Writing a Novel – Page 4 – Read First Chapter.com

Writers Research – Bullets Shot Through a Silencer

SHARING WRITERS RESEARCH FROM MY LAST POLICE PROCEDURAL - GUN SILENCER

WHAT IS A GUN SILENCER?

A gun silencer, also known as a suppressor, is a muzzle device that reduces the sound of a gunshot. It does this by slowing down and cooling the expanding gases that are released from the barrel when the gun is fired. Silencers do not completely silence a gunshot, but they can reduce the sound level by 20 to 30 decibels. This can make a significant difference in the loudness of the gunshot, making it much less noticeable to people nearby.

Silencers are legal to own and use in most countries, but there are some restrictions. In the United States, for example, silencers are regulated by the National Firearms Act (NFA). This means that you need to obtain a special permit to own a silencer.

COPS AND DETECTIVES USE BALLISTIC REPORTS

A ballistic report is a record of the characteristics of a bullet, such as its caliber, weight, and velocity. Ballistic reports are used by law enforcement to identify the type of gun that was used in a crime. They can also be used to determine the range from which a shot was fired.

Ballistic reports are created by firing a bullet into a calibrated target. The target is then measured to determine the bullet's caliber, weight, and velocity. The results of these measurements are then recorded in a ballistic report.

TERMINOLOGY USED BY POLICE OFFICERS AND DETECTIVES:

Here are some of the terms that are commonly used in the field of gun silencers and ballistics:

Muzzle blast: The sound and flash that is created when a gun is fired.
Muzzle velocity: The speed of the bullet as it leaves the barrel of the gun.
Suppressor efficiency: The percentage of sound that is reduced by a silencer.
Ballistic coefficient: A measure of the ability of a bullet to resist wind resistance.
Trajectory: The path that a bullet takes through the air.
Effective range: The maximum distance at which a bullet can still be effective.

HOW DOES A SILENCER WORK?

A silencer can leave markings on a bullet. These markings are called "tool marks" and they are caused by the rough interior surface of the silencer rubbing against the bullet as it passes through. The tool marks can be microscopic or macroscopic, depending on the type of silencer and the type of bullet.

The markings left by a silencer can vary depending on the type of silencer and the type of bullet.

The markings can be faint or difficult to see, so it is important for ballistics experts to have experience in examining silencer-fired bullets.

The markings left by a silencer are not always unique, so it is possible for two different silencers to leave the same markings.

Overall, the markings left by a silencer can be a valuable tool for ballistics experts. However, it is important to remember that these markings are not always conclusive and that other factors, such as the condition of the gun and the bullet, can also affect the markings.

HOW DO BALLISTICS EXPERTS AND REPORTS WORK?

Ballistics experts can use these tool marks to identify the silencer that was used in a shooting. They can also use the tool marks to determine the distance from which the shot was fired.

In addition to tool marks, silencers can also leave other markings on bullets. These markings can include:

Rifling marks: If the bullet was fired from a rifled gun, the silencer can leave rifling marks on the bullet. These marks are caused by the grooves in the barrel of the gun.
Gas pitting: The gas that escapes from the silencer can pit the surface of the bullet. This pitting can be seen under a microscope.
Lead fouling: The lead from the bullet can foul the interior of the silencer. This fouling can also be seen under a microscope.
Ballistics experts can use all of this information to determine if a bullet was fired through a silencer and, if so, what type of silencer was used. This information can be very helpful in solving crimes.
Here are some additional things to keep in mind:

Writers Research – Throw-away or Burner Phones

I am in the process of writing the fourth book in the Jack Nolan Detective Series. I had to do some research about cell phone and how the cops trace cellphones, but this is some other research about disposable phones. These are referred to by criminals and cops as burner phones.

They are purchased in a box at Walmart or Walgreens, places like this. Normal people use them to protect their identifies. For example, if you are having a garage sale and you don't want to use your regular phone number, you can purchase a throw away phone for $15 to $45 dollars and it will protect your real phone number from getting out there.

Husbands and wives who cheat also use burner phones that they hide from their spouses. They don't have to worry about getting caught texting to their lovers.

Drug traffickers also use burner phones. They use them so they can't be traced by the cops. BUT, as you will read below, they are not foolproof. As a matter of fact, they are kind of easy to trace. If you watched the show, Better Call Saul, his system of selling the phones would work for the drug lords. It worked because Sol bought the phones in bulk in his name. He sold them to individuals for cash. So nothing would ever trace the phones to the people who bought them.

Knowing this is helpful to know what will work in a plotline and what won't work. Below is also more info about how the police can track most phones that are purchased by the person using them at a big box store.

Can Police Detectives find people who use burner phones?

Yes, the cops can find the identities of the people who were contacted using the burner phone if they have the right tools and resources. Burner phones are designed to be disposable and difficult to track, but they are not foolproof.

