Trouble in Paradise

It's been a while since I've posted on the blog.

Most probably assume that I've been busy. I have been. I'm not going to lie. I'm a stay at home mom with three kids, a dog that doubles as a pony and I deliver early morning paper routes. I'm also the go-to babysitter for all of my friends. I've started a book club in my area, I'm trying to plan a girls night dinner for my friends and I volunteer regularly at my kids school.

It's not why I haven't posted.

The last time my turn came up, I didn't know what to write.

No. Let's be honest. I was afraid to write. Afraid to the point it slipped away.

I want to be honest with you on where I'm at. The last two years have been hard. I signed with an agent. I started editing. I did more editing. I found a second manuscript with a small press that I'd forgotten about and informed my agent. We started editing the second ms, pushing the first aside. I continued to edit. I've been editing for the last two years. It's been a never-ending circle of re-reading the same two manuscripts over and over. To the point of frustration. To the point I don't want to write anymore.

The feedback is always the same. This isn't right, it isn't getting better. Read this. It will help.

Your relationship with your agent should be a working partnership. A give and take where you both discuss and understand your goals, and where you want to be. It should be somewhat of a friendship. You should feel like you're able to talk to your agent. Shoot them an email with concerns, let them know when you disagree with a decision that both of you are making about your work. If your agent isn't allowing you to talk to them, or listening to you when you do talk, it's time to re-evaluate the relationship.

Deciding whether or not an agent is right for you is hard. It feels like that agent may be your only chance. So you don't speak up. You don't voice your opinion. You don't want to offend your agent. While you're watching your career spiral into nowhere, you're losing your voice because you're afraid to use it in the first place.

Don't be.

Stand up for yourself. It's easy to get in a circle that goes nowhere. Because this is your only chance. Only, it's not. There are plenty of agents out there. There is one that will treat you with respect and listen to your opinions, wants and needs. They won't hold onto you out of pity. They'll guide you through every decision and push you to be the best. They'll become a friend as much as they are your agent, because guess what? Their career rides just as much on you as yours does on them.

Don't get sucked into the void. Don't be sucked in by the right words. It's hard. Some agents are smooth talkers. They know what needs to be said to get the deal. Sometimes those words don't amount to anything but empty words. Sometimes an agent seems right from the get-go, but you just don't mesh. You have nothing in common. It happens. Don't be afraid to voice how you feel.

It's difficult. I know. If you're anything like me, you feel guilty. Guilty for the work put in, guilty because you feel the way you do, worried you'll offend, but it's your career. It's your work. And if the person promising to help you to the best of their ability isn't, you need to step back. Take a hard, long look at where you are and what you want. They'll understand. Talk to them. Resolve the issue before it gets so out of hand you don't want to follow your dreams anymore.

Becasuse there is someone out there who wants you just the way you are.

Writing Hacks for the Creatively Stunted

Over the years we pick up tidbits of information, useful tips and tricks we think (or pray) will help us through everyday life. Some people call these life hacks. I call these "nuggets of wisdom from people with more time on their hands than me to think this stuff up because I'm too busy worrying how I'm going to do all this stuff to be able to sit down and think of these awesome ideas."

Too long?

So, years ago I started a file on my computer with hacks, hoping I'd be able to use them more and organize my life.

Until I forgot I had a file full of these freaking awesometastic ideas that were supposed to make me wonder-wife and super-mom!

Well the same thing happened to me with my writing life. I'd come across these really nifty hacks or compilations of writing tools and I tucked them away in a file on my computer. And every time I sit down to write words, I never ever think of them. EVER. I forget the folder even exists until I come across one online somewhere and go to save it in that file.

So, as 2016 lays down its carpet of brand new possibilities....I'm digging in to this file folder and sharing with you what I've saved over the years and calling it......

WRITING HACKS FOR THE CREATIVELY STUNTED

1. I found this gem recently. Here's some ideas on how to give your characters a quirk. You want your characters to be relatable and real, and if you give them a humanized quirk it'll help your reader attach to them. Try and think outside the realm of lip biting and nail chewing.

2. Body Language! Showing body language is a biggy. It is important in scene blocking and can also be as communicative as dialogue between the characters. It helps the reader solidify how you're presenting a scene. If your character's lying, we may not know as the reader by her dialogue, but if she's shifting her feet or if he's not making eye contact these help give the reader clues and deepen the point of view.

