When evening comes, do you feel like you’ve been spinning in a circle all day, doing lots of things, but getting little done? And then realizing that your writing hasn’t been touched? If so, you’ve come to the right place.

With the start of this brand new year, I thought I’d share some tips and tricks to getting your days back under control, so you can have not only less stress, but also attain your writing goals.

Below are some key tips, a few pitfalls to avoid, and a list of additional resources, so you can do a deeper dive and have not only productive, but fulfilling days.

Time Management

Oh, those are words I love to hate.

Why?

Because they sound so simple but can be very challenging. The concept sounds wonderful on paper. Doing it? Not so much. But you can make time management a bit easier, if you understand some of your psychological and behavioral barriers. These barriers can include:

• Too many obligations

• Multi-tasking (yes, this is a problem!)

• Honesty about what is important, and why you are avoiding certain tasks (ouch)

• Assessing what really needs to be done (and in what general order)

Let’s talk about solutions:

Putting Out Fires

Too often, you may find yourself diving into your day with all the *things* you have to do. Like many of us, you may put your head down and barrel forward, knocking tasks down as you race through the day.

The problem with this, is that it can resemble putting out fires, only finishing the most obvious *now* tasks. Sometimes, this approach leaves us at the will of others- the kids or the spouse or (insert relationship here!) who may be pushing for time or attention. (Don’t get me wrong, these people are important, but so are you. We’ll talk below about how to re-orient all of this!)

Lists:

Creating lists is an important step in gaining control of your days. Used incorrectly, though, they can become a hinderance.

• What they are:

  • Lists are a way to capture all those tasks creating a firestorm in your head. You can get all the *to do’s* in one place. Lists help you:

    • De-stress: lists can help you gain control over a frantic day, by giving you the peace of mind that you won’t forget something

    • Prioritize: lists allow you to decide what you will (and won’t) tackle and, in general, what order

    • Feel accomplished: instead of running in circles doing whatever task is right in front of you, then being dragged off to the next one…you can systematically complete tasks, cross them off the list, and have more done at the end of the day (plus have some built in time for you!).

  • What they are NOT:

    • Lists should not be a crazy long itemization of everything that has to be done in the world. If you need to make one master list like this, go ahead. Then set it aside and check out the prioritization section below.

    • Lists should not stress you when you don’t get everything on the list completed every day. Keep in mind, lists help you make progress, not attain perfection!

  • Types of Lists:

    • The Today (or soon) List:

      • Make a list of the things that really do need to get done today, or within the next few days.

      • Consider separating those items into simple subcategories.

      • Make sure one section is devoted to YOU.

      • For example, my daily list:

        • Starts at the top with a “Me” section. This contains a few simple things I need to do for myself. Adding this intentionally helps keep us from always putting others first, while wearing ourselves too thin. If I do a little something for me each day, I can give to others much more freely.

        • Writing: I list out things specific to my writing tasks (although writing my Fantasy is under the *me* section!) Writing today’s blog, for example, is in my “Writing” section today. (see picture below)

        • Triathlon:

          • I coach beginner triathletes. I need to remember to send practice reminders, get waivers signed, and other regular tasks.

        • Other:

          • I put all my other tasks under “Other”. This keeps me from worrying too much about where something fits in a subcategory (like ‘house cleaning’ versus ‘shopping’). Things I need to get done today (or tomorrow) around the house, are listed here.

    • The Longer Project/ Chore List:

      • Make a separate list of those tasks that will take several steps to finish or won’t need to be worked on for sometime. This is a great way to not forget a project later or to manage large, multi-step projects. In my attached example- I have “Projects” listed on a separate page. Any smaller steps of these projects needing to be completed today (or soon), will be add to my “Today” list with ( ) around it- so I know it’s part of a longer project.

Prioritize!

No list will help you function better through your day unless you prioritize what you will do and (about) in what order. Stand back from your list and examine it. What really must be done first? What has to be absolutely finished today?

• Circles:

  • Consider circling all the things you really think must get done first. If there is a time element to it, make note of that (for example a doctor’s approintment time). I also add specific appointment times at the top of my daily list (see picture) to remind me when to get out the door (yes, my goal of not always being late could happen).

• Stars:

  • Put stars next to things that can be done after completing the circled items.

• Batch:

  • Similar tasks: Group together similar tasks. Sometimes this is obvious, like dropping into the grocery store on the way home from another errand (if you really need to grocery shop!).

  • Social Media/Email: pick ONCE a day to tap into these resources. Many of us repeatedly check email or social media. However, this is often unnecessary and become a time waster. (C’mon…once you’re into your Social Media, isn’t it easier to scroll a little longer than to go back to that laundry?)

• Gravy- everything else on the list is extra. If you get it done today, great, but otherwise it can wait for tomorrow.

Don’t Start a New Fire!

• Overlisting:

  • It’s tempting to spend so much time making lists (and sublists), that we never actually complete any items. At first, your list may be way too long. But with time, you’ll get used to what is reasonable to complete in a day, and consider moving some other items to the “Longer Project” list.

• Honesty:

  • If there are items on your list you never really seem to complete or that fall victim to procrastination, take a hard look at the why. Often, the reasoning isn’t a lack of time, at all.

    • Fear can keep us from moving forward on a task (this is one reason some writer’s spend more time on Social Media than actually writing!). This may be a fear of failure or something deeper. Check out this post for more information.

    • Imposter syndrome can keep you from completing goals. (Here is a helpful post).

• Multi-tasking:

  • Don’t try to do more than one thing at a time. We all fall victim to thinking we can multi-task, believing we will get everything done faster. What really happens is that each thing is slower and done less well. In addition, multi-tasking can have some long-term ramifications. If you’re shaking your head in disbelief, see this post with some great information and real data on multi-tasking.

    • There are *some* times that doing 2 things at the same time does make sense. For example, doing some editing while the clothes are washing, then taking a quick break to put the clothes in the dryer. This allows you to make good use of the time the washer is operating. It also affords a built-in mental break when you move the clothes to the dryer. (Yes! Something for you.)

Time Blocks:

Instead of ploughing through your list without any breaks, you’ll feel less stressed and actually accomplish more by giving yourself intentional breaks. This can easily be done by using a timer. For example, I set a timer for 45 minutes. During that time, I work on a task (or tasks). When the timer goes off, I reset it for 15 minutes during which I take a mental break. I do something for *me*.

To find out more about time control, check out the Pomodoro method (here).

Remove Distractions:

I could easily put social media under this section, too. But suffice it to say that putting your phone out of reach or unplugging from a distracting headset, may be a ticket to more productiveness. Give it a try!

What’s Done/What’s Not:

This part is pretty simple. Cross out what you finish, move to tomorrow’s list what you don’t get done today. Some things are repeated daily- I rewrite them every day anyway. It allows for consistency. Note: if something stays on the list and never gets done, go back up to the Honesty section, above!

Need some more tips and resources?

Here are some additional useful links:

• Calming the Storm: Identifying distractions

• 14 Do’s and Don’ts of Time Management for Writers (KM Weiland)

• How Multi-Tasking Erodes Productivity and Dings Your IQ

• 7 Steps to Healthy Emotional Endurance for Writers

What About You?

Do you have time management methods that work for you? Share them with us in the comments.

This post is part of a monthly blog share with other writers that help each other by sharing what works, what doesn’t, and everything in between. Check out some of the authors below, then head on over to the Insecure Writers Support Group to see what it’s all about.

Also, many thanks to this month’s blog hop hosts:  Shannon Lawrence, Olga Godim, Jean Davis, and Jacqui Murray!

The post How to Find the Time to Write in a Busy Life first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

At the Ironman Arizona Triathlon this past November, I stood along the banks of Tempe Town Lake, acting as an extra set of eyes, watching for swimmers in trouble, and sending kayakers off to help.

I know the fear in the mind of those struggling swimmers. All the questions they have, as panic sets in. The sudden realization of the magnitude of what they’re trying to accomplish. The sudden awareness that you could actually drown.

As the kayaker reaches a swimmer, the athlete is allowed to hold onto the boat…as long as it stays still in the water and does’nt help move the swimmmer forward along the race course. With the fear of drowning momentarily abated, a desparate flood of questions invade the athlete’s mind: What if I can’t finish the swim? What if I can’t finish the race? What the hell was I thinking? Panic breathing can take hold.

One of the hardest questions for these struggling athletes to ask (and for me to have to answer) is how far they still need to swim. That’s when I have to point to the far (FAR) off bridge that signals the turn-around (the half-way mark of the swim). This is also when I usually try to encourage them, instead of letting them focus on the “how far” issue. Look how far you’ve come! Give yourself a minute, you’ll be fine! Take it one buoy at a time.

This moment is made even more stressful knowing that after the 2.4 mile swim, there is a grueling 112-mile bike ride followed by a full marathon yet to complete. Struggling in the swim just means the rest of the day is going to be much, much harder.

DNF

It takes months and months of preparation to get to the starting line of an Ironman triathlon. It’s exhausting training that usually includes exchanging precious family and social time for hours of swimming, running, and cycling. Still, on race day, no matter how hard you’ve trained, the reality is that there are also cut-off times along the course. And if you don’t get past specific points on the course in time, you’re not allowed to finish the race. These cut-off rules are so strict that a race official will flag you down and remove your timing chip. The race records will be immediately updated to officially list you as DNF (‘did not finish’).

Ouch!

Those 3 little letters are crushing. All the work, the hours and months of one’s soul poured into one goal…and all those hopes end in the blink of an eye.

In that blink, with that proverbial rejection that says “you weren’t good enough,” the athlete begins to slide right into the first stages of grief. At this point, the athlete has a few choices: wallow in the pain and despair or be kind to themselves, focusing instead on what they’ve overcome just to get to the starting line. They can turn the “you weren’t good enough” to “I’ll be back.”

How they emotionally choose to deal with this may impact their future in the sport.

Would You Cheer or Boo?

How would you respond to this athlete, as you watch their timing chip get removed? Watch their grief stricken face? The anguish? The tears? What would you say? Would you point out their deficiencies? Point out how good other athletes are still doing? Tell them they wasted the year and should give up on triathlon?

Of course not!

We encourage people in these moments- help them find a silver lining. Talk about what they have accomplished. How proud we are of them. And how they will do even better next time.

Right?

Then why do we treat ourselves so badly as writers when we get rejections of our manuscripts?

But Manuscript Writing is Different!

Is it though? Writers:

• Dedicate months/years of pouring our souls into a single manuscript

• Give up social and family time to practice our craft

• Pick out the perfect list of agents to query

• Stress over every.single.word of a query letter

• Suffer while writing a synopsis (no one loves these!)

• Submit a query…

• Then hit the re-fresh button hourly, waiting, hoping for (and even dreading) a response…

• …which is too often a rejection. Our DNF.

Those rejections can hit writers the same way that a DNF hits a triathlete. I’ve been in both situations. Believe me…they do feel very similar! The self-doubt, grief, bitterness, fear as the rejections pile up. These all deepen the hurt. And I’m sure we’ve all seen social media posts from disenchanted writers swearing they’ll never write again after too many rejections.

But here ‘s where we have a choice:

• to treat ourselves like we would treat the athlete who just DNF’d

• or put ourselves down and give up

The 3% Club

Did you know that:

Only ~3% of people ever finish their manuscript

Wait, what?

Yes! By pushing through all those months of dedication and finishing that manuscript, you’ve joined a rather small group of accomplished, dedicated people. The 3% Club!

I know it always feels like everyone in the world has written a manuscript. But that’s not true. There are many, many more that put the pen down long before writing The End.

Be Good to You

So give yourself a little grace. Give yourself a minute to go through the process of absorbing those rejections. Then pick yourself back up and make a new goal: fix problems in the manuscript or send out a new batch of query letters. Maybe give the manuscript a break and come back to it in a few months with fresh eyes. Or consider self-publishing (if you do, make sure to check out Writer Beware for help avoiding scammers and check out my writing resource PDF below!).

No matter what, be proud of your accomplishment! You did all the hard work to get to that query starting line in the first place. You didn’t quit, when many others have.

Congratulations.

Using a Rejection for the Win

When writers tell me that this positive sentiment is probably easy for me to say because I’m already published, I share with them how I had my share of DNF’s along the way. When my contemporary YA manuscript drew the attention of some of my A-list agents, I was so ecstatic. When full manuscript copies were requested, I was elated.

Then the rejections came in. And they hurt. But I decided to dive into the why: what could I learn in writing craft to evolve into a better writer? That manuscript is still waiting for me to edit, but I found my passion in writing The Grim Reader: a Pharmacist’s Guide to Putting Your Characters in Peril. I used everything I studied about the craft, wrote my heart out, and caught the attention of an agent. This January will be the 2nd anniversary of The Grim Reader’s publication through Indiana University Press.

Need some helpful resources for writers?

Here are a few resources to help get you back on track:

7 Steps to Healthy Emotional Endurance for Writers

Write Your Manuscript Like and Endurance Athlete Trains

No Muse is Good Muse

A PDF with lots of writing resource links: I give this pamphlet out at book fairs and writers have really loved having so many links to resources in one place. Subscribe here and get the pamphlet as a downloadable PDF. It has lists of everything from online writing classes to legal resourses. It’s free. And I promise, I’ll only send periodic email updates...no spammy junk and I don’t sell your contact information to anyone!

Happy Writing!

The post How to Apply a Triathlete Mindset to Manuscript Rejection first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

There have (sadly) been lots of idea-generating cases, including a variety of lethal, or nearly lethal, murder attempts using drugs, such as:

• Deadly methanol-laced vodka in Russia

• An author accused of killing her husbad with a fentanyl-laced lemon shot…after failing to kill him with a fentanyl-laced-bagel sandwhich

• A dentist convicted of killing his wife with a combination of tetrahydrozoline (commonly found in Visine eye drops) and cyanide,

• An Australian woman convicted of murder by serving guests poison mushroom-laced beef wellington…

• Numerous cases of murder using tetrahyrozoline eye drops…here and here and here.

And so many more.

Writers often tap into these real-life events when designing fictional plot twists. But they need to be careful! Journalists don’t always take the time to give you all the facts. Some titles are just click-bait. Some articles have substance. Few offer enough real information to create credible plot twists without further research.

Truth is Better Than Fiction!

I’m often asked why writers can’t just make up the facts? After all…we write fiction! Yes, but…go ahead and search chat platforms where nurses, doctors, paramedics, pharmacists, and EMTs hang out and see what they have to say about all those faked scenes. There’s a reason The Pitt is the number one rated medical series- the screen writers did a fantastic job with facts and reality. And word spread rapidly through the medical community. These millions of healthcare workers can be an important part of not only your reading audience, but they play a crucial role in either encouraging others to read your book or in making it a locker room joke.

Besides, real drug facts actually offer incredible scene tension and page-turning opportunities. Why not take advantage of them?

Critical Facts to Consider in Drug-Related Plot Twists:

If you want to plot your character into a perilous corner using ideas from drug-induced deadly headlines, there are a few facts to research beyond the article to help create a more believable scene.

How the Drug is Obtained:

Over-the-counter or prescription?

If you want to write believable plot twists, you should research how the drug could be obtained during the historical time-frame of your story. Throughout the centuries, access to many drugs once readily available became restricted to prescription status or moved to illicit-only status (such as heroin, suprisingly once used to treat a wide variety of illnesses).

The packagine for over-the-counter (OTC) medications has also changed dramatically over the decades. If you’re planning for a character to buy a tainted-bottle of headache pills at the store, you need to understand when safety packaging became the norm in relationship to your story’s historical timeline.

Why?

Because the world of OTC medicines was devastated in the early 1980’s by a string of murders from potassium cyanide (and in other cases strychnine)-laced Tylenol capsules. These were the first-ever reported cases of deadly tampering with OTC drugs.

Since that time, OTC packages changed to include numerous tamper-resistant barriers- from tamper-evident seals under the lid to sealed gelatin capsules to shrink-wrap covered tops…and in some cases all of these.

More recently, many pills began being packaged in blister pouches for child-proofing (and in some cases to reduce the mass purchase by illicit drug labs of chemical precursors to street drugs, like methamphetamine). In addition, drugs like pseudoephedrine are now only available in the US via purchase from a pharmacist in restricted quantities using valid identification.

From nature?

Planning to have a character drugged using a plant source? There are certainly many realistic scenarios to consider, from belladonna to deadly mushrooms. Many plants are mis-identifed, leading to dangerous outcomes. If you read the tragedy of the deadly beef wellington (link above), you may remember the accused woman suggested she had accidentally mixed store-bought mushrooms with her own wild-picked mushroom supply. While her story unfolded as a massive lie, she did try to use a realistic excuse. Safe versus dangerous wild mushrooms are notoriously hard to identify by those without enough training.

Plants are also a great source of non-deadly scenes. A number of plants are commonly used for symptom relief or psychotropic effects. For example, hallucinogenic mushrooms grow in the wild. These can easily be confused with other edible fungi, offering a wide variety of scene options, from an accidental trippy tea to seriously frightening hallucinations.

Checking references on botanically-sourced drugs can be a great way to enhance the realistic nature of your story.

Plot Twists: Symptoms and Timelines

If you want to remain believable-heck, if you want to write a spell-binding scene:

**Don’t have your character instantly die (or pass out) from any drug**

This is not a realistic, despite Hollywood’s insistence on these types of scenes. On screen, these visually dramatic scenes may work. But in print, writers lose a great tool to create a page-turner with these rapidly-over scenes.

