Author Roseanne Dowell's Writing Tips Book, Show Don't Tell, Giveaway

Show Don't Tell
Available at Amazon

Hello and welcome!

I'm thrilled today to be swapping blogs with my friend and talented author. Roseanne Dowell. Roseanne writes warm and entertaining stories, but I bet you didn't know she also teaches writing classes. She has used her experience in writing and teaching to put together lessons with practical examples in her new release, Show Don't Tell and Other Writing Tips, available in Kindle and print. Roseanne is generously awarding a copy of her book to a lucky commenter. 

And because we are swapping,  I am a guest at Roseanne's blog featuring my book on writing tips, Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing. Hop on over to Roseanne's blog to check it out and leave a comment to enter the drawing to win a free digital copy of this book.

Winners of the eBooks will be announced on Thursday.

# # # #

Show Don’t Tell by Roseanne Dowell

Did you ever wonder what made you remember the characters in a book? Or what made a story especially memorable. In Part One, you’ll learn to see, hear, smell, feel and taste your story. By combining many elements of writing, my book will help you learn how to write publishable stories. I’ve worked out lessons that will teach you to use the senses, avoid boring dialogue, and write memorable descriptions.  Learn how to put pizzazz in your writing and how to avoid unnecessary words, using action, senses and self-editing. Show Don’t Tell covers it all.

In Part Two, you’ll learn how to self edit. Editing is, by far, the most difficult part of writing. Okay, one of the most difficult. Editing is where we have to cut precious words, sentences, or maybe even whole paragraphs.  How do we even go about editing? Most of us know to look for punctuation, that’s the easy part. After all we’ve all learned about commas, periods, question marks and exclamation marks in school, didn’t we?

You’ll learn how to create and describe characters, places, and things, keeping your POV consistent, proper dialogues, common mistakes, and how to prepare a manuscript.

How many times has something funny or unusual happened and your friends said you should write a story about it. Should you? What if your friend got stuck on the roof? Would his experience make a good story? How about kooky events, scary dreams? Ever hear a portion of conversation and wonder what it was all about? There are many places and ways to come up with ideas for good stories. Follow these lessons and you’ll enter a land of make believe so real, you’ll think it happened to you. From Uncle Joe getting stuck on the roof, to newspaper articles and even the classified ads, In Part Three – Turning Your Ideas into Fiction, you’ll learn the perfect way. . If you’re wondering where authors get their ideas, you’ll find out in this book. Have you ever wondered how much fact to put into fiction?

Show, Don’t Tell is available from Amazon

# # # #

About Roseanne

She is an avid reader. Roseanne writes various types of romance - paranormal, contemporary, and mystery. She has several books available at Amazon as well as over 40 articles and short stories published in magazines such as Good Old Days, Nostalgia, and Ohio Writer as well as several online publications. Besides teaching writing courses for Long Story School of Writing, she also taught two writing courses for the Encore Program at Cuyahoga Community College.

Author Roseanne Dowell

Roseanne lives in Northeast Ohio where she enjoys life as a wife, mother of six, grandmother of fourteen and great grandmother of two.  When she’s not writing or enjoying her family, Roseanne spends her time with embroidery and quilting, especially combining the two. She also enjoys blogging, tweeting, facebooking and posting on various writers groups. 

Visit Roseanne Dowell at 
her author website  
her blog 

her Facebook page 

# # # # 

Leave a comment to enter to win the drawing for Roseanne's book. Do you have a writing tip to share with us? A book on writing you depend on for great information? A writing website you read every week?

Thank you for stopping by. Get notices about new blog posts on the J.Q. Rose blog by adding your email address to the box in the upper right hand sidebar.

Write on!

Spring Garden, Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing Book Launch, Free PDF copy

Tulips in my back yard are abundant this spring. So far, no deer have chosen the blooms for their evening meals.

Also in the back yard, Gardener Ted (catch a glimpse of him behind the white fence) has roto-tilled the ground a couple of times. He worked up this section on the left and mounded up the dirt. Before planting the melons and squash plants, he placed black plastic over the rows to heat up the soil. Today the soil is only 52 degrees F.
Yesterday he planted some fun new veggies...purple cabbage, purple cauliflower, broccoflower (a combination of broccoli with cauliflower). He's tries new things every year.

