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Lesson 17 James Patterson Masterclass.com Getting Published

James Patterson Masterclass Lesson 17 Getting Published

James Patterson's Masterclass.com Lesson 17
James Patterson’s Masterclass.com Lesson 17

James Patterson starts this lesson saying,

“I’ve been through the -pain of trying to get an agent. Trying to get a publisher. Trying to get a good editor. So I know what you’re going through. And the best thing I can tell you, it’s one word- it’s persistence. Just be prepared and don’t take it personally. My first book turned down my 31 publishers. You’re going to get a lot of rejection here, and a lot of it may have nothing to do with your book.”

 

Okay, Okay! Hold the presses! Here James said, ’31 publishers’ I found a YouTube video where he said, ‘37’.   Is this a big deal? No…not really, I just thought I would mention it.  🙂

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgeuc6AZObw[/embedyt]

 

James Patterson tells us, you need to get your book noticed by an agent or publisher first. And that starts with the query letter. Here are a few sites to check out on how to write a query letter. I found these through a Google search.

Agentquery.com has a very simple easy to read an explanation of a query letter.

PoeWar.com check out the very end of their article, a nice, neat list of what not to put in a query letter.

WritersDigest.com has an example of a qouery letter showing eight steps in its creation.

Back to James Patterson at Masterclass.com 🙂

James Patterson’s  first novel was the ‘Thomas Berryman Novel’. James tells us how he kept sending  out query letters, and for the most part, no one responded.  He didn’t even get an obligatory letter saying, ‘Thank You, No Thank You’. Now you know, it isn’t just you.

Well, maybe it is, but not here.

Finally, James tells us that the publisher asked for editing changes. So he had to get an editor. James Patterson talks about finding an agent. A publisher. He tells us to network. Talk to other writers, and hope they will toss you a bone or a publisher that-may-just-might-want-to read your book.

The peak of this lesson, For Me! Was when Mr. Patterson said to “Enjoy the victories.” Even the small ones where your spouse tells you your writing is fantastic. The point is,  take those compliments and eat them up. Writing is hard work!

I love this quote. I want it on a coffee mug 🙂

Cup of joy
Cup of joy

“Take the cup of joy! Enjoy it!”~ James Patterson

 

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Lesson 15 Editing James Patterson’s Masterclass

lesson 15 editing
lesson 15 editing

What I loved about this lesson, was listening to James Patterson talk about how he edits and why- and the reasoning behind it.

James Patterson starts this lesson with talking about editing.~“For me and for a lot of writers. And I think for most of you. Editing, polishing and I’m talking about what you’re doing yourself,- not when your book gets to a publishing house. It’s the whole ball of wax. Its not writing, it’s rewriting and it’s rewriting, and it’s rewriting.  I like to do many drafts. I’ve done as many as nine or ten drafts. But, I do the drafts very quickly. I don’t get constipated! I don’t get worried! I just keep going. Let’s do it again! Let’s do it again! Let’s do it again!”

What I got from this lesson was ‘that your story needs to move forward’, editing your words will help cut the fat and making the story clear and on point. Read your words forwards and backward. Read as enjoyment  does something trip you up?

Before you start to edit, walk away from your writing. Take a short break.  Eat something. Clean  something. When you come back you will see your work fresh.

What I know about editing;

  • You need to look for style formatting errors  such as  spacing
  • Dates
  • Capitalization,
  • and make sure your characters have the correct names.
  • Check your POV.
  • The spelling of words such as they’re, there, or their.
  • Conjugations such as ‘should of’, ‘would of,’ instead of ‘could have’, ‘should have’.

When editing, you need to be careful that your story isn’t taken off track. If you’re in the middle of a romantic scene, you don’t want your character to start watching a cat video on YouTube. Unless you’re proving a point against your characters getting together.

Read your writing out loud, straight through before starting to edit. Are you conveying anger, comedy, or sadness correctly? If not rewrite.

“Consider not polishing the book until you’ve written at least one draft.” ~ said James Patterson

When it comes to your dialogue, edit it until it moves the story forward and it conveys what you need to, in the least amount of words. All types of writing will benefit from editing.

Just remember -don’t start editing until you  have  a complete first draft.  Editing  sentences as you write them  will prevent your story, essay, poems, articles from  evolving into a reality.

Procrastination will stop you in the form of early editing.  This is important to reemphasize. Don’t edit until that first draft is fully written. 

Rag doll
Here Kitty-Kitty just look at thos baby blues- Now go back and edit.

Here are a couple of links to Proofreading and or editing  Information.

writing center.unc.edu

Learning English with Michelle.