Andy why waste a great opportunity by using fake “insta-dead” scenes, when real drug symptoms are so much more dramatic. Revealed slowly, your reader will flip the pages in anticipation of what will happen to their beloved MC.

How, How Much, and How Soon?

Too many times, those chat room threads are bashing writers for how a scene depicts the drug getting into the poor victim. For example, injecting diluted, crushed tablets doesn’t always work as you may think. Squirting an injectable drug into a drink also doesn’t always work. Swallowed insulin, for example, is destroyed by stomach acids…which is why it must be injected.

Sometimes, scenes are lambasted for the amount of drug used in a scene. Just a drop or two of tetrahydrozoline is not likely to kill your adult character. And taking just a couple of capsules of certain drugs isn’t lethal, while huge handfuls of some swallowed pills are likely to be vomited before deat occurs.

And, as mentioned, instant effects are not only wrong, but make for poor story telling (and a worse emotional journey for readers). Finding out how long it takes for a drug’s symptoms to begin and how your character will feel can help you not only build tension, but also offer options for what happens next (from rescue to death).

Resources for Drug-Related Plot Twists:

Writers have access to a wealth of information to gather real facts for scenes. Here are a few to get you started:

• 7 Key Tips for Writing Realistically Perilous Drug Scenes- Writer’s Digest

• Drug Enforcement Agency: Drug Facts Sheets

• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Drugs A to Z

• Dramatic Drug Scene Mistakes that Ruin Credibility

Unfortunately, many resources are either too generic or written in medical jargon, making writers guess how to correctly depict the scene.

My goal withThe Grim Reader: A Pharmacist’s Guide to Putting Your Character in Peril (from Indiana University Press) was to offer clear, concise information to bridge the gap between medical jargon and language writers can immediately use to create authentic scenes.

It includes tips for:

• historical timelines,

• how your character can get the drug (or how your nefarious character can give it),

• street drug names and jargon,

• how soon symptoms will begin,

• how drugs will make your character act and feel, and

• possible alternative outcomes

Importantly, it also offers many non-lethal plot twists that can be used to:

• give your character interesting and memorable habits (think Sherlock Holmes),

• develop realistic party scenes using trendy drugs, such as ketamine or ecstasy,

• offer tips for frightening plot twists, such as a bad trip from DXM or bath salts, and even

• develop scenes involving the new trendy use of LSD or hallucinogenic mushrooms

I hope you have found these tips helpful! This post is part of a monthly blog hop from a group of writers that love to share their journey with each other. Come join us over at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group and get connected. This month’s blog is generously hosted by: Beth Camp, Crystal Collier, and Cathrina Constantine. Below are links to other writers worth checking out.

Happy Plotting!

The post How to Turn Dramatic Headlines into Believable Plot Twists first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

Even so, barriers to self-publishing exist: hiring an affordable editer, understanding formatting requirements, deciphering various sales platforms and distribution channels, buying ISBN’s, and so many more.

Aghhhhhh.

With so much hope on the line, many writers look to hiring professional services to remove those barriers. And, while there are reputable freelancers and companies, too often writers fall victim to scammers, losing thousands of dollars along the way.

Keep yourself safe from scammers by educating yourself about the risks and where to get reliable recommendations with the following tips:

No unsolicited contact goes unpunished!

Too often, I see posts on social media platforms from writers excited by an unsolicited email or phone call from an agent or publisher. Invariably, the writer’s talent is praised and representation is offered. Sometimes, these posts include a copy of the proposed contract. Usually, warnings from other writers fill the comments, with stories of personal heartbreak and finanacial losses suffered with these scammers.

How to protect yourself from scammers

• Unsolicited offers

  • No matter how tempting the offer is, beware of unsolicited contacts and offers. Sure, there’s been a recent trend of writers contacted by reputable agents and large publishing houses with offers out of the blue. But those have almost exclusively been directed toward well-selling authors with widely popular social media accounts (think BookTok celebrity status). In other words, they’ve already hit it big…and are getting the attention of the industry. For the rest of us, this is not the case. Agents and acquisition editors are NOT going to email or call you, with a few exceptions:

    • You queried the agent/publisher:

      • If you sent a query you may be contacted, but probably via the query submission platform or an email (if the query was in email form). If they are interested in further discussion, they will tell you how to contact them.

    • You met the agent at a conference:

      • If you get the attention of an agent at a conference, they will likely give you their contact information, such as an email, with explicit directions on how to avoid getting lost in their overflowing inbox. Generally, the follow-up falls back to you.

Avoiding the temptation

I understand how tempting these offers are. Recently, scammers not only got ahold of my email at The Grim Reader, but also my home phone number. They left multiple “we’ve been trying to contact you” messages, with promises of “how good your book will fit with our company.” I even got a “we’re worried we have the wrong number…” follow-up plea.

And for a few seconds… I hoped it was true, then reality hit and I blocked the calls and emails. Funny enough, the scammers referred generically to “your genre” instead of highlighting The Grim Reader as a craft book for writers. At least that might have made me pause a little longer.

If they only knew the market for helping create well-written drug scenes and the deal they missed! Oh, well…

Socia media platform scammers

We’ve all been pushed into social media, whether via an author website or through Instagram/tweet/thread/bluesky-ing, to build an audience and our community. Some agents and publishers have unfortunately put emphasis on a writer’s social media power as part of the acquisition decision. But even if you’re planning to self-publish, social media platforms have become one avenue to advertise and increase potential sales. (For insight on what writers really need to focus on, check out this article by Jane Friedman.)

But with social media presence comes exposure to a wide variety of a scammers.

Specialty writing communities online

Specialty writing social media groups bring together an eclectic group of writerly folks to share wisdom and offer support and knowledge. But don’t confuse these groups with safe havens from scammers. The groups are often too large to vette every member. Even ‘closed groups,’ that require a request to join, aren’t immune to scammers.

Here are some safety tips:

• Requests for help

  • Be careful when asking for editing or publishing help within these groups (or anywhere on the web, really!). It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask, but be extremely cautious toward responders. As in any industry, follow-up research is key.

    • Private direct message requests (DMs):

      • Typically, these requests generate a flood of “I can help you! DM me!” responses. THIS is a major red flag. Private message discussions are hidden from group members who might otherwise warn you away. ANY offer for services should always occur within the group posts, in the full view of all the members.

    • Research ANY responder :

      • Anyone offering help should be reseached thoroughly. Red flags include:

        • Recently created profiles

        • Few, if any, interactions or posts. (Or only re-posts of other people’s content)

        • Posts consisting solely of a profile picture (or repeated profile picture posts)

      • Verify past project history:

        • Ask through the social media group if anyone has used that person’s services.

        • Request proof of past client satisfaction

        • Ask to see samples of their work

• Request for beta readers:

  • Beta readers can really help a writer find rough spots in a manuscript. A good beta reader will let you know what they liked, what they didn’t like, where the characters fall flat, where the plot fizzles out, and so much more. But good beta readers are hard to find. If you’ve spent time developing a writing support network (see here), then you may already have readers willing to help you out. But many writer’s have to look elsewhere. As a result, a huge market of beta readers for hire has developed. And where there’s money, there are –unfortunately–scammers. The tamest versions are fake readers that take your money and never send a critique. On the other end of the spectrum are those that publish your manuscript themselves or lock you out of your own KDP account.

• Contact by a ‘famous’ author:

  • Have you received private messages or emails from a famous author admiring your work and wanting to help you get connected? Has “Stephen King” followed your Instagram account, then sent you a private message? Or maybe it was a message from an author “wanting to connect” and asking “would you like to get contacted by my agent?”

  • Beware! These are popular scams. A little online research would reveal concerns: from no web presence to shady connections. This review by Writers Beware shows actual messages received by writers and how they are lured into the scam.

What’s a Writer to Do?

Never fear! There are many places to get honest help. The following resources are great places to begin:

• Writers Beware Blog

  • This blog highlights literary scams and pitfalls, along with important industry news. This is a go-to place (but not the only one) before signing any contract! This blog is sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association.

  • Listen to Way-Word Writers interview with Victoria Strauss of Writers Beware

• Resource with Links

  • This link will take you to my information pamphlet, with links to a wide variety of resources, from editors to legal assistance for contract reading.

• Writers Digest:

  • AI Generated Bookstagrammers are targeting authors

  • 8 ways to Defend Yourself From Writing Coach Scams

  • 6 Reasons to Turn Down a Writing Opportunity

• Authorsguild.org: Publishers to Avoid

• Writings in the Storm Blog: Write your manuscript like an endurance athlete trains. One of the best way to avoid scams is to develop relationships in the writing community. This article gives practical tips for writers to grow their community.

Speaking of community, this post today is part of the Insecure Writers Support Group discussion on unethical practices in the writing industry. Check out these other bloggers (below) for more examples of what to avoid (and grow your community at the same time!)

Have you been scammed?

Leave a comment and help others in our community protect themselves.

Today’s host for the blog share on unethical practices in the writing industry include: Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Natalie Aguirre, Sarah – The Faux Fountain Pen, and Olga Godim! Plus check out all these other writerly folks:

The post Writers, Beware of Scammers: How to Protect Yourself! first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

What’s next?

It’s time to pick the genre of your story. Today we’ll discuss genre (what it is and why it matters), and the expectations it creates in readers, agents, and publishers.

Genre: What is it?

Genre is a funny word with major implications. It defines the niche for your book, sets reader’s expectations for the kind of adventure they will take, and determines where your story is placed in a library or store. So a LOT rides on this odd little term. But fear not, it’s really easier than it sounds to understand genre. Let’s begin with a broad definition, then narrow it down to help you make a decision.

Broad Categories:

There are broad genres (which I prefer to think of as categories) that primarily define the section of market your novel will target on a higher level. These include non-fiction, fiction, and memoir, among others. There are many resources for non-fiction and memoir writers. Today, we are focusing on fiction. Here these broader categories include:

• Commercial/Mainstream Fiction

  • Commercial fiction include simply described, high-concept stories. These are often the big blockbuster stories with high stakes, fast-paced plots, and mass appeal. These books are often on the Best Seller lists (think John Grisham and Tom Clancy). These stories are often devoured ravenously, as the reader rides the emotional roller-coaster to the end.

• Literary Fiction

  • Defining literary fiction often frustrates writers. It’s a concept that focuses on a writing style and theme more than plot. It’s character-driven, not plot-driven (which has always been odd to me, since a character’s inner conflict should drive the plot in fiction, anyway. Headache yet?).

  • Literary fiction is often an examination of the human condition amidst flowing prose that begs the reader to slow down and absorb the content. And literary fiction doesn’t have to conform to the rules of common genres (see below). Think of these books as likely candidates for a school’s literature class.

  • Examples of novels- understanding this caategory falls under the “to read it is to know it” umbrella, so here is a list of the best Literary Fiction of 2025 (according to Barnes and Noble) as of today.

Commercial/Mainstream Fiction:

The genre subcategories under mainstream fiction will be more recognizable. In this case, we are referring to a specific category of story that meets readers expectations and fits the genre norms. These are the categories that determine where in a library or bookshop your novel will be placed. Genres include horror, thrillers, murder mysteries (cozy or not!), romance, science fiction, fantasy, dystopian, steam punk, and historical fiction among many others.

Why it matters

The genre of your story will determine so many aspects about it’s future, including:

Audience

Your story will appeal to certain readers and not to others. In making your choice, you’re automatically targeting an audience well-read in that genre, with specific expectations. Meeting those expectations leads to reader satisfaction. Not meeting them risks losing you future readership. These expectations inlude:

• Conventions

  • Structure:

    • Each genre tends to follow a generalized similar structure. These are the must-have’s in your story to make the reader feel fulfilled. For example: boy meets girl, they fall in love, some conflict pulls them apart, they eventually overcome, and live happily ever after (HAE). This is Romance. Without that HAE moment, your readers will be very let down. If the new fire in your heroine’s life– her soul mate–dies before the end, it falls into the expectations of a Love Story, not a Romance. Not only will your readers be let down, but the ending announces to agents that you do not understand what you’re doing. And that is not going to open doors for you.

  • Not “formulaic”

    • Yes, there are certain parts to a story within a specific genre that are expected. In horror, the reader wants to be too scared to turn off their lights at night. In a cozy mystery, a reader does not want to read gory murder details. For a fantasy reader, some component of an imaginary world, often including magical or mystical beings, puts them on the expected journey. But within each genre, there are an infinite number of ways to get your characters through the plot to reach the end–and that’s called “your imagination.”

  • Resources:

    • For tips on writing your story within the expected conventions of a genre, check out these resources:

      • Jami Gold’s beat sheets for writers

      • Genre conventions: must have elements of story

Word Count

I grimace when I hear new writers announce their manuscript has hit 200,000 words. The expected length of a story is also determine, somewhat, by your genre. And the length of your story can signal to an agent that you either know your audience, you’re horribly wordy, or didn’t bother to edit. Overly short-worded fantasy manuscripts will raise a concern that the world building is poor. Publishers also care about word count, since the higher the word count, the higher the cost to publish.

Word counts are not carved in stone and do have some flexibility within ranges. For some general guidelines regarding a good target word count range for your novel, see:

• How long should a book be? Word count explained

How to Choose Your Genre

In part, your idea may fall into a certain genre automatically. If your main character is a spy trying to save the world, you may be writing an espionage-laced thriller. But if the story is less about his career choice and more about his romantic interest in an enemy spy, now you’re dealing with a romance. Sometimes, these genres can be mixed, such as an historical romance–where you need to fulfill both the romantic and the historic conventions for the readers. Or today’s blockbuster new “Romantasy” category, in which both fantasy and romance are in full force.

I wrote my initial manuscript as a YA coming of age story examining homelessness. How did I pick this? Because those themes spoke to my heart at the time I was brainstorming my “what if?” My published book, The Grim Reader: A Pharmacist’s Guide to Putting Your Characters in Peril (Indian Unversity Press) is a non-fiction writing craft book, driven by my passion for helping others and my love of well-written drug-related plot twists. But my desire to dwell in a world of dragons, danger, heros, and hope has pushed me into the world of fantasy with my current manuscript.

Not Yet Sure About Your Genre?

Take a look at the brainstorming you’ve done and the kind of inner conflict(s)you’ve chosen for your character. Do they speak to any specific genre? Also think about the type of books you tend to read. Often, writers will pen stories in their favorite genres, because the formats are well known and the conventions almost automatic. If your story begs to be written in a genre you are not familiar with, the best thing you can do is read, read, read. Become extremely familiar with the current best sellers in that category. Your would-be readers will be looking for your story to somewhat fit into their expectations, reinforced through the novels they’re already read.

Ego Aside

Far too many writers think they have a break-out story concept and can buck the conventions to become the next best seller. There are some stories that do. Some break the word count norms in a genre or the typically desired voice. Some create new fan audiences, busting out of conventional norms, such as Hunger Games, Twilight, and Divergent. But for every author that makes it in this “launch to stardom” path, 100s if not 1000s of writers are rejected.

For your first manuscript, as you’re learning the craft, pen a novel that fits within the norms of a chosen genre. You have plenty of artistic flexibility within those constructs to create something that is uniquely your voice and style.

More Resources:

• Story Grid: Genres of Writing: Definitions, Examples, and 12 Types

• Writers Digest: COmmercial, mainstream, and literary fiction

• What’s your genre? A high level overview for writers

• Master Class: What are the different genres of literature?

What genre appeals to you and why?

Let me know in the comments!

Want to know what genre other writers love?

As part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group monthly blog hop, writers are discussing their favorite genre and which one they might never consider penning. If you want to join that conversation and meet other like-minded writerly folk, click here. While you’re there, consider adding your name to the blog hop for the future! This month, the blog hop is hosted by  Rebecca Douglass, Natalie Aguirre, Cathrina Constantine, and Louise Barbour. Hop over to their blogs and see what they have to say. Or see below for a link to all the other writers involved in the IWSG.

The post Writing a Fiction Novel (Part 3): How to Pick a Genre first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

The Who

You’ve established a little bit of the ‘what’, now you need to figure out the ‘who’. Stories are filled with a cast of characters that readers meet along the way. The main character (protagonist), the antagonist that challenges him, and a host of others.

It’s time to start sketching in this protagonist, often referred to as the ‘main character’ or the MC. It’s important to know who your MC is and what drives his actions. These actions will drive your plot (please note: the MC drives the plot, the plot does not drive your MC). A lot rides on your MC- done well, your readers will invest emotionally in this character: hoping for him during hard times, cheering as he overcomes struggles.

The protagonist

Well, who IS your MC? And how do you figure that out? You may already have an inkling, from your What if, such as: what happens if a homeless boy trades places with an identical-looking prince for a day? (You may recognize this as story line of The Prince and the Pauper.) The MC is identified in the What if: he is a poor, homeless boy.

But that doesn’t tell us enough to understand the pauper’s motivations for how he will respond to anything that happens in the story. Currently, our little boy is just one dimensional: he’s poor, he’s homeless, he likely wears soiled ill-fitting clothes. He may have no shoes or coat. His face may be smudged with dirt. He’s hungry and begs every day for enough money to buy food.

But as the author of this story, we need to know more about what drives him as a human. Specifically, we need to know his deep-rooted wants and his false belief of the world. These set-up his inner conflict. We’ll also need to know one more thing: what the MC really needs to be fulfilled.

