The Motivational Editor

Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published

Debra

Creating Unforgettable Characters, Part 3, Culture

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culture around the world
Image by Prawny from Pixabay

Culture impacts your story more than you might realize. Distinct cultures exist even within the US, just as there are many dialects.

A person’s name often indicates one’s heritage, and thus culture. Did you know the name Dobby, a character from the Harry Potter series, was a real word?

I discovered quite by accident one day playing Scrabble that the word is a British dialect meaning fool. No doubt J.K. Rowling’s British readers knew the importance of the word. To me it was [Read more…] about Creating Unforgettable Characters, Part 3, Culture

Creating Unforgettable Characters, Part 2, Temperament

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Harry Potter temperament
Image by Ryan_Stekken from Pixabay

We’ve all met them: Miss Sunshine, Mr. Easy Going, Mrs. Bossy, and Ms. Perfectionist. We often chalk it up to “that’s just who they are,” but these titles describe specific temperaments. If you’re not careful, they can become stereotypes.

The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Collegiate Dictionary defines temperament as “characteristic or habitual inclination or mode of emotional response.” Experts consider it innate (we’re born with it). Personality is acquired. Read this article to better understand the differences.

Determining Temperament

The four types above are sanguine (Miss Sunshine, cheerful), phlegmatic (Mr. Easy Going, laid back), [Read more…] about Creating Unforgettable Characters, Part 2, Temperament

Creating Unforgettable Characters, Part 1

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How to create unforgettable characters like Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler.Without unforgettable characters in a story, do you lose interest? I do. But how do you create these characters?

Today begins a series on that topic.

Let’s get real, whether we do it consciously or unconsciously, we want to connect with story characters. We want to discover something about them that we share–their life goals, ethnicity, age, life experience, etc.

This shared connection draws us into the story and helps us care about what happens to the characters.

To Create Unforgettable Characters Give Them Depth

Humans are three dimensional beings—spirit, soul, and body. But we often fail to show all three dimensions in our story.

So, let’s start by analyzing your fiction work in progress (WIP). [Read more…] about Creating Unforgettable Characters, Part 1

Are You Making This Critical Error with Your Article Submissions?

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Debra L. Butterfield discusses missing contact information. Imagine, for a moment, that you’re a magazine editor. You’ve just finished reading a submission that’s perfect for next month’s online issue.

You start to notify the submitting writer, but discover you can’t.

The writer failed to put her contact information in her article.

Oh, but there’s the writer’s email to refer to, you might be thinking.

Nope, because you’ve recently started keeping your inbox at zero.

Whether you write books, short stories, flash fiction, or articles for magazines, it’s vital you [Read more…] about Are You Making This Critical Error with Your Article Submissions?

From Traditional to Indie Author – Melody Balthaser

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Author Melody BalthaserI’m pleased to have indie author Melody Balthaser with me today. What does she say about herself?

I’m blessed to live with my husband and teenage son on my family’s farm, nestled between the Catskill and Pocono Mountains, in the scenic Upper Delaware River Valley.

Sharing the transforming love of Jesus, through writing and speaking, is a passion of mine, and I believe with His love we can push through fear to reach our full potential. I’m constantly pursuing ways to surrender to God’s love and blast my fear.

Open water and heights have always terrified me, but in the past few years I’ve snorkeled during a shark feeding and jumped out of a plane at thirteen thousand feet. My bucket list of fear busters continues!

I’d say she also busted through one other fear.

[Read more…] about From Traditional to Indie Author – Melody Balthaser

Marketing, Keywords, and Publisher Rocket, Oh My!

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digital marketing, using keywordsMarketing is a task many writers struggle with, including me. However, without it, our books don’t get much notice.

There are plenty of platforms where we can use either paid or free advertising. So far, I’ve only used one paid platform and that’s Amazon Marketing Services (AMS).

One thing I’ve learned about marketing is the importance of keywords and keyword phrases.

What Is a Keyword?

A Google search provided this definition: [Read more…] about Marketing, Keywords, and Publisher Rocket, Oh My!

Being Taught How to Profit

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a pile of $50 bills, how to profit“Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go.’” Isaiah 48:17 NKJV

Last year I printed that verse on a poster and hung it on the wall right next to my desk. I looked at it often and even prayed it on a regular basis. Then I [Read more…] about Being Taught How to Profit

Batching Your Work for Efficiency and Productivity

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my time tracking
My time tracking sheet. Click on the image to view a larger version.

Last month I blogged about the many job roles we as writers have.

I promised a follow up with the discoveries I made. I hope you can take even a little of what’s here to bring you sanity, less stress, efficiency, and productivity to your life as a writer. [Read more…] about Batching Your Work for Efficiency and Productivity