Holly Lisle - Mugging The Muse

HOLLY LISLE

MUGGING

THE

MUSE

Writing Fiction for Love and Money

FORWARD MOTION E-PRESS EDITION

Copyright  January 2000, by Holly Lisle

Second edition March 2000

Book design by Holly Lisle

Cover design by Matthew J. Turano

Cover art by Holly Lisle

Author photo Copyright  December 1999, by Matthew J. Turano

Published January 2000

Published by Forward Motion E-Press-- http://hollylisle.com/ Copyright  January 2000 by Holly Lisle. All rights

reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by

any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

Manufactured in the United States of America

MUGGING THE MUSE: WRITING FICTION FOR LOVE AND MONEY 3

About the Author

Holly Lisle began writing in 1984, and sold her

first novel in 1991. She went full-time in 1992

with a three-book deal from Baen Books, and has

been supporting herself and her family exclusively

by writing fiction since then (though along with

the “man, are we solvent!” months there have been

a few canned bean months). She has seventeen

books in print and has been published both in the

United States and abroad, in both English versions

and translation. Her most recent novels,

Diplomacy of Wolves and Vengeance of Dragons,

both published by Warner Aspect, debuted at #1 on

the Locus Bestseller list and have a five-star rating

from readers at Amazon.com.

Along with her fiction, she has been the publisher of HollyLisle.com Forward

Motion Writers’ Pages (http://hollylisle.com ) since 1997, and she also publishes the

FREE Holly Lisle’s Forward Motion Writers’ Newsletter, which offers biweekly

information on writing, selling and publishing fiction from a full-time writer –

writing for a living, beginner how-to's, feedback and discussions, finding an agent,

how to quit the day job to write, workshops, reviews of recommended fiction and

non-fiction books, editorials and much more.

To subscribe to Holly Lisle’s FREE FORWARD MOTION Writers’ Newsletter send

any email to:

Forwardmotion_news-subscribe@onelist.com

Holly’s books include:

Diplomacy of Wolves (Warner Aspect)

Vengeance of Dragons (Warner Aspect)

Courage of Falcons (due from Warner Aspect Oct. 2000)

Fire in the Mist (Baen)

Bones of the Past (Baen)

Mind of the Magic (Baen)

Minerva Wakes (Baen)

Sympathy for the Devil (Baen)

Hunting the Corrigan’s Blood (Baen)

and more, and are available from any bookstore, or online.

MUGGING THE MUSE: WRITING FICTION FOR LOVE AND MONEY 4

HOLLY LISLE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT BUYING BOOKS – MINE OR ANY OTHER AUTHOR’S...................................................................................7

PREFACE.............................................................................................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION – EVERYDAY COURAGE AND THE WRITER................................................................................11

SECTION 1: PREPARATION & PRACTICE..........................................................................................................................15

HOW I FOUND MYSELF HERE, OR WHY I BECAME A WRITER.............................................................................16

COULD VS. SHOULD AND THE PRICE OF YOUR DREAMS .........................................................................................19

FINDING SILENCE..........................................................................................................................................................................21

EXPERTS, PROFESSIONALS, AND COLLEGE...................................................................................................................24

IDEAS: A HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR....................................................................................................................................28

HOW TO START A NOVEL..........................................................................................................................................................30

HOW TO CREATE A CHARACTER.........................................................................................................................................35

•

Character Creation Do's and Don'ts .............................................................................................................................35

HOW TO FINISH A NOVEL.........................................................................................................................................................40

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY, OR HOW TO CHOOSE A WRITERS' GROUP.....................................45

•SCHRODINGER'S PETSHOP MEMBERS' HANDBOOK .............................................................................................................51

ONE GOOD ENEMY........................................................................................................................................................................56

THAT OUR REACH EXCEED OUR GRASP..........................................................................................................................60

SECTION 2: WRITING AND SELLING....................................................................................................................................63

YOUR BOOK IS NOT YOUR BABY...........................................................................................................................................64

