#AnnieHasBeenThere: One Author’s Mission to Help Others With Their Settings

As a fiction writer, I think one of the best things I can do to keep my imagination active is to travel to other countries and explore landscapes to learn what makes them unique and beautiful. I’ve been blessed to travel to over 50 countries, and I think that has helped me to make my stories richer and more distinctive because I have a variety of experiences to pull from.

However, most working writers don’t have the time or ability to travel to a location that proves to be an ideal setting for their work. And there’s only so much you can learn from an online image search. You might be able to put buildings in their proper places and talk about architecture, but you might miss out on adding details like the way fresh crepes smell like cinnamon and melted butter as they’re made right in front of you in the shadow of Notre Dame or how getting pelted in the face with wet lotus blossoms by a monk in Cambodia as a blessing might be mistaken for a bug hitting your face if you’re not expecting it. Or you might not know to add in that in some countries like China and Peru people with blonde or red hair aren’t seen often by people in more rural areas, and locals might want to take their picture, which could work into your plot in multiple ways- everything from a germaphobe hating to be touched to someone running late and getting stopped constantly to the kid who never stands out at home finally getting some attention.

In essence, it’s all about the details – the experiences, sights, sounds, and smells, like how the scent of Bulgarian rose oil infused products lingers on clothes and in suitcases long after being removed or what it sounds like to have dozens of hummingbirds zip around you in the Ecuadorian rainforest – that you can’t always get from photographs alone.

There are an unlimited number of ways that setting, and the people that exist in that setting, can affect your plot. I’ve even found that learning about a specific location can spark something in my mind when I’ve got writer’s block.

So how can you make sure you’re getting the most out of your setting if you haven’t been there? Here are a few resources:

· TripAdvisor (https://www.tripadvisor.com/)

Most people probably only use TripAdvisor for planning a vacation, but it can be so much more than that. People write reviews of prominent places and restaurants for what feels like virtually every city on earth! Use those reviews to shape setting and plot -everything from how to describe a certain museum to how that museum being closed on a certain day caused the main characters to get into a fight. Additionally, people also often post their personal photos, so you can explore those to get a feel for the place.

· My blog! (https://anniesullivanauthor.wordpress.com/)

I offer a free service to writers who contact me either through my contact page on my blog or who find me on Twitter (@annsulliva) and ask for help. I have a list of countries that I’ve visited here: http://bit.ly/2cteV0o I’ll do my best to send you whatever photos and information I can.

· Photo Apps

Check out photo sharing websites and apps like Instagram to also see if you can find candid shots of the location (or the locals!) where you’re setting your story.

· Do you know someone who lives there?

Ask relatives, friends, coworkers, and fellow writers if they can put you in touch with a local.

· Google phrases like “What to know before traveling to….”

Searching this will help make you aware of cultural difference that might be different from your own and that may need to be respected and represented in your story. It can be everything from how to act, what to wear, and what hand gestures might be considered obscene. (Pro tip: Don’t give people the thumbs up in many countries outside of the United States.)

· Watch movies set in those locations

Get a feel for what things are around, how people dress, how people get around, and what they might carry with them from watching how it’s depicted on screen.

· Talk to Travel Bloggers

Chances are that travel bloggers have been there, and they’d probably love to tell you about the place in question as long as you reach out to them in a respectful way (and according to how they wish to be contacted, which can often be found on their website.)

· Check government and tourist websites

Government websites can often give you a feel for a country, their laws, and what you’re getting into. But don’t just visit other countries’ websites. Don’t overlook resources like the CDC website which tells you which vaccinations you’ll need if you’re going to certain counties, which could play a big role if your protagonist didn’t get them or if they lost their Malaria pills while in the middle of the jungle! (Side note: Malaria pills can have all sorts of side effects that could also be worked into your plot!)

As you can see, there are many ways you can insert yourself into the scene so that you’ll know what your character might encounter and how that could affect the plot! So go out there and start exploring- whether that’s virtually or physically- so you can truly make your settings come to life.

Connect with Annie . . .

