SPA Girls Podcast

I (Trudi Jaye) was VERY EXCITED to get to interview super-successful fantasy author and fellow podcaster Lindsay Buroker at 20BooksVegas, and (OMG!!) she didn’t disappoint.

Lindsay’s doing really well in the genres of Fantasy, Sci-Fi Romance, Fantasy Romance, and is about to publish a new Urban Fantasy series next year – so she talks about how she makes writing in multiple genres work so well for her career, how and why she switches between fantasy to sci-fi and, of course, how she’s so productive. 

Even if you’re not like me and a total fangirl, this is a must-listen episode from a super-smart self-publishing author.

Check out Lindsay here: www.lindsayburoker.com

This episode we talk with author, podcaster and coach, Bryan Cohen, about making small changes that can add up to big results for authors. 

We talk about why authors often overlook making small changes and how they can be just as important as big ones.

We also discuss some of the most common tweaks that Bryan sees authors making that have made a difference to their success.

About Bryan Cohen: Bryan’s taste for improv comedy at UNC-Chapel Hill brought him to Chicago and provided inspiration for his first book, 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts. He has since published 30+ fiction and non fiction books.

After starting The Sell More Books Show with Jim Kukral, Bryan used his copywriting experience to create Best Page Forward, a book descriptions business. With 250,000+ downloads of his books and 400+ blurbs written, he created Selling for Authors, a step-by-step training program.

In his spare time, Bryan co-hosts a comedy podcast called Something Nice to Say, writes YA fairy tales under the pen name Casey Lane, and captains a soccer team called Zombies FC.

Keen to join the SPA Girls in a live workshop? Join our mailing list here and we’ll let you know the minute we have workshop bookings open.  Info here: https://selfpublishingworkshop.co.nz/index.html

Come say hi on Facebook and Twitter @spagirlspodcast  

We all love it when we’re reading and we fall in love with a character.

Not just in the book boyfriend way – although that’s cool too – but in a isn’t-she-so-great-I-wish-I-could-be-just-like-her-or-maybe-just-her-best-friend way. 

As an author, how do you make that happen for your readers? 

That’s what we’re talking about this week in the SPA. What makes a great character? How do we make them so memorable that our readers keep coming back for more? What do you need to know about them before you start? And how do you bring them to life on the page?  

Join us as we dissect everything you might ever need to know about writing great characters! 

SHOW NOTES:

Wendy –
I sometimes do a character interview when I get stuck. Who are your family? What’s your backstory etc.
– It’s important to like your characters. If they’re mean, then show what made them that way, and also show a lighter side. (Do they like bunnies or something like that)
– Give them redeeming qualities.
– Your characters have to grow during the book. It’s an emotional journey and you need to share that with the reader.
– Often opposites attract when writing a hero and heroine.
– They can appear perfect, but can’t really be that way or they’d have no room for change.

Trudi –
Consider using personality types like Myers Briggs to give you a basis from which to work out your character and their motivations.

Use Goal, Motivation, Conflict structure: What is their goal, why do they want it, and what is standing in their way?

Examples of possible character motivations:
Survival, fear, peer pressure, curiosity, guilt, desire, instability, love, loyalty, honor, obedience, vengeance, inequality, hatred, dishonor, pride, greed, revenge, lust, jealousy, death, humiliation, pain, rejection, loss, regret, shame.

Michael Hauge talks about Identity and Essence, and I find this helpful to think about. What is the identity the character is hiding in, and what is the essence that is what they truly want to be (or just could be if they tried or believed differently).

Or just general questions:
What is your character’s goal – what do they want?
What is the one thing that is standing in their way? (Or one person standing in their way.)
What is their biggest flaw? (They should get over it, or work on it by the end of the book)
What is the one thing they would most hate to have happen to them? (Probably relating to their flaw. You need to make this happen to them.)

