Posts by Sarah Penner
So much is expected of authors these days: not only the writing and editing of our work, but also promotion, speaking, social media, newsletters…the list goes on.
One efficiency tool used by many authors to help with promotion and social media is Canva, an online graphic design tool that can be used either on a computer or via an app on your phone. The benefits of Canva are endless: designs are professional-looking, easy to create, downloadable, and entirely customizable. You can mix and match designs (copy & paste is your friend here!) to achieve precisely the design you’re wanting. Canva also has an incredible “Help Center” full of design tutorials and content suggestions.
Most Canva design tools are free to use, though an upgraded “pro” version is available for $120/year for anyone desiring premium content. This gives you access to more fonts, branding kits, scheduled social media, and more.
Below, I’ve listed several design ideas for authors looking to get started with Canva. Or, for those of you already using the tool, perhaps something below will spur a new idea!
Canva design idea #1: E-books
This design idea is great for social media to advertise and promote that your book is available in e-book format. Simply choose a design template that you like (try element keyword searches like “kindle” or “ebook”.) Then, upload an image of your book’s cover and overlay it onto the template.
Don’t forget to utilize Canva’s resizing tool, too: it can quickly resize images to fit Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on! No need to recreate the image every time.
In this image below, as indicated by the red arrow, I’ve overlaid my book’s cover onto a “blank” e-reader. I can then download this image and use across any social media.
Canva design idea #2: Audiobooks
The process for this is almost identical to the above, however I used the keyword search “audiobook.” Remember, as you look through Canva’s image results, try to choose ideas that are aligned with your social media or brand aesthetic.
Also, for both e-books and audiobooks, don’t forget that by posting promotional images, you also need to include purchase links so your followers can buy what you’re promoting!
In this image below, as indicated by the red arrow, I’ve overlaid my book’s cover onto a “blank” phone screen, which is situated next to a pair of headphones. I can then download this image and use across any social media.
Canva design idea #3: Press kits and speaker resumes
Press kits make an excellent addition to your website, so event organizers can quickly access key information about your work, location, social media reach, etc. Similarly, speaker resumes are beneficial if you’re seeking speaking engagements or want to partner with a speaker’s bureau.
Thankfully, Canva has countless templates for this. Whether you’re going for something edgy, whimsical, basic, or anything in between, you’re bound to find a design you like. Below are a few screenshots to give you an idea of Canva’s offerings in this space.
Canva design idea #4: Graphics for websites and newsletters
Hate pulling together imagery for your website and newsletters? You’re in luck: Canva can do so much of this heavy lifting for you. Below is an image I pulled together for a Writer Unboxed post about Read More
In my early writing days–before I was agented, and long before my debut novel was published–I sought writing advice on every imaginable topic: premise, drafting, writing routine, word choice. I was like a sponge, heeding advice from authors who’d reached the goals I envisioned for myself. I also listened to the guidance laid out by agents and editors: they were the ones I wanted to impress, after all. Surely I should follow their advice “to a T.”
As my writing career lifted off the ground, I gradually began to think for myself and reconsider all those tidbits of advice I’d jotted onto Post-It notes. I realized that some conventional writing “rules” didn’t work for my style and narrative voice. Other rules, I considered downright impractical.
All writing advice, I ultimately decided, should be taken with a grain of salt. Writing is art, and art doesn’t mix with rules. Take what works for you as the creator, and leave the rest behind.
Below are six conventional writing “rules” I’d encourage writers to think twice about.
Rule #1 worth breaking: Avoid the passive voice
Within moments of picking up The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, I scratched my chin: the story was full of passive sentences. (“His tailcoat has been tossed lazily over a velvet armchair…”) I remember thinking, “Morgenstern’s editor let her get away with this?” followed immediately by, “I want to see if I can get away with this.” The fact is, the passive voice is lovely and artistic. It creates a sense of mystery and separation, which was ideal for the magical realm in which The Night Circus takes place.
Morgenstern herself addressed this very topic in a WU interview a decade ago, saying “the passive voice fits stylistically” with the “old fashioned storytelling feel” she sought in the story.
