dark. I can take a path down to the river, back behind the houses and up on the other side, but I’m a little nervous about bears. I can climb up a step hill to a neighbouring house and cut through their property, or I can pass the mama deer. I opt for choice number two.

I grab ahold of long grass, four feet long and full of thistles, and pull my myself toward the crest of the hill. Farley quickly jumps in front of me and pulls me forward. I’m halfway up when we startle a buck. He’d been sitting in the grass, and I’d been too focussed on the doe and her fawns to notice him. He bolts, and I catch a glimpse of his antlers as he runs by.

Buck

Change of plan. I head toward the next house, feeling like a trespasser, and walk around the front, only to come face to face with another, bigger, buck. I hold in a scream, Farley barks wildly and Mr. Buck stares at us. Doesn’t move an inch.

So, I step back, cross through my neighbours outdoor eating area, wishing I’d actually met my neighbours, and head away from the buck. And who’s behind the next house. Buck number one.

This is crazy, I think. Did the deer decide to have a party near my house? Mama doe, her fawns and both bucks are frozen like statues, staring at me. I choose the only option left and keep walking forward. They stay, I go. All works out well.

I arrive home a little exhilarated, realizing sometimes I just have to face my fears. Even when it comes to writing.

Early on in my writing career, someone told me the best thing to do after finishing a draft of a novel, is to put it in a drawer and don’t look at it for at least two weeks. How hard is that? Well, I followed that advice and haven’t looked at my novel for 6 months.

Now that I’m my new brave self, I go to my desk drawer and pull out my novel. I didn’t understand the advice at first, but now I get the act provides distance from the story. I’m so glad I put the novel away.

After hours of hard work, I find plot holes, repeated words (even if they’re a chapter apart, they can jar the reader), scenes that are not needed and of course, the dreaded typos. Now my novel is a better read, and I’m glad I put it out of sight. I’m also glad the deer are out of sight, and hopefully sleeping somewhere and dreaming finding haunting grounds farther away from my house.

Even though hiding your novel out of sight might seem impossible, if you’re looking for ways to improve the writing, this might help.

Thanks for reading . . .

Farley’s Friday: A Wheaten with Other Dogs

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Farley here,

Winter is coming. I know it’s only September, but there’s snow on the ground. So what’s a dog to do. I’ve dreaming about my best  friend Joe. We used to play when I was a pup. We’d roll around in the snow, chew on each other’s ears, chase each other. Joe even let me hang on to his ear, and he’d carry me.

Farley and Joe 2008 11 09

What am I missing now? Joe doesn’t live here anymore. He lives in Italy. What a crazy dog. So I’m interviewing for new friends.

This is a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. We’re weren’t formally introduced, but we did have fun playing. He’s bigger than me, but so was Joe.

Farley and Greater Swiss Dog

Running in the snow keeps me cool, but balls of snow get caught in my fur and between my pads. Kristina is talking about making wear booties to solve this problem. Please tell her not to make me look uncool. The other dogs might laugh at me if I look silly . . . oh, who am I kidding. I look silly most of the time, so my friends better get used to it.

Woof Woof.