The Struggle of Backstory

March 14, 2016March 13, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 12 Comments

Many things go into the process of writing a novel. There are innumerable books and websites to help you bring the dream of your novel to fruition.

The dreaded backstory or info dump, is one of the elements that give many authors grief, including me.

As I began my journey, everything I read said to avoid info dumps and backstory. I wondered why. Isn’t the history of what drives your character the foundation of your story? It left me confused and, at times, discouraged.

I wrote and re-wrote chapters trying to make sure I wasn’t introducing too much or too early. Maybe that’s the newbie author in me but thanks to Lisa Cron from Writer Unboxed I finally have a grasp on the concept of when and how to use backstory effectively.

Backstory is important, even in the first chapter. The key is to make it seamless. Lisa gives numerous examples from published novels which clarified this issue for me better than anything I’ve read or studied to date.

So, if you’re struggling with the backstory issue, check out The Shocking Truth About Info Dumps.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.

You Asked: How Important is Genre?

March 12, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 7 Comments

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Welcome to another, You Asked, the Experts Answer, segment. This week our question is: How important is genre?

The simple answer is – very. According to C. S. Lakin, from Live, Write, Thrive, there’s a direct correlation between book sales and genre. And, from where I’m sitting that’s an important piece of information for authors to know.

In her article, If You Don’t Learn This Truth, You May Be Missing Out on Big Book Sales. Ms.Lakin discusses how to specifically target a genre and what that means in terms of successful sales.

So, if you’re unsure or wondering why your book sales are staying stagnant, check out her post on Live, Write, Thrive.

What do you think? Did you generalize or get specific in identifying your genre and did it translate into sales?

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.

Stick With Me

March 11, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 9 Comments

The Daily Prompt: Flow

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“What are you so hyped up about? It’s a vacation for God’s sake.”

“That’s not the point. I prefer we have a plan. You know, like where we’re going.”

He frowned at her and made a right turn onto the interstate. “Relax, it’ll be an adventure.”

“I kinda had visions of relaxing on the beach with a good book.”

“God, don’t be so boring,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“We’ve gone to the beach every year. You used to like it. Now, it’s boring?” Her voice raised an octave. “Am I boring too?”

He reached behind the seat and grabbed the map. “Look, I have it planned, well sort of. We’ll head up the coast and if we see something we like, we’ll stop for the day or two.”

“Day or two? And you’re certain accommodations will be available?”

“If not, we’ll move on.”

She groaned. “Wonderful, a vacation on the road.” She could already feel the twinge of her hips cramping in protest.

He reached for her hand. “Will you relax? I got this. It’s gonna be fun. We needed a break from all the routine. We were in a rut. I thought it was time to shake things up. Can’t you trust me? Just go with the flow?”

She looked at his boyish, smiling face. In all the years together, he’d never taken them down a wrong path. Yes, she trusted him with her life. She squeezed his hand and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

“Go with the flow. I’ve always wondered what that would feel like.”

He grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Just stick with me, babe; stick with me.”

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.