15 July 2018, Writing - part x555,
Developing Skills, Marketing Materials, How to Write Reviewer’s Quotes
Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but my primary
publisher has gone out of business—they couldn’t succeed in the past business
and publishing environment. I'll keep you informed, but I need a new publisher. More
information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.
Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.
Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon.
This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in
installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in
addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel
was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and
tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this
blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.
I'm using this novel as an example
of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll
keep you informed along the way.
Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my
writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production
schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.
The four plus one basic rules I
employ when writing:
1. Don't confuse your readers.
2. Entertain your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the
writing.
4. Don't show (or tell) everything.
4a. Show what can be seen, heard, felt, smelled, and tasted on the stage
of the novel.
5. Immerse yourself in the world of your writing.
These are the steps I use to write a
novel including the five discrete parts of a novel:
1.
Design the initial scene
2.
Develop a theme statement (initial setting,
protagonist, protagonist’s helper or antagonist, action statement)
a.
Research as required
b.
Develop the initial setting
c.
Develop the characters
d.
Identify the telic flaw (internal
and external)
3.
Write the initial scene (identify
the output: implied setting, implied characters, implied action movement)
4.
Write the next scene(s) to the
climax (rising action)
5.
Write the climax scene
6.
Write the falling action scene(s)
7.
Write the dénouement scene
I
finished writing my 29th novel, working title, Detective, potential
title Blue Rose: Enchantment and the Detective. The theme statement is: Lady Azure Rose
Wishart, the Chancellor of the Fae, supernatural detective, and all around
dangerous girl, finds love, solves cases, breaks heads, and plays golf.
Here is the cover proposal for Blue
Rose: Enchantment and the Detective.
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Cover
Proposal
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The most important scene in any
novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising
action. I am continuing to write on my 30th novel, working
title Red Sonja. I finished my 29th novel, working
title Detective. I’m planning to start on number 31, working
title Shifter.
How to begin a novel. Number one thought, we need an entertaining
idea. I usually encapsulate such an idea
with a theme statement. Since I’m
writing a new novel, we need a new theme statement. Here is an initial cut.
For novel 30: Red Sonja, a Soviet spy, infiltrates the
X-plane programs at Edwards AFB as a test pilot’s administrative clerk, learns
about freedom, and is redeemed.
For novel 31: TBD
Here
is the scene development outline:
1.
Scene input (comes from the previous scene output or is an initial scene)
2.
Write the scene setting (place, time, stuff, and characters)
3.
Imagine the output, creative elements, plot, telic flaw resolution (climax) and
develop the tension and release.
4.
Write the scene using the output and creative elements to build the tension.
5.
Write the release
6.
Write the kicker
Today: Time again to look
at marketing materials. I just finished
a new novel—actually, I finished it a few weeks ago, but I’ve been working on
the marketing materials. I always develop
the specific materials first, then the condensed materials for my currently
defunct publisher, and then the cover.
You can see above, I made a proposed cover. I haven’t put any of this
information on the internet yet, but I’m building up to that.
Here
is my proposed cover:
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Cover
Proposal
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Marketing materials are a must. I’ll be straight up with you. I know most people have not completed their
novels. Some of you might have. You might be still working on your editing
and proofing. You might be still
perfecting your novel. All of that is
important, but none of it matters if you don’t have a plan for marketing your
work. Marketing means you have some plan
and know what a publisher might want to know about you and your work. What you need is a format for your marketing
materials, and here it is.
Title of Work:
Blue Rose: Enchantment and
the Detective
Author(s) Name:
L. D. Alford
Type: Either Screenplay or Book
Book
Length: Either # of words for books, or #
of pages for screenplays
108,475 words
Keywords and Market Focus:
Fiction, detective, supernatural, fae, fairy,
romance, intelligence, Britain, United Kingdom, MI6, magic, New Scotland Yard,
goddess, Dagda, organization, the Crown; will fascinate anyone interested in
mystery, detectives, and the fae—will appeal particularly to those who enjoy
mystery and suspense novels.