Here are some ways that the cops can find the identities of the people who were contacted using a burner phone:

Tracing the other party: The cops can get the burner phone number by seeing it on someone else's phone, like a girlfriend or boss, etc. Once they have the burner phone number, they can get the following:
Cellular data: The burner phone will likely have a SIM card that can be traced back to the person who purchased it. The cops can also get a warrant to compel the cellular carrier to provide them with records of the calls and texts that were made and received on the phone.
GPS data: If the burner phone has GPS capabilities, the cops can use that data to track the phone's movements. This can help them to identify the people who were in contact with the phone at certain times and locations.
Social media: If the person who used the burner phone has any social media accounts, the cops can try to track them down through those accounts. They can also look for photos or videos that were taken with the phone and see if they can identify the people in the photos or videos.
Physical evidence: If the cops find the burner phone, they may be able to find physical evidence that can help them to identify the people who used it. For example, they may be able to find fingerprints or DNA on the phone.

Here are some strategies that criminals use to avoid being tracked by the cops if they use a burner phone:

They only use burner phone for short periods of time: The less time they use the burner phone, the less data the cops will have to track them. So plotlines may take this into account.
They, of course, dispose of the phone once the crime has been committed.
Most non-criminals who use burners phones use it to protect their identity for a specific reason, i.e., maybe selling a car online, having a garage sale, etc. Their use of burner phones are legal and the cops would have no way of knowing they used the phones.
However, if criminals use the disposable phones for criminal reasons, that's when the cops will be more likely to track them down.
Be careful about what you say and do on the burner phone, even if you are just selling things online. The cops can use anything you say or do on the phone as evidence against you.
It is also important to remember that burner phones are not foolproof. If the cops are determined to track you down, they will eventually be able to do so.

Peek Behind the Novel – Level 5

WHERE WE LEFT OFF:

The last Peek Behind the Novel video may have been a tips video. So I'll just jog everyone's memory here. In Layer 4, that is the 'down-and-dirty' first draft. That's where, using my scene outlines, I write the scenes. I just keep going. I don't check anything.

WHAT WAS UNIQUE ABOUT THIS NOVEL:

Although I follow a detailed outline of the story before I even start writing, each novel presents its own issues and/or problems. In this novel, I had several timelines I had to keep straight.

There is a crime timeline. Then there is the story timeline, where all the clues are dropped into the story. The characters had a night-out and that had its own timeline. Plus the subplot has a timeline.

Because I had to concentrate on keeping all of these timelines straight, I only sketched in the subplot. That means that in Layer 5, I will also be writing my subplot into the story. I can concentrate on the timeline for the subplot by itself.

However, I did leave guideposts in Scrivener for myself to make laying in the subplot easier for myself. As shown above, I write in a guidepost where I have free time for a scene from the subplot. I also highlight it so it's easier to find. Without these guideposts, I would have to pick through the whole novel looking for places to fit in the subplot scenes.

Another guidepost I left for myself is to highlight a timing that is involved in the subplot. By keeping this highlighted, it's a constant reminder that this timing may have to change as I write the entire subplot. This too prevents me from having to search and find or nitpick through the entire novel.

WHAT I DO IN WRITING LAYER 5:

Normally, Layer 5 is where I write in all of the descriptions; descriptions of the characters and the locations. I fix any glaring errors that pop out at me, but I make sure I don't get lost in any type of real proofreading.

The second thing I do in Layer 5 is to fill out the Synopsis section. This section is in the upper right-hand side of the Scrivener platform.

I use only a few words to indicate what happened in this scene, especially what clues have been dropped. I don't use anything longer than a short sentence. The purpose for this is so that once I am finished writing Level 5, I can look at the entire story in Outline View. I have a snapshot of the Outline View below.

Once I have all of the scenes in and I have the synopsis filled out, I can view the novel from a bird's eye view again. This will let me know where the book is "sagging" or where I don't have enough going on.

I can see the weight of the story in this viewport. I can see the interactions of all of the characters.

LAYING IN THE ENTIRE SUBPLOT:

Now, because I had to kind of abandon the full subplot in Layer 4, I will be finishing the subplot while I'm doing the descriptions and the synopsis box. Once I'm done with this layer, then I'll be back to discuss what happens in Layer 6!

Benefits of Writing Fiction in Layers:

1. Manage creative energy.
2. Keep the entire novel project manageable
3. Writing in layers leads to several layers of accomplishment
4. A story written in layers is a richer and deeper story.

Tips on Writing in Layers:

1. Name each layer and know your specific mission. This leads to a
feeling of completion and also a feeling of accomplishment several times during the entire project.
2. Learn the difference between creative energy and drudgery energy.
3. By breaking the writing process down into layers, it is less taxing on your memory.

YOU CAN SEE A VIDEO OF THIS MATERIAL BELOW:

Eight Tips to Keep on Track During the First Draft of a Novel Manuscript

ONE: Turn Off Smart Quotes and Sentence Case Correction.

Turn these Scrivener features off, especially if you plan to move your finished novel draft into Microsoft Word for final formatting. Because I self-publish and I need to upload in ePub and PDF manuscript, I use Word for a final proofread and formatting. I find Word is the best choice for me. The smart quotes do not translate well between Scrivener and Word. If you turn off the smart quotes, Scrivener will replace them with straight quotes and these translate better.

There is really no upside to using smart quotes in a novel. This is not a feature that will prevent you from leaving out a quote. It's really useless for an author, so its best to shut this feature off.

The sentence case correction will not allow you to add a lower case letter after a period. This doesn't seem like it would be a problem, but at least once during a first or follow-up draft there's a time when this auto correct starts wrestling with me when I'm trying to do something. So I shut it off now at the beginning.

If you search "auto correct" in the Scrivener help bar, you will be able to open up this feature and uncheck these two items. You'll thank me for it later.

Also, there is a whole layer of proofreading that I'll be making a blog post about in my Peek Behind the Novel series where I will show you how I use the find feature to check on every single quote mark. I've always had at least one or two that almost got away! So the smart quotes are nothing but a nuisance.

TWO: JUST KEEP WRITING - DON'T LOOK BACK:

I'm writing my fourth novel in the Jack Nolan Detective Series. The book is still unnamed. This is Level 4 in my Eight Levels of Writing a Novel series. This first draft is down and dirty. It is the hardest lift of the entire project. At least for me, the first draft is the hardest. The characters all seem like stick figures. I find them unlikeable -- even if I liked them in the last book! Any humor doesn't seem to work. Everything just seems awkward. I have to literally force myself to keep typing. So this tip is to just keep writing. Don't check on any spellings or grammar. Don't even look back. Just keep going until you have the crime down, the main plotline down and the subplots at least in place. That will complete the first down-and-dirty draft. Every other layer will be easy compared to this one.

THREE: YOU CAN DO RESEARCH NOW ON THE FLY

With bard.google.com, now it's possible to do research on the fly when writing fiction. Simply open a browser window, type in bard.google.com and start asking it questions.

Unlike ChatGPT, Bard is a Google AI product supposedly still in beta form, but it works like a charm. Unlike ChatGPT, it can research using the internet. ChatGPT is limited by time; the cutoff for ChatGPT the last time I checked was sometime in September of 2021 I believe. The cut off of what it can access is now way over a year ago. So I find that Bard is a better option for book research so you can get the latest.

FOUR: USE THE SCRIVENER HIGHLIGHTER AS A REMINDER:

Scrivener allows you to highlight text in any color you want. I use this highlighter in the Level 4 Draft to make a mental note to myself to check on things. For example: If I say that someone is coming home from a hospital in four days, I highlight this. This makes sure that this lines up with the plotline, or the crime line, or the subplot lines.

As an author, I will often tweak the script, especially as I'm writing. It's too easy to forget this early reference to five days. By highlighting it, it's a reminder that this timing needs to line up with something later on in the story. I find this highlighter a great author tool.

FIVE: LEAVE THE POV | TIME | LOCATION HEADERS IN THE DRAFT:

Like I mentioned earlier, I'm in the first draft of my novel and each scene begins with the same Scene Template as seen to the left.

I leave the POV, which stands for Point of View at the top of each scene during the first draft. I don't choose the POV before I write the scene. I write the scene and see which character claims the scene. Then I assign that one character to the scene.

POINT OF VIEW: By keeping the POV at the top of the scene, it's a reminder to me to make sure the entire scene is in this one point of view. I admit that I allow myself one small head jump at the end of a scene. I'm a self-published author, so I can indulge myself and get away with this. I believe a reader can handle one head jump at the end of a scene for the purpose of informing them of what the other character thinks at one time. I don't believe one head jump creates that big of a problem.

TIME AND LOCATION: By leaving the Time and Location information at the top of each scene, it is a reminder to make sure I describe the scene and whoever else may need a description in that scene. In Layer 5 of my writing system, I go through all the scenes and add descriptions of the locations and people. So this information makes that level of writing easier.

SIX: KEEPING TRACK OF MULTIPLE TIMELINES:

I write Christian mystery romance, private investigator mysteries and police procedurals. By leaving the timings in the header to each scene, it allows me to keep track of the story timeline. I am always keeping track of multiple timelines in each novel. I have the crime timeline. Then there is the timeline of the investigation and the dropping of the clues. And the subplots also have a timeline as each book has at least a small character arc. This is because I write in series and the characters have one small character arc in each novel.

So that's a minimum of three timelines that I need to track. So keeping these timelines at the top of the scenes as I go from layer to layer of writing, it makes it easier to make sure things are lining up on each timeline.

I keep these headers inside the manuscript draft until I'm ready to put the book into chapters.

SEVEN: ADDING ADDITIONAL SCENES WHEN WRITING THE FIRST DRAFT:

There comes a time or two when I will decide to add a short scene or two. It may just be to have a change in the point of view or to get the characters to a different location. Whatever, it is, I use three asterisks between these two separate scenes. I also start the second scene with my normal Scene Template.

This allows me to know this is a separate scene and it will have a point of view. It also alerts me that I will need to insert a scene ending which I won't do until I bring the manuscript into Microsoft Word.

EIGHT: USE SCRIVENER SYNOPSIS SECTION TO KEEP TRACK OF CLUES DROPPED:

When writing the first draft, I use the Scrivener Synopsis section in the Inspector Pane to list the clues I have dropped in that scene. Once I've finished the first draft, I can open the project in Outline View and this will give me a bird's eye view and chronology of the clues that have been dropped.

Personally, I often also add background information that I dropped in the scene. I do this only because I have a tendency to forget whether I dropped that background information in the present novel or if my memory of dropping it is from the last novel I wrote!

This alone is a major reason why I love writing drafts in Scrivener.

CONCLUSION:

So these are the tips I would pass on about writing this first draft of a novel. Knowing that it's the hardest allows me to know that once I make it through this first draft, all subsequent layers of writing will be easy peasy compared to this one.

All I need to do is to blurt out the entire story in the first draft. All corrections, additions, deletes and polish will come in later layers.

The Top 10 Obstacles to Finishing a Novel

PEEK BEHIND THE NOVEL

I'm in the weeds!

I am knee-deep in Level 4 of writing the next book in the Jack Nolan Detective Series. I thought this would be a good time for me to take a break and reflect on what happens when I'm 'in the weeds' writing a novel.

Even though all writers have a different writing routine, I would venture a guess that most of us feel some of the same fears and face some of the same obstacles.

STARTING A NOVEL IS EASY:

When you first sit down to write a novel, everyone is filled with enthusiasm and creative energy. It's exciting. It's new. But as the manuscript begins to grow, before it feels finished -- or even ready to be polished, it feels cumbersome, heavy, and overwhelming. At least for me it does.

FEAR OF FAILURE:

Even though the story and plotline felt great at the beginning, there comes a point where a fear of failure sets in. Am I going to be able to finish this? Does this plotline even make sense? What happens if this storyline is not that great? Maybe this mystery isn't enough. Maybe the dots are not going to all connect.

It's possible to get paralyzed by a fear of failure at any point during the writing of a novel. It's not a one-and-done operation. No one sits down, starts writing, finishes writing and ta-da, there's a book. Writing a novel doesn't work that way. It's a long process. It's a multi-layer process.

When these fears pop up, and they will, it's important to remember that many writers feel these doubts and fears. It's important to remember that everyone of us fails at something at some point in our lives. The good news is any novel can be redone, re-written, revamped, added to, or massaged in any number to go from mediocre to great. It's a work of art in progress until it's handed over to the publisher. Knowing this is empowering.

WRITERS BLOCK:

Writers block is another common problem among authors. This often sets in after that initial period of excitement about the novel wears off. At some point the writing of the novel shifts into a project requiring some heavy lifting. There's always a phase or two where the author has to tough it out. We have to keep at it.

It's important to know ahead of time that writer's block may set in at any time while you're writing. I find that deciding to just sit down and go over what I've written 'to get my place' or to 'get into the flow of it' is enough to get over any writer's block. Just by sitting down and starting to read through it, the project recaptures me. Even on days I feel I have nothing in me, I can suddenly be pulled into writing before I even know it's happening. If you can commit to look at your project for fifteen minutes, this can be enough to recapture your enthusiasm.

LACK OF TIME:

Many wannabe authors have busy lives and don't have a lot of time to devote to writing. There are certain years -- especially in a parents' lives --where raising kids is more than a full-time job. But where there is a will, there is a way.

There are ways to steal away an hour or two in any given day. It does, however, always require some level of planning. Don't be afraid to plan writing time into your day and give it a higher priority than 'the back burner'. Even if you are a parent or a caretaker, pursuing your own dreams is important. It keeps you engaged in life. It makes you a better parent. It can even make you a better day worker. Think of your writing as your own personal mission in life.

PERFECTIONISM:

Perfectionism can be another stumbling block for authors. Everyone wants to write a masterpiece. But at some point, you need to also know that nothing in life is perfect. Don't let your ideas of perfect get all wired into your ideas of excellence. They are two different things.. If you looked close enough, you could find a few imperfect brush strokes in the Mona Lisa. If you read Harry Potter enough times, you may catch a plot hole or two. It's important to know the difference between excellence and perfection. One is doable and one is not doable by human beings.

