Writing a Novel – Page 5 – Read First Chapter.com

Category: Writing a Novel

Mystery Suspense Writing Template – Birds Eye View

🕊️  BIRDS EYE STRUCTURE CHECKLIST FOR A MYSTERY NOVEL  🕊️

FOUR ACT NOVEL STRUCTURE - PART 1

THE HOOK

How can you immediately hook the reader’s interest?

 INTRODUCTION

Introduction of the Main Character (MC)

 INCITING INCIDENT

What happens to draw a reluctant MC into the story or plot?

FOUR ACT NOVEL STRUCTURE - PART 2

THE PLOT THICKENS

What happens early in part two that deepens the plot?

 HOW DOES THE MC CHANGE?

What happens in the story that begins to change the MC?

 MIDPOINT OF STORY

What Twist or Surprise will take place by the middle of the story?

FOUR ACT NOVEL STRUCTURE - PART 3

SURPRISES REVEALED Surprising Clues or Revelations of hidden truths or lies.  This reveals ¾ of the truth of the plot. FULL TRUTH REVEAL

What is the final clue that reveals the entire truth?  How does this new info change the plotline or turn it in another direction?

 POSITIONING FOR THE CLIMAX

What is the final setup needed for the climax or big reveal to occur?

FOUR ACT NOVEL STRUCTURE - PART 4

CLIMAX SCENE

Full Truth or Revelation made.  What emotions need to be displayed?

 QUICK REVIEW

Review of the plot quickly and indicate how the MC solved the mystery

 THE NEW NORMAL

How is the MC different going forward?  What does the new normal look like?


THE STORY ELEMENTS:

THE HOOK:  What can happen on the first page or two that will draw the reader immediately into the story?  What questions will arise to make the reader want to keep reading to find out?

MAIN CHARACTER:  The readers want to know who the story is about as well as who is telling the story.  What will make the MC compelling enough that the readers will want to know more about them and keep reading?

INCITING INCIDENT:  How or Why does the reluctant MC get involved in the story/journey?  What clues can you introduce early on regarding why the MC chooses to get involved?  (The clues in the beginning are aiming at a red herring or a first dead-end.    Remember, early on, you are holding back a lot of truth about where you and the reader are actually going.  😜

THE PLOT THICKENS:  How does the plot deepen in part two?  What background information, clues, facts or lies are dropped to relay the story and add to the suspense or mystery of the story pathway going forward?

MAIN CHARACTER ARC:  Think ahead of time where the MC will begin in his/her character arc.  Then think of ways to show the full arc and how you will add these changes into the plot.  How will this play out in action?  How does he or she change as the result of what is going on in the plot?  How will lies or surprises or shocks affect your MC?

FIRST TWIST OR SURPRISE:  What surprise, turn or twist can take place at the end of part 2? This is where your story will proceed to the second arm of the cactus.  How will this surprise change the pathway of the novel’s journey?  What shifts with this turn?

SURPRISES REVEALED:  What surprise will be revealed in this section?  How will this change the direction of the plotline?  What change or changes can happen in this section to set up the ultimate revelation of the plotline?  In mystery suspense novels, only ¾ of the truth of the plot is revealed in the beginning of Part 3.  You’re still in the second arm of the cactus.

FINAL TRUTH REVEALED:  In mystery suspense, it’s good to have a final revelation or clue drop to give a final twist to the plotline.  This will bring you and the reader onto the main plotline that will lead to the climax and the truth.  What can this be?

POSITIONING FOR THE CLIMAX:  Position the characters and make all revelations by the end of Part 3.  The Climax should be set up by this time.

CLIMAX SCENE:  How will the climax play out?  What action will there be?  What emotions will take place?  How will the location of the scene help this?

QUICK REVIEW:  Some readers are busy and may miss a clue or two.  Other readers will be on your every word.  How can you review the facts in a way that will fill in the gaps for the busy readers and not bore the seasoned mystery readers?  You need a way to go over the plotline quickly without insulting the avid readers.

THE NEW NORMAL:  This is the scene that allows the reader to breathe, lets them know all is well and life will go on.  You want to give the reader a view of how the new normal will be, how the MC will be different going forward.  How has the past drama or story changed the MC and how will he or she be different?

This can also be a scene where you are setting up the next book in a series.  If you do, be aware, many readers don’t like cliffhangers, so be careful.  If you want to download the 3-page template, sign up below and download the pdf to have handy.



3-page-birdseyetemplate-suspense

Sign up below to download the template:

Book Launch – Links for Marketing Stacking – 2023

When I self-published my first novel, I finished it and uploaded it and waited.  That's when I learned how important marketing the book is.  I also learned through the next several books how important it is to take advantage of each tiny phase of a book launch for marketing.  That's what this blog post is about.

I have made a checklist for beginners so you can print it out and have it with you when it's time to launch your first book, or a subsequent book.  I believe it will be very helpful to you.



THE VIDEO ABOUT THE BOOK LAUNCH CHECKLIST:

Aside from the checklist, I have made a strategy video where I go over the checklist and give you an overview of how the launch happens, what is involved and how to set yourself up for the best outcome.  I consider a good outcome to be a smooth and timely launch, and within a week to 10 days, you have at least four to ten nice reviews.  It sounds easy, but for new authors, it's not -- But it is possible.

NEWSLETTER PROMOTIONS:

The following websites are ones where you build a email list and your books will be featured on these websites.  Bookfunnel and Siteorigin both offer "author swaps" where you can swap your featured book with another author who has a sizable list.

I'm not a seasoned marketer and don't even consider myself that good at it, and even I was able to build an email list of 5,076 emails within a two year period.  To me, this is amazing!

Bookfunnel.com
Siteoriginapp.com
Instafreebies.com

AMAZON MARKETING STRATEGIES:

Amazon ads is a very complicated program to learn.  I only touched on the ad strategy in this checklist video.  There will be more Amazon ad videos coming in the future.

Below I have left a list of book marketing websites that as a beginner I used.  Now that I have built a newsletter, have a website, and post regularly to social media. I rely mostly on purchased ads with FreeBooksy, BargainBooksy, FussyLibrarian and purchased Amazon Ads.  But you may find the following links helpful so I'll leave them for you to try out.



ADDITIONAL MARKETING WEBSITES

DOWNLOAD 8-Page Checksheet

SIGN UP FOR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Peek Behind the Novel – Layer 8

QUICK REFRESHER OF WHAT I DID IN LAYER 7:

Just as a refresher, in Layer 7, this was a long and tedious proofread.  Using my list of troublesome words, I searched out all of them all throughout the manuscript and made corrections, deletions or additions.

This technique breaks up the proofread into different formats.  By doing this, it prevents me from just "reading over" all of my mistakes, which is too easy to do as the author.

WHAT HAPPENS IN LAYER 8:

Writing-layer-8-reading-with-microsoft-wordIn Layer 8, I do a read-back.  In Microsoft Word, I use the Read-Aloud feature that is contained on the Review Tab.  By listening to the book read aloud by someone else, it doesn't skip over mistakes like I do as the author.  By the time I'm finished with Layer 7, I've read and reread this book too many times to trust my eyes to spot every error.

The Readback:

I listen to every word during the readback.  In this layer, I not only catch whatever misuse of words escaped my view in the last layers, but I also choose to change a sentence or two based on how it sounds.  Many readers repeat every word in their heads, so if a sentence is back-to-back with one that makes it hard to say or understand, I rewrite it to correct that problem.

After Layer 7, I always feel that the book is picture perfect -- but I find at least several words or areas that I choose to change.  I read-aloud the entire book.

 

word table of contents
word table of contents

SCREEN SHOTS ARE FROM MICROSOFT WORD

SCREEN SHOTS ARE FROM MICROSOFT WORD

CREATING THE TABLE OF CONTENTS

The last thing I do is create the Table of Contents which I will explain here, but you can see done live in the video below.

While the manuscript is open in Microsoft Word, click on the References Tab.  Select Table of Contents.  Choose Custom Table of Contents.  (Picture on left above)

Once the next dialogue box opens (Picture on right above), uncheck both boxes under show page numbers.  I reduce the headings number from the default of 3 to 1.  This is because I only use Heading 1 for my Chapter Headings.

This is all you need to do before clicking OK, which will produce the Table of Contents for an eBook.

IF YOU NEED TO CHANGE OR MODIFY THE FONTS OR SPACING, ETC:

The picture above is where you change any or all of the settings.  The dialogue box in the middle comes up when you click on modify in the first dialogue box.  This is where you can change the font family and/or the font size.

This would be useful if you have a short TOC and want to fill the page; you can increase the font.  Likewise, if you have only one or two lines of the TOC that spill over to the next page and you want to fit it onto one page, you can reduce the font size or change the spacing on the third dialogue box (that opens if you click on modify in the second dialogue box).  You can alter the spaces before and after the paragraphs and this will help you add or subtract space.

IMPORTANT:  Be aware, that once you click on the first modify choice in the first dialogue box (on the left), when you click out of this, Microsoft word will -- on its own -- recheck the boxes asking for page numbers.  So if you modify anything, you will need to uncheck the page number boxes again!  This can reek havoc with beginners!   I'm talking from experience.

Once you "Okay" to close all of the dialogue boxes, the last okay will set off Word to create your Table of Contents.

THE EBOOK IS OFF TO THE EDITOR:

At this point, the eBook is now ready to go off to the line-editor.  Because I have taken the time and made the effort to give my book a thorough proofreading, the editor won't be spending time on correcting silly mistakes I should have found on my own.  She will be focused on my prose and how things look and sound.  That's what I want her focused on.

If you take the attitude that "why bother with all the proofreading, it's going off to the editor?" -- you may wind up with a book that comes back merely proofread with very little line editing.  At the end of the day, you are paying for an editor's time as well as their expertise.  So my advice to beginners is to do all of the proofreading so you get more line-editing, which is what you want.

HERE'S A VIDEO ON THIS SAME MATERIAL:

Writing a Novel in Layers:

First - A Little About the Chronology of a Crime

Writing a Novel - Layer 1
Writing a Novel - Layer 2
Writing a Novel - Layer 3
Writing a Novel - Layer 4
Writing a Novel - Layer 5
Writing a Novel - Layer 6
Writing a Novel - Layer 7
Writing a Novel - Layer 8

Peek Behind the Novel – Layer 7

WHERE WE LEFT OFF IN LAYER 6:

We compiled the novel into a Word document and named it "Manuscript from Scrivener".   That's where we now pick up with Layer 7.

This layer is another proofreading layer, but there is a little formatting we will do in this layer that I will go over below.  There is also a video at the end if you want to see me talk about it in a little more detail.

LAYER 7 - STEP ONE

  • Copy and paste the chapters into my eBook template. The purpose of this is so that I don't have to redo all of my styles. It's easier to just do a copy and paste.

LAYER 7 - STEP TWO:

  • Using the find feature, I go over all of the troublesome words in my list. I do this before I begin to proofread the story.
  • I read only the sentence with each of the words and change them if needed.

LAYER 7 -  STEP THREE:

  • Change the Heading 1 formatting,  if needed
  • I fix the normal and no-indent normal formatting throughout the entire book.
  • I add in simple page breaks between chapters

LAYER 7 - STEP FOUR:

  • I stylize any chapter headings or chapter timings.
  • Using the find and replace feature (Control H), I replace *** with ❖❖❖❖.

LAYER 7 - STEP SIX (OPTIONAL)

  • Filled in my Main Character and Minor Character Lists

LAYER 7 - STEP SEVEN:

Proofread the novel fully.  This time I focus on style and prose.  I do polishing in this layer of proofreading.

