People, Start Your Engines!

 It's #NaNoWriMo time. 

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels

For those of you who haven't heard about it- it's National Novel Writing Month. That means writers bust their butts to draft a novel of 50,000 words (1,677 words a day) in one month. It's hard. Not everyone succeeds. (Whoever chose November, instead of like January or March- WHAT were you thinking???) The point is to START. To get words down. To initiate a writing routine that becomes a lifestyle. It's hard work, it's sometimes frustrating. The finished product is usually crap- but it's a START. Better to have something than just an intention.

From newbies hoping to write that first novel to seasoned writers, this yearly challenge is an obstacle course: juggling family, work, holiday schedules, keeping faith with ourselves, and staying motivated through all the demands on our time, emotions, and even health. 

So to everyone taking up the challenge, good luck! Here are five rules (suggestions?) to keep in mind:

1. You missed a day. Or two. Don't fret and don't give up. You have time to catch up.

2. You won't make the deadline - November 30th. There are no NaNo police coming to give you a ticket for failure to comply. Take a few days in December and finish. No judgement here.

3. If you get stuck, go to https://nanowrimo.org/ and sign up (which you should have done already, but it's never to late) and get some inspiration from other writers, from chatting with others in the same situation, to ways to break through the block.

4. Don't be afraid to walk away- at least for a little while to gather your thoughts. Talk a walk. Read a book that inspires what you're trying to write. Look at pictures. When the idea comes to you (and it will) you'll write with renewed vigor.

5. The only reason to go back to the beginning of your story is to read to pick up the thread if you feel lost. DO NOT go back and make edits; make notes. Don't waste precious time polishing the beginning because you might very well toss that beginning when you do NaNoRevMo (National Novel Revising Month) or whenever you decide to revise it. Read only to get back in the mood of your novel to push you forward. 

May the words be with you! 

Char

The Bestseller Dilemma

When I go on vacation, I take several books. This year, I took two from one of my favorite authors. I quickly read them. My cousin finished her book (only 1????) so we switched. There were several things that both books had in common:

Both were written by bestselling authors.

Both authors were world known.

Both authors wrote 30 books or more.

And they shared another aspect; the more famous the authors became, the less editing was done on their books. Both books had numerous repetitions; not just two, three times saying the same thing, but almost every chapter.

I find that so annoying. Being a bestseller shouldn't make you immune from good editing. What's required from new writers- conciseness- should be required from established authors. I have noticed this among other bestselling authors (no, I'm not going to name them and commit author suicide). It's like laws that the average citizen has to obey, but somehow politicians and the very rich think don't apply to them. Makes you mad, right?

I finished the books because one was a favorite author, and the other because I wanted to know the ending.

And after snorkeling, dancing, partyboating, dining, swimming, and sunning, what else was there to do?

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Till next time....

Char

Beware the Hole!

I was relaxing, in my jammies, with a cup of tea and a cat on my lap, watching one of my favorite Hallmark movies. In the first 10 minutes.... Plot hole!

Photo courtesy of Anthony DeRosa, Pexels.

And it wasn't the only one. By the time I got to the end, there were 8 plot/situation holes. How did all of them get past:

author

agent

editor

copy/film editor

producer

director?

Here they are:

1- A minor character, a soldier, tells main character that he and girlfriend set wedding date. He immediately gets killed. Main character gives dog tags to 'widow.'

2- As the camera pans through the picturesque town, sometimes there is snow, sometimes not- and sometimes it's the same place, like a main character's home, on the same day. (not a plot hole, but a situational/filming hole. Still, someone missed it.)

3- Main female character's hair is perfect when she is in the office. She goes outside for a brief scene, hair gets wet from falling snow and looks droopy. Yet, walks into the office and wa-la! hair is perfect again!

4- A supporting character has a horse drawn sleigh, and mentions he wants to put wheels on it. Camera pans across sleigh, and... it has wheels.

5- It's a Christmas movie, so there shouldn't be little green buds on the trees....

