Bookmaking

Writing Time for Authors is Found Using Math

March 7, 2023 By Karen A. Chase

If you’re an author, you need writing time. There are gobs of blogs out there loaded with advice about how to squeeze it in. Most of this advice is word-based. Get up earlier and join the #5AMWritingClub! Keep a notebook in your car! Write on weekends or week nights! Set word minimums! Set maximums! Set times! Set days… Geez willikers! Enough already.

What writers need to sort out their writing time, in order to manage writing and business hours, is simple. It’s just math. Plain ol’ simple math.

Why Math Matters to Authors Seeking Writing Time

I can hear you groaning. You didn’t become an author to do math! However, today’s authors have two time-hungry tasks. Writing and Business. Consequently, doing a little number-crunching now to determine how and if you can swing those hours can save you gobs of time and heartache later.

First, the writing time. In order to finish writing a book, or to write the next one, you need good, solid, butt-in-chair time. You need writing hours, not mere minutes, for words to get on pages.

Secondly, for each book completed you need business hours. Those hours are mostly devoted to marketing—newsletters, websites, talks, and more. You know, the things that actually tell readers about books, so you can sell books, so you can write more. Managing those requires a plan, and time to devote to it (read how Elizabeth Carson Williams learned about this author planning business).

As a result of the two tasks required, you need see how much time you really have to devote to writing and business. And that begins with finding out just how open or jammed-packed your life really is.

Examining Your Current Life Hours to find Writing Time

There are 168 hours in a week. Eight hours each day are recommended for sleeping (not sleeping impacts creativity, and that’s a whole other article). That leaves you 112 waking hours for all things required of your current life. Family? Job? Eating? Gardening? Groceries?

It doesn’t matter if you’re pursuing writing as a second career or as a career change, it is time for an honest examination of your life NOW to sort out how writing and marketing/business tasks will fit into that 112. Here’s a simple chart. Fill it in, and add it up to see what’s available.

If your TOTAL HOURS was zero (or less than)

Oh boy. Your life seems like it’s already squeezed so tight! So, perhaps this isn’t the best time for you to take on a huge project (which a book absolutely is). Better to know this now than tax yourself, or your family, even more. However, even if you have 112+ life hours now, it doesn’t mean giving up the dream of writing. It means you have two choices:
1) Adjust your life to make room for writing (even if it’s for the joy of it and not publishing)
2) Delay writing the book/novel/story until you have more time

If your TOTAL HOURS allow for some writing & business hours

Perhaps this little bit of math enabled you to determine your available hours. Perhaps you’re retired, and you know thirty hours are wide open to you. If it’s just three hours, it will absolutely take you longer to write and publish a book, or you may want to also adjust your life to gain more writing time. Whether it’s a little or a lot of hours, your next equation is to divide (oh no, more math) writing hours and business hours.

How to Divide time between Writing Time and Business Hours

This chart of writing versus business hours will help you determine how to divide those hours based on where you are in the publishing process—from no book, to book launch, to in between launches (maintenance).

What do you instantly notice? That’s right, at no time are you only writing. Why? Readers need to hear about your book! And they need to hear about it from you, not just your publisher (if you have one they’ll only do so much). As your publishing date comes around, the marketing simply needs more of your attention.

An Example of the Author’s Math

If your head is swimming from all the above, let’s go through an example. Let’s say your life commitments are 108 hours:

112–108 = 4 hours/week for writing and business tasks

What this means for each week is:

No book yet or between publications = 3 hours writing, 1 hour business
Pre & Post-launch = 1 hour writing, 3 hours business
Launch Month = 0 writing, 4 hours business

It’s up to you to decide when you will spend those hours. At lunch? Evenings? Tuesdays at 5AM? Regardless, consistency usually helps authors stay on track. Define the days and times, and always separate the writing from the business hours. Your creativity needs space away from to-do lists (which is all marketing really is, but that’s also another article).

A Final Word on Using Author Math to find Writing Time

No matter how it adds up, being honest now—about your life and the realities of publishing today—can equal less stress. The math can help you get a handle on your time commitments, and help you recognize how (or if) writing can fit with your reality. Okay, that’s enough math today. A+ to you for hanging in through this whole article… it’s time (for those who have it) to become the BOSS of your author business.

