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FINDING YOUR AUDIENCE

8/26/2022

THERE IS SOMEONE FOR EVERYONE
The Publishing Industry has changed dramatically in the past five to ten years. Self-publishing is no longer considered as lower than pond scum, electronic publication is here to stay [for a while, at least], and the tastes and interests of the public have exploded. Many new possibilities have opened up for fiction writers. It’s a new game in many respects.

The unfortunate truth, however, is that the marketing of a novel falls primarily to the author unless you are a big-ticket author, which most of us aren’t. Marketing is consuming a large part of the writer’s working time when we should be writing instead. Fortunate, while social media sites come and go, the ways of going about finding your audience haven’t changed a lot.

TARGET YOUR AUDIENCE
A crucial part of marketing is assuring your message is being seen and heard by the people most likely to purchase your book -- your Target Audience. Target marketing is one of the important keys to success, whether or not you hire someone to do the marketing for you or you do it yourself. By targeting your message, you're more likely to maximize the return on your time and marketing dollar.

RULES OF THUMB
● Market yourself as an author and a person, not just your book.
● Know the thematic statement of your novel.
Every book needs a thematic statement — the lesson to be learned, the impact on the reader, the reason the author wrote the book. That is the key to who will want to read it. Part of your marketing strategy is connecting your audience with the main theme of the book.
● Write for your audience.
Think about who will want to read your book, preferably before you start writing it. Keep your audience in mind while you write it. One of the biggest mistakes authors make, particularly fiction authors, is failing to identify their target audience before writing the book.
● Begin marketing well before your book comes out.
That means selling yourself as a person and making your target audience aware of you before your book is available. But wait! To whom are you going to market your book?

WHO IS YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE?
Think about why would someone want to read your book? What segment of the population were you thinking about when you conceived the idea for this book? Who did you want to help, educate, inform or entertain? And most important of all, what does your book offer that others in the same genre do not. How is your book unique?

Regarding the question of who your audience is, Patricia Fry writes "And PLEASE do not say, 'Everyone.' Say this to a publisher and you will definitely receive a rejection letter. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all book. Even the world’s best-selling book, the Bible, isn’t embraced by all of humanity. Tell a publisher that your audience is everyone and you’ve just blown your professional cover."

Kimberley Grabas writes, "Trying to appeal to the masses instead of understanding the needs, wants and desires of a select few — the ‘right’ few — is the recipe for a book launch flop.”

Easier said than done, but it is essential. The article "Finding a Target Audience for Your Book in 3 Steps" indicates that authors must learn to see things from the perspective of the reader in order to find the 'right' audience to read your books and discover the most effective channels for reaching them.
https://www.matilijapress.com/articles/DetermineTargetAudience.htm

● Self-examine yourself and your message
Self-examination is essential first before you can find your audience. In addition to knowing who you are and how to project that to your audience, you must know the thematic statement of your novel and what you want the reader to feel and think about once they have read your book.

● Don't Assume you already know your audience
Don’t assume you already know your audience, or that they are just like you. It’s possible, but is not always the case that your audience will think like you. So do the work to confirm what your readers actually want; not what you think they need. They are not just a faceless group of people.

● Find who wants to read your book.
You’re looking for the people who already want to buy your book. It's tied to the thematic statement and the style of book. There are people out there who are interested in the theme, style, what is unique about it.

Author Marcia James’ Ten Tips to Niche Marketing gives excellent advice on how to identify those people who may want to read your book. Think about: genre and:
•Who might connect with your characters, your thematic statement, your setting, the circumstances of the novel, etc. Who did you want to help, educate, inform or entertain? You may have several audiences. That’s great. List them.
• Who might connect with you as an author and/or a person and what is important to you.
• What does your audience needs? What do they want? What do they value?
• What is most important to them?
• What are they least likely to care about?
• What you have to say that might surprise your audience?
• What you want your audience to think, learn, or assume about you? What impression do you want your writing to convey?

● Research The Demographics.
Once you have a good handle on why you write, your message, and who needs or wants to hear that message, you need to consider the demographics related to those groups you believe might be your target audiences. Mothers of small children? Teachers? Single young women looking for husband material?

Most businesses depend on market research and demographics to plan their marketing. Writing is a business, and authors should approach finding their audience and marketing in the same manner.

Demographics describe the profile of a particular market segment. Psychographics are the attitudinal traits people exhibit in their approach to life. Because both sets of traits have an impact on buying behavior, both have an impact on how you should package, price, and communicate your book to your target audiences. Even the cover.

There are a number of polls and surveys prepared by others which authors can use. In most cases, those are not necessarily focused on your target audience, and they are not necessarily done every year. However, they’re useful in deducing who is most likely to be interested in what you’re selling — you as an author and your books.

While you may think that there is nothing available on romance readers or any other particular genre, there are actually polls being taken all the time for various reasons. In particular, if you write romance, RWA has polls on readership that are very valuable.

While you may think that there is nothing available on romance readers or any other particular genre, there are actually polls being taken all the time for various reasons. In particular, if you write romance, RWA has polls on readership that are very valuable. Put some faces on that crowd of people.

THINK LIKE YOUR READER
Social media is an ideal tool for understanding potential readers and connecting with them. Successful social media marketing takes time and patience, dedication and consistency, and a sincere commitment to making your interactions personal.

You don't want to harass your readers. It is essential to be transparent, friendly and personable. Who knows? You might just find that making friends online is just as fun as meeting people face-to-face!
● One of your strongest strategies should focus on engagement, and being present, with your audience. Trying to plan every last detail of your marketing efforts will only undermine them.
● Most readers aren’t going on social media to buy a book. They’re using social media to engage with other readers, authors, and friends. Don't bombard them with ads and sales pitches.
● Be authentic and real with your followers, and they will be sincere with you. It’s all about being sociable without being annoying, just like in real life.
● Hashtags and other similar tools are your #friends. They categorize the plethora of content being posted, by working as searchable tags and keywords. They assist in developing an online presence and reaching out to your audience. If used correctly, hashtags can connect you with readers all over the internet. If used incorrectly, they just clutter all of your wonderful content. Don't use too many.

