Karin Beery's Blog Member of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors

First or Third Person Point of View: When and Why?

When it comes to captivating your audience, point of view (POV) matters. While there are no right or wrong places to use different POVs, there are absolutely genres and styles that work well with specific POVs. Before we jump into that, let’s look at the different POVs often used in fiction.

First, Third, and Omniscient POVs

For the sake of this post, we’ll refer to the three main POVs as First Person, Third Person, and Omniscient. Kathy Tyers, author of Writing Deep Viewpoint, defines them as:

  • First Person: Narrator uses the “I” voice.
  • Third Person: Narrator is present as a named character, using the “he” or “she” voice.
  • Omniscient: Still “he” or “she,” the narrator’s consciousness is godlike in knowledge.

Each of these POVs provides s different depth of perspective.

First Person is the deepest, putting the reader directly into the mind and body of the narrator and allowing the reader to experience the story life as real life—only knowing, feeling, and sensing situations from one perspective.

Third Person can keep the reader close (Deep Third) or at a distance (Shallow Third). In today’s market, Deep Third is preferred. Similar to First Person, Deep Third pulls the reader into the mind and body of the narrator (again only showing what the character knows, feels, and senses), but the use of “he” and “she” pronouns adds a bit of space between the character and reader. Shallow Third adds even more space, as it doesn’t rely as heavily on the POV character’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions and often focuses more on external descriptions and plot points.

Omniscient is a third-person POV (as it uses “he” and “she”). Its perspective creates the most space between the characters and the reader as it doesn’t ever allow the reader to get into the main character’s head or heart. The narrator can describe what a character does (and possibly even the motivations) but can’t convey the feelings and emotions of each character because the narrator is, in fact, its own godlike, all-knowing character.

When and Why to Use Each POV

Technically, authors can use any POV in any novel or genre, but there are certain POVs that work better in different genres. Here are a few examples and why they do/don’t work.

First Person—Yes: This intimate perspective is excellent for books with one main character, such as young adult or women’s fiction novels that follow the growth and character arc of one person. There may be best friends, enemies, and love interests, but their main purpose in the story is to motivate the main character to change (or to highlight how the main character changes).

First Person—No: Most romance novel readers want to see the story from both the hero’s and the heroine’s perspectives. Because of this, the majority of romance novels are written in Third Person, so readers expect (and even demand) that perspective. While you technically can write a romance novel in First Person, there are readers who simply will not read it because of the POV. Since it’s possible to create a similar POV depth by writing Deep Third, that’s usually recommended for romance novels.

Third Person—Yes: Any book with multiple main characters is the perfect book for Third Person POV. I already mentioned romance novels, but it also works well in speculative fiction, historical, suspense, thriller. Anytime you have two or more main characters (characters with goals/motivations/conflicts and character arcs), it’s a good story for Third Person.

Third Person—No: I honestly can’t think of a time when I would encourage an author to avoid this POV. Because it’s so widely accepted, it can be used in just about any genre.

Omniscient—Yes: Omniscient works well in literary fiction, where the emphasis in on the theme instead of the plot and characters. It can also work well in epic novels, where the story takes place over large periods of time or space, again taking the focus off of a few specific characters and instead putting it on several people throughout time or across the world. (Think Hawaii by Jame Michener.)

Omniscient—No: Aside from one specific genre to avoid, it’s really a specific type of story that doesn’t work well with Omniscient: stories about or that highlight deep emotional connections. For that reason, romance novels are out. For all other genres … it depends. If you want to tell the story of six soldiers in the Civil War, omniscient might not be the best fit, but it could work perfectly for the story of a regimen of soldiers and their impact on the war.

I’ll say it one more time because it can’t be said enough—there are no right or wrong ways to use POV in your books. But there are ways to use POV to improve your chances of getting noticed, getting published, and developing a fan base.

Still have questions? Let me know! karin@karinbeery.com

For more fiction-writing tips and advice, follow me on Facebook at Writing Now Editing, or sign up for my monthly newsletter and learn the easiest way to make a good impression with agents and publishers!