 

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James Patterson online class Writers Site

Lesson 14 Ending The Book James Patterson’s Masterclass

This post should have been live on Friday.  I had a doctor’s  appointment and I faded out. Here it is a little late, but I will still call it Friday’s post even though the dates don’t match up..{Grin}

Lesson 14  Ending  The Book James Patterson’s Masterclass

Lesson 14 James Patterson's masterclass
Lesson 14 James Patterson’s masterclass

James Patterson’s opening lines:

“Your ending is ‘usually’ important. Because, and this is true in movies, and it’s true in books. Because that’s- they walk out of the theater clapping and cheering and feeling great, and spreading the word, about the movie, or out of their apartments, or whatever in terms of the book. And a lot has to do what you did at the ending. How you pulled it all together. The surprise at the end. The surprise that fits, that’s appropriate. So you really have to make sure that it is satisfying. Or you gonna disappoint people. And you won’t get that good word of mouth. You might not get published because there’s no ending.”

Good endings, well-written endings are what we strive for. Getting to those last few chapters. You clawed and scratched to find the perfect ending. And here is James Patterson telling you it isn’t as easy as saying, they all lived happily ever after- except it can be if you are writing that type of story.  Could be a Fairytale, romance, or children’s book or a combination of genres.

When you are writing, write for the reader of your genre. Write for the best mystery reader, or the best reader of thrillers. James Patterson said:

“If you satisfy that person you will satisfy everyone else.”

What I got from this lesson was to write towards the ending you created in your plotline. Then, change it as you need to. Make your ending fit your story. Make it a great ending. The best you can write. Most of all make it the ending you want to write.

Remember, there are a lot of ways a person can walk into a house. And only you can do it ‘your’ way. Backwards, forward, sideways, through the window. {Smile}

What endings did you like? Why did you like them? Did they connect to the rest of the story? Did they feel right? Did you want the ending to be different? Why? Why was it good? Why was it bad?

I read a children’s book by Wendy Mass. The book was called ‘Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life’.     The ending in that book felt right. It ended in a way that left the reader, well me, feeling good with the ending. If you read it, examine the story. See how the author took you from that first sentence, which for me started with the Preface.

“ My sweat smells like peanut butter.” To the last line, “The people on the train with me don’t know it, but in my head I’m dancing.”

This is an easy book to read and shows how the story progresses with an interesting set of pace, a bit of excitement and suspense. Stirring it  all up with a great ending. 

Examine how some of your favorite authors end their stories. Did you see it coming? If yes, how and where?

Back  to James Patterson’s Masterclass. He makes some great points if you want to hear them all click on the link at the top-left-sidebar.

 

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James Patterson online class Writers Site

Video lesson 13 Writing Suspense James Patterson’s MasterClass

Friday’s, Writing with James Patterson MasterClass

 

Lesson 13 writing suspense
Lesson 13 writing suspense

Video lesson thirteen 13 Writing Suspense. James Patterson starts out this video lesson with a bang. He talks quickly, enthusiastically, what I saw from James Patterson is the energy that you ‘need’ to see in your writing.

Here is a part of Mr. Patterson’s opening lines for lesson 13:

“Obviously, with mystery and suspense, it’s all about suspense. It’s constant non-ending fireworks. Its an adventure that starts and, –it’s gonna hold you at the edge of your seat right to the end, it starts big and gets even bigger….”

And even more…

“Got to be genuine. If it feels like, to somebody throwing in devices, if you feel the manipulation, you lose them there too. If the readers going, ‘this is just crap.   This is just the usual somebodies, you know, trying to manipulate me.’

I love this line: “People kind ah want to be manipulated, but they want it done well.”

Know Your Genre

Read the books you want to write. You will learn how to write them, and you won’t write the same book. Write your own story. 

“Be aware of what’s out there. Not to imitate it but to avoid it.”~ James Patterson

The Da Vinci Code the complexity in the story is in the puzzle. It felt fresh to people.

The Da Vinci Code is a mystery-detective novel by Dan Brown.

Now, the secret to suspense is…

Ooops! Sorry, I will not tell you what James Patterson revealed in his video. I will give you a hint. It is common sense. If I reveal it to you, you will lose out on hearing it being told by James Patterson.

James Patterson does get around to answering that question. He pumps up the energy in this class with intense energy.

If you listen, really listen, you will hear all the good advice being given. But you have to listen. Remember when you sat in school  staring out the windows and not listening…well, don’t do that here. You will miss a great lecture. So a little advice, listen to these videos. Listen over and over so you can hear when that  advice is given.

Click on the link to James Patterson’s MasterClass you will find it on the top left-side. Just look, for Mr. Patterson’s picture.

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James Patterson online class

Ninth Video Lesson James Patterson’s Masterclass Creating Character

Friday with James Patterson

Creating Characters
Creating Characters

Lesson 9 Creating Character

“If you write something mediocre chances are it won’t get published.” James Patterson

Try to see the world through your character’s eyes, the way that character would see the world. Look through their eyes, their religion, spiritual beliefs, fears, what he hates, loves, and wishes.