Visit Annie’s blog - https://anniesullivanauthor.wordpress.com/ 

(Or click here for the post about her free setting advice service)

Follow Annie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/annsulliva

And click here to read about how she got her agent while in Antarctica!

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My Favorite Writing Resources On Sale!

I wanted to share some really good discounts for two of my favorite writing programs/resources. I don't get any affiliate payments with these, they're just great deals I thought I'd pass along! (They're only good for the next few days, so hop on over if you're interested.)

PRO WRITING AID has a plug-in you can buy to use in your word programs and I love it. You can run reports for overused words, grammar, word repeats, etc. No more searching one word at a time! It's 50% off until 10/13 which means the lifetime license is $60 instead of $120 AND they'll donate the other 50% to a great charity. Link is below.

http://eepurl.com/bAXC9T

ONE STOP FOR WRITERS just launched and is really awesome. It's from the authors of The Emotion Thesaurus and the creator of Scrivener for Windows. All the info from each writing thesaurus is included, as well as planning templates, an idea generator, and an option to take notes. I had the chance to beta test it and think it's such a useful tool. This one runs on a yearly subscription at $90 or six months for $50, but it's 50% off until 10/14. Link and coupon below.

http://onestopforwriters.com/plans

Cut and paste the code below into the coupon box on the subscription page BEFORE selecting a plan. 

Elevate_Your_Storytelling_50

Have fun writing!

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Scrivener - Favorites

Favorites are an easy way to group chapters or scenes to keep handy as you work or to just use temporarily. You might want to add scenes you need to revise or add chapters that include a specific character as you do a read through. (For more ways to group chapters/scenes see keywords, label & status, and collections.)

You can add whatever you like to Favorites and move the box around.

Plus it's easy. :)

 

Go to "Documents" "Favorites" "Favorites Manager" (Mac- "Manage Favorites").

Drag and drop from the binder, corkboard, or outliner or right click on the chapter/scene and "Add to Favorites."

Adding a chapter/scene from Favorites will not take it out of the binder. Think of it as an index or a collection of shortcuts to specific locations in the binder. But remember: any text you change within a scene or chapter while working from Favorites WILL change in the main manuscript.

That's it!

Learn more about Scrivener on our Tools for Writers page.

Read interviews with editors, agents, and authors in our Query.Sign.Submit. series.

Check out inspiring stories of writers getting their agents.

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Five Powerful Tools for Writers

Whether you’re gearing up for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) or just want some new writing tools to help things along, here are some great ones to try.

1. Scrivener – Well come on, you knew I’d say that first, right? If you’ve never used this amazing program, or have been putting off trying it out, now’s the time to dive in. Head over to our Getting Started with Scrivener post for a step-by-step guide. And if you want some tips and tricks to get even more out of the program, check out the Scrivener posts under Tools for Writers.

2. Save the Cat – Plotter, pantster, somewhere in between? The Save the Cat method by Blake Snyder is one everyone can use to structure a story and adjust as you go along. It’s written for screenwriters, but works for novels too. On our Graphic Organizers page, you’ll find a couple Save the Cat Beat Sheet templates as well as an Excel doc that will calculate which pages things should be happening on. If you’re not familiar with it, I’d recommend checking out the website and reading the first Save the Cat book.

3. Hiveword – Hiveword is a great tool for laying out the scenes in your story. You input notes on your scenes including characters, plotlines, and settings. You can then sort by any of the above, list scenes in order or filter by things like POV and plotline, and use the scene sorter to rearrange your scenes. And it’s all free at Hiveword.com.

4. Pinterest – Whether you just need a little inspiration or you want to build a board about your story, don’t forget about Pinterest as a writing tool. When you need a break, or you’re stuck on an element of your story, sometimes exploring the visual makes a big difference.

5. Pro Writing Aid – You probably won’t need this until you’re finished with your draft, but it’s a big help and a huge timesaver. You can copy and paste a chapter or two at a time onto their website at ProWritingAid to find things like overused words, repeated words and phrases, and grammar issues. The paid version (well worth it in my opinion) gives you a Word plug-in that lets you make changes right in your Word doc, saving even more time.

Now you’re armed with some top-notch tools to take your writing to the next level. Have fun!