Another way to use body language is also if your character has an illness or disease or if you've given the some kind of quirk. Let's use anxiety as an example. If you consistently remind the reader she has anxiety, for one, that's telling. But also, it'll stick out like a sore thumb and be hit home so hard it'll annoy the reader. Instead, try showing the results of her anxiety with body language instead.

3. Showing vs. Telling. It's a hard skill to nail for a lot of writers. But I found these cool little hacks of descriptors that helps fill in those blanks when you're trying to bring narrative to life and let the reader experience the scene with the character versus being told.

For instance....Telling - She had long hair.  Showing - Layered mousy brown hair framed the edges of her heart-shaped face, setting off her jade eyes.

      

           

4. And last, but not least, emotions. They play a huge roll in our characters development. And at some point in your book your character will probably hit all six of the major emotions. But in order to take your character deeper and really strengthen their arc, try narrowing in on the different levels each of the major emotions has. As you can see by this nifty chart below, there's far more levels and facets of each emotion. If you zero in on one, it can help you take your character to a deeper point of view and explore.

Happy Hacking....er....I mean writing!

Writing A Series: An Inside Look

When I realized today was my day to write for the blog, I looked up in a daze from my latest WIP and thought...but what should I write about?  I asked the other Relentless Writers for suggestions and bemoaned the fact that I suck at blogging.

The conversation went something like this:

Me: I suck at blogging.

RW: You don't suck at blogging. Your posts are generally good. What you suck at is planning what to write. (*this is true)
 
Me: No, I really do suck at blogging. And planning.

(even Sherlock agrees)

RW: Wait, I know. Have you done a post about writing a series yet? (*because I write a lot of series)

Me:  And what would I say about writing a series?

RW:  How did you maintain the continuity between the historical western books? Was it different from how you approached the sequel to Hunter's book? Is contemporary easier than historical? How do you keep track of things? Pinterest boards? Google docs? Have you ever had a reader (beta or otherwise) catch a continuity error? What'll you do to keep that from happening? Are there any sources for "how to write a series" that you've found particularly helpful? From an agent's perspective/your knowledge of the industry, what are the pros and cons of writing books in series? What's your best piece of advice for a newby starting out with a series?

Me:  Oh wow. Okay, so my answer to all that is...I didn't plan that far ahead (big shock, right?). I did it all as I went. Oh, and Google.

RW:  ...

Me:  My post can consist of this: How to Write a Series, by M. Madigan. Come up with a fabulous idea (or you hope it is. It sounds fabulous in your head at least). Make a page of general notes (It's contemporary/western/post-apocalyptic and there are maybe five core characters you'll focus on for the series). Make more specific notes for book one. Start writing. Worship Google. Start the next book by making specific notes. Shoe-horn it into the series to fit with book one. Lots more Google worshipping. Do the same for the rest of the books. The End.

 RW: Um. Don't forget gifs.

That's how the conversation went, but I'm being (mostly) facetious about the process (okay, only partly). Everyone who writes a series will have a different process, so mine is just mine and could probably stand to be improved upon.

However, how do you write a series is a legitimate question because in many genres (romance, mystery, scifi, fantasy), series are hot. Readers want them, agents and editors look for them, so writers need to think about writing them. 

I seem to be a series addict. I've got no fewer than eight in progress at the moment: the Nevada Bounty series (historical romance), the Caine Brothers series (erotic contemporary novellas), the Forever Faerie series (paranormal romance), the Tap Zone series (contemporary MMA romance), the Dragon Club (shifter romances), Never Too Late (second chance at romance/women's fiction), the Timed Out series (space opera), and the Tales from Beyond the End (post-apocalyptic fairy tale retellings).

(that's a lot of series)

Why do I write series? Because I like to set up a world, fill it with people, get to know them and then put them through the wringer. I think that's why readers like them, too. I know that's what I like when I'm reading them, so that's what I aim for as a writer.

But how do you write a series? I can give you some idea of how I do it, but again, all writers are different. I write romance and science fiction so I can get away with some loosey-gooseyness where authors of mystery and fantasy probably can't. Those genres require some pretty tight plotting and planning.