6- This is more an acting thing, but director should have caught it- female lead doesn't close her eyes when kissing the hot male character, so I'm not convinced of the attraction. (I would have offered to take her place.)

7- People in the church are singing (really pretending) and their mouth movements don't match the words to the songs. At least the main characters seem to know the words. (The others have hymnals so they should have been able to fake it better....)

8- In the end scene, the main female character is chasing after the main male character, who's had a head start leaving town. And yet, she had time to run to a diner and get a chicken salad club with extra crispy curly fries to go, and bring it to him.

Don't get me wrong, I still love the movie, but careful editing is essential. I've read books where I stop and say, "Wait! That can't be!" It's even WORSE when it's my own book.

So Hallmark, call me, I'll be happy to watch and suggest edits. And, maybe, you could take a look at my manuscript....  ;)

Char

Please Stop, Your Story is Killing Me...

Last week I was in Los Angeles, visiting my middle son and doing touristy things. (Tip: It's very expensive to visit/live...)

Ah, the Pacific Coast Highway...

When I travel, I don't bring books (gasp!) but I load up my Kindle with new and debut authors to see what they are writing. Without mentioning the author or the title of one of three books I got, I'm putting up my editing notes on the one book I read (I was very busy). My notes, on hotel notepad paper, got jumbled in my suitcase so my comments are not in order:

1. There were too many repeated phrases, i.e. "You know that, right?" It seems every character said this multiple times.
2. If this is a YA book (and it was) STOP using "f*&%!" for the word 'fuck.' If the dialog needs the word THEN SAY THE WORD. We're all grownups here and know the word- we all use it, too.
3. I don't know how old the author is, but tired phrases like "pipe down" are only suitable for older characters. I don't know a young adult anywhere who would use that phrase. Update your vocab.
4. Almost EVERY CHARACTER winked. Read Angela Ackerman's Emotion Thesaurus to find fresher ways to physically convey emotions. Not everyone winks (I rarely, if ever, do.)
5. How can you pub a book and MISSPELL 'livelihood' and other words? Doesn't your spellcheck kick in? If you're using a cheap-o program that doesn't have spellcheck, then get a better program. If you have it but ignore it, DON'T.
6. How can anyone lie "in" a floor? I understand there are colloquialisms but this one doesn't make sense and it really irks me. You lie 'on' the floor, unless you're melding into the wood because of an errant warp in the fabric of space....
7. Basic editing: you don't need 'of' when you jump off something, i.e. 'jump off a cliff', not 'jump off of a cliff.'
8. I wonder if the author has ever been on a motorcycle because driver and passenger can't chat when the cycle is humming down the road unless they have a helmet-to-helmet communication set-up. I know, I've been on a motorcycle and it's impossible to hear. I wonder if the author hasn't seen the Progressive insurance commercial where Flo and some biker dude miscommunicate because they're trying to talk between bikes.
9. There were places in the story that didn't have a natural progression, the story jumped from one moment and skips too far ahead, which throws off the pacing. It's fine not to write every single moment of the day, but if you jump huge chunks of time, you have to be careful to bring the readers with you.
10. The main character had two different names. Maybe she changed the name, but a global search and replace in Word would have avoided that. I do not know what free/cheap programs offer, but if they don't have a lot of writer friendly features, they aren't worth the price.
11. Basic dialog 101- you don't need a dialog tag every time a character speaks. Action can act as an identifier; i.e. Carol slammed the door. "I don't need your opinion." See? No tags.
12. When a character 'squeals' during intimate moments, I cringe. I want to ask the character, "What, are you ten years old???" It kills the moment, makes the character sound too juvenile for intimacy, and I wonder if the author has experienced an actual moment of intimacy.
13. There were moments when the main female character seemed too immature for YA; she felt more like a middle grader: squealing, constant snarking, etc.
14. The main character, a female, was always extreme- too whiny, too sarcastic, too dramatic. Again, this made the character seem not only immature, but shallow. I didn't see her her in a natural state and didn't feel close to her.
15. As an author, it's important to know how to use words correctly- like 'skeptically,' which doesn't mean quizzically, or confused which is what I think the author meant to convey. What's worse, is that this isn't an SAT word that few people know.
16. The phrase 'cross that bridge when we come to it' is something your grandmother or another older adult would say. Start hanging out with teens because their speech is different. The last thing they want is to sound like their parents or grandparents.
17. Only in the movie Deadpool do I love breaking the fourth wall- talking directly to the audience. It doesn't work in this book and she only did it twice, which makes it stick out even more. Just. Don't. If you aren't consistent and it doesn't fit the story- and especially if you're using it for an info dump, it screams amateur.
18. Like the winking, there is too much eye rolling by too many characters.
19. While the story has a setting in Texas, and the character may have a Southern drawl, use of the word 'ya' for 'you' is sometimes awkward. It fits with "Hi ya!" But, if you completely forget to use it in the second half of the book, I'm thinking you don't need it at all.
20. "Freaky deaky?" NO. Show me a teen that would use this phrase.
21. This is a love story- and yet I didn't feel the love. There were opportunities for kisses and if two characters believe they are destined to be joined forever, there would be more kissing, especially since who doesn't love to kiss the person they are so attracted to? They keep too much of a distance for me to buy the love aspect.
22. Repetitive behavior bores me and slows the pace. A character who constantly whines about things she already knows and has accepted drives me crazy. Can we move on to the threat she faces?
23. When a secondary character constantly steals the scene, sometimes it's fabulous. But not in this case. The secondary character felt like a bully, or one of those annoying people you know who have to be the center of attention even in situations where they don't belong. It disrupts the flow, distracts me from the problem at hand and I begin to hate that character.
24.  "Dad gummet?" Are you KIDDING ME? If you can use the word fuck, then you can say damn, or hell, or holy shit, etc. Really, grow up.
25. There was an instance or two where the action was to be in one place but somehow was in another. Maybe there was a wormhole?
26.  "Pulled the proverbial rug out from underneath." No teen in the universe would say this. Again, hang out with teens who live in an average city, town, or coffee shop and listen to them. I have a teen and from his speech, and that of his friends, guys and gals, I know none of them would ever use this phrase.
27. It's 'duct tape' not 'duck tape.'
28. Stepping out of character for an info dump, made worse by changing tense from past to present is grating on the nerves. I kept going back, thinking I missed a line, or that text got accidentally omitted. Just bad writing.
29. No excuse for missing punctuation; worse when it's numerous instances.
30. "How about them apples?" Did grandpa make an appearance, because it sure sounds like him. No, just worn out, dead cliches... Also, "good grief." NO.
31. If I have to tell you the difference between 'your' and 'you're' I feel you need basic remedial English.
32. When one character knows the other characters' thoughts, and it's not a psychic thing, NO. You're jumping from point of view to another, and it's awkward. (That's cheating, too.)
33. Same thing with forecasting; no one should know that the future is going to dramatically change unless they are doing/making a choice with that power. Just thinking, when you meet a new person for all of a few minutes, that your life is going to abruptly change I'm not buying unless there is a paranormal aspect. I met a new person at a book signing. Maybe my life will change in a dramatic way, but from chatting for a few minutes, I have no way of knowing. Also, this kills the surprise if/when something happens.
34. Dialog should feel natural; we don't talk in proper sentences all the time because dialog is immediate and personal and things can be omitted because we understand the flow of the speech, so when I read a line like "Are you to tell me you are afraid?" it just doesn't work, unless it's a stuffy intellectual speaking.
35. There are instances of telling, instead of showing, and usually at important moments. This waters down the impact.
36. A good writer knows the difference between commas and semicolons. Just saying.
37. "Both girls laughed at their silly antics that seemed to keep them same." There is no way this sentence works in the story because I don't recognize the speaker- the main character was speaking, but who is this?
38. When the formatting is wonky- too many spaces between chapter title and text, empty pages, sentences ending in the middle of the page, etc., it SCREAMS amateur. True, some mistakes can happen if you're doing the set up, so either review it before you release it, or pay someone to do the job right and then review it anyway. This really annoys readers.
39. If you don't know the difference between plurals and possessives, you are doomed.
40. If you don't know the difference between past and present tenses and when to use them, you are doomed.
41. Info dumps spell disaster.
42. Every time a character has a thought, it's easier to put it in italics, on a fresh line, indented, rather than tell me 'she thought' with no italics and mixed into regular text. It was so confusing because I would read and then at the end find out it was a thought, not dialog or description.
43. If you don't know when to use single and double quotes, you are doomed.

