The Importance of a hook

First lets talk about what a hook is. When you use Google to Define:hook you will find a definition that is about two pages long with so many different meanings that I think it is important to make it clear what I am talking about.

A hook in the way I am thinking is the first few lines of a story that get the reader turn the first page. These first few lines are what convince someone picking up your book in a book store to take that book to the counter and pay for it. But even before that, These lines are what convince an editor or agent to not hit that big red reject button on their desk.

The truth is that even though these lines don't have to have your entire plot, introduce your main character or even have much to do with the rest of the book, they have to entice your reader, be that an editor or someone picking your book of off the shelf for the first time, to actually spend the time to read the rest of your story.

Typically when you send a dead tree manuscript into someone the first page is all you get to impress them. So beyond not making any typos, and getting your font correct and spacing right here is what you are left with. Half a page of nearly blank space, and then 12 to 13 lines of your story. Those first 13 lines have to convince someone that they should even bother turning the page. This is where your hook has to be. Let me say this again. You've only got 13 lines to convince someone to keep reading your story. That really not a lot, so they have got to be good.

This is a bad example because it is longer than the important first few lines, but think of the beginning of every James Bond movie. 007 pulls the parachute rip cords on the guards and they go flying out of the back of the truck. He jumps into the horse trailer, and flies away in a mini jet, that has to them dodge the stingers that were fired at it, and though it all he manages to blow up his target. Even if that has nothing to do with the rest of the movie, you are hooked, you want to see this guy pull more unbelievable stuff like that, just because it was so cool.

So what can you do? Well here is what I do, I think what would James Bond do. Well not literally, but epically in a short story make sure you are starting your story in the right spot. Make sure that when you start your story you are in a spot that is interesting. You don't have to be in the middle of a life or death situation, but but you should be in some sort of action, something that gets the ball rolling. And Practice writing your first 13 lines. Then when you think you have something give just those lines to someone else and ask them if they want to read more.

In the end if you are getting ready to submit a story anywhere, have someone look at your first 13 lines. Make sure that they are compelling make sure that the people you gave those 13 lines to have banging on your door at one in the morning to get the rest of the story. If you need help, there are forums out there that specialize in writing those first 13 lines, use them.

As a side note, If you send a story into Flying Island Press, I am one of the people who gets to see if first. I am one of the people that get to say yes this goes onto the next level. I feel obligated to read your whole story. But I will be honest with you, if your first 13 line are not compelling the rest of your story had better knock my socks off.

What about the rest of the story you ask? Well I will save that for another post. But first things first, hook me, then we will worry about the rest of it.

Great Hites Going away

I am going to keep this short and sweet. It is true and this time I don't think I will try to bring it back from the dead again. With everything that is going on in my life I don't foresee being able to do GreatHites any more. I have really enjoyed the project, but I think it is time the let is slip quietly into the grave.
I do want to say thank you to everyone who has helped out it along the way. I have made some incredible friends, learned so very much and will really miss time that I have spent working on GreatHites. I am not totally stepping away from the podcasting sphere, but for now, I am focusing my efforts on Flying Island Press and the many great things going on there. You will occasionally hear me here, as I get the itch to get behind the microphone again thank you to everyone along the way, it has been a great ride.

My new job

It is not like you didn't already know that I worked for Flying Island Press or anything but I did want to take a minute or two of your time to talk about what I do there, and how the job is going.

But Before I get into that I should tell you about the other wonderful and talented people that I am working. I can't tell you how much I admire their drive, and desire to make this work.

First off we have Zach Ricks who's brain child this was. He is our managing editor, lawyer and principle business type guy. JP Losier, who is primarily responsible for our development efforts as well as being an invaluable reader / editor. Philip Carroll, who manages our slush pile and manages keeping the rest of us on track. Last but certainly not least there is Scott Roche. Scott is our sales and marketing guru, when he is not acting as a reader / editor he is also a very talented audio engineer.

So what is it that I do for Flying Island, well I am also one of the reader / editors, as well we being in charge of most of their IT type things.

This is my dream job. I can't way that enough so I am going to repeat it. This IS my DREAM job. I have wanted to work in the publishing industry for as long as I can remember (probably as long as I have wanted to be an astronaut) and this is my first step into that world. On top of that I get to use the skills I have developed over the last 15 years as a computer geek and support something that I am really into.

In short this project is very important to me, and I hope that some of my enthusiasm rubs of on you. I think there are some great things going to come from this.

For more information you can check out http://flyingislandpress.com We even have our first issue out so I can now say that I work for a real publisher.

The Launch of a Flagship

I promise that I will not turn this blog into a advertisement for Flying Island Press, but with that being said I do have something say about it.

