Take a character from your manuscript, for example, any character you choose. How would they handle the early hours of Halloween Eve when the kids come knocking. Are they the type of person who couldn’t be more excited? Perhaps they went to the store and bought three different types of candy because they weren’t sure what kind the kids would like most. Perhaps they have an elaborate costume of their own and they’ve decked their house out in spider webs, gravestones, flashing lights, and fake blood. And, for the entirety of trick-or-treating hours, they are perched on their porch with a huge smile on their face asking the kids about their costumes and telling them how cool they look.

On the other hand, perhaps your character is not much of a Halloween fanatic. They care enough to go grab a bag of candy from the store to prevent their house from getting egged, but they aren’t going to be spending their Halloween interacting with a bunch of snot-nosed kids. They’re the type to set out the candy on their porch in a giant bowl with a sign that says ‘take one’ to which each of the kids will take two. They spend the early hours of their Halloween evening prepping for a party with friends later while listening to the kids laughing and screaming in the distance.

Additionally, your protagonist could be decidedly anti-Halloween, promptly shutting off all the lights in their house at 6:00 PM sharp. Or perhaps they come up with a clever plan to deter future trick-or-treaters by gaining a reputation as the house with bad candy, finding the most obscure and off-putting candy at the store and excitedly handing them out to the neighborhood children.

Creating a scene that forces your character to both interact with children and participate in a holiday can give you an excellent opportunity to get to know your character better. This type of exercise can be used to highlight how they feel about children, holidays, ceremony, merriment, family, privacy, and how they prefer to spend their time. Think about different themes within your manuscript or different aspects of your character’s personality you’re attempting to highlight. Focus on attempting to feature those things in this exercise.

Writing Prompt: Choose a character from your manuscript and write a scene where they are handing out candy to trick-or-treaters on Halloween. You can either make this scene timeless or you can set it in a significant year in your character’s life. Attempt to convey different aspects of your character’s personality through this event. How do they feel about trick-or-treaters and why? For example: if they don’t like trick-or-treaters, are they dissatisfied with their family or the lack of family in their life? How do they feel about the holiday in general and why? How would they spend their time (if they could choose) and why? And how do all of these factors affect the chain of events that evening?

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Oftentimes, writing simple scenes can be one of the best ways to practice showing rather than telling how a character is feeling. For example, take the act of exchanging gifts at Christmas. Writing a scene like this will allow you to gain more insight into your character in a few ways. Firstly, the gifts themselves can reflect both on the character giving and receiving the gift. Does character A know character B well enough to get them a gift they’d actually enjoy? And, if so, what would that gift be? And secondly, writing about the exchanging of gifts in-scene allows you to play with characters’ reactions to show the reader whether or not they are excited about the gift.

For example, let’s say character A gets character B a pair of socks. If they’re the type of person who would like a pair of fun socks, they’ll exclaim excitedly, thank character A, and perhaps try them on right away. If that isn’t the kind of gift they’d enjoy, however, they may speak slowly, use phrases like ‘this is interesting’, and wear a strained smile that doesn’t quite meet your eyes. Whether or not character A even notices the reaction is another telling character moment as well- is character A intuitive enough to notice what the audience can clearly see?

Writing such a scene will also allow you to play around with a family dynamic as well. As a writer, your goal should be to be able to establish the nature of relationships as quickly and concisely as possible. Which family members are closest? Who is friends with whom? Is anyone currently fighting or is there any tension underscoring the current family dynamic? These are all questions that can be answered through a simple gift exchange.

Writing Prompt: Write a scene (either with characters from your manuscript or new ones) where a family or a group of friends are exchanging gifts on Christmas. Use the different beats and moments in the gift exchange to establish the characters as individuals, their relationship dynamics, and to make their reactions clear to the reader by showing rather than telling.

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When she gets home at first she hates it and faces some clumsy but cute setbacks like missing her bus or falling into the snow. Then she runs into her old high school boyfriend and/or high school crush who now runs a bakery or small coffee shop. They have some sarcastic banter because she only respects business and he’s a humble small-town baker so he doesn’t respect business, of course.

She starts to warm up to the town, and in turn baker boy, and starts to feel the magic of Christmas. Sometimes real magic is involved, but not always. Then, surprise, business boyfriend shows up and she’s forced to then choose between the two sides of herself. Spoiler alert: she 100% of the time stays in the small town and becomes the accountant slash helper at the baker boy’s shop.

Needless to say, Hallmark movies can be cliche and predictable. But for those who love them, they are also addictive. There’s a sort of comfort to the predictability as well as the colorful, bright, and cheery overall tone. They’re full of happy accidents, totally unrealistic turns of fate, and lots of bed and breakfast inns, local bakeries, and gazebos.