For more fiction writing tips, try these:

Backstory: The Right and Wrong Ways to Use Dialogue
Why Novels Need Structure

Backstory: The Right and Wrong Ways to Use Dialogue

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Every main character in every book has a backstory, but the readers don’t need to see or understand it all. There are times, however, when it’s necessary to include backstory in your manuscript to either fill in plot holes or show character development. One of the best ways to do that is by using dialogue, but only if you do it the right way.

Here’s a look at the wrong way to show backstory using dialogue:

“I think one of my friends stole my watch,” Ben said.
“Why would you say that?” his mom asked.
“Do you remember my twenty-first birthday party last week? It rained all day and we had to move the activities inside? The house wasn’t big enough, so people filled the living room, dining room, and hallway?”
“Of course.”
“Well, my bedroom is at the top of the stairs. Anyone could have gone up there without us noticing.”

Here’s the problem with that section: Ben’s mom already knows the details of the party, her son’s age, and the layout of the house. There’s no reason for him to give her that information. Doing so makes it look like this conversation is a set-up to give information to the readers (which it is). There are two ways to solve this problem.

#1: Make the dialogue more realistic:

“I think one of my friends stole my watch,” Ben said.
“Why would you say that?” his mom asked.
“Do you remember how crowded the house was during my birthday party? Anyone could have gone up to my bedroom without us noticing.”

#2: Use the Dumb Puppet:

“I think one of my friends stole my watch,” Ben said.
“Why would you say that?” his mom asked.
“Do you remember how crowded the house was during my birthday party?  Anyone could have gone up to my bedroom without us noticing.”
“How could you not notice someone in your bedroom?” Brian asked.
“The party was supposed to be outside, but it rained all day,” his mom said. “We had to move the activities inside. The house wasn’t big enough, so people filled the living room, dining room, and hallway. Ben’s bedroom is upstairs. Anyone could have gone up without us noticing.”

Do you see the difference between options?In the first version, the dialogue is unnatural. Yes, it gives necessary information, but it also makes the characters seems awkward. The latter options create a smoother flowing story. If the details of the party aren’t important, cut them (example one) and keep the story moving. If they are important, include a character who doesn’t know what’s going on (in this case, Brian is the Dumb Puppet) so the other characters can explain it without sounding awkward.

Are you struggling to include backstory in a more natural way? Let me know, and let’s see how we can figure it out together.

AVAILABLE NOW–get your copy here!

If you’re looking to strengthen your writing and self-editing skills, here’s what you can expect in How to Edit Your Novel:

Take your self-editing skills to the next level.

• Have you eliminated all the telling?
• Are the characters complex?
• Is every scene necessary?

Most authors will answer ‘yes!’ to these questions. But then editors and readers tell them the descriptions don’t engage them, the characters are stereotypical, and the story dragged.

How do you fix it?

Self-editing can only take you so far. But if you know the right questions to ask and you know how to interpret the answers, you’ll not only strengthen your self-editing skills, you’ll strengthen your writing.

HOW TO EDIT YOUR NOVEL doesn’t simply rehash the fiction-writing basics that create good stories-it provides examples, context, and questions that will help authors identify and strengthen their weaknesses the same way a professional editor tackles a manuscript. By combining mini writing lessons with practical self-editing tips, everything a writer needs to become a better self-editor is practically presented.

Whether you’re a new writer or an experienced author, HOW TO EDIT YOUR NOVEL can help you polish your story into a gem agents, publishers, and readers will want to keep reading.

” … bound to be a book you keep right next to your keyboard …. ”
–Cristel Phelps, Managing Editor for Fiction, Elk Lake Publishing, Inc

Why Novels Need Story Structure

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

Have you ever walked into your regular grocery store and cringed because they rearranged the store? You find dog food in the bread aisle and paper plates where the cereal used to be. Everything you need is still in the store, but it’s hard to find, which can be frustrating.

Something similar happens when authors write books without structure—readers “walk in” to the story expecting to find three acts or mirroring plot points, but instead they find vignettes or backstory. If it’s a favorite author—like your regular grocery store—they might stick around and try to find their way through the mess, but if it’s someone new to them, chances are good that they’ll walk out and find a story that’s less frustrating.

