Thursday 29 October 2015

Selling Screen Rights, by Adrian Mead (Part IV)

Adrian Mead, screenwriter, with the final part of a four-part series on how to sell screen rights.

By JJ Marsh


Do you think agent representation is essential?

I know plenty of writers that work without an agent. Agents cannot make you a better writer or guarantee you a career. However, if you have an agent with a good reputation they can get you into meetings to pitch your work. Then it is up to you to convince people that your ideas and you are worth backing.

In the event a writer’s idea is picked up, what to expect next?

Depends on the project and the writer. If it is a novel the company will circulate a pitch doc based on the material to broadcasters or financiers to see if there is any interest. If they gain a positive response they may interview a number of screenwriters to read the book or material and see what their approach would be to adapting it. They would then hire one of them to do an outline, followed by a treatment and then possibly a script.

If the original author of the work wants to be the adaptor they must be able to show examples of scripts they have written and make a compelling argument as to why they should be hired. There is no guarantee a producer would want you of course and if this is a deal breaker you must be clear when first negotiating selling the rights.

What are the Deadly Sins of approaching film/TV companies? Or what are the routes guaranteed to land you straight in the bin?


It is always a challenge striking a balance between being tenacious and a pest. Be polite.

Always do your research first. Make sure you approach an appropriate company - your teen romance will not work if they specialise in horror films.

Call up and get a name - Dear sir/madam e mails never get read.

Speak to people who have already been successful. How did they do it?

Get others to champion you - awards, important critical reviews, sales figures.

If you read Making It As A Screenwriter you will see this is the stuff I cover in depth.

I know you’ve been directing as well as writing. Can you share what’s coming up?

Just completed directing four episodes of the second series of EVE, a sci-fi drama for CBBC. It’s a really ambitious show for kids TV and great fun to work on. Here’s a link to last year’s series that I also directed. http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/watch/eve-meet-eve

And what’s next in the pipeline?


I have a bunch of my stuff with companies who are busy trying to raise interest and I am attached to direct two films which are making steady progress towards raising the necessary finance. I have a couple script ideas which I am itching to get written up, so these will be my work on the train as I travel back and forth to edit Eve over the next few weeks. At the same time I will be taking meetings with companies and hopefully lining up other work!

As someone who’s taken control of their career and achieved a dream, can you sum up your advice in one sentence?

I would offer the following that I use for myself whenever I feel stuck or in need of a kick up the backside.

If you want something you must take action.

Adrian formerly worked as a nightclub bouncer and a hairdresser before stumbling upon the world of film and television. His writing credits include ITV’s “The Last Detective” “Blue Dove” “Where The Heart Is”, BBC’s “Paradise Heights”, “The Eustace Brothers”, “Waking The Dead” and “River City”.
He’s also written for animation for the legendary “Dennis & Gnasher” for Nine Network Australia and CBBC in the UK and Iconicles for CBBC and ABC (Australia). He has directed episodes of MI High (Series 7) and Eve (series 1 and 2) for CBBC. 

“Night People” was Adrian’s feature debut as writer director and went on to win the BAFTA Scotland and Cineworld Audience Award and was also nominated for Best Screenplay at the same awards.
His book
Making It As A Screenwriter launched in September 2008 and was hailed by leading industry professionals as the definitive career guide for aspiring screenwriters.
For more useful, comprehensive and targeted information on selling to screen, Making It As A Screenwriter is available at www.meadkerr.com
All proceeds go to ChildLine – the UK's free, 24-hour helpline for children in distress or danger. Trained volunteer counsellors comfort, advise and protect children and young people who may feel they have nowhere else to turn. www.childline.org.uk


Images courtesy of Benjamin Balázs (Creative Commons)




Wednesday 28 October 2015

Selling Screen Rights, by Adrian Mead (Part III)

Adrian Mead, screenwriter, with Part III of a four-part series on how to sell screen rights.

By JJ Marsh


Adrian continues on the Power of 3...

Now that you have your notes from 3 sources as a result of the Power Of 3 method, you cross check them against your script.

Plan what you need to rewrite.

Do it.

Print it out and re-read.

Tinker a bit.

Now stick the script in a drawer and ignore it for a month.

One month later take it out and read it.

You will immediately have lots of stuff you want to rewrite. Instead make notes.

Now you repeat the whole process again.

Find three new people.

Teach them how to give feedback.

Get notes and rewrite.

Print it out. Tinker.

Put in the drawer for a month.

The whole feedback process involves you doing this three times 3×3. Three lots of feedback three times. The Power Of 3!

Of course in some cases you will be working to a deadline to enter a competition or scheme. If you do a shortened version of this method, such as less time between new drafts, it is vitally important that you do not also cut corners with the number of sources of feedback. Remember 3×3. It works!



WHY “ADVICE” IS BAD

Don’t let your feedback people start telling you how to rewrite your script. That’s not what you want out of the process at this stage. What you will end up with is three people’s versions of what THEY would write. This is about you figuring out the story you want to write and working to make sure you are telling it the clearest way possible. It also requires much less work to write questions rather than coming up with solutions. As a result you get quick feedback and people don’t feel put off doing it again. The Power 3 method helps you to build up a circle of people you can rely on.

REMEMBER: DON’T TRY AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS DURING THE FEEDBACK SESSION, JUST WRITE THEM DOWN.

