Sarah Cain

Tag: Writing

  • Publishing . . . The Second Time Around

    Publishing . . . The Second Time Around

    So yes. Here it is, One By One, my latest mystery-thriller, the sequel to The Eighth Circle, my debut novel. It will officially come out in mid-March, but is already available for pre-order on the usual sites and is once again published by Crooked Lane Books.

    Writing a sequel is an interesting journey. In novels, characters have arcs. As they travel down the road of the plot, they presumably gain some insight along the way and grow in some way. So writing a sequel requires that the protagonist, especially, have a new arc and a new way to grow.

    When I first conceived The Eighth Circle, I had a very dark vision for my protagonist reporter Danny Ryan. He has lost his wife and son, and he is forced to travel a hellish path to solve the murder of a friend. In so doing he gets himself back on his feet, but it doesn’t bring him much comfort.

    In One By One, Danny faces a different sort of challenge: one that requires him to look to his past and move beyond it. He has to choose whether to step away from the wreckage of his old life and start anew or go backward.

    I tend to be a slow writer. I use a loose outline. I have a set word count that I strive for each day, but I’m never quite sure whether I’ve hit it because I go back and forth editing. (I know the manuals tell you to rip through your first draft, but I don’t write that way.) I spend time researching, which means I need to see things that are going to appear in my story (I’m a really visual learner here). Since my novels are based in Philly, I am compelled to make sure the streets are correct as much as possible (though I do use some made up places, just for fun). As for the politics that percolate in the background, even I couldn’t dream how weirdly it all ties together. Or comprehend how much more bizarre reality is than fiction.

    It’s been great fun coming up with new ways to torment and befuddle Danny in this latest offering. It’s a dark world out there. Perhaps we all need to escape into fiction.

     

     

     

  • Bopping at Bouchercon

    Bopping at Bouchercon

    Bouchercon just wrapped up on Sunday in New Orleans. It is the big conference for crime writers and fans of the genre, and Nola is a most appropriate setting. There is nothing like strolling through the French Quarter, taking in the fabulous architecture, the voodoo shops with their masks and beads, and the array of amazing restaurants. And the music–oh yes, there is that wonderful music.

    Nola a place that has known the infinite heartbreak that came back from the devastation that was Katrina. Life here has changed for many, but at its core, Nola is the city that seems to carry on, no matter what. It celebrates life in all its phases. It casts a spell that lets the mind wander from the rooms behind those romantic iron balconies to the dark allies behind the brightly lit bars.

    As writers, isn’t that what we are trying to do?

    Alice Hoffman once wrote that “books may well be the only true magic.”

    Writing a novel is just the beginning.

    That’s why Nola was a  particularly good spot for Bouchercon. In between the parties, there was a lot happening at the conference. There were many panels to see that covered a wide range of topics from Diversity to Changing Trends to The Pleasure and Pressure of Being an Author. (Ask me about that last one, I was on it.) There were book signings, casual conversations, and so many opportunities to just meet people and talk.

    I got to meet such luminaries as Heather Graham, Harlan Coben, and Michael Connelly, and hang out with fellow Crooked Lane authors, especially Margaret Mizushima, whose new novel Stalking Ground debuts this week, Cate Holahan, whose second novel, The Widower’s Wife came out in August of 2016, and Carrie Smith, who authored Silent City and its forthcoming sequel Forgotten City. But I also got to meet mystery fans from all over the country.

    It was all great fun. Some writers are extroverts, but a great many of us are natural introverts, so I think it’s good to get out there and mix. Writing is tough. Every writer I met had horror stories about book signings where no one showed up, horrible Amazon reviews, or just feelings of loneliness. Every writer stressed the importance of developing a tough skin, of putting on a mask.

    Maybe New Orleans is the perfect writer’s city. Every day, we pull ourselves together, put on our writer’s masks, and get to work. But once we’re done, well, actually, we’re never done.

  • Crime Writer Capering

    Last week’s big adventure was the Left Coast Crime Convention 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona, a meeting of mystery, crime and thriller writers and their fans. It’s largely (though not exclusively) a West Coast affair, but great fun for a Philadelphia writer to visit.

    Over seven hundred people crowded into the Hyatt Regency in Phoenix to mix and mingle and listen to panels. I think the most instructive part was listening to long-published authors recount their favorite horror stories: unattended book signings, endless rejections, snail-like sales until success at last.