So although I was being snarky when I said this is what my post would look like, in the end, it kind of does:


How to Write a Series, by M. Madigan

1. I'm struck by a fabulous idea for a series.  Often when this happens, I'll brainstorm with another writer friend just to be sure the story idea sounds as good out loud as it does in my head. I also look at some of the stuff that's selling in the industry to see if the idea has merit. If it has potential to sell (for instance, if I came up with an idea for a vampire/angel/demon romance, even if it was amazing, I wouldn't write it because that stuff is dead right now. It'll come back around again eventually, but I don't want to spend time now on something I can't sell), I'll move on to step two.

2. Make a page of notes for the series. What's the genre? Who are the characters? When I came up with the idea for the Caine Brothers series, I immediately sat down and made some general notes for each brother - his name, what he does (billionaire, biker, SEAL, rock star, fighter, shifter), who his heroine is, and a short paragraph blurb for the plot. All these things are subject to change, but the notes give me a vague shape for the series.

3. Make more specific notes for book one. I'm not a detailed plotter, but I do want notes to work from. I don't like writing myself into corners (I did this with the space opera and it took me a long time and some rewriting to get out). I do a character profile for the main characters, a setting worksheet, and write a couple of pages of linear plot summary. Often I will expand these as I'm writing and need more detail. I also make note of important details like dates, quirks, props, secondary characters, relatives, etc...anything that can be used throughout the series to tie them together. I love Pinterest as a visual way to keep track of characters, setting, props, clothes, etc. I have Pinterest boards for each book and/or series. Google is also my friend. I never know what kind of research I'll need until I'm deep into the story, so sometimes there's a lot of stopping-digging-starting going on. Writing a historical western required some pretty interesting research (for instance, 19th century western curse words). One of the great things about being a writer (I think) is that I get to teach myself about a whole bunch of new stuff that I probably never would have learned had I not needed to research it for a book!

Once the first book is done (after I've had my awesome betas read it--and yes, they've caught stuff I didn't see like continuity things, improbabilities, practical problems) and off to an editor, or self-published, it's time to move on to the next one.

4. Start the next book by making specific notes. Repeat the process with the next book. I go back and look at my series notes, figure out who's next, what the general plot is about, then open a document to begin expanding that into a fleshed-out plot. I'll review my notes from book one to see what I need to carry over (themes, tropes, etc), and get to work on the next one following the same general writing process. I kid when I say I have to "shoe-horn it into the series to fit with book one" because although I don't have obsessively detailed series notes, I hope they're good enough I don't have to force anything. And if I come across a problem, I just see that as an opportunity for creative solutions.

5. Repeat the process for as many books as are in the series.


For me, that's it. That's the process. It's part organic, part planning, part linear, part disorder, often frustrating, but always a wonderful, juicy, creative, wild ride!

The point is, if you write series you need to find what process works best for you depending on what genre you write, but also what kind of writer you are. There's no right or wrong as long as you figure out some form of organization and creative process that works to maintain your continuity and inspiration.

(use yours)

Now, go write.

~Margaret

THE CRUSADE OF THE LOST MANUSCRIPTS - by Janice M. Wilson

MY NOVEL!  JUST KILL ME ALREADY!

A few years ago, back in the day when laptops were rarely seen and only a lucky few had them, much less a home computer – I watched a movie about a writer who had put his entire newly written novel onto his laptop.  In a few seconds he managed to trip and the laptop went flying out of his hands onto the street. Before he could stand up a truck ran over the computer, flattening it and the novel was gone forever.  The anguish the man suffered was properly conveyed on the screen, and I’m sure every writer in the world could feel his pain.

What am I going to do now?

I sat there wondering – didn’t he at least print that novel or save it on a floppy? (I just aged myself even more, didn’t I?)

All that hard work -  95,000 words - and I never even had it printed!

Well, I took it to heart. I made a regular habit to back up my writings religiously to a computer, flash drive (these days), and at least 1 email to myself to save it electronically.   The latter I did mostly for access purposes to write on something from wherever I am.  Now we have ‘clouds’, but by either email or uploading into cyberspace, it still saved my work regardless of the reason.

THEN I WAS ROBBED!

"Where's the diary, Dr. Jones?
"WHAT DIARY?"
"You have it - in your pocket."

Bandits supposedly broke into my house and stole all the electronics in the house (mine and a roommates), including my laptop.

I feel so............nothing. 

I had backed up everything up until about 4 weeks before the break in.

My flashdrive was (thankfully!) in another location of the house, and inconspicuously hidden, so the backed up work was not all lost. Not all, but that’s another whole story.

