The Viewpoint.

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When writing your crime novel (or any novel come to that),it is important to decide from whose angle the story is to be told. Consider the following:

First-person narrative: This is  very limited as you can only write the feelings and experiences of one particular character. It also means that the same character needs to be present in every scene, although a narrator can convey the thoughts of other characters.

Third-person narrative:  This is almost the same as above, but with more flexibility. Be careful not to keep switching viewpoint of other character’s. This viewpoint allows the reader to be aware of other events that the main character doesn’t know as yet.

Multi-viewpoint narrative: This viewpoint can move from one character to another, which is almost imperative when writing a crime novel, as it allows several actions to be taking place at the same time – all which can be revealed to the reader. This also means that if a police investigation is taking place, the reader can also see what is going on elsewhere, and they can wonder whether the police will discover or prevent the crimes from happening.

I use the latter viewpoint as it allows me to plant red herrings and add tension.
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Happy Word Flow One & All

Establishing the theme.

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The theme is the thread running through your novel – the thread can give its coherence.
The theme is what your novel is about, whereas the plot is how the theme is presented through the characters and their actions.
The essence of the theme is more often than not, conflict. The conflict has to be solved by the end of your novel, one way or another. The problem itself can be as diverse as you like – lets face it – sometimes human behaviour can truly be stranger than fiction.
In crime fiction, the theme can revolve around intimate family secrets, or the dissection of the banal life of the psychopath or murderer.

In a crime novel, it is the crime itself that is the specific event to catapult the reader into the action – whether it be in the time leading up to the crime, or in the aftermath.
it is the character’s reactions, such as self-loathing or introspection that your readers will enjoy. There is a lot to be gained from developing the human interest in your novel.

One of the most common themes is that of self-development within the protagonist. The reader likes to follow the development of strength to overcome weaknesses. For example, both detectives in my current WIP have tainted backgrounds – for very different reasons. They have to cope with their own issues whilst trying to find the killer of three children. Flawed characters often seem more realistic – adding depth to the theme.

Happy Word Flow One & All

Rejection – The Taboo Subject.

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I’m still an aspiring author, waiting for an agent to pluck me out of the slush pile. Along the way, I know that I will be rejected, and that is something I have to accept, get over and move on from. This journey could be made easier if we (the unagented writers), were open about the rejections and dashed hopes, but it appears to be a taboo topic.

Somewhere via Twitter, I read a blog where the author said that writers should never mention being rejected, as any agent chancing upon your blog would be immediately dissuaded from looking at your work.

Okay – I thought – that may be true, but then how is it that once an author has an agent/publisher, they can admit to receiving 50/ 70/ 155 rejections for their now published novel. How is it that we can read about the numerous rejections received by authors such as Stephen King and JK Rowling (to name but a few).
It appears that once we are accepted, we are able to declare the tortuous path we had in getting there, but in the meantime, we have to deny – or at least, not mention – any rejections along the way.

And yet, we all know that other writers are experiencing the same disappointment – every time someone mentions they are sending out a query, we all know the possibility of rejection is lurking in the background.

I once DM’d a friend on Twitter to say that I had a partial request, – but it was subsequently rejected. It was only then that they admitted to having numerous partial requests and a few full requests, until finally they found a publisher to take them on. It felt good to share and to know that I was communicating with someone who appreciated the pain I was feeling.

I would love to know your views on this matter – should rejections stay hidden away for our own good – or should we open up about the disappointment that rejection inevitably brings?

Happy Word Flow One & All

Character building.

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We all know the “show don’t tell” rule, that can frankly be annoying at times, and we must do the same when our characters are involved.
For example, when we are trying to introduce the psychological description, we must remember that it would be dull for the reader to be presented with a list of neurosis and quirks. It is far better to reveal their inner machinations through their actions, reactions and through the eyes of other characters. My detective – Eva Squires – twirls her hair around her finger, or chews it (yuck) when she is feeling unsettled – it’s subtle, but there for the reader to pick up on.