Rhubarb, a spring crop here in Michigan. My DH loves it. Me? Not so much. How about you?


# # # #

Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing:
Tips on the Writing Process, Publishing, and Marketing

Writing Tips eBook with tips from fifteen authors!
Available NOW at Amazon.com

Book Launch Week is finally here! Beginning May 3-May 9, the fifteen authors who contributed to the eBook will be spreading the word about this jam-packed full of valuable tips guide through tweets, blogs, and social media.

Authors who have graciously contributed to this project are:

Conda Douglas	http://condascreativecenter.blogspot.com/
C. Hope Clark	http://www.chopeclark.com
Gail Roughton	http://gailroughton.blogspot.com
Heather Fraser Brainerd	http://drivingblindproductions.wordpress.com/books
Heather Haven	http://www.heatherhavenstories.com/
Helena Fairfax	http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DRBYLO0
J.Q. Rose	http://www.JQRose.com
Joan Curtis	http://joancurtis.com/
Joselyn Vaughn	https://joselynvaughn.wordpress.com/
Kathy MacIntosh	www.KathyMcIntosh.com
Marsha West	www.marsharwest.com
Melissa Maygrove	www.melissamaygrove.com
Miss Mae	http://www.themissmaesite.com/
Roseanne Dowell	http://amzn.to/tnqgR2
Sara-Jayne Townsend	http://sarajaynetownsend.weebly.com

Please visit their sites this week and learn more about them and their books.

  ***If you would like a free PDF copy of the 40 page book, please contact me at jqrose02 at gmail dot com. We would appreciate if it you wrote a review and/or recommended the eBook to your friends. Deadline for receiving this freebie is Thursday, May 7 at 12:30 a,m.

Romance and Mystery Writers on Writing: J.Q. Rose Writing Tips on Editing and Marketing, Giveaway

Hello and welcome to the J.Q. Rose blog!

Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing

This series on writing tips, Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing, has been a fantastic opportunity to pick up helpful information from talented authors. And it has been a wonderful way to get to know writers and their books. 

The good news, “it ain’t over yet.” Originally  planned as a fall series, the  blog posts on writing tips continue into February.

I'm looking forward to welcoming the following mystery authors:

FEBRUARY
5	Heather Haven
12	C. Hope Clark
19	Resources for Writers

Please be sure to return for more writing tips in February AND more giveaways!

# # # #

Today it's my turn to offer up some writing tips that I've discovered in my writing, publishing, and marketing experience.

Tips on Editing

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could just write the first draft and be done with it? Actually, no.  I look forward to re-writing my sentences. I derive a certain joy and heart flutter as I chop out words and shorten sentences. And behold, at times, I have a revelation about the plot or the characters. 
After saving the file, I sit back a minute to rest my eyes and breathe. At that time,  I realize how fulfilling it is to play in my fictional world.Some days I do flounder for words. If it’s too much of a struggle to get anything on the paper, I put away the story and ignore it. But that story creeps into my brain. Whether I am in the shower or on a walk, my mind still turns over the what-ifs in the chapters.  When  I finally see a way out of the mess I”ve created, I feel triumphant.It is so much better to have a crazy mess of a story written for your first draft, than to have a blank page. You cannot edit a blank page.

Tips on Marketing:

We are all struggling to get our author names out into readers' minds and stir up interest in our stories. The best way to get readers interested in you is to have your pages on all your social media include a bio about you. Make the information sparkle so readers will get an insight into your personality. You’re a writer. You can make your life interesting. But, don’t use fiction to tell about yourself!

Include your profile on Facebook, Pinterest, Good reads, etc. Use the same author photo on each site for instant recognition. Articles suggest you use a photo of you, not your book cover or avatar, so readers can “meet” you.

Be sure your photo and bio are on your blog/website “above the fold” because people are naturally curious to know more about you. Make it easy for them to find you.

While you are writing your bio, go ahead and write a tagline with just a few lines, a short one with fifty words, a medium one hundred words, and a long bio of 300 to 500  words.  Place all of these on your media page on your blog/website so when you are a guest on a blog, radio show, podcast, webinar, or TV,  your host can choose what works best for his/her event.

