Blog

Shut ‘Er Down and Make the Call: Tips for Effective Research

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

My latest epiphany: When it comes to research, talking to an actual person can be good for your blood pressure.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I love the world wide web as much as the next guy. It definitely has it’s place when it comes to research. But it also has its drawbacks.
 
The biggest one?

Online research can be a giant time-suck and there’s no guarantee you’ll come out on the other side with a solid answer.
 
My latest research mission? Life as a reporter in a big city and what would happen when this reporter becomes the focal point of a huge news story. I needed to make sure the plot points I had in store for this reporter were realistic and believable. But I kept getting vague or contradictory information. Even via email.
 
I was stuck. I was overwhelmed. I was ready to right click and delete the entire file.
 
Until I shut my laptop and went to a local news station to shadow a reporter for the morning. Not only did I meet a very lovely woman (Chris Minor from WQAD, Channel 8), I got all kinds of answers. Solid, reliable, wonderful answers.
 
She took me around the newsroom, the studio, and even let me tag along as she covered a story out in the field. I sat face-to-face with this woman, told her about my story, and brainstormed ways to work out the kinks. The whole experience felt like one huge sigh of relief.
 
Once I got over the awkwardness of, “Um, yeah, so I’m writing this novel. Can I ask you some weird questions?” it was 100% completely worth it.
 
Thanks to Chris, my story will be that much more accurate, that much more believable, and that much more nuanced. I don’t have to second-guess everything I write anymore. I can proceed with confidence.
 
3 Signs that it’s Time to Shut Your Laptop and Find a Real Person:
  1. You’re getting contradictory information.
  2. The more time you spend researching, the more confused you get.
  3. Even though you think the story could be great, you’re about to throw in the towel.
5 Benefits of Talking to a Real Person:
  1. You won’t end up on a wild goose chase
  2. You can trust the professional. You might not be able trust the Internet
  3. You can engage in a back-and-forth dialog which leads to new, exciting ideas
  4. You can ask personal questions you probably won’t find online
  5. You get to meet somebody new and get them involved (If you’re wondering why that’s a benefit, check out this post, Are You Getting Others Involved?)
Let’s Talk: Does talking to a real person make you nervous? If you’ve done it, can you share your experience? Which do you prefer – getting your information online or from real people? Why?

removetweetmeme

Smart Branding or Super Boring?

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

When we pick up a Stephen King book, we have expectations. Danielle Steel? Expectations. John Grisham? Expectations.
It’d be very odd to open a book by Ted Dekker only to find something reminiscent of Karen Kingsbury. Very confusing. Sort of like these pictures.
Readers have expectations. And as writers, it’s good to satisfy them.
But here’s where I start to get confused. Here’s where I’d love to have a conversation and see if we can’t figure this thing out.
Satisfying expectations is good. Writing a predictable book is not.
There are some big name authors out there who have a very specific, very defined brand. Like Nicholas Sparks. Nobody can argue with the man’s success or the commercial appeal of his books. But still, I’ve heard people complain about his work. And it’s always the same complaint. “After the first few novels, they all start to feel the same.”
I want to create a brand. But I don’t want to write predictable novels. Nicholas Sparks can get away with it because he’s, well, Nicholas Sparks. Me? Not so much.
Let’s Talk: What say you? How do we satisfy our reader’s expectations without writing predictable books? How do we establish our brand, but stay fresh at the same time?

removetweetmeme

When it Starts to Feel Real

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

I was talking on the phone to my critique partner, Erica Vetsch, several weeks ago, after I signed the contract and announced the news on my blog. She asked, “Does it feel real yet?”

My response? “I don’t think it will feel real until I see a cover.”
She laughed. “Or when you get your first round of edits.”
Wise words from a woman who knows.
Anyway, I thought I’d give you all an update.

What’s been happening in my writing world since signing the contract? And does it feel real yet?
Two big things have happened.
I got my first paycheck.
I’m not going to lie. It was bizarre. I would have taken a picture of it and edited out the amount, except it wasn’t from Random House (like my contract was). It was from my agency. Which makes it no less exciting, just less fancy.
So, did my first paycheck make this whole publishing thing feel real?
Nope. Not really. Don’t get me wrong. I was super stoked (yep, I said it), and depositing the check into our savings was all kinds of fun. But for some reason, there was still this disconnect. Which leads me to the second thing that has happened.
I found out which book is getting published first.
My agent submitted three books to Waterbrook Multnomah. They contracted two, but hadn’t decided on which two. I think this is where the disconnect came from. I didn’t know which book I’d get to hold in my hands first. I was trying very hard not to set my heart on one book over the other.
On Tuesday evening, I got word from my agent that we will officially start with Beneath a Velvet Sky (title might change). And a little bonus? My editor (who I’m super excited to work with) left a comment on one of my blog posts.
Both of which made me a little giddy. Both of which made everything feel a lot more real. If things can be more or less real.
Now I have about a month to read through the manuscript one more time before I send it to my editor.
How do I feel about this?
Um…a little nervous. I’m going to read through this book, knowing that other people are going to read it too. Not just close friends, or my agent, or my critique partners – but strangers. People I don’t even know. This book will be in Barnes and Noble. The Christian Book Store. Amazon. And holy cow…even as I type this I start to hyperventilate just a little.
Yep. It’s definitely starting to feel real.
Let’s Talk: If you’re published, when did it start to feel real for you? If you’re not there yet, at what moment do you think it will start to feel real? What part are you most excited for?

removetweetmeme