Answer questions like:
Physical appearance – height, weight, eyes etc, also clothes, and hair. Age.
What is their body language like?
What is their education? Do they have any strong beliefs?
How do they get around?
Where do they work?
What are their mannerisms? Do they have tics? Do they bite their nails, do they talk too much when they’re nervous?
What are their quirks? (Things that the other characters can notice about them, and maybe hate at first but miss later on… like the guy who hates how much this woman talks, and then misses her voice later on when she’s mad at him)

But also questions like:
Who has influenced them as they’ve grown up?
What would they do in certain situations? Are they shy, or bold? Confident or meek?
What makes them laugh?
How do they act when they’re angry?
What’s the best way to cheer them up?
Greatest strength, greatest weakness, greatest fear?
What are their important relationships?
What do they carry around in their pockets or handbag that they can’t do without?
What secrets do they keep from everyone around them?
What’s their strongest memory from their childhood? (probably relating to their flaw)
What traits do they have that can sometimes lead them into trouble? (Being overprotective, or not being able to keep quiet when you see injustice being done…)
Who or what do they love the most? What do they have to lose?
What do they think they want? (could be different to what they need)
What are they most afraid of?

Consider how you introduce your characters. Setting can play a huge part in the introduction. Remember to show not tell if you possibly can.

Cheryl –
More Questions:
Name:
Age:
Appearance:
Connection to MC or storyline:
Motivation:
Personality:
What’s your biggest goal in life?
What are you most scared of?
Okay, so that’s what you tell people. What are you really really afraid of?
What is your greatest regret?
What do you hate most about yourself?
What do you love about yourself?
Who do you hate most? Or What kind of person do you hate most? Why?
Where did you grow up?
What was your homelike life as a child?
What’s your life look like now?

If you don’t take care of yourself, odds are no one else will. So what does it take to make sure you’re firing on all cylinders?

We’ve all got our own take on self-care and yet there are plenty of similarities.

Wendy
-Remember you are a work in progress, allow room to grow. (no one is perfect)
-Call yourself a writer
-Stop worrying about what everyone else is thinking.
-Limit social media
-Make goals achievable
-Find your tribe
-Take breaks.
-Exercise and stretch. Find a stretching routine.

Trudi 
– Writing/working yourself to the bone makes you less productive, not more.
– Take breaks to refresh your mind. You will come back thinking clearer and able to do things better.
– Look at your negative self talk. What are you saying to yourself? This can be totally sub conscious, and really damaging.
– Look after your health, both mental and physical – exercise, eat well, try not to give in to compulsive behaviours.
– Schedule and plan, then stick to it. Give yourself breaks in the schedule and stick to them.
– Rest is just as important to creative process as working hard. Down time is vital.

Shar
There’s a very fine line between creativity and mental health and a lot of us at times struggle with depression and anxiety (and a host of other fun things). The reality is, that’s super common in this community and while we all want to lift each other up and be supportive, it also isn’t an excuse for shitty behaviour or letting other people down like service providers, fellow authors and readers. So own it, get help, but don’t use it as a “get out of jail free card” cos tbh, that just makes it harder for everyone else to be understood.

I’m crap at self-care personally, but that’s on me and it’s no-one else’s fault – or responsibility – than mine. So I’m trying to walk the talk and walk regularly, get better sleep and practice mindfulness.

Cheryl
– Be a good community member. Contribute to discussions and you’ll have that reciprocated when you need it.
– Get out of the space you’re in and go somewhere else to write or simply recharge. You have the ability and power to work anywhere!
– Listen to most things and only hold onto the things that matter to you or can make a difference.
– Stretch yourself but not to the point of snapping.
– Celebrate your successes and don’t blame your failures on others.
– Every mistake is an opportunity to learn so don’t dwell on them.
– Think positively. You finished a chapter/wrote a book/published a book. That’s pretty darn clever in anyone’s book!

It’s not an easy career, but you certainly don’t need to make it harder for yourself.

Serenity Woods is a New Zealand self-publishing superstar with more than 70 books published (both traditionally and indie). She’s a USA Today bestselling author of sexy contemporary romances, most of which are set in the sub-tropical Northland of New Zealand, where she lives.

Serenity joins the SPA Girls again this week to discuss her publishing strategy and the road to six figures – hint, it’s a marathon, not a sprint!
Her SPA Girls Podcast episode from when she last appeared with us at the beginning of 2019 is one of our most downloaded episodes ever. This latest one is sure to be just as popular, with Serenity’s frank honesty, encouragement and keen insight into how you too can be a six-figure author.

Find Serenity at: https://www.serenitywoodsromance.com/