Now, picture putting your protagonist in the midst of this cliche and cheery town that we see in Hallmark movies, where there is an almost magical level of holiday spirit. Would they blend right into the plot, seamlessly fitting the role of the lead? Would they be confused, thinking they’ve stumbled into another dimension? Or would they just be downright angry and annoyed when a local inn owner told them they were the only one who could save their business (even though they’ve never met before)?

Writing Prompt: Put your protagonist or one of your characters in the midst of your favorite Hallmark Christmas movie. Because you won’t really have to think about the plot structure, focus on how your character would react differently to circumstances than a typical Hallmark movie protagonist. Don’t be afraid to have some fun with the juxtaposition and add some humor or even darker undertones, let your protagonist take the reigns!

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Halloween night can be a fun setting to explore your characters, get to know them in new ways, and even throw them outside of their comfort zone. For example, perhaps your character is the type that likes the dark and scary side of the holiday, always ready with fake blood capsules and fangs to play pranks on friends. Imagine this person is asked to attend their nephew’s Halloween party this year. Will they be able to tone down the spookiness and give their nephew a fun party? Or will they scare a bunch of children with their costume and bloody Mary spooky stories?

How a character feels about the holiday can also show off different aspects of their personality. If they obsessively love the holiday, why is that? Are they a macabre person, fascinated by the haunted nature of the holiday? Or do they have a particularly fond memory from their childhood associated with Halloween celebrations?

It also allows you to play around with more specific aspects of character, which allows them to feel more fleshed out and real. What is your character’s favorite scary movie? Favorite Halloween tradition? Favorite Halloween candy or snack? Favorite Halloween decoration in their house? What kind of costume (if any) do they like to wear?

Writing Prompt: Write a scene or short story about how your character spends their Halloween night. Use the day and setting to reveal aspects of your character by showing how they act surrounding the holiday, how they like to spend it, and why. Let this Halloween celebration push them a bit out of their comfort zone and show the reader why that is and how your character handles it.

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With 2015 well underway, if your New Year’s resolution was to finally make your publishing dreams a reality, we want to offer you some writing tips that might help you keep your resolutions intact!

Although some people can just sit down and simply write, others might need a plan to follow to help organize their thoughts as they write their novels.

There is nothing wrong with the latter – writing a book can be difficult. In fact, that’s why writing techniques such as the Snowflake Method exist!

What’s the Snowflake Method?

The Snowflake Method can help a writer avoid any major plot complications and potentially spend less time with writer’s block. Basically, as with many forms of writing, this technique starts with an idea. From there the writer adds layers to that initial foundation until that idea turns into a workable story and plot.

How to use the Snowflake Method:

Let’s take a look at the various layers that make up the Snowflake Method:

1. Create a one-sentence summary. To begin, create a one sentence summary that encapsulates the entire premise of your book. Essentially, this sentence should summarize the main point of your book and tie together the big picture of the main character’s plight. This sentence should give insight into what the story is about, but not so much that it gives it away.
2. Add to that one-sentence summary. With this step, you’ll take your sentence and turn it into a full paragraph. In this paragraph, you will expand on the plot and describe the novel’s background, its three major disasters/conflicts (usually there are three major disasters), and how it will end. Basically, your paragraph should be organized in a way that one sentence is devoted to the setup of your story, additional sentences for each of the three main conflicts, and then a final sentence to explain the ending.
3. Character development. Now that you have your plot in order, it’s time to develop your characters. This step scratches the surface of your book’s characters and offers a brief overview of everyone included. For each character, you should come up with a name, a short summary of his or her storyline, the character’s goal, conflict, and what each character will learn in the end. This practice will allow you to actually see your story’s flow and will perhaps spur on more creative ideas!
4. Summarize the plot. This part of the snowflake is where the plot thickens. In this step, you’ll add more details and expand on the ideas from step two by developing a paragraph from each sentence. By summarizing your plot, you will be able to see on paper the events of your book and how they will pan out. You’ll connect the dots of your characters and events, allowing you to make edits and changes to enhance your storyline.
5. Write. It’s the moment that we’ve all been waiting for! After carefully developing not only the plot, but the story’s characters as well as the conflicts and narratives within your book, it’s time to put all of those ideas in motion and begin writing!

Although at its core the Snowflake Method can be very structured, it also allows for flexibility and creativity, which offers the writer the best of both worlds.

So, if you’re looking to turn your publishing dream into a reality in 2015, consider using the Snowflake Method to kick-start your New Year’s resolution!

The post Do You Want to Build a…Novel? appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

As the first full week of 2015 is in full swing, we thought we would offer you some motivation to help kick your writing dreams into high gear!

