What Draws you into a Story? by Connie Vines #Round Robin @connievines_author

What draws you into a story?

What draws me into a fictional story novel?

The characters are what bring me into the story and keep me involved in, and through, the whole novel or even the entire series.

The writing style (author voice) and the plot do add to the story.  However, since my stories are character driven rather than plot-driven, I assume this is why I find that style of writing so appealing.

While the opening paragraph catches my attention, it doesn’t always sell the novel. I will read the first three pages and the back blurb before making the purchase.  Of course, I usually complete an entire series by a author.  However, I have found a number of best-selling authors co-writing his/her series as of late. I am able to tell that something is 'off' in the plot and 'voice' .  I do not enjoy the stories as much.  And, unfortunately, I find myself in no hurry to pre-order or download the story upon release.

To get back on topic.

As a child, I read Nancy Drew mysteries and any story which centered around ancient Egypt, Greek myths, legends and, of course, horses and dogs (my favorite being Poodles).

One opening hook in a children’s book, that I still recall today, was from Charlotte's Web.

"Where is Papa going with that ax?"

Another opening is from I Capture the Castle.

"I write this sitting in the kitchen sink."

We all have our favorite type of opening paragraph.  What is your favorite?  Action? Dialogue? Narrative?

Here are several of my opening paragraphs:

Charlene hadn't told Rachel that she'd fixed her up with a cowboy, much less Lynx Maddox, the "Wild Cat" of the rodeo circuit.  Rachel sighed.  She should have know.   After all, Charlene only dated men who wore boots and Stetson.  Lynx, Rodeo Romance, Book 1


Audralynn Maddox heard her own soft cry, but the pain exploding inside her head made everything else surreal, distanced somehow by the realization that someone had made a mistake.

A terrible mistake.  Brede, Rodeo Romance, Book 2


Prologue, 1868

The Governor of New Mexico decreed that all Indian Children over six to be educated in the ways of the white man.

Indian Commissioner, Thomas Morgan, said: It is cheaper to educate the Indians than to kill them.

1880, Apacheria, Season of Ripened Berries

Isolated bands of colored clay on white limestone remained where the sagebrush was stripped from Mother Earth by sudden storms and surface waters. Desolate. Bleak. A land made of barren rocks and twisted paths that reach out into the silence.

A world of hunger and hardship.  This is my world.  I am Tanayia.  I was born thirteen winters ago. My people call ourselves "Nde" this means "The People".  The white man calls us Apache.

Tanayia--Whisper upon the Water, Native American/First People Series, Book 1


"You and Elvis have done a great job on this home," Meredith said as her older sister led the way downstairs toward the kitchen where to tour began.  "Sorry I couldn't get over, until now, but I've been sort of...well, busy."  Slipping her Juicy Couture tortoise-shell framed sunglasses into a bright pink case, Meredith crammed them into her black Coach handbag.  She hoped her sister didn't ask her to define busy.  Becoming a zombie, and dealing with the entire raised from the dead issue over the past six months, was not a topic easily plunked int casual conversation.

Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow,  A Sassy and Fun Fantasy Series,  Book 1


Remember my books are 60% at Smashwords!
Big, Big Sale!



Visit the other member's of our Round Robin Blog hop.  They have exciting stories to tell!

Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea

Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog

Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/

Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/

Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-1RR

Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/

Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/blog/

Rhobin L Courtright http://www.rhobincourtright.com

I'm blogging at Romance Gems today!

Remember, it's Friday the 13th-- a good day for romance!

Find out why.

The Rafflecopter and March give-a-way is in full swing, too.

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Poodle Quotes

On Sundays I post an assortment of short little snippets, quotes or pictures (as listed on the side-bar of Dishin' It Out).  Today is Poodle Sunday!

Ever consider what pets must think of us?

I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul - chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth!

Anne Tyler
American Novelist

Sunday Snippet “Gumbo Ya Ya” (Soon to be Released) by Connie Vines

September 2017 is the release date of my anthology, Gumbo Ya Ya, by my publisher BWL Publishing.  And, as always, BWL’s art director, Michelle Houston, has designed a spectacular book cover for  me—with just enough heat to pepper every woman Gumbo!