Also worth noting is Morgenstern’s use of the second person POV. It’s rare for a narrator to direct a statement at the reader, but The Night Circus does just that in the early pages of the story: “Now the circus is open. Now you may enter.” It’s beautifully enchanting, an invitation for the reader to fall into the story at that very moment.
Rule #2 worth breaking: Write what you know
Ah, an old favorite. We’ve all been hearing this since the day we first set pen to paper, haven’t we? Well, pardon my expression, but I call BS.
I knew absolutely nothing about poison before writing The Lost Apothecary. I had a foundational interest in herbs, plants, and cooking, but that’s still a long stretch from arsenic, strychnine, and nux vomica. What’s a writer to do? Expand what you know. Take the time to do the research. No one will know the difference, as evidenced by the number of emails I still receive from pharmacists who are impressed with the level of detail throughout The Lost Apothecary.
I shudder to think of the many aspiring […]
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At the start of any mystery or whodunit, often authors find themselves grappling with a conundrum: how, exactly, do I hide my villain or “bad guy” in plain sight? This individual is often a key player in the story, meaning we need to introduce the reader to our villain early (ultimately, this makes for a more satisfying ending: no one wants to learn that the villain is a minor side character who shows up in act III.)
We also need the reader to engage regularly with the hidden villain throughout the story. When keeping our villain’s identity under wraps, we want the reader to not only understand this key character’s motives, but even root for them. And of course, we want the reader to trust the hidden villain.
Below are eight characterization and plot strategies to keep your villain’s identity disguised until that perfect moment when you, the author, decide to unveil the truth.
Use first-person point of view
First-person POV is the easiest way to establish a meaningful connection between your villain and your reader. It allows the reader to effortlessly step into the villain’s emotional state, which is important as we work to establish sympathy for the “bad guy” we’re hoping to hide among our cast of characters.
Personally, I’m a fan of epistolary narrative structures, and this is easily paired with first-person POV. For example, I can think of nothing more compelling than the tell-all diary of a meek and likable villain, documenting (firsthand!) the events leading up to the central crime in a story—a crime they commit.
Provide a sympathetic background
Every character enters a story with his or her own flaws and emotional wounds. Consider making these as relatable, and heart-breaking, as possible. A few ideas: poverty or financial struggles; flawed physical appearance or physical afflictions; or a deep personal loss.
Once you’ve established the emotional or physical characteristics that will make your reader pity your hidden villain, let us into the villain’s thoughts about these characteristics. Show us his or her embarrassment, shame, or grief. Remember, we want the reader to desire healing, and happiness, for the hidden villain.
Establish motivations and goals
Like other key characters in your story, your hidden villain must have his or her own story goals that are both (1) stated out loud, and (2) warranted. We want the reader rooting for the hidden villain throughout the story, and the only way to do this is to establish what, exactly, your bad guy wants—and why.
Once you’ve done this, then…
Throw a wrench in your hidden villain’s plans
Once you’ve established a reader’s sympathy for this all-important character, and once you’ve established that character’s goals, make something bad happen to them. Ideally, this negative event is related to the flaws and emotional wounds you’ve established above. We want the reader to quite literally feel bad for the villain. We want them to say, “aww” or, “oh no…” We want the reader to be convinced that your hidden villain’s goals are out of reach.
This strategy is most effective in acts I and II of your story (because in act III, you’ll be focused on revealing the villain and, hopefully, showing the reader how very wrong they were about this character all along.)
Demonstrate virtue and show emotion
As your villain responds to […]
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Many writers, myself included, keep an eclectic assortment of books on their desks at any given time: a novel or two, a book of poetry or short stories, perhaps a few research books for the WIP. And as might be expected, many of our desks also have a stack of dog-eared books about writing.
I love when people ask for recommendations about books on the topic of writing. There exists such a variety of them: instructional, informational, inspirational. No matter the direction a particular writing resource takes, I always find gold nuggets of wisdom to incorporate into current projects.
In the spirit of a baker’s dozen, below I’ve listed thirteen of my favorite books about writing.
1. LETTERS TO A YOUNG POET by Rainer Maria Rilke (Inspirational)
“…admit to yourself whether you would die if it should be denied you to write,” Rilke writes in the early pages of this classic. The book is a compilation of letters from mentor (Rilke) to mentee (young officer Franz Xaver Cappus). Interspersed throughout the letters are countless bits of wisdom about life, writing, suffering, art.