Our founder, Gordon Dorrance, believed in empowering all people “with a book in them” to take a chance and write their own futures as published authors. It’s this spirit that has driven Dorrance Publishing for almost 100 years!

At Dorrance, we feel that the quote above speaks volumes about making this year YOUR year to become a published author and to take advantage of those opportunities that are coming your way.

Perhaps it’s an opportunity for you to finish that book that you’ve been working on. Or maybe it’s for you to write the second volume of your book.  Or maybe it’s simply to start that novel that you’ve always dreamed about writing.

With nearly 100 years of company history in publishing, Dorrance knows a little something about the ins and outs of the industry. We draw from that experience to help provide you with everything that you need in order to properly bring your book to market.

At Dorrance, we believe that the freedom to publish should be available to everyone with something to communicate. It’s this philosophy that drives us to help “everyday” people develop their literary pursuits through our innovative, full-service self-publishing process.

From year to year, our commitment remains strong as we strive to build personal partnerships with each of our authors.

So, whatever opportunity may be coming your way in 2015, know that new beginnings are in order. We hope that in 2015, you’ll start your new beginning with Dorrance Publishing.

After all, this is a new year and the start of a fresh chapter in your writing endeavors!

The post New Year, New Chance to Make Your Dreams a Reality appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

As we are in the thick of “the giving season” with Christmas quickly approaching,  at Dorrance Publishing, we wanted to give you a great novel to add to your holiday reading list – or even as a last minute gift idea!

Although our Dorrance Bookstore is filled with wonderful books, today we decided to put the spotlight on one in particular: Diane Marie Federici’s memoir, The Christmas Stocking.

Since Federici was born in Boston, Massachusetts, where winter’s wonderfully frosty temperatures and snowfall seem to come earlier than in other parts of the country, it’s no surprise that the Christmas season is Federici’s favorite time of the year.

Through her memoir, Federici is able to recount the joy and gratitude that surrounded the Christmas seasons of her childhood.

For Federici’s family, Thanksgiving was more than just a day that was filled with delicious food; Thanksgiving Day was the unofficial start of the Christmas season! So, while other families were watching football or enjoying leftovers after their Thanksgiving Day feast, Diane’s family would gather around the dinner table and begin to make their Christmas gift lists.

Though this is just one memory that Diane shares in her joyous memoir, every page allows readers to experience this festive time of the year through the eyes of the author as a joyful child during Christmas.

Perhaps the most poignant memory that has been in the forefront of the author’s memory after all of these years is the wonderful, never-ending Christmas stocking that her grandparents had “hung by the chimney with care.”

Through the words of this memoir, Federici retells the history of the Christmas stocking and shows what it’s like to be a child who anxiously waits for Christmas Day and the chance to hold and try to empty the bottomless Christmas stocking that her grandparents filled with treats and surprises!

It’s this excitement and joy of Christmas Day and, most importantly to this author, the Christmas stocking that will keep readers wanting to turn the pages of this memoir and experience the thrill that Federici experienced as a young girl!

As you are in the midst of all the holiday madness, take time for yourself and curl up in front of a warm fire, pour a delicious cup of hot cocoa and take in the sights of your sparkling Christmas tree as you enjoy the cheerful words of The Christmas Stocking.

So, don’t delay, buy your copy of The Christmas Stocking today!  Happy holidays from everyone here at Dorrance Publishing!

The post ‘Tis the Season for Holiday Reading! appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Though Thanksgiving is meant to be a reminder to give thanks for what you have and to spend quality time with your loved ones, what would this holiday be without a delicious feast?

While the host of your holiday party is tirelessly working to make sure that the turkey is brined to perfection and each place setting is just right, you might be scrambling to come up with a recipe idea for the side dish that you’ve been assigned to bring.

For some people, cooking just isn’t their “thing,” or for others, they just can’t make up their mind about what they want to cook. If you fall into either of these categories, at Dorrance Publishing, we think we have the perfect solution: How About a Casserole!

Now, these aren’t your run-of-the-mill casseroles. In fact, one of our Dorrance authors, D. A. Samarin, compiled an entire cookbook of casserole recipes that young and old people alike can cook and enjoy.

How About a Casserole! is much like a user’s guide on how to prepare quick, easy and delicious casseroles that would complement any turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

As if cooking a dish for a group of people wasn’t difficult enough, satisfying their food preferences is an added layer of pressure. For instance, someone wants chicken, another wants beef, and for the vegetarian in your life, they’ll want something meat-free. Luckily, this cookbook has recipes for all three, and a collection of miscellaneous non-casserole dishes, too!