What I get from this: If the character you are creating is the antagonist makes sure you give them a redeeming quality. Make them human.Put yourself into your characters, how would you feel in that same situation?

Create a great character by how they see the world. James Patterson doesn’t write realism. He does get into the emotional part of his character, Alex Cross’s  career of being a cop. Get into the emotional feel of your character’s career.

Are you having trouble finding the right career for your character? Here is a link- with a list of careers. – Occupational Outlook Handbook

“Difficult to create a hero that you want to read about- if there isn’t complexity “ `James Patteson

Your secondary characters, the Grandmother in the Alex Cross books is vital, and she is a secondary character.

I am ending this, ‘Friday with James Patterson’ with a picture of Megumi. She is a rescued Ragdoll. She was abused and nearly dead when she was taken in by a local rescue group. I will tell you about her in a future post. I just wanted you to see her. Happy, Healthy and spoiled in her forever home.

DSC_0819

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Seventh video lesson James Patterson’s MasterClass Outlines part 2

James Patterson lesson 7

James Patterson MasterClass lesson 7
James Patterson MasterClass lesson 7

OUTLINES PART 2

“Only his editor has seen this outline,” we are told by James Patterson. “He hasn’t shared this before.”

I am not posting that outline nor the lessons. What I will do is give you my impression of those first three chapters in his book Honeymoon. And their ‘first and last’ sentences.

James Patterson’s chapters are short. His first chapter is only about 700 words. Now that is a guesstimate, 250 per page- guesstimate.

Before chapter one, the page is labeled:

Part One  PERFECT COUPLES

This part goes on and on according to my book.  In the ‘Honeymoon’ outline, Part Two starts with Chapter nineteen.

I posted 💡 in the comment section asking…

In the outline, I saw the book was cut into, not only chapters but, into Part-one, Part-Two, and Part Three. In the (actual) book, Honeymoon, or at least my copy. I only see Part One labeled. If the Parts were only for the outline, why start with Part One? Is this the storytelling arc- with a three-act structure?    

I await my answer. 😎 In the meantime read on.

Chapter one starts with:

“Nora could feel Connor watching her. “

Is this a stalker? We find out in the next sentence, -Connor always watches her pack. We are still getting to know this couple.

 It ends with a sentence that needs no explanation. 

“Now, what was that about tying somebody up?” she asked.

I can see how this chapter connects and then fills in with this couple joking, playing with each other. We see love; we are in love with them. These two, together, feel good. All happy, shiny lovey-dovey, and rich, what could go wrong?  This is the beginning, something has to happen or what’s the point of reading.

Chapter two has nearly 1,000 words in this chapter, which starts with:

“Thirty-minutes later, donning a plush pink terry-cloth robe, Nora descended the sprawling staircase of Connor’s 11,00-square-foot, three-story neoclassic Colonial.”

Nice description.

And here is the last sentence in this second chapter:

“She quickly dressed, and moments later, as the limousine started to drive away, Nora called to Connor out the open back window. “I’m the luckiest girl in the world!”

 All I think here is, Duh!

 Each chapter has its own beginning and end. Each one tells us about Nora and Connor. Each one is drawing us a little further into the story with very few words we connect to the main character.

 Chapter three: Is less than five hundred words. Remember my guesstimate, at 250-per page.

First sentence: “Nora couldn’t stop staring at the dazzling ring for most of the ride to the Westchester airport. “

And then the last two sentences:“Before reaching for the door, she glanced at her watch. It was showtime.”

That word, ‘showtime’ changed the tone of the story. We can hear, see and feel the change.

“The first couple of chapters really set up the third chapter.” James Patterson.

This class you can post comments, videos, and download the workbook. Listening to James Patterson is worth the price of admission.

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James Patterson online class

First Video of James Patterson’s MasterClass

James Patterson’s workbook, for his MasterClass, has the first four videos listed to be viewed in the first week. Today, I will just talk about the first video, out of the twenty-two. He does say to take this class at your own pace. *See link on top, left sidebar.*

You may be wondering why I would be blogging about this class.You may be asking. Copyright issues, aren’t they a problem? Well, they could be except in the first class I was told to:

TAKE IT FURTHER
▶ Get your friends to support your new project. Post your intentions on social media and update your status regularly over the course of the class. Identify a few interested friends who would be willing to provide feedback. We’d love to see your progress too! Share your status with us on Twitter and Facebook @MasterClass.

In this class, Mr. Patterson, has us follow along with his book Honeymoon. This way you can see how the book was imagined.

“Keep the passion alive.”