Here’s a little teaser from, “A Slice of Scandal”, the third story in my Cajun anthology!


“Hey, now, ‘dis key lime pie’s like de one I sever at my restaurant.  Simple to make and good to eat!  Key limes perk up de mouth and makes you happy.”

Producer/Director, Julia Kincaid focused on her monitor and adjusted the mic of her headset. “Camera One, tighten that head shot.”  She watched as the camera feathered over the chef to capture the best angle.  The camera should have loved Chef Franklin.  His height was average, his hair black, short and curly and his skin gook on a polished bronze color under the harsh camera lights, but the camera didn’t like Franklin.  There was something about his eyes; like dark agate, forbidding and expressionless that was difficult to erase.

“Okay.  Now hold it, while Chef Franklin pulls the second pie from the refrigerator.  Follow him back to the island.  Good.”

When the chef stood on his mark, Julia said, “Cue the music.  Okay, Two, scan the audience. Back to Franklin.”

“It’s best to serve ‘dis chilled, a twist of key lime on the top. And, boy-oh, boy, does ‘dis taste goood!”

“Camera Two, pan the audience. . .focus on the pie. . .Camera One, close-up on the chef. . .Hold it.”

Julia heard the studio audience applause.

“Now, pull back. He cuts the pie. . . he puts it on the plate. . .now wait for the whipped cream and . . .okay. . .he’d got the fork. He’s taking a bite.”

The studio audience uttered a collective sigh.

“Let’s call it a day. . .”  Julia said, pulling off her headset and allowing it to dangle around her neck.  “Hey, Hey, what’s he doing, now?” she asked J.D., “This is where he says goodnight.  What’s he doing?”  Snagging the mic that was clipped at her waist she barked, “Someone cue Franklin.  He’s off his mark.”  It was times like this she questioned her sanity at trading a career in Hollywood daytime T.V. for that of the Good Eats Network in Orlando, Florida.  

From her left, she heard J.D. groan.  “Julia, Franklin’s spitting out the pie!  Harvey’s gonna boil all of our carcasses in the stock pot for--”

Julia hopped down from the camera and took off at a full run toward Franklin, the sound of clanging pots and pans crashing to the floor barely registering.

Gone was the applause.  People jumped to their feet.  People screamed.

“He’s on the floor!” J.D. bellowed.

Julia could see that!  Kneeling down beside Franklin, her fingers felt a faint pulse. “J.D. call the medics!  Franklin must be having a heart attack.”  


I hope you enjoyed this little snippet from my next release.
More anthology snippets to come!

Happy Reading,

Connie

Inspirational Sunday Quote

 Sunday Inspiration Quote:

Author Branding—Don’t Muddy the Waters (Part 2) by Connie Vines

Before we get to this week’s post, let me summarize last week’s assignment.

How to Design Your Author Brand

Okay, it’s scramble time.  Find a piece of paper and something to write with.  You can use the note app in your phone, but I think pen to paper works better in this case. (If you write under more than one pen name, just select one.)

Ready?

Write down what your author brand is.  You have 10 seconds. Go!
Time’s up.

Were you able to write down your brand?  Did you use 6 words or less?
Good for you.  You probably have a good idea of what your brand is.

If you didn’t (you are with me) don’t worry.  We will go about fixing the problem.

Brands Need to Be Specific

If you failed, the above test the reasons are likely because:

1. You don’t really know what your brand is yet.
2. You are over-describing your brand and couldn’t write it all down fast/concisely enough.

Now is the time to sit and ponder.  Strip away the contradictions, muddiness, superfluous.

What does a brand do?  A brand is a signal to customers to know what to expect when they see it.
Once they have had experience with a brand, they (hopefully) know what to expect.  Ideally this is a favorable expectation that encourages them to purchase your product, talk to their friends, and take
chances on your next release.

How about a brand like this?

“Daring, Thrilling, Romantic, Action Packed.”

What if we change it to…

“Daring, Thrilling, Sexy, Action Packed”

A big difference isn’t it?

I selected very genre-esque words.  This was my intention because genres play a big role in branding. Brands are also about trust.

Remember genres and sub-genres are their own brands.

