Halo's Eve Tip #1- Need the Hook Up

By now you've either completed your novel or almost have. Or your manuscript has received rave reviews fro your crit group. Or your story placed well in a writer's conference contest. Unless you're a writing phenom who wishes to bless us with some sage advice. Whatever the case Halo's Eve is here. And the angel has a tip for you.

Tip # 1: Get the Hook Up

When I wrote the first draft of my book I had a more than general idea of what the book would be about. Now that the first draft is complete I see many problems with this manuscript. First of which is the premise- the novel's starting point through which the other story elements interact to make a cohesive and coherent plot.

My novel's premise:

Marlo Joyner doesn't want or need a father-figure for her tweenaged daughter, Lily. Even when Lily needs an escort for the Father Daughter Junior Cotillion. But when Marlo gains news that her ex-husband has a parole board hearing and his family has been snooping around Lily's school to gain her trust. She does the unthinkable...Marlo hires a Faux Pop. Fake Daddy.

It sounds cute and interesting, but to be honest--I wouldn't buy it. And I'm a book reviewer, book reading fanatic. So what do I do? I need the Hook Up. I need to raise the stakes of my story.

Donald Maas' Writing the Breakout Novel is my confidant.

What I found through this book is that there are many ways to take the story up a notch. One way to do this is to test my hook against the debut authors in my genre. For me that would be:

• Mary Griffin
• Tia McCollors
• Stacy Hawkins Adams
• Kendra Norman-Bellamy
• Cheri Paris Edwards
• Claudia Hawthorne-Burney

and that does not include crossing over into non-african american women writers, or non christian titles.

But to make matters worst my writing styles is quite different from them.  See. My style is a bit more comical at times and my flow is a little literary, quirky, experimental. Just a pinch.:) And I've read little works this year outside of Claudia, Deanne Gist(historical) and Mary's that is a close second or third to what I'm trying to do.

Is that the same for you? You don't know where your book will fit in?

Well, it shouldn't be a problem. In fact, it has to be a calling.

Why? Go to the message board to find out and to participate in today's Halo's Eve discussion.

Reminder: This week we will provide different tips to help you raise the stakes in your novel. Tomorrow we will talk about another way to add more to your premise through timeliness and generational revelance.

Dee