# # # #

The quotes graphics were made using quozio.com

Find more quotes on marketing at Training Authors.com

About J. Q.

After writing feature articles in magazines, newspapers, and online magazines for over fifteen years, J.Q. Rose entered the world of fiction. Her published mysteries are   Sunshine Boulevard, and Coda to Murder released by MuseItUp Publishing. When J.Q. isn’t writing, she enjoys photography, playing Pegs and Jokers board games, and traveling with her husband. They spend winters in Florida and summers up north camping and hunting toads, frogs, and salamanders with her four grandsons and granddaughter.

Connect with J.Q. Rose online at

J.Q. Rose blog

Pinterest 

Facebook 

Google+

# # # #

Please leave a comment to enter to win the drawing for an e-book,   Sunshine Boulevard  or Coda to Murder or the first three chapters of my WIP, Deadly Undertaking. Winner’s Choice.

Mystery, Romance--Coda to Murder

Pastor Christine Hobbs never imagined she would be caring for a flock

 that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.

Back of the Book:  Pastor Christine Hobbs has been in the pulpit business for over five years. She never imagined herself caring for a flock that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer. 

Detective Cole Stephens doesn't want the pretty pastor to get away with murdering the church music director. His investigative methods infuriate Christine as much as his deep brown eyes attract her.

Can they find the real killer and build a loving relationship based on trust?

Buy Links:

MuseItUp Publishing

Amazon 

and major online booksellers.

Remember to leave a comment to enter to win the giveaway! Follow this blog to get alerts about new blog posts about the series and more articles about writing, publishing, marketing. Thank you.

Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing: Sara-Jayne Townsend, Giveaway

Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing series

Hello and welcome to the new year's first post of writing tips in the Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing series. Sara-Jayne Townsend rings in the New Year with us and she brought along a prize to give to a lucky commenter. Leave a comment below and you will be entered into the drawing for your choice of Sara's mysteries, Death Scene or Dead Cool. The winner will be drawn after 9 pm on Sunday.

Dead C ool

Hi Sara. We are so pleased you have come across the pond to join us. I see you have some great tips to share. But first, what is the best advice for writers that you have received?

Don’t give up.  Most writers amass many, many rejections before they get an acceptance.  A rejection doesn’t mean your story is no good – it just means it’s not right for that particular publisher.  You just have to pick yourself up, dust off the manuscript and send it out again.  Eventually, you will get published, but it might take many years and endless rejections first.

Rejections are no fun, but after each one I think writers learn more about writing. I especially like it when editors take time to explain what the ms needs, in their opinion. Their suggestions may help to improve the story if the writer is open to constructive criticism. Great advice to never give up!

Sara has helpful tips on dialogue, structure, settings, and editing. See what nuggets of information you will find in her advice below. 

Tips on:

DIALOGUE

Death Scene

The way I learned to write dialogue was by eavesdropping on other people.  Learn to shamelessly listen in to other people’s conversations wherever you can – on the bus; in a restaurant; walking down the street.  Natural sounding dialogue often looks very odd on the page, so try reading it aloud to see how it sounds.

STRUCTURE

Because I plot my books before I write them, I spend a lot of time thinking about structure.  Some authors take a more ‘seat of the pants’ approach, but I spend time working out the beginning, middle and ending of a book before I even start writing chapter one.  I develop a plot summary and then a chapter plan before I begin the first draft.  Generally the plot deviates a bit when I start to write, but following the chapter plan means that every time I sit down to write, I  know what’s coming next and it helps me to be more disciplined in getting the words onto the page.

SETTINGS

Most of my settings are ‘real world’ contemporary settings.  Quite often I will create a fictional town to set the story in, but the Shara Summers novels are set in and around London.  Using a real setting is easier in a way, especially if it’s a place you know, but it is necessary to sometimes take liberties with a real-life setting and amend it slightly for plot purposes.  Most of the action in the second Shara Summers novel DEAD COOL takes place in a hotel just off Tottenham Court Road in the West End of London.  The hotel doesn’t actually exist, but I can take you to Tottenham Court Road and show you exactly where it is.