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This article originally ran in the members-only newsletter for James River Writers, a literary community supporting and inspiring authors through monthly Writing Shows, an annual writing conference every October, and more. Join JRW today! For a deeper dive on the above topic, and managing the business of being an author, pick up my latest Brand the Author (Not the Book): A Workbook for Writing & Launching your Own Author Brand Plan.

Behind the Scenes: Historical versus Fictional Characters

April 9, 2020 By Karen A. Chase

In a previous post, I gave you an inside peek into my character development worksheets via my supporting character, Arthur.

Today, let’s talk about the number of characters—both fictional and real—that go into the making of historical novels.

Although very few of us are getting together with people right now, bringing people together is exactly what needs to happen in fiction. By that, I don’t mean the story has to bring people physically together. I mean that your protagonist has to interact emotionally, physically, or psychologically with others. A person’s engagement or separation from other humans in their lives is part of the catalyst for growth.

How Many Characters is Enough?

Years ago, I read an article that suggested some of the better works of adult fiction have upwards of twenty characters. (Anne of Green Gables, a young adult novel, has 9 characters. Outlander has at least 15.)

To create even one fictional character results in creating that character’s entire world—family, friends, acquaintances, and maybe even his enemy or enemies.

To put it another way, think of your own world. How many people do you come into contact with, or that influence the story of your life, in a normal day, week, month, or year?

A PDF of a full list of characters from my recent novel, Carrying Independence, is here, along with hotlinks for every real figure.

TheCharacters_FictionalReal_KarenAChase Download

Let me explain how my own character list came to be so robust (read on for the numbers —even Ben Franklin in that image above is rolling his eyes at me, I think.)

How to Determine Character Roles

I am a movie nut, and often my fiction is structured (in my head at least) like a movie script—scene-by-scene. So I look at my characters like my cast, and assign them into Oscar-like categories:

Who were my leads? Who was in a supporting role? Which figures would have bit parts or non-speaking roles? Additionally, I noted who was real, and who needed to be invented by me.

For my one main protagonist, Nathaniel, and the four main voices prevailing throughout Carrying Independence, my fictional character list was a whopping 44 (if you include the two ships and a horse).

Including Historical Figures in Fiction

There are authors, like Jeff Shaara, who construct fiction almost entirely out of historical figures and real events. For my own novel, the story focuses on one full year of the American Revolution, so I had to first determine the historical events my fictional characters would take part in. Then I began the daunting (yet fun) task of listing and researching every real person they’d encounter.

Keep in mind, not every historical figure speaks or is “on camera.” There are figures my characters talk about who would never actually appear. They still must be researched to ensure the context or mentioning them is appropriate.

The total of historical figures appearing or referenced in the novel… brace yourself… 51. Woah. That means there are a total of 95 people with major or minor roles, or talked about in one historical novel. Holy cow.

Story & Theme Before Characters

Despite those very high numbers of characters, historical novelists (or any novelist for that matter) must keep this in mind:

The two major factors in considering characters: One, if the character—real or otherwise—doesn’t advance the story, they can’t stay. Two, if a character complicates but doesn’t deepen the understanding of the main character or the author’s theme, they gotta go.

You never want to cause the reader to wonder why a character exists, or they’ll wander out of the story world you’ve created.

So, authors and readers out there, how many characters are in your favorite story?

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Reader Insights: Even my horse, Bayard, is based on a historical figure—a legendary horse at that. Find out about the Carrying Independence is available as an ebook and also in print.

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For more history nerd posts like these, subscribe to the blog. Guest posts are welcomed and encouraged. Contact me for details.

Behind the Scenes: Character Building

March 31, 2020 By Karen A. Chase

With so many authors now stuck at home, and readers seeking solace in books, I thought it might be fun to give a behind-the-scenes peek into the making of my Revolutionary novel, Carrying Independence. Today, character building.

