Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Wednesday's Links to Writing & Marketing Blog Posts


By: K.M. Weiland

As an author, you have the ability to wield great power. But you know what? You’re probably not wielding it. This power is scary. It probably scares you. It definitely scares your readers. But assuming you want to learn how to write books readers can’t put down–that is a most excellent thing.

What power am I talking about?

I’m talking about the power to glue readers to your pages because they have no idea what’s going to happen next.

Guess What? Your Readers Already Know What’s Going to Happen in Your Book

The idea that what’s gonna happen next? is the most important question in fiction is tossed around quite a bit. You don’t need me to tell you that your readers want at least an element of the unexpected in your book’s ending. Toss in a good old-fashioned plot twist. Mission accomplished.

Or not.

Because if this is all you’re doing, then you’re not wielding your power to thrill readers to its full ability.

Readers today are smart. They understand how stories work. They see 75% of the plot twists coming waaaay yonder down the road. They know the character archetypes. They understand the Hero’s Journey. They know what the setup for a happy ending looks like, and they know when there’s tragedy in the wind.

In some respects, this is unavoidable. In other respects, it isn’t even a bad thing. (Remember, the best stories are those people will read over and over again, long after they know the ending.)

But it also means the door is wide open for any author brave enough to truly wield the fearsome power of the unexpected over his characters’ lives.

The 2-Part Formula for How to Write Books Readers Can’t Put Down

. . .

To read the rest of the post, click here:

~*~

If you missed my latest writing and marketing tweets, here they are again:
Happy writing and running, Kathy

No comments: