Creating Characters with Zing!

THIS WEEK, CONTEMPORARY NOVELISTS RULE . . .

Welcome to ISSUE 4 of Getting Published. In a change to the prescribed topic, this issue we will be looking at characterisation, and how to make your characters interesting and unforgettable. Many thanks to Naked in Knightsbridge author Nicky Schmidt for helping us out in her own hilarious style.

Also, we are proud to announce a new and regular feature to our newsletter that is sure to appeal to every new writer: our newly signed author Elle Symonds' 'Diary of a Newbie Novelist'.

Finally, we would like to thank the positive feedback we have been getting for Getting Published, and ask you all to keep those suggestions and questions flooding in. The best way to do this is via the 'Contact Us' link at our website.

All the best, and feel free to retweet!

The Editorial Department at Prospera Publishing.


DIARY OF A NEWBIE NOVELIST by Elle Symonds


We have just signed Elle Symonds to our small but happily successful stable. As so many of you are interested in the publishing process, we thought that Elle's as-it-happens account of her own journey would be both entertaining and enlightening. Of course, a huge thanks goes out to Elle for doing this on top of her many other commitments.

#1 - In which I am not Barbara Cartland. There she sits, visible through the window of the coffee shop, her dark scarf wound casually (yet artfully) around her long neck, her regulation dark clothing blending perfectly into the cream and chocolate-coloured interior. Looking thoughtfully through thick-rimmed specs, she stares at a pristine Macbook, not only blissfully happy, but also blissfully unaware that yours truly is watching her, wine in hand, through a pair of binoculars from the watering hole across the street.

"What's she doing?" I wonder.

"What's she writing? I bet it's some literary masterpiece."

"Or maybe coursework?" Friend replies.

"It could be coursework ..."

"True. But look at her! It's much more likely a future, bestselling novel."

I can't help but wonder and suppress a smile, my stomach giving a little flutter of excitement. Because soon (well, next year, but we'll get to that in a minute), my own debut novel will be hitting the shelves. . My name is Elle, and I'm a newly signed author. And this is my diary, in which I'll air my dirty laun ... I mean, give you the lowdown on what being a first-time author involves. Last year I was finishing my novel - the novel that had taken me months to write. Months of being glued to my laptop, consuming far too many double-shot lattes; having too many naked dashes down the stairs during the night in search of a notebook when inspiration suddenly hit; months of being in my own little fantasy world. But it all paid off, because THIS year, my dream came true. I'm now signed with Prospera Publishing, with the first in my chick-lit series due to be released in early 2011. And I'm ecstatic! I'm currently making changes to the book, and doing a complete rewrite. The publisher and I came up with some fabulous ways in which to make my original story even better, and already it has improved so much (more fun, more hilarity, and some new characters). So far the first couple of chapters involve spies, stardom and some rogue knickers. Something for everyone!

The series is about a struggling gossip journalist who, after a nasty - and highly embarrassing - accident, wakes up to find she has a very special new ability that she decides to use to enhance her career. (That's all I'm saying at the moment! You'll only find out more by holding a gun to my head. But please don't.) The prospect of ... well, new author-dom (ha!) is only just settling in, and after having told a select few people shortly after my meeting with Prospera, the congratulations and questions started pouring in. You see, there are certain assumptions some people (read: non-writers) have about authors, and most are simply myths. Things to expect when you start telling people you're going to be a published author*: *Friends, colleagues and acquaintances to ask such questions as 'When will it be in the shops?', 'When can I buy it?'

'THAT long? But I want to buy it noooooow!'

*Friends, colleagues and acquaintances to assume you'll become 'the next JK Rowling', thus earning millions and millions of pounds. It's not unusual in this case for such people to advise you to not forget 'the little people'; ask what you'll do with the money as though you've just scooped the Euromillions rollover; and if you can buy them a nice posh car.

*Friends, colleagues and acquaintances to assume that you don't want alcohol or cake because you are now posh author. Who DOESN'T want celebratory alcohol or cake? Jeez!

*People start to think that you spend all your time in coffee shops, clad in interesting scarves, and staring intently into your MacBook.