Your character’s internal conflict

His wants

Yes, our pauper wants food. He may want a home. But the real want- the one that will drive his choices in your story- must be a much deeper. This is about what his internal heart and mind thinks he wants, based on his life experiences. It may not be anything he can ever get- our pauper will never actually become a prince (unless he has hidden royal blood, which would be a plot twisty trope…more on that another day). More importantly, it isn’t what he needs, but he’ll be too focused on his want to realize that until much later in the story.

Finding the want

How do you find this want? By getting to know who your character is and some of his background. Spend time considering your character’s life story and how he came to the point where we meet him. Yep- another mini-brainstorming session. (Note: it’s important to avoid the trap of listing every single life moment of your character. Focus on the important events that would bring him to this point in time.)

Now, that you know the MC a litle better, jot down a list of his deep desires. Look at that list and circle a few that lend themselves to interesting action thoughout the story. From those, pick one that will be his motivation to push through hard days.

Our pauper? He wants food. He wants enough money to not be hungry. He wants a home. Maybe he’d love enough money to move away from his abusive father that makes him beg. But even more, he wants to be rich enough to be respected by those judgy people scowling at him while throwing pennies into his cup. Ah, respect…now that want could be a real driver.

The messed-up world view

Everyone has a bit of mental baggage that holds us back or causes us to react differently than others in certain situations. Whatever it is, your MC has this, too. And his mental baggage makes him see the world in a distorted way. But all his experiences have validated this belief (from his point of view)–so for him, the it’s very real. This belief will plant a deep seed of insecurity or fear into your MC, so that just when he thinks he’s getting what he wants, his misbelief will thwart his efforts. He will sabotage himself.

Our pauper has developed a deep-seated sense of worthlessness that may sabotage his attempts to become rich. And it may tarnish his ability to ever feel respected.

Why do you need to know this?

Because this fear, this negative view of his own personal self-worth will keep our little pauper from getting ahead in life, at least for awhile. It will impact how he thinks others see him. For example, his want for money may drive him to steal some nice clothes for a job interview. But because of his misbelief, he’ll have lost the job even before the interview begins. His believe will show in how he carries himself, how he responds to interview questions. Worse? This event will reinforce his misbelief, sending him back to his begging lifestyle, angry at himself and sure he isn’t cut out for anything else.

So, what does your MC believe that really isn’t true? What mental demons can hold him back as he tries to get ahead?

Internal conflict and your reader

This push-pull of wants and distorted belief will drive the emotional ups and downs of your plot, as the MC tries to get the want, and sabotages himself through his misbelief. Why doesn’t it just end there? Because the want is so strong, that your MC will pick himself up and try again.

This cycle would be boringly repetitive, except that the MC’s growth arc through the story will allow him to slowly overcome this mismatch as he stuggles to get what he thinks he wants. And this will keep your readers wanting to know if he ever succeeds.

Your dirty little secret

You need to know something else important about your MC that he doesn’t even know about himself. Your MC will struggle to get that thing he wants. But the dirty little secret you know is that thing isn’t what he really needs to be happy. In fact, if he gets the thing he might be happy…for a very brief moment…until he realizes he’s still unfulfilled.

For our pauper, his real need is self-esteem. He can be as rich as he wants, but without self-esteem, he’ll still feel empty in the end.

This is a good time to think about what your MC really needs to be happy.

The inner conflict cycle

Growth, break through…

I find this cycle of working toward a goal and failing to be a lot like math. I made it through high school without a good grasp of word problems. To be honest, I would freeze at word problems and just tell myself I couldn’t solve it. (Yep- this was my misbelief.) No matter how these problems were explained to me, my brain shut down. All those past experiences of seeing big red “F” pen marks on math papers had cemented my misbelief–that I would never understand math.

And then I had to take math in college to reach my ultimate goal of being a pharmacist. (Yes, I had no clue how much math clinical pharmacists need to know!) And something miraculous happened. It was as simple as one professor explaining those horrible word problems in a different way that suddenly opened a bright shiny door to my mind (and future career). Sure, I struggled for a few tests–I wasn’t instantly a math whiz. But eventually, I realized there were simple tricks to the words that had seemed so confusing.

I got an A in that course. And my belief that I couldn’t learn math was shattered…

…and fall

…Until I took calculus. And then I lost my confidence again. My misbelief was back in full control and my career was hanging by a tiny thread. The struggle continued, but I finally won, bit by bit.

As it turned out, it wasn’t becoming a pharmacist that I really needed. Sure, I ended up with a long and great career that was steeped in much more complicated math. What I needed was much simpler. I needed confidence–the kind that came with unraveling that misbelief. The confidence that came with erasing my self-doubt and fear that I wasn’t smart enough. The confidence that would spill over into the rest of my life. The same confidence that led me to work in a newborn ICU, calculating medication doses for premature babies with complex math that scared many pharmacists away from the field.

And that fulfilled me more than getting word problems right.

The push pull dynamics: want vs belief

My personal little math vs career story is also a great illustration of how your character can NOT (and must not) fully overcome their misbelief on the very first try. That’s a boring, predictable story. To make an interesting story, the MC needs a ‘2-steps-forward-1-step-back’ cycle of self-development. Each time, the MC should grow a little bit more, but the misbelief should win out, leaving the MC in another mess (just not quite as bad as before).

The final breakthrough

This struggle will make your reader sigh and turn the page to see what happens. This cycle should continue throughout the plot until your MC finally breaks through that misbelief to win the day, to the great relief of your readers. And to the surprise of your MC, even though he doesn’t get that thing he thought he wanted, he’ll have gained something much more important.

Done well, this cycle and final breakthrough will take your readers on a little adrenaline trip worrying and cheering for the MC. More importantly, it will leave them wanting more of your writing (cue 2nd book).

Today’s assignment?

Find the inner conflict for your MC. We don’t have to paint the entire growth and change arc just yet, but delve into your MC’s background enough to know what happened in the past that drives a deep want…and the internal misbelief (demon) that will make it hard to achieve without some serious struggles and growth throughout your plot. Also take a little time to figure out the true need that will actually fulfill the character.

Check List:

1) Character want: ________________________________________________

2) Character need: ________________________________________________

3) Character misbelief: _____________________________________________

Brief character background: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Resources:

From need-want pairs to developing that misbelief, here are some great articles and books to help you out.

Article links:

• KM Weiland: Creating your character’s Inner conflict: want versus need

• Jane Friedman: How to write compelling inner conflict

• Ken Miyamoto: 100 Internal conflicts your character can face

• Becca Puglisi: How to reveal a character’s inner conflict

• Angela Ackerman: How to resolve our characters internal arc

• Angela Ackerman: The destructive power of the lie your character believes

• Janice Hardy: The inner struggle: Guides for using internal conflict that make sense

• Janice Hardy: Making sense out of character wants and needs

• Janie Hardy: What “So Undercover” and “Miss Congeniality” can teach us about character arcs

Craft books:

• Story Genius, Lisa Cron (chapters specifically on the ‘who’, character misbelief)

• Story Engineering, Larry Brooks (chapters on interior conflict, and developing your character)

Have fun!

The post Writing a Fiction Novel (Part 2): How to Find a Character’s Inner Conflict first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

…you may find yourself overwhelmed.

My goal is to make writing a fiction novel approachable through a series of articles focused on bite-sized steps in the the process that I use. I’ll include tips and links to resources for each step, allowing you to choose how deep into informational resources you need to go. You’ll also find a check-list of the steps discussed at the end of each article, with a comprehensive downloadable PDF of all the steps at the end of the last article.

Today, in Part 1, I’ve included:

• Getting a great story idea

• Growing your idea

• Testing the idea-is it big enough (yet)?

So get comfortable and let’s get started!

Ready?

Getting a Great Story Idea

The ‘What if?’

Did you get an idea for a story and think, “What if such-and-such happened? Wow, that would make a great book!”? That’s exactly how story concepts start for many writers. The What if is a spark of an idea that catches your imagination. A few sparks you might recognize include: What if I’d never been born? (It’s a Wonderful Life); What if the world is a computer simulation? (The Matrix); What if the Nazis and Japan had won WWII? (Man in the High Castle).

But what if you don’t have a ‘What if?’

Some writers don’t get a sudden flash of an idea, but seek out a What if through interesting ideas in the world around them. News headlines can offer intriguing premises. A movie or book may have a compelling goal (like saving the world), characters (an ex-con thief recruited by the FBI), or exciting settings (the planet Mars). Or maybe a particular theme from an existing story moves you (good versus evil).

Keep your eyes and ears open for that story spark!

What if my story was already written?

Well, it probably has—or at least something similar. How do I know that? Because:

ALL stories can be traced to 7 basic story concepts told in few consistent patterns

To learn more about this concept, I recommend the following resources:

• Basic story shapes:

  • The Shapes of Stories, by Kurt Vonnegut

• 7 basic story concepts

  • Story Archetypes: How to Recognize the 7 Basic Plots, by MasterClass (free article)

  • The Seven Basic Plots: Why we tell stories, by Christopher Booker

Well, what’s the point of writing my story then?

It may sound disheartening, but it’s not. What makes each story different is how a writer individualizes any of these seven basic plots and combines them with various story shapes. Themes, plots, and character types are re-set into new worlds with new struggles, or they may have interesting twists, making each story unique.

For example, I saw The Outsiders on Broadway recently. It’s a wonderful, gritty, and heart-felt story (bring tissues. LOTS of tissues).

It’s essentially a retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Just like West Side Story and Shakespeare in Love. In fact, Goodreads lists 121 books that offer new twists on the Romeo and Juliet core story. And there are countless movie adaptations of the timeless love story, including the fun Gnomeo and Juliet.

But each of these stories is quite different!

So, while you obviously shouldn’t plagiarize the story of another writer, you can remould the core ideas into an incredibly unique story experience.

Growing the Idea

No matter how it comes to you, the What if spark can be an exciting moment. But hold on! Before you roll up your sleeves to type away, you’ll need to do a bit of more deep thinking to be successful.

Great writers make story telling look simple. But behind the scenes, those writers spend a lot of time thinking, creating, and developing ideas before their pen ever touches paper. Do you think JRR Tolkien just wrote his fantastic stories as ideas came to mind? It feels that way, because he put so much effort into them. He thought, rethought, changed ideas, changed character’s names and—most importantly—kept at his dream.

A great exercise is to look at some of Tolkien’s editing notes right in his manuscripts. The Return of the Shadow, published by Tolkien’s son, offers a glimpse into the writing process that created the Lord of the Rings (complete with his hand written notes in the margins!)

So…just how do you go about thinking deeper?

Brainstorming

Your What if is probably a fairly simple, 2-dimensional idea currently. What you need is an actual 3-dimensional story concept—one that’s more fleshed out. Something you (and readers) can sink your teeth into.

Begin the process by brainstorming a bunch of ideas that could happen in the story. Write down anything that comes to mind. Don’t reject any ideas. Not yet. Think of brainstorming as being a kid again—being allowed to come up with all kinds of imaginary ideas without being told they can’t happen or they’re wrong.

Not sure how to start? Here’s a brief example:

What if:

A teen goes to a highshool that secretly trains CIA spys

Brainstorming:

• What if its a regular highschool with secret rooms where the training happens?

• What if only some of the students get trained and know about the secret training

• What if the teen unexpectedly gets recruited the first day of school?

• What if he’s been a trouble maker before?

• What if there’s a rivalry between the teens in training?

• What if he falls in love with the enemy?

• What if someone dies from the rivalry?

• What if he’s set up as the killer and has to go into hiding to prove his innocence?

See how brainstorming has turned the simple idea of a spy training highschool into a bigger story idea?

When you sit down to brainstorm, your list may (and should) be many times longer than this brief example. As your list grows, some ideas will begin to fit together, setting the stage for an exciting story. Others will eventually become outliers that you can cross off the list.

Now, I write, right?

Hang on a bit longer. I promise, you will get there. (This is where I tell you the truth: writing is one of the last things you’ll do in the process. But it’s worth the wait). You have the beginnings of a real concept, but there’s more to learn about the story, like where it’s going, and what happens to the characters.

For now, your next important step is to test the idea.

Testing the Idea

Before you spend countless hours writing away, take a pause now to ask a few crucial questions. This can save you heartache later. You don’t want to discover after writing 10’s of thousands of words that your idea can’t fill an entire novel-length story. Here are a few of the questions* to consider now:

• Is the concept original (enough)?

• Who will care about your What if ?

• Is the idea big enough (yet)?

*For more detailed questions and a more thorough teasing out of your story concept, I recommend Story Engineering by Larry Brooks and Story Genius by Lisa Cron. Both of these will systematically walk you through additional questions until your idea IS big enough.

1. Is the concept original (enough)?

As I mentioned, many stories have similar concepts and themes, but yours must be original. When you look at your idea, if it feels too much like an existing story, consider asking yourself how to make it more unique, more unusual, how to look at it through a different lens.

For example, a new and original take on the:

Lord of the Rings: characters that go off with a wizard on dangerous adventures involving rings of power to save the world…

…might look like:

Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: End Game: superheroes that go off with a wizard on dangerous adventures involving stones of power to save the world.

Cast Away depicted the struggles of a man stranded on a deserted island. In The Martian, that man was stranded on the planet Mars—with a host of new variables and plot twists.

As you can see, there are many ways to refresh story ideas into new creations.

2. Who will care about your story?

Regardless of how you come up with your spark, the story you develop must interest readers. They must find the concept intriguing or the character’s plight compelling. A plain movie about being stranded alone on a deserted island probably wouldn’t have gotten anyone to buy tickets to see it. Being stranded, almost starving to death, having a painful rotting tooth, and years of solitude before being rescued, only to find the love of your life married to someone else…now that’s a story people will care about (Cast Away) and pay money to see.

Importantly, the emotions and struggles the character in Cast Away experiences are relatable: fear of loss, fear of death, love, loneliness, survival against odds, pain, betrayal, hope.

Oh, wait…that’s also The Martian, Infinity War, End Game…

Here are a few questions to consider:

• What first intrigued you about your What if? Would that be interesting to others?

• Can you identify a few compelling dangers, risks, problems in the life of your character that would hold the attention of readers/viewers?

• Are there relatable themes that could deepen the heart of the story (such as love, forgiveness, hope, etc).

It’s important to note these reflections get you started in the right direction. And your list of ideas doesn’t have to be perfect yet. Some of these ideas may shift and grow as you begin to write. Some will be teased out in the next steps along the writing pathway. But at least, if you can say yes to all of these questions, you’re generally headed in the right direction.

3. Is it big enough yet?

When I taught pharmacy students in the newborn ICU, their eyes would gloss over at ALL the data they had to interpret before making drug recommendations for a sick baby. I always told them to stand back. Get away from the numbers and handbooks and look at the whole picture.

That’s what you need to do now with your idea- as it currently stands. Ask yourself: does this sound like it has enough depth to make an entire story? Is it a big enough story concept?

Yes!

• Then get ready to write (well…at least to outline). You can continue to brainstorm more ideas first, however (it can’t hurt)!

Uhm…I’m not sure (or no):

• Brainstorm some more. Keep listing out ideas until you do think you have a big enough story. If you’ve really exhausted all your ideas, then it may be time to find a different story. But don’t fret! Look at all the time and emotional investment you saved by finding out now. Keep the story idea (and the brainstorming list) in a notebook, however, in case you want to try it out again later.

Next Steps

There are a few more steps before you write, of course. Some of those steps include developing your main character (what goals drive him), identifying internal conflict (what causes your character to stumble on the way to the goal), the main plot points, and so much more!

For now, you have plenty of brainstorming and concept testing to start your exciting journey. You can also check out the references below that may be helpful. If you want to know when the next in this series is posted, sign-up for my newsletter here (I promise to not spam you).

• Check list (through today’s steps):

1. ___ What if?

2. ___ Brainstorming

3. ___ Testing my idea

   • ___ Is the concept original (enough)?

     • ___ What will make it more original?

   • ___ Will my readers care?

   • ___ Is it a big enough idea yet?

Resources:

• Creative Ways to Brainstorm Story Ideas, Becca Puglisi (Writers in the Storm)

• Three Powerful Ways to Brainstorm New Story Ideas, Kristen Kieffer (Well-Storied)

• Brainstorming for Story Ideas, Paula Munier (Writer’s Digest)

• PDF of Writing Resources (links to all kinds of writing related help).

• On We Merrily Stumble (my blog of writerly related articles)

• Jane Friedman (anything from Jane is valuable learning)

Happy Brainstorming!

The post Writing a Fiction Novel (Part 1): How to Brainstorm Ideas and Test Your Concept first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

Sabotaging Writing Creativity

Unfortunately, as writers who take our craft seriously, we often view any and all untasked time as “writing time.” I’ve heard writers say that if we aren’t working or doing the laundry, we should have our “cheeks in seats,” writing toward the daily word count. Sadly, time used to do creative or relaxing tasks is often viewed as writing procrastination.

Our bodies, however, know something we don’t know. While we’re fighting our natural instinct to defuse, our mind may be telling us we need a break. That it needs time to refuel, find some creativity, and get nurtured. This notice can come in the form of exhaustion and disinterest in projects. If we don’t stop the process in time, our creative fuel tank can hit empty. This can not only hurt our writing, but extend to other health concerns, such as poor sleep and depression.

Childhood Imagination

Interestingly, as children, we were much smarter about refueling our creative energy. Imaginary playtime is expected —even promoted—for children. It stimulates their minds, helping them develop creativity, exporation, and problem solving.