1.     EDITING

First, get to the end of the first draft.  Everything can be fixed in the rewrite, but you have to have a first draft to go on.  Join a writing group – if you don’t have a local one in real space, look to see if you can join an online one.  Getting feedback on your work from fellow writers is invaluable.  But when you get feedback, even if it’s unfavourable, make sure you take it on board.  The only way you can improve as a writer is by understanding where your weaknesses are.

# # # #

Death Scene

Poking around in family closets produces skeletons…

Back of the Book: British-born, Toronto-based, actress Shara Summers turns amateur sleuth when her sister is stricken with a mysterious illness. Summoned back to England to be with her family during a time of crisis, Shara discovers doctors are at a loss as to what's causing Astrid’s debilitating sickness.

After her aunt is found dead at the bottom of the stairs the death is deemed an accident. Shara suspects otherwise. Her investigation unearths shocking family secrets and a chilling realization that could have far-reaching and tragic consequences that affect not only her own future, but Astrid’s as well.

Buy Link:Available at MuseItUp Publishing and major online  booksellers.

# # # #

About Sara:

Sara-Jayne Townsend is a UK-based writer of crime and horror.  She was born in Cheshire in 1969, but spent most of the 1980s living in Canada after her family emigrated there.  She now lives in Surrey with two cats and her guitarist husband Chris.  She co-founded the T Party Writers’ Group in 1994, and remains Chair Person.

The first two books in her amateur sleuth series about Canadian actress Shara Summers, DEATH SCENE and DEAD COOL, are available as e-books from MuseItUp Publishing.

Learn more about Sara and her writing at her website at http://sarajaynetownsend.weebly.com.

Don't forget to leave a comment. A winner will be chosen from the commenters after 9 p.m. on Sunday evening. Good luck!

# # # #

If I may--I am honored to be included in a book bundle of mysteries from MuseItUp Publishing along with Sara. If you are a mystery lover, you can pick up four mysteries right now for $1.99 for some suspenseful winter reads. Check it out below.

Sirens on Death Starke Boulevard Mystery Book Bundle 

Four fascinating mysteries bundled together. Stories by authors Conda Douglas, Heather Fraser Brainerd, David Fraser, Sara Jayne Townsend, and myself, J.Q. Rose, in a four mystery e-book set releasing from our publisher, MuseItUp Publishing. 

   

Mystery Book Bundle--Sirens on Death Starke Boulevard 

Four mysteries by five prolific authors, all packaged in 749 pages of suspense:

Starke Naked Dead by Conda V. Douglas
Jeweler Dora must become a sleuth to solve a murder in the first of the Starke Dead cozy mysteries series.

Death Scene by Sara-Jayne Townsend
Poking around in family closets produces skeletons.

Sunshine Boulevard by J.Q. Rose
Mysterious deaths upset the Florida retirement community interfering with their seasonal activities and turning up more than dead bodies.

The Sound of Sirens by Heather Fraser-Brainerd and David Fraser
Thanksgiving dinner with the family can be murder. Especially when someone is actually trying to kill you.

Available at MuseItUp Publishing, amazon and major online booksellers.

Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing: FREE IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond

Hello and welcome to the series, Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing. I hope you have your shopping done and the frenzy of the holidays under control. In case you still have gifts to purchase for friends and family on your Christmas list, may I suggest a good book? This series certainly has hosted great writing talent and amazing mysteries and romances. Take a peek back through the pages to discover the titles and links to purchase published every Thursday this fall and winter.

Today as we close in on Christmas, I gave my authors (and me) some time off, but that doesn't mean I don't have great writing tips for you. In fact there are hundreds of them in The Insecure Writer's Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond. (Yes, I'm happy to say one of my tips is in the e-book.) Here's the information from the IWSG website
Pick up your FREE copy now!

Tapping into the expertise of over a hundred talented authors from around the globe, The IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond contains something for every writer. Whether you are starting out and need tips on the craft of writing, looking for encouragement as an already established author, taking the plunge into self-publishing, or seeking innovative ways to market and promote your work, this guide is a useful tool. Compiled into three key areas of writing, publishing, and marketing, this valuable resource offers inspirational articles, helpful anecdotes, and excellent advice on dos and don'ts that we all wish we knew when we first started out on this writing journey.

