N.L. LaFoille

Do you get that buzzing, sweaty-palm excitement that I do at the mention of FREE BOOKS? That means you're a bibliophile too! Check out the Free and Discounted book sale hosted by the Indie Author group, Support for Indie Authors , from October 28 to October 31. Over 75 free and discounted books in a wide range of genres; you're sure to find something you'll love! *cough* Nautical Miles will be FREE October 28th only! Pick it up and support indie authors!

Research is a critical step in writing. Historical fiction especially, but research when writing any kind of fiction is imperative. Unless you’re writing about exactly what it is that you do all day, some research is necessary. Nothing throws a reader off like the misuse of a term. Anything that distracts from the narrative, or pulls the reader out of your world is something that hurts you as an author. So what is the best way to go about your research? Yes, Google is your friend, but to truly immerse yourself in a time period or region, go a little deeper. While reading other fiction novels set in the same era is recommendable, you don’t want to simply be regurgitating facts or scenes someone else has already written. To be truly unique and credible as a historical fiction writer, find your own take on the period, your own details to incorporate. Watch documentaries, or even T.V. series set in your time period. Downton Abby comes to mind. Go to museums with artifacts...

We love fiction; it transports us to exciting worlds with exciting people, whether we’re taking an epic journey across another universe or navigating a family crisis. I’m a voracious fiction reader. I write fiction, I adore fanfiction; any kind of fiction, count me in. But if I’m being honest, the most beneficial reading I do is non-fiction. In my naïve egotistical years, I used to make a lemon face when talking about non-fiction; it always brought to mind a washed-out navy blue cover with Papyrus font and a Shutterstock image that would be dry as a day-old cracker to slog through. What do I want to read non-fiction for? I live in the real world every day and it sucks; take me to Middle Earth. I didn’t understand then. Non-fiction makes me a better writer. Non-fiction is research, it’s expanding your boundaries and horizons. I recently read a book on bodybuilding. I have no particular interest in bodybuilding; I’m 120 pounds with rocks in my pockets, but in the future if...

Do you ever look back on things you wrote a year ago and cringe?  Um, I do.  It's a good thing, really! It means you're refining your voice.  "Voice" is a difficult term to describe, as it encompasses a lot of 'feeling'.  It's the individual writing style of that author , a combination of idiotypical usage of  syntax ,  diction ,  punctuation ,  character development , flow and  dialogue . Just as a trumpet has a different voice than a tuba or a violin has a different voice than a cello, one author's style will sound different from another's (ideally). An author's voice may be described as quirky, lyrical, light or dark.  An author may have many voices, depending on the POV they use to tell their story, and the feeling of the story itself. You wouldn't want to use a light voice to tell a dark story, or vice versa. You wouldn't want to use an overly professorial voice when telling a story from the POV of a teenager, either. So,...