Character Building for Plotters

Every author has a different method for writing. Some are “pantsers”—those who write by the seat of their pants, building plot, story, and characters on the fly while writing. I am decidedly not one of those writers.

I’m a planner, happily living in that category of writers called, “plotters.” I rough out the plot of a story from beginning to end before I start writing, and adjust as necessary as I research and write. And when it comes to characters, I’ve a worksheet I use.

Character Development Worksheets

Most of my worksheet is unoriginal. Over the years, I read a variety of blogs, books, recommendations, and writing resources, and gathered together what I felt best suited the way I write and think about characters.

Why fill out a worksheet? Written down, I have guidelines to help ensure my characters stay true and grow as they’re supposed to. Then they look, sound, act, or think like themselves and not like everyone else.

Below is a breakdown of my two-page worksheet. The accompanying images are from the bio I created for my supporting character, Arthur Bowman. You’ll learn much about him from the worksheets. (Note: Grammar and spelling aren’t important in worksheets. These notes are just for the author and perhaps their editor, so please forgive any tiny little errors).

Page One, Basic Character Info

This page has name, age, basic story line, and relationship to main character. At the bottom are bullet-point characteristics. After I’ve written some of the character, I go back in and add a quote from them that I feel captures the person or their thinking.

This page also includes photos of actors I envision for the role. Yes, looking through Google Images and IMDB.com can take an inordinate amount of time, but I find it does help me write the physical traits of a character. (Plus it is SO fun, and every author optimistically daydreams about who would play roles when our books are adapted to film.)

Page Two, The Character’s Story Points

We all want something. Abstractly, we might want love. Concretely, we might want to marry the hottie who lives on the corner. Through a series of questions, I determine what it is my character wants, what they learn along the way, and what prevents them from getting what they wanted. (Characters can’t simply get what they originally wanted at the beginning of a story or they won’t grow enough… but that’s another post in itself.)

Bonus Material for Character Development

For some characters, I might need more detail to keep me on track. This bonus material might be historical information related to the character, like names of places, maps, or images of things they carry. Sometimes it’s their story line written from their point of view in just a paragraph or two. Or, as in Arthur’s bio, it has notes of characters from movies or literature that I hope this character embodies. This section is usually more robust for my main protagonist and antagonist.

Character Bios Can Should Change

Without a doubt, character bios, like my entire plot, are adapted or updated as I work through rewrites. Certainly the time it takes a book to be produced alters these character worksheets, too. Nearly every actor or actress I initially picked outgrew the part I hoped they’d play… sigh. New experiences in my life also helped me deepen characters or their journey. Or as Arthur and his friends say, “On this journey, we each our own way go.”

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Reader Insights: You can read an excerpt of a scene at City Tavern with Arthur on my website. This scene is early on in the novel, and primarily between Nathaniel and his brother Peter. You’ll lift a pint with Arthur nearer the end, where you’ll see some of his earlier characteristics come out. Carrying Independence is available as an ebook and also in print.

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For more history nerd posts like these, subscribe to the blog. Guest posts are welcomed and encouraged. Contact me for details.

Do Author Signatures Matter? Will mine?

April 9, 2019 By Karen A. Chase

I was in a bookstore a few weeks ago, buying a book written by an author I admire. The bookseller informed me, with much enthusiasm, that they had a stack of signed copies. The author was not there at the moment, and with dozens of signed copies before me, I wondered just how valuable the signature was. To the author. To collectors. To me.

As with every part of this publishing journey, I decided to stop and ask two questions about the process. Why do we do that? Do I need to do that?

What’s in a signature?

In a world in which there are fewer reasons to sign documents, as outlined in this 2018 New York Times article, Why Signatures Matter, to some the signature has lost all meaning. It used to be that, as Steven Petro writes, “each signature was an original creation.” Now, in many cases—credit cards with chips for instance—the signature has become moot. Based on that logic, sign all the books I want, right?

However, in the last couple of years, the only documents that required my signature (and proof of it) were forms to refinance my house, my passport, banking documents, and HIPAA/medical release forms. Those are major documents where the signature becomes part of a binding agreement, and not one to lightly toss around. So is my signature more valuable than I thought?