*People assume that you either live in Starbucks (see above), or you're the next Barbara Cartland. Neither, obviously, is true. *Which is why, two weeks later, you wish you'd kept your mouth shut. Okay, these are TOTAL MYTHS. Far from the coffee-shop image of artsy glamour, you have yours truly, slaving away on a pink netbook at home in her pants. Or sneaking novel moments at the day job (in clothes over pants). Or tapping away on coaches to London (yes, still in clothes over pants), as overly enthusiastic women beside her shout: 'YES, I'M ON THE BUS! I SAID, I'M ON THE BUS! HELLO? OOOH, REEEEEALLY?' into her ear.

People like me spend every spare moment cramming in the words, going to bed at unholy hours and living for the dream of one day seeing our names in print. And I really, REALLY can't wait for that day. Which makes all of the above totally worth it. The rewrite has started, and I'm raring to go. 2010 is going to be a busy year. So welcome, readers, to my journey!

Elle

PS. I'm still waiting for the alcohol and cake.


CREATING CRACKING CHARACTERS by Nicky Schmidt

This issue, chick-lit author Nicky Schmidt gives us her take on what makes novel characters great.

Hi there, it's me, Nicky. Self-confessed, full-time cake-aholic and sometimes author. The nice people at Prospera have asked me to tell all about characterisation and I am happy to oblige.

However, firstly I would like to send out a huge 'cheers' to everyone who has been so positive about Naked in Knightsbridge. It's nice to know all that hard work is appreciated. Except of course the freak who asked me to visit his basement and peruse his collection of pants. (Answer: Let me check my diary.)

While we are on the subject then, I suppose that Naked works because the characters are so, well, unbelievable. You thought I was going to say believable, didn't you? The theory goes, in my caffeine-addled mind at least, that while people buy books for a variety of reasons, one of the most important jobs of an author is to transport readers from their own lives. Let's face it, if authors wrote about people you were familiar with - sour woman at supermarket, sour man at petrol station, sour husband who falls asleep on sofa promptly at 8:00 pm every night - we might face a rather nasty lawsuit for enticing a mass suicide.

Of course it does, naturally, depending on the genre, but in the case of a contemporary novel with a comic bent, I would say, make your characters showstoppers. Memorable. Left (or right) of centre. Turn them into metaphors. Prospera tells me that people in the office often say 'I feel like such a Jools' (the lead character in Naked), as they pig out on doughnuts or buy one too many bags of crisps at lunch. Equally, creepy behaviour at home can illicit: 'Thanks for that, Niles!' after the insane stalker in my first book. Once you have established your outline, think about how many characters you have, and how many you really need.

The trick is to leave out anyone superfluous unless they definitely progress the story in some way. One mistake I made when first starting out was to add that extra person here and there, who appeared two or three times for no apparent reason other than to converse with the protagonist. Suffice to say, they (and the useless conversations) were edited out pretty quickly.

When you have your definitive list, write a list of characteristics down next to each name. Look them over. Are they too similar? What about the names? If the personalities aren't jumping off the page, or if two or more characters bear a striking resemblance to each other, or worse, to you, try again. Trust me, you'll be proud of your newborns when you finally create them. And if and when you reach this point, I recommend a nice visit to a patisserie and a few yummy treats as a reward!

One final point on character names. Personally, I try to avoid the ordinary, because it makes it difficult for readers to remember who is who. Nicknames are a good way to manage this if you really don't want to use unusual names, but I suppose the bottom line is that a character remembered may be a book recommended, so go on, call that handsome villain Fortescue Von Strudel. I dare you!

Nicky Schmidt, Feb 2010

Naked in Knightsbridge is available via paypal with free worldwide postage from our

website, or on Amazon or in the UK and Europe via your local bookstore. Nicky Schmidt's second novel, Marrying Out of Money, is due out later in the year.

Time to write, time to plan!

Taken from our 3rd Issue in February 2010. Check out the archive link for the full newsletter.

THIS WEEK, TOP TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED . . .

Welcome to ISSUE 3 of Getting Published. In this issue we look at what every writer should have at his or her disposal before they begin writing: the outline. It might seem like a simple concept; it might seem to constrict the creative flow, but we guarantee that without one, you are probably overwriting and ruining a great story with structural errors. Read below for the dos and don'ts of outlines. A huge thank you to Mary Naylus, author of The Dresskeeper and soon-to-be-released The Plaguemaker, for her input here.

Also in this issue we ask one of our illustrators Ellie Boulten how she adapts an author's text to successfully bring characters to life. Another big thanks goes out to Ellie for taking time in her busy schedule to fill us in on her work.


Bringing characters to life . . . an illustrator reveals all.


Book Two in our Littlest Detective series is due to be released soon. Following feedback on the first title, we were looking for an illustrator who could bring the characters to life, and add charm to the text. We found Ellie Boulten, who works from her home office in Queensland, Australia. She tells us how she worked with the well-established characters to produce the goods.


"For an illustrator, like the reader, it's good to be able to get a picture in mind of the characters and the action occurring in the story.

Firstly, illustrations are visualisations of a written character so clear descriptions of each character, his or her physical appearance, and any outstanding features in particular (like Mrs Mac's wild red hair and crazy cat's eyes glasses for example) are great. Also very helpful are descriptions of their individual mannerisms, their quirks, and what makes them unique. A character's unique traits (and not just the good ones!) are often what make them endearing to readers and great to draw. Of course there is no need to make a laundry list of characteristics - you should reveal your characters' traits as your story unfolds.

Secondly, illustrations help to convey the plot so passages that are to be illustrated should be dynamic and move the action along. It's good to know not only what the characters are doing but how they are doing it and perhaps most importantly how they feel about the action that is occurring. For example, are they worried, shocked, excited, amused and so on.

Finally another important factor for an illustrator is the setting of the action. Where the action is located, what time of the day it is, and what season it is are important to know. If the action is occurring in a house then what room is it set in, and is there is something important about that setting that needs to be conveyed? Is the story a period piece or a fantasy? If so, what are the distinguishing features we need to know, and how do the characters fit in with their surroundings?

When all these factors come together a vivid and dynamic series of illustrations can be created that will enhance the enjoyment of the story for your readers.

All the best, Ellie."


THE OUTLINE - starting block to success.

Now it's time to start writing, so what's the first thing you do? We asked Mary Naylus, author of The Dresskeeper, how she goes about her work.

"I tend to work from the smallest premise and expand outwards. This might seem odd, so let me explain.

First things first - what is your book about? If you can't give a story outline in one sentence, I would say your idea isn't clear enough in your own mind. Of course, you writers out there might be saying 'how on earth can I condense my wonderful novel into just a few words?' Remember, that's what you'll have to do when you approach an agent or publisher. They will want to know the what and why straight up, and the more succinct and fascinating your idea, the better your chances of publication.

This is where a great title comes in. I know titles were discussed previously, but it is worth mentioning that a perfect title is both enticing and informative, firstly to the people who may buy your book, secondly to the readers who are browsing the bookstores. Spending time thinking about your title will help you hone your story idea even further.

Right, let's assume you have a great one liner. It's time to create an outline for your novel. What I tend to do is open a Word doc and write the opening paragraph, the first and second turning points, and the ending. I find that in doing this I have to think very clearly about where my novel is going. Yes, it is possible to change these, but if you think about your basic story in these black and white terms, you tend to avoid overwriting and waffling from the very beginning.

Once I have this brief outline I take up a piece of paper and - noting my turning points along with the beginning and ending - plot out the story and subplots so that the turning points of the subplots and the main story link up. Doing this outline also helps me to see how the story is pacing itself. For example, a whole lot of action up front and hardly any after turning point two doesn't make for a hugely satisfying read.

There is always the temptation to start writing without either doing a clear outline or sticking to it, which is why I tend to continue writing around my outline - a bit in the beginning, then the parts around the turning points, and the end. So I build up my story from all angles. These means I tend to avoid overwriting and become too attached to the writing rather than the story, because I am not writing around the subject or action, but directly about it.

