The Extroverted Writer

They do exist. I'm sure I've met one. Sometime.
     But overall, writers are shy, quiet, introverted types.  And we are certainly, even after we've been writing and improving our craft for years, painfully insecure about sharing our work with others, even people we know. For the most part, we are not outgoing individuals, especially with strangers or acquaintances.We dread the idea of putting ourselves "out there", at least in person as we are told we must to promote our writing.
     Most of us are much more comfortable expressing and presenting ourselves in writing. Therefore, when we do "talk" about ourselves in writing, we need to be willing to really show our personalities. No one wants to be seen as strange, but face it: writers - and creative types in general - are an odd group. We are unusual. The LWC (www.livingwriterscollective.blogspot.com) writers' group I am a member of has a website, blog and fb page that describe us - perfectly - as an "eclectic group" of writers.
     In my last post, I wrote about how "meeting" an interesting author often makes you want to read their work in a way that a description of their work often does not. We need to take advantage of this. Avoid writing bios in the third person. Let your quirky sense of humor and unique perspective show through your writing, both in your stories and novels and "non-fiction" bits and pieces in areas such as social media. Don't try to present yourself as bland, normal, or just like everyone else. Make people see how fascinating you are and they will expect that your plots and characters are as well.

www.jennifermballard.com
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Writer Vs. Synopsis

I was recently referred by a writer friend to check out an author of horse-related mysteries that I had never heard of. I googled and found a brief synopsis of her latest work and a description by the author about how she met her main character - inside her head.
     The synopsis read just like every other mystery synopsis: main character (description) discovers/becomes involved in some problem or the other to solve with the help of secondary characters (description) and against whoever the villains are and whatever impediments exist. Even if your characters and plot are fascinating, it's hard to make that evident when it has to be presented in the usual formula.
     So her synopsis sounded like her book was just another mystery, but her depicting of how she 'met' her character in her own words was interesting. She was interesting and those paragraphs offered insight into how she writes. And because I liked her writing style and her personality, I was inclined to check out her book, despite the boring synopsis.
     I have had this experience with other writers. Whether I had read their books or not, reading what they had to say about themselves, their experiences, their writing and the world in general, made me want to read more from them. (This is where writer's websites and blogs are really valuable). If the writer sounds like someone you want to spend time with, chances are the writer's characters will be, too.
     There's an important lesson here. When creating a synopsis or any kind description of your book or story, try to put some of your own personality into it, rather than just stating the facts about the plot and its characters. This is a place where a writer needs to ignore how things "should be, are, or have always been" done and do things their own way.
     This is something to keep in mind when giving biographical information as well. Bios are typically presented in the third person, but first person is a better way for readers to "meet" writers. When you are expected to give just the facts, writing them in your own voice, the way you create your stories, is more effective.

www.jennifermballard.com
www.daylightsend.weebly.com
www.trustindarkness.weebly.com