Facebook Audience Insights can give you incredibly detailed data on audience demographics and interests. By searching for people whose interests include Stephen King, we know their age and gender split, geographical location, as well as other pages they’ve liked. The same applies to all other social networks like Twitter and Instagram and others. If you want to find out who is talking about a book (or an author, an interest, pretty much anything), you can use Twitter Advanced Search

KNOW THE COMPETITION
Studying demographics sounds onerous to those who haven't done it before. Don’t despair. There are other ways to find out your audience by comparing the works of other authors in your genre’.

Find out which books on the market are closest to yours in theme and style. If you were to compare your book to other titles that are already out there, which ones would they be? What kind of people comprises the readership of these books?

A little bit of analysis will help you further refine your proto-persona. Find out which authors are published in the same genre, who writes in a similar style or about the same or similar topics. Find out which authors are successful and popular. Read their books and look for similarities and differences.

In other words, identify your competition. Be able to make the comparison off the top of your head. Always think about what makes your work similar to, but unique from, the best sellers. Use #hashtags to browse your genre community.

Also, you need to follow (and read, read, read) your competition in order to know what makes your work different from theirs and, of course, why those novels are selling. That's something you need to be able to articulate to editors, agents, and to your audience.

● Connect With Your Competition
Follow these authors on FaceBook, Twitter and other Social Media. Engage them and communicate. If you’ve read their work, you can make specific comments. Put reviews on Amazon and GoodReads and other sites. Go to their book signings if you have the opportunity, or meet them at conferences.

●Their Audiences May Be Your Audiences
By following successful authors and reading their works, and particularly by posting reviews, you also get to know their audiences. See if you can deduce from comments and followers, who their audiences are and what they are interested it.
Are they the same from one author to the next, or different? Can you tell why? Get to know others who follow these authors. What techniques do these authors use to market to this audience? You might even be able to ask the authors questions about their audiences and get some pointers

However you use the various social networking opportunities, you have to give something to those you follow and follow you. And that something needs to be of value to them, something they want. Substance is critical. Since a large part of capturing your audience’s attention depends on how you engage with them, notice how your favorite authors interact with their fans.

● Learn From The Best
The bestselling books and/or bestselling authors dominate a lot of the readers’ market, and your competition is vast (four million books), but don’t see this as a roadblock. Bestsellers will always exist, and there will always be more mid-list authors. But there will also be new authors moving in alongside the established ones. It takes new blood to keep readers interested in the same genres.

● See How Other Authors Engage Their Audiences
Since a large part of capturing your audience’s attention depends on how you engage with them, notice how your favorite authors interact with their fans. What topics do they Tweet about? What does their audience respond to? Emulate people who are already where you want to be, but do it with your own unique voice. Just don't copy.

PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE
Once you've identified your audience, and you know where they hang out and what interests them, use #hashtags to browse your genre community.

● Engage in Social networking and self-promotion
However you use the various social networking opportunities, you have to give something to those you follow and follow you. And that something needs to be of value to them, something they want. Substance is critical. Since a large part of capturing your audience’s attention depends on how you engage with them, notice how your favorite authors interact with their fans.

There are many classes and training opportunities to give you good information about using the various social media. StumbleUpon is one I had never heard of before. http://www.stumbleupon.com/about/.

StumbleUpon, a form of web search engine, has actually been around since 2001, but has only become popular in the past several years. A lot of this is due to the site becoming available on mobile platforms as well as on the web outside of a browser extension.

I've never used it, but I've read that what's really amazing is that, despite a membership of about 25 million compared to Facebook's 900 million or Twitter's 140 million, it's already driving more than 50 percent of social media site referral traffic.
Who knew?

● Narrow your audience.
Once you are clear about your audiences, make an effort to find a specific niche. While it seems that getting the word out to as many people as possible, that motion is not entirely correct. For one thing, the narrower the audience, the less competition. You'll get a better return on your efforts. It also helps with:
•  Key words
•  Tagging on Amazon (and other locations)
•  Nothing replaces face-to-face marketing and word of mouth
•  Speaking Engagements at local book clubs, libraries, service organizations, etc.
•  Book signings
•  Guest lecturing at local service clubs, women's clubs, etc. They always want speakers.

Successful authors find ways to build a loyal readership which supports the author enthusiastically and raves about his/her novels, instead of just reading the books.

JUST SAYIN' !
□
Sources:
http://marthaengber.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-authors-find-their-audience.html
http://spiritauthors.com/news/target-audience-knowing-finding-and-reaching-your-readers/
http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/page.cfm?pageid=327
http://paintthistownred.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/finding-your-niche-a-guest-post-from-marilyn-baron-author-of-dead-mix/
http://voices.yahoo.com/how-find-writing-niche-5344877.html
http://freelancefolder.com/7-ways-to-find-your-freelance-writing-niche/
http://www.examiner.com/article/finding-your-creative-niche
http://www.articledestination.com/Article/Finding-Your-Writing-Niche/7524
https://www.matilijapress.com/articles/DetermineTargetAudience.htm
http://www.yourwriterplatform.com/how-to-target-an-audience/
https://blog.reedsy.com/3-steps-reaching-target-audience
http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2013/06/13/identify-your-target-audience/
http://www.yourwriterplatform.com/how-to-target-an-audience/
https://monicashaughnessy.wordpress.com/2014/11/06/finding-an-audience-for-your-book-signing/
http://www.janbking.com/2007/05/finding-the-audience-for-your-book/
http://writershelpingwriters./
https://blog.reedsy.com/social-media-tips-for-authors

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STRUCTURING SCENES FOR YOUR NOVEL

8/19/2022

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Although fiction writers tend to write “by chapter”, the real building block of a novel is the scene. One of the best sessions I attended at any RWA Conference over the years was presented by Jennifer Crusie who recommends writing by scene, not by chapter.

