Tag Archives: series

Works

Where should I start with the Spy Another Day series?

With three prequels, it can be hard to decide where to start the Spy Another Day series. I like to think think you can jump into the series with the first prequel novella Spy Noon (available exclusively on my mailing list), with the prequel novel Spy by Night (listed as #1 on Amazon), or with I, Spy, the original starting point for me and the series (now listed as #2 in the series).

If you’re the kind of reader who HATES spoilers and/or loves to read complete series, start with Spy Noon. If you’re the kind of reader who loves to get a little more insight into the characters you already know and love (even though you already know how the story might end), you can jump in with either Spy by Night or I, Spy.

The prequels, especially the novellas available exclusively on my mailing list, were written to show some fun backstory. Spy Noon covers when Talia meets her coworker Elliott (who figures heavily in I, Spy), and Mr. Nice Spy covers an event that happens fairly early on in Spy by Night, but MNS is from Elliott’s POV.

Is your writing any good? Join my writers' email group to find out how you can get a free edit & skill assessment!

 
Technique, News & Contests

What series would you like to see next?

I love doing series on writing craft and techniques. This year, I’ve done a series on the secret sauce of writing that I feel took my writing to a publishable level, and a guest series on things other authors feel are part of their secret sauce that we’ve just begun. Secret Sauce Part II will probably run through the rest of the summer (and I’m still taking guest posts if you’d like to share some of your secret sauce!), but after that I have several ideas for the next series.

What topic would you like to see covered next?

Be sure to check the free writing guides page or the list below to make sure I haven’t already covered a topic before you suggest it!

Other previous series (now available as PDF writing guides!)

Is your writing any good? Join my writers' email group to find out how you can get a free edit & skill assessment!

 
Technique

Power in Settings mini-series now in PDF!

2 Comments

We’re digging into the Secret Sauce writing series next week, but first, I wanted to share an oldie but a goodie. I was digging through my old series and found one I didn’t even remember: Power in settings.

settings coverFrom the (all new) introduction:

Whether your work is a locked room mystery, a small town drama or an epic fantasy, your setting plays a key role in your story. Your setting can set the emotional tone, add conflict and increase the tension of your work.

On the other hand, we’ve all read books bogged down with barrels of description, that somehow still doesn’t help us visualize the scene or the milieu.

Using setting effectively isn’t about purple prose or even pretty writing. It’s about making an impact on your reader: drawing them into the story, helping them see the characterization and mood, and keeping them reading.

In this short series on power in settings, we look at the different ways in which setting can apply to our stories, and things to contemplate as we incorporate the setting.

With Tension, Suspense & Surprise, I asked for a Tweet, Facebook post or Google+ post in return for the PDF. But since this series is on the short side, there are no hoops at all. (I would still appreciate you sharing the news about the Power in Settings PDF, of course!)

Ready?

Click here for the Writers’ Quick Guide to Power in Settings!

Picture by Lauren

Is your writing any good? Join my writers' email group to find out how you can get a free edit & skill assessment!

 
Technique

New writing craft series coming up!

This entry is part 1 of 16 in the series Spilling the secret sauce

It’s time for another writing craft series! It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve had a chance to dig deep into craft, and (shockingly) digging deep is exactly what helps me improve that craft.

So I’m very excited to announce that the next writing series will be . . .

SPILLING THE SECRET SAUCE!

My “secret sauce” is a recipe for better writing on all levels. It’s the teachings, trick and tips that I feel took my writing from amateur to publishable. A preview of some of the post topics and areas:

  • Building better sentences
  • Building better scenes
  • Avoiding amateur mistakes
  • Writing real emotions
  • Plot and structure

  • And more!

Got some secret sauce of your own to spill? Contact me with your idea or just write your guest post and send it to me, jordan at jordanmccollum dot com!

What do you want to hear about?

Sauce photo by Alan Sheffield

Is your writing any good? Join my writers' email group to find out how you can get a free edit & skill assessment!