Replacing Imagination With Routine, Tasks, and Daily Pressure

Unfortunately, as we grow up, our society puts less value on creativity than productivity. We guilt ourselves into feeling we must be doing—whatever that entails. It’s no wonder that, as writers, we feel guilty about sitting at a computer imagining other worlds and stories. And the people that we surround ourselves with may see writing efforts as a non-productive waste of time, too, reinforcing our guilt.

Changing Perspective

It’s important to reframe our understanding of what creativity does for us as adults. We need to embrace it as a health benefit, not a hindrance. From reduced anxiety levels to improved critical thinking, taking time to invest in stimulating our creative mind has many benefits, as noted in this article: Here’s How Creativity Actually Imporves Your Health, Forbes.

As writers, we willingly invest in our craft in other ways: studying craft books, attending conferences, time at writer’s meetings. But how can we truly embrace writing, if we don’t also take care of our imagination–a fundamental building block of our craft?

Learning to Play Again

Make a promise to yourself to value creative stimulation time as importantly as you do writing (or laundry) time. To do that, you need to learn to play (or relax) again. No, you don’t have to get out the Legos (but they are fun, aren’t they?).

What can you do? Here are a few suggestions from Psychology Today:

Nature:

Spend some time in nature. You don’t have to go on long, arduous hikes. Consider short walks instead. From bird watching to simply viewing gorgeous horizons, your mind will be met with sounds, smells, and rekindled memories. Nature can create a calming sense that allows your imagination time to heal and gives it permission to resurface.  

Some of my most imaginative “writing” time has been during long bike rides through desert scenery, taking in the birds, cacti, and mountainous horizons. It takes a bit of time each ride to let go of stresses and allow my mind to wander. When I finally do, I often find inspiration for my stories and resolutions to plot problems. Importantly, I don’t try to force those ideas—I just let the ride calm my mind so it can create on it’s own.

Hobbies and Crafts:

These words can spark fear in some, but if you give the idea a chance, there are a host of ideas to choose from. They don’t have to be fancy and you don’t have to be good at them. That’s not the point. The point is to give your mind some creative release.

Picking a Hobby/Craft

Which hobby ro craft is the right one? There’s no perfect answer. I’ve known writers that doodle (stick figures allowed!), play with clay (just as a manipulative, not to make anything), bake bread, crochet, brew beer, and make model airplanes.

The right hobby/craft is the one that is enjoyable and doesn’t increase your stress levels

Personally, when I’m not writing or training for a triathlon, I make soap. It’s a perfect blend of chemistry (I’m still a pharmacist at heart) and creativity. I used to stress over getting perfect colors and swirly designs in my soap. And then I got over all that fuss, because I wasn’t having fun. Soaping had become a chore.

Now, I just enjoy time blending the oils and creating a simple color swirl. I love peeking into the fridge as the batter cools, to see the colors change as the chemical reactions continue. Even cleaning up the equipment, which can take a bit of time, has become a chance for me to relax my mind.

But I Hate Crafts! Yuck.

If you’re truly stressed by the idea of picking up a hobby or a craft, and nature walks don’t interest you, consider exercise or a sport. No, you don’t have to sign up for the local flag football team. Anything physically active, from paddleboarding (if I can do it, you can do it!) to pickleball (which is all the rage) opens a world of possibilities. And being involved in sports/exercise can increase important chemicals that reduce stress and improve mood, such as dopamine levels, serotonin, and oxytocin. Check out this article on Exercising to Relax (Harvard Health). When you’re less stressed, your imagination can soar.

Finding Others

If you’re looking for inspiration, learn about the hobbies and crafts of other writers at today’s blog hop at the Insecure Writers Support Group. (Also check out the blog links below).

While you’re there, consider signing up for future blog hops. We can learn so much from engaging with other writers! (Plus social interactions, which can be hard for us introverted writers, can improve those dopamine and oxytocin levels, too!)

Other Resources:

Here are a few other posts with tips to help avoid or repair burnout, writer’s block, and other writing stresses. I hope they help you on your journey.

• 4 Tips to overcome imposters syndrome and writer’s block

• 7 Steps to healthy emotional endurance for writers

• Burnout-how to avoid writers overuse syndrome

Happy crafting!

Miffie

Blog hop quick links. Check out today’s hosts:  Diedre Knight, Lisa Buie Collard , Kim Lajevardi, and JQ Rose! And the rest of the blog hoppers here:

The post How Taking Time to Be Creative Will Help Your Writing first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

Recently, the trendy use of hallucinogenic mushroom-based candies, such as chocolates and gummies, has been associated with numerous hospitalizations, and even death.

While these real-life events are unfortunate, they offer writers unique and realistic ideas to put characters in harms way.

Brief History/Social Trend-

Hallucinogenic mushrooms, better known as “Magic Mushrooms,” contain psilocybin-the chemical responsible for hallucinations. Recently, ‘shrooms’ have become very popular with consumers to treat depression, although they’re not FDA approved. Safe doses are unkown, despite the public push to legalize them. Some US states have decriminalized psilocybin, although in most states it remains illegal.

To get around this, resourceful entrepreneurs have tapped into other hallucinogenic chemicals in mushrooms with effects similar to psilocybin, but that aren’t specifically illegal. One of these chemicals is muscimol. One California company (Diamond Shruumz) has blended muscimol mushrooms into candies (such as chocolates) in both micro (tiny) and ‘extreme/mega’ doses.

The Perils

In 2023, severe illness and hospitalization occured in a number of people that had eaten a Diamond Shruumz product. Reports climbed through mid-2024, resulting in the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issuing a warning. The FDA has launched an investigation into the deaths and issued a product recall (6/2024). But products sold before the recall continue to cause illness.

The most recent tally of cases:

• 113 illnesses

• 42 hospitalizations

• 2 deaths potentially related (under investigaiton)

• 28 states

The Culprit?

Muscimol, the ‘legal’ hallucinogenic mushroom chemical, is strongly suspected. Muscimol is not FDA approved for food and is potentially toxic. And all the symptoms suffered by patients are similar to those that would be caused by toxic levels of muscimol.

How to use this information in a plot:

How will my character get the drug?

Your character can easily get these potentially toxic and dangerous candies or mushrooms.

• Naturally growing mushrooms-

  • Accidental poisoning from picking the wrong mushroom is always a plot option. Many wild mushroooms are poisonous and plenty of campers have picked the wrong ones, as in this report. Your character’s beloved dog can also fall prey, although keep in mind that no one ever loves a dog story that goes south (Yes. I’m still scarred from Old Yeller).

• Purchased ‘edibles’-

  • For stories taking place before the recall, your character could easily have purchased her chocolates, gummies, or other mushroom-infused candies online or in stores that sell hemp-derived products, like CBD and delta-8 THC (a legal cousin to marijuana).

  • Does your story take place after the recall? The candies can still be in a pantry or medicine cabinet at home. Someone might offer the candies at a party or rave. Even teen characters are not immune to the risks, potentially getting the treats from a friend at school or at a private party.

  • Finally, your character could believably order muscimol-infused candies using a social media app, much like a number of illicit street drugs.

How will my character act and feel?

With a wide variety of symptoms and dangers, you can choose how sick your character feels and if they survive.

Lower dose-

The candies are advertised to ‘improve focus and energy,’ but your character is more likely to feel a little giddy with some mild perception changes—such as small light trails that follow objects when she turns her head. This can make her world look a little “sparkly.” But the dosing is not precise, so even a bag marked “microdose” can believably cause unexpected hallucinations or more serious side effects (see below), spinning your character’s day into unexpected turmoil.

High dose-

If she takes a high dose (accidentally or on purpose), her problems can begin to escalate.

• She might complain of stomach pain, feel nauseous, and vomit. She can become drowsy, confused, and have trouble following conversations. This can worsen, with her blood pressure and heart rate dropping dangerously low until she passes out, slips into a coma, or dies.

• Or she might become agitated and irritated, her heart racing and her blood pressure climbing. She may begin to sweat profusely. Her muscles can twitch or contract painfully. She can collapse from seizures and become unconscious. Want to make her situation more dire? She believably could need to be on a ventilator in a hospital ICU to help her breathe until her seizures have stopped.

How long will this effect my character?

Generally, since mushrooms or candies are eaten, they need to absorb in the stomach first, so give your character a good 20-30 minutes (and even up to 2 hours) before the first effects appear.

Start with some mild symptoms (dizzy, lightheadedness, sparkling objects) after about 30 minutes. Then, as the scene unfolds, more dangerous symptoms can appear.

• If you want a more sedated picture, think of everything slowing down in the character …like brain fog, drowsiness, stumbling, and possibly passing out. She might talk to people that aren’t there. You can add in a seizure before (or as) the character passes out. If you want, the character can slip into a coma (after about 3-4 hours).

• Want an agitated character instead? Your character can breathe rapidly and act stressed, and irritated. She’ll be confused when she’s talking and might see things or talk to people that aren’t there. She might claw at her chest, as her heart painfully beats. Her hand can shake as she holds or reaches for objects. Ultimately, she can collapse from a seizure, her muscles thrashing and contracting uncontrollably. Your character can even have a heart attack.

Do you want your character to survive? Have her slowly get better over several hours. If she’s been sick enough to go to the hospital, by the next day she could be well enough to send home (although there have been reports of hallucinations, psychotic behavior, or coma lasting for a couple of days).

If you don’t want her to survive…well, there are a lot of ideas there to play with!

Sample Scenario:

Mia stumbles, grabs the counter.

“Are you ok?” Jade asks.

Mia leans over, vomit spilling from her mouth.

Jade sees the half-empty bag of mushroom gummies on the counter. “Oh, no. Mia, how many of those did you eat?”

Suddenly, Jade screams as Mia collapses to the floor, her body writhing uncontrollably, foam gurgling from her mouth.

Now you try it:

• Writing Prompt 1: Write a scene where one of your own characters eats some muscimol mushrooms or candy containing muscimol. How does the character get them? Why does your character eat them (and how many)? How do the symptoms unfold? Does your character survive?

• Writing Prompt 2: Write a scene where your character is served hors d’oeuvres at a party, not realizing the ‘bon bons’ were actually hallucinogenic mushroom-infused chocolates. (This is similar to ‘brieing’, where ecstacy is stuffed inside brie cheese and served at upscale parties-for more information, see Chapter 9, Club Drugs, in The Grim Reader.)

Want to explore more ideas?

Get tips for making sure your perilous scenes will sound credible:

• My blog posts at On We Merrily Stumble. offer tips for a variety of drug-related or herbal scenarios to put your characters in danger

• Subscribe to my newsletter for writing tips and links to writing resources sent right to your mailbox (never spammy!)

• And check out The Grim Reader: A Pharmacists Guide to Putting Your Characters in Peril. It’s jam packed with tips and examples to help you create believable plot twists using truth serum, knock-out drugs, hallucinogens, club drugs, and much, much more.

• Here’s an article with great information specifically concerning poisonous mushrooms.

Happy Plotting!

The post Plot Believable Peril With Mushroom-Infused Candy first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

Well, here it is! All in one place. It’s a solid collection that includes links to a wide variety of resources for you as a writer, from building your support community to marketing your finished book. Admittedly, this list barely breaks the surface of all the great writing support out there- but you’ll have quite enough to get started.

Know of any really good resources that I missed? Drop into the comments and let me know.

Ready, set write…

Well, not so fast…

There’s that whole brainstorming and planning phase to consider and the age-old question: to plot or not to plot?  But no matter what approach you choose, it’s important to understand what makes a great story…one that holds readers to the end. One that more than just your family will buy.

Craft Books

To that end, here are a variety of craft books to consider for your toolbox:

1. Plot Perfect, by Paula Munier

2. Story Genius, by Lisa Cron

3. Story Engineering, by Larry Brooks

4. Writing the Breakout Novel, by Donald Maas

5. Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, Jessica Brody

6. Writing a Killer Thriller, Jodie Renner

Craft Websites/blogs, and general writing resources:

So many professional writers offer help for other writers. Here are a number of website that you can be sure have a wealth of knowledge.

1. Jane Friedman– her main website is filled with knowledge and links. I can’t say this enough: anything from Jane Friedman is worth your time.

2. HelpingWritersBecomeAuthors– a wealth of knowledge from KM Weiland

3. Story Tellers Road Map (from the authors of the bestselling Thesaurus Guide series)

4. Writershelpingwriters.net, by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

5. Writers in the Storm– an award winning blog covering a wide variety of craft issues, from how to pen spy craft to writing log lines.

Connecting with others:

There are far too many ways to connect with other writers to list them all here. I’ve listed places for you to consider begining your search for like-minded writers as well as a couple of websites that bring writer’s together.

For most groups, it’s best to vet whatever group you consider joining to see if their culture matches with your needs (are they too casual? too harsh with critiques, nice or nasty to questions posted, etc). Also, most groups have a standard ‘no self-promotion’ policy, so don’t join thinking you’re going to sell your book there. Some have specially announced periodic days for such links, but post when you shouldn’t and you may find yourself looking for a new group.

1. Writing Organizations (state branches of national or state specific orgranizations)

2. Universities and Community Colleges may hold writing classes or sponsor writing club meetings

3. Local library- your librarian may know about writing workshops or critique groups near you.

4. Local bookstore- get to know the people that work at your local bookstore (especially the small local shops). The store may run classes and workshops, will know local groups to connect you with, and will be really good to know on a face-to-face basis when you finally ask them to stock your book or let you have a book signing at the store.

5. Meet Up! search for local writing groups. You’d be surprised how many there might be.

6. Writers online: There are millions of blogs, webpages, or newsletter that writers publish. Making connections is great, but you don’t want to inundate yourself (or your inbox). And it’s hard to know who to connect with. Start with a few connections and slowly build to gain comfort and develop rapport.

   • Social media: Make connections, though X, Instagram, and/or BookTok. Facebook has many writing groups, including general groups, genre-based groups (such as specifically fantasy or horror), and specialty knowledge groups (such as Trauma Fiction, Authors Fire/Rescue, Writers Detective Q&A).

   • Specialty online websites that focus on topical information, such as Dankoboldt.com (science fiction), NovelMalpractice.com (medical scenarios), Killer Nashville (thriller and crime based), and mine that focuses on perilous scenes using drugs (Grimreaders.com). Search until you find your online companions!

   • Blog hop with other writers: While you’re online, check out the Insecure Writer’s Support Group that holds a monthly blog hop for writers to get to connect with each other and share tips. Each month, they post a topic for writers to post tips about and they promote relationship building through blog hopping with each other. (Check out this month’s blog hop link at the bottom of this post!)

7. Conferences– it can’t be said enough-meeting writers (and agents) in person will build a solid foundation for connections in the industry, gives you a chance to run into agents in a social setting without the stresses of pitching, and gives you tons of relevant craft and industry information. But they aren’t cheap! And there are so many to pick from with a wide variety of genres represented. Check your online community or local writer group for recommendations. Vetting the conference topics (and agent represention) is a smart way to start narrowing down a target.

Craft podcasts:

If you’re like me, listening is a great way to understand and visualize the concepts. And in a busy schedule, podcasts can be more time flexible. Each one has a different feel and culture and sound. Check out several and find those that speak to your needs best.

Here are a number of podcasts to get you started that cover everything from specific story structure elements to interviews explaining the process of querying.

Helping Writers Become Authors, with award winning story coach K.M. Weiland. This in depth educational podcast dives deep into story structure and a wide variety of writing techniques, such as writing antagonists that work and developing archetypal character arcs. This podcast does assume you have some working knowledge of the vocabulary of writing, such as plot points versus midpoints and pinch points. But you can easily pick that up along the way.

Simply Write– veteran magazine writer and author Polly Campbell discusses practical writing information from technique to pitches with a variety of authors and specialists in the publishing industry.

Mythcreants– this sci/fi and fantasy focused podcast covers a wide array of writing topics, such as writing dark fantasy, what makes gritty stories, giving your character extra senses, and using unreliable narrators.

Way-Word Writers, hosted by literary agents with Storm Literary Agency, this podcast includes topical interviews with industry insiders and published authors.

The Plot Thickens, hosted by bestselling author Elly Griffiths and focused on crime fiction.

Writing Excuses– a long-standing 15 minute episodal podcast covering writing topics, from subtext and the nuances of dialgue to world building and backstory development.

I Should be Writing, hosted by Mur Lafferty. From navigating imposter syndrome to riding the revision roller coaster, this podcast can help you go from “I should be writing” to “I am writing” with confidence.

Fiction Writing Made Easy– a deep dive into writing, such as developing backstory and writing point of view.

Classes:

There are a number of well-respected places to hone your writing skill, including online, in person workshops, and even writer-themed cruise destination travel. Here are several to consider:

AgentsHelpingAuthors– Literary, subrights, and film agents offering classes on a variety of topics, from querying to marketing.

Jane Friedman– some free, some paid. A wealth of information from and renown industry leader.

Fiction University Janice Hardy offers classes on all aspects of writing, from story concept through publication and marketing.

Writershelpingwriters– workshops and more.

No Stress Writing Academy– numerous classes, some (like Marketing 101) are free. Get insider tips and a forum to connect with other writers.

Writer’sDigestUniversity– workshops and classes on a wide variety of topics, from agent 1-on-1’s to plotting your novel.

WriterUniv.Com– for writers by writers. Classes on everything from story brainstorming to weaving plots lines together to finishing your manuscript.

Lawson’s Writer’s Academy– for all genres and all skill levels.

Beat sheets:

Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, or somewhere in between, your story scenes still need to flow, plot holes should be avoided, and readers will expect a satisfying story progression. Beat sheets help you keep track of these elements. Plotters can use them before writing. Pansters should consider applying them to a finished manuscript to look for potential flaws.

Worksheets for Writers– this fabulous resource by Jami Gold pulls together information from the story experts such as Michael Hauge and Larry Brooks into simple sheets to plan your important story beats. There are sheets for basic story structure, romance, and many more.

Mastering dialogue:

Writing realistic dialogue can be hard. Too often, it feels stilted, overdone, or expository. Here are a few resources to help make writing realistic dialogue easier:

1. Keep it simple: Keys to realistic dialogue, by K. Trupkiewicz

2. Getting Dialogue Right, by Ali Luke

Point of View (POV):

POV can be very confusing to new writers (and even some of us seasoned writers!). Here are a few good reasources discussing POV to help you choose how to approach your manuscript.

1. The Basics of POV for ficiton writers, by Jane Friedman

2. Editors on Omniscient POV, at CareerAuthors.com

3. 3rd Person (helping writers become authors.com)

4. Common Writing Mistakes (related to POV, with definitions and examples)

Ready to edit that manuscript?

We would all love to believe we can edit our own manuscripts.

We can’t.

Sure, we can make several passes to clean it up enough before sending it to an editor, but we are generally too close to our own stories to see the flaws. Our brains may argue that a scene needs to stay or that the arc is perfect. But getting that outsider’s point of view (not to mention a grammar check) is incredibly important.

And there are several kinds of editors, including line editors, developemental, and more. Choosing which kind to trust with your investment is important because, yes, editors can be costly. And because many of us have plenty of financial constraints, I’ve also included one solid reference for those of you that are planning to self-edit.

1. 7 Drafts: self-edit like a pro, by Allison K. Williams this book is a must, whether self-editoring or also planning to hire an editor.

2. 3 “easy” steps for cutting words from your manuscript, by Janice Hardy

3. Editors, trusted and recommended by Jane Freidman (scroll down her webpage)

Getting that book baby into the world:

Now it’s time to consider what you want to do with that story you’ve poured your heart into. From self-publishing to traditional publishing, there are many options and considerations. Here are a few:

Querying and pitching resources:

• Comp Title Finder, by Allison Alexander. A searchable database

• How to Find the Perfect Comp (what are they, their importance, and how to find them)

• Tips for Finding Comps– a concise to the point list of methods and sources

• The Four Elements, by Amy Collins (the difference between elevator pitches, queries, log lines, and synopsis)

• The Complete Guide to Query Letters, Jane Friedman

• ManuscriptWishList.com

• QueryTracker.net

• Writing a Fantastic Query Email for Fiction and Memoir; AgentsHelpingAuthors.com

• The Four Elements, Writers Digest (Difference between elevator pitches,
  query pitches, log lines, and synopsis)

• Insecure Writers Support Group: Lists of publishers, agents, information on
  how to query, and conferences and workshops.

Self-publishing resource:

As you can imagine, there is a huge amount to know about self-publishing- far more than I could include here. Instead, I’ll start you with a great resource from a renown professional in teh writing community:

Start Here: How to self-publish your book, by Jane Friedman

Scam Alert!

They’re everywhere in every industry- scam artists ready to pull on your heart strings, take your money, and run. Save yourself heartache and do due diligence before signing with anyone.

Writer Beware- the go to resource for known scams and checking for reputation problems of publishers or agents.

Legal Resources (contracts, and more):

Contracts are hard to read and harder to understand- between terminology, legal-eze, and the complexity of things like rights and royalties. Check out the links below to find truested resources to help get your through the legal process.

AuthorsGuild.org– a major advocacy group for writers, with many resources
Jane Friedman’s Trusted Resources for editing, querying, legal contract information, etc.
Deciphering Literary Contracts, by Margie Lawson

Scratching the Surface!

Well, hopefully you have more than enough to get you started. If it isn’t obvious now, just know you are not alone on your writing journey!

If you found useful links here, consider subscribing to my newsletter, and get a downloadable version of these links on a printable PDF.

Happy Writing!

Insecure Writer’s Blog Hop Links (meet some others writers!):

The post Fiction Writing Resources List first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

But today I’m talking about scenes involving Spice, the drug. More specifically, I’m hoping to help you avoid penning errors that could hurt your credibility as an writer.

The other kind of ‘spice’ scene

In about 2008, Spice (also called K2) became popular as an alternative to marijuana. Chemicals designed to mimic the effects of THC (the substance in marijuana that causes a high) were sprinkled onto plant materials to smoke. But since the chemicals weren’t illegal, this synthetic ‘legal marijuana,’ as it was dubbed, could be purchased in drug paraphernelia shops and even convenience stores. The high from Spice, though, was usually much more intense than marijuana.

Over time, the chemicals in Spice have changed, with an ever widening array of dangerous, mind altering (and sometimes deadly) chemicals blended into the product. Now the high from Spice has very little in common with a THC high.

What’s in a name? Everything.

As a writer, you’re likely to research Spice before you craft your scene. You’ll want to know what it looks like, how it’s used, and probably how your characters will talk about the drug. Online you’ll learn that one slang name for Spice is ‘kush.’

If you expand your research with the phrase “what is kush?” you may find:

• Kush is a highly potent strain of THC that offers relaxing highs

Or, depending on the news cycle and the artificial intelligence (AI) generator, your search may retrieve any (or all) of the following facts:

• Kush is a mix of chemicals, sprinkled on ground leaves and smoked

• Kush is incredibly addictive and contains cannabis, opioids (including fentanyl and tramadol), formaldehyde, and (possibly) ground bones

• It causes a rapid high, pounding headache, swollen ankles, organ failure, and death

• Kush creates a high similar to the THC found in marijuana

• It causes frightening hallucinations and violent behavior

Confused?

So, is kush really Spice or a type of marijuana? Does it contain fentanyl? Will kush give my character a marijuana-like high? Violent behavior? Or will it kill him?

The answer is yes…and no.

The problem is that kush is a nickname for no less than three abused drugs. All three have some similarities- they are leafy substances often rolled into a cigarette-like paper then smoked. But they’re all incredibly different, some with devastating (or deadly) effects.

So, while all the facts above are true, the online search jumbled together information about three distinctly different kinds of kush. Without knowing that, you risk writing a Spice scene that’s blatantly wrong.

Sorting Out Kush

Here are a few key facts to know about the various drugs called kush:

Marijuana kush

• Originally, kush referred to a marijuana specifically from the Hindu Kush mountain range region. This potent marijuana was touted for it’s strong calming effects and remains popular even today. Like other kinds of Cannabis, kush offers euphoria, sleepiness, and hunger. It can also result in paranoia. Over time, the term kush became common slang for any kind of marijuana.

Spice kush

• As mentioned, Spice began as a synthetic marijuana, with chemicals sprayed onto leafy substances to smoke (as a cigarette or in a pipe device). However, since the chemicals were not illegal, Spice was marketed as a ‘legal’ marijuana. It was also popular because it wasn’t detectable on THC drug screens.

• Stories around 2008 may involve your character getting a marijuana-like high, only a much more intense one than expected. However, with the ever changing chemical content, you have a lot of creative license to let your character have a really bad day. Instead of his relaxing high, he could experience frightening hallucinations, seizures, or panic attacks. And with fentanyl tainting a variety of street drugs in the last few years, your character could smoke Spice but unexpectedly die of a fentanyl overdose.

• In 2008 could purchase Spice in a drug paraphernelia shops labeled as Spice or K2. But laws have since changed making the chemicals in ‘Spice’ illegal. More contemporary characters will still shop in paraphernalia stores (or online), but Spice will now be in pouches labeled ‘not for human consumption’ and have flashy names like White Blaze and Brain Freeze.

The 3rd kush

• This drug has taken the risks associated with either kind of kush to a signifcantly higher and potentially lethal level. Currently found in Sierra Leone, this kush is a combination of unknown chemicals, formaldehyde, Cannabis, and opiates (often fentanyl). It’s use has surged in popularity among young men as an escape from their difficult lives, filled with extreme poverty, lack of job opportunities, and pervasive feelings of hopelessness. Men who begin kush rapidly become addicted, using any money they find to purchase more. Kush gives a rapid high, often with severe head pounding followed by a loss of consciousness. You can read more about this devastating drug trend here and here.

Verify Resources

Kush isn’t the only example of slang used for multiple drugs. Recently, the term zombie drug has been used to refer to xylazine, an animal tranquilizer increasingly mixed into street drugs. Zombie drug is also slang for a dangerous psychoactive synthetic drug called bath salts.

As you can see, it’s important to verify your resources to create accurate scenes. Online searches are easy to access, but they can also be incomplete, incorrect, or misleading. For illicit drug-related scenes, good resources to use include:

• The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

• The Drug Enforcement Agency

• Poison Control Centers

Putting It All Together

Hopefully, this discussion has made you more confident to write a Spice scene. You should also be better equipped to find reliable drug-related information to support your writing.

Want More?

For more information and sample scenarios for using Spice, marijuana, fentanyl, and many other abused prescription and illicit drugs in your next plot twist, check out The Grim Reader: A Pharmacist’s Guide to Putting Your Character in Peril.

Happy Writing!

The post Writing a Spice Scene? Learn the Difference Between Kush, Kush, and Kush first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

I start at the end.

Why is This Important?

So far, everything I’ve learned about thriving in the writing industry has been from training for arduous, long-distance races, like the Ironman triathlon. Like finishing a manuscript, these races take an incredible amount of commitment, sacrifice, and time (along with a great deal of mental toughness).

And just like a manuscript, it’s important to know where you’re headed from the very beginning.

Why Start a Manuscript at The End

Training for a race (of any length) without knowing the distance to the finish line would be ridiculous. If I start training for an Ironman race without understanding that I need to be physically and mentally able to complete a 2.4-mile swim, plus a 112-mile bike ride, plus a full 26.2-mile marathon in 17 hours, my training would be directionless. My race? Very likely a disaster.

If you can envision where that story is headed, or at least a general idea of the character arc, you have a reasonable chance of grasping the overall goal you need to develop.

No, It’s Not Plotting!

This may sound a bit like plotting, but it isn’t. It’s really just determining one data point, albeit an important one, and developing a global sence of the main story conflicts. Knowing where you’re headed is just the first step to understanding your task. The hard part comes next.

Embracing a Timeline

Trust me, if I didn’t pay an entry fee and actually commit to a race, I might happily continue mid-distance practices (i.e. the fun ones) forever, never really having the drive or reason to push for those longer, more uncomfortable training days. With a target date, I can develop a plan that gives me a reasonable chance of not just starting the race, but also finishing it.

With manuscripts, I’ve known people that are still working on their stories years after the inception. Some are still trying to figure out where the story is leading them. And that, really, is fine if the goal is to sit back and enjoy the writing adventure. But if you truly want to finish that manuscript and publish it, having a defined timeline to reach the end of your draft can keep you tasked and on track.

What’s Next?

Ask yourself how your character will get to the end you’ve envisioned? There are two main components here:

• Start from the end scene or the end of the character arc and work backwards

• Define those inner and outer demons

Walking The Manuscript Backwards

Planning Ironman training is a bit formulaic, at first. I take the number of miles I need to reach in each discipline and divide by the weeks available to train. If I have 16 weeks to get to a comfortable 100-mile ride, I can backtrack the weeks, taking a look at what needs to occur at each step along the way to be successful.

Inner and Outer Demons

Even with all the fancy numbers on my spreadsheet, to really understand how to get to the finish line, I need to know more about what drives me as a person. It involves defining my weaknesses, inner demons, and outer demons. If running is my weakness (it absolutely is), I need understand that and work more on running over the training season.

My inner demon? Open water swimming. I do great in a pool, but come race day, open water panic will set in. This knowledge drives me to seek lakes to enhance my training. (Unfortunately, I haven’t solved my procrastination demon quite yet). My outer demons? Training in the 115-degree Phoenix desert can lead to heat stroke and be lethal. I have to plan around that demon with 4 am runs, swims during the hottest part of the day, and indoor bike rides.

Everythinig I do in each week of training is compelled by those personal issues. It’s my personal plot line, really. And on race day itself, how much I’ve grown to conquer my demons will determine if I make it out of the lake to the next portion of the race, or if I end up with a kayak rescue. If I haven’t dealt with my weaknesses, I won’t be able to complete the run that takes me to the finish line.

But there are no kayak rescues for a manuscript if the main character arrives at critical plot points without having been challenged by his weaknesses and demons, growing along the way. As he heads toward that finish you’ve envisioned, you need to also understand the barriers that he faces. And tackling those barriers will help drive your character logically toward the end.

The Wall of Dominoes

By starting at the last scene or the end of the character arc (D), and taking one step back at a time, you can get an idea of what must happen to get to D. It’s like collapsing a row of standing dominoes. For D to happen now, C had to happen first. For C to have happened, B must have already occured. But the character has a real issue with B, so he had to also have some other event impact him to get past B and grow. Even just to get to B, and pull himself out of his content little world he started in (A), some big thing must push him out of his comfort zone and onto his adventure.

And while some may argue this is really starting to sound a lot like plotting, it is a lot more like logical brainstorming. There is a lot of plot that hasn’t been addressed yet, but some of those major plot points and that climactic ending have begun to take shape.

Ready, Set…Write!

All that thought and preparation for me as an athlete culminates in standing at the start and following a pre-determined race course to the finish line. There is no deviation allowed. But as a writer, it means I’m ready to dive deeper into my manuscript- to head down some what if’s. At this point, a plotter, if well on the way to deciding the inciting event and main plot points. Pantsers will have a better feel for how to let their character lead them through the story.

Reaching THE END

Most of us are aware that getting to type THE END on a manuscript is really just another beginning: editing, getting beta readers, editing again, querying. But getting to the end can be much easier to envision, when you know what it will take to get there.

Resources

Here are some additional perspectives on using THE END to develop your story:

• Building a Character Arc: Start at the End (Jami Gold)

• Using Backward Design to Plan Your Story (Angel Ackerman)

Getting stuck or frustrated along the way? Here are some resources to help get you back on track:

• Tips for coping with rough days as a writer

• 7 Tips for Healthy Emotional Endurance for Writers

• Insecure Writer’s Support Group: join a group of unpretentious writers that blog monthly, with great insight to the writing process. The link to this month’s blog hop is below.

Drop a Comment

Do you have tips for getting a manuscript started? Share them in the comment section below.

Happy Writing!

The End

Here’s that blog hop link. Go check out some other writers and see what tips they have to share.

The post Developing Your Manuscript by Starting at The End first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

Why? There are a myriad of barriers: self-doubt, lack of time, poor planning, life events. One big culprit of never typing THE END on that manuscript involves all of life’s distractions. While we can’t prevent all interruptions, we certainly can control many, giving ourselves a fighting chance at finishing our stories.

You may be nodding, knowing all too well how distractions take over your writing time.

But…maybe you don’t.

Sure, you may be aware of obvious culprits, like Wordle or that annoying notification ding that keeps pulling you toward your phone. But many are subtle. Some you’ve become so accustomed to, that you no longer notice them-or make excuses for them.

Table of Contents

• But…maybe you don’t.

• What can you do?

• What are distractions, really?

  • How it starts…

  • How they become deep-seated habits:

• Identifying Distractions

• Internal distractions- calming the storm

  • Writing-Specific Internal Distractions

• External Distractions

  • Avoiding Those Pesky External Interruptions:

• You’re not (home) alone!

• What about you?

What can you do?

Empower yourself to take control of those distractions with 3 main goals:

1. Arm yourself with understanding how distractions not only hurt your writing, but how they can harm your health and impact your overall life experience.

2. Spend some time identifying your personal distractions.

3. Tame those disruptors enough to help you get that manuscript ready to pitch.

Wouldn’t you love that?

What are distractions, really?

Sounds too obvious to discuss. But is it? Nir Eyal, lecturer at Stanford and author of Indistractable: How to control your attention and choose your life, defines distractions as: “the process of interrupting attention” and “a stimulus or task that draws attention away from the task of primary interest.” That sounds straight forward.

But he also goes on to say that, uncontrolled, distractions can become habitual, keeping us from creativity, not just in our writing, but our professional and personal lives. More importantly, they keep us from fully engaging with friends and family, allowing us to miss out on important parts of our own lives. This article has some basic examples of distractions that you will probably recognize from your own life.

How it starts…

I saw the impact of distractions in my professional career. As an ICU pharmacist, my office door remained open for any questions, my cell phone always on alert for calls to a bedside. As I worked on projects, I could be stopped any number of times during the day: an urgent call for a drug calculation, a pop-up notification of an email flagged with high-importance, a text asking me to consult.

Those projects? They would find their way home for me to work on in the evening. And sometimes, I found myself dividing my attention between the childrens’ needs, the projects, and cooking dinner. With all this, there was rarely any time to take care of my own health (or write).

How they become deep-seated habits:

Overtime, the way I dealt with all these interruptions developed into a lifestyle. By the time I retired, I found myself unable to pull away from the constant expectation of texts being urgent, the notifications (now generally book marketing or family messages) on my phone needing immediate attention. Plus, while sitting in front of that computer at home, editing The Grim Reader– I could see distractions: the laundry, the dishes, etc. I kidded myself about being able to multi-task it all, and just found myself busier and busier.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Identifying Distractions

Becoming aware of all the distractions around you is the first step to successfully taking back control of your writing time (and your life). There are two main types of distractions:

• Internal

• External

Internal distractions- calming the storm

All those swirling worries and thoughts inside of your head not only keep you from writing, but from enjoying your day, engaging with friends, or even sleeping well at night. While you can’t make all your worries go away, you can do some things to keep them from mentally interrupting you during crucial times. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Learning Center lists several ideas in-depth. To get you started, here are a few:

• Deep breathing exercises

  • While this may sound simple, take a few moments to relax with several deep, slow breaths. Notice how much calmer you feel? Humans breathe faster in response to stress. Over time, regular stress (like muti-tasking and overcommitted lifestyles), leads to chronic patterns of rapid breathing, which can lead to:

    • High blood pressure,

    • Cardiac disease, and

    • Metabolic disorders.

