How to Write a Horror Novel

                Ever wanted to write a book that makes the reader jump at the lease little thing? Becoming a horror writer will allow you to do that. You could join the ranks of fellow horror writers, like Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Clive Barker, and Peter Straub.

                First things first, you have to write about what scares you. In order to produce a good horror novel or short story, you will have to confront your own fears. To some, this is a difficult task. There are those who do not even want to admit to having a fear, but we all have them. Daydreaming and imagining yourself in a scary situation will help you create your story. If you take the time to allow yourself to be a pert of the main character, then the character will come off as real because you are pouring your emotions, fears, and anxiety into him or her. The best horror stories are those that come from real situations. Writing about an event that may have occurred in your life or you fear will happen to you or a loved one is the best way to write a horror novel or short story.

                Reading is the foundation to writing a great book. If you have never read a horror story or watched a horror movie, then you will not be able to create one. Reading other horror books will help you to develop the skills necessary to create a horror story.

                You will need to grab the reader’s attention by placing a scary scene in the beginning, just not the scariest scene in the book. You have to time and pace your story. Your novel will have to capture the fright in your story’s surroundings and scenarios. There are those writers who believe that a fast paced description is always the goal. That is not always true. You will need to slow the pace down to allow the reader to soak in the quieter horror moments. Without there being a slower pace to certain parts, the books more quicker paced moments would not be so explosive. You will want to take the time to tease your readers. Putting in scary scenes that turn out to be not so scary will accomplish this. You have to give your readers the feeling that something scary is coming, then when they are least expecting it to happen the climax of the horror should take place. Before the climax occurs, make sure there is a place in the book that you have described the villain or monster.

                You will want to avoid all the horror clichés when you are writing your novel. For instance, a black cat lurking in an alleyway, strange noises coming from the woods while everyone is seated around a campfire. Things of this nature will be considered a cliché. You will have to take the time to explore how to incorporate horror in your novel in an original way. Your horror story could involve classic horror elements with your own unique twist, or not resemble traditional horror at all.

                You must remember to write realistically. Making your horror story seem real will make it scarier. You want your reader to feel as though the events could actually happen. When you are first beginning as a horror writer, you should write about the town you live in and your own situations. Then you can add in the fear elements, such as a murderer or an apparition. When you begin by using a real person, place or situation, it will make your reader think what is about to happen really did take place.

                Writing habits for horror novelists are different than traditional books. You never want to lose your emotional momentum, so you will have to take the time to write every day. To establish a sense of fear within yourself, write in your attic, basement, or at night after everyone has gone to bed. This will heighten your sense of fear and cause you to write the scary scenes that much better.   

How to Write a Romance Novel

               There are some great romance novels out there for those who enjoy reading about the throws of passion. If you are an avid reader of these novels, you may have thought about writing one yourself. This can be a long process, but if it is well thought out, then you may be able to see your novel next to those of your favorite authors.

                The first thing you will need to do is pick your characters names and plan out the setting for the story. Your characters will be a huge part of your story. When you are creating your female and male lead, you will have to make them realistic in order for your readers to get into your characters. Both characters need to have their flaws. No one is perfect and your characters should not be. While they can be perfect for each other, they should have their problems.

                You will have to pick an age for your characters. Picking their age will allow you to know who your target audience is going to be. If you are attempting to write a romance novel for the teens, then you should keep your characters between the ages of 18 and 24. If you are catering to a more adult audience, then you should make your characters a bit older, between the ages of 25-40.

                Your setting in a romance novel is different than in a traditionally written fiction book. With a romance novel you do not have to be specific. Most romance novels take place in very vague areas. For example, you may read one that takes place on a wintery night in the mountains. Conversely, you can also be as specific as you wish. If you want your readers to have more details about the setting, you may include it. Your setting can even be fictional. You do not have to have a real place in mind, especially if it a fantasy romance. You can make up towns and places, like a soap opera.

