Use Scrivener's Keywords to Manage Your Series

I'm having a little break from writing The Ravening Deep, so I thought I'd share a technique I'm using now that I have moved my entire Armada Wars operation from Open Office to that unbelievably good writer's app: Scrivener.

In this article, we'll start with the premise that you are writing (or starting) a series of novels set in the same universe. Here not only will you discover how to manage the books from your series in a single project file, but you'll also learn how to make the most of the keywords feature in Scrivener by setting up keywords in a structured fashion.

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Don't forget that this blog is now for behind-the-scenes reporting on the Armada Wars universe, and RCV's posts on writing and for writers. All of the current news and events going on in the Armadaverse can now be found on the all new web site at www.ArmadaWars.com!

Episodic Characters — Character School Part 3

In the previous two articles from this series, we looked at general tips for believable character interactions, and the basic fundamentals of creating solid main characters.

Both of those articles give a number of useful starting points for the kind of things that need to be taken into consideration when we are trying to craft characters the reader will enjoy and respond to.

But what should we do if we want to develop a character across several books? How can we juggle the opposing goals of creating a reader-character relationship, and not giving away too much too early?

I might just be able to help with that.

Updated: "Steal from the Devil" Second Edition

While writing List of the Dead, I learned a few things about writing fiction which were all news to me. They are little twiddly bits which don't typically get taught at school, and which are generally only of interest to editors. But every one of them is something which works to improve the structure and flow of text. Some are typographic (like proper use of the em-dash), some are to do with breaking and closing dialogue, and so on.

So I have gone back over Steal from the Devil with a fine-toothed comb, and applied what I have learned. The difference — I think — is subtle but effective.

While I was at it, I also weeded out some split infinitives. I say 'some'... turns out that when I looked for them specifically, there were a lot. A few sentences and bits of dialogue have been restructured for clarity.

Plot is not affected, and perhaps the only really significant change is in the first chapter. Because a minority of readers found it 'choppy' and 'disjointed' (real words from real reviews), I have de-chopped and re-jointed it. The Hammer's emergence from the wormhole now runs straight into the passage which introduces Captain Aker Santani, and the passage in which we see Caden's dream now runs directly into him waking up and contacting Rendir Throam.

All in all, I think it's a much better read. Had I not rushed so much to get it out last December it is probably the text I would have ended up with.

The paperback has been updated to the second edition, and new Kindle customers will get it automatically since it's now live on the Kindle store. Existing customers on Kindle need to visit their "Manage your Content and Devices" page on Amazon to get the updated file (it's easy).

A Progressive Learning Experience

This is a blog post with two purposes, and one that I have been thinking about writing for a couple of months now. It's partly for the fans of the new universe I've apparently unleashed, to tell them what to expect next, and partly for other independent writers who are either headed towards their first release, or thinking about how to get on with their next book.

Announced: "List of the Dead", Armada Wars Book 2

Work is now underway on volume two of Armada Wars, entitled List of the Dead, the first sequel to Steal from the Devil and the second episode in this five-part story arc. This volume is expected to weigh in at somewhere in the region of 100,000 to 120,000 words.

Elm Caden will retain the main protagonist role, however in volume two it will be Rendir Throam's past that has the spotlight pointed at it in the form of flashbacks. That will no doubt be an interesting ride for everyone.

Initially, the main dilemma Caden and his team will face is whether to chase after the Rasas suspected of provoking the Combine-Viskr war, or to hunt down Maber Castigon before he can assassinate any more Imperial Shards.

Some of the characters from the periphery of Steal from the Devil will come into their own, and a few more pivotal characters will be introduced.

We will see the aftermath of the attack on Lophrit, learn a tantalising fragment more of what is happening on Guathelia, and be plunged head first into the explosive fall-out from Operation Seawall.

And everything else is super duper top secret :)

Feel free to post questions in the comments section, and I'll answer those that won't invoke spoilers.

Fear the Deep.