Genre:
Mystery Fantasy
Author
Bio: Approximately 120 words
The
finest entertainment in literature is an escape into a real and inviting
culture—so asserts L. D. Alford, a novelist who explores with originality those
cultures and societies we think we already know. He builds tales that make ancient people and
times real to us. His stories uniquely
explore the connections between present events, history, and the future—he
combines them with threads of reality that bring fiction alive. L. D. Alford is familiar with technology and
cultures—he earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Pacific Lutheran
University Boston
University University
of Dayton Air War College Staff
College
Synopsis: Approximately 500 Words
The Lady Azure Rose Wishart, in
the sixth form, the head girl at Wycombe Abbey, and a capable detective. She is also the top girl, a scratch golfer,
and lives with a couple of dubious acquaintances—one is most likely a vampire
and the other a werecreature. Well,
most likely. In any case, the Lady Azure
Rose Wishart lost her estate but not her title.
Because of that, she could be on the parishes’ charity list except she has
a scholarship to Wycombe and the Crown pays for her other work. The Lady Wishart is driven to reacquire her
estate and make her way in the world.
She wants to be a supernatural detective.
We first meet her as she untangles
a mystery for the New Scotland Yard.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a true supernatural crime, but Azure (the Lady
Wishart) solves it in no time, and she is now on New Scotland Yard’s
payroll. Another few thousand mysteries,
and she might buy back her estate.
That’s her first problem, she doesn’t make enough to ensure she can ever
win back her hereditary holdings. The
second problem is just about to hit her squarely between the eyes—Lachlann
Calloway meets her at a party.
It was truly an accident of
occasion and invitation that brought Lady Azure Rose Wishart into the sights of
the dashing Wing Commander Lachlann Calloway, but so is life. He immediately fell in love with the
ravishing and dangerous Azure. However,
Azure doesn’t have time for a lover or a boyfriend. She, of course, does everything in her power
to discourage him. During their next
meeting, she thoroughly embarrasses and chastises him. On their first date, he privately blows her
cover and propriety. What Lachlann
discovers is that his mother, a high level manager in her majesty’s
intelligence operations, has black listed Azure from any intelligence
work. This is curious, but he’s still in
love.
Instead of being discouraged, as
Azure would have liked, Lachlann gloms on to her like a social leech. She isn’t used to these types of
entanglements. In any case, Lachlann is
trying his hardest to entice Azure to love.
She is trying her hardest to be rid of the puppy, Lachlann Calloway. Lachlann’s mother wants nothing more than for
Lachlann to dump the unwilling Azure. Meanwhile,
Azure, through New Scotland Yard, has uncovered a truly supernatural mystery.
With Lachlann’s help and
encouragement, Azure proceeds to take a sledge hammer to the Crown’s
supernatural intelligence structure—she has a mystery to solve. The Queen approves, Lachlann’s mother
disapproves, and the others have been ordered to accommodate and work with the
temperamental Azure. Azure’s goal is
still the same, but not everyone else agrees.
Will Lachlann’s love prevail?
Will Azure win her estate? Will the
truly supernatural mystery be solved?
The real question is will Lachlann’s mother ever resolve herself to a
potential daughter-in-law who is, in her own words, despicable?
Concept
of the Work: Approximately 250 Words
The concept
behind Blue Rose is first to show a
persistent protagonist who is driven to achieve.
The second
idea is the persistent pursuit of love represented by Lachlann Calloway.
Registration:
WGA, ISBN, or Library of Congress, Write the number.
None
Other
Information: If you have more work, a
website, anything interesting and professional, especially any awards or
recognition.
Deirdre: Enchantment and the School www.HestiaNovel.com, the child of a Fae secretly attends
a girl’s boarding school until Deirdre discovers her.
Sorcha: Enchantment and the Curse www.GoddessoftheHearth.com, a cursed woman becomes a deadly
spy at the hands of a dangerous mistress.
Essie: Enchantment and the Aos Si www.HearthGoddess.com, a matron rescues and educates the
Queen of the fae.
Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer www.GoddessofLightNovel.com, a math genius girl gets a
boyfriend and becomes a Japanese goddess.
Valeska: Enchantment and the Vampire www.GoddessofDarkness.com, a British agent accidentally
becomes involved with a vampire.
Khione: Enchantment and the Fox www.GoddessNovel.com, a graduate student discovers a
demigoddess in modern Boston
Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon www.AksinyaNovel.com, a Russian princess calls a demon
to protect her family.
Hestia: Enchantment of the Hearth www.EnchantmentoftheHearth.com, the misadventures of archeologists
in modern Greece.