SAY WHAT YOU MEAN................................................................................................................................................................67

THE WRITER'S TOOLBOX..........................................................................................................................................................71

MIDDLES .............................................................................................................................................................................................73

APPLES, BANANAS .........................................................................................................................................................................76

DIALOGUE WORKSHOP..............................................................................................................................................................80

•

THE RULES FOR EXERCISE #1 ...................................................................................................................................81

•

EXERCISE #2.....................................................................................................................................................................84

•

EXERCISE #3.....................................................................................................................................................................84

•

Example #1 – Dialogue Workshop.................................................................................................................................84

•

Example #2 – Dialogue Workshop.................................................................................................................................85

MAPS WORKSHOP.........................................................................................................................................................................88

TIMED WRITING WORKSHOP.................................................................................................................................................92

MUGGING THE MUSE: WRITING FICTION FOR LOVE AND MONEY 5

HOLLY LISLE

EDITOR ETIQUETTE.....................................................................................................................................................................95

•APPROACHING YOUR EDITOR-TO-BE....................................................................................................................................95

•CONCEPT DISCUSSIONS............................................................................................................................................................98

•FIRST DRAFT , FIRST LOOK....................................................................................................................................................101

•DEADLINE CONCERNS............................................................................................................................................................101

•REVISION REQUESTS..............................................................................................................................................................102

•MANUSCRIPT PROOFING........................................................................................................................................................104

•MARKETING, COVER DESIGN................................................................................................................................................104

•CONVENTIONS, DINNERS, HANGING OUT ..........................................................................................................................107

ABOUT LITERARY AGENTS....................................................................................................................................................109

HOW TO QUERY AN AGENT...................................................................................................................................................112

LIFE CHANGES WRITING; WRITING CHANGES LIFE...............................................................................................115

HOW TO QUIT YOUR DAY JOB TO WRITE FULL TIME............................................................................................118

•DEALING WITH MONEY ........................................................................................................................................................119

•HAVING THE CONTRACTS TO QUIT ON...............................................................................................................................120

•DEALING WITH YOUR FAMILY.............................................................................................................................................121

•AGENTS, EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS...................................................................................................................................123

•DOING THE WORK...................................................................................................................................................................123

•HANDING IN THE RESIGNATION ...........................................................................................................................................125

SECTION 3: TROUBLESHOOTING........................................................................................................................................127

HOW TO TELL WHO WON'T MAKE IT IN WRITING (AND HOW NOT TO BE THAT WRITER)..............128

•

The Writer's Stench O' Doom Checklist ..................................................................................................................... 129

THE PERFECT BUSMAN'S HOLIDAY..................................................................................................................................133

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?....................................................................................................................................................137

LOSING – AND REGAINING – WRITER'S HUNGER......................................................................................................140

HOW TO COLLABORATE – AND HOW NOT TO ............................................................................................................144

•

Write a good outline and stick with it......................................................................................................................... 146

•

Divide your workload clearly....................................................................................................................................... 147

•

Remember your priorities.............................................................................................................................................. 147

SECTION 4: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...........................................................................................................149

•QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO WRITE ...................................................................................................................................149

•QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBLISHING..........................................................................................................................................154

•QUESTIONS ABOUT AGENTS.................................................................................................................................................156

•QUESTIONS ABOUT MONEY..................................................................................................................................................160

•

I wrote every day............................................................................................................................................................. 167

•

I sent stuff out as often as I could................................................................................................................................. 167

•

I spent less than I made.................................................................................................................................................. 167

•

I never used credit (credit cards are the path to destruction for a writer – something I discovered once I'd

“made it” but after hard times returned)......................................................................................................................... 167

•

I reused, used up, and made do.................................................................................................................................... 167

•

I banished television from the house, so that the time I had with the kids I actually spent with them............. 167

•

I never gave up on my dream........................................................................................................................................ 167

•

I never quit....................................................................................................................................................................... 167

•QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF WRITING................................................................................................................168