  • Reducing your breathing rate can disrupt the brain’s response to stress. Over time, this can lead to reduced blood pressure and other health benefits, as described in this article from the American Physiological Society.

• Identify a better time of day to write

  • If distractions tend to be heavier in the morning, moving your writing session to another time of day may help improve your chances of focusing.

• Physically move

  • When your mind begins to drift, stand up and move to another room or sit with a different view of your writing area. This may be enough to gain control of those wandering thoughts and get your mind back on track.

• Exercise

  • Get your blood flowing and heart rate up for a short time. This can make you feel better overall and give you more energy to focus amidst distractions.

Writing-Specific Internal Distractions

Does fear of failure as a writer keep you from focusing on your writing? This might help get you back on track. Writer’s burnout is another problem that inhibits creativity. This resource offers some tools to deal with burnout.

Finally, consider that your own emotional fuel tank may be empty. Daily stresses, lack of sleep, pushing ourselves…can land us with an empty emotional fuel tank, with nothing left for our creative minds (and no energy to ward off those distractions). Check out 7 Steps to Healthy Emotional Endurance for Writers for tips to refuel your tank.

External Distractions

You can probably list a lot of external distractions: constant phone notifications, messages, family/friends/neighbors, texts, piles of laundry…and just one more game of Wordle. Responding to some external distractions, especially social media “likes” and online games, can actually release the chemical dopamine in your brain. This “happy chemical” makes you feel… well…happier. It’s also addicting, causing your brain to want more…so you reach for that phone to get a few more “likes”, start another session of scrolling through funny videos, play one more game…

Dopamine can be very helpful. For example, you can learn to use dopamine to improve motivation. Click here for a downloadable short workbook to provide you with the power to harness your dopamine-laden brain.

Avoiding Those Pesky External Interruptions:

Dopamine can also be destructive. That spiral of exhaustion and the good feeling from dopamine can redirect your behavior. Pretty soon, you may be scrolling and clicking to release more of that dopamine….without realizing it. By making your surroundings less unpleasant, you can reduce your need to chase the escapism of dopamine, ultimately improving focus. Finish reading this article for more ideas on taming external distractions. Here are a few to get you started:

• Noise reduction

  • Everything from a dog barking to car horns honking can take your mind away from writing. Sometimes all you need to do is put on a headset with pleasant background sounds to mask audible distractions. (Hint: do NOT play music you know the words to…or you may find yourself singing along, instead of hitting that word count). There are many background sound tracks to consider, from pink noise to waterfalls. Pleasing music can also release dopamine, making your writing time more pleasant.

• Move locations

  • I can’t write where I can actually see the laundry. I WILL get up, eventually, and do that laundry…finding myself an hour later with folded laundry and probably clean dishes, too. And the dusting…there’s always that. I have to go to a local park (when it isn’t 110 degrees in Phoenix), a coffee shop, or other place to get any real writing done. What venue might be near you that could work?

• Move again…

  • I love my local coffee shop. I do. Great coffee. Great music. But I get to know the people, and then I have…distractions. I find myself in quick chats with others, instead of writing. To avoid this, I rotate places—somedays a different coffee shop, or the library, or the park. Sometimes, I write in my car in a parking lot. It’s quiet (and I don’t have to spend money on an expensive coffee).

• Social media timeouts

  • Activate your phone’s social media timeout function. This feature can be set to notify when you’ve reached your maximum time on social media for the day. It can even dither out the app.

• Silence the phone

  • SIlence your phone’s ringer. Better yet turn it off. If, like me, you want to be sure family can contact you in an emergency, set the phone to only allow those specific calls or texts reach you during writing time.

• Timed blocks

  • Balancing obligations that are visual distractors can be as easy as setting an alarm for dedicated blocks of time. I use 20-30 minutes, but you can choose what works for you. Every 30 minutes, my alarm goes off, I look at my list, and do ONE task that is visually distracting me. Maybe start the laundry, or wash the dishes. When the alarm goes off again, I return to my writing. This is my version of something called the Pomodoro Method.

You’re not (home) alone!

Think you’re the only writer that has to deal with distractions that keep you from finishing your manuscript? Definitely not. See what other writers are sharing about their distraction frustrations and solutions at this month’s blog hop (below) from The Insecure Writers Support Group.

What about you?

How do you deal with distractions that keep you from writing THE END? Leave a comment below or share in the blog hop chats.

Thanks to this month’s blog hop hosts: Victoria Marie Lees, Kim Lajevardi, Nancy Gideon, and Cathrina Constantine! Check out their posts and others from the list below. While you’re there, consider joining the blog hop community. See here for more information.

The post 3 Steps to Keep Distractions From Ruining Writing Time with Tips You Can Apply Now first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

Today, the writers of the Insecure Writers Support Group are sharing opinions on the role of AI in creative writing, whether for small projects (such as writing the dreaded synopsis) or larger projects, such as writing an entire book.

So, what happened recently that made AI a hot topic for writers?

Oh…so much.

For starters, a seemingly sudden bubble of AI generated books made news headlines:

• The AI generated book The FIre and Fury, published about the Maui fires just days after the devastation began, became a best seller,

• Published and marketed workbooks devised by AI as ‘companions’ to published works, but NOT condoned or approved by the actual authors of the books. In fact, some of the workbooks or companion books were published…before the author’s original book was launched!

• Fake books generated by AI and published using another author’s actual name have been published, such as these 5 books never authored or approved by Jane Friedman, a well-known and respected voice in the writing community,

• A fully AI generated book won a second place award in China,

• Rie Kudan won a prestigious award, later admitting to using AI to write about 5% of the book.

Waking the sleeping AI giant

Some writers are excited about the explosion of AI technology. Why? Writers have cited the benefits of using AI for generating story and plot ideas, writing the synopsis (which writers often find challenging), and generally ‘hurrying up’ the lengthy process of writing novels. With AI, writers have made claims that the timeline from writing to publication of a book can be whittled down to a few short months or even a matter of days. Yes, days!

But writer’s should be careful what they ask for. They might just get it. With the rapid ascent into widespread use, AI writing brings with it a host of concerns, including plagiarism, fraud, evenue loss for writers, reputation tarnishing, and the possible downfall of the creative writing industry.

Let’s dive in.

The good, the bad, and the ugly

The good

AI programs can (and have had) a viable place in the writing world. From algorithm-based editing suggestions (such as misspelled words or poor grammar identification), some lower levels of AI have been in use for some time. Think Grammarly. (Even as I am writing this, WordPress is offering the option for AI-driven content.) Mid-high, high schools, and colleges have been using AI on some level to assess plagiarism in submitted essays for well over a decade.

The bad

But if AI utility in writing were only about these process enhancements and plagiarism identification, we wouldn’t be having this debate amongst the Insecure Writer’s Support Group bloggers today. The problem, as demonstrated above, stems from the fact that AI is being used to generate books (either in part or in full). And to fully understand just why that is a concern, we must first talk about just how AI goes about writing those books.

How does AI write (books)?

AI writing is created through a series of specific writing prompts that cause the computer to respond using a compilation of writing it has been previously exposed to.

What does that mean?

It’s a fancy way of saying the computer has been loaded with the writing of many books. When the ‘writer’ poses very specific requests, the computer will reach into all the books it ‘knows,’ analyze what content answers the request, and then re-formulate it in writing. For example, you can ask AI to ‘write a mystery short story in the style of Agatha Christie.’ The computer will spit out a mystery story that will mimic the voice and writing style of Agatha Christie.

“Oh, cool!” you might say.

But where did all those books come from that were ‘taught’ to the computer? In one case, e-books were used to teach Books3, an AI writing computer within the Meta coporation. Those e-books were sources from online sites. No authors were asked permission to use their work. No authors were paid commission or offered compensation if parts of their work were spit back out by the computer algorithm as part of a ‘newly written’ book. When a list of books used to train the Book3 AI program was released as part of a lawsuit, authors were shocked to find their names among works stolen, including Nora Roberts (over 200 books) and Mary H.K.Choi.

The ugly

• Copyright infringement: The programmers of these AI writing programs are not asking the original authors for permission for the computer to potentially reuse their work in part or in it’s entirety. That can result in copyright infringement, especially if the writing is substantially similar to the original work. So far, the AI programmers seem to have had a blatant disregard for this legality, developing an industry founded upon stealing writer’s ideas and promoting the computer-generated remix of the writer’s ideas as an original creation.

• Copycats, knock-offs, and fraud: I’ve already mentioned a few of the less honest outcomes of AI generated stories. Unscrupulous ‘writers’ are able to use online blogs and previous books from authors to program AI generators to recreate the voice and style of an author, then publish works using names close enough to the original author that readers may be fooled. In a number of cases, the original author’s actual name was used!

  • Here are a few examples:

    • Savannah Guthrie’s Mostly What God Does

    • Jane Friedman- 5 AI generated books being sold on Amazon listed Jane Friedman as the author. She wrote none of them.

• Reputation: We work hard as writers to develop our brand and style of writing and to cultivate a following of readers that love our stories and want more. We pride ourselves in the care we take developing stories, the character arcs, the plot lines, etc. But AI generated stories, at least at the current programming technology, are still in their infancy of learning creative prose. The writing style and voice have been mismatched, stories have been reported to be choppy, with circular content and poorly written. But these knock-offs represent themselves as the original writer to garner sales (that’s fraud). How would you feel if one of your steadfast readers told you they just bought your most recent release (which you, uhm, didn’t even release yet) and the reader was disappointed in the work. What if your readers start posting online reviews about your sub-par work?

• Revenue: Who’s getting the income from the sales of these knock-off books using your name? Not you.

• Whack-a-mole- It sounds like it should be easy to find these fake works, notify Amazon or Good Reads, etc., get them removed, and move on. Unfortunately, it isn’t that easy. Why?

  • Large organizations like Amazon can be very slow to respond to complaints. Worse, they may not be eager to help remove the fake books. In Jane Friedman’s case, she had to fight against Amazon’s refusal to take the books down, aruguing that her name was not trademarked. She had to fight a second time to get them removed from her Good Reads account, where they had shown up as “hers.”

  • Multiple books: While you are chasing the removal of the one book you know about, others may begin to pop-up. It’s nearly impossible to keep watch over all book sale sites to see where copycats have cropped up. The Fire and Fury was, eventually, successfully removed from Amazon (see here for Jane Friedman’s battle with Amazon). But, as I looked today, it’s back on Amazon again, under a new ‘author’s name’ and listed as a ‘remix of the previous books, by Pearl O, complete with a bio and author page.

  • Multiple vendor sites: The books may have lready been picked up by other sales platforms, such as Barnes and Noble. Soon, the fakes are snaking their way through numerous sales platforms, damaging your reputation and making money off it as well.

What’s next?

The world of writing, from agents accepting submissions to writing guilds and awards sponsors are scrambling to create rules and regulations related to the use of AI generated works of writing, including:

• Considerations about how AI is generated,

• Requirements for original authors to be asked for permission and compensated for the use of their work,

• Literary agency and publisher rules regarding submission of AI generated manuscripts, and

• Notification to the public (identifying that part of the work was generated by AI)

In addition, actions, such as the Writers Guild recent strike demanding limits on AI use in writing film and TV show scripts will drive discussions. The Federal Trade Commission recently made some initial statements regarding AI use of works on creative platforms. And the decisions resulting from ongoing lawsuits, such as those involving the work of Jodi Piccoult, John Grisham, and David Baldacci (just to name a few) will define the future of AI generated written work.

So, to AI or not to AI?

The original task for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hoppers this month was to discuss how we feel about AI’s impact on creative writing and if we have used (or would) AI to generate writing, either in part (such as a synopsis) or in in whole.

While I’m fine with the role AI has played in support processes for writing (such as word or phrase suggestion), I do not condone nor support the use of AI in creative writing.

Why?

• It’s lazy. For most of us, writing is a passion. It’s hard. Not everyone can (or should) do it. Few stick it out until the end, through the months of story development, character arcs, editing (and successive re-edits), and plunging into the pitching (or publishing) world. Writing the ‘hard stuff,’ like stuggling through a synopsis, makes writers better. Punching keys on a computer to have it spit the synopsis out, does not. If I reach a time when I’d rather have a computer write my books for me, I’ll know it’s time to leave writing and find something I enjoy enough to do myself.

  • If you need some ideas for stories, here are a few posts to check out:

    • Having trouble coming up with story ideas? Check out this post.

    • Want help deciding your story’s direction? Check out this post.

    • Need tips on writing that dreaded synopsis? Check out this post.

• It’s supporting copyright infringement and theft of creative work. Using the AI program essentially supports the process of stealing authors books to use them for someone else’s gain. Watch out what you support. That stolen work and income may someday be yours.

• It’s supports fraud. It’s supporting an industry and helping create a market for a product that is being blatantly abused, with little legal recourse for authors that are impacted.

• It’s a cheat. It quite simply is taking other writers words and ideas and using them without their permission, even if they are not in the same format.

• It supports the degradation of writing quality. These AI books flooding the market are poorly written, and can drive down both customer satisfaction and trust in the quality of work their money will buy, further damaging a struggling industry for authors.

I hope this has given you some fuel for thought about the growth and tragectory of AI in the writing world, as well as YOUR role in helping shape the creative writing environment of the future.

Drop into the comments below and let me know what you think!

Meet other writers-blog hop link:

Other IWSG authors willing to share ideas and offer support along this writing journey can be found at the blog hop links (below). And please visit my co-hosts for this month: Kristina Kelly, Jean Davis, and Liza @ Middle Passages!

The post To AI or Not to AI? That’s the Writing Question first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

This isn’t a popular opinion, but you DO need and author website (or at least a blog) and BEFORE you publish your work. Here’s why and some options to consider for optimizing your marketing.

Table of Contents

• Social Media Presence

• The Value of an Author Website (or Blog)

• What Should You Include on Your Site?

• Help!?!

• Check Out the Following Great Resources:

• Insecure Writer’s Support Group Blog Hop!

Social Media Presence

If you’re banking on social media to keep you connected to your potential buyers, you risk a lot.

• Social media reach: While you may have “7.5K followers” on X, are they actively engaged followers that might buy your book someday? Or did they just hope you would follow them back to boost their own numbers?

• Followers: Who are you interacting with? In many social media spheres, authors share/commiserate/rejoice with …other authors. In some cases, like THE GRIM READER (a craft book FOR writers), this audience makes sense. But you can’t expect your 7500 writer-followers to be interested in buying your dystopian, post-apocalyptic romantasy (ok, maybe I would!). YOUR audience is (mostly) readers. Finding readers interested in your genre should be a main focus.

• Social media instability: As we’ve all seen over the last few years, social media is constantly in flux. One day there’s Twitter…the next, people are bailing to go to Mastadon (where IS that now?) or Blue Sky. Instagram was a hot ticket until TikTok (or BookTok) came along. If you have banked ALL your marketing into a social media platform and it goes away (MySpace, anyone?) you lose ALL your followers in the blink of an eye.

• Maintaining social media: So, is the right answer to be on every.single.platform? Probably not. It’s haaard to keep up with even one. Try keeping up with 3 or 4 or 5. Actively. Not once a week…daily! Hmmmm.

The Value of an Author Website (or Blog)

• A place to call home- when all the world’s shifting and changing around social media platforms from day to day, your site will be there. You can direct social media followers to the site. If you get on podcasts, go to book fairs, book signings, etc…you can direct your customers to your home. And agents and publishers WILL ask to see your platform!

• Options- With your own site, you have your own options. You get to decide the set-up: do you want a blog? or a website? Do you want to have a separate page to sell your books or just add a link to your Amazon page within a blog post?

• Costs: Let’s just get this one out of the way, since it’s usually the big sticking point for writers.

  • Free!

    • There are free sites to choose from. Mine was on WordPress. But there are many other places to blog.

  • Paid:

    • Eventually, I not only needed to have a way to sell The Grim Reader as it came out, but to expand to have both my non-fiction and fiction work on the same platform. I decided it was time to go with a more formalized site.

    • Do it yourself hosting:

      • There are many services out there offering to set your site up for a fee, and allow you to use pre-built templates to make your website or blog. It all looks so easy, too! So of course, I did this! Honestly, it was a disaster. I had a couple of days where my site was broken, the hosting company did not care, and I was reduced to a crying puddle of hate…all while I was trying to have a visible platform for a new publisher that was reading at my manuscript.

    • Get help!

      • I chose this option (after many tears and lots of chocolate). I reached out to some of my writing pals (YES! this is another time all those contacts come in handy!). Thankfully, they connected me to a writer whose full-time gig is designing websites for…writers! OMG. She spoke my language. She new what I needed (and what I didn’t). She was cost conscious. I felt the money I spent was reasonable AND my website was up and running within an afternoon. Better yet? She set it up so I can take care of the site myself. She taught ME to edit, fix, and add to it. And then? If I need her, she’s available. (I pay a yearly retainer, but she has other programs, too!). There are many other options, of course, including paying for full web design and management. But that does get costly, and many of us fledging authors don’t have a bunch of cash to spare. If you do (YAY!!!) go for it!

