Picture Me - Saturday Answer

Yesterday, you were asked to describe this man if he was a character in your book.

His true identity is Rick Springfield. You can learn more about him here and buy his autobiography here.

Picture Me on Friday

This week, I'm using a variation of "Picture Me on Friday."

Today, you find yourself with this man. What do you see in his face? Is he a love interest, caring, giving, sexy, romantic?

Or is he a killer, a con artist, the antagonist in your next book (if you're a writer)?

Use your imagination and tell me what you see in his facial features that would cause you to lean one way or the other. And tomorrow, you'll find out his true identity...

The (Meandering) Path to Publishing

Since the Book 'Em North Carolina event took place a few weeks ago, I've been asked by several people how to get published and how to be successful at it.

I imagine if you asked any New York Times bestselling author how to get a publisher or agent and make it to the bestseller lists, you won't get a straight answer. It's not that they won't tell you - it's that they can't tell you.

You see, this business is unstructured. In the corporate world, there are often well-laid-out paths to the top. In the military, you know you won't go from Major to General overnight; there is a specific path to follow, even if your specialty varies. But while many of the publishing houses are very structured, authors live outside those walls.

Ask a dozen authors how they achieved success and you'll get a dozen answers.

Some go the traditional route. This is the one I suggest to most writers. Subscribe to Writer's Digest and learn the business. Buy Writer's Market and become a member online. Learn how to write dynamite query letters and synopses. Query agents - the gatekeepers for the biggest publishers. And if you are unsuccessful going the agent route or you want to speed things up, query publishers directly. Often you can get a contract with a small to mid-size publisher, prove your worth (always measured in book sales) and you might become more attractive to The Big Guys.

Pay to play. There are various forms of this method in the industry. Some publishers require the author to pay all overhead expenses and the publishers make their money from the authors themselves. Others share in the expenses, provide the authors larger royalties and make their money along with the author - in sales to the readers. There are variations and the writer needs to weigh the pros and cons. Always check with Predators and Editors to make sure the publisher is legitimate. This is the method I recommend to writers whose books are written for a very small audience, such as a family history that only family members may be interested in.

Hang out your shingle. There are variations in this method as well. You can start your own traditional publishing company with graphic artists, typesetters (in today's market, people who understand publishing software such as PageMaker, Quark and others), editors (never skimp on these!), marketing (the largest overhead item, far exceeding that of printing and production), etc. Or you can simply upload your Word file to one of the eBook formatters online and pronto, you're published. There are dozens if not hundreds of variations of this method, each reflecting the needs of the writer at that particular time.

But if you're writing for commercial success, one factor never changes: it's a numbers game. Whether you find a small, mid-size or major publisher, whether you pay to play or hang out your own shingle and create your own imprint, once that book is published all future publishers and agents are going to ask you the same question: how many copies did you sell? If you're writing for the pleasure or education of your own family or close circle of friends or acquaintances, this won't matter. But for commercial success, it's the only thing that matters.

If you are an author, what path did you take to success?

p.m.terrell is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed author. Her 13th book, Vicki's Key, was released this month. Suspense Magazine says it's "a riveting read" and "p.m.terrell gets better and better with every book she writes." It is available in paperback, on Kindle, Nook and iPad as well as other eFormats. Go to www.pmterrell.com for more information.

Picture Me on Friday

Time to use your creative juices for another Picture Me on Friday!

You are waking up here.

Where are you? And what are your plans for the day ahead?

Picture Me on Friday

It's Picture Me on Friday again and it's time to use your creative juices!

In this picture, you're with the love of your life. Where are you? And what will you be doing that evening (apart from the obvious...)?

What a Character!

We've all experienced it. Long after we've put down a book, a character stays with us. Rhett Butler, Scarlett O'Hara, Blanche DeBois, the Corleones... the name of the book isn't even necessary because the character conjures up the images.

There are very few authors who can simply pick up a pen (or a keyboard) and develop characters on a par with these. For the rest of us, it means exploring the technical part of writing and not simply depending upon the creative process.

What does this mean exactly, when working with character development?

For me, it means a shelf of reference books to help me develop the characters I need. And in turn, many times this research leads to making the plot richer and more complex.

Here are a few of the books I routinely turn to:

Linda Goodman's Sun Signs: Whether you believe in astrology doesn't matter. Simply reading the personality traits and characteristics of various sun signs provides the basis for some very interesting and diverse characters. Consider a roller coaster with 12 riders; each one reacts to the same ride in a completely different manner. This book has helped me break out of a particular mold for any set of characters.

Linda Goodman's Love Signs: This book takes things one step further by detailing the interaction between two characters. It could be used, as the name suggests, to establish two lovers. Or it could be use in an opposite manner to create an antagonistic relationship between an employer and employee, a parent and child, two siblings, a love/hate relationship. The possibilities are endless.

Building Believable Characters I purchased from the Writer's Digest Book Club and the pages are worn from all the use it gets. It has helped me flesh out physical characteristics, from body shapes and sizes to the color of eyes, skin tones, and off-the-beaten trail descriptions.

Careers for Your Characters was also purchased from the Writer's Digest Book Club. It's a great resource for establishing unique employment and what those forms of employment would expect from the character, the types of personalities suited to those jobs, and how different job types would work together - or against one another.

The Writer's Digest Flip Dictionary is a great resource not just for character descriptions but also for finding the right word in a very unique presentation. Far more than a thesaurus or dictionary, this book can broaden your vocabulary and make descriptions rich and detailed.

Those are just a few of my favorites. What are yours?

Vicki's Key, p.m.terrell's 13th book, was released on St Patrick's Day! Buy it on amazon in trade paperback or Kindle. It is also available for the iPad, Nook, and other eReaders.

An Inspiring Blogger Award

I was surprised, enlightened and inspired this morning to find that I had won another blogger award! This one is called The Very Inspiring Blogger Award and was given to me by my author friend Pamela June Kimmell. Thank you, Pam! I will try to be deserving of it!

In keeping with the tradition of The Very Inspiring Blogger Award, I must answer several questions. So I'm hoping to share a little about myself that you perhaps didn't know before. In turn, please share with ME what your answers would be!

I'm Most Creative When...

My Irish muse comes a'callin'.

If I Were a Color, I'd Be...

Yellow. It's the color of sunshine, warmth, cheerfulness and optimism.

I Often Imagine Myself...

Happy.

I Really Wish I Knew How To...

Enjoy exercise!!!

I'd Love to Spend a Lazy Sunday...

On the grounds of an Irish castle.

I'm Most Excited About...

What lies ahead.

My Secret Talent Is...

Connecting people.

Now, what would your answers be?