Ep154: First Lines, Openings, and Hooks

Writer Craft Podcast

Announcements:

• PNW inspired horror [e-mail]; Submissions open until stories filled. Starting to read May 1st.
• 2024 Writer Craft Writing Retreat and Workshop registration open; https://valerieihsan.com/retreat
• Three Story Method: Writing How-To Books out now.
• Focus and Finish: Goal-Setting and Strategic Planning for Writers (First in Series)

Author Update:

Erick:

• building landing pages for ads (for testing)
• Dead Still presale price 99 cents
• Revision of Book Two in new series finished (this weekend)
• Pikes Peak Writing Conference in Colorado Springs, CO
• using content from conferences for social media clips

• Valerie:
• new printer (printed out all the things)
• published a permafree book (first in series)
• Book two is half written from repurposed content

I'm reading:

• beta read manuscript
• Thunder Song by Sasha taqŵšeblu LaPointe

Erick:

The Institute Stephen King

Notes:

First Lines--book, chapters, scenes; sets the stage, POV, entice the reader away from other distractions, vary the opening lines within a book to prevent boredom; repetitive, stylistic elements only sometimes work.

Openings--protag's needs and wants

Hooks-- into the story, seducing; narrative voice; themes; settings; odd or curious, "First lines are invitations." - Stephen King; what kind of party is your book?

Find Us:

Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan

Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor

Writer Craft Facebook Group

Valerie’s Services: https://valerieihsan.com

Valerie’s Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com

Valerie’s Facebook Page and Instagram account

Erick’s Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com

Erick’s free book on Ghostwriting: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cexki4kp5n

Erick’s Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com

Erick’s Facebook Page and Instagram account

Patreons:

https://patreon.com/valerieihsan

https://patreon.com/strangeairmysteries

Tools:

Passion Planner: https://passionplanner.rfrl.co/e86j8 (affiliate link) Discount Code: VALERIE150

ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)

Resources:

"How to write an eavesdropping scene" on Erick's blog

Reading Critique Group for Writers FB Group (Jennie Komp's group)

3 Bird View FB page (Jennie Komp's business page)

Author XP (marketing for authors) (bi-monthly promotions)

Raven Publicity (publicity for authors)

The Shades of Orange (Rachel, Book Blogger on YouTube) for book recommendations SF/Fantasy/Horror

Contact Erick for business-starting advice or building a website.

Contact Valerie for author coaching.

Thomas Umstattd Jr, at Novel Marketing Podcast. Ep255: How to Create an Email Onboarding Drip Campaign

Russell P. Nohelty and Monica Leonelle's book, Get Your Book Selling on Kickstarter.

Balance meditation app.

• Story Rubric version 1.1 and podcast episode.
• Three Story Method worksheet

Book Recs for writing/creativity/business:

Thinking in Pictures by John Sayles

• Take Off Your Pants: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing by Libbie Hawker
• Story Hypothesis: A Writer's Guide to Crafting Resonating Stories by JP Rindfleisch IX
• Fast-Draft Your Memoir: Write Your Life Story in 45 Hours by Rachael Herron
• Three Story Method: Foundations in Fiction by J.Thorn and Zach Bohannon