FEAR OF REJECTION:

Will my readers like the book? Will the book be good enough to get a literary agent? What happens if my book gets bad reviews? There are any number of fears of rejection that can cause us to stop writing. Decide ahead of time you won't allow these fears to stop you. Like I said earlier, think of your writing as a mission God has given you. This is your life's work, along with your other worldly responsibilities. Your writing could be an opportunity to pass on things you have come to learn in your life. That's a purpose. Or maybe writing is a way for you to share the gift of storytelling that you know you were born with. That's a God-given purpose. Whatever the reason, it's important to not allow fear of rejection to get in the way.

SELF-DOUBT:

Self-doubt is a tool of the devil. It's easy for any human to start thinking they aren't perfect, so maybe they aren't good enough to pull off writing a novel. And the reason I call it a tool of the devil is because it can start with just a tiny little insignificant thought of self-doubt. But it can snowball and get bigger and bigger and bigger.

During these times when I feel self-doubt, I think of my writing as therapeutic for myself. It's something I'm doing for me, not for anyone else. Any fear of rejection that occurs, thinking I'm doing it for myself, it takes away any sting self-doubt may have. It removes any power it has over me. It turns the tables on this.

DISTRACTIONS:

Distractions are one of the biggest obstacles to completing a novel. One reason is because life does serve up constant small and big emergencies that have to take first priorities in our lives. So an emergency distraction can throw a whole well-planned writing schedule up into the air in a heartbeat.

One of the weapons against distractions is get clear on what a real emergency is verses a situation that can take its place in your daily routine. You don't always have to sacrifice your writing time just because someone else doesn't have to wait or suffer a small inconvenience. Always ask yourself whether you have the right to protect your free time or whether you are dealing with a true emergency, a situation that requires you to replan in that moment.

Parents with kids can fall into a trap of giving up all their free time based on a constant stream of kid demands. Giving in to every child whim is not the definition of a good parent. Protecting your free time and expecting your child to work within your schedule is not bad parenting. It's the sign of someone who is good at balancing their lives.

I learned a long time ago that I have to protect my free time as there are armies of people in the world who would harness me as a free resource in their lives. They would demand and expect that I do all the things they don't want to do if I allowed it. We're responsible to set our own boundaries with people, and that includes kids.

RESEARCH:

Most novels require at least some research. The internet can be a blessing with research but it can also be a curse. It's a blessing because the days of having to travel to a public library are over. It can be a curse because the research can suck you in and you can use up all your valuable writing time doing too much research.

The tip I would pass on to any new writer would be to not do the research until you have already laid down your plotline. This will avoid research for things that wind up on the editing floor, so to speak. Subjects or issues you you think may come up in the story may get cut as you firm up a plotline to fit within the space of a novel. There's nothing more frustrating than looking back and seeing hours and hours of wasted research time.

Too much research can also lead to another problem and that is 'information dumping'. That means that many authors can't resist the opportunity to write into the story things they learned from their research that are not really relevant to the plotline. This may be fascinating to us as authors but it's boring to readers if it doesn't move the story line along.

EDITING THE BOOK TO DEATH:

Another trap to finishing a novel is to get caught up in a never-ending edit of the book. This usually hooks in with perfectionism problem in some way.

I break up my editing into stages so that each time I go through the book, I focus on only one thing. For example: The first edit is to check to make sure I have put my descriptions of locations and people in. The second time I go through it, I look at sentence structure and make sure the chapters flow without any time gaps. The third time I pass through, I look for verb tenses. The next level is looking for the words I like to use too much like okay and just.

By having a solo focus, it prevents you as the author from getting caught in changing everything all at once. This prevents you from being able to focus on anything.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAP OF FINISHING THE NOVEL:

Once you complete a novel, there is a little sadness that sets in. This book is no longer your baby. It's no longer your little pet project. Once you hand it off to an editor, it becomes a shared work, so to speak.

Very often, authors who have abandonment issues or fears of depression, they don't like to end anything and that includes writing a book. When I hear people saying they took seven or ten years to finish a book, I'm astounded at what could have taken them so long. They kept the book as their little baby for an entire childhood.

My Peek Behind the Novel series is about writing in layers. I feel that writing in layers is a way filled with techniques that keep me writing, keep me on track, keep me on schedule, and allow me to complete the novel, no matter how much research it requires.

These are just a few of the obstacles that we, as writers, face when undertaking the writing and completion of a novel. If your goal is to write a novel, don't give up on your dream. Keep writing, keep pushing yourself, and eventually you will complete your novel.