Thank God I remembered where he kept the extra copy!

And they couldn’t take my back-ups on email.   I changed my passwords immediately anyway but still – it was tucked away in e-pockets they never would know about.

They will never find it - right HERE!

The only thing I lost were updated drafts of a few things I had written that last few weeks up to the day of the break-in.  That I would have to rewrite again. (sigghhhh)

I need what's in here - on the paper, Dr. Jones!

PLUS – the laptop had a password login protection.  If they still got in, then stolen my copyrights – I’d have proof of about 98% of it that it was mine.  Snagged.  Done deal.  Pay up at the court window.

Snagged! Turn over the rights, son!

I miss some of those things I just about finished, and now have to re-start from old drafts.  This crime was not just of techy value, but a jab to the soul, a crime of the heart.

My new work is gone.

But take heart - this evolved me too, so good things came out of it.

The Importance of our Creative Work

Each piece is a new baby, needing attention, some love for it from the heart, sunlight and growth (editing), and to be seen.  I took a lot of time brain storming and crafting each piece, which entitles any artist to be very upset when work is plagiarized or entirely disappears.

Willie was right! This diamond is so perfect, it glows!

Not just written pieces but all kinds of art work should be photographed, logged and saved in several different places.

How dependent I had become to digital.

This robbery also showed me just how much I had become dependent on digital.  Too dependent.  I was forced to revert to my old legal pad and good pens days, the good old days.

Let me tell you – I still wrote a lot by hand.  I even appreciated being able to write on a tablet of paper when I would have previously been worried about knocking over drinks onto my laptop, but it wasn’t a problem for a few weeks.

Oh be serious!....I'm perfectly able to...........write.......um...without my compu......ummmm.

Plus I had the written proof of a few new ideas that are MINE!

I started 4 stories on paper.  (Of course when I finally got a laptop I typed them into documents.)  By sheer determination to keep going despite my lack of digital freedom.  

I'm going back in - by hand!

It took some getting used to again, and my mind was faster than my hand so it was a little frustrating and I had to keep making little notes of bigger points/plots so I didn’t forget anything, but I still managed to write at least 1 legal pad full of stories.

Drawing....(ehem) DRAFTING ideas for a story.  Yep!

I had to – or I would have burst.

Crap - She waited too long!

Inventory it!

Keep some kind of manuscript log.  This is another way of not only keeping dibs on what you send out into the cold dark cyber world, but a simple spreadsheet can help you keep track of when it was sent, to whom, how long of a response time to expect, simultaneous submissions allowed, money earned or spent, contests, etc. 

I know I sent that story to an anthology sometime in.......

Make it work for you!  And back that up into a hidden corner as well.

........and now I just have to find that manuscript in a shoe box in my garage....
.....it's in here somewhere....

Tag it!

One of the first things the Detective asked me was the description of the laptop and did I have any kind of ID numbers saved so they can maybe track it and capture the criminal and my property.

I didn’t have those numbers, although I did lock the screen and changed all my passwords. Still, that was a dumb move on my part.   Learn from my mistake here.  Take pictures of all S/N numbers, Windows Product ID, service ID and the kind of computer you have and all the tags on it.

I'll laser my name onto my laptop!

Same for your smaller toys.  Send yourself an email to several places with those pics and typed information, load it in the clouds, hire a personal security team to guard it or hide it in your shoes.  Whatever way you fancy, keep some kind of documentation records of your pertinent toys, and keep them relatively accessible in case of a robber or plagiarist.

If this (God-forbid) ever happens to me again – they will be BUSTED quickly!

I want my laptop back!  YOU would have done the same!

I Have To Create

SIMPLY PUT-  I HAVE TO WRITE or I will implode or something equally horrific! No robbers, doctors, surgeons, faith healers, or plagiarizers could possibly stop this disease I have.  I really don’t want them to try either.

(See my story in September about NEVER KEEPING A WRITER FROM WRITING!)

Triple-quadruple backup everything!

The Good News!

I did finally get a new computer – and it took 2 months but well worth the wait because it was exactly what I needed for so many things!

I know it's my medallion but it's for my new laptop!

I had to save for it and do some research, dodging several slick salespeople, and serious flash saving but I did it, sacrificing some needs and comforts to buy it!

At last - back on the Wifi and writing again!

The prize to the one who finds my old computer!

Oh, I would kiss him for a lot less of a reason!