   *Illustration by duchessa.

Research agents in Query.Sign.Submit. interviews
Read inspiring stories of writers getting agents
Learn about Tools for Writers – like Scrivener!

About the Author :

Dee Romito is an elementary teacher, freelance educational writer, and children’s/young adult author represented by Uwe Stender. Her middle grade debut, SUMMER BUCKET LIST will be published by Aladdin/Simon & Schuster in 2015.

Connect with Dee: 

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Tumblr ~ Goodreads

Click here to subscribe to her newsletter.

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Getting Started with Scrivener

My other tutorials are tips and tricks to get the most out of Scrivener’s features. But if you’ve never used Scrivener and need to learn how to set it up and get started writing, this is for you.
I’ve done my best to accommodate for both Windows and Mac users, but they can be very different at times.

Take it step by step. You can do it. :)

Step 1 – Starting a New Project
After you’ve download Scrivener (30 non-consecutive day free trial or paid version), open up the program.




Under “File” choose “New Project” and you’ll see the screen above. (Mac users, this screen might come up when you open the program.) Choose the type of project you’ll be working on, for example “Fiction” and then “Novel.” This will work for most fiction writers.

Name your project under “Save As” and use the “Browse” button (or “Where” on Mac) to set where it will save to.

Hit “Create.” You’ll see the instructions below, which explain how to get started if you’d like to read through them.



Step 2 – Setting Font & Spacing
There are a lot of things you can preset in Scrivener, but we’re going to keep it simple. (You are free to skip this section if you don’t mind the standard presets. Some of these will not stay put when you finish and compile your document, but it will make it easier while you write, IMO.)

Mac users – choose “Scrivener” and “Preferences.”
Windows users - Under “Tools” choose “Options.” You’ll get a screen like this.



Mac – Click “Formatting.”
Windows - Click “Editor” on the left and you’ll see this.



We’re going to make sure the font and spacing are how you want them, so click the blue, italicized A at the top. (It won’t be blue for Mac users.)



Choose the font you want for your project. Windows users, click “OK.”



Now click on the arrow to the right of where it says a number like “1.0x” so we can change the spacing and indents. You’ll get a drop down menu. **Mac users – The box will be over to the right. If it doesn’t say 2.0, click on the arrows to the right and change it to 2.0. Skip the few steps.**



Windows only - Click “More” and you’ll get this window.

 
Windows only - Change “First Line” to “0.50 inch(es).” This is called a hanging indent. YOU WILL NOT NEED TO USE THE TAB KEY when this is set. Simply type and hit enter when you want the next line indented.

Change “Line Spacing” to “Double” and click “OK.”

**Mac users, in the formatting window, the top slide bar (a little blue rectangle) should be between the 0 and the 1. If not, move it there. This is called a hanging indent. YOU WILL NOT NEED TO USE THE TAB KEY when this is set. Simply type and hit enter when you want the next line indented.

Also make sure the box next to “Scrivenings” is checked for “Separate scrivenings” so you don’t get any extra line breaks.

Now your “Options” window should look like this. (Similar for Mac)



Windows users, click “ok.” Mac users might need to click “Use Formatting in Current Editor" if the button is showing.

Step 3 – Folders & Synopsis

FOLDERS

Double click where is says “Manuscript” in the binder (to the left) and change it to your title. (If you have one!) Whenever you want to look at things in the whole project (word count, chapters in corkboard mode, etc.) you’ll want this selected.

Double click on the folder that says “Chapter”  and rename it if you’d like. It can either be “Chapter 1” or a heading for your chapter like “Fall.”

Now here’s how I do it, because I find it the easiest.
Create enough new chapters to get started or if you already have an outline, create the number you know you need. There are several ways to do this.



For Windows Users -

Option 1. Click the arrow to the right of the green plus sign and choose “New Folder.”

For Windows & Mac users -

Option 2. Right click and choose “Add New Folder.”

Option 3. Click the New Folder icon in the lower left corner of the screen.

Option 4. Hold down the following keys “Ctrl+Shift+N” (Windows) Cmd +Option+N (Mac).