Creating a Book Cover – The Technical Stuff

WHERE WE LEFT OFF:

In my last blog post, I went over how to find the right genre for your ebook. I also suggested you choose one or two book cover 'templates' from the ebooks you see during this journey. That's our starting point for this blog post. Now that you know where you want to go, it's time to learn about the technicalities: the sizes, resolutions, etc. It's all here on one page.

CHECK OUT SOME FONTS TOO:

You may want to explore some fonts as well. Three popular free font websites are: fonts.google.com, dafont.com and even fontspace.com

If you are planning to work with a designer, it is best if you are in control of most things about your cover. Not knowing what font the designer will use could be a problem if you want to change the font down the road or add a second book to a series. Unfortunately, I'm speaking from experience. So be sure to choose everything about your book cover even if you will be working with a designer.

WILL YOU NEED A COLOR SCHEME?

Often the ultimate colors of your cover will come from the pictures you choose. But there are techniques to wash a scene in a very subtle color in order to cast a certain mood into an image. You may want to take a look at a website or two where you can find some great colors. Here are two:

This site is for complimentary colors
This one is for a color picker.

THE eBOOK COVER TECHNICAL STUFF:

IMAGE SIZE: The best and recommended size for the ebook cover is 2560px by 1600px. This number comes from KDP itself. This is the size for the eBook cover.

RESOLUTION SIZE: Create the cover using 300dpi, which is high resolution. Don't compress the size, as Amazon compresses the sizes a bit itself.

COLOR PROFILE: RGB - If you don't know what this is, don't worry about it. It just means we will be using RGB which is the color for the web as opposed to CMYK which is color for printers.

RULE FOR WHITE COVERS: If your cover will have a white background, you will need to add a narrow 3 to 4 pixel border in a medium gray to define the background.

THE TECHNICAL INFO ON PAPERBACK COVERS:

The more versions of your book offered, the more Amazon will want to offer them for sale. So having an eBook and a Paperback is a minimum. Many authors are offering audio versions of their books and now hardcovers now too.

The paperback template is based upon how many pages your book will be when finished. The size of the cover will depend upon what size paperback you choose to produce as well. You can find the calculator below at this link.

Once you click through to the paperback template calculator shown to the left, fill in the following information based upon your own choices. Once you put in your particular page count, click on Calculate Dimensions.

At that point, it will throw up a template with measurements. Unless you are an actual graphic designer, the dimensions will mean nothing to you. You will work from the template.

Download the template and save it onto your desktop -- or somewhere else you will be able to find it later. If it downloads into a zip file, right click on the folder and choose "Extract all". It will allow you to extract the files and save them into a folder that will default to the same name.

Binding Type: Hardcover or Paperback
Interior Type: Black and White or Standard
Paper type: White or Cream
Page Turn Direction: Left to right
Measurement Units: Inches
Choose a size: (I use 5.06 x 7.81) - You can see what dimensions the other authors in your main category use. I would go with the crowd on this choice.
Fill in the page number and click "Calculate dimensions".

It will throw up a template like the one below:

Click on the button that says 'Download Template".

WHAT DO I DO WITH THE TEMPLATE?

If you plan to have a graphic designer create the cover for you, then pass on the png file to them. Tell them you want the artwork produced in 300dpi and you want it delivered in a png file -- not a pdf. Be firm about this. Tell them you won't pay for a PDF. A PDF is useless if you decide you want to tweak the artwork. If you can get them to give it to you in a xcf file (gimp) or a psd file (photoshop), even better. That is the best of all worlds. Not all artists will agree to that, but give it a try.

If you plan to design your own book cover, you can right click on the png file and select 'open with' and then select the Gimp program. I'll pick up in my next blog post with creating only the eBook cover in Gimp. We'll start there.

SHORTCUT TO CREATING THE PAPERBACK COVER:

When you create the eBook front cover, you can design the back cover at the same time. I suggest this because when your manuscript goes out to the editor, there will be about a month of 'free time' and if you want to get a jump on getting your back cover done, this is a good time but it is before you will know the exact page count.

Then once you have your page count, the only thing that will really change is the spine of the book. As long as you are using a one color background or a unifying blend of colors, you can easily create a spine to unify the front and back covers and it will fit perfectly into the template.

This is also a good way to keep your spines consistent. I wish I had known this when I first started out!

Keeping track of your book files as you move towards publication

ONE DRAFT MANUSCRIPT DOCUMENT IS EASY!

When writing your book, especially if you are writing in a management system like Scrivener, it's easy enough to keep track of your manuscript.

However, once you compile the manuscript and pass it onto a beta reader, or an advance copy reader, or even an editor, suddenly, there are now 'multiple copies' of the same manuscript.

PRE-MARKETING DOCUMENTS AND GRAPHICS:

Then once your manuscript leaves, you should shift over into marketing mode. You will start creating graphics to use in marketing your book, or you will be working on the ebook cover or even the paperback cover.

