tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post8219109773224989543..comments2024-03-28T23:31:06.181-05:00Comments on Writing In The Crosshairs: HOW TO HOOK YOUR READER_IWSG POSTRoland D. Yeomanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-72646718971724189992015-12-03T12:06:09.897-06:002015-12-03T12:06:09.897-06:00Your Blog is the 1st thing I read every morn. A GR...Your Blog is the 1st thing I read every morn. A GREAT way to begin any day...!! :-)<br /><br />and It is a pleasure indeed to be here. What I'd give to be able to stop by and see you once if not several times a week. But then, I'd be biting into your writing time. :-DMojave Ned/R.Marcottehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15829348570714035062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-48398775852763752072015-12-03T10:01:57.324-06:002015-12-03T10:01:57.324-06:00Didn't he, though? Hugh Howey truly riveted o...Didn't he, though? Hugh Howey truly riveted our attention. :-)Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-9330283538873282162015-12-03T01:14:08.632-06:002015-12-03T01:14:08.632-06:00A distinctive voice is something that often hooks ...A distinctive voice is something that often hooks me. Hugh Howey's Wool fit the bill on that one. The story used an old science fiction trope--people on a ship/underwater city/missile silo who had forgotten there was a world outside. Howey manages to pull it off with his voice and believable characters.Sean McLachlanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-45576384127983903592015-12-02T21:28:02.981-06:002015-12-02T21:28:02.981-06:00Diane, you made my night with this comment. Thanks...Diane, you made my night with this comment. Thanks!Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-82263652549354649012015-12-02T21:27:31.473-06:002015-12-02T21:27:31.473-06:00Anna, I sometimes leave a novel with a cliff-hange...Anna, I sometimes leave a novel with a cliff-hanger, but only because my mentor, Roger Zelazny, did it so well. Hope you forgive me. :-)Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-15890109966891323832015-12-02T21:26:10.594-06:002015-12-02T21:26:10.594-06:00Like the ghost of Mark Twain keeps telling me: tea...Like the ghost of Mark Twain keeps telling me: teach with laughter, and the lesson will stick!! :-) I'm glad you enjoyed my little analogy.Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-8019414297273914932015-12-02T21:25:07.396-06:002015-12-02T21:25:07.396-06:00I try to help my friends when I can. :-) Happiest...I try to help my friends when I can. :-) Happiest of holidays to you, Donna.Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-22094249761803052662015-12-02T21:24:27.549-06:002015-12-02T21:24:27.549-06:00Teresa, you made my weary evening with this commen...Teresa, you made my weary evening with this comment -- I'm sorry Blogger has made it hard for you to visit, :-(Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-87696804332737389812015-12-02T21:01:30.621-06:002015-12-02T21:01:30.621-06:00I've been trying for a while to get to your co...I've been trying for a while to get to your comment form. Yay, I'm there.<br /><br />My newest short story meets (I think) each of the six key factors on selling a book. Yes it's a short. Again: Yay! And on hooking the reader, I'm difficult to hook. Writers must be clever to catch me. So this is important to me when I write. Hook those suckers. And BTW you nearly always hook my attention. Love this post, Roland. <br /><br />TeresaT. Powell Coltrinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02160774009926623671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-67193804072316355622015-12-02T15:49:13.528-06:002015-12-02T15:49:13.528-06:00Great tips Roland. Happy holidays to you.Great tips Roland. Happy holidays to you.dolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-71611223379027174462015-12-02T12:26:06.107-06:002015-12-02T12:26:06.107-06:00An excellent reminder of all the elements that go ...An excellent reminder of all the elements that go into making a novel worthy reading. I especially love the dctor slapping the baby right out of the gate. LOL! Thanks for the chuckle, Roland. Gwen Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132836346305559246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-27626802773394103732015-12-02T09:57:48.713-06:002015-12-02T09:57:48.713-06:00The only time I'm completely disappointed in a...The only time I'm completely disappointed in an ending is if the book leaves me hanging--as in cliffhanger. This I never forgive or forget. I don't read them again.<br /><br /><a href="http://emaginette.wordpress.com/2015/12/01/iwsg-20-december-is-full-of-good-things" rel="nofollow"> Anna from Elements of Writing</a>emaginettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03324981140248692448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-64341697776687001602015-12-02T09:55:02.679-06:002015-12-02T09:55:02.679-06:00Wow, some really great tips!