Personally, I believe that once a writer has a chapter written composed of several scenes, it is hard to break the scenes apart if they create a better result in a different order. That is more likely to happen when an author is still learning how to write and finding their own voice.

With enough practice and how-to reading, every author eventually learns to craft a scene in their own style and voice. At that point, every author has an opinion regarding the way to write the best scene — at least a way that works for that individual.

That’s what we’re all looking for, but it is a mistake not to try more than one approach during your learning period. If a beginner wants to speed up the learning curve, there are plenty of articles and books available on the subject. Most of them hit the same key points, although they often have different names for those points.

SCENES: THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF A NOVEL
The scene is the building block of your work of fiction. One after the next, they create your story. Unfortunately, terminology can get in the way of understanding structuring a scene. I’ll attempt to avoid some of the confusion by describing what scenes should accomplish rather than focus on what the components are called.

WHAT IS A SCENE?
Well, how many authors are there? Same answer. Let’s see what some writing experts say.

● Jane Friedman explains that a scene is “a self-contained mini-story with a rising energy that builds to an epiphany, a discovery, an admission, an understanding, or an experience. https://www.janefriedman.com/writing-scene/

● Jennie Nash says “a scene is the smallest unit of story. Characters come onto the “stage” in one time and place, and one action occurs. As soon as you switch location, time, or point of view, you are switching the scene.” https://jennienash.com/how-to-write-a-book-blog/2016/5/3/zlpxr3nrtmogsmbtfcanpnanwjf3fr

● Jordan E. Rosenfeld writes “Any story or novel is, in essence, a series of scenes strung together like beads on a wire, with narrative summary adding texture and color between. A work of fiction will comprise many scenes, and each one of these individual scenes must be built with a structure most easily described as having a beginning, middle and end.” https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/10-ways-to-launch-strong-scenes

● K. M. Weiland, author of Structuring your Novel, writes “there are two types of scenes: Scene (action) and Sequel (reaction). The Scene or action is where the conflict occurs. The Sequel is where the characters react to the action and get a little breathing space. The three active parts of the scene: goal, conflict, and disaster. The three active parts of the sequel: reaction, dilemma, and decision.”

● Livewritethrive.com, “A scene is a section of your novel where a character or characters engage in action and/or dialogue. You can think of a scene as a story with a beginning, middle, and an end. Usually, you'll start a new scene when you change the point of view character, the setting, or the time.” https://www.livewritethrive.com/2016/01/11/the-5-essential-components-of-scene-structure/

I told you! Together, all of these various definitions tell you what the scene in a novel should accomplish.

PLACEMENT OF THE SCENES
Every scene needs a beginning, middle, and ending – that fits with the three active parts of each type of scene – and should end with a hook which leads the reader to the next one. But the placement of the scene within the novel determines what kind of information should be there. The first scene of a novel has different information in it than a climactic scene, a darkest moment scene, a transitional scene, ad infinitum. Some scenes need to move faster or slower than others; some need to be longer, some shorter.

In other words, the first thing to think about is where in the novel the scene is placed. The type of novel or genre makes a difference on length, pace, and placement. The great thing is that scene placement is flexible and within reason can be moved around in the story to work properly, even if they are not sequential. Some authors put a summary of each scene on 3” x 5” cards and move them around on a big board.

ALL SCENES HAVE A PURPOSE
All fiction writers know each scene needs a purpose, but there are two levels of consideration.

First, the purpose of the scene in the novel is usually expressed as follows:
▪ To advance the plot;
▪ To develop the characters or reveal something about them; and
▪ To develop the setting.

The scene should meet at least the first and second purposes, and preferably all three. Most important of all, it must be essential to the novel. If you could leave it out, then you should.

Second, there is a purpose for the scene in terms of the storyline [a fine distinction, but this is the way I see it]. My mentor, S. L. Stebel, always asked, “What happens? Where do you want the characters in the scene to be emotionally and physically at the end? What is the reaction to what happened? Where does it lead the characters?”

Author C. S. Lakin suggests writing a one sentence description of the purpose of the scene. Why does this scene need to be in the novel? What new information is revealed? Is this the right time for the reader to have this information? Who changes? If this scene needs to be in the novel, every element of the scene should address the purpose.

STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OF A SCENE
Once you know the purpose of the scene, it will need the following components. This is the order in which the writer thinks about the scene, not necessarily the order in which the components appear on the page.

● The Climactic Moment
This is the high point of the scene where the bomb is dropped; a piece of information, a clue, a revelation about the one of the characters, something that complicates things. It can be a big bomb or a little rocket, but it should fill the reader with new questions? These are usually the hooks for the next scene, where the reader sucks in a breath or shouts “O.M.G! What happens?” This reveal is often something unexpected and should encapsulate the purpose of the scene.

● The Action
Action is how your characters arrive at the climactic moment. Start in the middle of the interesting and significant action without explanation. Leave out the boring parts which would be necessary to get to the action. It’s okay for the reader to wonder what happened before? If what happened is important, feed it in a little at a time.

● Timing and setting
Scenes can be a continuation of what came immediately before, or can begin somewhere else at another time — just like chapters. It is important to let the reader know where and when the scene is taking place close to the beginning of the scene (but no need to repeat if it is self-evident). Show the location through the viewpoint character’s eyes rather than describing it as an omniscient narrator.

Continuation of the previous scene is relatively simple, particularly if it begins with a reaction to what just happened. Be careful with changes to other times and places, and particularly with flashback or backstory. My own rule is to always include a trigger, something that makes the viewpoint character remember the prior event or flashback. Thinking about what so-and-so just said, or seeing or hearing something that reminds the character of the past. This also serves as a clue for the readers. It is always disturbing to the reader if they can’t quite figure out if the action is happening now or previously, and when and where previously occurred.