MUGGING THE MUSE: WRITING FICTION FOR LOVE AND MONEY 6

HOLLY LISLE

•

Read widely outside of your field................................................................................................................................. 169

•

Don't only read things you like, either........................................................................................................................ 169

•

Write outside of your field............................................................................................................................................. 169

•

Work in other mediums.................................................................................................................................................. 170

•

Grab opportunities to learn new things...................................................................................................................... 170

•

Listen more than you speak.......................................................................................................................................... 170

•

Pay attention all the time............................................................................................................................................... 171

•

Don’t write more of the same........................................................................................................................................ 171

•

Keep the machine in good working order – stay healthy. ....................................................................................... 171

•QUESTIONS ABOUT GOING PRO ...........................................................................................................................................173

•QUESTIONS ABOUT WORLDBUILDING.................................................................................................................................178

•MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS...............................................................................................................................................180

•QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FORWARD MOTION WRITERS’ PAGE.................................................................................181

•THE BIG THREE QUESTIONS..............................................................................................................................................182

SECTION 5: RECOMMENDED READING...........................................................................................................................185

•TELLING LIES FOR FUN AND PROFIT .....................................................................................................................................185

•THE COURAGE TO WRITE (HOW WRITERS TRANSCEND FEAR)............................................................................................186

•WRITING DOWN THE BONES ...................................................................................................................................................187

•SCREENPLAY: THE FOUNDATIONS OF SCREENWRITING.......................................................................................................187

•THE CAREER NOVELIST...........................................................................................................................................................188

SECTION 6: BONUS ARTICLES...............................................................................................................................................190

MY FIVE WORST CAREER MISTAKES, AND HOW YOU CAN AVOID THEM..................................................191

TEN KEYS TO DESIGNING A SERIES CHARACTER YOU CAN LIVE WITH (FOREVER)...........................198

•

Give your character plenty of room for change and growth.................................................................................. 198

•

Give your character some endearing qualities that make you want to visit with him or her again and again.

199

•

Give your character serious problems that he or she can’t resolve in one book, or even ten.......................... 199

•

Give him or her several real, deep character flaws.................................................................................................. 200

•

Give your character a few friends as interesting as he is, and as deep................................................................ 200

•

Give your character an interesting line of work, something that you won’t mind knowing as well as you know

your own................................................................................................................................................................................. 201

•

Make sure your character’s principle locale interests you..................................................................................... 201

•

Give your character a deep, fascinating history....................................................................................................... 201

•

Give your character at least one really good, long-term enemy – someone who will stay to the background

and survive for years. Someone your hero needs somehow......................................................................................... 201

•

Give your character a theme. ....................................................................................................................................... 202

HOW TO MAKE EVERY STORY BETTER THAN THE LAST....................................................................................203

•

Take planned risks.......................................................................................................................................................... 204

•

Scare yourself.................................................................................................................................................................. 204

•

Allow the unexpected to happen................................................................................................................................... 204

•

Lose track of time............................................................................................................................................................ 205

•

Ask yourself the hard questions about life, and allow yourself to be surprised by your answers. ................... 205

•

Above all . . . believe. ..................................................................................................................................................... 206

MUGGING THE MUSE: WRITING FICTION FOR LOVE AND MONEY 7

HOLLY LISLE

About Buying Books – Mine or Any Other Author’s

In the back of this book, you’ll find ads for my books. They’re linked to

Amazon.com because I’m an Amazon.com affiliate. I would, of course, love to have

you buy my books, and the links are there in case you are so thrilled by my writing

that you find you must have them the instant you finish reading this book. Or for

those of you who live someplace where there are no bookstores.

But, honestly, while I hope you’ll buy my books, I would actually be happier if you

didn’t buy them from me.

I can feel the eyebrows lifting. But this is something so important to every author

that I feel it deserves space here at the front of the book. If you like the work an

author does, the kindest thing you can do for him and his career (and the possibility

that he will be able to afford to keep writing the books you like) is to buy his books

from your local bookstore. Even if they aren’t on the shelves there when you go in to

look for them.