2. BEFORE AND AFTER THE BOOK DEAL by Courtney Maum (Informational – Business)
This guide to finishing, publishing, promoting, and surviving your first book asks all the hard questions we’re too scared to say aloud: Do I need an MFA? What if I don’t like the offer I get on my book? What happens if I don’t like my agent? What if I die before my book comes out? Maum liaised with countless industry professionals while writing this book; the advice is second-to-none.
3. WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL by Donald Maass (Instructional – Craft)
Touting one of our own here, but this book is too good to not include in this list. I skim this book before starting any new project. It includes invaluable advice on story premise; stakes; plot approaches; and theme, all of which evolve with each new project. “Every protagonist needs a torturous need, a consuming fear, an aching regret…” Maass writes. This book is a must-have on your reference shelf.
4. BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert (Inspirational)
This inspirational guide on the balance of fear and creativity is the reason I’m a writer. I was lucky enough to attend one of Gilbert’s talks when she was on tour for this book years ago, and she asked the audience to think about how we’d feel if we didn’t pursue our dreams. Suffice it to say: the next week, I began penning my first novel.
5. SAVE THE CAT WRITES A NOVEL by Jessica Brody (Instructional – Craft)
For the structure-lovers among us, this book breaks down the three-act story structure in a way that prompts interesting questions to consider in our projects. An excellent resource when outlining a project, particularly if you feel your plot is lacking in tension or pace. Don’t get lost in the formulaic nature of some of the chapters: like any writing resource, the information in this book exists to guide you, not constrain you.
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Cliffhangers are a favorite technique of thriller and suspense writers, but every genre can benefit from a suspension in information. Cliffhangers contribute to pacing and tension, and they are one of the most effective ways of encouraging a reader to start a new scene or chapter when they might otherwise set the book down for a short break. They’re useful even in literary fiction, short stories, and narrative nonfiction (Erik Larson is a master at inserting compelling cliffhangers into his nonfiction books!)
Many authors are confused about cliffhangers versus twists. Cliffhangers are a short-lived suspension of information, whereas twists are a long-lived redirection of information. Cliffhangers sever a scene at its most dramatic moment, whereas twists create drama by overturning reader expectations. Cliffhangers make a reader say, “I want to turn the page to find out what happens,” whereas twists make the reader say, “I did not expect it to happen this way.”
We as authors tend to be too nice to our readers, and it’s tempting to give the reader what we know he or she wants early in a book. But readers secretly love to be teased, and they know we’ll give them the answers eventually.
Crafting an effective cliffhanger is no easy feat, but below I’ve listed several suggestions related to placement, structure, and execution of cliffhangers.
Use POV and structure to your advantage
A multi-POV or multi-timeline story is ripe for cliffhangers. Why? Because your story structure already has built-in breaks, i.e., the switch from one character or timeline to the next. This allows you to cut a scene or chapter at its most dramatic moment and then conveniently switch over to the next character or timeline. It will frustrate your reader in a strangely satisfying way—especially if your characters and timelines are equally compelling and the reader is anxious to resolve previous cliffhangers you’ve set up in the story.
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As a debut author not long ago, I was desperately uninformed about who’s who in the publishing world. I knew I’d be working closely with my agent from day one, and ultimately the editor who acquired my debut. What surprised me was that in the months leading up to my book’s release, this circle of key players grew wide (and fast!) No longer were only my agent and editor on phone calls. Soon, these were joined by publicity, marketing, sales…quite overwhelming, to say the least. At the time, I didn’t understand what each team was responsible for, or how they differed from one another (even now, I struggle to understand the difference between publicity and marketing!)
It takes a village, as they say, and my objective today is to summarize each of the (very) important players in the traditional publishing village. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and there are roles behind the scenes that aren’t listed here, such as finance, distribution, etc. However, I tried to include the players with whom an author is most likely to interact.
Core team: Agent & Editorial
Your agent and editor will be the individuals with whom you work most closely before, during, and after your book’s publication. Below is an overview of these roles.
Agency team
The forthcoming launch of any book is a heavy lift, rife with news to announce, people to call, and updates to publicize.