● View Point Character
All scenes have a viewpoint character. If your novel has only one view point or only one person in the scene, then you don’t have as much work to do. Otherwise, most of the authors suggest using the character with the most to lose as the VP character in the scene. Be sure it’s clear to the reader what the viewpoint character wants in this particular scene.

Lakin recommends asking yourself:
▪ “Who will react strongest emotionally?”
▪ “Who will change the most?”
▪ “Whose reaction would most impact the plot?”

I’d throw in a fourth question: “Which characters will show their reaction and which ones will try to hide it?”

● Conflict or Tension
All scenes need an element of conflict, and if you go with Weiked’s approach, it is the scene. The majority of scenes will most likely have two or more characters in them, and each of them has an agenda … a goal within the scene which is not necessarily the character’s overall goal in the novel. Conflict occurs when those goals work at cross purposes. The conflict can be internal, external, or both.

The characters’ scene goals and story goals should be related. Otherwise, the author may end up writing a wonderful scene that has no place in the context of the storyline. Oops! Into the shredder.

OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE SCENE
The structural components of the scene are not the only ones to consider, but I’m not sure there is a term for what I’m talking about — other than good writing. Because fiction storytelling is presented in scenes, these are considerations for every scene.
● Hooks
Every scene should begin and end with a hook. I know this is repetitive, but it’s important.

● Mood of the Scene
Every scene takes place somewhere, but it is not just the location that matters to the reader. The setting should convey the mood of the scene. Weather and lighting are key factors in setting the mood. Meeting in a park on a bright sunny day, with children playing all around, sets a different tone than meeting in a cemetery on a dark cloudy day with the wind whipping around your ankles. Leave this out, and you’ve lost an opportunity to show rather than tell.

● Mood of the VP Character
The filter through which the characters view the setting as they enter the scene, can establish the mood of the character. A sad character who is walking or driving down a street to deliver bad news may notice, for the first time, how dingy the neighborhood looks, with peeling paint, broken shutters, and weedy lawns.

DETAIL AND THE FIVE SENSES
The writer shouldn’t overload scenes with too much visual detail, which tends to get boring, but many writers overlook using the all the senses, other than sight, in their writing. You can bring your scenes to life by engaging several of the senses, and you can contribute to setting the mood of the scene and the characters by which senses you employ. Note: Using all five senses at once may be a bit overwhelming.

When you do use visual details, be selective. The reader should see the setting through the eyes of the viewpoint character, and what they see reflects that character’s values, interests, and to some extent what they are like. Detail also tells the reader what’s important, although it won’t be until later in the novel that the significance of some details pay off. Strive to paint enough of a picture to help your reader see the scene as if on the big screen.
If the character(s) has changed or is changing, show it in the scene.

LAUNCHING A SCENE
I learned from Jordan Rosenfeld’s Writer’s Digest article that a scene break is called a “soft hiatus” [indicated by four blank lines or a symbol(s) such as an asterisk] and, contrary to popular belief, does not have to indicate a break in location or time. A new scene can pick up “in the middle of action or continue where others left off.” This is the reason for using the term “launching a scene” rather than “the beginning of a scene.” It is an invitation to the reader to come along.

● Start with a Hook
[Yes, again!] Rosenfeld says. “The key to creating strong momentum is to start an action without explaining anything.”

Some authors indicate that hooks should be startling or unexpected action. While that's great advice for each chapter, my experience is that it's not necessary to come up with something startling at the beginning and ending of each scene. The point is the you want the reader to continue reading; make the hook intriguing if not earth-shaking.

● Action First, Then Reaction
According to Margie Lawson, human reactions occur in the following sequence.

▪ First, an instinctive visceral reaction from the inside; a reflex action that comes very quickly. An uncontrollable emotion like fear. A shiver running down the spine. Taking a step back.

▪ Second, and almost simultaneously, a verbal exclamation. A gasp, scream, shudder, and so on. "Hey!", "Stop it", "Oh my god!"

▪ Third, and only then, can a human react rationally, act, think, and speak rationally. The important part of this is showing in your characters all three of these steps in consecutive order. Showing them out of sequence makes the reader feel something is wrong, and the scene will seem unrealistic.

Randy Ingermanson gives a very good example in his article, which I have paraphrased below.
“The tiger dropped out of the tree and sprang toward Jack.
This is objective, sharp and clean. No indication we’re in Jack’s view point.

A bolt of raw adrenaline shot through Jack’s veins. He jerked his rifle to his shoulder, sighted on the tiger’s heart, and squeezed the trigger. “Die, you bastard!”

Note the three parts of the Reaction:
• Feeling: “A bolt of raw adrenaline shot through Jack’s veins.” You show this first, because it happens almost instantly.

• Reflex: “He jerked his rifle to his shoulder… “ You show this second, as a result of the fear. An instinctive result that requires no conscious thought.

• Rational Action and Speech: “… sighted on the tiger’s heart, and squeezed the trigger. ‘Die, you bastard!'” You put this last, when Jack has had time to think and act in a rational way. He pulls the trigger, a rational response to the danger. He speaks, a rational expression of his intense emotional reaction.

It is legitimate to leave out one or two of these three parts. (You can’t leave out all three or you have no Reaction.) But there is one critical rule to follow in leaving parts out: Whatever parts you keep in must be in the correct order.”

Always be sure both the instinctive and thought-out actions are true to character.

● Avoid Too Much Narrative Summary
Stay away from using a lot of narrative or back story to launch a scene. It can work if you keep it short. The urge to use narrative summary and back story is more likely in the first and second chapters of the novel.

Because the launch of a scene needs to move quickly, it is sometimes appropriate to summarize the necessary information to move into the action. In fact, the following example used by Jordan E. Rosenfeld in his article made me realize that sometime a summarization can be your hook. “My mother was dead before I arrived.”

WRITE NOW, EDIT LATER
The number of things to think about when writing is overwhelming, which leads most writers to this conclusion: Forget the rules/hints/tips/suggestions and write the darn scene.