LAYER 7 - A QUICK VIDEO:

Writing a Novel in Layers:

First - A Little About the Chronology of a Crime

Writing a Novel - Layer 1
Writing a Novel - Layer 2
Writing a Novel - Layer 3
Writing a Novel - Layer 4
Writing a Novel - Layer 5
Writing a Novel - Layer 6
Writing a Novel - Layer 7
Writing a Novel - Layer 8

Peek Behind the Novel – Layer 6

WHAT HAPPENS IN LAYER 6?

Writing-layer-6-proofreading-oneLayer 6 is the first true proofreading.  In Layer 5, I proofread to make sure the story flowed without interruption from scene to scene.  My focus was on making sure the story flowed from scene to scene, without any big unexplained time gaps, or location mistakes, etc.

So in Layer 6, I am now reading the story for context and checking sentence structure.  I'm looking for repeated words, verb tenses, anything that pops up when I read through it.

As you will see as we go through the next two layers, I like to break up the proofreading into sections, with a focus on something else each time.  Otherwise, looking for sentence structure, verb tense, misspellings, prose style, and punctuation is too much to cover in one read through.  So I have a different focus each time I go through it.

TIP ON PROOFREADING TRICKY WORDS:

All authors have a list of tricky words or troublesome words.  I have a long list of troublesome words and other foibles.  There are words I use too much.  I have other ones I spell incorrectly -- no matter how many times I find them misspelled!

When writing in Layer 4, my head is in "presently happening mode".  Technically, I write in third person, so the story will need to be written mainly in past tense.  This often brings up the issue of needing to use past perfect tense on occasion.  Because of this, I find myself using words like began to . . ., started to . . ., etc.  These sound right when I'm writing in the moment, but are technically wrong in third person.  So in the next layer, I will focus on them and make sure I have all the verb tenses correct.

I'm posting my own list below for beginners.  You can start with this and then alter it for your own list.

COMMON WORDS THAT NEW WRITERS USE TOO MUCH:

troublesome-words

Be aware that many of these words I check in Layer 7 when I'm in Word.  I don't check all of these words in Scrivener.  But there is a tip I give in the video below about how to use the Find & Replace feature to capitalize some of these words so you can get a few of them out of the way before you start proofreading in the next layer.

ADD CHAPTERS AND SCENE ENDINGS:

In Layer 6, I also add Chapters and scene endings.  As I demonstrate in the video below, I make sure that all of my chapters are in Heading 1s.  This way, Word will recognize that setting and they will use a different style for them.  This makes them easier to find.  When the novel is compiled into Word format, it will put the Chapters in Heading 1.  They are much more easily recognizable.

In the video, I also demonstrate how to add scene endings so that you won't lose them when you compile the novel into Word.

HOW TO COMPILE THE NOVEL FROM SCRIVENER TO WORD:

from-scrivener-to-wordOnce you are finished with Layer 6, Click on File => Compile

I use the settings for default and to compile into a Microsoft docx file.  I leave all the other default settings alone.

Check to make sure all chapters you want to compile are checked in the box on the right hand side and all documents you don't want to compile -- like research, etc. -- are unchecked.

Then click on compile.  It takes only a minute or so to finish.

Word will pop up and want you to name it and choose a folder.    I always name mine BOOKNAME-ManuscriptFromScrivener so that I know this is the first word document that came directly from Scrivener.

GOING INTO LEVEL 7:

Next I'll be moving into Word and doing another layer of proofreading.  I'll report back when I'm done and explain all that goes on in Layer 7.  I'll post the video below.

Writing a Novel in Layers:

First - A Little About the Chronology of a Crime

Writing a Novel - Layer 1
Writing a Novel - Layer 2
Writing a Novel - Layer 3
Writing a Novel - Layer 4
Writing a Novel - Layer 5
Writing a Novel - Layer 6
Writing a Novel - Layer 7
Writing a Novel - Layer 8

Writers Research – Tax Liens

ARE TAX LIENS PUBLIC INFORMATION?

tax lien informationYes, a tax lien on a company is a public record. This means that anyone can search for and view the lien, including potential creditors, investors, and the general public. The lien will typically be filed with the county recorder's office in the county where the company is located.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A TAX LIEN?

purpose of tax lienThe purpose of a tax lien is to give the government a legal claim on the company's assets if the company fails to pay its taxes. The lien will remain in effect until the taxes are paid in full.