But if you’re launching a debut? It’s an especially daunting endeavor because, well, you’ve never done this before! And the pressure is high: a splashy, big hit debut can make an author’s career. But conversely, a debut launch that doesn’t meet author or publisher expectations can be difficult to stomach, and this puts additional weight on second or third titles.
How is a debut author to know what, exactly, should be on his or her “task list” in the months approaching their big book launch? No doubt, authors publishing via the indie route will have more on their plate, but even traditionally-published authors are expected to take on much of the heavy lifting these days.
Below, I’ve pulled together a “playbook” for debut authors. Consider it a list of ideas for debut authors in the year leading up to their launch.
By all means, take this list with a grain of salt: there may be items on here that don’t apply to your specific circumstances or a suggested timeframe that needs to be reworked.
9-12 months until launch
6-9 months until launch
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For many authors, generating social media content ideas is a necessary evil: we all know the importance of keeping up a platform so we can engage with readers and the book community, but maintaining social platforms is yet another to-do item on an already long list.
I’m here for you, friends.
Below are 100 social media content ideas for every stage of your writing career. There are 25 items listed for each of the four stages. Whether you’re an aspiring author, have an impending book launch, just launched a book, or your career is in-swing, I hope you’ll find the below ideas useful.
The content suggestions listed are best-suited to three platforms in particular: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. That said, these ideas could also be used in your author newsletter, on YouTube or TikTok channels, etc. We all have a favorite platform (mine is Instagram) but no need to recreate the wheel: once you’ve created a piece of content, use it widely across platforms (and reuse down the road, if applicable!)
Let’s get right to it.
Career stage: Aspiring Author
Content goals: Form connections with other writers, develop an organic following
Content ideas for the aspiring author include:
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If there’s one topic I love talking about with fellow writers, it’s women’s empowerment in fiction. For this reason, I was thrilled in late January to see that Publishers Weekly had run a fabulous piece on exactly this subject, titled “Is Women’s Empowerment Coming to Publishing?” The article was from the perspective of big players in the industry like marketing and sales managers, executive editors, and editorial directors, and it outlined what publishers are seeking in the women’s empowerment space. It also covered the impact of recent political changes on women’s fiction and popular sub-genres related to women’s empowerment.
While I enjoyed the article, I felt that something was missing—more precisely, a perspective was missing: booksellers! After all, booksellers are the ones with “boots on the ground,” the people interacting every day with readers. They are closest to the discussions about what readers are seeking when they step into a store to browse. Publishing professionals may utilize industry trends and data to derive their own conclusions, but is there any replacement for approaching a reader and asking, “what are you looking for?”
I think not.
So, I set out several weeks ago to fill the gap and seek this missing perspective. I am thrilled now to share the feedback from a half-dozen booksellers about what their readers are seeking in the women’s empowerment space, and why such titles are important to their readers.
I also invited each bookseller to suggest several titles in the genre. There are some fabulous recommendations here!
Question: Why do you feel women’s empowerment in fiction is important to your readers today?
“Although we have made great strides, it is still not an easy road for women. Speaking for myself, when I see strong women making changes in the books I read, I feel a personal sense of empowerment. I am sure it is the same for many of my readers.” –Mary Webber O’Malley, Skylark Bookshop
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Please welcome Sarah Penner to Writer Unboxed as our newest regular contributor! Sarah’s debut, THE LOST APOTHECARY, releases on March 2nd. You can learn more about her HERE. Welcome, Sarah!
At long last, 2021 has arrived on our doorstep. I’m an optimist, and I imagine a number of you will agree with me on one thing: 2021 is destined to be better than 2020.
This holiday season has looked nothing like we anticipated. Old traditions—New Year’s Day brunch, traveling to see family—have been set aside. But no matter the quarantines and restrictions in place, there’s one tradition many of us will still keep: we’ll sit down with a pen and paper to make a list of resolutions for the shiny new year.
Personally, I love this tradition. It’s an opportunity to revisit the goals I set twelve months earlier; identify the strategies and habits that worked; and set new priorities to pursue in the coming months. I’ve always been a goal-setter, and I can’t imagine rolling into a new year without a bit of introspection.