You'll have original royalty free pictures, and then you'll have various copies of those oncoe you remove a background or two -- you get the picture.

Pretty soon, you have 25 files, some graphics, some blurb files, etc.

Below is a list of the documents you may accumulate just starting after you pass your manuscript on:

royalty free graphics (for cover)
templates from kdp (for cover)
descriptions (written by you)
blurbs for different websites (written by you)
graphics or documents by Fiverr
newsletter graphics
ebook sale graphics
ebook release notices
ebook promotions at bookfunnel

This is just a sampling of how many documents you will begin to accumulate.

The only document that is precious and that needs to be tracked like a hawk is your "present final manuscript".

WHAT IS A PRESENT FINAL MANUSCRIPT?

A present final manuscript is just that. It's the last true final manuscript as of today. You will make changes after you hear back from advance readers and you may make other changes after you hear back from your editor.

My biggest tip is to use a date on final manuscripts. So if you are fearful of throwing out previous final manuscripts -- as most writers are -- you can be sure that a new final with a later date is a more recent final.

GIVE THE FINAL MANUSCRIPT ITS OWN FOLDER

I also put the actual final manuscript that I upload to KDP in it's own folder called FINAL MANUSCRIPT UPLOADED TO KDP. Then I also date the final manuscript inside that folder.

This is an added safeguard so you don't wind up making new changes to an already older manuscript. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience unfortunately.

USE A CONSISTENT FILE NAMING CONVENTION:

I'll share below my naming conventions with a few explanations below:

Most of the above files are self-explanatory with the exception of two or three. The reference to Bookfunnel and SiteOrigin are two websites that I use as a self-published author to market my books. I give away free copies of my new book the six to 8 weeks before publication. I often have a giveaway in them for taking the time to fill out a questionnaire about how they enjoyed it. So that's a different "final manuscript".

The other file that may need some explanation is "TOBEDeleted". I am paranoid about deleting anything before publication. So the old final manuscripts or anything else that I know I don't want or need, I put into the TOBEDeleted file. Once my book is safely published, I then delete everything at that time.

10 Best Tips on Writing a Good First Draft

When I wrote my first novel, I worried about grammar, spelling, sentence structure in the first draft. I didn't even know what a draft was. I sat down and started writing 'a manuscript'.

I kept looking back and trying to fix things as I wrote. Big mistake! I learned the long and hard way that first drafts are their own animal. They are really more about getting the story down on paper.

Now that I'm writing my 12th novel, I offer some tips for other beginners:

Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Your first draft is not supposed to be perfect. It's only a rough draft. You're only 'blurting out the story' on paper. Spelling, grammar, punctuation or sentence structure don't count yet.
Just keep writing. Don't stop to edit or revise in the first draft. It's a complete waste of time. You will make changes all throughout the draft, so polishing up writing that may be tossed is fruitless. You can fix the draft after you know you have the story down on paper.
Don't worry about deepening the plot or the depth of your characters. Just focus on getting your story down on paper. You can massage the plot in second drafts and add to your characters on your second go-round.
Write in a way that feels comfortable for you. Some people like to outline their stories before they start writing. Others like to just sit down and start writing without any planning. Find what works best for you and go with it.
Set aside some time each day to write. Even if it's just for 30 minutes, make sure you set aside some time each day to write. This will help you to stay on track and to make progress on your story.
Leave Notes to Yourself. Make notes to yourself wherever you stop writing in a session that will help you 'find your place' the next time you sit down. Write down what you're thinking and where your mind is at during this last writing session.
Find a quiet place to write. Unless you are one of these lucky people who can shut out all noise and action around you, you will need to find a place where you won't be interrupted so that you can focus on your writing.
Take breaks. Don't try to write for hours on end. Take breaks every 20-30 minutes to get up and move around, or to do something else that will help you to clear your head. It's even good to do some stretching exercises as sitting for long stretches can make us stiff!
Don't get discouraged. If your story is a good one, there is no such thing as a bad draft. You're not the writer during the first draft. You are still the story crafter. So don't get discouraged if nothing seems like a novel. Like I said earlier, you are just blurting out the story, recording it in broad strokes onto paper. As you begin to work with the first draft, that's when it will come to life and shape up.
Have fun! Writing should be enjoyable. If you're not having fun, it will show in your writing. So relax, have fun, and let your creativity flow.

I hope these tips help you to write a great first draft!

CHECK OUT MY PEEK BEHIND THE NOVEL VIDEO SERIES

5 Best Tips on Writing Subplots

FIRST THINGS FIRST:

First there's the mystery outline of a novel. It's important to know where the mystery begins, the names of all suspects, everyone's motivation for murder or kidnapping, theft, etc. But once you have your crime and mystery outline, what then?