One final point about outlines - they can be fluid, but you must ensure that if you make changes to it, you adjust your existing work accordingly. It is often difficult to cull a character you love, for example, but if you've changed focus and there is no point for her or his existence, it's time to hit delete.

Hope that helps.

Good writing, Mary."

Mary Naylus is a London-based writer who has had a life-long interest in history. She loves spooky tales and the supernatural, and tries to incorporate these into her books. The Dresskeeper is available now through Amazon, your local bookstore, or at http://www.prosperapublishing.co.uk/. Her next title, The Plaguemaker, a ghostly novel about (you guessed it) the plague, is due out later this year.

Getting your book into print, from a publisher's perspective.

Excerpt From Getting Published Newsletter Edition 1, January 2010. Check out the archive link for full newsletter.


Welcome to the first edition of Getting Published, brought to you by Prospera Publishing, a London-based, mainstream publisher. The primary reason for our newsletter is to encourage better submissions, more innovative ideas and to create opportunities for you to get your words into print. How? Well, read on. Firstly, each month we will provide a workshop on preparing your submission, whether to us or another publisher. This workshop is based on the great and mostly not so wonderful real-life submissions we receive in bulk each day. This month we begin with overall submission 'don'ts'. We will also provide interviews with our authors to give you valuable tips and tricks, and finally, we will also be running competition news - both from Prospera and others, to help get you to where you want to be - published!

SUBMISSIONS. OUR TOP TEN 'NO NOS' OF 2009.

You would think, given the plethora of info out there on publishing, that basic errors in submissions to publishers would be a rarity, but read on for some funny, some scary and some pretty stupid approaches to Prospera.

1. Sending an email query without checking the publisher's submission guidelines. Not a good idea at any time. However, we at Prospera like to take a proactive approach to prospective authors, so you can imagine our joy when we actually answered an email regarding a pitch, only to find the author had not, in fact, written a book at all and was asking us for ideas.

2. Sending a novel of 25 pages, which has not been proofread. A novel should be 60,000 words or more, not 6000 words. However, sending something so short without even bothering to proof it so that the protagonist's name is spelt four different ways is really not going to endear you to the publisher.

3. Misspelling your name in the covering letter. Need we say more?

4. Asking the publisher to pass your work along to another publisher should they not want it. It is important to understand the amount of effort, time and money that goes into publishing. Publishing is a business, and we expect authors to understand that.

5. Sending a teaser to a publisher instead of the correct submission material. We once received a small box with the word 'Interested in Benny' with instructions to contact the author immediately with a wonderful publishing opportunity. Back to our point about lack of time and resources. Work that is good will shine without gimmicks. Always follow the submission guidelines.

6. Being unrealistic about timeframes for responses. One author asked us to read a submission overnight as he had other publishers interested. However he had sent the material second class and by the time we received it, his self-imposed deadline was over. A work would have to be exceptional and from a respected agent for this sort of ploy to have any chance to succeed.

7. Sending the first three chapters with missing pages. Yes, it has been done. An author purposely left out crucial plot point pages to lure us to contact him. It didn't.

8. Failing to finish a novel, as per submission guidelines. We ask for the final chapter to ensure than the author has actually written a whole novel. This is because we are well aware of the difficulties of writing and often request whole rewrites of work we are considering. Therefore, lying about a novel being completed won't work, particularly as we tend to ask for the bulk of the novel by email, unedited if necessary, and know that if it takes more than a day or two for the author to deliver something fishy is going on.

9. Not including a self-addressed envelope and demanding the manuscript back. Our submission guidelines, and those of other publishers, usually state manuscripts cannot be returned, even with a self-addressed envelope. Make sure you read the submissions requirements carefully, otherwise you are just wasting your money and our time.

10. Sending x-rated material. Deciding that there is a need for more risque writing doesn't mean you should inflict it on the rest of us. Certain publishers may publish hardcore material, but most, such as Prospera, don't, so be careful before you send your 'adult' novel to a young intern at a publishing house.