Using “The Power Of 3” gives –

1. A massive boost to the quality of script that you are going to send out.

2. It actually speeds up the development process because you aren’t struggling on your own, half-tinkering and losing enthusiasm about your work.

3. It teaches you to work with feedback, act professionally in a meeting and handle notes.

I have been amazed how rapidly people’s work and skills have improved when they have employed this process.

Join a writers group, an online forum or contact some screenwriting bloggers. There are lots of them out there employing this method already. Google Adrian Mead Power Of 3 and you will find lots of positive folk to swap scripts with.

So after this my script is ready to send out? No. First you need to send some small token of thanks to your long distance feedback people and ensure you give them fast turnaround on their work.

Next you need to do a dummy run and test that your script is watertight. It’s time now to consider using a professional script feedback service.

PROFESSIONAL SCRIPT FEEDBACK SERVICES

These vary widely in price and quality. For a fee someone claiming to be a trained professional script reader or editor will give varying levels of feedback on your script. There are different options to choose. The more in depth and extensive the notes the greater the fee. I use two for each script in order to cross-reference the notes with my own and my business partner. The following organisations and individuals have been widely recommended:

www.script-consultant.co.uk

Bang2write www.bang2write.blogspot.com

Script Factory www.scriptfactory.co.uk

I find it useful to get a US take on the script with some film projects that are being aimed at an international market. However, the quality of reports has varied widely and as they are often considerably more expensive than the UK I am loath to recommend any American organisation at this time. There are many more individuals and organisations than the ones I have mentioned that also offer this service. Contact the company or individual direct and get background on the reader’s level of experience. Post some queries on writer’s forums and get recommendations and feedback from other writers about their experiences.

Use professional script-reading services when you have taken the script as far as you can by every other means. Sending in rough or under-developed drafts is just throwing money away. Once you have thoroughly utilised The Power Of 3 technique, received a couple of professional reports and done your rewrites your sample scripts should be ready to show the world

For practical examples on how to achieve all the above, download Making It As A Screenwriter from Adrian’s site – remember all proceeds go to Childline.

Look out for Part Four tomorrow!

Adrian formerly worked as a nightclub bouncer and a hairdresser before stumbling upon the world of film and television. His writing credits include ITV’s “The Last Detective” “Blue Dove” “Where The Heart Is”, BBC’s “Paradise Heights”, “The Eustace Brothers”, “Waking The Dead” and “River City”.
He’s also written for animation for the legendary “Dennis & Gnasher” for Nine Network Australia and CBBC in the UK and Iconicles for CBBC and ABC (Australia). He has directed episodes of MI High (Series 7) and Eve (series 1 and 2) for CBBC.
“Night People” was Adrian’s feature debut as writer director and went on to win the BAFTA Scotland and Cineworld Audience Award and was also nominated for Best Screenplay at the same awards.
His book
Making It As A Screenwriter launched in September 2008 and was hailed by leading industry professionals as the definitive career guide for aspiring screenwriters.
For more useful, comprehensive and targeted information on selling to screen, Making It As A Screenwriter is available at www.meadkerr.com
All proceeds go to ChildLine – the UK's free, 24-hour helpline for children in distress or danger. Trained volunteer counsellors comfort, advise and protect children and young people who may feel they have nowhere else to turn. www.childline.org.uk



Images courtesy of Benjamin Balázs (Creative Commons)






Tuesday 27 October 2015

Selling Screen Rights, by Adrian Mead (Part II)

Adrian Mead, screenwriter, with Part II of a four-part series on how to sell screen rights.

By JJ Marsh

How does a writer know if their work is better suited to film or TV?

It is not easy, as TV is now as ambitious as film in its storytelling and subject matter.

Apart from the massive best sellers most other film adaptations often come from short stories, graphic novels, articles and true stories that have what is referred to as a “High Concept” idea. This means you could explain the story in a couple of sentences, it has mass appeal and some unique quality or twist. For example in the film Ransom, a wealthy businessman’s son is kidnapped. Not particularly original? The smart twist is that instead of paying the ransom, the father pays for a contract hit on the kidnappers. That twist makes the idea original and therefore High Concept. If your short story or graphic novel has a highly original concept at its heart you are already ahead of the game.

The toughest part of adapting material is being able to hold on to what made the original appealing whilst making it work for a new medium. It is often why huge, beloved novels fail as films - too much has to be changed in order to fit into a reasonable running time.

If your novel is particularly long, has multiple plots and a complex structure it is more likely to suit a TV series. However, TV doesn’t like doing single dramas as they are expensive to make and market. In fact most production companies and broadcasters want any new idea to have potential for 5 series each consisting of 12 episodes. This is why cop and medic shows always clog up the schedule, they never run out of stories of the week and they are worlds filled with conflict and drama. Come up with a brilliant new take on either and you will be very popular.

In your book, you suggest plenty of places where writers can pitch ideas, but my question is when. How do you know if you’re ready?

Ideas really are ten a penny, unless of course you have come up with a brilliant high concept as discussed earlier and already have examples of your work that show you will be able to turn that into a fantastic script or book.

Production companies will want to see a finished manuscript and a slick and exciting pitch doc. Unfortunately most writers send their work out before it has been polished to perfection. To get to this stage requires lots of rewrites. It is almost impossible to see some of the mistakes you have made when you have been working for months on an idea. Even the best screenwriters and authors work with an editor. You need feedback.
“Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it.” – Publilius Syrus
Good feedback helps you to fully realise the potential of your story and communicate it clearly. Most importantly you need to get used to the process, as screenwriting is highly collaborative. If you don’t want to change a word go write Haikus.