To do that is procrastinating, yes, -- in a way, but necessary at the beginning. The work catches up with you when you edit. Using a checklist for all the things you want in a scene [or in your writing in general] and use that when editing. Author C.J. Lakin offers a downloadable checklist for this purpose.
https://www.livewritethrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/8-Step-Scene-Building-Worksheet.pdf.

The good news is, the more you write and edit, the more all these rules/ hints/tips/suggestions become second nature and you begin to do them automatically until, voila, you don’t have to think of them consciously anymore. But you still have to edit, and that is another skill unto itself.

JUST SAYIN’!
□
Sources:
https://www.margielawson.com/
https://romancetheguyspov.blogspot.com/2019/03/scene-structure.html?showComment=1552330612634#c1981647060450246975
https://jerryjenkins.com/8-steps-writing-perfect-scene-every-time/
https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/10-ways-to-launch-strong-scenes
https://www.janefriedman.com/writing-scene/
https://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/articles/writing-the-perfect-scene/
https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-structure-scenes/
https://www.livewritethrive.com/2016/01/11/the-5-essential-components-of-scene-structure/
https://writingcooperative.com/what-is-scene-in-a-novel-8f08df1dba94
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/190209.Scene_Structure
https://www.writersdigest.com/qp7-migration-books/90-day-novel-excerpt
https://carrotranch.com/2014/06/24/writing-a-novel-scene-by-scene/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scene_and_sequel

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THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST: The power of the first line.

8/12/2022

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THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST
The first line of your book may be the last you write to finalize your novel. The first one you write when you start your novel will be the place holder until something better comes to mind, but at the very end, after the book is finished, you’ll most likely end up writing a new first line.

My message here is: “Don’t spend a lot of time writing the first line or first chapter over and over.” Move on. Finish the novel. Then rewrite the first line and paragraph. Don’t worry! There will be plenty of other things you need to change at the beginning.

RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES
Common wisdom in the writing world claims the opening line sells your book and the closing line sells your next book. Whether that wisdom is accurate or not, most writers seem to agree the first line of a novel is oh, so very important. Some believe it can make or break your novel.

Think of the first line as a headline in a newspaper. This is what attracts the reader’s attention. It has to be intriguing enough to make the reader want to read the second line, and then the one after that.

Think about it. A reader wanders through the bookstore (or in this electronically oriented world, wanders through a website), spots a catchy cover, and picks up the book. Or, perhaps, this reader goes directly to the shelves holding the desired genre and studies the titles and author’s names. Next, read the cover blurb. “Hmm. That sounds interesting.” And then the reader opens the book and skims the first paragraph.

That’s when you have to hit ’em right between the eyes. Knock ’em dead. It’s the first thing they read of the story itself, the first impression. You’ve only got a few seconds to sink in your teeth. It better be good!

If an author doesn’t make the effort to sculpt the words of the first line into a masterpiece, what level of attention has he/she taken with the key moments in the novel when interpretative pressure is at its peak, when capturing a complete fictional world is at its most pressing? As one writer put it, “Screw up the opening, screw up the book.”

WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO
So, how does a writer come up with the perfect first line? I wish I knew. If there were a failsafe formula, someone would be out there selling it and making a bundle. Instead, there are a plethora of opinions and guidelines—things an author should and should not do—and those vary to some extent. They all agree it should be intriguing and capture the reader’s interest. It’s the how of it they disagree on. Well, maybe not even the how, but more what is interesting and compels the reader to go on.

THE OPENING LINE SHOULD:
● Be intriguing,
● Hint of things to come,
● Be compelling,

● Establish an intriguing question
Make the reader want to find out more,

● Set the tone and flavor of the book
Show what kind of book it is,

● Incorporate the mood or theme of the story.
Suzannah Windsor Freeman adds the following to the list:
(writeitsideways.com/6-ways-to-hook-your-readers)

● Make your readers wonder.
Put a question in your readers’ minds. What do those first lines mean? What’s going to happen? Intrigue with unanswered questions and they’ll keep reading.

● Begin at a pivotal moment
By starting at an important moment in the story, the reader is more likely to want to continue so he or she can discover what will happen next.

● Create an interesting picture.
Description is good when it encourages people to paint a picture in their minds. Often, simple is best so it’s the reader who imagines a scene, instead of simply being told by the author.

● Introduce an intriguing character.
The promise of reading more about a character you find intriguing will, no doubt, draw you into a story’s narrative. Most often, this is one of the main characters in the book.

● Start with an unusual situation.
Show us characters in unusual circumstances, and we’ll definitely be sticking around to see what it’s all about.

● Begin with a compelling narrative voice.
Open your story with the voice of a narrator we can instantly identify with, or one that relates things in a fresh way.”

● Include something which moves and gives action
In her book Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction, author Patricia Highsmith suggests putting motion or a moving element (like a train or car) into the first line. Highsmith encourages action rather than a sentence like, ‘The moonlight lay still and liquid on the pale beach’.” Showing rather than telling. “The movement needn’t be as noticeable as the examples I listed earlier. It can be more subtle like a door that closes and the character leans against the wall…”

THE OPENING LINE SHOULD NOT BE:
● Bland or trite … or just plain boring.

● An overused references to the weather or time of the year.
If you choose to write about the weather, be careful. You run the risk of inviting comparisons to “It was a dark and stormy night,” (Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s classic first line from his 1830 novel, Paul Clifford.) Yet many good authors use weather openings because it sets the mood so well if done properly. If you must do that, make it unique somehow.

● Overwritten
Too often the writing sounds like the author is trying to impress someone (an agent or editor) with the prose, rather giving a sense of the story or drama .

● Cliché
Watch out for both choice of words and/or the concept.