It is necessary, however, to outline the physical description of a character, just enough for the reader to “see” them. They will fill in any blanks with their imagination.
We hope that the reader will like or relate to our protagonist, and feel afraid or annoyed by the villain. We must, however, seek to avoid stereotypes, such as an ugly, muscly villain, or a waif-like, doe-eyed heroine. I try to have a male character who is not always tall and broad shouldered – they don’t appeal to everyone after all.

In my current WIP (crime thriller), the reader is not aware of who the villain is, so that I can reveal their true-self and flaws in the denouement. I also give my detectives flaws – as no one is a saint – they may smoke, they may lack confidence, they may have a short fuse or they may be hedonistic. Readers can relate more to characters that are deemed “ordinary”.

Naming the characters can be tricky, and at times, I have changed a characters name part way through the WIP because I ave two characters with a name beginning with the same letter and having a similar sound, which can lead to confusion for the reader. I use a baby names book so that I don’t fall into the trap of using familiar names that I know of – it helps me think outside the box.
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Happy Word Flow One & All

How to stop thinking about the agent issue.

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Okay -I admit that I go through periods of nail-biting tension, anxiously checking my emails and the post, to see if I’ve had a response from an agent. I don’t literally bite my nails as I think it is a disgusting habit – but you catch my drift.

The weekend offers some respite,although a tiny part of my brain still hopes I may see something. Having had two partial requests, I feel as though I may be getting there, although I’m not at the point of lighting a cigar. My novel is a dark and gritty psychological thriller, and the very first chapter begins with a moment of aggression and power – perhaps too much too soon? Anyway, I digress – i use some of the following diversionary tactics to stop becoming too obsessed about the agent issue – perhaps you could give me a few more ideas.

1) Immerse yourself in a new WIP – live it – breathe it – and remember your writing is improving all the time.
2) Read novels in your preferred genre – explore the author’s genius and flare – or lack of, as the case may be.
3) Enter writing competitions.
4) If you have children – play board/card games – have fun and laugh – the hours will fly.
5) Cook a meal requiring a fair amount of preparation – chopping always clears my head.
6) Visit other writers’ blogs and tweets to see how they are getting on – it can help to know that you are not alone in your search.
7) Explore other options of publishing – such as Kindle, ebooks…

Thinking too much about acquiring an agent can make you frustrated and sometimes get you down – especially when another week has gone by without a peep. Such feelings are unnecessary emotions that can drain you of your productivity and hope. Don’t waste your energy – enjoy other realms of life – and if rejections flow in – send out some more queries.
In the meantime – write – write -write.

I would love to hear how you cope – the more options the better i feel. Welcome to the new followers – I appreciate you popping by.

Happy Word Flow One & All

Enjoying the darkness.

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My novel,  a psychological thriller –  Attic of the Mind  – follows a twisting road of deceit, revenge and ultimately, resolution.
In reality, I don’t live in a dark world full of misery, suspense and a bubbling below the surface fear. My life is mainstream, with the usual ups and downs experienced by many.
However, in my writing, I delve into the dark shadows that move in the corners of the room. Everything that spooks me, I put in my novels – with the situations become darker than I had originally imagined.

I find that writing about things I would never do in real life, brings some kind of perverse release; exploring the psychopathic tendencies and violent acts that belong to a character is fascinating and sometimes challenging.
If I’m getting bored in a chapter – then I assume that the reader would too – so I rewrite or delete, depending on the relevance of the section.
I like to jump right in from the first sentence in the first chapter. However, I do wonder whether some people – ie Agents – may find it rather distasteful, abrupt or off-putting. Sadly there is no time for Agents to say what puts them off after requesting a partial – as that would be invaluable advice. I obviously only seek out Agents who have an interest in this genre – it would be madness to do otherwise.

I write what I like to read – as it thrills me to spin the web of darkness. However, in this economic meltdown – many articles talk about readers seeking escapism  – well, I would argue that a psychological thriller is still escapism, but to a world you would only visit rather than live in.
The hint is in the genre word itself – ‘thriller’ – I want to thrill people with my novels – fingers crossed – one day I will.

Happy Word Flow One & All