ESPECIALLY if you don’t find them on the shelves there.

Every author you read, every author you like, is struggling to sell his work against an

increasingly hostile computer ordering system that routinely decreases the size of

book orders until it has decreased the author right off of the shelves. This system,

called ordering to the net, is wiping out the midlist faster than you can blink, and with

it, thousands of writers whose work you have read and loved for years. If you make

it into print with a professional publisher, you too will be fighting against this

pervasive evil.

MUGGING THE MUSE: WRITING FICTION FOR LOVE AND MONEY 8

HOLLY LISLE

It works like this. The chains put in an order for 10 books per store. (That’s pretty

high, incidentally, but I’m ever the optimist.) Of those, seven sell, one is read to

death in-store and has to be scrapped, and two are still sitting on the shelves. This is

a 70% sell-through, which will have your agent and you and your editor and your

publisher dancing in the aisles. Nobody ever sells through at a hundred percent. 50%

is considered acceptable, a 70% sell-through is considered terrific, 80% or better and

you might as well be walking on water where you publisher and editor are concerned.

I’ve had a number of books sell through at 70% or better . . . a couple way better.

The sounds of jubilation are spectacular. While they last.

Because then the chains reorder. Logically, if you have a book that sells through at

70%, you will order twice or even three times as many of that author’s next book,

because sell-through remains constant. If you sell 70% of ten books, you will sell

70% of twenty books. Independent booksellers know this, and follow it. Chain

stores do not. Chain stores order to the net – that is, they let the computer

automatically reorder only the number of books that sold before. Therefore, they will

not order twenty copies of your next book. They will not even order ten. They will

order . . . seven. Why? Because they sold seven.

And because sell-through remains constant, they will sell roughly five copies of your

next book. (70% of seven is four-point-nine, or about five.) And because they only

sell five copies of your second title, they will order . . . you guessed it . . . five of your

third title.

And because sell-through remains constant, the chains will sell three-and-a half

copies of your third book, and will also show a three-book pattern of dwindling sales.

The fact that they and their computerized ordering system caused this pattern will not

be brought out in your favor. The fact that your books are still selling through in

great percentages will not be brought out in your favor. Only the fact that the

computer has been ordering less and less of your books will ever be considered

within the chains. So after three books, all things being equal, you are probably

doomed. The chains won’t order your titles. Your publisher won’t be selling enough

of your books to make it worth his while to publish you. And you can go forth to

write under a new name, or you can go back to work as whatever you were before.

You as a reader are the key that can break this destructive chain. If you can, buy the

books you want locally. Special-order them if they aren’t in stock. Tell the

booksellers that these books and this author, whichever books and whichever author

it might be, need to be in stock. This may be futile with chain stores (nothing seems

to slow the onslaught of the chains’ computers), but you might be able to get through

to someone somewhere. It cannot hurt to try. Special-ordering the books you want

MUGGING THE MUSE: WRITING FICTION FOR LOVE AND MONEY 9

HOLLY LISLE

and recommending titles to keep on the shelves will definitely be helpful with

independents.

For your consideration of this vital issue, you have my thanks. This is something that

you do for me and every other writer like me . . . and it is something you do for

yourself, both as a reader who wants to see your favorite writers keep writing, and as

a writer who wants to make a living in this tough environment.

Keep writing, keep believing, and never give up on your dreams,

Holly Lisle

MUGGING THE MUSE: WRITING FICTION FOR LOVE AND MONEY 10

HOLLY LISLE

Preface

I’ve been self-supporting as a novelist since the end of 1992. I won’t say that I’ve

always managed to support my family in style, but I’ve never had to quit writing and

get a day job in order to feed us. Writing is a challenging profession – writing fiction

full-time is an exercise in lunacy. But it’s great fun, and if it’s something you’ve

always hungered for, read on. This is how I do it, and how you can do it, too.

Holly Lisle

Holly Lisle - Mugging The Muse

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