This is really important.    We already have a mind-set/ expectations when we select a genre to read.  If you select a “Historical” novel (unless it is a sub-genre) you do not expect or probably appreciate elements of Urban Fantasy in the story-line.  Riding in stage coach, you prim-and-so proper heroine isn’t going to mesh with a hidden magical world featuring Fae, Vampires, and Werewolves.    So, unless you plan on inventing your own sub-genre (SteamPunk/StoneagePunk) with a limited readership, consider what you are inheriting from your genre.

Following these guidelines, I will attempt to come up with a brand for my current Rodeo Romance Series (BLW, BooksWeLove, Ltd.).

Genre:  Contemporary Romance (Lynx), Romantic Suspense (Brede), Contemporary Romance/Humor (Rand), Romantic Suspense (TBT).

I’ll go with Romance as a genre.

Now to the dictionary and thesaurus.

<Suspenseful music plays now>

Will Connie discover her ‘brand’?  Will her readers like her ‘brand’?
<Music continues>

Spoiler Alert:  Connie has awakened the ‘inner series branding’ within her mind!

Author Branding, Part 2.

I know last week I said I’d continue my topic next month.  However, since we are entering the holiday season, I thought I’d provide a mini-update this week.

What series brand did I develop for my Rodeo Romance Series?

“Instant Action. Sizzling Attraction!”   Set amidst the excitement and danger of the rodeo world—Rodeo Romance Series by Connie Vines.


Each novel:
Book 1, What woman doesn’t love a cowboy? Lynx Maddox gallops into your heart in “Lynx”.
Book 2, A hard-edged rancher saves a mysterious woman’s life, placing himself and daughter in jeopardy.  “Brede”.

For my novella series:

“Sassy & Fun Fantasy Series”
Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow, novella 1.

So how did you do on your homework assignment?

Ideas?  Comments about my branding results?

Feel free to post comments or send me an email.

Connie

Blogging in the Dark by Connie Vines

This was not the topic I'd planned for Thursday, but as you can see, my neighborhood is still without electricity and I'm writing by the light of one,very dim candle.

**i intended to insert a photo of me by candle light, except the camera feature will not launch :(. **

Yes, I've been without services before.  I've been camping and stayed for a week in a tipi (complete with overseeing the operation of a smoke flap) and participated in meal prep were several salmon were cooked over a pit fire.  I'm not even afraid of wild animals (except for opossums, squirrels, and an occasional raccoon) few venture into the quirky suburbs of Southern California; nor am I fearful of the dark.  I simply find it extremely I convenient, today & tomorrow, to have my carefully laid plans disrupted.

I have a Geek Squad tech scheduled to service and back-up by iPhone, iPad, and PC.  This will not happen if I do not have electricity. I also have a 7 a.m. service appointment the service my car.

So what? You are thinking.

 What if I oversleep?  5:30 a.m. Is not an easy time for me to be functional, I'm a night owl, remember.  What if my cell phone and my iPad have zero battery life?  

I had planned on working on my office tonight.  I have stacks everywhere because I'm setting up my files and purging my bookcases.  Not an activity to be attempted by flashlight or candle light.  I had also planned on writing my blog (I have accomplished one item on my list. If it posts).

It's 77 degrees, no rain.  I have the neighbor's solar lights which cast a faint shimmer on the cement side walk, so no one should trip and fall into the street if they venture out into the darkness.

I'm going to see if I can locate an unsented candle to light, because the floral fragrance is a bit over powering.  It's 8:11 by the light of my Fitbit tracker. . . Have a good evening everyone!

#www.novelsbyconnievines.com

The Art of Lying (aka Creating the Bad Guy) by Connie Vines

A compulsive liar is defined as someone who lies out of habit. Lying is their normal and reflexive way of responding to questions. Compulsive liars bend the truth about everything, large and small. For a compulsive liar, telling the truth is very awkward and uncomfortable while lying feels right.

So, you have your “perfect” hero and “perfect” heroine’s character sketches and novel outline at your fingertips.  What about your “not-so-perfect” villain, aka the bad guy?  He’s just the bad guy.  Ah, but the villain is a key player in your novel.  And, you’d like him to be a compulsive liar.  However, you really want to keep the reader guessing. . .