Does an author signature have value?

An item—art, stamps, a signed book—has value for the joy it brings the owner. However, as my parents always said of stamps and art… it’s only worth money if I sell it. For book collectors, the same applies to author signatures. There are multiple variations on the way authors sign books, as outlined in this article by Denise Enck. Whether it’s inscribed, signed, or attributed, ultimately the worth of the book, “could be large, moderate, or negligible, depending upon the book in question.”

I own an illustrated edition of David McCullough’s 1776. I could buy it signed for $150 on ebay, but the copy I have is more valuable to me because it was a gift from a dear friend. Would I want McCullough to sign it if I met him? Not necessarily, because it’s not like I’m going to sell it. I’d rather ask him if he ever got the letter I wrote to him and then I hope we’d talk about George Washington in Harlem Heights, but I digress…

Perhaps popularity or whether an author is alive or dead matters. A first-edition Ann Patchett can run about $10. A first edition Hemingway, A Farewell To Arms, sold for over $18,000 in 2014. I ain’t no Hemingway.

Mine is a first edition. But it’s a paperback. But I’m kind of a nobody and alive. For now. So what am I to do? I turned back to the story within my book and to the founding fathers.

P145_Signing_the_Declaration_of_American_Independence_Cassell_KarenAChase — “Signing of the Declaration of American Independence.” *Cassell’s Illustrated History of England, Volume 5*, page 145. (1865)

This country is founded on the importance of signatures.

The whole premise of CARRYING INDEPENDENCE is based upon the simple fact that the newly-formed Congress in 1776 deemed it 100% necessary to ensure the original signatures from all 56 men in Congress were affixed to ONE copy of the Declaration of Independence. (My protagonist, Nathaniel, also struggles mightily, as many an Americans did, over whether to sign an oath to the Crown or to the colonies.)

When the last delegate, Thomas McKean, signed the Declaration (a topic for another day), Congress had a formal unanimous agreement to separate from the Crown (which they had done verbally on July 2nd), and now they had a written contract that also bound together the 13 united states. We still honor that document today. Revere it! Signatures damn-well mattered.

Limited Signed Editions of Carrying Independence.

After much thought, and in the spirit of the document, I am limiting the number of signed copies of my novel to just 76 (in honor of the year 1776, of course). I am reserving the first 20 copies for personal use and charitable endeavors, and 56 are being made available on a first-come-basis to the public during the pre-sale period, which begins this Thursday on April 11th. Each of those 76 copies will have a full signature, each will be numbered, and each will carry my personal seal (shown here).

“But how will you autograph them at book talks?” a friend asked. I will still inscribe a copy to readers with their name, but alas, my full signature will not be penned. Nor will you find my scrawl in stacks of books set upon tables for just anyone to pick up.

Is that arrogant? Maybe. Isn’t assuming everyone will want my autograph equally so? Ultimately, I believe that signatures matter. They surely did in 1776. Perhaps one day history might determine mine does, too.

Follow/watch my Author Facebook page on April 11th for details on how you might secure one of the 56 signed copies.

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Thanks for sharing in the spirit of learning about our collective American History by subscribing to the blog. Guest posts are welcomed and encouraged. Contact me for details.

For Karen-related author research tidbits, book news and events, subscribe to my e-publication, CHASING HISTORIES.

Why the Revolution?

April 4, 2019 By Karen A. Chase

On Writing About the American Revolution

A Guest Post by Lars D. H. Hedbor

I’m often asked why I write about the American Revolution. It is true that here are many fascinating and compelling eras in human history. Indeed, when I reach the end of my explorations of the Revolution, I expect to broaden my scope.

There is Opportunity in Writing About the American Revolution

In part, I started writing about the Revolution because of the opportunity—there are a lot of fascinating small stories that contributed to the big events of the Revolution, and few of them have been explored in fiction. Having a wide, uncrowded field in which to work is hugely appealing.

Too, the events of the Revolution are familiar (if imperfectly), so I’m not having to explain to my readers that the Americans fought the British to achieve independence. They open my books knowing that much. The details and nuances, though, make terrific grist for my imagination.