In his book Just Write, James Scott Bell says structure is important for the reader, not the writer. Whether or not they realize it, readers have specific expectations for novels. They expect the boy and girl to live happily ever after in a romance. They detective must find the criminal in a mystery. Historical events need to impact the characters in historical romance.

All of those elements are part of a novel’s structure. Recognizing and understanding different story structures will help you create a solid foundation on which to build your novel.

As with most things in fiction writing, there’s no one-way to do things. There are different types of story structure you can use, and they all work. A good place to start is the traditional three-act story.

A three-act story actually includes at least six main points, but the three most obvious are the acts.

Act I: The introduction—this is where you introduce the setting and main characters.
Act II: The body—where the story happens (and conflict reigns).
Act III: The conclusion—the climax of the story where everything resolves.

But you also need some transitional elements.

Inciting Incident: Something out of the ordinary that forces the main character into the story.
First Door: A situation requiring a decision that pushes the MC from Act I into Act II.
Second Door: A life-changing decision that forces the MC into Act III (it doesn’t matter what the MC chooses, life will be different; it’s his choice as to how it will be different).

Most readers cand identify these elements, but the subconsciously look for them, and including them in your book helps them more easily navigate new settings, new characters, and a new author voice.

The are many variations of the three-act plot, and they all work. The key is to find the structure model that works best for you and your story. I’ve listed some of my favorite resources for structure below—what’s your go-to book for plot structure?

AVAILABLE NOW! Get your copy here!

If you’re looking to strengthen your writing and self-editing skills, here’s what you can expect in How to Edit Your Novel:

Take your self-editing skills to the next level.

• Have you eliminated all the telling?
• Are the characters complex?
• Is every scene necessary?

Most authors will answer ‘yes!’ to these questions. But then editors and readers tell them the descriptions don’t engage them, the characters are stereotypical, and the story dragged.

How do you fix it?

Self-editing can only take you so far. But if you know the right questions to ask and you know how to interpret the answers, you’ll not only strengthen your self-editing skills, you’ll strengthen your writing.

HOW TO EDIT YOUR NOVEL doesn’t simply rehash the fiction-writing basics that create good stories-it provides examples, context, and questions that will help authors identify and strengthen their weaknesses the same way a professional editor tackles a manuscript. By combining mini writing lessons with practical self-editing tips, everything a writer needs to become a better self-editor is practically presented.

Whether you’re a new writer or an experienced author, HOW TO EDIT YOUR NOVEL can help you polish your story into a gem agents, publishers, and readers will want to keep reading.

” … bound to be a book you keep right next to your keyboard …. ”
–Cristel Phelps, Managing Editor for Fiction, Elk Lake Publishing, Inc

Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson

AI and Novel Editing

Confession: I use Grammarly. I know other writing professional who also use it. But Grammarly, ProWriting Aid, and PefectIt will never replace an editor. Despite the unlimited capacity of AI, there are a few reasons to proceed cautiously in the automated sphere.

More than Punctuation

Editing includes more than correct punctuation and grammar. There are actually several round of editing before you focus on those things. A comprehensive editing experience includes:

  • Developmental/Substantive: reviewing the big picture issues, including characterization, plot structure, pacing, and fiction-writing strategies.
  • Line: tightening each page, paragraph, and line to improve the flow, strengthen author voice, and create the most vivid and engaging descriptions.
  • Copy: grammar and punctuation, but also syntax, consistency, spelling, and more.
  • Proofread: typo check; it’s less of an edit than a review for stray errors.

Authors need all of these edits to create engaging, relatable stories. Grammarly and other programs skip developmental and line editing in favor of copyediting. (But just because they’re automated doesn’t mean they’re always right—you should never accept all of their suggested changes without double checking each to make sure it’s correct.)

Grammarly and other programs are a great tool you can use to clean up the technical issues of your manuscript but they can’t evaluate your story or writing skills.

Not All Feedback is the Same

Several years ago I received harsh criticism of one of my romance novels. At the end of the comments the reviewer said, “I don’t really like or read romance novels though.” The reviewer’s opinions were valid, but they didn’t accurately reflect the quality of my writing or its appeal to my audience because the reviewer didn’t honestly know the difference between good and bad romance writing.