There are a few exceptions to the rule that tax liens are public records. For example, if the lien is filed against a company that is in bankruptcy, the lien may be sealed. This means that the lien will not be available to the public.
Cops & Detectives can use this readily-available information to find out if a suspect is having money problems, or if he has suspicious business practices.

HOW TO FIND TAX LIEN INFORMATION:

how to find tax lien infoIf you are interested in finding out if a company has a tax lien, you can search the public records for the county where the company is located. You can also contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to see if they have a lien on the company.

Since this is writer's information, you can see what information a detective can get and where he can get it.

WHY WOULD THE POLICE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT TAX LIENS?

cops-lien-infoHere are some of the reasons why someone (or a detective) might want to know if a company has a tax lien:

  • To determine if the company is financially stable.
  • To assess the company's risk as a potential creditor or investor.
  • To protect their own assets from being seized to satisfy the tax lien.When writing a plot line, you may also want to know:
  • What is the suspect's or his/her company's financial situation? Is this part of the motive?
  • What are the company's assets? Is a suspect's money all tied up in business assets?
  • Who are the company's creditors and investors? Could one of them be a suspect?


HERE IS A LIST OF SOME OTHER TERMINOLOGY SURROUNDING A TAX LIEN:

tax lien terminology for writersSometimes just having an overview of how things work can help you thicken the plot or add some details that will enrich the story.  Below are some words and definitions that surround the subject of Tax Liens:

  • Tax lien: A legal claim against a taxpayer's property for unpaid taxes. A tax lien gives the government the right to seize and sell the property to satisfy the debt.
  • Levy: The act of seizing property to satisfy a debt. In the case of a tax lien, the government can levy on any property owned by the taxpayer, including real estate, personal property, and bank accounts.
  • Notice of lien: A document that is filed with the public records to notify creditors and other interested parties that a tax lien has been filed against a taxpayer's property.
  • Lienholder: The person or entity that holds a lien on property. In the case of a tax lien, the lienholder is the government.
  • Redemption: The right of a taxpayer to pay off a tax lien and regain ownership of the property that was seized.
  • Statutory redemption: A type of redemption that is available to taxpayers under state law. Statutory redemption typically allows taxpayers to redeem property within a certain period of time after the lien was filed.
  • Judgment lien: A lien that is placed on property to satisfy a court judgment. Judgment liens can be filed by creditors who have won a lawsuit against a debtor.
  • Encumbrance: A legal claim against property that affects its ownership or use. Encumbrances can include tax liens, mortgages, and easements.
  • Lien priority: The order in which liens are satisfied when property is sold. Tax liens typically have the highest lien priority, meaning that they are paid off first.

 

Writers Research – Bullets Shot Through a Silencer

SHARING WRITERS RESEARCH FROM MY LAST POLICE PROCEDURAL - GUN SILENCER

WHAT IS A GUN SILENCER?

gun-silencerA 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

cop examining ballistic reportA 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:

cop examining ballistic reportHere 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?

how a silencer worksA 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?

Detective through a magnifying glass looking at a evidenceBallistics 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

JNDS-Series-PictureI 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.

cheaters using burner phonesHusbands 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.

DP-burner-phoneDrug 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:

Four-story timelinesAlthough 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.

Scrivener-Guidepost-subplot-availability

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.

Scrivener-Guidepost-timeline-reminder

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.

Scrivener-Screenshot-of-SynopsisThe 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.

Scrivener-OutlineViewExample

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:

couple-in-heart-sub-plotNow, 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.

Smart-quotes-straight-quotesTurn 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:

typing-hands-gifI'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

do research on the fly with bardWith 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-highlighterScrivener 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:

scene templateLike 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:

Scrivener-Synopsis-SectionWhen 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.