Hope for the Holidays

Merry Christmas for all that celebrate. Thinking about what to write for this Christmas Eve post, I remembered an article that ran in my neighborhood newsletter six years ago. I updated the story for this post. 

December 2009, I was sitting at the hospital with my mother as she was about to have a knee replacement. I was concerned about her, and, at the same time, thankful it wasn't me who was about to have surgery. As I tried to find something to write about, and at the same time distract my mother, I asked her if she had any ideas; she thought for a minute or two and asked me if I knew the story about the first Christmas tree. I didn't, so she told me the story.

"There was once a little Scandinavian Princess, who had everything she ever wanted. At Christmas her father, wanting to please her, took her for a sleigh ride to admire the trees and pick one out to take home. All of the beautiful trees were puffed up, proud to offer themselves to the princess, but she looked past them to a small scraggly tree. The spaces in the branches were occupied by birds and squirrels, but the little princess saw past the imperfections and took the tree home. She was so happy with it, she filled the spaces with decorations and thought the tree was beautiful.”

At this point, I interrupted my mom and said, "That's terrible, what happened to all of the little animals that lived in the tree?"

 My mom said patiently, or not so patiently if anyone knows my mom, "Oh, they all found new homes, but you are MISSING the point of the story. The point is that the little tree was small and scrawny, but to the little girl, the it was perfect and beautiful.”

Okay, whatever. I was happy to sit with my mom--she was having a big operation and needed company. I was hopeful that the surgery would go well, and she would be doing better the next day.

Later, I realized that I didn't quite get the message of her story, even after she explained it to me.

Hours after surgery, my mom was up and even walked (albeit only a few feet). I mentioned to her that I used her story for this feature. She smiled and said, "Oh, did I tell you that at the end of the story all the animals followed the little princess home and lived with her?”

Back in 2009, the day after the story, I decided that I finally understood. Like the little princess, many of us have lots of beautiful things. And I was hopeful that we could be like the little princess and see past the imperfections of the world to find beauty and happiness. 

Re-reading old articles can often be painful. But this one, even with the comma splices and dangling modifiers, still brought a smile.  That was a happy time in my life. My mom rocked the knee replacement. And the little princess story still applies; for me, first drafts often look like a scraggly tree. And if I can find the beauty of a solid frame within my story, I can finish it out, add a little glitz, and have a polished piece. 

Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

The Value of Critique Groups

Today is November 30. The last day of #NaNoWriMo. My post today is going to be a little different as I’m close to winning. I know they say close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. But what the hell do "they" know anyway? Let see *them* write forty-eight thousand words in a month!

Slapping 50K words in thirty days means all words will NEED to be revised. Revision is key. If I tried to fire off my NaNo Draft (which is probably even lower caliber than a First Draft) to agents or editors I could expect silence. If I sent it to my Critique Partner, I might expect a scathing reply along the lines of; “Did you send me a First Draft?!”

Used with permission from Debbie Ridpath Ohi at Inkygirl.com

In my opinion, a first draft should be read by no one besides the author. Once revised (more than once) the manuscript must be vetted by a Critique Partner. I interviewed Lane Buckman, the Lane of Robyn Lane Books, to discuss the value of CPs.  

1. How long have you been writing with a purpose?

I have been writing with a purpose since elementary school.  I got an early start with a specialized program to develop young writers through Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, Virginia.  I took my first write-for-pay job doing campaign scripting when I was fourteen, and have been working freelance since then.  I do a lot of technical writing for hire, a lot of op-ed, and dabble in marketing materials.  Now, as far as writing novels goes, I got serious about that in the early 2000s.  I sold my first novel in 2010, then followed up in different genres in 2013, 2014, and 2015.  Now, I focus on my work as a publisher, so I spend most of my time offering editorial notes to the fantastic writers we have found.

2. What’s the best thing a critique partner can tell you?

The best thing a critique partner can tell me is, "This doesn't work."  If they can back that up with why it doesn't work, that's a lot more helpful, but if something isn't reading well, I need to know--no matter how painful.  The most painful feedback I've ever gotten was, "Oh, Lane.  Just...no.  No."

3. What’s the worst thing a critique partner can tell you?

The worst thing a critique partner can tell me is, "This is perfect!"  Because it never is. 

