Category: Uncategorized

Twitter Moments

Promo Tips, Uncategorized

Hand holding a cell phone with a picture of a Twitter bird on the screen with 'Twitter Moments', the post title, superimposed on the photo.

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig 

I spend a good deal of time finding and scheduling content for Twitter, but not a lot of time on Twitter.

In the last month or so, however, I did get on the site long enough to check out their ‘Twitter Moments’ feature.

Twitter states:

Moments are curated stories showcasing the very best of what’s happening on Twitter. Our Moments guide is customized to show you current topics that are popular or relevant, so you can discover what is unfolding on Twitter in an instant.

That sounded just a little too airy for me.  I found another description from Nate Swanner on The Next Web who stated:Continue reading

A Closer Look at Babelcube for Translation

Business of Writing, Uncategorized

Woman holding a globe with the post title, "A Closer Look at Babelcube for Translation" is superimposed on the post.

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

My strategy for the last couple of years is increase the income streams for my already-published books by branching into international publishing, libraries, and translation.

 

I’m about to publish my first translated book, A Dyeing Shame, in Spanish.  My translator is the gifted Alfredo Moyano-Barroso.  I was lucky that Freddy not only speaks Spanish and English fluently, but he lives in the US and was easily able to convey Southern US customs and traditions to a new audience.  Right on that book’s heels is an Italian version of A Body in the Backyard, translated by Valeria Poropat, another wonderful translator.

 

Babelcube is a platform that allows indie authors to audition and retain translators for their books.  Here is my experience working with them:

 

The Good: 

  • The royalty-share agreement. For writers, there’s lots that’s good.  There’s very little risk on our side as writers (except, perhaps, the risk of a bad translation).  We pay nothing upfront.  Babelcube handles payments to the translator, distribution of the books, etc.
  • Checkpoints for quality control. We have opportunities to end the translation process.
  • A partnership (for ebooks) with StreetLIb: a company I already do business with and respect a good deal.  That expands the distribution options (although I wish that StreetLib would take over the print distribution–more on that below).

Continue reading

The Villain Reveal: Three Different Approaches

Uncategorized, Writing Tips

Storm clouds over a dark ocean is in the background, and the post title: "The Villain Reveal: 3 Different Approaches" by Jonathan Vars is in the foreground.

by Jonathan Vars 

A dark figure emerges from the shadows. In a raspy voice, he taunts the hero, having once again bested him. Stepping into the light, the figure thrusts back his hood, revealing the face of…

               Sound familiar?

Every story of good vs. evil story needs a villain revelation scene; a sequence in which the great mastermind behind the evil plot is revealed for who he/she is. In many instances, this can be the critical moment of the story: the “hot point” of the climax in which the hero comes face to face with his/her nemesis. Being that this moment is so key to both the climax and the story as a whole, it is crucial that you are equipped with the right tools to bring the moment to a crashing crescendo, as a poorly written revelation can crash the story at its most critical point.

Of course, you should keep in mind that there are many different ways to construct a villain revelation scene. Choosing the right option is often half the battle. Here are three potential ways you can reveal the villain in your story:Continue reading

Twitterific Writing Links

Twitterific, Uncategorized

Bluebird with beak open and 'Twitterific Writing Links' by ElizabethSCraig superimposed on the image

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 40,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

If you’re in the Raleigh, NC area, I’m speaking today on a panel at the Eva Perry Regional Library in Apex from 2:00–3:30.  I’d love to see you there!

Continue reading

How Do I Make Dialogue Meaningful?

Uncategorized, Writing Tips

Photo by Pic Fix via VisualHunt shows two women talking in front of a city backdrop of skyscrapers. The post title, "How Do I Make Dialogue Meaningful" is superimposed on the top.

By Hyu-Wai Loucks

One of the most difficult aspects of writing a novel, or any narrative for that matter, is striking the delicate balance between dialogue and description. While insight into a character’s thoughts, emotions, and perceptions help shape the audience’s understanding of the character’s mind, dialogue aids readers in developing an accurate and full understanding of the character’s complete self. It offers an external glimpse into how a character moves, speaks, and reacts to the world surrounding them; dialogue is a character’s internal motives coming to life. Even so, it is difficult to develop a meaningful flow of speech which progresses the plot, rather than stagnating it.

Countless times while I have been writing, I will be immersed in the world of my own mind, putting down the situations being played out in my head by pen to paper, only later realizing that my dialogue loops in circles, or even worse, straying entirely from the point I am trying articulate.

How can I prevent this????

Thus, there are three necessary regulations dialogue must follow:Continue reading

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