I’m starting to see authors using AI to review their stories instead of hiring editors or finding beta readers. These authors hope computer programs can evaluate their stories’ strengthens and weaknesses. But it doesn’t matter how many stories a company feeds into AI, it will never give authors what they really need—a reader’s perspective.

AI can only tell you what it thinks people will say or feel about a particular type or writing, but the feedback will be as useful as asking a non-romance reader to read and review romance—some of the comments might be helpful, but you’ll never really know how your audience feels about the story because you’re not asking them.

Context Matters

AI learns from analyzing any books it reads, but it doesn’t consider when the books were written or for whom. Yes, Pride and Prejudice and Moby Dick are well-known and often beloved books, but their style of writing would never be published today.

Reading tastes change. What was once popular isn’t anymore, but those styles are influencing AI because they’re being fed to the program.

Unless you can guarantee that the AI program you use has only analyzed manuscripts from the past two decades, it will compare your style (and suggest changes) based on outdated, once-popular styles that will turn off today’s readers, agents, and publishers.

Tools are Tools

I’m not against AI. In fact, I’m looking forward to learning more about it and using it in my work—as a tool. It won’t replace editors, designers, beta readers, or others because it can’t. But refusing to learn how to use it effectively could be as useful as insisting on using a typewriter instead of a computer.

There’s still a lot to learn about AI and how it can help authors and editors. It’s okay to explore those options, but please don’t try to replace trained professionals with it. The results might not live up to your (or your reader’s) expectations.

Still have questions? Let me know! karin@karinbeery.com

For more fiction-writing tips and advice, follow me on Facebook at Writing Now Editing, or sign up for my monthly newsletter and learn the easiest way to make a good impression with agents and publishers!

How to Write a Novel: Book Recommendations for All Writers

With 15+ years of experience writing and editing fiction, I can teach you a lot about plot, characters, style, pacing, and more, but I didn’t invent most of the techniques that I teach. To be completely honest, I’m still honing many of those skills myself. To do that, I continue to read books on writing, and I regularly recommend them to my clients.

Even if you hire me to edit your manuscript or coach you through the process, having these books on hand is a good idea for your own continual education and growth. These are the books that have helped me and countless others develop their fiction-writing skills.

General Fiction Writing

The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction by Jeff Gerke

“There is skill involved in writing excellent … fiction. There is craftsmanship to be learned. And there are the long hours pounding away on a manuscript that, by the time you’re done with it, has you convinced it’s the worst piece of garbage ever penned by man.”

 

The Story Equation by Susan May Warren

“You can plot your entire book by asking one powerful question, and then plugging it into an “equation” that makes your plot and characters come to life. You’ll learn how to create compelling characters, build the external and internal journey of your characters, create a theme, create story and scene tension, plot your novel organically, and even pitch and market your bestseller. All with one amazing question.”

5 Editors Tackle the 12 Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing by C.S. Lakin

“5 Editors Tackle the Twelve Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing demonstrates the deadly dozen pitfalls on the road to a strong story, along with revisions that show writers exactly how to avoid novel failure. No other writing craft book offers such detailed instruction in how to spot and remedy the major flaws of fiction writing.”

 

Writing Deep Viewpoint by Kathy Tyers

“Deep viewpoint can convince your readers that they have become your characters. This powerful writing-craft skill set includes showing instead of telling, maintaining story flow, attributing dialogue effectively, and showing characters interact with convincing antagonists and believable settings. Writing coach, editor, and New York Times best-selling author Kathy Tyers presents a short powerful set of writing-craft tools in Writing Deep Viewpoint.”

Plot/Structure

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

“[A] comprehensive story-structure guide for novelists that applies the famed Save the Cat! screenwriting methodology to the world of novel writing. Revealing the 15 “beats” (plot points) that comprise a successful story–from the opening image to the finale–this book lays out the Ten Story Genres (Monster in the House; Whydunit; Dude with a Problem) alongside quirky, original insights (Save the Cat; Shard of Glass) to help novelists craft a plot that will captivate–and a novel that will sell.”

How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson

“How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method is a “business parable”—a how-to guide written in story form. It’s zany. It’s over the top. It’s just plain fun. Most important, it’s effective, because it shows you, rather than telling you.”