Okay, it sounds like I hated the book. The author had a pretty good plot and one main character I liked. The problem was all the above mistakes that ruined it for me. (And Amazon wants to know if I'd like to order book two now- No.) Maybe the author will learn and polish up her act. It's books like this that give Indie publishing a bad name. Not doing your homework, not reviewing and polishing until there are no basic mistakes. Not having a neutral person/group critique your story. NOT TAKING THE TIME. So no, I won't get book two although I would like to know what happened to the male main character. Usually I won't even finish the book when I run across so many mistakes, but I needed blog post material. Even in rough drafts, I would not have made most of these errors and if I did, I would correct them before letting anyone, even my critique group, see them. It's just sloppy writing.

I don't do reviews because even if I'm criticizing to be helpful, too many authors take it personally and then their friends/family/trolls threaten to ruin your life. I have a critique group and while no one wants to be told where and how many mistakes they made in their manuscript, we understand the role of the critique and the group and suck it up. Of course, that doesn't mean we won't slug down a glass of wine and cry about it to anyone who'll listen, but we listen and improve the manuscript. Honestly, I would be too embarrassed to submit a manuscript with all these problems, not that I have perfect manuscripts all the time, but compared to this one, I'm a freaking genius.

Review. Revise. Review. Revise (repeat about ten times more). And then ask others to rip your story apart (but not family and close friends because they will say, "Oh, I love it, it's perfect!" and really, it's not). Learn. Take writing classes. Critique other people's stories so you see mistakes in their work that you might miss in your own and learn to recognize problems.

Or, just publish as is and never get anywhere. That is the reality that is being an author.

Char

The Great Experiment...

Last summer, I had an idea for a sequel to a famous horror/sci fi classic. I didn't have enough of the story in my head, only the beginning and the end (which is usual for me), but hardly anything for the middle. I needed time. But I wanted to start the story. So I compromised with The Great Experiment.

I would hand write, old school like Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, and Charlotte Bronte, the entire novel. Not even a typewriter (I do have one, but it's electric). Just a handful of #2 pencils and a lovely notebook that was gathering dust in a closet. (We writers do that- we collect journals and notebooks and then want to use them for something 'special-' not just for writing down the grocery or To Do list, Hence, we collect A LOT.)

So I spent hours poolside, or on the patio, curled up on the couch when it rained, in car rides to family visits- writing. A few sentences here, a couple of paragraphs there, and by the end of summer, I had a novel. The slow, more deliberate method worked for this book. Well, I got the novel roughly drafted. But would it be any good?

As I transcribe it, I see repetitions that popped up, probably because I couldn't remember everything I'd put in over the course of 3 months. But I'm seeing some beautiful sections that stun me. (Did I really write that??). Oh, the plot holes. The missing information. Ugh, the contradictions.

But that's part of any novel. I liked this approach because it made me more thoughtful, more deliberate in my writing. It seems like when writing these days we pound the keys in a fury, and promise we'll fix it when we review and revise. This novel will still need heavy editing and reworking, but I see so much I love. I think I am a better writer for having taken my time.

But I won't do this for every novel- I can't. There are too many stories cluttering up my head that need to get out and into the documents file. And this would NEVER work for #NaNoWriMo. But I think I will do this occasionally, so I slow down and enjoy the process instead of stressing out about how much I've written in a day, week, month, season, year. We all need to de-stress and enjoy moments.