● Prologue
Jeff Vasishta, writing for the Institute of Writers, includes prologues in the do-not category. “Take this one with a grain of salt. Many agents hate them [prologues] but I’ve read a few books recently that have great prologues. Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s The Nest springs to mind. The author received $1,000,000 advance for the novel, which went on to be a best seller. So, agents don’t always know what they’re talking about.”
ww.instituteforwriters.com/opening-lines

The pro and cons of prologues is another topic which should be addressed separately. With the exception of the prologue issue, I’d venture to say that most authors, editors, and agents agree on the above don’ts. Beyond these, references include advice not everyone may agree with. Apply with caution.

● Dialogue
Windsor Freeman feels dialogue is all right somewhere on the first or second page, but not in the first line. She feels the reader won’t know who’s speaking or care.

● Excessive description
Some description is good, but not when it’s long winded. Skip the purple prose and opt for something more powerful.

● Irrelevant information
The first few lines of your story are crucial, so give your reader only important information.

● Introduction of too many characters
I’m not sure how you introduce too many characters in one line, but I suppose it is possible. Windsor Freeman doesn’t like to be bombarded with the names of too many characters at once. How is the reader supposed to keep them straight?

WHAT FORM SHOULD IT TAKE?
The form of the first sentence is not the same as what the opening should do or not do. Feel free to disagree with me, but I believe they are not the same thing … well, not exactly, anyway.

Jacob M. Appel, a Writer's Digest contributor, provides the following direction by listing several things he believes are different approaches to writing the "killer opening line". (https://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/7-ways-to-create-a-killer-opening-line-for-your-novel)

"● A statement of eternal principle.
▪ “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” (Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice)
▪ “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” (Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina ).”

● A statement of simple fact
Of course, these have to be telling facts. The examples listed do the job.
▪ “I had a farm in Africa.” (Isak Dinesen’s Out of Africa)
▪ “It was a pleasure to burn.” (Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451)
▪ “I am an invisible man.” (Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man).

● A statement of paired facts.
One fact may not be particularly interesting or compelling. Paired with another fact that makes the reader think, “That’s odd,” raises a question and makes the reader want to find out more. The example Appel uses is from Carson McCullers’ The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter:
▪ “In the town there were two mutes, and they were always together.”
Two mutes always together is unusual. So, what’s up?

● A statement of simple fact laced with significance.
The key to understanding the story, or solving the mystery, or discovering a character’s secret, etc. can be hidden in the first line. The reader usually forgets until the mystery is revealed.

● A statement to introduce voice.
A first line can be used primarily to introduce a distinctive voice, rather than character or plot. Appel writes, “Stories that begin with a highly unusual voice often withhold other craft elements for a few sentences—a reasonable choice, as the reader may need to adjust to a new form of language before being able to absorb much in the way of content.”

● A statement to establish mood.
Contextual information not directly related to the story can often color our understanding of the coming narrative. Take Sylvia Plath’s opening to The Bell Jar: “It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn’t know what I was doing in New York.” While the Rosenberg execution has nothing to do with the content of the narrative, it sets an ominous tone for what follows.”

● A statement that serves as a frame.
Sometimes, the best way to begin a story is to announce that you’re about to tell a story. English storytellers have been doing this since at least the first recorded use of the phrase "Once upon a time.”

ASK YOURSELF "WHY?"
We all have our favorite first lines, and it’s always interesting to compare advice with published books to assess whether or not the words of wisdom hold true. When you do that, however, don’t look at the same old first lines. Look at the contemporary best sellers.

Trends change. What editors and agents are looking for today may not be the same as five or ten years ago. At one point, advice was to begin with conflict but, in fact, it depends on the kind of novel. The field of fiction writing accommodates many approaches to writing, and they can all be good. If it works, it works!

Ask yourself why a particular opening or first line works for you? Literary agent, Rachelle Gardner, writes that when she considered her favorite first lines, and asked herself why she like them, “I found each one appealed to me for a different reason. It might have:
● been clever
● been thought-provoking
● brought an immediate smile (or stab) of recognition
● struck me as poignant
● painted a really cool word picture
● set up an intriguing mystery
● introduced a character I want to know better
● made me laugh
● drawn me into an unfamiliar world
● used words in a beautiful way

The one thing they all have in common is they make me want to read more. They immediately draw me into the universe of the novel by the unique voice that first line begins to establish.” (https://rachellegardner.com/that-all-important-first-line/)

A SHORT PARAGRAPH ABOUT PARAGRAPHS
The fiction writing industry usually talks about the impact of The killer First Line. It’s great to be able to hook a reader with a single line – they’re very handy as tag lines -- but I believe what we should be talking about is first paragraphs.

Many of the great “first lines” are more than one sentence. My advice: as long as the reader will read the whole paragraph (or as many lines in the paragraph for the hook) don’t sweat it. Some books will require more than one or two lines to create the hook.

COMPARISONS
When I first wrote this article in 2017, I listed a sampling of the first lines I’ve collected over the years; some good, some not-so-good. There was quite a variety, and several were first paragraphs rather than first lines. Quite a few were penned by mystery writer Dick Francis who, in my opinion, is one of the Masters of the First Line.

For this edition, I took Jeff Vasishta’s advice and looked at books that have been on the best seller list within the last few years. After all, styles change over time and some on the best 100 list are quite old and not at all captivating to modern readers. Some of them clearly need more than the first and second lines to create the impact the author wants. These are in no particular order.

● WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens
“Marsh is not swamp. Marsh is a space of light, where grass grows in water, and water grows into the sky.”

● CRUCIBLE by James Rollins
June 23, 1611 AD
Zugarramurdi, Spain
“Behind the iron bars, the witch knelt on a filthy bed of straw and prayed to God.”

● THE HOTEL NANTUCKET by Elin Hilderbrand
“Nantucket Island is known for its cobblestone streets and red brick sidewalks, cedar-shingled cottages and rose-covered arches, long stretches of golden beach and refreshing Atlantic breezes—and oits also know for residents who adore juicy pieces of gossip (which hot landscaper has been romancing which rich real estate mogul’s wife…that sort of thing).”