In law enforcement, these actions are called “tells”.

How do you make the “perfect” liar?  You need to know the rules before you can break them.
What will your villain have perfected?  Why, the art of lying, of course.

Nine Tips your Villain Can Teach you about the art of lying

1. Keep your head up:

“In all shows, there is always that moment when the magician risks being discovered,” explains Jacques H. Paget*, illusionist and negotiations expert. For example, when he makes a ball “disappear” as it remains hidden in his other hand, he may tend to tilt his head to the side, a movement which, however small, may be unconsciously perceived by the viewer as an indicator of cheating. “This is an instinctive gesture that we all do when we are afraid of being caught.”
Conclusion: Your villain knows to keep his/her head straight up. This will prevent the other person from getting suspicious.

2. Use the phone:

Sometimes lying is much simpler over the phone.  Deception makes our voices drop a pitch, in order to sound more stable and assured, but lying also exposes us to three negative emotions – fear of getting caught, shame and guilt – and these may just manifest in our voices.  Your villain knows this.  Your hero/heroine may believe the action was unintentional—the first time.

3. Repeat the scenario:

If you are telling a story, the villain knows he/she first needs to integrate it as a complete theater role. Being an actress does not mean just to learn words. It is also necessary to be at one with your thoughts and emotions. These are the things that will generally reflect your words. And some techniques can better reflect what it feels like:

– Begin and end sentences clearly.
– Take note of punctuation marks, especially full-stops.
– Sustain consonants that make words ring.
– Speak clearly.
– Work on your expressive diction.
Playing your role with sincerity.

 4. Control your actions:

“Our body speaks its own language and never lies,” says Dr. David J. Lieberman, hypnotherapist and a doctor in psychology. If you’re not careful, some little gestures will only end up betraying you.
Embarrassed by your hands, you slip them into your pockets or you lay them on your hips.
You sputter, your smile trembles and cracks as you declare how much you love the gift you received.
You touch your face, you scratch your ear, place a finger on your lips, you rub your eyes or nose to justify your delay in response.

Your face, your hands, your arms punctuate your words belatedly, and in a somewhat mechanical way.

You display a grimace instead of a grin while expressing your joy of learning promoting a colleague.
You pull a folder, a book and computer against your abdomen, as if it were a shield. Without understanding why your partner says there was something wrong with your story…

5. Do not say too much:

You call a friend to postpone a lunch for the third time. Listening to you presenting your perfectly oiled explanations, she begins to find this suspicious, there is just too much justification. To avoid getting caught, you think, better increase the size of your tale: the bigger it gets, the more credible it will seem. Because of its magnitude, it cannot possibly be invented. Your villain knows less is more. . .believable in this case.

6. Put on your sincere face:

Instead of looking your interviewer in the eye, aim for the tip of his nose. It is less destabilizing and you do not have the look diagonally, distant and elusive, whilst you spin your yarn. “Establishing good communication requires eye contact for 60-70% of the time of the dialogue,” says psychoanalyst Joseph Messinger. Also, be wary of your eyebrows wrinkling, your eyes crinkling and your eyelids blinking – they raise doubt.

7. Deviate from the truth:

A good lie always contains an element of truth. “In this case, the truth functions as a decoy.” For example: “I have an appointment with the dermatologist…” is a good primer. Then the embroidery comes in: “… to check my moles,” but you casually omit “…and to complete my Botox sessions.” It’s just a shot you have to take.

8. Do not say I:

Your villain knows to entrench himself/herself behind objective, impersonal, irrefutable facts.  “My company recruits only its sales executives with a certain diploma/certificate” … that your friend’s son happens not to possess, of course.

9. Camouflage:

Sharpen a pencil. Hang a picture. Drink coffee. Practicing an activity to pass the time is unquestionably the best camouflage for a lie. Is what any expert in non-verbal communication will tell you. The ideal situation? Lying whilst you are behind some sort of wall or partition, in order to neutralize body language, which is less controllable than words. It is essentially a way of saying that
those with mowing the lawn or trimming hedges are at an advantage for if they want to lie.