    I’ve heard that crime writers are the nicest people. I think this must be true. I was fortunate to meet lovely people who were generous with their time and advice. So here are some tips from some well established pros (I don’t include myself in this number as I’m hardly well established):

    Don’t over-promote yourself or your book. Sure you want to get the word out, but if you write a good book people will find it.

    When you meet people, talk to them like people. Don’t constantly pitch.

    Pay attention to your fans when they contact you. Treat them with respect because they are your base.

    It’s better to build an audience slowly. Sure, every writer dreams of a best seller, but most aren’t prepared to handle the stress. It’s better to build up to it, and make sure you have an agent who can handle the pressure.

    Finally, once you publish, enjoy the ride. Your book is in print. Take a minute to enjoy it. You’ve earned the right.

    Now get back to work on the sequel!!

  • Launching into the Unknown

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    So, yes, I am now a published author. I officially launched on January 12th, though my novel, The 8th Circle, was available in December. Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of publishing.

    It is weird because I, who like nothing more than locking myself in a room and pounding out words on my computer, now find myself adrift in the world of book signings and launch parties. It feels strange that people want to meet me, but it’s nice that they do. I’m very grateful, and that’s wonderful.

    My novel is about a reporter named Danny Ryan who battles the odds to expose an organization of corrupt individuals who use their political connections to (among other things) get away with murder.

    I get asked a lot why I decided to tell the story from the point of view of a reporter instead of a private detective or a cop. I think the easy answer is that I’ve been a writer all my life. I was an English major at Smith College. I worked as the assistant public relations director at a Philadelphia non-profit. I later worked as a public relations specialist writing ad copy and press releases as well as speeches and scripts for videos. Most of my clients were political. Because I interacted with the press, I felt more comfortable writing about that world.

    I’m not sure why I chose a male as my lead character. Danny’s voice just came to me. I wanted to examine issues like child abuse, sex trafficking and exploitation of women, but come at it from a slightly different perspective. Having been an abused child, Danny has grown up determined to be a different man than his father, but he’s also haunted by his father’s ghost. Does it work? You’ll have to read the book.

    Along the way, I’ve been very lucky to have a wonderful support group to critique my work, support me, and give me encourage me. Writers spend a lot of time holed up with their computers madly typing. We need to lift our heads up and interact with other people. It helps, especially on those occasions when the words just aren’t coming.

    I also suggest walking. Not power walking. Just meandering for a a couple of miles and letting your thoughts wander. It helps. Ideas come at strange times and in weird places.

    The rest is luck. Honestly. You have to keep typing away. Making connections. Believing in yourself. It’s hard. Along the way you’ll get rejection–lots of it–but it toughens you up until you eventually get published. And that’s fantastic. Then you realize you have to revise and edit. But you do it. Then you debut and get your first one-star review, but that’s okay too. Because you are now an author.

    Yes!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • So You Want To Write A Book

    Every since I’ve gotten my book contract, writer friends have asked what the secret is to getting an agent.

    I’d like to tell you there’s a secret formula for writing a perfect query letter or giving the perfect pitch, but there really isn’t. I know there are agents who will post query letters that they loved on their sites, and there are any number of books on the subject of how to write the perfect query letter. You can distill your book down to a perfect sixty-second pitch. (Yes, I did say sixty seconds.) But the fact is, if you don’t have a compelling story, your book won’t sell.

    Agents are looking for books they can sell. It isn’t personal. An agent might like your book, but if she knows she can’t sell it, she isn’t going to take it on. Most agents receive hundreds of unsolicited queries a week, so if you are querying, try to make sure you spell the agent’s name correctly and do your research on the kind of book he or she represents. It doesn’t guarantee you’ll get read, but it will put you ahead of a great many who do query.

    It sounds grim. Well, in some ways it is. more books are being published than ever before, but more people are writing books than ever before. That means if you want to get considered by an agent, you also have to work on your manuscript and make it shine. If you aren’t a writer by trade, I strongly suggest hiring a developmental editor to go over your manuscript.