● IT ENDS WITH US by Coleen Hoover
“As I sit with one foot on either side of the ledge, looking down from twelve stories above the streets of Boston, I can’t help but think about suicide.
Not my own. I like my life enough to want to see it through.”

● THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE by Riley Sager
“My phone is ringing when I return to the lake house, its angry-bird chirp audible as I climb the porch steps. Because I’m wet, tired and chilled to the bone, my first instinct is to ignore it. But then I see who is calling.”

● ESCAPE by James Patterson
“He’s here somewhere. I know it. And the girl might still be alive.”

● SPARRING PARTNERS by John Grisham
“It was one of those raw, windy, dreary, Monday afternoons in February when gloom settled over the land and seasonal depression was rampant. Court was not in session. The phone wasn’t ringing. Petty criminals and other potential clients were busy else where with no thoughts whatsoever of hiring lawyers.”

● LIAR LIAR by James Patterson and Candice Fox
“SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT.
Dr. Samantha Parish noticed an odor as she pulled the door of her Prius closed.”

If you want to pursue this further, this is the link to the American Book Review List of the One Hundred Best First Lines in American literature (novels).
http://americanbookreview.org/100BestLines.asp.

I can’t say that a lot of those 100 Best resonate with me. Quite a few break one or two of suggestions about what not to do when writing a first line. Others, while they are first lines from great works of literature, aren’t exactly catchy as stand-alone opening lines.

I believe the first lines considered good and great may vary depending both time and location. For example, in my opinion, British readers are generally much more tolerant of lengthy sentences and difficult words than American readers. Although I haven’t really studied this topic in detail or done extensive research, it seems there are differences in “best first lines” in books written in earlier centuries (such as Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe written in 1719) and more recent works, as well as difference between literary fiction and popular fiction.

JUST SAYIN’!
Sources:
http://www.blog.ljboldyrev.com/2010/06/importance-of-first-line.html|http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/fiction/2006/04/that_allimporta.html
http://kaitnolan.com/2007/08/30/the-importance-of-opening-lines/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2007/may/10/openingsentencesblog
http://alternativereel.com/includes/top-ten/display_review.php?id=00117
http://www.bluecubiclepress.com/store.htm|
http://www.thefirstline.com/
https://www.thefirstline.com/https://www.thefirstline.com/
http://www.ehow.com/how_4679283_write-first-chapter-novel.html
http://murderby4.blogspot.com/2009/11/your-first-line-hook-that-gets-your.html
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48800.asp
http://www.infoplease.com/ipea/A0934311.html
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/article_a125216a-649f-5414-88b5-76a688ea3b6a.html
https://www.instituteforwriters.com/opening-lines-the-most-important-part-of-your-story.aspx
https://rachellegardner.com/that-all-important-first-line/
https://www.liternauts.com/how-to-write-the-first-paragraphs-of-your-novel/
https://writeitsideways.com/6-ways-to-hook-your-readers-from-the-very-first-line/
https://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/7-ways-to-create-a-killer-opening-line-for-your-novel
Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction by Patricia Highsmith

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PHROGGING

8/5/2022

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When someone said, “Let’s go phrogging”, I thought they meant go to the pond and hunt tadpoles.

I had never heard the term, but I didn’t expect it to mean living secretly and uninvited in someone else’s house. How scary is that!

PHROGGING
Phrogging — pronounced “frogging” — is the act of a person secretly living in another person’s home without the real resident being aware of it. The term is thought to have originated from the metaphorical idea of people or “frogs” leaping from home to home.

Image credit: NeagoneFo/Shutterstock
Image Source: grunge.com/phrogging

This activity has long been an urban myth, but now there is evidence that the practice actually exists in many locations around the world. Not on a large scale so far (that anyone knows), but not many cases are reported to the police or come to the attention of the public other than those involving celebrities.

One of the highest profile cases was reported to the public was when singer George Michael found a stalker had been living under his floorboards for four days in 2012.

Sometimes, the homeowners never notice, and if they do, the victims don’t like to talk about the experience. The term applies not only to homes and apartments, but other sorts of public facilities like recreation facilities. In one case, a Children’s Museum. In 2007, a group of artists were found living in a mall that had been there for years. (MarkMaynard.com)

PHROGGERS
Typically, phroggers are homeless, but most homeless people are not often phroggers. Unlike others homeless, phroggers thrive on staying hidden in rarely used parts of a house such as an attic, basement, crawl spaces, and storage rooms. They just need a place to stay.

Maybe it is the challenge of getting away with it that they enjoy. Presumably this occurs where there are bigger homes or houses with attics and basements. Homeowners with pool houses and other detached buildings are more likely to attract a trespasser.

Real phroggers — those who stay for a few nights, weeks, or months and then move on — are experts at erasing all traces when they take your food or use your bathroom. However, unwanted and uninvited mystery guests are not necessarily people you don’t know. A South Carolina woman with five children found an ex-boyfriend from 12 years before living in her attic. After the man was gone and she had changed her locks, the woman found that intruder had been able to see her bedroom through an air vent.

Occasionally, the person is there under unusual but understandable circumstances. Another South Carolina homeowner returned after vacation and found an unknown woman living in her new house. The encroacher had moved into the home after finding an advertisement on Facebook. She’d paid $1,150 to the fraudsters who had posed as the owners.

Occasionally, the person is stalking the resident of the home or apartment. Some even have jobs but can’t save enough cash to get their own place, although that is not common.

WHAT DO PHROGGERS LOOK LIKE
If you ran into a phrogger on the sidewalk near your house, would you be suspicious? Maybe, maybe not.

Phroggers are typically slender, pallid, and often small in stature. Reports indicate that most phroggers are quiet and gentle individuals who avoid conflict. They keep an almost “invisible presence,” rarely taking goods or harming property while staying in someone else’s house. Because they cannot afford to buy new clothes, phroggers may be seen wearing filthy garments and “out-of-style” attire.