Little lies?  Big lies?  Huge lies?

It’s your story.

It’s your chance to create the “perfect” villain.


Happy Reading & Writing,

Connie

What does NaNoWriteMo Mean? by Connie Vines

National Novel Writing Month (often shortened to NaNoWriMo, "na-noh-RY-moh"), is an annual Internet-based creative writing project that takes place during the month of November.

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30.

To win you must write a 50,000 word novel—from scratch—in one month. To break it up, you have to write 1,667 words a day, every day, for thirty days straight.

That’s a lot of words. If you’re participating in NaNoWriMo this year, how do you win? Here are five suggestions.

1. Write With Friends

Community can provide positive reinforcement.  I belong to Romance Writers Of America and my Orange County Chapter and others have this contest every year.


2. Write Fast

Today, writing fast is the most important thing you can do. Quantity begets quality, so write quickly today.

3. Don’t Edit

Editing is essential. Don’t be one of those writers who submits their unedited NaNoWriMo novel to publishers on December 1. But November isn’t for editing. November is for writing. The Oxford Comma and misuse of your/you’re  can wait for December.

4. Use a Timer

Your inner procrastinator may try to convince you otherwise, but there are only so many hours in November. Spend your time wisely by using a timer.

Set it for thirty minutes and see how many words you can write. Take a five minute break. Then, set it for another thirty minutes and see if you can beat your word count from last time.

5. This Isn’t Just About 50,000 Words

This is about mastering the craft of writing. Intrinsic motivation is always more powerful than extrinsic rewards, and becoming a master at something like writing is intrinsically good.

Every time you feel your energy flagging and procrastination taking over, ask yourself, “How can I get better today? What can I do to become a great writer today?”

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? Please post a comment and let me know how you are doing. If you have any writing tips, please share.

I must confess that my day job prevents me (yes, it is an excuse) from meeting my daily word count. UNLESS unless I am writing a novella (this year's personal challenge), or a YA novel.  I know this keeps from participating in an actual contest but that isn't my real reason for participating.  I participate to complete my stories.

Happy Writing!

Connie

Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg? By Connie Vines

Tired of political commercials?

Well, so am I.  So, while channel surfing this evening, I landed on a local “Hollywood” gossip show.
It was there I caught the teaser for a new show. . .drum roll.  Wait for it. . .wait for it. . .coming to VH1, Martha and Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party.

Martha Steward and Snoop Dogg?  Together?

Apparently the two have shared the small screen before (news to me).

How did it come to be that Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart, who are co-hosting the new VH1 cooking show share one of the most enduring friendships in all of Hollywood? (Enduring? 8 years?  By Hollywood standards, this may be accurate.)

They’re more alike than you might think — that is, if you were to superficially judge them by their self-styling and manner of speech, but we know you wouldn’t do that.

“My homegirl, Martha, and I have a special bond that goes back. We’re gonna be cooking, drinking and having a good time with our exclusive friends,” Snoop told the Hollywood Reporter when their show was first announced. “Can’t wait for you to see how we roll together!”

In 2016, the duo appeared together on an episode of “$100,000 Pyramid” and, according to Hollywood PR, seemed to be as connected as ever.

The new cooking show premiers on November 7th.

After this unexpected paring of Celebs, I thought I see if I could get a list of Celebs who actually are skilled in the kitchen.  Who would you like to Co-host a new cooking show?  Your take on the tone.  Perfect match, or a battle for the spot-light.

• Scarlett Johansson
• Emma Stone
• Taylor Swift
• Gwyneth Paltrow
• Matthew McConaughey
• Kris Jenner
• Brian Boitano
• Drew Barrymore
• Jamie Oliver
• Govind Armstrong
• Taylor Florence

I must confess one of my favorite cooking shows is the Great British Baking Show on PBS.  No Hollywood Glam here.

The contestants are filmed outdoors, without the benefit of hair, make-up, or sadly over-the-counter- teeth whitening strips.  The contestants struggle with through bouts of wind, rain, and British recipes that seem to be mainly some version of a ‘sponge cake’.  Man vs Nature is the theme of this show.  The judges do not, pardon the pun, sugar coat the comments.