Enjoy the moment-

Char

A New Attitude

The holidays are over, and it's time to get back into a steady routine. I'm a list-maker but I find lists for 6 months, yearly, or longer get lost or ignored. So to force myself to be more proficient, I've decided that I'm going to make a monthly tasks list. Here's what I need/want/have to do for January:

1. Finish review of Sirenz 3 critique.
2. Review Sirenz 3 at least twice more.
3. Do critique for fellow crit group member
4. Finish rough outline for adult book
5. Review critiques for Island Girl (book 2 in twisted classics trilogy)
6. Make notes, possible rough outline for book 3 in twisted classics trilogy.

Sounds like a lot, (and it is), especially since I'm still fighting this respiratory infection which is making me pretty listless. Plus, I still have other obligations- bell practice, trustee meeting and other church obligations, and mom/wife stuff. And, my New England Patriots are in the playoffs. 

Will everything get done? Probably not. But I will celebrate each time I cross off one To Do from the list, and not beat myself up if I don't get to all of the items. I'm thinking my new official song should be "I've got a new attitude."

I'll keep you posted, so stop in (feel free to leave an encouraging word). 

Photo courtesy of Pexels, Inc, artist: Burst

Char

Embrace the Devastation...

If you know me well (or follow my blog and/or Facebook posts), you've heard about and seen my meditation garden. It looked like this:

I go there to work out plot problems on my novels, talk to God when something's on my mind, get some distance when I'm seriously angry, and just revel in getting my hands in the dirt as I plant flowers. My meditation garden makes me happy.

Two weeks ago (and I can't believe another storm is coming this way...), this happened:

The fence will have to be replaced (it's got a good buckle), and one tree will have to be cut down (it's split in half and will die). I saw the devastation and it broke my heart. But I will have to wait until spring before I can repair it.

In the meantime, I am working on my middle grade manuscript. It started out like this:

Pristine. Loved. Ready to go out- to the critique group. I knew there would be changes, some of them tough to accept. Working in my garden, sometimes I have to dig up a dying or dead plant that I loved.  I have to chop branches so trees are strong and healthy. I have to clear out leaves that clutter up and take the eyes away from the gentle green foliage. I have to make decisions which flowers will work well in the garden based on available sunlight, water, space, and hardiness.





Then the critiques from group members came in. Cut that sentence. This situation doesn't work. No one likes this character. The tension dies here. Chapter after chapter had been torn apart. No page had emerged unscathed. Beloved words would not survive. I pushed up my sleeves (really, I hate sleeves rubbing my elbows) and went to work. I sweated and (sometimes) swore, and used my tools (thesaurus, dictionary, research books, Google- and lots of chai lattes) to repair my manuscript. This is what my manuscript looks like after I finished.

But after pruning redundant words, digging out dead plot threads, combing through inconsistencies, I'm confident it will become ready to submit to editors and agents (it needs another read through, maybe ten). So while there's still snow on the ground, I'll work on the manuscript until it's finished. By then, spring will be in control and I can work on my garden (and meditate on a few choice words for Father Winter).

With the loss of one tree, more sunlight will fall on that space and I can add different flowers which couldn't tolerate the shade there previously. In my manuscript, the loss of words, phrases, pages, chapters- will allow me to add new things and improve it.

From devastation, something new.

Char

Meet a Real Character...

I'm editing a horror short story that's due by the 26th, waiting to review Evolution Revolution for the last time before it goes to print, trying to book events, working on the next book in the Evolution series, hoping to hear about two books with my agent, and trying to sneak in time for other writing projects all while getting my son into the school routine, ease back into playing bells at church, attending meetings of committees I'm on, and thinking about all the stuff to do to close the pool up.

So I haven't prepared a pithy post. I simply need to ease back this week (I know I didn't do a post for Labor Day weekend either). I'm taking a deep breath before I dive in, head first, into more craziness. In the meantime, here's something that won't be controversial, doesn't challenge any politics or religion or your favorite football team, and is simply meant to give you a sneak peek at the marvelous work of my illustrator Cathy Thole-Daniels and one of the funny characters in Evolution...