ISBN 9781939844088
235 pages, FREE
Find it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Goodreads.

Book trailer for the IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond

Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing: Humorous suspense author Kathy McIntosh, Giveaways

Hello and welcome to the series, Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing. I scheduled this series on writing tips for the fall months, but I have had such wonderful response from romance and mystery authors, the guest blogs are now scheduled into February! So you may have noticed I changed the poster, taking out "this fall" since we are now into the holiday season. I hope you are gathering some great tips you can use in your writing, meeting and getting to know authors, and discovering great reads.

Needless to say I'm having a wonderful experience with authors and readers during this series. Thank you so much for supporting this event with your views and comments.

This week I am happy to introduce you to author Kathy McIntosh.  Kathy is generously donating an ebook copy and audio book of her first book, Mustard's Last Stand, in the Havoc in Hancock humorous suspense series for door prizes. Two winners! Please leave a comment to enter.

# # # #

Kathy, thanks so much for guesting on the Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing series.

Thanks for a lovely opportunity!

1  What is the best advice for writers that you have received?

The first but definitely not the last time I heard this hint came when Ridley Pearson spoke to Murder in the Grove (a conference I co-founded). He advised writers to keep our butts in our chairs. It later inspired me to write the following as a winning contest entry:

Make writing a whole body experience. Keep your chin up, your feet on the ground, your mind limber and open to new lessons and ideas, your heart set on the goal of becoming a published writer, and your butt in the chair. 

Great advice for sure, but oh some days, it is impossible to do! 

What is your writing tip on Editing?

Alliteration, rhythm and cadence can help you create a memorable voice in your writing. However, these must be added with intention and a light hand. Novelists whose books you can’t put down may have used the rhythm of their words to enchant you. Books that get thrown across the room may have inadvertently abused or overused these devices.

I'm fond of alliteration, but it is easy to fall prey to too much. Do so and the rigorous reader will wish you wouldn't. Giving your characters names that start with the same letter is a form of inadvertent alliteration that can easily confuse your readers. Barney, Bert and Bartholomew are all fine names, but let them appear in separate manuscripts. Even when used for humorous purposes (the triplets, Martha, Margaret and Maeve) you risk confusion. A confused reader may not pick up the book again.

What's going on in your book can influence your choice of rhythm or cadence. Short sentences using short words work well in fast-paced, high tension scenes. Longer, leisurely sentences can set a quieter pace and add a sumptuous tone. 

Alternating short and long sentences changes the rhythm of your words. It's my opinion that you don't find your rhythm in a first draft, but rather recognize it and change it intentionally in second and subsequent drafts. One great way to discover the rhythm (or lack thereof) of your words is to read it aloud. You can also use text to speech software programs such as NaturalReader or Ultra Hal TTS (I love that name) or Text2Speech or TextAloud that will convert your text to spoken words. Most have free versions.

Rhyme works well when you’re creating a slogan or a tagline or a poem. However, inadvertent rhyme in serious writing can bump your reader. I’d chat more about rhyme, but I haven’t the time.

Next time you’re editing an article or some pages from your fiction, take the time to make your words memorable by adding alliteration, rhythm and rhyme.

But remember:  a smidgeon of these devices suffices.

# # # #

Kathy McIntosh writes about 

wacky characters seeking justice, 

environmental balance 

and great scones in North Idaho.  

Back of the Book:

Havoc overtakes a peaceful North Idaho town when feuding brothers combat a proposed safari camp. Mustard's Last Stand is the first in the Havoc in Hancock humorous suspense series.

 BUY LINK          

About Kathy:
Kathy McIntosh, a recent voluntary transplant from Boise, Idaho, to Tucson, Arizona, is enjoying the change in scenery from cottonwoods to cactus.

She recently saw three javelinas strolling through her neighborhood! She assures her concerned readers that she can still write about Havoc in Hancock, her humorous suspense series set in North Idaho, and will finish book two, Foul Wind, as soon as she rappels from the stack of moving boxes! Read more at Kathy's website 

# # # #

Don't forget to leave a comment. Two winners will be chosen from the commenters after 9 p.m. on Sunday evening. Good luck!