Remember, industry professionals will not read rewrites so you get one chance to convince them of your talent… or get labelled as an amateur. Rewrites are much easier when you have useful feedback.

Finding people you can trust to give you feedback is important but you must teach them how to do it effectively. I came up with a system I called The Power Of 3 that has become very popular, especially with writers who need feedback via an online community or contacts. Here it is.

WHY YOU NEED FEEDBACK

Ask any industry professional for the number one mistake writers make and they will almost always agree it’s this –

SENDING OUT WORK BEFORE IT’S READY.

So how the hell are you supposed to know when your script is ready? The following is an excellent way of making certain you are giving your script the best chance of achieving its full potential.

WHO TO ASK

You need to be very careful when seeking people to give you feedback on your work. Most people start with their loved ones and family. However, there are a number of crucially important factors to getting the most benefit out of asking non-professionals to critique your work.

DO NOT ask the bitter, twisted and failed wannabe writer that you met at a party, even if they are the closest thing you have to someone with writing experience. Why? Because they hate you!

You have had the audacity to actually write something! You are now their competitor in an already evil and unjust world. They will subtly (or not so subtly) do everything in their power to kill your enthusiasm and your project. Learn to recognise them. They are like urine soaked alleyways at two in the morning, a shortcut that can kill you. The longer route may seem hard work but you will actually reach your goal.

POSITIVE PEOPLE

Do not underestimate the power and savvy of the punter. You were one before you became a screenwriting genius! The average TV and film watching public is now pretty sophisticated in their ability to say what they like and what they don’t. Find someone with a positive attitude to life and who likes TV and Film. This could be friends, family or other writers you’ve met through a writers group or forum (but watch out for the negative types). Next you need to do EXACTLY the following in order to make this work to your best advantage.

THE POWER OF 3

This is a great tool and used properly can make a huge difference to the quality of your work. It may seem like I’m asking you to do a lot but by now you should have started to realise how competitive this industry is. If this is too much you shouldn’t even be considering a career as a screenwriter.

Remember, every time you start wanting to protest repeat the mantra – “if I keep on doing what I’m doing, I’ll keep on getting what I’m getting.” If you haven’t got your big break yet it’s most likely because you are sending out work before it is ready. Use this technique. It works!

1) Find three positive people. Ask if they would be willing to help you develop your career and give feedback on your script. It doesn’t matter who they are but it is important that you treat them like PROFESSIONALS.

2) Teach them how to give feedback. Ask them to immediately scribble down any questions that jump out after they have read the script. Ask that they always couch their comments as QUESTIONS.

Explain that this is the normal way professionals work and that it really helps you to develop the work. Tell them that they don’t have to worry about coming up with comments or critique. All you want is for them to ask any questions that arise from reading it. Even if it is only one question.

3) If possible arrange to meet each of them (separately) somewhere quiet once they have read your script. Offer coffee/beer/food as your treat.

If the other person is also a writer and you are unable to meet, offer to be a Power of 3 reader for them and make sure you give a prompt response to the work they send.

4) When you meet up ask again that they always couch their comments as QUESTIONS instead of telling you what they think is wrong. Be attentive and take notes. During your meeting they will inevitably slip back into wanting to tell you what would work better (especially if they are another aspiring writer.) Each time gently stop them and politely ask that they keep to couching everything as questions. DON’T try and answer the questions or justify what you have written. Just take a note of their question.

Why questions instead of advice? Well, how do you react to the following type of feedback on your script – “I just thought that it was horrible, the way the hero just walked out on his wife and kids.”

There’s a very good chance that one of your readers is your beloved. We tend to be much less patient with our loved ones and the last thing you need is a domestic argument because you start becoming irritated. Or, remember what I said earlier about “Write what you know.” Perhaps you have drawn on some personal stuff for your script (the break up of your marriage?) It is likely that you are now snarling at your script editor…

Okay, how do you react to this example? – “What was it that made the hero just suddenly walk out on his wife and kids?” Different? Being asked a question feels less critical and forces you to consider whether or not you have explained your characters motivation clearly enough.





This is also why you need 3 feedback readers. If all three ask the same question you clearly have a problem you need to address. If only one comments it may just be that the reader dislikes the character or subject based on their own experience or prejudice. You don’t want to end up rewriting for the wrong reasons.


Look out for Part Three tomorrow!

Adrian formerly worked as a nightclub bouncer and a hairdresser before stumbling upon the world of film and television. His writing credits include ITV’s “The Last Detective” “Blue Dove” “Where The Heart Is”, BBC’s “Paradise Heights”, “The Eustace Brothers”, “Waking The Dead” and “River City”.

He’s also written for animation for the legendary “Dennis & Gnasher” for Nine Network Australia and CBBC in the UK and Iconicles for CBBC and ABC (Australia). He has directed episodes of MI High (Series 7) and Eve (series 1 and 2) for CBBC.

“Night People” was Adrian’s feature debut as writer director and went on to win the BAFTA Scotland and Cineworld Audience Award and was also nominated for Best Screenplay at the same awards.

