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How Can Authors Use Military Tropes? Join The Blog Hop @AuthorEncounter)

by Stacy | May 25, 2021 | Special Events

I’m participating in a blog hop and scavenger hunt hosted by my friends at The Author Encounter. I love how it’s devoted to military tropes.

Crafting military fiction, whether it’s romance, fantasy, mystery, or any other genre mix, isn’t easy. Each story has unique challenges. However, creating believable, relatable characters, scenes and plot lines is a goal all authors aspire to no matter how they write. That is why so many authors use tropes to get their creative juices flowing in familiar ways to encourage their readers to fall in love with their stories.

What is a trope? Or more specifically what is a military trope? A military trope is a commonplace, recognizable plot element, theme, or visual cue that conveys something about the military.

Tropes can help make an alien situation or fictional scene feel familiar especially for those of us with no military experiences. So, using tropes in the right way can make your reader love your story that much more. Many readers across genres love military elements added to storylines. A great place to find ideas for military tropes is from other authors.

how authors use military tropes

Get inspired by other authors’ use of tropes readers love, such as the veteran finding new adventures, the special forces soldier, the unknowing hero, or teaching kids about the American flag. Whether you use tropes in a Tom Clancy style or old school like our favorite WWII vets: this blog hop will be an advantage.

Military Appreciation Month officially recognized by Congress in May 1999, incorporates many holidays celebrating our women and men in the Armed Forces. Join us for a literary approach to celebrating the soldiers and families that proudly serve and protect our country.

Click the links and match the authors to the tropes to win!

Here are the rules and prizes!

Hi there! I’m Stacy Juba, an author, freelance editor, and the founder of Shortcuts for Writers. I’d love to connect. If you’re a writer, here’s how we can work together:

Sign up for my free, on-demand self-editing masterclass

Check out my courses and workshops

Visit my editing services page

Join my Facebook group for writers

www.shortcutsforwriters.com/

Celebrate Indie Author Day With The Author Encounter (And Me!)

by Stacy | Nov 2, 2020 | Special Events

I’m excited to be leading a workshop on Nov. 7, 2020 as part of The Author Encounter’s Indie Author Day celebration. If you’re an indie author or industry professional, The Author Encounter has tailored this day to you. Free and open to the public, this event will offer pre-recorded webinars, live panels, and workshops on topics such as the costs of self-publishing, ISBNs for self-publishing, how to get your book in libraries, audiobook production, marketing tips, and Pinterest for authors.

My session is titled Self-Editing Secrets: How to Simplify the Editing Process and Not Break the Bank. Registration is required. You can sign up here.

This event will be part of the fifth annual Indie Author Day event. In the past years, nearly 300 libraries hosted thousands of authors across the United States and Canada. This year, high participation is expected again. This is an opportunity for the indie community to come together to help self-published and independent authors learn and get discovered.

“Publishing your own work is more viable today than ever before and the Independent Book Publishers Association is honored to support those who choose this entrepreneurial path,” said Angela Bole, IBPA CEO. “Indie Author Day will provide a chance to discuss publishing options, learn best practices and celebrate successes with a tribe of forward thinking writers, publishers and librarians.”

In addition to the activities that will be happening nationally, The Author Encounter will enrich its programming with selected workshop videos produced by Indie Author Day sponsors from around the world. A panel will include Shay Baby of the Brown Book Series and DC Gomez of Inside the Minds of Authors. There will also be bonus content from the founders, Bethany Averie, YA author, and Nan Jenkins, virtual assistant.

Beyond this annual event, the Indie Author Day community offers programming on both the indieauthorday.com and the indieauthorproject.com to help libraries and authors stay connected throughout the year.

The main focus of The Author Encounter is increasing visibility for authors and creating super fans through unique theme events. It’s free for published authors to join. For more information about the event, click here.

To learn more about the national Indie Author Day, visit indieauthorday.com.