Antebellum www.AntebellumNovel.com the mystery of a house that has
been missing since the American Civil War and the girl who is called to it.
The
Second Mission www.TheSecondMission.com is a historical fiction novel about
ancient Greece
Centurion www.CenturionNovel.com published January 2008 and Aegypt www.AegyptNovel.com also published in January 2008 are
historical fiction novels from OakTara Fiction www.OakTara.com
The Chronicles of the Dragon and the
Fox is a science fiction series published by OakTara Fiction
Ancient Light is a suspense series
published by Broadstreet, Eleutheria, September 2014 in a three-in-one www.AncientLight.com.
L.D. Alford has more than 70
technical papers published in international journals on flight test, military
policy, flight safety, space, and cyberwar.
His military aviation writing is featured as Military Aviation
Adventures on www.wingsoverkansas.com.
Reviewer’s
quotes.
The Lady Azure Rose Wishart plays
golf, reluctantly finds love, adjudicates the Fae, fights with the Queen, and
solves supernatural mysteries—what’s not to like?
Azure was
called “despicable” by her boyfriend’s mother, Mrs. Calloway—it doesn’t help
that Mrs. Calloway is the head of supernatural intelligence for Britain and has
the ear of the Queen.
Can the Lord
Chancellor of the Book of the Fae find peace, love, and wealth as a
supernatural detective? Not if the Queen
and Mrs. Calloway, the goddess of the Gaelic people have their way.
The next question is how to write a
reviewer’s quote or marketing blurb?
Here we are. Have you ever read some of the reviewer’s
quotes on a published book? Some sound
stupid. Most seem to have no idea about
the book at all. Many are just general
and gratuitous—“This was a real page turner.”
“I loved this book and so will you.”
Most of these are either paid, jaded, or traded. It happens all the time. The author sends a free copy to a bazillion
authors (or just famous people) and asks for a reviewer’s quote or
comment. For low end authors such as us,
these can be helpful, but difficult to get.
For the high end writers, many authors are tickled, many famous charge
gratuity, and others want an equal favor.
In any case, the really well written reviewer’s comments are great—those
are the writers. The meaningless blurbs
are, well, meaningless. Mostly the happy
to help (get paid or take a favor), but can’t really write types.
These reviewer’s comments are
worthwhile, but I’d really rather have a tightly written review for all my
effort. Most authors are willing to let
you use their review or parts of it in your marketing blurbs, plus after it is
published as a review, the author kind of loses the rights to it as a
piece. In any case, you need to be able
to write great reviews and you need to be able to write sentence length reviews—these
are blurbs.
Just like a synopsis, a blurb starts
with the protagonist. The first is a
simple description followed by a provocative or redundant question. The description is of the protagonist and
touches on the telic flaw of the protagonist and the novel.
The Lady
Azure Rose Wishart plays golf, reluctantly finds love, adjudicates the Fae,
fights with the Queen, and solves supernatural mysteries—what’s not to like?
The second example starts with the
protagonist and brings in the antagonist.
This one touches on the telic flaw, but focuses on the antagonist and
the protagonist.
Azure was
called “despicable” by her boyfriend’s mother, Mrs. Calloway—it doesn’t help
that Mrs. Calloway is the head of supernatural intelligence for Britain and has
the ear of the Queen.
The third example describes the protagonist
in a question then touches on the antagonist and the telic flaw.
Can the Lord
Chancellor of the Book of the Fae find peace, love, and wealth as a
supernatural detective? Not if the Queen
and Mrs. Calloway, the goddess of the Gaelic people have their way.
The trick, of course, in writing any
of these is to focus on the protagonist.
Boil down the essence and lay it on.
The comments or blurbs must sound exciting and be entertaining. Read them out loud. Read them to someone. See how they sound to you. They should sound exciting with some
entertainment in them.
Likewise, after you touch of the
protagonist, hit with the telic flaw and the antagonist. If these are entertaining in the novel, they
should be entertaining here. If you need
more references, just look at my examples.
You can find them all over my websites.
The point of writing these market
blurbs or reviewer’s quote is to provide marketing for your novel. You rarely need these until your publisher
asks for them, but you can use them for marketing and for your own works all
the time.
More
tomorrow.
For more information, you can visit my
author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:
http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com
fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic
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