His book
Making It As A Screenwriter launched in September 2008 and was hailed by leading industry professionals as the definitive career guide for aspiring screenwriters.

For more useful, comprehensive and targeted information on selling to screen, Making It As A Screenwriter is available at www.meadkerr.com

All proceeds go to ChildLine – the UK's free, 24-hour helpline for children in distress or danger. Trained volunteer counsellors comfort, advise and protect children and young people who may feel they have nowhere else to turn. www.childline.org.uk



Images courtesy of Benjamin Balázs (Creative Commons)




Monday 26 October 2015

Selling Screen Rights, by Adrian Mead (Part I)

Triskele Books are thrilled to welcome Adrian Mead, screenwriter, for a four-part series aimed at writers on how to sell screen rights.

By JJ Marsh

Adrian, you’ve had quite a colourful career and I admire your determination to change paths. Have any moments from your previous life as bouncer/hairdresser informed your screenwriting?

If you keep your eyes and ears open there are always opportunities to gather inspiration. Both of my former jobs involved lots of interacting with the public, though in two very different environments. Studying how people react to a situation definitely informs the way I create characters and scenes. As a hairdresser I heard way too much about my client’s extra marital affairs; the deception, how they came to light and the sometimes extraordinary scenes that resulted.



New writers often forget to ensure their characters arrive with a mindset and an emotional state that can be factored in to the scene. For me it is always a case of asking or creating “The story behind the story” and trying to add depth to a scene. For example, attending their child’s first ever school play appears to be a delight for your character and their partner. However, if earlier you allowed your character to hear a rumour that their partner may be cheating on them, possibly with another parent, the scene suddenly takes on another dynamic. Now the smiles are forced, they scan faces for any hint of guilt and scrutinise their partner’s body language as they embrace others.

Making It As A Screen Writer is practical and accessible at the same time. For someone with the aim of becoming a screenwriter, this is gold and must be popular. Why choose to donate all the proceeds to Childline?

I have been a volunteer counsellor for Childline for the last 7 years. Every week I talk with children and young people who are struggling with terrible situations but feel unable to speak out. Often simply having an adult who will listen and not judge them can have a huge impact. Sadly, Childline always struggles for funding and as the number of calls, emails and online chats continues to rise we are unable to answer many of them.

When I first wrote the book it was to help new writers who were contacting me for advice. I could remember being utterly confused and unable to find a clear path through the maze of info that was out there. Once I had some feedback on the early drafts I realised by issuing it as an e book it could be a fundraising tool. I think the book has been very successful because it outlines very simply what you need to do in order to build and maintain a career, rather than just talking about writing technique. The response from industry professionals and newcomers all over the world has been fantastic, with many of the strategies I promote being integrated into the curriculum of screenwriting courses. I find this last bit remarkable as I never had any formal training!

The book is also valuable to authors who want to sell the screen rights to their work. So I’d like to come at this from a different angle – writers who have a book ripe for film adaptation, a series suited to TV drama, a concept fit for Hollywood. Where should they start? 



You need to break through the noise, as everyone and their dog thinks they have work that is ripe for adaptation. Use the following checklist -

Is it especially topical? Historical works can still resonate with current issues but it will help if you can point out how.
Is it controversial?
A brilliant new twist on a piece of history, biography or well known story - fairy tales and greek legends are always being recycled.

If you have an agent or publisher they should be punting it to the people who acquire film rights. However, whether you have representation or not you still need to help whip up interest in your project. The easiest way to catch the attention of producers and production companies is to have a best selling book or one that lots of people are talking about. To do this you should be entering every competition that’s suitable. Then continually plaster social media with the news of your progress.

Next, research production companies and producers who have made projects in the same sort of territory as yours. Many companies will only look at material sent by agents but there are others who will take material from unrepresented writers. Check their websites.

Now call them and get the name of who you should send it to. Do not send an email. If you are nervous about phoning write yourself a brief phone script and practice it (you are supposed to be a writer)

Follow up with a very brief email that lists your prize wins, short-listings, brief critical raves and a brilliantly honed synopsis of no more than a couple of hundred words. Ask when would be appropriate to get in touch again.

Be tenacious but very polite and make sure you follow up until you get a response.


I occasionally teach a two day course about adaptation. Part of the weekend focuses on creating a brilliant pitch for your work. Once you master this it also helps enormously with planning your work before you start writing. Knowing what you want to write and why increases the likelihood of actually completing your project.

If all this sounds like a lot of work or you are worried that self promotion will make you appear big headed you need to get over it fast. All creatives have to hustle, it has always been that way.


Look out for Part Two tomorrow!

Adrian formerly worked as a nightclub bouncer and a hairdresser before stumbling upon the world of film and television. His writing credits include ITV’s “The Last Detective” “Blue Dove” “Where The Heart Is”, BBC’s “Paradise Heights”, “The Eustace Brothers”, “Waking The Dead” and “River City”.
He’s also written for animation for the legendary “Dennis & Gnasher” for Nine Network Australia and CBBC in the UK and Iconicles for CBBC and ABC (Australia). He has directed episodes of MI High (Series 7) and Eve (series 1 and 2) for CBBC.
“Night People” was Adrian’s feature debut as writer director and went on to win the BAFTA Scotland and Cineworld Audience Award and was also nominated for Best Screenplay at the same awards.
His book
Making It As A Screenwriter launched in September 2008 and was hailed by leading industry professionals as the definitive career guide for aspiring screenwriters.
For more useful, comprehensive and targeted information on selling to screen, Making It As A Screenwriter is available at www.meadkerr.com
All proceeds go to ChildLine – the UK's free, 24-hour helpline for children in distress or danger. Trained volunteer counsellors comfort, advise and protect children and young people who may feel they have nowhere else to turn. www.childline.org.uk





Images courtesy of Benjamin Balázs (Creative Commons)




Thursday 22 October 2015

Four new Triskele releases!