 

Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell

“How does plot influence story structure? What’s the difference between plotting for commercial and literary fiction? How do you revise a plot or structure that’s gone off course? With Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure, you’ll discover the answers to these questions and more.”

 

Characterization

Getting Into Character by Brandilyn Collins

“Want to bring characters to life on the page as vividly as fine actors do on the stage or screen? Getting Into Character will give you a whole new way of thinking about your writing. Drawing on the Method Acting theory that theater professionals have used for decades, this in-depth guide explains seven characterization techniques and adapts them for the novelist’s use.”

Plot Versus Character by Jeff Gerke

“What’s more important to a story: a gripping plot or compelling characters? Literary-minded novelists argue in favor of character-based novels while commercial novelists argue in favor of plot-based stories, but the truth of the matter is this: The best fiction is rich in both. Enter Plot Versus Character. This hands-on guide to creating a well-rounded novel embraces both of these crucial story components.”

What are your favorite fiction-writing resources?

For more fiction-writing tips and advice, follow me on Facebook at Writing Now Editing, or sign up for my monthly newsletter and learn the easiest way to make a good impression with agents and publishers!

Write Better Characters: How to Strengthen Goals and Motivations

Characters are, of course, the lifeblood of fiction. All the twisty turny plot elements in the world won’t matter to readers if they are not bonded to a character they care about.” Just Write by James Scott Bell

Characters are the heart of any novel. If readers don’t connect with and care about your characters, they won’t keep reading. So how do you help your readers connect? By strengthening your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts (GMC). The easiest way to strengthen a GMC is to make sure it’s specific to your character.

Writers often start with goals and motivations are that are too general.

Goal: to buy a house.
Motivation: they’re sick of renting.

The problem with that goal and motivation is that they could apply to millions of people. Strong GMCs can only apply to your characters. There’s something so specific about the goal or motivation that it couldn’t possibly apply to anyone else.

An excellent example of a strong goal is Kenya’s goal is the movie Something New. The movie opens with her having drinks with three friends. The conversation eventually turns to men, and Kenya—a successful single Black woman—admits that she’d like to find a man, but she’s holding out for her IBM: her Ideal Black Man.

Her motivation is somewhat generic. Like many people, getting married is eventually part of Kenya’s plan. It’s her very specific goal, however (to find her IBM), that helps the audience understand her conflict—the kind, successful man she meets on a blind date is white. Without knowing her specific goal, Kenya comes across as either racist, irrational, or both. Because of her goal, however, the audience understands her conflict.

Another way to strengthen a GMC is to individualize the motivation. An example of a character with a specific motivation is Charlotte Atherton is Karen Witemeyer’s A Worthy Pursuit. Charlotte’s goal is to teach gifted children. There’s nothing particularly unusual about that. It’s her motivation that makes her stand out.

Charlotte was a piano prodigy as a child, and her father took advantage of her talent to make himself famous. When she grows up, the first man to show interest in her wasn’t actually interested in a relationship with her; he also wanted to take advantage of her talent. Those experiences fuel her motivation—to protect gifted children from being manipulated by and taken advantage of by others.

Without understanding Charlotte’s motivation, it’s impossible to understand why she flees to the woods and hides with three students when the school she teaches at unexpectedly closes in the middle of the night. Without understanding her specific motivation, Charlotte’s reaction to the school closing looks overly emotional at best and like kidnapping at its worst. Her specific motivation, however, makes her relatable.

By creating goals and motivations that could only belong to your characters, you’re allowing the reader to better understand and better relate to your characters, which makes the reader want to keep turning the page. Keep them turning the page.

What are your characters’ goals and motivations? How can you make them more specific?

For more fiction-writing tips and advice, follow me on Facebook at Writing Now Editing, or sign up for my monthly newsletter and learn the easiest way to make a good impression with agents and publishers!

Self-Editing Fiction: Where Do You Start?

Most people associate editing with fixing punctuation and grammar mistakes, but it starts much earlier than that. In fact, if you start with the PUGS—punctuation, usage, grammar, and syntax—you’re wasting time (and money, if you hired a freelance editor) because you’ll have to do it again later after you’ve fixed the big-picture issues.