What is your favorite cooking show?  Your go-to meal?

Connie

Sunday Snips & Stuff by Connie Vines

This Sunday please enjoy our newest blogger guest here at Dishn' It Out.  I. B. Nosey.

I.B. Nosey's Friday post and "The Blonde" who appeared yesterday.

Don't miss out on the other multi- published authors who participant in our weekly Sunday Blog Hop :

http://yesterrdayrevisitedhere.blogspot.com/

http://connievines.blogspot.com/

http://triciamg.blogspot.com/

See you soon,

Connie

What is a Writer's Natural Temperament? by Connie Vines

What is a writer’s ‘natural’ temperament? 

An image  of a novelist as a melancholy, moody artists who dons black as penning books during fits of insomnia or alcoholic inspiration pervades much of our society’s view of writers. No doubt some writers are like this, and the fact that some of the most famous were – the existentialists and the beat writers typically wore black while Hemingway drank continuously – has no doubt contributed to the stereotype that writers are restless and unhappy. 

Unfortunately, this also has led many budding novelists to believe that they can’t be successful unless in a state of “discontent.” 

If there is an overarching temperament that is important to all fiction writers, curiosity about life and others arguably is paramount. Should that curiosity lead to discontent and anxiousness, then the author can write the kind of stuff of that discontented writers like to read. Hopefully that curiosity instead leads to a sense of self-improvement and love of craft so that one can master – or even influence – the genre that you write in.

I have found the best writers aren’t necessarily the smartest, the smoothest, or those with the biggest vocabulary. The best writers are those that possess an unforgettable personality.

A writing personality is just as real, unique, and nuanced as your personality in everyday life -- except you only release it when you create content. And if you can create content that brims with personality, I guarantee that people will love reading it. They’ll come back to it again and again. They will share it.

Your personality becomes your authentic signature, a trademark that appeals to your target audience. Not to mention, it'll serve as a source of incredible brand power and potential. 

1) Embrace your (writing) personality.

The problem with a writing personality is that most people don’t realize that they should have one. Instead, they try to follow the rules and regulations handed down to them by a well-meaning 10th-grade composition teacher. Or, if they do realize the importance of a writing personality, they try to mimic someone else’s personality.

You have to discover and shape your own personality in your writing. It takes time and effort, but it’s possible. Each of these tips will help you do just that.

2) Pick a focus and stick to it.

To have a consistent writing personality, you need to start by having a consistent area of focus. This can be something broad like marketing or more specific like social media. The important thing is that you're not all over the place. 

Food blogger Ree Drummond is a great example of a writer who has a clear topic. She could write about anything and do a darn good job, however, she uses her writing personality to focus on one topic, and one topic only.

 Break grammar rules.

Some people are inveterate rule breakers. And that’s okay. While we don't recommend you throw grammar out the window, breaking a rule every once and a while can serve as a great way to amp up your personality.

What kind of grammar rules should you break? It depends. Here are some common ones:

Sentence fragments: “Seriously. I mean, people, really.”
Punctuation: “I. Just. Can’t. Even.”
Starting sentences with conjunctions: “But I’m okay with that.”
Using “like”: “It’s not like you’ve sinned.”
Using a preposition at the end of a sentence: “You’ve got to get your traffic up!”
Again, be careful with rule-breaking. If you’re frivolous with your grammar, people may start to suspect your intelligence rather than respect your personality.

Get to know your audience better.

The principal group of people who should shape your personality is your audience.

Why? Because they are the ones consuming, accessing, and subscribing to it. Make sure that your personality does not cross their boundaries of proprietary, offend their sensibilities, or rub them the wrong way.

5) Highlight a personality trait that you have in real life.

Your writing personality isn’t exactly the same as your real life personality. Writing and in-person interactions are intrinsically different. However, there is usually some overlap.

If you’re known as a smart and serious individual in person, then your writing can convey that. If people know you as “the funny guy,” then let your humor shine through in your writing.

It’s your personality. Own it.

6) Talk about yourself on your blog posts.

To truly own your personality, you have to talk about yourself. Many successful bloggers and writers aren’t afraid of using “I,” “me,” and “my.” It’s not self-centered. It’s just a natural way of communicating.