    However, one of the best things you can do for yourself is find a writers group. I love writers groups because the afford you the chance to network, and the more people you meet, the more connections you make. This is important on a lot of levels. Connections help you form your network, but more basically they connect you to other writers. You’ll meet up and bond with writers who like the same things you do whether it be Doctor Who or True Detective or my personal favorite, Sharknado. Of course you can do this on the Internet too, but it’s nice to put a face to the name so that when you’re embarking on your next Sharknado marathon you can tweet with each other about the awful–I mean awesome acting and special effects. Maybe you’ll connect with a great critique group or one person who will be a fantastic writing partner. This most important thing is you can find someone to give you support when you get rejected the first, second, and fifteenth time. And celebrate when you finally get that yes.

    Another plus, most groups have speakers in the form of published writers, agents, and editors come to speak, and these are people you need to hear from.

    Maybe you are the kind of person with the internal drive and commitment to just keep plugging and pushing until you break through. Maybe you don’t care about traditional publishing and figure you’ll go the self publishing route. Either way it’s so helpful to be part of a group.

    Writing is a very lonely profession. You labor in front of your computer screen and send off your queries and pages and hope. You go to writing conferences and rehearse your pitches until they are perfect. The sad fact is that we deal with rejection until we suddenly don’t. And that makes it worthwhile.

    Good luck!

  • Fear Factor

    When I was a kid, I was afraid of the dark. Pretty common fear, right? My mom got me a little nightlight and after a while I got over my terror. (All right, so I was in college, but I did get over it.)

    I also believe if I was bad, when I got into the shower, it would zip me straight down to hell. (Hey, I was a product of Catholic schools.) I got over that fear very quickly, especially after my parents installed a glass shower door in my bathroom.

    As I got older, I began to realize I have a terrible fear of heights. I’m not afraid of flying, but rooftops make me queasy. I love roller coasters, but no Ferris wheels, thank you. ( I know, it doesn’t make sense to me either.)

    Fear is an interesting emotion. As a thriller writer, I revel in fear. yet that same emotion has also been my biggest stumbling block.

    Maybe you know what I mean.

    You write a story but don’t send it out. You see that there’s a critique group forming nearby, and you’d really like to join, but you just can’t make yourself do it. Or worst of all, you let your ideas pile up in your head because you think they’re too silly to write them down.

    So what’s holding you back?

    Writing is a tough profession. No question. There will always be someone somewhere who hates your story. It’s just the way life is. But you can’t let it stop you. So every day you have to push yourself to do the thing you’re afraid of no matter where you are on your writing path. It may not get easier (sorry), but sometimes it’s great to stand on that very high rooftop and shout, “I did it” even and, maybe especially, if your knees are shaking.

  • The “C” Word

    As a writer, I attend my critique group religiously. You may be saying to yourself, “That seems a touch masochistic.” Well, it might be, but it’s necessary. It’s important to put our writing out in front of others because when we’re alone in front of our computer screens we have a tendency to believe that pure gold is flowing from our brains onto our pages.

    It isn’t.

    People often write a draft. maybe they revise it (or maybe not) and give it to their parents, best friends, or significant others. They ask for honest opinions. In most cases they hear that they have written the greatest book ever. These well meaning people are probably sincere, but they probably aren’t writers, and they definitely aren’t removed enough to be honest.

    That’s where a good critique group comes in. You need to trust the people in the group. You need to respect them as writers. And you need to listen when they tell you that a scene or character isn’t working.

    My rule is if more than three people say the same thing, listen. You have a problem.

    Of course, not all critique groups are created equal, but if you look around, you’ll find one that works. Attend a writers’ conference and mix around. Go on line and find a local writers’ group. They are everywhere, and they can be a great support, especially when you’re first starting out.

    Another plus, you’ll discover that you aren’t alone in the great big writing world. When you’ve been holed up with your computer for hours, days, and weeks on end, you’ll be happy to discover other humans just like you out there.

    Good luck.

  • Just Revise And Watch the Exploding Fish

    I’m in the middle of preparing my debut novel, The 8th Circle, for publication, a fascinating process that involves revision.

    Oh yes. I did use the R word. After you have polished and polished your manuscript, maybe had it critiqued or edited and polished some more until you finally feel marginally confident that you have something acceptable, and you have secured an agent, and the agent has secured a book contract, an interesting process begins where the editor tells you how much he/she loves your manuscript and asks you to make a few revisions, which turn out to be rather larger than you thought.