But before we take out our pen and paper to set goals for the new year, let’s talk through a few things.
Resolutions that stick
It’s been well-established by psychologists that new year’s resolutions simply don’t stick, and the reasons for this are varied.
Most of the time, resolutions fail due to lack of specificity. Some resolutions are too vague (“I will improve my craft this year”) or too all-encompassing (“I’ll be more active in the writing community this year.”) So, when setting goals for the new year, remember to be specific: “I will sign up for a class about better dialogue-writing,” or “I will join an online critique group aimed at YA writers.”
Also, ensure your resolution is something you can control. “I will sign with a literary agent” is a nice resolution to make, but you only have so much power over this. No matter how polished and on-the-mark your manuscript might be, it still needs to hit the sweet spot for an agent—a person with their own thoughts and behaviors that should not drive your sense of success. Instead, set goals you can control, like how many agents you will research or query this year.
You might be tempted to think that resolutions don’t stick due to a lack of willpower or desire, but this is a sure-fire path to low self-esteem: this is not a matter of how badly you want it. It is a matter of strategy and approach. Your desire to achieve a goal is there, but it needs to be transformed into a step-by-step approach that will bring your goal closer.
Said another way, successful resolutions require good habits.
Habits are better than resolutions
Resolutions are often big, life-changing visions. Habits, on the other hand, are subtle. They require less change to our behavior, making them more likely to stick.
When writing down your list of goals for the year, it’s perfectly fine to write down the big goals. But then, beneath each one, write down the smaller habits necessary to make them happen (daily or weekly is best!) A habit, by definition, is a practice or a tendency. Keep this in mind when listing behaviors that will support your goals.
Let’s take a few […]
Read MorePlease welcome SarahPenner.com to WU today! Sarah is the debut author of The Lost Apothecary, forthcoming in March 2021 from Park Row Books/HarperCollins. The Lost Apothecary will be available in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and translated in eleven territories worldwide. Sarah works full-time in finance with a Big Four accounting firm. Sarah and her husband live in St. Petersburg, Florida with their miniature dachshund, Zoe.
Sarah reached out to WU lately to ask about running a survey with the community to tap into workplace changes, and crafting a post around that data, and we said an enthusiastic YES. Thank you to all who participated–nearly 450 voices.
To learn more about Sarah and The Lost Apothecary, visit SarahPenner.com; and follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Amazon.
Creativity in a Pandemic: Navigating Changes to our Work Environment
I think many of us can agree that in the early days of the pandemic, we (somewhat excitedly) let this thought cross our mind: No social engagements? Work from home during lockdown? I’m going to get so much more writing done!
My, how naïve we were.
I’ll be the first to admit that months ago, as lockdowns began, I overestimated the number of wide-open hours I’d have to dedicate to my work-in-progress. Similarly, I underestimated my pandemic-related anxiety. But when I developed a mild case of shingles in April, there was no denying it: deep down, I was stressed. And this whole writing-during-the-pandemic thing was, in short, not going well.
We’re more than seven months into this thing, and reality has hit: writing in a pandemic is hard. Everyone’s work environment has shifted, for better or worse. No matter if you’re a parent or student, employee or retiree. If you’re a writer, you’re feeling this.
I work full-time in finance for a large consulting firm, and I used to commute to an office. Now, I quite literally sit down at my desk and log in from eight until five each day. It’s a pretty typical situation for many office workers these days, and I am so, so sick of this desk. I envision many of you nodding along with me: the “desk fever” is getting real.
Recently, I tuned into a virtual launch party for another author. She doesn’t work a 9-to-5, but she writes full-time and has a young son at home. As she explained the strange experience of launching a book in a pandemic, she commented on the very real struggles she’s facing with her child at home. Like many parents, she has now found herself responsible for at-home schooling and full-time child care, in addition to her writing.
After her launch event, I spent a few minutes musing on the struggles she’d outlined. She doesn’t have an office job, and I don’t have children. Yet despite how different our lives and routines appear, we are both facing changes in our work environment—and dealing with the repercussions of it, whether good or bad.
I began to wonder about the broader population of writers, and the impact of changing work environments on our writing time.
The results were eye-opening, to say the least.
Our recent […]
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