Option 5. You can also do this from Corkboard mode. Make sure you’ve selected the main manuscript in the binder and then click the little Corkboard icon at the top. (Highlighted in yellow in the image above.)

Make sure you’ve selected the last index card and do one of the methods described above. (Although Option 2 seems to work best to keep you in the Corkboard screen.)

Each time you do, a new index card will pop up to represent a chapter. (You’ll also see them appear in the binder.)

*OR you can just add folders as you write.

SYNOPSIS

If you already have an outline, you can add chapter summaries. (You can also do this as you go along or after the manuscript is written.)

 
Over to the right is an index card that says “Synopsis” above it. If you don’t see it, click the little blue “i” at the top right.

Make sure you have the correct chapter selected and that it says “Chapter” not “Scene” above the index card. You can also add summaries from Corkboard mode.

Step 4 – Adding Text

Now you’re ready to start writing! No really, you are.

Just click on the icon in the binder for the first scene, click in the text editor in the center, and start writing. (If you're still in Corkboard mode, you'll need to switch back to Text Editor - the icon to the left of Corkboard)

(Or click on the chapter where you want to start a new scene.)



When you’re ready for the next scene, you have several options.

1. Click the green plus sign at the top (or the little arrow to the right of the green plus for Windows) and choose “New Text.” You’ll see the new scene appear in the binder. 
(If you want it to go in the next chapter, just drag it to the folder icon or chapter title. Or click on the chapter you want before you choose “New Text.”)

2. Click the New Text icon in the lower left corner of the screen. (It’s a + sign for Mac users)

3. Press “Ctrl+N” (Windows) or “Cmd+N” (Mac).

4. Click the scene in the binder that you want to be before the new text and hit Return.

*If you already have something written in Word, watch for an upcoming post on how to import files as chapters.

A few tips . . .

It might be a good idea to open up a new project just to get the hang of Scrivener. You can play around with it when you want to try a new feature and not worry about messing anything up. :)

Keep in mind that Scrivener is set to save your project every two seconds after a pause and back it up every time you close the program. (These can be adjusted.)

Items can be moved and rearranged in Scrivener (which can be super helpful when moving around scenes and chapters), but be careful if you don’t want things moved, especially if you have a touch screen.

So there you go, you’re all set to work in Scrivener!

To learn more about Scrivener, head over to the Tools for Writers page.

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Ten Tips for Write on Con 2014

Write on Con is a FREE online writing conference and it’s INCREDIBLE. You won’t believe the resources, insider tips, and feedback available for writers. And here’s my annual post to help you get started.

To get the most out of the conference . . .

1.  Sign up for the newsletter and the forums. You should do this before the conference even begins. You can even start posting in the forums ahead of time.

2. There are threads to post your query, first 250 words and first 5 pages. This is a great chance to get feedback on your work.  If you choose to, you can edit based on comments and get additional feedback on the new versions. *If it’s not a complete ms, mark it as a WIP so agents/editors know. I does not have to be complete.

3.  If you put up both a query and the first 250 words, make sure they link to each other so people can find them easily. (Of course, include the first 5 pages if you do those too.) Because, let’s face it, when you read a great query, you want to read more!

Here’s how-

Once you have both posts up, copy the urls and paste them on Notepad or in Word. Go back and edit your posts and add something at the bottom like, “Read the first 250 words here” with a link to the post. **You can skip this step if you do number 4 below. ;)

4.  You can add links in your signature and you should. That means people can find all of your work, whether it’s your own post or when you comment on someone else’s. You can also add your title and pitch if you’d like. Here’s a sample signature line. All of them should be links.

MG Query ~ MG First 250 ~ PB Query

Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter 

Here’s how-

Go to Forum Actions, then Edit Profile. Under My Settings on the left, choose Edit Signature.  (You’ll need those urls you copied above.)

Type whatever you want linked in the box, highlight it, and click the “link” icon on top (a globe with a little chain link). Then insert the url when it prompts you and press okay.

Whenever you post or make a comment, make sure you have the box checked to insert signature.

5. Comment in the forums. It’s so much fun to read everyone’s work and you get to help out other writers at the same time. 