What do I expect from this class?
Well, what I want is a book contract. 🙄 And to have the talent to put together a story while lying on a beach getting burned to a crisp while having someone’s worrying over me with a fan, SPF100, a large hat, lots of water and…Come on! Realistically! I am standing at a tall table clicking away, wondering why my characters are crawling under the table and wasting away while there is a full fridge just steps away. I wonder, who is sneaking in from the hallway? Heh-heh!

“Love what you do”

In the first video, ‘Introduction’ you hear, “Hi, I am Steven King” James Patterson jumps right in telling you that first lines are important. In those four words, you see that this class “will be reverent and fun and a little jokey at times. And I know who writers like Steven King are.”

Are you good at investing time? Mr. Patterson is very efficient and lets you know he will talk about, “How to invest that time well, taking time wasting things out of the process.”

If you listen you will learn from his talks.

James Patterson tells me. “It is a daunting thing to start a book.”

In this class, he will talk about raw ideas, how to build a characters, how to create a scene, how to make a chapter work, outlines, marketing.

“Believe in yourself”

He will tell me how he writes, how he makes his writing work.
I downloaded the workbook with the Honeymoon outline.
He tells me, to get excited to write. Your first book, he says, may never get published. James Patterson’s first book was never published.

“Endure rejection”

Listen to his videos and read the workbooks, make comments, ask Mr. Patterson a question by making a video and posting it. Hmm. Now where did I put my Jane Jetson mask?

What did I get out of this first video? James Patterson’s voice. There is nothing like hearing an author talk. He is trying to tell his secrets as long as you can hear and absorb them. I can hear you saying, “What the does that mean?” {I kept the space for Hemingway}

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHDeMKOMA7E[/embedyt]

Have you watched a movie or read a book for the second time, then realized you missed so much in that first reading. Listening to someone trying to teach you something is like that. Your mind has to be open.

Is there something you want to know about this class, this video? Ask me!

‘Nuff said.

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James Patterson online class

Plans to Post every Friday about James Patterson’s MasterClass

James Patterson Teaches Writing. In Mr. Patterson’s MasterClass, there are 22 video lessons and exercises. I will be posting about each lesson, once a week, for twenty-two Fridays.

This is from the class page. ~

“James teaches you how to create characters, write dialogue, and keep readers turning the page.”

And this is from the class page:~ “100% EXCLUSIVE CONTENT

For the first time, James Patterson teaches you everything he has learned. Only available through MasterClass.”

We shall see…

I will write about the class, giving you my impressions, and some of my notes.

I had started this class last year and I was unable to finish due to a car accident. My brain was rattled. I was unable to comprehend what I was reading. Instead of giving up and not reading, I became angry and reread paragraphs. I used a blank piece of paper to cover the part of the page I wasn’t reading.

Then, I wrote… I wrote anything that came to mind. Mostly what I wrote didn’t make sense. Still I wrote.

The accident happened while my husband and I were sitting at a red light and discussing where we would stop for an early dinner. We had just left my doctor’s office. I have been seeing this doctor for years; he has treated me for two bouts of cancer. I see him every year; he monitors my blood and thyroid levels, ensuring all my numbers are in line.

The truck that hit us was in the right lane, the driver decided he wanted to get over to the far left, so he could turn on route 83. There were a few things he didn’t take into consideration. The van in front of him, the red light and the speed limit. And the rest of the cars on the road!

He slammed into a van, then pushed the van into the back of our car. The light changed just as all this was taking place. The cars in front and to the right moved forward. Metal screeching and tires squealing as we were thrown forward. Luckily my husband had left enough space between us and the car in front of us, so as we were hit, we were able to avoid engaging a fourth car in the accident.

Back to James Patterson’s MasterClass. Tomorrow I will post the first lesson. See you then…

If you want to work along with me…Click on the MasterClass widget located on the sidebar.

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Taking James Patterson’s online writing class

Enishi, a Russian Blue -rescued cat. He was found running with feral cats with his brother Kenji

I signed up for James Patterson’s online class called:

‘James Patterson Teaches Writing.’

I have been quiet, for the most part for the past few years, now I am trying to catch up with  life, walking, reading, and learning.

Which takes me back to James Patterson’s online writing class. Lesson one  I am told to take it further. To talk, write and pass on the fact that I am taking this class.

Great Marketing on his part! There is a book a  favorite book about ideas from his advertising days at J. Walter Thompson, the book is called, The Act of Creation by Arthur Koestler. I found it online to read.

Here is that link:

I wrote a short piece on my Examiner page.

I have to find the examiner app  and fix the twitter app.

I will be double checking  the first lesson and reporting back here.  The picture at the top of this post is one of my new kitties. He is a rescue cat a Russian Blue. We call him Enishi. A real sweetie!He loves to cuddle. He is a big talker and an unbelievable  climber!

((≡^⚲͜^≡))

Bye for now!