                You never want your characters to jump right into a romance. You must build the romance between the characters. For example, your characters could start out as friends, moving into best friends, and then romantic partners. The male character could have saved the girl from a mugging, a car accident, or from drowning. You can even start the characters out as disliking each other, but then something happens to make them get a long.  Build on the sexual tension between the characters.

                When you are creating conversation between your characters, make sure it sounds like a real conversation. Some cheesy dialogue is expected in romance novels, but you cannot make the entire novel about the cheesy dialogue. When it comes to romance novels, there needs to be a level of passion. Your characters must feel and express emotions.

                Make sure your characters have some trouble along the way. For instance, say they fight because one thinks the other is cheating or they hate each other in the beginning and are constantly fighting. You can even carry some of that fighting into their newly formed relationship. You can make the problems come from outside the relationship. For instance, one can be older than the other and the family disapproves of the relationship. One can be an ex of a best friend and that causes trouble. If you are going for the fantasy aspect, one can be a ghost or from a futuristic time.

                You must remember that the main characters of the book have to have a well developed relationship. The relationship between the two main characters is crucial. Even in a well developed relationship there has to be some excitement to it or the reader will get bored fast. Using other characters as part of the setting will aid in the development of the relationship. The other characters can put up roadblocks for the characters or help in encouraging the two main characters to come together.

                The novel should end well. Your ending will determine if the novel is “okay” or if it will be remembered as an “I liked the novel, but the end was awful.” You can end your novel one of three ways. The couple can end up together, which will make the readers happy. The couple could end up not together, because they are unable to handle the pressure of the outer forces. The couple could come to a tragic end, like in Romeo and Juliet.

                Lastly, have fun writing this novel. Use your own imagination and fantasies to write this novel. You could even use aspects from your own life. Write this novel because it makes you happy and you want to share it with the world.

How to Promote Your Book

                Promoting your book is much like marketing your book. The steps are pretty much the same, but there are some additional things you can do to ensure that you will have good sales for your book.

                First, you will want to send copies to all the journals and magazines that review the genre of your book. This is one of the more important aspects of book writing. If you have a traditional publisher, they will do this for you, but you can help out with doing some yourself. If you are self publishing your book, you will definitely want to do this.

                Second, get your friends, colleagues, clients and anyone who has read and liked your book to place a review on Amazon.com and other bookstore websites. These reviews are very important to the sales of your book.

                Third, contact radios stations, newspapers, and magazines for interviews. You will have to write a publicity letter or a press release about the book.

                Fourth, create a separate webpage for the book. You should have a separate webpage for each book. The address should feature the book title and traffic can be driven to the sight with comments, blogs, quotes, and extracts. You should have a link to show where a person can buy the book. Make sure that you encourage user feedback, comments and reviews of the book.

                Fifth, you should offer sample chapters as free downloads. You should take a few chapters and turn them into PDFs. Allow people to download the chapters. This is like them browsing through your book at the bookstore.

                Sixth, start a blog and use material from your book in it. When you are quoting the material, make sure to use the book as a citation and post a link to it. This will help to build a community of interest around the topic of the book.

                Seventh, take the time to review other books in the same genre as your book. When you review a book on Amazon, sign the review with your name accompanied by “the author of…..” The person reading the reviews will, most likely, click on your name and go look for your book.

                Eighth, you can begin an email newsletter. You can encourage people to sign up for your newsletter on the website. When you create the newsletter, be sure to include new information about other books in this genre.

                Ninth, be sure to give away copies to the right people. Your book can be your calling card. Giving away copies to potential and existing clients is the best way to get the word out. Encourage your clients and potential clients to read the book and then pass it on to their friends and family.

                Tenth, offer your book as a prize in a contest. The local radio station, magazines, or societies will, often times, run contests. Your book could be the prize for these contests, giving you even more publicity. 

Marketing Your Book

                Congratulations! You have finally finished your book and it has been published. The next step in seeing sales in your book is marketing it. The first step you will have to do is come up with a plan.