Again, make sure you link to to your query, first 250 words, first 5 pages, and website/blog/twitter handle so people can find you and return the favor.

6. Check the schedule. There are so many great things that go on on during this conference.  Seriously. In the past they’ve had live chats, where you can ask questions or simply lurk, pitch opportunities, and plenty of chances to learn.

It’s all still available later if you can’t be there for it, but some things are time sensitive.

7.  Don’t forget the giveaways. They always have fantastic prizes.

8.  Want to know when and where the ninja agents are lurking? (Shhh. Top secret info.) At the bottom of the forum and the sub-forums (MG, YA, etc.) it shows who is online. Look for “Ninja Agent ______.” You can also go to Quick Links and then Who’s Online?

OR Go to Community and Member List. Find the ninja agents and go to each profile page. It will tell you their current activity, including what they’re doing at that moment. If you choose find all posts, you can see where they’ve commented.

9.  Take a few notes. This is a great opportunity to get that personal first line when you send out your query letter. Look for those tidbits from agents during chats and forum posts and let them know you learned a lot from them at Write On Con! It’s also a great way to help you find agents that might be interested in your work.

10.  Have fun! 

Stop by the Who and Where are You at Write On Con? post so you can connect with other writers.

You’ll find me over there as Dee. Come say hello. :)

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Scrivener – Corkboard Images

 

There are several ways you can keep images (or links to those images) in Scrivener. But here’s an easy way for those who want to have groups of images easily and quickly accessible.

Let’s say you like to have pictures of your characters handy. (This will work for any type of images- characters is just one example.)

If you chose a fiction template when you started, you’ll already have a folder labeled “Characters.” If you don’t, simply create a new folder and label it.

Click on your character folder in the binder and then select “new text” using the add button in the toolbar. This will give you a document within the Character folder. Label it with the character’s name.

Now go over to the right in the Synopsis box and click on the double arrows. Choose the little photo icon.

You’ll get a box that says “Drag an image file.”

Drag the image you want from another file or source right into the box and you’ll see it appear.

Repeat this process for the other characters.

OR you can do this in corkboard view. Make sure your “Characters” folder is still highlighted in the binder and click on the corkboard icon at the top.

When you’re ready to add your next character, make sure the last index card is highlighted and click “new text” like you did in the original example.

Do the same thing as before by clicking the double arrows, choosing the photo icon, and dragging the photo you want.

The end result will look something like this. Fun, right? :)

If you want to refer to the images as you’re writing, you can pull them up on their own or use a split screen view. Remember, you can adjust the index cards so they fit the way you want them to. See corkboard post here. And you can use either the side by side or top/bottom split screen.

You can also click the little blue “i” to the right to close the Inspector Pane and give you more room.

This tool can be used for any collection of images, including settings or research. 

Or even if you need a few pictures to refer to on breaks. You know, something that makes you happy or helps you relax. Be creative!

To learn more about Scrivener, head over to the Tools for Writers page.

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Patrick McDonald of QueryTracker

Instead of simply telling you how wonderful QueryTracker is, I went right to the source. Below is an interview with Patrick McDonald, the creator of QueryTracker. (If you’re querying and don’t know about QT, check it out here. It’s a gold mine!)

 

What can you tell us about the man behind the awesome Query Tracker site?

There’s really not much to say. I’m just a boring guy who spends way too much time in front of a computer. I enjoy reading, writing and programming, and QueryTracker rolls all of that info one nice bundle for me.

Why did you start QueryTracker? What is the QueryTracker story?

Well, like every other writer out there, I learned the hard way that writing the book was the easy part compared to querying. And as I was querying, I couldn’t help thinking there had to be a better way to keep track of all my queries. So I came up with QueryTracker. At first it was just going to be a tool for myself and some other writer friends, but it quickly grew beyond that.

What are the most popular features?

I don’t know if I can pinpoint any that are particularly more popular than any others. But I did find it interesting that some of the features I just kind of threw in as an after-thought became very popular. For instance, the “Quick Links” on an agent’s profile that link to other places around the web where you might find that agent. I was pleasantly surprised when people started to comment on how much they like and use that feature. But in the beginning, it was nothing more than a way to fill an empty spot on the page.
Another one that I never expected to take off was the comments section. I thought people would use it, but not as much as it ended up being used. And that’s good.