My name is Zabdas: husband, warrior, conscience and confidant. I am a son of Syria. I write the history of this country in my own hand and tell the tale of my Zenobia: loyal subject, wilful woman, Queen of the Sands, Protector of People and wife to the King of Kings …
Zenobia has won the respect of her people, she has provided King Odenathus with a second son, while he controls Rome’s eastern legions. With Emperor Valerian gone, it is the perfect opportunity for Odenathus to seize the title “Emperor of Rome”.

But the war is not yet won. Zenobia and Zabdas have a revenge to exact, the Persians must be pushed back beyond Ctesiphon, and there are other pretenders rising in the east. Odenathus’ loyalties are called upon once more as he struggles to maintain control and quell the uprising.

And his accumulation of power has not gone unnoticed ...

Click here for more information on the book and available outlets.


1348. A bone-sculpted angel and the woman who wears it—heretic, Devil’s servant, saint.

Midwife Héloïse has always known that her fatherless status threatens her standing in the French village of Lucie-sur-Vionne. Yet her midwifery and healing skills have gained the people’s respect, and she has won the heart of the handsome Raoul Stonemason. The future looks hopeful. Until the Black Death sweeps into France.

Fearful that Héloïse will bring the pestilence into their cottage, Raoul forbids her to treat its victims. Amidst the grief and hysteria, the villagers searching for a scapegoat, Héloïse must choose: preserve her marriage, or honour the oath she swore on her dead mother’s soul? And even as she places her faith in the protective powers of her angel talisman, she must prove she’s no Devil’s servant, her talisman no evil charm.

Click here for more information on the book and available outlets.

Adrian Harvey, London wine merchant, has lost the Christmas spirit. Someone is stalking him, stealing his post and vandalising his shop. When the police question him after an anonymous tip-off, he’s more than anxious. He’s scared. And who is that nun?

When long time neighbour and friend, DI Beatrice Stubbs is dispatched to Germany to investigate a series of apparently related art thefts, Adrian seizes the chance to flee the city. He follows her to Hamburg to do some Christmas shopping and visit his ex. Yet that stalker is still on his heels.

While Beatrice is on the trail of a violent gang of mercenary thieves, Adrian runs from danger to the remote island of Sylt. But when danger catches up, he has run too far. From the icy streets of Hamburg, to the canals of Amsterdam, and the snowswept beaches of Sylt, Beatrice and Adrian discover how a virtue taken to extremes can lead to deadly sin.

Click here for more information on the book and available outlets.

“No one deserves to die like this. No one.”

An elderly woman is burnt to death in the remote hamlet of Silver Bay. A young woman dies of an overdose on a notorious Holyhead estate. A drugs war is about to explode. Somebody knows but no one is talking.

Kelly Morgan has a social conscience and a pile of regrets. She wants to help but knows she’ll never manage it alone. Her boss, Amanda Gold, cannot allow anything - not her divorce nor her daughter nor her affair with the boss - to cloud her thinking.

Another fire, another death, and the flames lick closer to home. A threat shadows all their lives. A killer is out there, but one step ahead.

Click here for more information on the book and available

Friday 16 October 2015

Why Done It? - Motives for Murder

by Gillian Hamer
I’ve recently spent time plotting my latest crime fiction novel, and there was a throwaway line made by one of my detective characters that actually made me stop and think. 

‘Sex, money, secrets. Take your pick.’ – was his response to the age old ‘what are we looking for in terms of motive?’ question. Could it really be that simple?

It made me analyse fictional murder motives in depth. I actually went back through my previous novels and listed motives in each, and the biggest single reason so far in my books is revenge.

In crime fiction, we writers walk a virtual tightrope. We need the tension, pace and excitement – but we also need any resolution to be believable, creative and satisfying for the reader.

There has to be more layers to the question of motive, and while many may over-lap – greed and money or sex and jealousy – for instance, I decided I wanted to categorise some of the reasons people use to justify or explain their decision to kill another human being.

So, let’s make a list of what comes after ‘Who done it?’ -- ‘Why done it?’ -- and look at examples of each.


1. Money  
Example: Burglar murders house-holder when attacked in the middle of a robbery.
2. Secrets & Lies
Example: Man murders his business partner to cover up long-running fraud racket when his crime is discovered.
3. Greed
Example: Wife murders her husband for insurance payout before he reaches his sixty-fifth birthday and the payment is halved.
4. Revenge
Example: Woman kills uncle who abused her and her sister as children, sister later committed suicide as unable to live with the secret.
5. Hate & Obsession
Example: Religious extremist murders CEO of publishing empire whose company release blasphemous books.
6. Sex & Jealousy
Example: Student murders wife of her college professor, who refuses to end his marriage despite having an affair with her.
7. Crime of Passion
Example: Husband snaps when his wife announces she is leaving him for his own brother, and shoots them both.
8. Mental Illness
Example: A woman with schizophrenia kills her family after listening to voices in her head telling her they are planning to section her.
9. Protecting a Loved One
Example: Father stabs the babysitter after arriving home to find him molesting his child.
10. Empathy & Sympathy
Example: A nurse administers a lethal overdose to end the suffering of a terminally ill patient.
11. Covering Up Another Crime
Example: A politician kills his personal assistant who discovers the drug-dealing past of his boss.
12. Mistaken Identity
Example: Man kills a drug dealer in revenge for his brother’s death by overdose, but kills the dealer’s brother by mistake

I think this exercise has helped me a great deal, and clearly proved there are many more than the three basic motive for murders. If you're thinking of writing crime, work hard to make your motives creative and original, perhaps a combination of two or more of the ideas I've listed.