                Your plan should outline how you plan on selling your book. It should be the guideline as to where you want to go with your books. Your marketing plan should answer some questions. You have to ask who the audience of the book is. Why do you feel it is important the people read this book? What makes your book so different from the others in the same genre? What made you qualified to write the book? How are you to go about promoting the book? How much money do you want to spend marketing your book? Your answers to these questions will tell you just how hard you are willing to work for your book. There are things you can do to ensure your book sells.

                Using your personal network is the first thing you can do. You have to make sure everyone in your personal network knows that you have a book coming out. Encourage them to tell everyone in their personal network. Take the time to use social networking sites, like Facebook, Twitter, or Goggle +. Make up business cards and hand them out to people you meet. You can even give out a few extras to those people, so they are able to spread the word. Using word of mouth can be very effective and is one of the most inexpensive ways to market your book.

                You have to get your book onto the bookstore shelves. When you are a new author, this is a hard task. The spots that are on the shelves are generally there for the author’s who have a proven track record. You will have to show the bookstore a record of sales and a marketing plan that you plan on using to move the books off the shelves. There are a few ways you can get your book onto book shelves. Go to your local bookstore and talk to the buyer of the books. There are many stores that have a local author section and will be willing to carry your book just base on that. Make sure that your book is returnable and is sold at the standard bookstore discount. These are the magic words to bookstore buyers. You can also apply the bookstore’s acquisition department directly to ask if they are willing to carry your book. The criteria may be different from bookstore to bookstore. You will need to provide the department with all the information they will need to make their decision.

                Plan on having book signings, seminars, and talks, these three things are great for you to sell your books. There is no one who knows your book better than you do. Having a seminar about your book will give you the opportunity to sell it to potential readers. If you are going to opt for a book signing, then you will need to speak to the community relations manager. You will both need to come to a decision as to when and where you have it. The bookstore will be interested in holding the event, because they believe that it will bring customers into the store. You will need to be sure to invite as many people as you can to the event. 

How to Get Your Book Published By a Traditional Publisher

                Every writer wants to have his or her book published by a traditional publisher, but it is harder than you would think. You may or may not need an agent, depending on the publisher. As previously mentioned, Simon and Schuster requires your manuscript to be submitted by an agent. Most publishing companies will open their submissions a couple times of year to people who want to submit their manuscripts without an agent. There are steps you can follow to get your book published.

                First, you must read. You have to read a lot. Not only do you have to read the books that are your inspiration for writing, but you want to read everything you can. If you want to write fiction, read nonfiction. If you are writing nonfiction, read fiction. Read classical works, read books from other cultures and times, read poetry. Read books that come from a foreign language. Read books you have already read. This will help you to understand how books are written.

                Secondly, you have to ask yourself a few questions. Why are you writing? What type of book are you attempting to write? Do you want it to be a popular book? Will you be proud of the book you write? Are doing this as a competition with a friend? Do you crave the attention you could receive from writing a book? Are you looking to change the world with your book? Would you be satisfied with a small audience? Are you in it for the fame, money, or respect? Is there something that you really believe in? What are the types of books you enjoy reading? Are you attempting to create a book that is a complete disconnect from what you read? For instance, if you love horror novels and are attempting to write a romance novel, is this the right way to go?   You have to be honest with yourself as to why you are writing. If you choose not to be, then your work will come off as false. Any good reader, including editors, will spot this.

                Thirdly, you will need to delve further into the publishing industry than the advice being given here. Attempt to become an intern for a publishing company or do some volunteer reading. Try to meet and chat with someone who is in the industry. Attempt to work in the publishing industry. Work in a bookstore. Learn as much as you can about the industry. Your chances of succeeding in it will be better.