Best wishes,
Diane
...Wow, some really great tips!<br /><br />Best wishes,<br />Diane <br />IWSG #85<br />Diane Burtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03754105332297068271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-26424551165861491422015-12-02T09:16:24.121-06:002015-12-02T09:16:24.121-06:00Best of luck with your new book. I bet it will be...Best of luck with your new book. I bet it will be great. :-)Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-22865865358801121372015-12-02T09:15:29.317-06:002015-12-02T09:15:29.317-06:00Merging yourself with the characters as a writer m...Merging yourself with the characters as a writer makes it easier for the reader to do it and so become absorbed with our stories. <br /><br />Always good to wake up and see you here, Robert. :-)Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-11726070089228799072015-12-02T09:13:59.424-06:002015-12-02T09:13:59.424-06:00In America, doctors still do the deliveries or is ...In America, doctors still do the deliveries or is that storks -- I get the two confused! ::-)<br /><br />Surprises are mandatory in mysteries I believe. But you're right: surprise is hard to do right.<br /><br />Great of you to visit.Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-86954084427787223652015-12-02T06:08:16.147-06:002015-12-02T06:08:16.147-06:00These are great tips! I'm about to start a new...These are great tips! I'm about to start a new book, so I needed this right now.Stephanie Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10461865229341760836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-8118854720659884132015-12-02T04:01:29.076-06:002015-12-02T04:01:29.076-06:00Your right on target with the esoteric mystic sage...Your right on target with the esoteric mystic sages of past writers, and other great minds or Vanguards of Drama.<br /><br />To paraphrase Konstantin Stanislavski: "When the Actor, becomes one with the story/drama, and the Audience, becomes one with the Actor, Story and Drama, seeing themselves within the story/drama unfolding"> Then an Actor, Director, Writer have succeeded in their task/job.<br /><br />Kudo's as always, My Dear Friend-Merci Beaucoup Mon Ami Frère. <br />Vos connaissances, mots ici, sont impeccables... ;-)Mojave Ned/R.Marcottehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15829348570714035062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-82841959343571115912015-12-02T01:41:39.919-06:002015-12-02T01:41:39.919-06:00'Surprise' is an interesting addition to a...'Surprise' is an interesting addition to a story. I've read about that and tried to add some sparingly to my story. Not easy and can feel contrived. Great tips and reminders! (But I don't think doctors slap babies any more...heck, I don't think doctors deliver babies any more...midwives?) :-)Denise Covey https://www.blogger.com/profile/07106490051555233439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-81389509854292441942015-12-01T15:49:39.989-06:002015-12-01T15:49:39.989-06:00I thought you might like that test: it really work...I thought you might like that test: it really works. :-)Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-30923089304335268132015-12-01T14:26:19.588-06:002015-12-01T14:26:19.588-06:00Great tips, Roland. I love the "eyes wide shu...Great tips, Roland. I love the "eyes wide shut" test in particular. I will use it.J.H. Moncrieffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18045467689291025137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-42040798131716446762015-12-01T09:18:15.108-06:002015-12-01T09:18:15.108-06:00I hope you enjoy the Lily Bard series of mysteries...I hope you enjoy the Lily Bard series of mysteries. I, too, have felt let down by the end of a movie -- usually a mystery or a horror movie -- "That's it?" I would grumble; the solution or the revelation of the monster a disappointment.<br /><br />I hope none of my books are like that!! :-)Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-65046328258755356992015-12-01T01:42:46.021-06:002015-12-01T01:42:46.021-06:00Hi Roland - it is difficult to bring a story to li...Hi Roland - it is difficult to bring a story to life for the reader to want to read more, and keep reading ... I've been disappointed too often and get bored sometimes - at least the film ends, while the book I need to finish! I've found endings in some books disappointing - the story's kept me interested, but the ending is flat. <br /><br />Off to check out the Lily Bard Shakespeare mysteries - Cheers HilaryHilary Melton-Butcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17596532480645510678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-27463945066709474582015-12-01T00:37:39.132-06:002015-12-01T00:37:39.132-06:00I still suggest her Lily Bard SHAKESPEARE mysterie...I still suggest her Lily Bard SHAKESPEARE mysteries. They kept their quality through the five novels. A fine story arc, too.:-)Roland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681132888977525688.post-7039266239796053272015-12-01T00:34:02.646-06:002015-12-01T00:34:02.646-06:00I've been avoiding the final Charlaine Harris ...I've been avoiding the final Charlaine Harris Sookie novel because so many readers said it was disappointing--like she just dashed it off. That's really too bad. When an author stops caring, so do his/her readers.Helenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14967821142796562697noreply@blogger.com