And don't forget to layer them in lots more secrets and lies to cover your tracks. Good luck!
























Friday 9 October 2015

How Héloïse was Sculpted



by Liza Perrat



At the beginning of this summer, I gleefully typed “The End”, and breathed a sigh of relief. After almost two years, my third book––Blood Rose Angel––and the last in the French trilogy, The Bone Angel Series was finished. I began to visualise my 14th century heroine, Midwife Héloïse, on the cover, sitting harmoniously beside her kinswomen, Victoire of Spirit of Lost Angels and Céleste of Wolfsangel. I happily sent it off to the Beta readers––my Triskele colleagues––and looked forward to a well-earned Kindle and Cocktail break lazing around the pool during the balmy August days.

Part of our Triskele Books Author Collective collaboration involves critiquing and editing each Triskele novel, to ensure all books reach the highest possible standard for publication. I’ve been with these gals since 2009, when we began reading each other’s work via an online writing group, so we know each other well enough to be absolutely truthful, but I was certain there would just be a few niggles to fix.

Then the comments began to trickle in.

‘ … some interesting writing … clearly researched medieval midwifery … remedies and side effects of the plague were very vivid, BUT ….’

‘ … no character arc … no story arc.’

‘What went wrong?’

‘Read this dialogue out loud; can you really think it sounds right?’

‘ … characters have no depth or emotion.’

‘ … unclear why you have such a big problem here … not at all like your usual style.’

‘ … doesn't feel like the Perrat writing I know and love ....’

‘More like a domestic fantasy than a believable world.’

‘ … research smothers the story.’

‘ … concentrated so hard on getting the historical facts right, you forgot about STORY.’

There were more comments, many more, but you get the idea. And, once they were all laid bare before me, the cold and painful truth hit me like my stonemason hero’s mallet: my French medieval masterpiece was a smouldering merde-infested midden.

I am not a writer … I will never be a writer. How ever did I write two novels; books that have received awards and glowing reviews? Flukes, surely!

After I had plunged all those nasty little Triskele chicks into a cauldron of boiling, plague-infested oil, and seriously considered giving up this writing malarkey, they suggested a “Héloïse brainstorming session”, at our upcoming birthday celebration in Porto.

‘You do the food, we’ll bring Port and cakes.’ Which sounded like a good deal to me.

Well, it’s amazing what brains fuelled on that tasty pink Port and sugar-laden cake can storm up. At the end of the evening, my ears were buzzing, my brain spinning with Port ... er, dramatic plotlines, beguiling character and story arcs, my hand aching from scribbling ten pages of notes.

‘And send us the rewrite in chunks,’ dear colleagues said, ‘to save another big disappointment at the end.’

If I wanted to get Blood Rose Angel published before our annual Triskele Books November launch, there would be very little reading or lying around this summer. So I cancelled life for seven weeks, put fingers to keyboard and bum in seat.

The chunks started trickling back with glowing comments, helpful suggestions, but most of all, encouragement to keep plugging away.

‘Yes, you’ve got it now!

‘Excellent … you’re on a roll!’

Motivated and cheered at every step by the team’s unflagging support, I was reminded of what an author collaboration is all about, and why we set up Triskele Books in the first place: Going it alone, together.

Writing and self-publishing a book is a hard slog on your own, but with the help of a team whose collective savoir-faire is the sum of each individual’s expertise, it becomes more a communal, and enjoyable, task. Furthermore, as each Triskele publication is a reflection on our own work, it’s in all our interests to bring each book to the highest possible standard.

Thanks to my colleagues, and to the many other helpful Beta readers, Blood Rose Angel has now gone off to the proofreader. And as I enjoy what’s left of the summery evenings around the pool, I raise my glass of pink Port to Team Triskele!!


Blood Rose Angel, along with Triskele Books’ other 2015 publications: Human Rites by JJ Marsh, The Better of Two Men by JD Smith and False Lights by Gillian Hamer will be launched at Triskele Books’ annual launch party on November 28th in London.

Pre-order Blood Rose Angel:
Amazon
Smashwords

Friday 2 October 2015

WINDTREE PRESS - AUTHOR COLLECTIVES VII



Interview by Liza Perrat

For the seventh in our author collective series, we are happy to welcome Maggie Lynch from Windtree Press.

  
LP: Who had the idea to set up Windtree Press, why and when?