But, How About a Casserole! isn’t just for the holiday season; it can be used for everyday dinners, too! For instance, if you’ve been searching for a vegetable lasagna recipe or perhaps a delicious idea for a chicken tetrazzini casserole, look no further. This Dorrance-published cookbook has these recipes and more!

If, for some reason, you weren’t able to put this book to good use for your Thanksgiving Day feast (although we doubt that’s possible with all of the recipes that are included), with the holiday season in full effect, you still have time to give this cookbook as a present to friends or family or to treat yourself! At Dorrance Publishing, we have to admit that How About a Casserole! is a gift that keeps on giving!

So, this week, when you’re brainstorming recipe ideas, think How About a Casserole!

Happy Thanksgiving from Dorrance Publishing to you and your family!

The post “How About a Casserole” This Holiday Season! appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Although Halloween is this Friday, have no fear, we won’t be delivering any tricks today; just four treats that come by way of our Dorrance-published books!

The kids are surely excited to dress in their best costumes this weekend, so match their excitement with a great book!

A McSpooky Halloween – This book by Dorrance author Chris Roberts, is about Marvin McSpooky’s most beloved day of the year, Halloween. Marvin McSpooky is a monster, and Halloween is the only day when he doesn’t have to hide his monstrous appearance from the public. This year, Marvin begs his parents to let him trick or treat alone, and they reluctantly let him go. This is where the fun begins! In this book, the young reader in your family will live vicariously through Martin McSpooky’s adventures as he navigates his way through the ups, downs, twists and turns of trick or treating! A McSpooky Halloween is a lighthearted, funny story that’s perfect for the young child in your family!

The Person Who Turned into a Monster – Dorrance author duo Luke and Karon Pope wrote this “spook” tacular book, which offers another great read for the kids in your family. The book tells a tale of horror when every night at midnight, Dan turns into a monster! This interesting yet scary story will surely keep young adult readers on the edge of their seats!

After a long night of trick or treating with the kids, what better way for the adults to relax and unwind than with a good book? Check out these two books that are filled with mystery and suspense – perfect for the adults in your family!

The Butler – What’s a better setting for a mystery than a mansion? Author Audrey Rogers Lundy weaves a suspenseful tale in this Dorrance book, where the main character, Andrea, leaves her small town and makes her way to Paris, where she ends up at the mansion of her French benefactors. Soon after arriving, she uncovers a dark family secret – a murder! Through its elements of intrigue, danger and romance, this book will have you asking yourself, “who dunnit?!”

The Detective – Left with no family to come home to, Homicide Detective Russo makes his way to Richmond, Virginia. It’s here where he gets pulled into a new case by the Richmond Chief of Police. This isn’t your average case, though. A corrupt scheme was conceived by the members of City Council, and the Chief is determined to stop them in their tracks. But just like any good detective, Russo needs a sidekick; this is where Judy, a private investigator, steps in. Once the two join forces, they both come to the same conclusion. What could it be? The only way to find out is to read this gritty page-turner by Dorrance author Phillip S. Grant!

So whether it’s for the young readers or the adults in your household, the Dorrance Bookstore is sure to have exactly what you’re looking for! This Halloween, we hope that you avoid the tricks but enjoy these four literary treats from Dorrance Publishing!

The post Scaring up a Good Read: Dorrance’s Spooky Reading List appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Throughout the 124 pages of this Dorrance-published book, author Jared Burkholder offers readers an alternative telling of the popular Christmas narrative by delving a little bit deeper into the biblical text to decipher what it does and does not say.

To get a better understanding of the root of his book and what inspired him to share this story, we are going to look through the eyes of the author himself.

Burkholder served as a youth pastor for six years, a missionary in the Dominican Republic for seven years and a lead pastor for nine years. He also worked as an egg truck driver for two and a half years, and a college professor and administrator for 20 years.

The experiences that he has gathered along this lifelong journey inspired him to begin writing, and he added Dorrance-published author to his already impressive resume.

For some authors, all that they need to start writing is a little spark of curiosity. Burkholder felt that spark when he read an article by Kenneth Bailey that inspired him to take a deeper look.

Perhaps his biggest inspiration for his book sprouted from his skepticism of the traditional Christmas story. Burkholder was mesmerized at how easily some people ignore or abandon details that are explicitly reflected in the text, and also was perplexed by parts of the traditional narrative that defy common sense.

Closer to The Real Christmas Story is more than just a children’s Christmas story book. In fact, readers of all ages whether young or old will be challenged to take a deeper look at the popular Christmas narrative.

Whether you choose to read this book on your own or with a small group, this book has become a discipleship tool that will promote healthy dialogue, challenge your critical thinking, and help you better understand the principles of Bible interpretation.

In short, this book may present something you may never have considered. Happy reading and happy New Year!

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