What Should You Include on Your Site?

While you have a lot of design flexibility (depending on the kind of site you choose), there are some crucial elements to consider, to make your information useful and enticing for readers to return.

“Consider ‘white space’ as a design element…” Chris Sigfrids

• Clean and sharp

  • Do:

    • Make your pages and posts clean from clutter (such as too many pictures or links). Pick a few that work and pull your reader’s eye down the page.

    • Add a link or two, including the important link to purchase your work.

  • Don’t:

    • The worst pages I’ve seen are filled with several videos, too many pictures, lots (and lots) of links, and long prose down the page. By the time I’ve scrolled awhile, I’ve lost interest and forgotten what I was even reading about.

• Branding

  • Do:

    • Many writers cringe at the idea of branding, but, it not only looks professional, it helps readers remember you amongst the masses of writers online. It doesn’t have to be fancy- pick somthing that reflects you and your writing. For ideas, check out the links on this month’s IWSG blog hop for ideas. For me, I’m both a triathlete and a pharmacist. I’ve blended the two together on my home page and as my target for writing topics.

  • Don’t:

    • Don’t just do something odd or offbeat for the sake of shock value to get readers to remember you. Be You.

• Useful navigation menu

  • Do:

    • If you have more than one page on your site, having a clear and easy to navigate tool bar is very important. Don’t make your reader hunt for your information. An example of mine is here.

    • If you have a single blog page, make the links highly visible.

• Pop-ups

  • Do:

    • Create a pop-up box feature. Pop-up boxes can be very useful to direct readers to sign-up for a newsletter or follow your page. Even more importantly, you can collect their contact information, building an email list that will come in handy to notify followers as your book baby is about to be born.

  • Don’t:

    • You’ve all been to websites where pop-ups keep covering the page and annoying you over and over again. Be mindful when designing yours! Mine pops up several seconds after a visitor accesses my site, but then it leaves them alone.

• About me

  • Do:

    • Make yourself human to your followers. Let them know a little bit about you. Just like your characters in your stories, make your readers care about you, even if just a little. I do Ironman triathlons. I make Shortbread- an old family recipe. I worked in a newborn intensive care unit as a pharmacist. These are facts my readers learn about me. They also give me credibility for the content of THE GRIM READER.

• Comments

  • Do:

    • Whether it’s a separate comment form or one within a post, give your readers the ability to leave a comment (this helps engage your readers with you). Everyone loves to add their opinion to posts, so give them a chance to weigh in.

    • Can comment forms really help? Oh, yes! Recently, I got several emails through my comment (contact) form. Two offered guest spots on their podcasts. One wanted assistance checking the reality of a scene involving a villain drugging another character.

  • Don’t:

    • Don’t make the comment section hard to find. On posts where the pages scroll and scroll…and scroll…before getting to the bottom, sometimes I’ve had a terrible time finding the comment icon. I often just give up. Don’t do this to your readers!

• Posts:

  • Do:

    • Post regularly. This keeps your readers aware of you and helps increase your visibility via online search algorithms.

    • Post content that’s related to what you love in life or what’s related to your writing, such as What Triathlons Taught Me About Writing or Reaching the Finish Line of Your Manuscript.

  • Don’t:

    • Stay away from vitriolic, whining posts that may lose you readers. Readers often want escape, not to be embeded in politics or anger.

    • Don’t just post to post. Post something useful for your readers…people don’t have time to waste reading fillers.

• Stream of consciousness: I see so many blog posts where writers just start to write… and a page later I still have no idea where they were headed or what they wanted to say. It’s a little bit like those online recipes where, before getting to the “how to make this,” you must get through rambling prose that starts something like “When I was a child…” ARGHH!

Help!?!

If you want to do a deeper dive into the options for an author website or blog and what to include, there are wonderful resources on the web. I’m linking several great articles below. In addition, check out the a variety of styles via the blog hop (below) to get an idea of what you like. Even better, the IWSG blog hop this month includes posts about just what writers like (and what they hate) about websites and blogs. How timely!

Check Out the Following Great Resources:

• How to Build a Website: Getting Started Guide (Jane Friedman)

• Build a More Effective Author Website (Jane Friedman)

• A Step-By-Step Guide To Build YOur AUthor Website (Jane Friedman, Writer’s Digest)

• 10 Tips For a Successful Author Website, Chris Sigfrids, Penguin Random House

Insecure Writer’s Support Group Blog Hop!

This post is part of a monthly share by writers willing to share their insecurities, questions, and support each outher through this writing journey. Check out some of the bloggers, below. And visit IWSG to join in on the fun next month and get information about an upcoming 3/27/2024 PITCH CONTEST!

The post Author Website or Blog- Why You Need One and How to Make It Work For You first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

As writer’s, we have extra obligations piled into our busy lives, in addition to any resolutions we make about our writing. I often hear how writer’s end up not finding the time to write and giving up on projects. If you’d like to combine the opportunity to develop meaningful New Year’s Resolutions with developing a writing plan for a successful 2024, here are a few tips to get you on the right track:

3 Daily Goals

Instead of picking a single resolution that may be too big or bold, I recommend resolving to include 3 meaningful daily goals into each day of 2024:

• One for yourself

• One for writing

• One for someone else

For yourself

Constantly doing chores or tasks for others (work, home, etc) is draining. We are, after all, only human. We need some personal gratification to make life enjoyable. It’s important to pick one thing to do for yourself every day. It can be the same thing daily, or something different each day. But make sure to schedule it early in the day, if possible, so it doesn’t get relegated to an “undone” list for the day.

• Add “Me” to your daily list

Before I start my laundry or editing, I write out my ‘to do’ list for the day. I began this habit as an ICU pharmacist. With over 50 ICU premies and sick babies to care for daily, a list of the most important tasks was the only way to be sure nothing got forgotten. Now, I use that same concept for my home life. I have the traditional task categories (writing, chores, work, etc), but now I also start the list with a new category: ‘For me.’ Today, it may be a long run to clear my head and help toward weight loss. Or it may some dedicated quiet reading time (even just 20 min).

Sometimes I have to be creative to fit “me” into my day. For example, it’s very possible that, on more than one occasion, I’ve sat in the parking lot reading a fiction novel for 20 minutes, before coming home to unload the groceries.

• “Me” first

Over the years, I have found that if I don’t take care of myself first thing in the morning, everything else will take priority, until, at the end of the day, I’m too tired or out of time for myself. So, even if I have to get up 20 minutes early to take “me time,” I make that a priority. It’s not selfish! It makes me a better person all day.

• Highlight the “have to’s”

My lists always have a million things on them to do each day. And they never all get done, which can be defeating. It helps to circle the “tackle these first” items to prioritize a few. Make the “For me” category one of those! If you prioritize, you’re more likely to feel accomplished at the end of the day if you finish the circled items, compared to just tackling your list randomly.

Not sure what to do for yourself? See this post on how to recharge yourself to get a few ideas.

For writing:

Time management for successful writing is so important. In 2023, I learned this first hand, as the publication deadlines for The Grim Reader were barreling at me. From editing my manuscript on a tight deadline, to addressing the copyedits (also on a deadline), to preparing the index for my manuscript (a crazy story for another day), I could have spent several weeks on just one of these tasks alone. After a few overly-full and exhaustive weeks (and noticing the piles of laundry were not miraculously getting done on their own), I was forced into adopting tighter time management habits.

It must’ve worked, because not only did I survive finishing all the laundry while editing, but I’m ecstatic to say that The Grim Reader is already on pre-order through both my publisher and Amazon, and is slated to come out January 16th!

Below are a few tips that I found helpful in the middle of my editing craze.

1. Getting Time Management Under Control

• Procrastination

  • Whether it’s from stress or self-doubt, procrastination can end up as self-punishment in the end. Most of us are guilty of it at some level. Procrastination can eat up a huge amount of valuable time. If you really want to finish your manuscript (and manage all your time better), controlling procrastination is imperative.

• Assessing self-defeating behaviors:

  • First, take a moment to understand procrastination, and why it’s not a self-control problem, with this quick-read.

  • You’ll need to honestly assess the tasks you fill your time with. Determine which are due to procrasination or avoidance behaviors and which are just time wasters. Be brutally honest. Some questions you can ask as yourself include:

    • Is scrolling social media really going to help with your book?

      • Consider focusing on developing real writing connections through writers groups, such as at a convention or through local groups at libraries or on MeetUp. These people will actually beta read your work and may have better connections for you than any “friend” on social media.

    • Is that post going to garner you any connections, sales, or insight? Is there a better way to allocate the time you were reading or writing that post?

    • Will listing out every. single. characteristic. of your protagonist make your story better? Or is it another way to avoid writing the next scene?

    • Are you finding yourself still scrolling 30 minutes after telling yourself you would just look at one more post?

    • And, my personal favorite…did the bathroom floor need to be scrubbed…again?

• Use time monitors to help you:

  • Time blocking methods

    • These techniques can be valuable for planning how to use your precious time.

  • Screen Time Monitors

    • Many phones have the ability to notify you after you’ve exceeded a pre-determined number of minutes on various apps. For example, if you want to keep yourself from getting lost in Facebook for more than 1 hour a day, program your phone to pop-up a notice when you’ve reached 60 minutes on the app.

      • Check your phone for this option (for example, here are iPhone instructions) or

      • Download an app that will function similarly, as reviewed in this USA Today article.

2. Task Exhaustion

Did you know that overcommitment and exhaustion are related to cardiovascular disease, not to mention other negative impacts of stress, both physically and mentally? Doing more doesn’t mean doing better, at all. In fact, you can end up doing less! Imagine being so exhausted that the more you do, the slowerr you go, and the less you end up doing in the end. There is even a name for this effect: The Law of Diminishing Returns. You can read about the concept here.

I learned this first hand during the edits for The Grim Reader. I loved being able to edit my vision.

But I also overdid it!

With 16 hour days behind the computer, then expecting myself to fully embrace all my other life responsibilities, while neglecting much needed sleep, the words “work-life balance” weren’t even in my vocabulary.

Did I make my deadlines? Sort of. My wonderful agent, Amy Collins, was able to negotiate some important deadline extensions (I didn’t even know those were possible!). But I waited too late to ask about extensions and by the time I did, I was mentally and physically fried. For every hour I edited, my page count became slower and slower. And there was still the laundry…

And yes, I did have to ask for a second extension.

• Assessing and Fixing Overcommitment

One of the first steps to avoiding task exhaustion is honestly assessing your commitments and making plans to correct your own behavior. Here‘s a great article from Psychology Today to walk you through those steps.

3. Succesfully Planning Writing Time

After you’ve reassessed your stresses, overcomittment, and procrastination behaviors, you should focus on how to make time for writing.

• Find time

  • How much time can you reasonably write every day?

  • Does something else need to be removed from your commitments to make time for writing?

  • Where and how can you maximize your writing time? (For example, I write on my iNotes while in line at the grocery store, then upload it to my documents.)

• Pick a goal

  • Some writer’s choose a daily word count goal, but that has never worked for me. I prefer writing in scenes or sections.

    • For The Grim Reader, for example, my chapter sections deailing with fentanyl is broken down as follows:

      • Fentanyl

        • Brief History/Social Context

        • Slang terms

        • Weaving the plot

          • How is it used?

            • Now you try it

              • Writing Prompts

          • How will my character act or feel?

            • Now you try it

              • Writing Prompts

          • How long will this drug effect my character?

        • Putting it all together

          • Sample scenarios

          • Now you try it

            • Writing Prompts

      • I would choose one section, such as “Now You Try It,” to complete in a single writing session. This allowed me to develop quality content to help writers practice putting their own characters in peril.

      • The same process applies when I’m writing my fantasy fiction. I focus on a single scene for a writing session. Instead of worrying about hitting a word count, I can end my writing time feeling accomplished if I’ve made good progress on that scene.

  • Other writers use this method, as well. Check out this post from the award winning blog at Writers in the Storm on story quilting.

For Others:

We all have obligations. But if we only focus on others all the time, we leave nothing for ourselves except exhaustion. If we’ve taken care of ourselves along the way (such as in the steps above), we can find the heart, compassion, and time to continue helping others.

To that end, I try to write down one thing I will do each day, beyond my basic obligations, for someone other than myself, such as:

• Beta read a paragraph for a writer at the local group meeting, or

• Make an effort to listen to the store cashier, instead of rushing out of line, or

• Check on the neighbor down the street that lives alone- even if it’s just a text to say “hi” and see how she’s doing, or

• Check on one of my triathlete trainees that hasn’t come to practice to see if there are any barriers I can with, or…

Not only do these brief moments cost me little in my busy day, but they give back to me immeasurably, through the smiles or the network of friends that will support me on tough days. Sometimes, the outcomes of these little interactions rejuvenate me for the next day.

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

I hope this post has helped you take a few measured steps to convert your potentailly ailing New Year’s Resolution into a goal that will more positively impact your lifestyle (and your writing time).

If part of your new daily goal is to maximize interaction with other writers, consider connecting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group– writers willing to share their journey, their angst, and writing tips. Consider joining in on the monthly blog hop (links below), where authors may choose to either answer this month’s question or post another article of interest (as in my case this month).

To get you started, check out this month’s blog co-hosts: Joylene Nowell Butler, Olga Godim, Diedre Knight, and Natalie Aguirre. Leave a comment for them and meet new writerly firends.

Happy Writing!

Blog Hop:

The post 3 Daily Goals to Make Your 2024 Writing Successful first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

Well, that’s a trick question.

Melatonin is a natural hormone created in the body and regulates sleep-wake cycles. It’s been used to help with mild insomnia, jet lag, and day-night cycles for night-shift workers and people that are blind. Think of it as a ‘dowsiness aid,’ but not as a true ‘sleeping pill.’

Melatonin is also a chemical, eventhough it’s often referred to as a ‘natural product.’ And too much of any chemical can be bad, including the risk of serious overdose.

The truth about unregulated supplements

Melatonin is marketed as a ‘dietary supplement.’ Did you know that supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (see this FDA bulletin) in the same way that drugs are—at least not before they’re on the market? Makers of ‘dietary supplements’ can sell products without submitting the kinds of rigorous safety or efficacy studies required for drugs.

The FDA only restricts a dietary supplement after marketing if:

• Problems (such as illness or injury) are reported or

• Random testing finds a concern or

• The company claims the supplement does what actual drugs are proven to do (diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent a disease). Once a company claims their product creates any of those effects, the rules change and the product will be held to the legal standards of regulated drugs. But as long as the claims remain very general, such as ‘supports restful sleep,’ the supplement remains unregulated.

What does it mean to be an unregulated ‘supplement’?

It means the manufacturer is responsible for overseeing the integrity and content of their own products. For honest companies, this may be a realistic expectation. But for less-honest ones, this hasn’t always worked in the consumer’s best interest. Here are just a few examples:

• Some supplements don’t contain what the label states

  • Melatonin tablets have been found that contain waaaaay more (almost 500% more!) of the supplement than stated on the label (see here).

  • Tablets have also been found with no melatonin at all. Instead, they have contained other unlabeled chemicals, such as CBD.

• Contaminated supplements have caused illness

  • Vitamin D drops and other supplements from one company were recalled after consumers developed serious infections (see here and here). The products were suspected to be contaminated with bacteria. Unfortunately, a number of people had to get sick before the trend triggered a product recall.

So…is melatonin risky or not?

If the supplement really has melatonin in it (at the amount on the label), there’s often little risk to adults after taking a typical tablet or two. We don’t really know what dose is appropriate to mimic the normal melatonin in the body, but a tablet (or two) for some adults will hardly be noticed, as it may gently allow the user to fall asleep easier. Others report a lot of drowsiness, sometimes with a bit of a sleepy hangover effect the next day, after just a single tablet. But who knows what was actually in that tablet?

On the other hand, children tend to get drowsier than adults from melatonin supplements. With the content of melatonin tablets (or gummies) potentially inconsistent, it shouldn’t be suprising that children can have unpredictable responses to doses.

So…how can melatonin be used believably to create a page-turner for your readers?

Here are a few ideas to consider (and a few to avoid) to get you started:

Overdoses:

• Realistic options:

  • During Covid 19, the number of melatonin overdoses escalated. Some were thought to be from :

    • Kids being around the house more, leading to more access to medicine cabinets;

    • Depression from lifestyle effects of Covid (lock-down isolation, fear of covid infection, constant news reports of death tolls) leading to increased suicide attempts;

    • Severe insomnia leading to extra pills being taken with the false assumption that a higher dose might be more helpful and a natural drug is ‘safe.’

  • Plausible scenarios include:

    • Attempted (and failed) suicide by an adult character

      • The character can realistically develop mild to moderate sleepiness, but should not be described as unwakeable or in a coma. It’s realistic for the character to wake a few hours later, with a slight headache or sluggish hangover the next day.

    • An accidental overdose by your character’s child

      • The kiddo can eat too many melatonin gummies— after all, they look like candy. This young character can realistically have no symptoms (except for a belly ache from all those gummies) or become extremely drowsy. Over the last few years, an increasing number of children with melatonin overdoses have even needed emergency treatment with ventilators to help them breath until the melatonin wears off. A few unfortunate cases have lead to death in some young children.

• NOT realistic: Death in adults from a melatonin overdose

  • Most melatonin overdoses cause no (or few) symptoms, except in children (see above).