Let me introduce you to Beaver (no cutesy names). He's a marvel at engineering and the humans are in for a surprise when he joins the team to Save the Wood. Hopefully you can meet him real soon...

Spread the word- war is coming to the wood... and the animals aren't giving up without a fight. Never underestimate anyone defending their home.

Char

I Chose the Road Not Taken...

When I say road not taken, I'm not talking about a meditative journey, or an adventurous vacation, I'm talking about stepping out of my comfort zone into something new.

Self publishing.

I have three novels, one short story, numerous magazine and newspaper articles via the traditional route; published by official publishing houses or agencies. That's cool and exciting-and slow. My middle grade adventure series has not found a home with the traditional publishers even though my agent was very excited about it.

This work has a special place in my heart. It wasn't the first novel that I wrote (those almost always end up in the trash can). I worked on this series of (so far) three books for years. A lot of years, don't ask specifically.)

I can't let it go.

So through and with my agent, Natalie Lakosil of the Bradford Literary Agency, we're taking this baby through self-publishing. I'm going through her for several reasons. First of all, she's my agent. We signed an agreement to work together. Doing something this big without her advice and guidance seems reckless and stupid. Second, she knows the business: knows which publishers are to be avoided, what a contract with an illustrator should have, what the price of services for typesetting and binding, etc. should be, and how to push me through the process without a major screw up on my end. Third, yes she gets a standard commission, but I get answers to questions without the hours of research, she'll post the books on her blog giving me exposure, and maybe if it does well, a traditional editor will reconsider pubbing it. It's money well spent.

I know a lot of people have self-pubbed. Some of it hasn't been pretty. Too many of these books have poor editing; Natalie and I have already polished my baby so it shines. I'm in the process of hiring a fantastic illustrator, and between the 3 of us, I know my cover will be stunning. When I see some of the covers out there (even in traditionally published books) I want to cringe. None of us want to be associated with a third rate book. As soon as I have a contract, I will introduce you to my illustrator. You may be surprised.

Finally, this is a labor of love on my part. I am spending time and money to do this right. As the process moves along, I'll journal it here. You can decide if this road, which is bound to be rocky and difficult, but provide many views I miss on the more traditional road, will have been worth it.

And while I work on this project, I still have other novels that Natalie will send down the traditional road. Hopefully, some good news will be forthcoming.

Wish me luck on my new adventure.

Postcards to come...

Char 

Illustration courtesy of Microsoft.

Check In...

So how'd we do with our NoRevMo (Novel Revision Month)? The national revision month, for people part of NaNoWriMo community (National Novel Writing Month) is June- and I didn't want to wait that long. I know some of you didn't either.

Did you finish at least one round of revisions and edits for your novel? Great!
Did a good portion but didn't finish? Good!
Got thrown off the track by family/job/life? Don't sweat it- keep working, you'll get it done. Remember this was an arbitrary deadline.

How did I do?

My plan was to revise four novels; one each week. Before you go thinking I'm superwoman, remember, these novels have all been edited at least five times and I'm fine tuning for my agent to send out or the initial submission to my agent. (Editors will ask for more changes, you can bet on it.)

I finished 2 and a half. I finished my NA sci fi, Lethal Dose, which I hope goes back out on submission to editors. Then I revised and reworked my YA reincarnation story The Meaning of Time, which my agent hasn't seen yet (nor will she until I do another round; I feel something is missing...). I gave up on my MG sci fi (title in progress) because my agent and I can't seem to agree what's needed. Frustrated, and with a family emergency that pulled me out of state and the creative mood, I put it aside.

Am I disappointed I didn't get everything finished? A little. I like to get things done. But I'm also realistic; this was very ambitious to think of doing four books in one month. Plus, I have a workshop presentation to work on for the annual NJ Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrator conference in early June. I'm setting up book signing/appearance events. I'm self-pubbing an MG adventure/semi-sci fi.

I also want to repaint our master suite, work in my meditation and other gardens, paint the pool deck, visit family in Italy, have parties, and enjoy my pool.

Will I get all of it done? Probably not. But I'm not crazy enough to think I will.