7) Write like you talk.

Writing like you talk is generally a good idea. Obviously, you want to cut out useless filler words. “Um” and “uh” aren’t necessary in writing.

At the same time, your style of speech is a mark of your personality. If you’re sarcastic, gentle, incisive, crude, bombastic, or use outrageous expressions, shake a little bit of this into your writing.

8) Stay organized in your blogging and the writing of your novels.

Don’t allow your personality, whatever it is, to throw off your organization.Good writing is inherently organized. If you have a disorganized and scatterbrained  personality in real life, don’t try to import this into your writing. People don’t like to read scattered and disorganized content. Create an outline and stick to it.

10) Write in a way that you enjoy.

When you enjoy the way that you write, you know you’re hitting a personality stride.

11) Be authentic.

12) Commit to your style.

Once you get into the groove of your personality, don’t change it. Your audience expects you to be a certain way, write a certain way, and convey information in a certain way.

Ready to let your personality shine?

You are you, and your writing needs to have your fingerprints, timbre, voice, and personality all over it. Unleashing that personality in your writing starts with knowing it, owning it, and not being afraid to let it loose.

What’s your writing personality? How does this impact your writing?

Please visit the other members of today's Sunday Blog Hop!

http://yesterrdayrevisitedhere.blogspot.com/

http://mizging.blogspot.com/

http://triciamg.blogspot.com/

http://connievines.blogspot.com/

Connie

Hootsuite and Social Media for Authors by Connie Vines

And the debate rages on in the Social Media world!
Hootsuite vs. Buffer—What is the Best Social Media Management App for 2016?
As we (or at least I) have discovered that managing a (my) “mini-social media empire” can be a bit of a mess.

So what makes up Connie’s mini-social media empire? you ask.
• Website (www.novelsbyconnievines.com)
• A Weblog (http://connievines.blogspot.com/)
• Twitter (https://twitter.com/connie_vines)
• Author Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/AuthorConnieVines/)
• Good Reads Page (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/205731.Connie_Vines)
• Cold Coffee Press (http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/connie-vines/)
• Google + (https://plus.google.com/110488573394262216964/posts)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/gothicnovelist/)
• Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/novelsbyconniev/)

Is there more?  Of course.  I guest blog at additional sites for book promo and name recognition (for myself and BWL).  I also have my book trailers, podcasts (under construction), promos via CTR, RST, Manic Readers, etc.

Obviously, I was happy to discover that specialized tools have been developed to aid in management.  Of course, Twitter, is still one of the most powerful media tools. Hootsuite and Buffer are two applications that are designed to present a neat interface with social media.

While Hootsuite and Buffer both have similar primary functions; they allow you to manage posts to social media websites by cross-posting at a specific time, thus allowing you to hit the key ‘read time’ of followers/trenders.  Both offer tools to interpret data such as views, click-through links (other customizable tasks are available at additional cost).

My Hootsuite Feed - There is also a scheduling window that will pop-up.

Buffer’s main focus is on Twitter.  While Twitter is a great social media there is a 160-character limit.  Buffer’s claim is for smaller business with less of a focus on profits.

I use the FREE Hootsuite account which allows me to manage up to 3 Social networks.  Since I am able to advance schedule both my social media announcements via Hootsuite and blog posts via Blogger, it’s frees up my 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM time for my writing.

Positive reviews for Hootsuite 2016 can be found at:  www.webmasterwarriors.com/hootsuite-review/

Hootsuite Alternatives:
Buffer
SproutSocial
Viralheat
TweetDeck
Sprinklr
SocialPilot
SocialOomph
SendSocial Media

I have zero personal knowledge of these programs.  However, Tweetdeck looks promising and is FREE.  However, since I already use Twitter, I don’t really see the point of this program.
Writers, are there other social media programs that work for you?

The Standard Twitter Feed

Readers, what is your personal favorite way of connecting with authors?  Is there a social network you really, really like?  Snapchat?  Vine?  Wanelo? Slack? Blab?

Please post comments. I’ll try out the new social media app that readers like and use on a daily (or nearly daily) basis.

Happy Reading and Writing,
Connie Vines