JP McLean

Writing Addictive Fiction

Readers Beware!

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Photo of dice and poker chips

Readers Beware!

I thought writing fiction took imagination; apparently reading fiction is imagination’s poker equivalent of, “I’ll see that bet and raise you.”

At least that’s the impression I get from the speculative feedback coming in from people who’ve read Awakening. Readers are buying chips, taking seats at the card table, and throwing all they’ve got into their bets.

A typical opening starts with… “I’ll bet that such-and-such happens,” or … “I bet so-and-so will do this.” And then they present a wild-ass twist that would never have crossed my mind. I don’t have a very good poker face and many times I’ve had to peel my eyebrows out of my hairline. I’m happy to say that some of these crazy suggestions are really good. Bent, but good.

It’s yet another reminder that once you publish your book, it’s not yours anymore.

So readers beware! I’m taking notes and names. What you say can and will be used in a future book.

Your favourite author is probably on-line. Go ahead—give them some crazy-ass feedback. They’ll love it.

 

What readers are saying about Secret Sky:

A thoroughly enjoyable read
—Island Gals Magazine

Fun . . . sensual, full of adventure
—Bill Engleson, author of Like a Child to Home

Kept me turning the page
—Diana Stevan, author of A Cry from the Deep

It’s gentle and lyric, and it’s dark and hard
—J.F. Kaufmann, author of the Langaer Chronicles

 

You can purchase all of my books through the Bookstore Tab.

 

Write What You Know

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Woman standing on a road holding a mapWrite what you know is one of the classic nuggets of advice to writers. There’s much to learn when you write a book and more still when you publish it. Not all of the learning is fun, but it’s never boring.

One of the more interesting things I learned was how much of myself I inadvertently reveal in my writing. It seems I’ve written more than one quirk of my own into my characters.

Friends who know me well, point them out: The giant mug of tea, the out-of-control hair, the boring clothing choices, and the main character’s propensity to get lost are just a few. It seems I’ve taken the adage, write what you know to heart.

Now that I know I do that, and since I’ve already mined my own foibles, I’ll move on to more fertile ground. In future, if you find yourself reading a book of mine and a character description is a little too close to home, go ahead, raise an eyebrow. You might even think, hey, wait a minute, I resemble that remark.

If you ask me, I will, of course, deny it.

Have you read a character that hits a little too close to home?

 

All of my books are available to purchase through the Bookstore Tab.

 

Photo by Daniel Gonzalez on Unsplash

Time Thief

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A collection of clocks

Time Thief

There’s a thief in my neighbourhood. He’s been lurking around the house and in the garden. At first I didn’t notice, the thefts were merely minutes here and there, but now glaring holes gape where time used to be.

Some days I wonder how I spent all that time before I discovered writing.

Last week disappeared in the snap of a finger as I completed work on the second proof of Revelation. And that theft came on the heels of a whirlwind that ate up weeks while I finished the latest draft of Redemption. Snippets of time evaporated over a half-finished press release, a draft email announcement, and countless Internet searches.

Last night I wandered around the gardens with a glass of wine in my hand and was distracted by their sorry state of neglect. I used to spend hours each day yanking weeds, deadheading, pruning or digging in compost. There’s no end of things to do in a garden. It was never a chore until writing pushed it out of the way.

Where did the time go?

The same can be said for projects around the house. A bolt of fabric I intended to make into deck cushions three years ago lingers out of sight in a closet. Water stains from a skylight leak that happened two years ago glare down at my writing perch.

Even day-to-day chores get put off. The vacuum only comes out when I can write my name in the debris on the floor. Running out of underwear is the new gauge for when laundry gets done, and it’s only the threat of a neighbour dropping by that gets me out of pyjamas. And don’t even get me started on cooking. That old passion has taken a back seat right next to gardening.

How did my life get so busy? I used to enjoy leisure time. Now I can’t remember what leisure time felt like. It seems I’ve caught the full-on version of the writing bug. It has me in its grip and won’t let go. I really need to work on this thing called balance.

And on that note, I must go and kill me a weed, but I’ll be back.

What steals your time?

 

You can purchase of my books on the Bookstore Tab.

 

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

After Publication

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complex highway

After Publication

One of the first things I learned in the post-writing, post-publication phase of this business is how much work the marketing and promotion phase demands. Being relatively new to this aspect of the business, I found it a daunting road with its own language and sign posts. Social media, branding, platforms, back links, blog tours, websites–yikes!

The die was cast.

However, after I decided to publish, the die was cast. I’d chosen this path and I had to follow through no matter how daunting.

My first sojourns down the marketing and promotion road felt like peddling a tricycle in traffic on a six-lane highway. Experts dish out a wide array of advice, but they’re unanimous about two things: promo should start when you begin writing, and whatever platforms you develop, be they blogs, Twitter or Facebook, should be fed a regular diet of quality fodder.

I’d barely made it out of the driveway and I’d already failed two “should do” tests. Regardless, I’d already strapped on my helmet, so off I went. I’d written a book. Surely I could figure this out–right?

Wrong. I failed miserably. Cases in point (yes, that’s plural). I tried, but failed to:

  • get a blog running on Tumblr
  • create a Gravatar for my main character
  • upload my work onto Wattpad.

I was lost in a maze of on-ramps. Have I mentioned that I’m hopeless with technology?

Writers to the rescue.

With no idea how to get from point A to point B, I reached out to other writers (read crawled, pleading and begging). Some of those writers knew me, some didn’t. Without exception, they stepped up and pointed me in the right direction.

With their guidance, I managed to connect with a web designer who secured my domain name and designed an elegant website. In time, I created a Facebook page; I created a Twitter profile and learned about hashtags; I joined Goodreads and figured out how to get my book listed; and then I spent some time with WordPress and created this blog to add to my website.

It’s now six months later. The first book is under my belt and I have another one in the chute, which means that dreaded marketing and promotion road lies in wait. Again. I know it won’t be a relaxing leisure trip, but this time around I’m better prepared. And when I get discouraged and overwhelmed, I won’t wait so long to ask for directions.

How about you? What do you do when you get lost on the marketing and promo highway?

You can purchase all of my books on the Bookstore Tab.

 

Photo by John Lockwood on Unsplash

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