ML: I founded Windtree Press in February 2011 when I decided to simultaneously publish a traditionally contracted novel and a self-published novel. By June I had invited two other authors, Melissa Yuan-Innes and Usha Menon, to join me. I had met both of them at different writing workshops and found we had the same goals and the same work ethic. Similar to me, both were highly successful career women who had published extensively in non-fiction and in short fiction. They were also entering the genre fiction novel market. In early 2012, Paty Jager joined us as the first full-time career author. At the same time Usha left the cooperative, deciding she would prefer to focus on her career as a cancer researcher.

By summer of 2012, the three of us formalized the organization with operating procedures, a member agreement, and a quarterly meeting and voting practice. We all agreed that we wanted/needed to grow. To do it in a way that was sustainable, we needed to be organized and have a clear focus as to our expectations for the future. We devised a type of three year roadmap. In 2013 and 2014 we expanded to 16 authors, and we are now at 19.

LP: Can you tell us a bit about how the author cooperative functions? 

ML: Windtree Press is an author PUBLISHING cooperative. A publishing cooperative acts as a publisher for the members of the cooperative. This means that the cooperative is responsible for guaranteeing all those aspects of publishing that any commercial publisher would take on: quality of story; professional editing; good cover design; getting reviews; vetting new markets and opportunities; as well as continuous marketing and cross-promotion. In a cooperative, the members together determine how those publishing tasks are accomplished.

Our cooperative approach differs from other cooperatives in that we operate primarily by member agreement to accomplish the primary publishing tasks on their own (professional editing, cover design, formatting, uploading the book to the major retailers). Other cooperatives have members trade or barter with each other to accomplish these tasks. Because we began Windtree Press with only three of us—all of us in 60+ hour per week executive positions in day jobs—we didn’t have time for the barter model. Instead we did what we could and paid for the rest. Consequently, we stayed with that model making new members also responsible for the professionalism of their products. In this model, each member is independent, maintains her own accounts, and consequently gets 100% of her net sales.

Each member also agrees to take on a task for all members that will benefit the press as a whole. For example, I manage most technical aspects of the press—website, loading to an aggregator, building squeeze pages, running paid marketing campaigns, etc. Paty does our newsletter every month. Anna manages our Facebook page, Diana manages our Twitter page, Cathryn manages our Pinterest page, etc. These efforts provide all members with a broader social media exposure than perhaps any one person is able to manage on her own. When we do an anthology, a certain number of members volunteer to edit, coordinate, do formatting, cover design, etc. We also have members who coordinate events, ranging from book signings to radio interviews to blog tours, Facebook and twitter parties. There are always more potential jobs than the number of people we have. I suspect we’d have to get to 50 members or more to cover all the needs we’ve defined. J

To help our members accomplish their publishing tasks we do offer training, share resources with each other, provide referrals to professionals at reasonable prices, and work together on launches and ongoing cross-promotion. The other thing Windtree Press is able to do, that an indie author alone can rarely afford, is to contract a publisher for larger budget items. Because we have over 100 books in our catalog (more than many small commercial presses), we have some negotiating power with vendors. We can get books into new markets and try new technologies at a small prorated member cost. For example, this year we are doing an aggregator contract for Windtree Press with a company that distributes for many major New York publishers. This aggregator gets our books into 55,000 libraries and more than 1,000 additional retailers around the world. These are markets beyond what Amazon, Kobo, Nook, Apple, Google, and Createspace reach. Many of these markets are country-specific and culture-specific. Again, the monthly and annual cost for this contract would be unbearable for most individuals who are not already bestsellers. For our authors, the cost is only $10 per month because of our combined power as a publisher and the number of members we have makes the pro-rated price affordable.


LP: How many members do you currently have and what must each member bring to the table? How do you know if someone is a good “fit” for Windtree Press?

ML: We currently have 19 members, and over 125 titles in our catalog. Many of our members write in more than one genre, and several write both fiction and non-fiction. When a member joins, she usually brings her backlist with her (assuming she has rights to the books). Consequently, some of our members joined with ten or more books. Others came to us with one or two but are increasing their catalog by putting out titles every year.

We have three primary criteria for membership.

The individual is a career author. This means the person has plans to do a minimum of two titles per year. We understand that sometimes things happen and only one title is released. We don’t kick someone out because she isn’t able to get more than one title out. The point is that the individual looks at writing as a career, not a hobby. The member is in this for long-term gain and realizes that the shortest path to significant income is to write good books and in quantity.

The individual’s work is of high quality—equal to traditional publishing—and is presented in a complete professional package. This is judged by the members themselves based on reading the author’s work or seeing a number of good reviews that speak to the story quality. A candidate is nominated by an existing member who is a guarantor of the quality and professionalism of the book. At least one other member needs to also have agreed as to the quality of the work. If someone approaches us who we don’t know, they we require them to send us a completed work to vett. When someone joins the press they sign an agreement to maintain and/or improve on that writing/story quality and professionalism with subsequent books.

The individual gets along well with others and has a philosophy of helping others. Because we make decisions together and rely on everyone helping out the press as a whole, we cannot afford to have drama queens or individuals who are “too big/important to help out.” Good cooperative members continuously demonstrate the philosophy that helping others to succeed also helps them to succeed. Or as I like to say: “Karma always wins.”

We also evaluate how a potential member’s work will integrate with our catalog. Because our members tend to write cross-genre, and many write in multiple genres, our catalog is diverse. However, we would not take on a member’s work that has no corollary in our catalog. For example, if some one came to us today with children’s picture books, we would have to really evaluate our ability to market those and what type of cross-promotion those novels would have within our catalog. We do have three writers who write children’s books, but they tend to be for the 7-10 year old group not for small children. That means we would be unlikely to take on that person—no matter how much we loved their work—unless we had a second person who also did picture books. We don’t want to have an author in a genre alone.