Then it's time to turn to the subplots. Below are the five best tips to come up with subplots that fit the story.

Make sure your subplots support the main plot.

The subplots should not detract from the main plot, but should instead enhance it. They should add depth and complexity to the story, and they should help to drive the main plot forward. In a mystery, it's easy to mirror a main character's personality trait in a witness and create some inner dialogue. This ties it in nicely.

Give your subplots a narrative arc.

Each main character should have their own arc, even if it's a short arc for this one book in a series. There should be an arc of growth for the main characters. But just like the main plot, your subplots should have a beginning, middle, and end. They should have a clear goal or objective, and they should build to a satisfying resolution.

Write character-driven subplots.

The best subplots are those that are driven by the characters and the drama from their personal lives. The characters should have their own goals and motivations, and they should be actively working to achieve those goals throughout all four segments of the story. Even in a series, there should be a distinct growth on some level from the beginning of the novel to the end.

Try a new POV.

If you're writing a first-person novel, try using a different POV for your subplots. This can help to add variety to your story and to give readers a different perspective on the events. This is not a technique that I would suggest to beginner novelists, but for authors who are more seasoned, yes, this is a way to shake things up a bit.

Figure out how to connect the subplot and the main plot.

The subplots should be connected to the main plot in some way. This could be through a character, or a job, a family connection or a neighborhood. The connection should be clear to the reader, and it should help to make the story more cohesive, more realistic.

Ramp up the tension with a subplot.

Subplots can be used to ramp up the tension in your story. It's a great way to add a little more pressure onto your main character or characters! Not only do they have to catch the bad guy, but their landlord is threatening them, or their wife is threatening to leave them, etc. If the main mystery plot is getting a little slow as you drip in clues, you can spice up the subplot that will add some excitement and suspense.

Use subplots to explore themes.

Subplots can be used to explore themes in your story. For example, if your main character has a goal of having her own family, you could have a subplot about how the character is struggling to find their place in their family or with their in-laws.

Keep your subplots short and sweet.

Subplots need to be interesting, yes, but it's easy to go overboard with them too. So the arc needs to be short but concise. They should be short and sweet, so to speak. They should be short enough to keep the reader's interest, but not so short that they feel underdeveloped.

Don't be afraid to kill off characters in subplots.

And the last tip, and this is mostly to beginners, don't be afraid to kill off characters in subplots. This can add a sense of realism to your story, and it can also help to raise the stakes for the main characters. It can also be a shocking event that heightens the tension or adds a twist in the plot.

CHECK OUT MY PEEK BEHIND THE NOVEL VIDEO SERIES

WRITERS DIARY – Writing a Novel – First Draft Doubts

THERE ARE ALWAYS FIRST DRAFT DOUBTS:

I'm assuming all writers have doubts as they are writing the first draft. I know I do. Something happens between the feeling of knowing I have a good plotline and writing out the first draft.

After analyzing it for a while, I believe what happens is that I cannot 'envision' the whole story coming together as I am just blurting out the first half of the first draft.

When writing a first draft, I'm in the nitty gritty now. It's no longer 'thinking about the plotline'. I'm now committing it to paper. A feeling of insecurity arises as I realize that I'm halfway through my scenes and I don't get a feeling of any suspense or mystery. It has absolutely no personality yet. It's dry. The characters are a bit like sticks yet.

THIS IS WHY I START WITH FOUR DIFFERENT PLOTLINES:

Battling against these doubts is one reason I started working on four separate plotlines before choosing the best one. This way, I know I picked the best of four before I even started.

Then I remind myself that a first draft has no details. I'm really more or less linking the scenes where the biggest clues are dropped to one another. In the book I'm writing now, I'm even skipping over most of the subplots until I can get a read on how much "space" I'll have to write them.

What does that mean? It means that as a newer author, I can't go over 80,000 to 100,000 words. So I try to create a first draft with about 45,000 to 60,000. This way, I have room to beef up my subplots, add the descriptions and any theme commentary, etc.

THE DOUBTS ARE MORE ABOUT LACK OF VISION:

The doubts seem to be a combination of an inability to see the final novel and being halfway through the first layer of a first draft. It's hard not to feel that this story is not "good enough". It's not good enough. It's not meant to be good enough. A good enough story needs 8 or 9 layers of writing.

JUST KEEP WRITING:

So the antidote to self-doubt is to keep writing. Trust your plotline. Know too that you can always add clues, rearrange some scenes, add a bit more intrigue into your subplots. Eight layers of writing leaves a lot of room for beefing up a story, deepening a story and polishing a story.

REMIND MYSELF THAT THIS IS ONLY LAYER 3 OF A 7 TO 8 LAYER PROCESS:

I also remind myself that a first draft just has to be gotten through. It's the hardest layer to write because you are writing on faith alone really. You are trusting yourself as a storyteller.