What is the benefit to getting a premium membership?

There’s lots of extra features available to premium members. One of the most powerful is probably the “Data Explorer” which lets you see all the query information in the database and sort and filter it however you want. For example, you can see all the recent queries to a particular agent, and then see if any queries sent before or after yours has already been responded to. It’s great, because it can let you know if you’ve been skipped over or not.
Do you have a favorite success story?
All of them, of course. But, in the early days of QueryTracker a small group of authors gathered on the QueryTracker forum and we all became very close friends. So when one of them succeeds it’s especially great.

What advice would you give to querying writers?

Be patient. Publishing is a very slow business.
Authors often mention using (and loving!) Query Tracker in our Query.Sign.Submit. series. Does that kind of positive feedback make its way to you?
I often hear and appreciate the nice things people are saying about QueryTracker. The writing community has been very kind and enthusiastic. I can’t thank them enough. But, and this may sound a bit odd, I’d really like to hear more of the bad things. You see, I’m kind of a perfectionist and if there is anything about QueryTracker that needs fixing I’d really like to know. So, if anyone out there has ever ran into a bug or just think something would work better if done differently, please let me know.

How can users help out QueryTracker?

Keeping track of all the agent’s contact information is a daunting task and so I depend heavily on members informing me of any changes they may find. Simply posting about it in that agent’s comment section will usually get my attention. I’ll then verify the change and update the agent’s profile.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Just to thank you and all the QueryTracker members out there. Without all of you, QueryTracker would be nothing.

Thanks so much, Pat!

Posted May 2014

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Scrivener- Using the Inspector Pane

The Inspector pane in Scrivener is that whole column over to the right of your screen. If you don’t see it, click the blue i in the upper right-hand corner.

The top section is the Synopsis section which you can use to keep summaries of your scenes and chapters. Read about it in our Scrivener- Corkboard post.

The next section is the General Meta-Data panel, which can be super helpful. Read about it in our Scrivener- Label & Status post.

The bottom section is full of gems you might not even know are there.

See those little icons on the very bottom?

 
Yup, those. You’re going to learn to love them.

The first is a notepad icon and is for NOTES.

 
At the top of the box in the image above, it says “Document Notes” which means that anything you type here will be associated with the chapter or scene that’s been selected.

If you want to write some notes that apply to the entire project, click the double arrows and switch to “Project Notes”. You’ll be able to view them from any chapter as long as “Project Notes” is chosen. This is a great option if you have things you need to refer to often while writing your manuscript.

The next one is a books icon and is for REFERENCES.

 
If there’s anything you’d like to link to so you always have it on hand and can get to it quickly, this is a great place to put it.

Click on the double arrows and then choose to-

“Add Internal Reference” (to link to a document within Scrivener such as your character sheet or chapter you refer to often)

“Look Up & Add External Reference” (to link to a document on your computer)

or “Create External Reference” (to link to a website)

The third icon is a key and is for KEYWORDS.

 
See our Scrivener- Keywords post for more info.

The next icon may be a tag icon which is for CUSTOM METADATA. (However, there isn’t one in the newest Windows version, so I’ll be skipping past it for now.)

Next is the camera icon and it is for SNAPSHOTS.

Before you change something in a scene, if you’d like to keep a copy of the previous version, click the plus sign on the Snapshots bar. This will take a “snapshot” which you can then title. To delete a snapshot, click the minus button on the Snapshots bar.

Click on any of your snapshots to see it in the panel below. If you want to go back to that version, click “Roll Back”. Scrivener will ask you to confirm before it performs this task.

The last icon is a speech bubble and it’s for COMMENTS & FOOTNOTES.

When you click on it, you’ll see all the comments you’ve made in that particular section of the manuscript. See our post on Comments & Annotations for more details.

Scrivener is full of useful features and adding them to your toolkit can make things so much easier and maybe even more fun. :)

To learn more about Scrivener, head over to the Tools for Writers page.

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