4. What’s one piece of advice you’d like to offer new writers/new critiquers?

 Don't ask your friends to read you to critique is my advice to new writers.  Your friends love you, and they won't tell you the problems with your work.  Find a reader you respect, and ask them to read as though they were going to review it to recommend to their most esteemed colleague.

My advice to those new to critique is pretty simple.   My critique motto is:  Imagine it's your work.  I offer the feedback in a way I would want to receive it.  That is, honestly and respectfully.  I don't pull punches, but I am kind.  Writing is hard work, and whether I'm reading James Joyce, or E.L. James, I keep that in mind, and I offer my feedback with respect to the effort, and the human being who did the writing.  We're all in the same boat, hoping for the same success, and we can all afford to be kind in how we deliver our messages.

5.  How many critique groups have you been in? What will keep you engaged? And what will have you running for the door?

I am active in three groups.  Each group was carefully cultivated (either by me, or another group member) to include published authors, copy editors, and people who love to read within the particular genre.  My favorites are the people who love the genre because they will tell you right off the bat if you are missing the mark.  Feedback keeps me engaged.  I run for the door when someone asks me to add in some erotica because I can't write that without laughing.

6. What can a critique group/partner offer that a writer can’t accomplish on her/his own?

  

Critique groups and partners offer honest, objective opinions in a safe environment.  I can't speak for anyone else, but my greatest fear in publishing is that my manuscript is the one the editorial team cracks up over because it is so bad.  I would rather run my work through thirty flesh-stripping critiques, than have one publisher laugh at me.  A friend recently posted that she'd just joined a critique group, and was thoroughly embarrassed by the feedback she'd received, but she was so glad she hadn't sent the book out to a publisher, or agent that way.  Critique groups help you hone your work, and help make you better.  I really can't say enough about how important it is to have someone else read your work.

KM Weiland has a great list of questions for Critique Partners.

What do you like to ask for in CPs?

Be A Tease!

Everyone loves a tease. That tiny morsel of goodness to whet your appetite and leave you begging for more. The build up of anticipation for something, whether it's food, books, movies, a hot date...it's what keeps your attention and focus, leaving you aching for more.

Teasers are an important part of book marketing. Done right, you can grab a brand new reader's attention in less than a minute. Done wrong, you can turn a potential reader away for life.

Here's a teaser for my new book out today, ELUDING ILLUSIONS

Sometimes teasers can be done using a tagline or a "hook" for your book. Here's another using a tagline for my book, VEXED.

Sometimes teasers can be lines or quotes from your book.

You'll notice in the teaser above I put my copyright info and gave credit for the picture to the owner of it. NEVER use pics of celebrities or steal pics from the interwebs to use in teasers. You can get in serious legal trouble without express written permission from the rights holder of the image. There are many stock photo sites you can buy images from to use in your teasers. 

And if you don't want to buy images, some photographers will allow you to use an image if you credit them in the photo, as I did above. But you must have their permission to do so. Or you can use plain backgrounds and make your own using images from your book cover art files as I did in the first two teasers. Ask your cover artist for help if you want banners made up or blank teasers you can manipulate using your cover art files.

A teaser can even be as simple as just an image and your release date to start getting your cover in front of your potential reader audience, like the one I did above.

Also, please remember when making teasers to keep the fonts legible.

While those are cool fonts and it makes it eye catching, it's somewhat hard to read. Teasers should entice a future reader, not make them work for it or get frustrated because they can read only every other word because of font, or colors blending in over background images. 

Try can keep them as crisp and eye catching as possible.

Remember to change up the teasers. 

• Have a sexy one if it's a romance novel. 
• Have a more serious and dramatic one that shows the depth of the book as well. 
• Have a tagline hook as we mentioned earlier. 
• A PG level one for general audiences is also a good idea. 
• Have one as well that gives perspective and insight into the personalities of your characters. 

Like the one below for my novel, VEXED, it gives you a sense of the banter between the main characters.

Teasers can also can turn a potential reader into a lost sale. Remember that a variety of people will be seeing your teaser. So, unless you're posting in a specific group of people, please make your teasers for a general audience. If you write BDSM or Erotica, make sure you have a teaser specific to those audiences, but don't post those in a general FB group using graphic sexual references. Have a cleaner version for the masses and put a warning that the book itself will contain language, violence, or graphic sex. 

Also, please, for the love of all humanity, make sure your teasers don't have misspellings or typos. It's a reflection on you as the author. Put your best work forward.

Go forth and tease the world!!