                Fourthly, make sure to do your research. Knowing the market for the book you are going to write is very important. This is an important step if you are writing a nonfiction book. You will have to know how the topic is covered for the book you are writing.  You will have to see how well the topic is covered and if there is new information about the topic that causes the other books to be outdated. Visiting the library and bookstores will give you a chance to see how books are formatted and how they are priced. You will also be able to see if every area of the topic has been covered or if just the board spectrum of the topic has been covered. This research can give you a chance to cover a certain aspect of the topic that could bring in an audience. When you are writing a fiction book, market research is a bit more difficult. You can see what publishers are publishing the fiction book you are planning on writing.

                Fifthly, take the time to actually write the book. There are writers that will just write a chapter and attempt to land a publishing deal. That only works if you are an already established writer or you are one of the leading authorities on your subject matter. This is one of the best things you can do. Writing the book will help you learn more about your subject of choice. You will be able to understand your topic more. Your book may take a direction you did not plan on, which is great. You have to be open to allowing this to happen. You will just want to write the book until you get to the end to see where it goes. Do not try and go over it and polish it up. At this stage, never worry if it is good enough, it will not be. Do not worry about formatting it or the length of it. Writing a book is all about making it work, not the number of words you can write. Toward the middle of the book, you may feel like you have painted yourself into a corner, you may think the book will not be good enough, or that you may never finish it. You will need to push through the book. When you are almost to the end, the excitement of being done will kick in. When you are writing a fiction novel, the best thing you can do is to start with a few scenes and fill in the gaps between them. Not finishing the book is the most common reason for failing.

                Sixthly, always take the time to rewrite. Your first draft is just that, a draft. Once you have written the book, you will have to put it aside for a while and then look at it with critical eyes. Change the point of view of the book, move chapters around, eliminate characters. Never get the sense of satisfaction too early. Always get a friend or two to look at it before you send it in. If you have a feeling that something may be wrong with your manuscript, it most likely is. Take the time to revise it. Your first few pages should capture an editor’s attention as well as a reader’s attention. Take the time to be sure that is the case.

                Seventhly, after you are completely satisfied with your manuscript it is time for you to do additional market research. If you took the time to go to the bookstores and libraries, then you have already identified publishers who may be interested in the book you have written. It is time to double check your findings. See if the author’s of books with a similar subject matter thank publishers and agents in his or her acknowledgements. The reference desk in your library should have the Literary Marketplace. This will give you the names, addresses, and phone numbers you want.

                Eighthly, write a query letter. A short query letter is the best kind to write. The goal of the letter is to find out if the publisher is looking for a book like the one you have written. You will also want to know if they are going to take the time to actually read your manuscript. Will you need an agent? Not necessarily, if you go with a smaller publishing company. If you are looking to get into a bigger named company, then you are going to need an agent. Agents are also good at looking over contracts and being sure everything is in order. If you are going to opt for finding an agent, do not go with one who charges a reading fee. Before you commit to sending your manuscript, always right a query letter. A publisher will turn you away, if your book is too similar to one of the titles they already have, if they have too many manuscripts to look at, or if they have shifted the focus of what they are seeking. Always keep your letter to one page. In the letter, explain who you are, what your book is about, and the potential market for the book.

                Ninthly, if you have received a positive response from a publisher, then submit your manuscript with a brief cover letter. Included in the letter should be why you think the publisher is right for your manuscript. The publishing company may request a synopsis and a sample of your characters. Keep this as brief as you possibly can. Always make sure your manuscript is double spaced and the pages are numbered. Never send a self addressed stamped envelope, always ask them just to recycle the pages. Never send your photo, but always include your address.

 

Tenthly, always wait two to three months before you politely request a progress report on your manuscript. Never mistake a slow response as interest in your manuscript. The main thing to remember is to not give up. Most people will drop out after a few months, never ever drop it. Keep writing and you will get ahead.  Remember to improve your writing skills, write, write, and write some more.

Overcoming Fear and Doubt

                Fear and doubt is one of the biggest things anyone has to face, especially a writer. We doubt our abilities to write a novel. We doubt our novels will sell. We doubt we can write a best seller, like some of our favorite writers. Doubt leads into fear and questioning. What if I do not have the skills to write a full length novel? What if no one wants to read my stories? What if I begin a story and never finish? What if I am not good enough? What will happen if I cannot find a publisher?  What will happen if I get writer’s block? Self-doubt and fear can keep you from achieving your dreams to be a writer. There are ways to overcome these fears and doubts.