Drew – a real phrogger 60-year-old Anthony Jones, Arlington, Virginia
Image credit: Guilford County Jail Image Credit: WRC-TV - Image Source:
Image Source: insideedition.com/north-carolina listverse.com/10-people-who-secretly-lived

Phroggers don’t want to be discovered. After all, they have a nice thing going: they have a place to sleep and access to restroom facilities (and possibly more of your home), all of which are free of rent and mortgage. Phroggers might even consume your food. If they do, they’ll most likely grab it from the back of the cupboard or fridge so you don’t notice. They will also take a shower, most likely as soon as the resident departs for the day

HAVE YOU BEEN PHROGGED?
For the most part, the real phrogger does everything to keep from being seen or suspected. They tend to be careful.

This is a good example. In 2008 a man in Japan discovered he had been sharing his home with a 58 year-old woman who had been sleeping on a shelf above the man’s closet. The police found no trace of her presence until they discovered the closet. She had been living there a year before she was caught.

Less careful squatters leave clues which eventually made the residents suspicious. The sound of footsteps is one of the most common clues in houses that have attics or stairs. Little skittering noises, like an animal in the crawl space. Unlocked doors and windows are another indicator. Some phroggers are caught when the interloper locks a door from the inside. Reports include things such as objects being moved, dirty dishes in the sink, footprints crushed into the carpet, disappearing food, more trash than there should be in the trashcans, etc. plus the obvious clue when money or items of value are missing.

Velma Kellen – victim; Image credit: KOMO-TV/ABC News
Image Source: listverse.com/10-people-who-secretly-lived

Sometimes the discovery is almost a fluke, nothing specific left out of place or lights being left on. A 73-year-old woman in Washington state noticed part of her house was consistently colder than the rest. After trying a few adjustments and buying a new furnace, the problem persisted. She finally called a heating repairman to check the furnace. He found someone living under her house had cut the ducts to redirect the heat to their hidey hole under her home. The homeowner had never suspected a thing. This trespasser was not apprehended.

CODE OF CONDUCT
Supposedly real phroggers have a code of conduct.
● Don’t get caught
● You must clean up after yourself
● Take only what you need. (Water, food, and toiletries are permitted; however, anything else is not permitted; and
● Leave the house in the same state in which you found it. (In other words, don’t vandalize.)

From what I read, most of them haven’t heard of the code. Do they know each others?

WHY SO FEW POLICE REPORTS?
If you discover a phrogger, the majority of professionals advise avoiding confrontation and urging the individual to leave your home right away. Most intruders are peaceful and don’t want to be caught by the authorities. And apparently many of them do avoid apprehension.

If the phrogger complies with the request and leaves, the chances of him or her being caught is slim. On the other hand, staying in the house with the intruder sounds risky. I guess that depends on whether or not you are a Navy Seal or a muscular, six-foot-seven. Most of us aren't. Leaving the intruder in the house, going outside, and calling the police from your front yard also sounds questionable. A lot of damage could be done in the few minutes it takes for the authorities to get there.

Not a single law enforcement article about this crime came up on the internet. Even Wikipedia only give a definition. Therefore, I presume that the law enforcement terminology refers to this crime by a different name. Each community, city, country, and state have their own laws and sometimes different terminology. The closest crime is trespassing, the act of knowingly entering another person’s property without that person’s permission.

Squatting is the illegal occupation of an empty building. Illegal Breaking and Entering is tied to the intention of committing a crime, most often burglary. If you report it, and the police catch the person, no doubt the local constabulary can find a law that has been broken.

PROTECTING YOUR PROPERTY
Protecting your property from phrogging is about the same as any other crime. There are resources available such as the following:
● Security cameras, particularly when they are visible
● Motion sensors and alarms
● Lock your doors and windows
● Change locks as appropriate
● Even in a monitored building, change you locks when moving in
● Check your property regularly, particularly out buildings, attics and basements
● If you see someone suspicious lurking around, call the police
● If you suspect someone is entering your house or a room in your house, as you leave, place a tennis ball just inside the door, reach around with your hand, and close the door. If someone goes in, the ball will be unnoticed. As they push it inside the room, the person or persons will not feel it. Intruders have entered your home if they are not just inside the door.

NEW TV SERIES
The entire issue of phrogging has popped into public view recently with the KTLA release a new 10-part TV series entitled “Phrogging:Hider in My House”. The true crime program features episodes of real cases of phrogging.

Director Jessica Everleth said the cases are not hard to find, and that that more victims believed that their house was haunted by a ghost than believed an intruder could possibly living there. Watch on Lifetime TV.

JUST SAYIN’!
□
Sources:
https://finty.com/au/home-loans/phrogging-guide/
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/19249854/what-is-phrogging-lifetime/
https://brokerininsurance.com/family-helping/phrogging/
hhtp://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz
https://nypost.com/2022/07/18/phrogging-hider-in-my-house-stranger-secretly-lived-with-us/
https://www.grunge.com/920330/crime-secrets-from-executive-producer-of-phrogging-hider-in-my-house-exclusive/
https://listverse.com/2018/11/01/10-people-who-secretly-lived-in-other-peoples-houses/
https://toughnickel.com/scams-fraud/Phrogging-Real-or-just-an-Urban-Legend#:~:text=It%20was%20thought%20for%20many%20years%20that%20phrogging,inside%20a%20mall%20for%20years%20before%20being%20discovered.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/what-phrogging-meaning-explained-survivor-madisyn-gidrey-set-open-lifetime-s-phrogging-hider-my-house
https://www.insideedition.com/what-is-phrogging-victims-reveal-what-its-like-to-discover-an-intruder-secretly-living-in-your-home
https://www.insideedition.com/north-carolina-woman-fearing-home-haunted-ghost-finds-man-closet-wearing-her-clothes-report-50513

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FINDING YOUR AUDIENCE

STRUCTURING SCENES FOR YOUR NOVEL

THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST: The power of the first line.

PHROGGING

Author R. Ann Siracusa

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