Author Heather McCorkle

Everyone loves a plot twist that is pulled off just right. The key is getting it just right. Readers don't like to be tricked or feel as though you've just dropped something in that doesn't fit. #WriteTip: Weave in details that lead up to the twist early on in the action or emotion of your novel. Make it natural, fluid, so that when it's revealed they will have an 'ah ha' moment instead of a 'what the..?' moment. What are some of your favorite plot twists in books you've read or movies you've seen? Why did you like them so much? Think about that and it will help you develop your own. If you haven't yet, don't forget to enter my Channeler's Cause  contest. There are books to be won and a great cause to be supported!

To stay on top of our game, and to keep up with the competition, we must always strive to improve our writing skills. Easier said than done in a struggling economy when every penny counts and gas prices are putting the oil-consuming vehicle on the fast track to extinction. Traveling to a workshop completely blows the budget for many of us. So what are we to do?  #WriteTip: Attend an online workshop instead of driving or flying to one. For writers of children's and YA books there is Write On Con which is completely free (no joke), and it's amazing. I know several of the ladies who host it and they are fantastic. There's also the San Francisco Writer's University (online). I haven't taken classes through them but I hear they're great. And keep an eye on my friend TS Tate who is putting together a list of other workshops. If you know of any great online workshops let me know in the comments!  Also, don't miss the live chat with myself and author Chris...

Connecting with other writers is a fantastic way to stay inspired, keep your writing fresh, learn more about writing, and to build your platform. Gone are the days of the reclusive writer, and I say good riddance! It had romantic appeal back when I was a kid, dreaming of hiding out in a cabin, writing away my days with no one to bother me. But as an adult I look back at that fantasy and realize you can’t learn much all hidden away by yourself. And I love to keep learning! Writing Tip: Get on Twitter and join in writer chats, or join Goodreads and chat with authors and/or readers. On Twitter Monday nights at 6pm PT there is #WritersRoad, Tuesday at 6pm PT there is the #IndieChat, and you can find other chats nearly every day of the week. Speaking of chances to connect with authors… A week from today, April 17th at 5:00pm Pacific Time, the Indie Elite  is hosting a live chat with author Christine Fonseca  ( YA novella Dies Irae, YA novel Lacrimosa , as well as acclaimed non...

First, for today's stop on the Channeler's Choice blog tour, I'm over at Candace's Book Blog . I hope you'll drop by. Candace's blog is one of my favorite places to hand out and get fantastic book recommendations. Now on to today's writing tip. Inspiration is a huge part of writing, and more importantly, preventing writer's block. I love to find pictures of people that I feel look like my character and use them as background on my computer. But, as many of you know, there is this new website called Pinterest where you can do that online. In fact, you can 'pin' pictures of anything that interest you on your page. Sounds pretty cool doesn't it? You won't find me on it thought because the last thing I need is another time suck. Of course I say that now, but I may cave eventually. Writing Tip: Find pictures, art, or music, that inspires you and makes you think about your characters or the world/setting of your book. When you're stuck...

One of the greatest editing discoveries I've ever made it reading my novel aloud. This is one of the last steps in the editing process that I do and it always amazes me how much I catch even after so much work by myself and my beta readers. I've even caught things an editor has missed this way. Tip: When you think you're finished editing your novel read it aloud, either to someone or to yourself. It's important to take your time with it and not just read what your eye 'thinks' it sees, but what is really on the page. A few friends of mine have a program that has their computer read it aloud to them. Super cool, but the computer voice would kind of freak me out. But if you're adventurous and techie enough, it's probably worth a shot. Today for the Channeler's Choice tour I'm over at my friend the fabulous author G.P. Ching's blog . Before you go, don't forget to click on the sidebar link to enter the Channeler's Choice tour givea...

Today’s tip is inspired by this week’s #WritersRoad chat. Our topic was being a good critique partner. This can end up being so much harder than it sounds. Those of you who are in, or have been in, critique groups know what I mean. It was a great chat filled with a lot of good advice. Tip: Be the kind of critique partner or beta reader that you expect others to be. I’ll add to this though, be respectful, mention what worked, what you liked, and don’t try to force your ideas of what needs to be done or changed onto the author. If you expect others not to hold back, understand that others may not be open to this kind of critiquing. The safest thing to do is to get to know the writer first, ask about their expectations, and respect them.

With the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest fast approaching and submission season back in full swing, I felt compelled to give a writing tip about submitting and conferencing. First you must write an excellent book, of course, but the key after that is to be prepared. Tip: When attending conferences or submitting, come prepared. Bring a well polished query letter, synopsis, and up to the first fifty pages of your manuscript (though ten is usually enough). Bonus tip, when going to agent or editor meetings, bring a notepad and take notes based off what they say. Just be sure to stay engaged and make eye-contact periodically.  How about you, any writing tips to share that are related to submitting or conference going?

As the new year get's into full swing I'm reminded to throw out the old and bring in the new. There is a lot of that to do in writing; editing, habits, stories that need to be retired or started, that kind of thing. One habit I will not be throwing out though is paying it forward. While it may or may not contribute to one's success, I feel that paying it forward is a vital part of any business, but even more so in the publishing industry. We are all in this together and we must support one another. Writing Tip: Support your fellow writers and authors. Beta read for someone, join a critique group, buy books, talk about the books you love to support the authors. Tonight at 7:00pm PT I'm hosting a live chat with the fabulous author Denise Grover Swank over at the Indie Elite blog . If you haven't read her books yet you're missing out. Her adult paranormal novel, Chosen, was one of my favorite books of 2011. I hope you'll stop by to help me support this won...

Last week was a rough one for me and my writing for many reasons. My friends helped pull me through it though (yes you!) and I emerged on the other side, perhaps not unscathed, but I emerged! As writers we all go through rough patches where something is challenging us, rejections, editing, outlining, that first draft, or outside forces. This tip~and you wonderful people~got me through it. The most important writing tip ever: Never give up. The moment you do, that's the moment you fail. But if you never give up, then you can never fail. Friends will be there to pull you through. Don't be afraid to talk about it or even ask for help.  One of the helping hands that lifted me up and made me smile last week was Christie from The Ficiton Enthusiast who wrote this sweet review of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll and blogged about my upcoming giveaway. How about you, any writing tips of your own to share? 

This week's writing tip is one that I didn't always embrace. It can be hard for us writers to share our babies with others. There is a lot of fear in handing over your work to someone else for their critique. However, it is essential to having a truly polished novel. Your critique partners, beta readers, or editor will catch things you can't. Tip: Find someone whose opinion you trust and have them read your novel, or at least key chapters of your novel, to help you with it. If you don't know anyone then it might be time to join a writer's forum, find other writers on Twitter (the weekly #WritersRoad chat on Twitter every Monday night is a great place), blogger, or even on Facebook. Reach out, there are always people who are willing to help.

Cutting sentences, paragraphs, or even chapters from your novel can be a painful process, but it doesn't have to be. I kept hearing the advice that I needed to cut the prologue from my novel because~according to agents and editors dishing out the advice~no one reads prologues anymore. I disagreed, fought against the advice, and probably got more than a few rejections because of it. Finally I caved and deleted it, but I discovered a way to keep it relatively painless. I'm not saying you should or shouldn't delete prologues because I still love them both as a reader and a writer, but the deleting part is easier for me now. Tip: Keep a file of all the things you delete that you'd rather not, or think might come in handy later. Here's the real gem in the tip; you can use deleted chapters or prologues later as promotional material released on your blog or website.