So if you haven't finished your edits/revisions, keep working. If you have, put your novel aside and take a break. Have lunch with friends. Go on a vacation. Write another story. Clean your house. In a week or so, go back to the novel, only this time (and this tip has been suggested by a number of other people, I can't take credit for it and I'm going to try it): change the font on your manuscript. The difference will force your eyes to see each word, rather than skip over the too-familiar previous type.

No criticisms, just cheers. Remember, maybe only one in a million people get published. Even if you're not there yet, just think of all those people who say "Someday I'll write a book..." and then never do. You're ahead of the game. Now keep going and beat the odds.

Char  
Picture courtesy of Microsoft/Bing

Sprint to the Finish...

You're almost there!

To the end of the month. How's the novel revision going? Not quite as far as you thought you'd be?

Now's the time to dig down deep, as athletes say, and find that last bit of energy and determination to finish the job.

We all get a little sidetracked. Family happenings. life events, work, health, etc. I was derailed for over a week with the sickness, then death of a beloved aunt out of state. For two days afterward, I was still numb. When I tried to go back to my story, I remembered that I named a character after my aunt- and it was like a sign that I should go on, finish it not only for myself, but for her. Use any justification but get the work done.

You can do this. Even if you've only done a few chapters, keep going. This is your race, so you set the clock. Can't be done this month? Then take next month, and even the one after, but get it done! It won't ever go out on submission to an editor or agent sitting there unrevised on your desk.

I've finished one story, started then gave up on another, and now am working on a third. I had hoped to do four stories, but life happens. So it'll keep for next month. Always working on something is the key to achieving success because it won't just happen.

So put on your glasses, load up on tea or coffee and sit your butt in the chair.

I believe in you- you can do this!

Char  
Clip art courtesy of Bing/Microsoft

Detour Bumpy Road Ahead

I missed a new post on two Mondays. My beloved Aunt Kay, like a second mother to me, was on life support and we said goodbye. The wake was Monday, the funeral Tuesday, so I'm posting this today.

Sometimes there are detours to your perfect plans. Your life gets sent down an unfamiliar road and it's dark, you don't know what's ahead. But you have to reach your destination so you press on, there's no turning back.

I used the detour: reconnected with family, appreciated what I have now, and will work harder now that it's time to accept what is and that life goes on.

Don't fret over your own detours. Even if they are major ones that force you to put aside or strictly limit your novel revision, keep your novel close both physically and mentally.

Giving up is not an option.

Wishing you all success, motivation, and good edits.

Char

Picture courtesy of Microsoft/Bing

It's Go Time!

(I'm writing this blog on an old dinosaur computer, so forgive me if there are no pretties or I don't respond to comments right away...)



Are you ready? Time to edit! Cut! Revise! Throw out! Scrap! Cross out!

And bleed a little.. (ink...)

I thought the following article on words that should be banned was perfect. (I was going to say 'spot on' but that's become a cliché.) Go here to see Lake Superior University's picks for words we all now hate (but too many people still use).  After your chuckle, make a note to check your manuscript for these types of words; they're overused, slangy, and usually incorrect or non-existent if you subscribe to the Oxford English Dictionary (although some of their entries leave me scratching me head. Just because a lot of people use it doesn't make it a valid word in my mind, but that's another blog.).

And, here are a few more resources to help you edit:

5 Editors Tackle the 12 Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing by C.S. Lakin

Showing and Telling in Fiction by Marcy Kennedy

Revision and Self Editing for Publication by James Scott Bell


And to add to your already long list of Things to Look For:

Tension- Is it there, do you have enough, is it sustained?

Genre- is it the right one? Are adults telling your YA story?

World building- can people believe that your fantasy world, whether sci fi, folktale, historical, magical, etc. is real by the details you provide or are we asked to just 'believe?'

Because my laptop is on the critical list, I'll be working on a printed out draft that has already been marked up (this should be fun). I know of one critical flaw- that runs through the entire book (yeah, why didn't I see that coming?) so I know it's going to be a long, agonizing, hair-pulling job. But we're in this together, right?