Editing a novel can be overwhelming. There are so many things to consider and process that it’s tempting to skip them completely to focus on the PUGS.

Don’t.

Instead, focus on the big-picture issues to make sure you have a strong story first. If you don’t have a strong story, it won’t matter how well-punctuated your book is—agents will reject it and readers will give up on it. Don’t tempt them! Start with these common novel problems.

Know Your Audience. Earlier this year, I talked about the importance knowing your audience (read about it here). Readers aren’t interested in what you want to tell them. They’re interested in their favorite genres. Make sure you know who your audience is so you can make sure your book meets their expectations.

A Structured Plot. James Scott Bell explains that readers appreciate structured stories because they’re familiar with them. They may not be able to identify the key components of a three-act plot, but they’re unconsciously looking for and expecting them when they read novels. If your story doesn’t have structure, it can confuse your reader.

The most basic and most used story structure is the three-act plot. Check your manuscript to make sure it includes all the necessary parts:

  • Act I (introduction)
  • Inciting Incident
  • First Transition (what forces the main characters out of Act I and into Act II)
  • Act II (where the story happens)
  • Second Transition (what forces the main characters into Act III)
  • Act III (conclusion)
  • Satisfying and Appropriate Ending

Complex Characters. It doesn’t matter how unique your plot it—if the characters are boring or predictable, readers will stop reading. Characters need to complex (no stereotypes) and relatable. You readers don’t need to agree with everything your characters do, but they should at least understand why your characters do them.

To help achieve that, every main character needs a starting GMC: goal, motivation, and conflict.

  • Goal: what your character wants to achieve.
  • Motivation: why your character wants to achieve it.
  • Conflict: what prevents your character from achieving it.

Strong GMCs are specific. It’s not enough to say your heroine wants to get married someday because she wants to start a family but she hasn’t found the right person. That describes millions of people. Instead, make it specific: she wants to get married for the security of having a second income because she was raised in a poor neighborhood by a single parent but she doesn’t love the men she’s met with good jobs.

To provide more depth to your main characters, I recommend starting with at least two GMCs. Either short-term and long-term or personal and professional. This will force you to think more deeply about your characters, which will give them more complex personalities and backstories.

Show It. All fiction writers have heard it—show, don’t tell. Most novelists I work with think they’re showing, but their manuscripts are full of telling. This isn’t a cure-all for telling in fiction, but there are two things you can look for to identify and re-write a lot of telling.

  • Senses and Emotions. Anytime you name a sense or emotion, it’s telling. Searching for named senses (i.e. saw, heard, felt, etc.) will reveal places where you can rewrite a sentence to show something. She saw the bird outside becomes the bird flew outside. The same is true for emotions (i.e. happy, sad, mad, etc.). He felt angry can be shown as he punched the wall and growled.
  • Long Paragraphs. If you have pages and pages of long paragraphs in your manuscript, I can almost guarantee there’s telling in there, especially if all of your chapters start with several long paragraphs. Whenever you see these big blocks with little white space, read the through them and ask yourself two questions—is this information relevant and is it explaining something that happened before the book starts? If it’s not relevant, cut it. If it’s relevant but explaining something from the character’s past, cut it for now and look for ways to include it later in the story in an active way (dialogue is a great tool).

By starting with these four big-picture issues first, you’ll have a better story to pitch to agents or a cleaner manuscript to submit to a freelance editor, which will save you time and money.

What’s your greatest struggle when editing your own manuscript?

For more tips, connect with me online at Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn!

Why Do You Need a Novel Synopsis?

Most novelists know they need to write a synopsis for their books, and there are lots of resources to teach you how to write your synopsis, but why do you need one?

