Aspiring Author Tips, Writing Perseverance, and Noir, Historical Fiction, Relational, and Suspense Novels

In this episode 305, we give advice for aspiring authors to jumpstart the process of writing your first book, plus thoughts on harnessing a tool that’s valuable for any writer: perseverance. And we celebrate authors in a variety of genres, including New York Times bestselling novelist Megan Miranda. And of course we have book recommendations, and more!

Today’s Featured Authors:

Stephen Eoannou Time Stamp: 21:52

Rook is a story set in Buffalo, New York, about Al Nussbaum, who to his wife was a loving husband, father, and chess player, but to the world, became the most cunning bank robbing fugitive alive according to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, what one reviewer called a “terrific Technicolor Noir that breathes life into the period.”

 Malika Stevely Time Stamp: 1:28:20

Song of Redemption is a story that emerges when in 1932, devastating secrets are exhumed when the remains of Danielle, a gifted enslaved songstress, are discovered in the wall of a mansion on a Louisiana sugar plantation, what one reviewer calls “a riveting page turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat.”

Patti Meredith Time Stamp: 1:42:50

South of Heaven, set in Carthage, North Carolina in 1998, tells the story of two estranged sisters forced back under the same roof, what one author calls “wise and funny” and another “a celebration of growth and survival…a beautiful read.”

Megan Miranda Time Stamp: 2:11:00

New York Times bestselling novelist and Charlotte author Megan Miranda shares her latest suspense novel, The Last to Vanish, a story about a small town in the mountains of North Carolina where a number of people have gone missing under mysterious circumstances, what another New York Times bestselling novelist calls “her finest: an eerie edge-of-the-earth location, riveting characters, and thrills that just don’t quit. Loved this novel.”

Host Updates With Links: Time Stamp: 6:50

         Sarah: I’m a summer person, so I’m enjoying the last of summer while everyone else is racing ahead to pumpkin spice season. I’m also pleased to be joining Charlotte Lit’s faculty for this programming year. They just opened registration for 2022-23 events, and I’ll be participating in several, including a talk on September 14th with Patrice Gopo about writing in multiple forms, as well as screenwriting classes in the fall and winter. Sign up on their website!

         Hannah: I’m riding out the last of the summer heat while on baby watch! I’m keeping my September work calendar busy and planning ahead for the fall while awaiting the arrival of our daughter.

         Landis: I’ll be spending part of early September in California for a golf trip with family to celebrate my 65th birthday. 

Book Recommendations: Time Stamp: 9:50 

         Hannah recommends:

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

The Candy House by Jennifer Egan

         Sarah recommends:

A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O’Connor

         Landis recommends:

The Lost Adventures of Captain Hawklin: Smugglers Run by Bobby Nash

The Judas Case by Nicholas Graham

Truth is a Flightless Bird by Akbar Hussain

Mark West, Storied Charlotte Blog, recommends:

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

Alyssa Pressler, That’s Novel Books recommends:

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Charlotte Lit’s 2-Minute Tip: Time Stamp: 51:40

Don’t miss Charlotte Lit co-founder and creative director Kathie Collins’ 2-minute tip about revision and sentence length.

Writing Tips: Time Stamp: 59:25

How can an aspiring author get over that hump and into the process of writing his or her first novel?

Brian Langhoff shares some tips in his blog post, “Ideas for the Aspiring Authors”:

  • Start with a treatment, a document containing your ideas about a story that you can refer back to as you write.
  • Jump into the writing with whatever portion you feel most ready to write, even if it’s not the beginning of the story.
  • Be flexible, and be prepared to revise. Let yourself be the vessel for the story that wants to be told!
  • Get feedback on your work and use those notes to strengthen your draft.
  • For publication, make sure you have a professional-looking final product that will stand out on the shelf.

Marketing Tips: Time Stamp: 1:12:30

How does perseverance help writers meet their goals?

Tracey Buchanan shares some tips in her blog post “The Most Powerful Tool in a Writer’s Arsenal”:

  • Take inspiration from the many writers and businesspeople who found success later in life, or after serious obstacles.
  • Regardless of your natural talent, intelligence, or opportunities in life, you can always choose to persevere.
  • Perseverance, continuing despite difficulties, is different from stubbornness, an unwillingness to change.
  • Consider rejections to be setbacks, not roadblocks: you can learn from them and keep going.
  • Remember the passion that drew you to write in the first place, and enjoy the journey along the way.

Takeaways: Time Stamp: 2:24:25

         We got some very inspiring bons mots from our bloggers and authors in this episode, as well as great technical advice about conducting research, harnessing the power of setting, and layering tension into your writing. Ideas can come from anywhere, you just have to be ready to receive them!

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