    This is not a complaint about the revision process, which continues two or three or more times. It’s a blessing to have an editor who cares enough about your manuscript to want you to make it better. Especially today. If F. Scott Fitzgerald hadn’t had Max Perkins, he might have penned The Notable Gatsby or possibly just Gatsby. In all probability it would not have been The Great Gatsby. This is why we now have the great controversy over Harper Lee’s Go Set A Watchman, which most likely was an early draft of To Kill A Mockingbird that Ms. Lee never intended to be published.

    I cringe to think of anyone reading my early drafts.

    The point is you write drafts and revise them because that’s really how you learn to write. You can take classes on craft and plot and character building, but in the end you learn to write by writing and revising. If you can’t look critically at your own work and take constructive criticism about that work, you aren’t going to improve.

    Sometimes it’s tedious. Sometimes it’s fun. Sometimes you want to rip your hair out. At that point, I suggest watching a ridiculous movie. I’ve already recommended Sharknado. Have you tried Mega Piranha? The fish explode. It’s awesome.

  • Of Grumpy Writers and Flying Sharks

    Recently, I was struggling through some issues with my second novel. Essentially, I hated everything I was creating: the characters, the plot, the setting. It was all pretty grim. Still, I was pushing forward and feeling pretty grumpy about it.

    And then my son came home for a visit. Like me, Michael is a night owl, so we frequently find ourselves talking or watching movies long after my husband has gone to bed. Unlike me, Michael is a connoisseur of bad movies—the kind that don’t make the New York Times top ten. In fact many of them don’t make the theaters at all.

    Some of them are unintentionally hilarious. Like Sharknado.

    I cannot fully describe the joys of watching Sharknado, especially in the company of a twenty-something who fires priceless commentary at the pace of a machine gun. The movie itself is a combination of horrible acting, terrible CGI, and clichéd (if not totally ripped off) dialogue. In short, it’s amazing.

    I haven’t laughed so hard at any intentional comedy that’s come out of Hollywood in years.

    I realize it seems mean and snarky to laugh at a movie that (I suppose) was not intended to be humorous. But try to sit through it. Watch twenty minutes. If you have any sense of the ridiculous, you’ll be smiling, if not rolling on the floor.

    Now you might be asking yourself, “What the hell does this movie have to do with writing?”

    The quick answer: not that much, except that this movie made me realize that what I was writing wasn’t so awful. I wasn’t producing Shakespeare or James Joyce (then again, who is these days?) but I am chugging along. When I finish my first draft and revise, my book will improve. Everything will be okay.

    It is definitely a good thing to stop now and then and have a laugh, especially when you’re in the writing doldrums. Recognize that what you’re writing is going to turn out okay if you keep at it, even if (Spoiler Alert) you don’t have any sharks falling out of the sky.

  • The Joy of Writing Conferences

    The Philadelphia Writers Conference took place this weekend as it does every June.

    I look forward to it every year because it’s a reminder that I’m not alone in my mole hole tapping on the keyboard. Yes, there are fellow sufferers out there. We writers are a masochistic lot. Even those of us who actually have made a living at crafting words spend a good deal of time wrestling with self-doubt and anxiety. Or maybe that’s just me. I’m never sure until I go to a conference and meet my fellow sufferers.

    Generally, we are the writers seeking to break through into the world of fiction. We attend workshops in writing compelling characters, creating tension, writing short stories, mysteries and thrillers, and screenplays. They are all wonderful, taught by lovely, helpful writers who speak encouragingly while we take dutiful notes.

    We listen to guest speakers, usually those rare creatures known as literary successes, who dole out words of wisdom and hope some of their magic dust sprinkles on us.

    We have pitch sessions with agents whom we approach with a mixture of trepidation and awe because they are the gate keepers to the literary world we crave to enter.

    I may sound jaded; in fact I’m not. I love conferences. The teachers are usually excellent; the speakers are delightful; the agents are generally quite kind and approachable. The 2015 Philadelphia Writers Conference was a wonderful time as always.

    The workshops, speakers and agents, were terrific; however, they were not necessarily the best part of the experience.

    I think the most important thing I took away from any conference was the understanding that we are not alone in our efforts. Many others are struggling as well. So always reach out to the person next to you and say hello. Ask what project he or she is working on, exchange contact information, stay in touch. Encourage each other. As writers, we are part of a community. It’s important to be a good community member.