    • In adults, a few cases have resulted in severe drowsiness, but writers should not count on this as a plot device, unless the reader already knows the character is over-sensitive to this kind of supplement. Again, a coma is not a believable plot twist for an adult character using melatonin…unless the pills were tainted (see below).

Contaminants leading to illness or death

• Realistic:

  • Some natural supplements have been contaminated with fungus or bacteria, heavy metals, or unlabeled ingredients, sometimes causing death. See this article on the potential risks of supplements due to the lack of regulation.

  • For an eye-opening look at what may actually be in that little melatonin sleeping pill, click here.

• Not realistic:

  • Fentanyl-tainted melatonin bought from a store

    • Street drugs contaminated with fentanyl is a growing concern, but there’s not a realistic case for fentanyl-tainted store-bought supplements.

      • Over-the-counter supplements have safety seals and tamper-evident tops. It would be difficult to create and hide fentanyl contamination in this type of product. An antagonist would have to really go through a lot of effort to create this kind of danger. There are much easier ways for him to go about his evil plotting!

      • There have been no cases of store-bought natural supplements contaminated with dangerous opioids—such as fentanyl.

  • Fentanyl-laced melatonin bought from a drug dealer

    • There wouldn’t be any realistic market for drug dealers to sell melatonin. Street drugs that are tainted with fentanyl are usually those that cause a high (like heroin, counterfeit Xanax), help with pain (oxycodone), or result in stimulation (cocaine, amphetamines). They are generally illicit drugs or diverted prescription drugs, as opposed to over-the-counter supplements, vitamins, or medications that are easily purchased. (If you really want to use fentanyl in your plot, here are a few tips).

Hopefully, you have a lot of ideas swimming around for new plot twists and how to realistically use melatonin in your story. But if you’d like a few more sample scenarios to practice with or information on a wide array of other drug perils to consider for a scene, check out THE GRIM READER: A PHARMACIST’S GUIDE TO PUTTING YOUR CHARACTERS IN PERIL (in EBook and paperback).

Other melatonin references:

• Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Pediatric melatonin ingestions-US 2012-2021

• NIH: Melatonin: What you need to know

• Poison Control: Took too much melatonin?

• Melatonin poisoning cases soaring among US kids

Happy Plotting!

The post Writing Realistic Melatonin Overdose Scenes first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

As part of this month’s Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop, I’m going to skip the general discussion regarding NaNoWriMo experiences. I’ve posted some tips and recommendations about making your NaNo experience successful here:

• To Nano or Not? 4 Tips For a Successful NaNoWRiMo

• Avoid Heartbreak: Don’t Submit Your NaNoWRiMo Manuscript…Yet

Instead, I’d like to focus on the some key considerations for authors, before including cussing in a character’s dialogue. (Not exactly related to the IWSG topic, except by the end of my last NaNoWriMo, not only was I cussing, but so were my characters).

Obviously, a lot of thought goes into writing a character’s personality and traits: their looks, their hang ups, position in life, and even how they speak. When it comes to dialogue, you’re readers will expect a character to sound realistic:

• Your MG character probably isn’t using multisyllabic scientific phrases (unless you count Charles Wallace in A Wrinkle in Time),

• An elderly lady isn’t likely to be using new hip phrases,

• But… a seasoned fisherman is going to cuss like a sailor, when a hook pierces his finger.

And that’s where things can get a bit tricky.

Table of Contents

• What’s the definition of “cuss”?

  • Types of offensive words

• Hasn’t cussing just become the norm?

• How to decide if your character should cuss:

  • Creating a realistic character

  • Consistent with the magnitude of action or tension in the scene

  • Development of a unique character voice

  • Impact on you as an author

• How to apply cussing:

• Additional Considerations:

• What about you?

• Meet other writers-blog hop link:

What’s the definition of “cuss”?

“Cussing” or “swearing” have become general terms for offensive words or phrases. They’re also referred to as “4-letter words,” “potty mouth,” “dirty words,” “bad language,” and numerous other synonyms. The words themselves can vary between generations, cultures, and countries.

Types of offensive words

A wide range of offensive vocabulary exists and can be subdivided into these broad categories:

• Profanity- using language considered profane, as defined often within religiouns, as in “Oh God, shut up.”

• Cursing- demanding a deity punish or harm someone or something, as in “Damn you!”

• Vulgarity- use of very crude words, refering to crude actions or behaviors, as in “Oh, sh*t!”

• Obscenity- words that describe something considered morally disgusting, as in “F@#k you!”

• Swearing- using an oath, as in “I swear to God…”

If you want to delve into these categories further, Elizabeth Sims does a great job parsing them out in How to Use Profanity and Other Raw Talk in Your Fiction.

Hasn’t cussing just become the norm?

Cussing has become almost ubiquitous in many parts of society. Language considered highly inappropriate a generation ago has become commonplace. That, however, doesn’t mean cuss words are appropriate or accepted in every circumstance or culture. In some parts of society or cultures, certain swear words are even considered blashpemous. When it comes to storytelling, writer’s should make well thought-out decisions about their word choice when it comes to dialogue that includes expletives.

How to decide if your character should cuss:

There are several things to consider before penning those colorful words, including:

Creating a realistic character

Humans mirror anger in their speech and word choice. Often in these cases, typical words just won’t do and an escalation in loudness and word choice simultaneously occur, resulting in a cussing, angry person. Other characters, though, may realistically reflect their anger by becoming flustered, crying, or withdrawing (responses, of course, cultivated by their backstory). The question to answer for yourself is: would this character really say this word?

Sometimes, a cuss word that’s completely out of character can be quite funny, catching the other characters (and your readers) off guard. The mousy kitchen maid who has had quite enough of her bossy head cook may delight your readers when she sneaks around a corner, lights a cigarette, and punctuates her grumble with “ya’ b*tch!”

Another consideration is the historical setting of your story. What would have been acceptable speech at that time? What contemporary cuss words existed?

Consistent with the magnitude of action or tension in the scene

Adding swearing to dialogue should parallel the vibe of the scene. In a high-stakes chase scene, swear words may be an appropriate choice. I mean, what would a car chase with Dominic Toretto (Fast and Furious) be without a few F-bombs? Those same words may feel out of place, say, if a dainty character breaks a freshly-painted nail (unless she’s breaks it driving one of those cars in that high-stakes chase scene).

Development of a unique character voice

Character’s can be associated with a particular cuss word or phrase. Many my age will recall Robin (Batman series) whose iconic phrase is “Holy (insert current topic here), Batman.” For example, if an evil villain bit Batman, Robin would have said, “Holy molars, Batman!” In the T.V. series Supernatural, Dean’s favorite phrase under stress is, “Son of a bitch!” Entertainment Weekly published a list of a few other characters known for their colorful language.

Impact on you as an author

The last several months have seen me working on the copyedit of The Grim Reader and opining over some word choices recommended to truly make my characters realistic. Specifically, it meant having to consider using F-bombs. It’s True—my sample scenarios of characters smoking weed are more likely to sound realistic if they say “That’s some really dank shit” or “F* yeah, that good shit.”

And I really, really struggled with that.

It’s not my personal choice of phrasing. I understand needing to show characters in their true life, but also realized there were several other considerations, before making a final word choice.

How to apply cussing:

• When

  • Cussing included in dialogue should fit the character and the scene. Or, at least, if the language is out of place the other characters should notice.

  • Don’t just add swear words to sell books. Readers want great stories—they’re not choosing books based on the number of swear words. On the other hand, if a character should have been cussing in a scene, the reader will notice if it’s left out or the dialgoue is purified.

• Sparingly and impactfully

  • Treat swear words like spice on a great meal: oversalt it, and the meal is ruined.

    • I watched a show last week where one character ranted for an entire scene with almost nothing but F-bombs coming out of her mouth. They were used as expletives, nouns, adjectives, and a few parts of speech I couldn’t even define. I completely lost sense of what the scene was about and turned off the show. I’m not some prim and proper writer, but the use of strong language like that should mean something, should accentuate the scene and the character. This dialogue did neither, leaving me with not only a bad impression of the show, but of the screenwriter.

• Which words?

  • Not all cuss words are viewed equally or have the same impact. Look for authentic language that fits the character, the scene tension, and your target reader audience. For example, tossing in a reference to female anatomy (“the C-word”) is a much harsher term and less accepted by certain readers than using the word “bitch”.

• Realistic

  • Emulate the real thing.

    • Don’t try to make your college student sound authentic by throwing a few cuss words into his converstations. If the wording doesn’t ring true with your readers, you’ll take them out of the adventure you so keenly penned. If the dialogue sounds too fake, you may completely lose the reader. For example, “Ohmygoodness!” is probably the wrong choice for a character in your YA gritty dystopian post-apocalyptic world whose being chased by zombies.

    • Listen to real life-conversations to get a flavor for realistic language in your character’s age group.

    • Consider a beta reader that’s in your character’s age group. I found this very helpful in setting up young adult drug scene scenarios in The Grim Reader. Not only did my YA beta reader help my refine my character’s dialogue, but he was able to guide me toward which cuss words would be most realistic.

Additional Considerations:

• Impact on purchases and readers-balancing the choices:

  • It’s important to consider what restrictions on purchases might occur, if your work includes certain cuss words. Know your reading and purchasing audience. Will parents be likely to buy your F-bomb laden story for their mid-high student? Is your audience religious-based, with a potentially narrower range of acceptable language.

  • Balancing the choices may not be as easy as it sounds. For example, in my case, I hope The Grim Reader is not only used by writers, but also by parents trying to learn how to more about the risks and tell-tale signs of teen drug use and abuse. With drug use increasingly occuring in children as young as 4th or 5th grade, I need to consider how my language choice will impact that parent-reader. At the same time, I need to offer authors realistic sample scenarios. It’s not realistic to sugar-coat the language used by a heroin addict on a street corner looking for another fix, but I can temper the language of a psychedelic parenting mom or a pot-smoking teen.

• Creative Cussing

  • Want the impact of cussing without the worry of getting censored? Consider made-up words or using double-entendre. Sound silly? It worked for Disney and James Dashner (The Maze Runner).

  • Think way out of the box: this genre-bending bedtime story collection started as a joke for a tired father, and resulted in a tongue-in-cheek, heavily “seasoned” booklet for tired parents.

• Just frickin’ cuss, already:

  • If this is the style you are going for, you’ll see you’re not alone. Check out:

    • Good Reads list of “swearing” books

    • And this list of quite famous books considered to have “profane prose.”

What about you?

How do you decide when to include cussing in your dialogue or writing? What barriers has the decision created for you, if any?

Meet other writers-blog hop link:

Other IWSG authors willing to share ideas and offer support along this writing journey can be found at the blog hop links (below). Many thanks to this month’s co-hosts: PJ Colando, Jean Davis, Lisa Buie Collard, and Diedre Knight!

Happy Friggin’ Writing!

The post When The F* Should My Character Cuss? first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

Ever read a book or watched a movie with a fantastic story line and wondered how writers come up with such great ideas? This month the writers at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group are wondering that same thing and sharing suggestions out of their own writing journey. Check out what the authors are saying at the blog hop (link below) and let us know where you get your story ideas.

I’ve previously shared ideas for finding the inspiration to write, as well as refueling your creative energy. In this article, I’ll dive a bit deeper into sources for actual story ideas.

Life Experiences

Nothing will ever replace the way real life experiences shape our ideas, imagination, and our world view. A few specific life experiences that have helped offer me story (or specific scene) ideas include:

• Places I’ve Lived:

  • My long list of homes has included living on the East Coast, in the Midwest, the Southwest, and even Mexico City. I’ve seen beachy oceans, lived in the 125 degree desert, gone to school in Mexico, and run in sub-zero degree Chicago snowstorms (never, ever again). In each of these places, the people I met and the cultures I’ve experienced have offered me a variety of story ideas. (It’s not hard to see the parallel between a scene where my MC rides a dragon through burning hot Hell and my last 110 degree bike ride in the Phoenix desert).

• Places I’ve Visited:

  • I’m thankful I’ve been able to travel over my lifetime. I’ve seen poverty and desperation on mission trips to help build houses for poor neighborhoods in other countries. I’ve visited the Parthenon, seen Paris from the top of the Eifel tower, and walked the entire perimeter of Stonehenge. More recently, I traveled to Ironman Austria and immersed myself in cafes, drank mélange, ate a few too many chocolate-filled croissants, and devoured wurst sausage dinners. As I walked along the river banks cheering on the Ironman athletes, I was taking notes on the influx of story ideas to pen at a later date. Each place has offered incredibly unique story ideas.

• Loss and tragic life experiences:

  • These are truly life changing. For good or bad, they shape our world view and later (much later, after years of healing) can offer an insight for writing, character development, and an understanding of human nature. And they offer great story ideas.

People Watching:

I’m not a real shopping mall person, but when it comes to people watching, malls are hard to beat. But their real value isn’t in looking for character inspiration, but delving into possible stories. Why is that woman buying a new dress? Why is that teen walking aimlessly through the food court? My favorite place for story ideas, though, are triathlon events (shocker, I know). So many athletes have incredible backstories that bring them to the event-some driven by inner demons, others by personal tragedy, some by lifelong goals. Even the cheering families and crews of volunteers offer a wide array of story ideas.

News Headlines

The daily news contains a wealth of story or scene ideas. My book The Grim Reader, coming out in January 2024, in part taps into real events to offer creative ways to create dangerous scenes or develop rich, gritty backstories for characters involving drugs: the survivor of addiction who lives his life helping others avoid his same mistakes, the near-fatal overdose of a character that got fentanyl-tainted marijuana.

Movies and books

Immersing yourself into a story can trigger other ideas. You don’t even need to restrict your reading to your own genre. Personally, I garner scene ideas from a wide array of genres, including spy, suspense, murder, sci-fi, dystopian, and even Shakespeare. My current fantasy manuscript draws from all these, with elements that include a tragic love story, power plays, deceit, escape from danger, hope, and sacrifice.

What about you? Where do you get your story ideas?

Add to the comments below, then bounce on over to see what’s happening on the blog hop, meet other writers, and find a supportive community. A big thanks to our co-hosts for this month’s blog hop: PJ Colando, Kim Lajevardi, Gwen Gardner, Pat Garcia, and Natalie Aguirre!

Happy Writing!!

The post Finding Great Story Ideas in Everyday Life Experiences first appeared on Miffie Seideman.

When writers ask for unusual and lethal drugs to consider for a plot twist, my list usually includes Krokodil. When I describe the effects of Krokodil, the typical response is disbelief. Why would anyone use a drug that’s demonically addictive AND rots their flesh, eventually leading to amputation, death, or both?

While I can’t give them an answer, I’ve at least been able to assure them that a drug as dangerous as Krokodil hasn’t made too many inroads in the US and may fit better in stories taking place in Russia, among other countries.

Until now.

Recently, a new drug in the US has been wreaking havoc among street drug abusers. This powerful chemical combines the flesh-eating risk of Krokodil with the opioid risk of not breathing. Worse, the antidote Narcan (naloxone) that can restart breathing after an opioid overdose does NOT work for this new drug.

Tanq Dope- the Zombie Drug*

What is this new drug? Xylazine, nicknamed ‘tranq,’ ‘tranq dope,’ or ‘zombie drug*.’ This veterinary tranquilizer has found its way into the US and is being mixed into a wide variety of street drugs, such as fentanyl and heroin. It’s also been pressed into counterfeit pain pills that look like oxycodone, Vicodin, or Xanax.

And users can’t tell that their drug contains xylazine, until it’s too late.

Initially, tranq was more of a problem on the east coast, but recently has spread across the US to LA and elsewhere, leaving the devastation of death in its wake.

Plotting with Tranq Dope

Drug overdose is always a heart-wrenching topic, but as writers we emulate the real world, making our characters more relatable. A few tips for creating realistic drug-related scenes, overdose or otherwise, can be found here.

If you’re looking for plot twist ideas specifically using tranq dope, consider the following:

• The reader knows the drug is tainted, but your character doesn’t:

  • If you’ve planted enough seeds for the reader to know the dangers, when the xylazine-laced drug is used, your reader will keep turning the pages to see if their favorite character gets out of this one alive…or is about to be killed off.

• The reader doesn’t know the drug is tainted:

  • When your character gives in to the need for another fentanyl high, instead of the typical cycle of get high-overdose-stop breathing-Narcan rescue that your reader has come to expect from a particular character…this time, the antidote doesn’t work. The character dies. The reader is shocked.

Character Backstory with Tranq Dope

Sometimes, a dangerous drug can help create a compelling backstory for your main character. Your protagonist that spends his evenings as a vigilante wiping out drug lords, may have developed his deep hate for these criminals when his sister died a painful death from tranq dope-tainted heroin or cocaine. Or maybe your character is a recovered heroin addict who doesn’t talk much about why his leg was amputated a few years ago.

More Resources:

If you’re interested in reading more about this dangerous drug, here are a few links to get you started:

• Flesh-eating ‘zombie drug’ saturating LA

• Skin rotting drug ‘tranq’ infiltrates big cities

• What you should know about xylazine

For more on Tranq Dope and other dangerous drug plot twists:

Check out The Grim Reader: A Pharmacists Guide to Putting Your Character’s In Peril- in EBook or paperback.

*Zombie Drugs- Over the decades, several drugs have been dubbed ‘zombie drugs,’ such as Flakka, Krokodil, and now Tranq.

Photo credits: Pixabay: Sasi Tipchai, Operation

The post Plotting with Tranq Dope: Your Character’s New Demon first appeared on Miffie Seideman.