This weekend we (Zach Ricks, Scott Roche, JP Losier, Philip Carroll and I) launched our newest endeavor. It is an e-magazine of sorts. I say of sorts because there is more to it than that, we also release the stories in e-book format. You can buy one or the other, or even both.

So, I was thinking about our choice of names for this e-magazine and the idea that we are launching it off for it's maiden voyage and some thoughts came to mind.

Champagne is often used to christen launch a new ship, giving it a good send off. But in this case I think coffee would be better. I mean what better way to enjoy some great stories than curled up in your favorite chair with a cup of coffee. Not your cup of tea? Maybe you like be be sitting out in the park, or on a walk. What about something for that long commute. Well if any of those options sound good to you Flagship might be right up your alley.

So even with everything I have said you are still not sure. Not sure if you can trust 5 guys with unknown publishing abilities, besides what do they know about this whole thing? Want to find out? How about a free sample to help you make up your mind?


Audio Version
Epub Version

If you like these, please feel free to spread them around, share them with your friends, put them in your own feeds, whatever you would like.

This is not a one trick pony folks. We are already taking submission for issue #2. And there is more going on in the background that will be coming soon. If you would like more information. Please drop by http://flyingislandpress.com

Thank you again for your support and helping us spread the word.

Flying Island Press Issue 1

Flying Island Press
Press Contact - Scott Roche
sroche@flyingislandpress.com
(336) 462-9676

Enjoy Your Sci-fi and Fantasy How and Where You Want

Beginning July 4th, science fiction and fantasy fans will be given a new place where they can discover authors and stories they’ll be able to enjoy wherever they go. Flagship, the new e-zine by publisher Flying Island Press, will soon be releasing short stories every other month in formats for the Kindle, the iPad and iPhone, and other electronic readers.

Flying Island Press also recognizes the increasing popularity of podcasts and other forms of audio fiction. So, in addition to the e-zine, an audio version will be available to listen to on any MP3 player. Stories they release will be available both in text and in audio, allowing the consumer to choose their preferred version.

Zach Ricks, managing editor for Flagship, had this to say. “I wanted to hearken back to what some have called the Golden Age of Science Fiction.” It’s his hope that “FlagShip will be a place for optimistic, entertaining fiction.”

Each issue will cost $1.99 for the text version or the audio version or get both for just $2.99.

Issues will be available starting July 4th, 2010 at
http://flyingislandpress.com/flagship

The deal

So here is the deal for those of you who still read this. I don't post here very often, and in that I am not a very good blogger. But I can tell that that I have not been idle while you waited for my next update.

This is just a short message to let you know what on July 4th me and a small group of others will be launching a brand new publishing company, Flying Island Press. More over on the 4th we will be releasing the first issue of our SciFi Magazine, Flagship. It will be available in both text and Audio formats. We are currently open for submissions for our second issue. For more details about it check out http://flyingislandpress.com

Quotes

One of my favorite quotes about love of all time comes a odd source, the 1968 movie, Yours Mine and Ours. This Quote comes from late in the movie when the family is all together, but still trying to figure things out.

Colleen North: [Helen is about to have a baby] I know this is a terrible time to talk about it, but Larry says...

Frank Beardsley: I've got a message for Larry. You tell him this is what it's all about. This is the real happening. If you want to know what love really is, take a look around you.

HelenNorth: What are you two talking about?

Frank Beardsley: Take a good look at your mother.

HelenNorth: Not now!

Frank Beardsley: Yes, now.

[to Colleen]
Frank Beardsley: It's giving life that counts. Until you're ready for it, all the rest is just a big fraud. All the crazy haircuts in the world won't keep it turning. Life isn't a love in, it's the dishes and the orthodontist and the shoe repairman and... ground round instead of roast beef. And I'll tell you something else: it isn't going to a bed with a man that proves you're in love with him; it's getting up in the morning and facing the drab, miserable, wonderful everyday world with him that counts.
[Leaving the house, they say good-bye to the little kids]
Frank Beardsley: I suppose having 19 kids is carrying it a bit too far, but if we had it to do over who would we skip... you?

HelenNorth: [getting into the car] Thank you, Frank. I never quite knew how to explain it to her.

Frank Beardsley: If we don't get you to the hospital fast, the rest of it's going to be explained right here!


And there you have it folks. That is what real love is.

Thanks to http://www.imdb.com for the quote you can find more from this movie in the quotes section here.

I'm watching you

I use this site to rant about a great many things, but every once In a while I just like to share something that means something to me. Being a Father, a dad, means a lot to me, and is not a responsibility I take lightly. Thank you to the creators of this video for reminding me once again, that being a father is not a job, it is not even a career, it is a vocation. For those of us called to do it, it is a life time of service, but it is worth every second!