                The first thing you need to do is admit to having them. The only way you will ever overcome them is to acknowledge them. Write down how your fear and doubt is affecting your progress to becoming a writer. Doing this will show you how you perceive the gravity of the situation. After you have acknowledged your fear and self-doubt, you can find practical ways of coping with these issues. Take the time to imagine the worst case scenario of becoming a writer. For instance, you may think the worst case scenario is that your book will never sell. You can take steps in the marketing and promotion of your book to ensure that you sell copies. The next step to overcoming fear and self-doubt is to build a support group of friends and family who believe in you. Their encouragement and support will help in making you believe that you can achieve your dreams. When someone makes a negative comment about you abilities, you will need to learn to take it as constructive criticism.

Keeping this criticism close to you at all times will force you to strive to do better the next time.  Letting go of the things that were said in the past about your ability to achieve anything will help you to succeed. Create a list of your goals and then take action to achieve one a day. For instance, if your ultimate goal is to write a novel, your list can begin with coming up with the characters to your story. Then on the day you plan on achieving the goal, you can sit down and begin thinking about character traits and what you want them to look like. This may change as you are going through with writing your story, but you will have accomplished your first goal. Taking the action to complete one goal a day will help you overcome your fear and self-doubt.

Personally, I have been down this road. I had plenty of fears and self doubt. When I began writing, I took my time and began slow. I started with an article on our local bands. With the bands feeling grateful that I wrote about them and placing what I said on their websites, I began expanding my horizons. I have written articles on many topics. I have even ventured into writing books. I have written one fiction short story, a poetry book, a cookbook, and a book on body language in the workplace, that have all been published. I have ghostwritten books for clients that have gone on to being published. I have edited books for clients that have gone on to being published. I have entered a couple of contests for fiction writing that I will know the results later this year. Do I still have doubts about my writing ability? Yes, of course, I do. But having a support system that believes in what I do, helps to alleviate that self-doubt and fear. I write my goals out for the day and achieve them daily. There will always be a bit of self doubt and fear in this business, but with some hard work everyone can achieve their goals of being a successful writer.

Inspiration

            In order for a writer to write, there needs to be inspiration. This can come from a variety of different places. You do not need to search for inspiration. It will hit you at a moments notice. Seasoned writers will walk around with a pen and paper in hand constantly, because they never know when inspiration will hit. I would advise you to do this. Personally speaking, I have been in a restaurant, driving down the road and in the grocery store when inspiration has struck.

            Inspiration can come from anything. It can come from a life experience. For instance, your current job can bring on inspiration for a character, plot, or setting.  Inspiration can come from some thing you see. For instance, you could be taking a walk in your neighborhood or on a trail when you come up with scene of a chase through the woods or a neighborhood. A painting can inspire you to write about a certain time period. A drive can inspire you to write about a neighborhood. A person can inspire you to use some of their personality traits for one of your characters. A fight with a loved one can inspire you to write about a conflict in your story.

            Like musicians, writers have to draw from real life experiences. Using the things that inspire you will help you become a better writer. Your imagination is the key to a good story. The next time you are in a grocery store or at a social event, look at a complete stranger and come up with their life story without ever speaking to them.  Put him or her through different scenarios and come up with ways he or she came out of them. This will help you gain inspiration from different things and keep your imagination going. You will then be able to create different characters, settings, and plots for your characters.

Being able to draw inspiration from anything will help you gain a better understanding to becoming a writer. Allowing yourself to come up with different plots using different sets of characters can help you write a novel series. Remember to always carry a pen and paper with you because you never know when you need it. If you have a phone where you can get a program that allows you to write, like notepad, then be sure to have it handy at all times. You may never know when inspiration will take over, but you must always remember to be prepared for it.