Advice to Writers

Build a Better Mouse Trap: Part 4
This is the final post of a four-part series by author Brandt Dodson.

In my previous posts, I’vediscussed my concern over the anemic results of my marketing efforts and how I’velearned that my writing was not what I had envisioned. I’ve discussed thethings I’ve learned from more successful writers and how I’m learning to applythem to my own work.

Now, I will list some of theresources I’ve used. I hope these help you. Some may not. You will have todecide which ones are right for you—which ones enable you to take your writingto the next level.

1.    Writers Digest

Istill read it. Even though it is largely aimed at the beginning writer, I neverfail to find it helpful. I subscribe to it as well as the newsletter.


2.   Publisher’s Weekly

Thismagazine is invaluable in helping to stay abreast of the rapidly changingpublishing scene.

3.    Writing instruction books

I’veread hundreds of writing instruction books, far too many to list them all. Buthere are a few of the ones I found helpful:

How to Craft a Great Story –Creating Perfect Plot and Structure by Chris Sykes

Writing a Bestselling Thriller –Strategies to Get Your Book Published by Matthew Branton

How to Write Best Selling Fiction by Dean Koontz (very datedmarket information)

Story Engineering – Mastering the6 Core Competencies of Successful Writing by Larry Brooks

Story Physics – Harnessing theUnderlying Forces of Storytelling by Larry Brooks

Make a Scene – Crafting aPowerful Story One Scene at a Time by Jordan E. Rosenfeld

CraftingScenes by Raymond Obstfeld

The Glamour of Grammar by Roy Peter Clark

Writing Tools – 50 EssentialStrategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark

The Power of Point of View – MakeYour Story Come to Life by Alicia Rasley

Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell

Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell

The Art and Craft of Storytelling by Nancy Lamb

Make Your Words Work by Gary Provost

How Fiction Works by Oakley Hall

Getting the Words Right by Theodore A. Rees Cheney

Simple and Direct – A Rhetoricfor Writersby Jacques Barzun

Story Structure Architect by Victoria Lynne Schmidt, Ph.D.

The Elements of Storytelling by Peter Rubie

Writing for Emotional Impact by Karl Iglesias

The Art of Styling Sentences by Ann Longknife, Ph.D. and K.D.Sullivan

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers– How to Edit Yourself into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King

Asyou can see, a good number of the books I listed above deal with story. That’sbecause I found that to be the weakest link in my writing. For you, it may beentirely different. But I would recommend at least some of these for you, sincesuccessful writers are good storytellers

4.   Attend at least one conference ayear if you can

Conferencescan be expensive, and I realize everyone can’t do this. But if you can, thendo. There are conferences every year that are dedicated to one genre or other.For me, Thrillerfest tends to be my primary choice. But of late, I’ve begunattending one of the Writers Digest conferences. These are directed more towardcraft than any specific genre, and I’ve been able to learn as well as makeconnections with some excellent teachers.


5.   Read

Iread nearly all of the NYTBestselling writers in any given year, particularly (though not exclusively)those who write in my genre. I contact many of them through their websites andhave met them at conferences. I talk to them. I listen.

6.   Scout the internet for screenwriters conferences and books

Iunderstand we’re talking novel writing, but many of the techniques used toentertain and hold a reader can be learned from our screenwriting comrades.


7.   Analyze

Reada novel for pleasure. But then, go back and analyze it. Underline the author’sopening line and last line. Did the first one get you on the hook? Did the lastone let you off? How did they develop their characters in a way that made youcare? Did they use description? Primarily dialogue? Did they rely onstereotypes? Then, look at your own writing. How is yours different fromtheirs?

Analyzethe movies you watch in the same manner. Again, these are different media, butthey are both designed to accomplish the same goal: Telling a story in anentertaining way.


8.   Be on guard

Watchfor the ways a story falls flat for you. How would you have done itdifferently? What failed? Why? This may be a story you’ve read, watched, orheard at work while standing at the water cooler.

9.   Read interviews of your favoritewriters

Searchthe Internet for interviews with your favorite writers, particularly the oneswhere they talk about craft. Learn their thoughts, their approaches. You maynot be able to meet them, but you can still learn from them directly as well asfrom reading their work.

10. Don’t beat yourself up

Thereis a certain amount of luck in reaching the top of the bestseller lists. Manyof the writers I’ve mentioned in these posts have told me they don’t know howthey did it. Most of them have told me they simply wrote the best story theycould. The rest was serendipity. There are things in this business over whichyou have no control.

Butyou do have control over the quality of your work. Do the best you can withcraft, and learn the proper marketing techniques that are best suited for youand your work. If you do this, you will have done all that can be done. Andthere is satisfaction in that.


11. Don’t quit

Ifyour goal is to reach #1 on the NYT list,then do all that you can toward achieving that goal. True, I just told youthere is a certain amount of luck to this. But you can also improve yourchances of encountering that luck with persistence. Don’t quit. Ever.

I’mnot there. But I’m well on the road, much farther along than when I began thisjourney. I’ll get there. And I’m confident that if you focus on improving yourcraft and work diligently on taking your work to new heights, you will reachyour goals too.