LP: What do you see as the key benefits of being in a cooperative? Any disadvantages?

ML: I’ve spoken at length above about some of the tangible benefits with additional exposure and markets. However, I think the primary benefit is more personal. Being with a group of authors who understand what it is like to toil day in and day out in a writing career is key to the cooperative experience. The member support on that journey can be invaluable. It is a powerful motivator to realize that a group of authors are working as hard to help you succeed as they do for their own success.

There are also disadvantages. One of the reasons authors choose to self-publish is because they thrive in an environment where they make all the decisions and have no one looking over their shoulder. In the Windtree Press cooperative, our authors still have significant autonomy in their decision-making. They decide in what genres to write—both fiction and non-fiction, the length of their titles, whether to write in series or not, what publication schedule they want, what the presentation of their work will be, and in what markets they believe are best for their books.

However, they also must consider the other members of the cooperative with every decision. The cooperative depends on a certain quality level of writing and presentation. Members agree to maintain that and will call you on it if you get in a hurry and let it slide. As a fully independent author you may decide you are going to concentrate only on your work, your marketing, your immediate needs for your book(s). In a cooperative—at least in ours—you have signed an agreement to also market other member books, help them to be successful, and to work together toward common goals. You need to do that whether you feel you have the time or not.

It takes a certain type of personality to thrive in a cooperative. That is why we add people slowly and discuss our process with a potential new member at length. Our new-member packet is fourteen pages long. J Even with the cooperative descriptions, the agreement, the cautionary discussion and caveats around realistic expectations, sometimes a person realizes after joining that this is not for them. When that happens our agreement provides an easy way to separate as well. We do not want someone in the cooperative who doesn’t want to be there, or feels they simply don’t have the time to contribute to the whole.



LP: How do you see the future of publishing generally?

ML: Goodness, this could be a whole book and my personal crystal ball is not always right. J Based on other industries that have been disrupted by technological change (music and software are good comparisons), I believe we are on the front end of a highly diversified market that will see shifts in both the big players and in technology as new innovations come into the marketplace. A large part of that change is really going to be dictated by countries outside of North America. North America has had their big push and made a decision, as usual, to go with the guy who appears to be winning (Amazon). However, when Europe comes into its full ebook acceptance I suspect it will choose differently—it will choose more diversification. And who knows where Asia and Southeast Asia will end up? Those who ignore worldwide trends in favor of their narrow one country view will be left behind.

I’ve been a part of the software industry since the early 1980’s, and my husband is an independent musician who has been playing for nearly 40 years. I’ve seen many large companies become small or disappear and small companies become large based purely on keeping ahead of the technology curve and embracing global markets. Will this be Kobo or some new, not yet conceived player? I personally don’t believe it will be Amazon unless they change their winner-take-all exclusive approach.

Unlike some pundits, I do not believe that print will disappear. However, I believe it will become a specialty item for certain genres and markets, much like vinyl records are making a comeback for audiophiles today. I also believe that readers will become less tied to ebook purchases based on devices. We are living in an app-based world now, and it is more likely that apps will be the way books are consumed. This is good for market diversity and, I believe, for indies who want to do better in their direct sales.

I also don’t think traditional publishing will disappear. Book publishing is a small part of huge conglomerate entertainment companies—corporations that control televisions, movie studios, audio and video of all kind, along with the books in their catalogs. To them it is all content that can be re-purposed many times over. Yes, big companies change slowly, but they also have the money, will, and ability to wait for a technology that they want and then simply purchase it and be number one again. I see big publishing becoming the packager in the future. Once a book proves itself in the indie or small press world, they will acquire it for multimedia packaging—a combination of ebook, audio, gaming, video. Not sure how that will look but I can see that future.

Authors really do have the power to control their own destinies. Options for publishing abound. It all depends on what we want, what we are willing to pay for it, and how hard we are willing to work. It has always been that way, though in the past we didn’t have the access to technology we do today. One thing I can say for sure. That is that things will continue to change. The author who can embrace change, evaluate it in terms of her goals, and act decisively on those things that show promise, will be the one to get ahead.

LP: Thanks so much for answering our questions, Maggie, and we wish you all continuing success with your writing, and with Windtree Press.

ML: Thank you for having me. I love talking about Windtree Press and the amazing cadre of talent we have.

Windtree Press Bio: Founded in 2011, Windtree Press was designed as an author publishing cooperative to fill the gap between traditional and independent publishing with promotion, distribution, shared expertise and a supportive environment for publication among proven authors. We are an author cooperative with the belief that good people, of like minds and career goals, help each other to be better, to improve, and in cooperating will rise together.

Contact: Maggie Lynch via Contact Page

Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest | YouTube | Vimeo

Current Members: Mercer Addison, Judith Ashley, Jamie Brazil, Anna Brentwood, Cathryn Cade, Collette Cameron, Kathy Coatney, Pamela Cowan, Wahula Gonzo, Paty Jager, Linda Lovely, Maggie Lynch, Diana McCollum, Courtney Pierce, Sarah Raplee, Susie Slanina, Robin Weaver, Melissa Yuan-Innes