Slow. No. Fast. Wait, Don’t Crash

I’m getting a little better at pacing. What is pacing? Pacing is the act or process of regulating or changing the timing or intensity.

In the first few chapters of a novel, whether you write suspense or not, you should try to build a sense of foreboding, something to pique the reader’s curiosity. Essentially, you WANT them to keep turning the page to find out what’s going to happen.

So, it’s important in the beginning to not include a slow scene or you could lose the reader. It doesn’t have to include cars crashing and guns spattering like an action movie, but you want to make the reader salivate for more. Okay, maybe drooling isn’t necessary, but you know what I mean.

This Week’s Cool Blog Posts …

I surf the web quite a bit and to help refine my reading, I subscribe to several RSS feeds through Google Reader. Check out some of the great blog posts I have found recently. Have a Blessed Weekend!

Critiques and Mentoring Opportunities

I’m posting this critique and mentoring opportunity with permission from one of my favorite authors, Sharon Ewell Foster. Her Christy Award winning novel, Passing By Samaria, was probably the first Christian fiction book I’d ever read. It’s rather interesting that the genre is historical fiction because I generally read mystery and suspense. Something about the cover on this book and then later when I flipped it over to read the description – it just said this is ‘”the book” to read.

While I am a member of ACFW, I’m going to wait another year before attending the annual ACFW conference. I am planning to attend a smaller Christian writer’s conference this fall where Sharon happens to be the keynote speaker. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to sit and talk with the “Godmother of AA Christian Fiction.”

Check out Sharon’s tips on choosing a critique partner or group:

Google Docs Now Has Templates

Last year, I wrote a post about Google Docs. While I recently purchased a copy of MS Word 2007 (which I love, after getting used to the new menus), I still love accessing documents online via Google Docs. When I’m not using my computer at home, I like having a place to organize and keep documents without having to carry around my flash drive.

Sure, I can just attach the document, email it and then download it later. Sometimes you don’t always want to download your documents to another computer especially public ones, nor go through the process of having to download period.

One of the really cool things about Google Docs or using any online web office is the ability to collaborate with others. If you are in a writer’s critique group, all members of the group can make changes or comments to the same document. As the author, you can download and/or print off everyone’s comments at the same time from one document.

Writing Rituals

In 2000, when I realized there was such a genre as Christian Fiction, Angela Benson, along with Sharon Ewell Foster, instantly became two of my favorite authors. Angela is back this month with her latest release “Up Pops the Devil.”

This week she is hosting three guest bloggers, Vanessa Davis Grig g s, Marilynn Griffith and Kristin Billerbeck.

Check out Vanessa Davis Griggs’ post today about her writing ritual. She talked about cutting out watching television all together – which is definitely not a bad idea. What I need is to cut out the Internet.

Uhmm, Ty, let’s give that some more thought. LOL!

Anyhow, tomorrow, another favorite author and online buddy, Marilynn Griffith will post her writing rituals. I know they’re going to be good. Don’t miss this series!

Also, don’t forget Camy Tang’s online class on Synopsis Writing begins tomorrow (Wed – July 23rd). The participants have already started posted in anticipation of learning how to write the dreaded synopsis.

Learning How to Write

My mom strongly encouraged me to take typing during my junior year. For a good reason. I can be a girly girl (I’m into pink and brown big time – can you tell from my color scheme – you should see my glasses), but I definitely do not have a cute loopy handwriting. Anyway, my topic today, Learning How to Write, is more about the craft of writing versus ugly penmanship (better known as chicken scratch according to my mom).

I’m trying to post writing blog tips every Monday. I realize in order to keep TyoraMoody.com of some interest, there should be some helpful tips, especially for those on a journey, like myself, towards publication. There are so many differences in the way I’m writing my second WIP versus the first one mainly because I’m really trying to practice what I’ve learned.

To be truly honest, I’m not the one to teach about writing, but there are a host of blogs that teach about the craft of writing. So today I’m going to point you toward an expert. Recently, on The Seekers blog, Cheryl Wyatt shared a post about trimming your word count. She posted some great examples so I encourage you to check out Snip Snip Trim.

Online Class – Synopsis Writing

Over at Story Sensei, Camy Tang announced her first online class. It will be for one week, from July 23rd to July 29th. Camy will run you through exercises on how to write the synopsis for your novel. You can either have a novel in mind, one already written, or one in the process of being written. The cost is $5.

This sounds like a cool class and a great deal. Last year, I did a paid critique with Camy and she offered some excellent advice that helped me focus my plot for my first manuscript, When Rain Falls.

I wrote a synopsis for the ACFW Genesis contest earlier this year, but I’m not real sure if I wrote it correctly. A synopsis is one of those pieces that are often needed for proposals when you start submitting manuscripts to publishers or in most cases these days, agents.

For more information about registering, head over to Story Sensei.

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