Naomi Davis

Here's a quick tip: your reader does NOT need to learn it all at once. In fact, the more gradually&naturally you deliver information through your MC, the more satisfying the read will be in the end. Your reader should explore and discover alongside your MC. There is no rush. 9/

Instead, I'll have a conversation later that processes thru those deeper issues. Characters are the same; you will give your readers a more impactful experience if they can interact w/your characters like people, rather than reading big chunks of Stuff Author Wants You To Know 8/

Above all, make sure the information in the scene is relevant TO THAT SCENE. Example:when I'm interacting w/someone and my trust issues are flaring up, I do not go back and narrate to myself the origin of those issues or note that many ppl like me have them. They just exist. 7/

If opening scene starts OUTSIDE the castle/whatever, you have an excuse to show it. If your opening dialogue is between 2 ppl w/ different views, that's an opportunity to demonstrate balance of beliefs in the world&foreshadow tensions ahead. Break something. Start a fight. 6/

So how do you do it?
Make a list of all the things your reader needs to understand. Do this on your second or third draft, not the first. Then, shape your opening few chapters in a way that allows the reader to witness how the characters interact with these elements. 5/

...that explains one or more of these elements, the reader notices you, the author, trying to get them to understand something. They don't want to notice you. They want to forget you exist (sorry) and just relax and EXPERIENCE. They will absorb&care about world more this way. 4/

- Beliefs
- Setting
- History
- Relationship expectations
- Economy/Politics
- Traditions/Celebrations
- Language/symbolism
- Tech

All VERY necessary for your reader to understand in order to sink into your fantasy world and enjoy the story. But if you paste a big paragraph...3/

The goal is for your reader to NOT notice you explaining the world to them. So accomplish this by structuring your first chapters to begin advancing the plot in ways that allows your reader to see your character interact w/ the unique worldbuilding elements. This can include: 2/

A quick #writetip #querytip as I go through queries this morning: in adult SFF, there is often a true need for heavy, up-front worldbuilding, in order to understand the world they are exploring thru your character. How SMOOTHLY you do this determines if your reader notices. 1/

#querytip Often when I request adult SFF, I immediately see in the query what makes the book STAND OUT. It's usually 1 or 2 clear, concise elements - a hook, a setting, an inspiration, or a gap in the market the book can fill. Why is yours the one I NEED to read? Lead with that.

A quick #querytip: be specific!

Don't end your query with, "She must risk everything and face the thing she fears most."

Instead try, like, "She must risk her (job/ego/life) face the thing she fears most: (losing her position/her high school bully/an actual soulsucking demon)."

#querytip Please don't put things like "everyone, young and old" in Target Audience field.
Yes, that's always the dream. But who are you TARGETING? Who do you hope will latch onto your book&blow it up huge on social media&clean out bookstore shelves?
Fans of...? Readers of...?

Oh yes. I won't "disqualify" a query for most things. The one that really matters more than anything is the blurb. If the query says "I have written a novel" but doesn't tell me what it's about, it's VERY hard for me to go further with it.

Our experience/connections tend to give authors an inflated sense of what our opinions mean. Just because *I* don't know how to sell a book doesn't mean its unsellable. A car salesperson is not the right person to sell your house, after all.
We are people, readers. Nothing more.

My reading preferences DO NOT SAY ANYTHING about your value as a creator or the value of your work. Put your best out there. That's all you can do. Never criticize yourself or base your own personal value on an agent's opinion. We are just readers, just people. 2/

Either works! More specific is better in my opinion, but don't stretch too far for a comp. Comps set up my expectations, and when they are not quite honest in order to chase a trend or whatever, it frustrates me.

• Unprofessional bio. ("Me? Well I'm no one special and I highly doubt you'll even read this..." - you know what? It's my job to read it. Don't insult me. Self deprecation is not attractive in a query.)

As always, just my opinion! Send me Q that EXCITES me!
#WritingCommunity

Don't cont:
• Slow voice and infodump. If your character doesn't need to think about it in the scene, then I don't need to know it yet.
• Heavy dialogue tags and adverbs. Show instead of telling.
• No comp titles - you may feel your bk is unique, but who will read it? Market!

Don't cont:
• Too many characters and stakes. Who is your MAIN character showing plot? That's who I need to know about.
• Abstract genre placement. ("This book doesn't fall into one clear genre..." or "This book is a genre of its own" - well, that makes it hard for me to sell.)

Don't:
• Many Proper Nouns, be they names, surnames, locations, titles. Keep to the min necessary to accomplish the above
• Long or abstract descriptions ("This book is about family, & journey to love oneself in spite of etc etc"). Tell me the PLOT. The rest shows on its own.