Asking Questions to get (Character, Plot, Setting) Answers

I am a firm believer in asking questions. Not just in my spiritual life but in my book writing life, which often happens for me spiritually anyway. And the questions I usually ask in the book writing world have to do with character, plot and setting.

Photo by: Bilal Kamoon, courtesy of Flickr

The questions may be: What problems will this character face and how will she overcome them? When she doesn't get that job, what will she do? Where is her job located and how is the location just the right place (or the wrong place) for the job to be?

I like to ask questions, because in asking I get answers, and the answers aren't always what I expect.

Take my latest Christian novel, "Conquering Your Goliaths: A Parable of the Five Stones." When Ms. Virginia Bean loses her job I expect that she'll go in search of a new one, but what ways does she manage to look for one? Who will she meet along the way to help her? What will be a surprise in this search for a new job? What obstacles will be in her way? How will she overcome?

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I had an idea of how I thought the story might end, but I was open to the characters telling me what they thought. If you're a writer, the thought of characters speaking to you about their life will probably not come as a big shock to you, but if you've just started out in writing, the thought might freak you out a bit.

Don't get freaked, get ready to listen, ask questions and be prepared for your character to tell you where it's at. There is something about not getting hooked into a plot when a better plot comes around. And I'm always ready to ask questions and get feedback.

Keeping Your Reader, Reading

There's something to be said for a great book that keeps you reading until the very end.

I have been reading a book, but it's sort of a "read a few pages, set it down, pick it up and read a few more pages" kind of book. I just haven't been able to wrap my mind and heart around the book; I just don't LOVE it.

I belong to a book club, and the woman in charge is having the same problem. "Just read the last two chapters," she said. I guess she said this so I could at least join in on the discussion. Or maybe she told me this because the ending was SOMETHING ELSE. I haven't read the ending yet, so I don't really know, but her comment got me to thinking.

Is it the book itself that bothers me? No, it's well written. Is it the genre? Could be. I rarely read romances.

Suffice it to say, I'm still thinking about it. 

Keeping your reader, reading, is a tricky business. The reader may have picked up your book but maybe the plot surprised them, or your writing style was just not what they'd planned on. And maybe they're reading it on an electronic device and miss the smell of the ink on the book's pages. Maybe the opposite scenario is true.

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I had a reviewer tell me she was "pleasantly surprised" about my book, "Conquering Your Goliaths" because it wasn't "preachy." But in this case, it was great that she didn't get what she expected. She kept reading, and I received a good review.

I like to think of readers who keep reading as family members that really care. They aren't the ones who speak nicely, but decide not call you back after you've left a message. They aren't the ones who are kind to your face, and quite another behind your back. They might be friendly, but are less likely to want to spend quality time with you.

Readers like this will never finish my books. And they will never finish yours. And it may be because they have little in common (the writing style is not something they like, or the genre is just not something they read). And this is okay.

Keeping your reader reading isn't all about a great story, but about how your reader reads and interprets it; and you have no control over that. The best thing you can do is to write what you love, do what works for you, and bless their hearts, your readers will find you and keep finding you.


They will see your work and keep reading because your work does something to them--it makes them feel, it connects them to another world, one that they understand and never want to leave.

And that's the most important thing.

How to Find a Great Ghostwriter

I don't believe I've covered this topic before, but it's an important one, especially for those folks who feel they're not quite up to writing their own book yet, but they have a great story that they feel inspired to get out.

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Such is the case with my ghostwriting clients. They have a story that can't wait, and whether the story is loosely based on their own life or on the life they wish they had, the story can be told through a ghostwriter that knows his/her stuff.

Here are some qualities to look for in a ghostwriter:

• Make sure the ghostwriter understands the sort of book you are writing. If you are writing a Western, make sure the ghostwriter has written in the genre before, or at least that they have read enough books in the genre to capture the voice you want for your story.
• Will you be signing a contract? A contract is important. Not only do you know what's expected of you, you know what the ghostwriter will do for you. Make sure you have a clear idea of what the service is going to cost you and make sure you read the fine print. A caveat that spells out a trial period is always a good idea.
• Is the ghostwriter organized? When you set a date for a particular chapter or chapters to be finished does he/she keep to the schedule? If you find after a few chapters that the ghostwriter can't keep up with your expectations, this is the time to finish up the trial period and move on to a new ghostwriter.
• After reading the first couple of chapters, is the ghostwriter's expertise what you expected? I have a caveat in my contract that gives the client the first two chapters at a certain price. After that, if they don't like my work, for any reason at all, they can bow out. 
• Are you meeting with the ghostwriter on a fairly consistent basis? I meet with my clients every other week and we discuss the following two chapters. The meeting is typically about an hour. After the client gives me their ideas, I add my own, and make suggestions for improvement. In the end, however, the client has the last say on what they want, and a good ghostwriter will understand that.

A great ghostwriter not only writes well in the genre you need them to, they are great listeners. They write the book that you've envisioned--not the book they see in their mind's eye.

The bottom line? A good ghostwriter will know that it is ultimately, your book.