Then there is the opportunity to remind readers that history is shaped by the small decisions of ordinary people. The Revolution was not accomplished by just a few heroic figures striding across the pages of history atop mighty white horses. Critical events were shaped at the kitchen tables of folks who would never make it into our histories. I take my readers to those kitchen tables and let them imagine what choices they might have made—and reflect on how they may affect history with their choices today.

The American Revolution Changed Humanity

Most importantly, though, I write about the Revolution because it changed the course of human history. It is unique in that it was not fought over the question of which prince would rule over a patch of dirt. The American War of Independence was as much a philosophical revolution as it was a military one. It reframed the very concept of governance—the whole relationship between the people and their leaders.

With the Revolution, we emerged from being subjects of the King to becoming citizens of the Republic. We were no longer ruled under divine right, but are led by men and women of our own choosing. It has become fashionable to focus solely on the imperfections of the Revolution—which were many and about which I write unflinchingly. However, thinking only about what the Founders got wrong tends to overlook how much they got right.

This magnificent accomplishment, which took a scattered collection of hardscrabble colonies and united them as one of the leading nations of the world, is well worth understanding deeply. That is why I write about the American Revolution, and will do so for some time to come.

Lars D. H. Hedbor is the author of the Tales From a Revolution series, each of which explores the Revolution as it unfolded in a different colony or future state. His most recent release is The Tree: Tales From a Revolution—New-Hampshire, which follows a young man as he is abruptly orphaned, and is left to manage his father’s timber grants with only the help of his eccentric aunt. He finds comfort in a new friendship with Betty, a decidedly odd neighbor. Defying the Royal Governor’s crackdowns and his aunt’s commands, Abe makes choices that put him on a collision course with both. With rebellion in the air, Abe must escape detection by the Governor’s agents and solve the puzzle of Betty’s past in order to secure his future.

The Tree is available in ebook, paperback, and audiobook. You can learn about all of Hedbor’s books on his website, LarsDHHedbor.com.

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Thanks for sharing in the spirit of learning about our collective American History by subscribing to the blog. Guest posts like this one are welcomed and encouraged––by academics, historians, authors, artists, and storytellers. Contact me for details.

For Karen-related author research tidbits, book news and events, subscribe to my e-publication, CHASING HISTORIES.

Ending a literary agent relationship

August 11, 2016 By Karen A. Chase

So, I have a confession. A few weeks ago my literary agent and I broke up. I’ve been quiet about it because it’s been so much to process, but it’s time to share so others can learn from my journey. My blog is often upbeat, so let’s have some fun with this sad story.

In the “we have to discuss our relationship” email, the agent admitted that in showing it to editors at publishing houses, she realized she didn’t have the resources (editor contacts/understanding of my readership) to sell my genre of book. She suggested I might consider finding a new agent.

Admittedly, my first reaction was…

How could this be after all our time editing, and talking about this book? Naturally, I asked myself, “Did I not ask the right questions about her specific contacts? Had I relied on her judgement over my knowledge of my readership?” Regardless, it became clear that we would only amass more rejections together.

I’m not going to lie. For about a week my mornings began like this:

After this stage passed, reality set in. I had to find a new agent. That meant query letters. Submission guidelines. The possibility of more rejections.

My first morning at the laptop felt like this:

But then I read an article about aiming for 100 rejections. Could searching for an agent in a specialized and subjective industry be about odds? If I secured my first agent after only 8 rejections, then out of 100, I’d have options.

So for the last two weeks, this has been me nearly every day:

I’ve been combing PublishersMarketplace, literary agencies and primarily using an online agent-search resource called QueryTracker to sort out who I’ve queried, being careful that they represent my genre.

That’s not to say my book is a fit for everyone. So I’m also like this when I look at my inbox each day:

I’ll keep you posted, but here are the stats so far: 50 queries sent. 7 rejections. 2 partial requests. 2 full manuscript requests.

I will go to the mattresses!

And for all you agents out there with a manuscript wish list (#MSWL) that includes American Revolutionary historical fiction with more battles than bodice-ripping, and a reluctant, yet likable male protagonist like Jamie in Outlander?