Great Hites Season 2 Prompt 14

This weeks prompt is from me and is:

Download this week's Prompt

Look in your local newspaper and find a story where the head line interests you. Write a story about the head line, or the story or whatever you you like.

Some things about this prompt:
1. I know we have done this one before but it is always fun.
2. Newspaper can mean news feed, nightly news, whatever.
3. please tell us about the new story at the beginning of your recording and add it at the beginning of your text.


All Stories for this prompt are due by Midnight Tuesday March 23rd. Email the text of the story and a recording if you would like me to include it in the podcast to GreatHites at gmail dot com.

Good luck. And don't forget to come out to the site and vote for your favorite stories this week. Please tell all your friends to come out and join in the fun. Have you got some questions or comments about one of the stories, come out to Great Hites dot ning dot com and join our discussion forum.

Some thing new

Well really a lot of new things. I have not been keeping up with this blog lately, but I am going to work on getting better at that, and honestly I have not had a lot to talk about in the last few months. Now I am ready to talk, and talk I will.

If you have been paying attention at all there have been a number of new things going on with Great Hites. We have have started a discussion forum so everyone can talk about what they think of the stories. There you can talk about how you like the stories but don't like the host or how GH is falling further and Further behind in getting the actual podcasts out. I am really working on that one and I will address it a little later in this post. the next new thing is that I have joined this century and joined face book. I don't share lots of gory details about my life on my page, so if you want to friend me, mostly what you will get are updates about what is going on with Great Hites. There is also a Great Hites Fan page that will only have things that pertain to Great Hites if you don't want the occasional thing that I put on Facebook that are about me and not the podcast.

There are a couple of other things that have been going on, you have may or may not have noticed depending on if you listen to the show of read it, we have had a number of guest hosts. I am going to try to keep that going. I would like to have a guest host say once every couple of months. This is less of a break for me, and more of a way to keep other people interested in the show and maybe bring in some new blood. This month's guest host is the lovely and talented Philippa Ballantine. I want to say thank you to both Arlene Radasky and Philip (Norval Joe) Carroll who have also guest hosted recently, helping me while I was traveling. Also more on that later.

Some really new things, as in thing that I have done today, have been going on. First, in the past couple of weeks there has been a lot of talk about the value of free. This is really in reference to giving your work away for free. All I am going to say about this topic right now is that there is a lot to talk about it out there and I don't need to rehash what people have said. Well Maybe I will but not in this post. One of the things that I thought about when this topic came up was should we (GreatHites) be paying some of the writers. I talked about this with the secret council, and the answer I got back was really, "no." No? I said and then I listened to their arguments and they were right. They echoed my fears about where would the money come from and how would we keep it up if the donation dried up, and last of course was that in the beginning at least, the most likely people to give would be the authors and then why not let them just keep their money. So in the end I scraped the idea of excepting donations. However, GreatHites has started giving one book away a month and we will have that expense, and as much as I would like to say that I can pay for that all out of my pocket, I can't always. So I found a compromise. If you look on the site (any of the sites really) you will see a little ad for a thing called swag bucks. If you follow the ad and sign up and then use thier search engine a few times you can earn points. The points you earn can be used to get things like gift cards and prizes FOR YOU. The benefit for GH is that since you clicked on the link from our site we also get the points that you earn and it allows us to buy prizes in the form of Amazon or iTunes gift cards or even Books. Really it works out for everyone and I don't have to be an accountant to keep track of who gave what. That works better for me.

The last thing that is new is the Great Hites voicemail line. I have set up a voice mail line using Google voice. The number is 585-205-UNIX (8649). So if you have thoughts or comments or questions just pick up the phone and give us a call. I can use the recording or the text (because Google is so cool and transcribes the audio for me) as feedback. So yeah another way to leave more feedback for GreatHites.

Alright, so there is a lot going on in this post, and I promised more things but I think I will save some of those for the next post, which will be coming soon. There will be some more new things going on. There are going to be some changes, and hopefully these will all be good things in the end. Thanks To everyone for sticking with me for the last few months while things have been so crazy.

-Jeff

A week of stories has been skipped.

Yeah I goofed. It happens folks and I am sorry. In one of my rare moments of being on top of things last week I got the Bloomin' Fuchsia Stories put together and then even had a live feedback show with them. Unfortunately the moment of being on top of things was sponsored by, failure! I completely missed the stories about making your own fun while growing up. I promise that I will amend this, I have all the audio with me today and will work to get it lined up today at lunch. Sorry about the confusion!

In the mean time, please take a moment or two and listen to / read the Bloomin' Fuchsia stories that are out there now. I think you will find there are some really good stories there.