Here’s the good news—a synopsis is not an example of your writing style or skill. That’s not why agents and publishers request them, so don’t worry about whether or not the synopsis demonstrates your mastery of fiction-writing techniques. It’s not supposed to. Instead, your synopsis demonstrates the following:

  • Can you follow directions? Agents and publishers will request everything from a one-page to a ten-page synopsis—you can’t submit the same one to everyone. Agents and publishers usually post their submission guidelines on their websites, including synopsis length. Sending the right length shows the recipient that you can and will follow directions.
  • Story structure. The best novels have structure (such as the three-act story). Your synopsis will show the reader if your story has structure and where the weaknesses are.
  • Characterization. You should include brief descriptions of your main characters in your synopsis, and those will help the reader see whether or not you have stereotypical or complex characters. The synopsis will also highlight character growth and development.
  • Other big-picture problems. Does the pacing work? Is there enough conflict? Your synopsis shows this.

It’s actually pretty easy to help an author polish a strong story with fiction-writing problems (too much telling, not enough sensory details, etc.). It’s much more time consuming to fix those issues if they’re layered on top of plot holes and weak characterization.

When you’re writing your synopsis, remember that it’s a story summary—it shows agents and publishers how well you can plot a story and create relatable characters. Don’t get bogged down in the details. Let the story shine (your sample chapters will do the rest).

Still not sure about your synopsis? Don’t hesitate to contact me and let’s see how we can strengthen yours.

For more tips, connect with me online at Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn!

The Satisfying Ending

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.

Most writers are familiar with the Happily Ever After (HEA), but not every genre—and not every story—needs an HEA. In fact, every story needs the same type of ending: the Satisfying Ending.

Writers and readers often debate whether or not stories need happy endings, but the debate is almost always based on personal preference. That’s why it’s so important to understand genres and what each genre expects from its stories. The people who read those genres will expect a certain type of ending, and it’s up to the writer to provide it.

What is a satisfying ending?

It’s an appropriate ending.

In a mystery novel, the sleuth figures out who did and apprehends the bad guy. In suspense, the good guys win. In romance, the couple comes together and commits to the relationship. In a Nicholas Sparks book, someone dies.

Appropriate doesn’t mean predictable though.

The criminal might not be one person; it could be several (Orient Express by Agatha Christie). The good guys win, but they don’t all survive (the movie Armageddon). The couple commits to each other, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they get engaged or get married (The Bodyguard by Katherine Center). The person who dies isn’t always the hero (Save Haven. Seriously, though—I’ve read four Sparks books and someone dies at the end of all of them).

If you’re not sure about your ending, ask someone familiar with your genre. Your seemingly sad ending might be exactly what your story needs.

Still not sure? Reach out, and let’s see how I can help: karin@karinbeery.com.

For more fiction-writing tips and advice, follow me on Facebook at Writing Now Editing, or sign up for my monthly newsletter and learn the easiest way to make a good impression with agents and publishers!

Know Your Genre (and get better results!)

Have you ever turned your TV to the Food Network and found a mystery movie? Or turned to the Hallmark Channel to watch the hockey playoffs?

Of course not!

When it comes to genres, television stations have it dialed in (sorry, I couldn’t resist). They understand their audiences, and they understand their genres. The same, unfortunately, is not always true for authors.

Authors need to know how to properly identify their books because readers expect certain things from different genres. It doesn’t matter if you write medieval, contemporary, or dystopian fiction, if you call it a romance, your readers will expect to meet the love interests early, and they demand a happy ending. Anything less will disappoint or upset your readers.

For the past few years, I’ve judged contests for unpublished authors, and many of them hurt themselves because they submit their entries in the wrong categories. They don’t understand their genres.

Why does it matter?

  • Not all agents and publishers represent all genres. You can spend hours researching who represents what, but if you misidentify what you’ve written, you’re researching in vain.
  • Your marketing strategy depends on understanding your genre. If you’re trying to sell a romantic suspense novel as a mystery/thriller, you’ll end up targeting the wrong people. When those people read your book, expect bad reviews and disappointed readers, not because your book is bad, but because you sold them something other than what you advertised.

The two most common genre-labeling mistakes generally revolve around romance and speculative fiction novels. Here’s what you need to remember:

  • If you can take the romance out of your book without losing the main plot line of your story, it’s not a romance.
  • If your story includes any supernatural elements (fairies, ghosts, magic portals), it’s either speculative fiction or a novel with speculative fiction themes; make sure to disclose that.

If you’re not sure which genre you’ve written, ask. Being able to properly identify your genre will improve your chances of getting published and satisfying your readers.

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