I’ve only one word…

7 Years in 1776

January 29, 2016 By Karen A. Chase

Many years ago, when I worked at a corporate job, my employee review indicated I was doing well, but “lacked patience.” I was not surprised. I’d heard it before, and was well aware of both the positive and negative aspects of such a trait.

Fast forward, and this week my novel, in the hands of my agent, is going out for the next round of feedback from publishers. As I wait, once again, I’m reminded of that review, and I wonder if this novel shows how my lack of patience was probably not a trait, but a symptom of circumstance.

Back then, I wanted to my career to advance faster (now), because I was working jobs that fit me about as well as that too-tight pair of wool pants I can’t seem to part with.

But this book, set during 1776, is a passion project. Potentially a new career. And so it’s more like a cozy sweater-dress I bought at Goodwill a couple months ago–it fits so easily, and makes me feel fantastic. Consequently, my dedication to it can been seen in the numbers:

I began researching 7 years ago, worked with 5 different editors, 9 early readers (friends who gave advice and corrections), 100s of historians, librarians, museum directors and more. I wrote and rewrote a total of 8 drafts. Went through 6 months of agent-query rejections, and now, after 1.5 years editing with my agent, we’re heading for the final gate–a publisher.

I’ve grown. I’ve matured. And yet all I can think is, “Now? Have you heard from a publisher now? How about now?”

(I will indeed let you all know when I hear, per this old post about getting the agent, I will fly the Canadian flag when I have a publisher.)

A Dickens of an Agent Search

July 18, 2014 By Karen A. Chase

I have decided that querying agents is a lot like reading Dickens.

First, you must enter the process knowing it is going to take some time. Our book club read David Copperfield last year. 1019 pages! I hope I have the patience of my friend who read that whole thing on her iphone.

Second, there are pages and pages of characters. And you don’t get to know much about them in the beginning. I query agents based on what I can find in Google searches and in websites like QueryTracker and AgentQuery. I have to be prudent and savvy. A couple of weeks ago I chose poorly. The rejection from the agent’s assistant said readers already know “what really happened to the Constitution.” Yeah… uhm… my book is about the Declaration.

Third, Dicken’s dialogue is polite, even when things are going poorly. So are my rejection emails. “We wish you luck with finding a home for this intriguing work.” That’s so nice, but it leaves me feeling like Oliver Twist. “Please, Sir, I want some more.”

Lastly, (and I hope this is true), a darn good ending is coming. I read Great Expectations many years ago, slogging through that thing for weeks. The ending left me stunned. The anticipation, and the unexpected ending with one person showing great character, made me rethink and appreciate all the writing that had come before.

So on I will go. Happily. I will revel in this moment. For this is the best of times. It is the worst of times.

Editing Historical Fiction

February 21, 2014 By Karen A. Chase

I read that Dan Brown takes about two years to research a novel, and another two to write. Editing adds to the process, because it involves those first two steps. Using The DaVinci Code, and the assumption that Brown wrote it from beginning to end, I’ll explain how (with some conjecture).

Year one: Brown sees DaVinci’s painting and thinks, “that guy next to Jesus looks like a chick.” A quick Google search… she could be Mary Magdalene? “Betchya the church would have killed to keep that a secret.” Bing! Book idea. So now he researches Bible lore galore, secret codes, and the history of France and Rome. Maybe he writes chapter one.

Year two: More research! He has to go to Paris (poor guy) and the Vatican. In Italy he writes three more chapters.

Year three: Writes continually. Decides the female character must be the descendent of Jesus and Mary. Serious plot changes.

End of year four: Book done. (Party!)

Year five: Editing. Back to chapter one. Wow, it kind of sucks. It’s four years old. He has read a few books on writing historical fiction since then. He’s also seen the Louvre, and the pyramids are not where he put them. He has to apply fours years of knowledge to every old word.

So, that’s where I am now. I’m editing my American Revolution manuscript (again), but now as an author who is four years older. Better read. Wiser about the history. But, I thank Mary Magdalene that I am.