Going by the NaNoWriMo guidelines, if our book is 50,000 words, we would need to edit about 1,724 words a day (Luckily this is a leap year and we have 29 days.) That is roughly 7 pages a day to finish by the 29th. (This might or might not be harder than writing 7 pages a day....)

So good luck! Don't fret! It'll all work out! And you HAVE TO DO THIS, so no backing out. Even if you don't finish by the 29th, KEEP GOING.

And let's cheer each other along.

Char 

Image courtesy of Google Images

Tick, Tock, Countdown...

It's almost time! Although the 'official' start of our NaNoRevMo is next Monday, let's go through a few last minute things.

-You'll need to revise/reread your manuscript several times- but don't expect to do it multiple times in this month (only if you're on deadline, are stuck with nothing else to do, you have plans after the revision or you're quite adept at editing).

- When you sit down, do it in a workspace that encourages you to work hard: no too soft couches, no distracting noises (I can't work with music because I tend to sing along, and then the lyrics suggest other books, etc.) Make sure it's well lit, a comfortable temperature (but not too warm, it'll make you sleepy), you have space for all your resources like your theasaurus, coffee cup, etc.

-If you don't have to, don't answer the phone. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a great thought and the phone rings for someone who wants to sell you something you don't need/want, or a friend/relative calling to chit chat. If it's your kid from school or someone else who you know most likely needs to talk to you, answer it- but jot down your thought first! It helps if you can tell your loved ones/friends that you'll be busy and could they call you after dinner or whatever hours you plan to work.

-Plan a schedule. Some of you have kids, like me. Some, jobs. Some, a sick relative. Whatever else you need time for, plan your editing around it- even if it's an hour while the kid is at sports practice as you sit in the car, or first thing in the morning before everyone is up. Find at least 1-2 golden hours total a day.

-There may be some days that you can't get any editing done. Like NaNoWriMo, don't beat yourself up! It took many writers years to write and perfect their drafts (and there still were changes), so unless you know aliens are coming next month to take you away and you want to leave the draft for your family to inherit, don't sweat it. It will get done in your good time. (But don't be a slacker! Don't give in to excuses like, 'I'm a little tired. I'll do twice as much tomorrow.' You don't want to get caught in the I'll-catch-up-eventually loop. A real writer can't rest until the job is done. Be one of those.

-You're going to have to cut up your baby. Be brave, be swift. Even when you have to lose scenes that you just love. (I'm still struggling with this- it's okay to cry and swear and throw a few pillows at the wall if it'll make you feel better. Usually it doesn't.) The goal is a polished novel, and like a gemologist, sometimes you have to sacrifice perfect bits so that the whole gem sparkles. And no, it never gets easier, but you somehow learn to do it and live with it.

-Take a break! Long periods of time sitting in a chair whether it's at Starbucks, your dining room table, the car, where ever, can make you stiff and drowsy. When you're pondering whether to kill a character, change settings, or even throw out a bunch of chapters, get up, get a drink, a snack, walk around. It may help you think, give your body an adrenalive boost. Never have everything at your fingertips.

-How do you work- on your laptop or the old fashioned way of pen and paper? I've done both, although for the first time through, I like the laptop. I fix the obvious- misspellings, format (centering of chapter titles and numbers, starting chapters halfway down page, etc.), obvious inconsistencies like when a character's name changes, and a general global search for those words I know I overuse, like 'just.' Then I move onto the paper and pen because it's slower, more deliberate (and I can take it anywhere- I can edit standing in line.) I find the mix of the two forces me to be more thorough.

-Stuck? Don't panic. Discuss it with someone (unless your relative/friend is an editor, agent, or fellow writer, find someone more neutral. No matter what, anyone with a close connection is probably going to like it. Trust me on this.). This is where a critique group helps (they can/should be brutally honest.) Or, make a list of possible solutions and see which one jumps out at you. Realize though, that you can't simply hopscotch over the problem and come back to it later because it's a domino effect- the problem gets bigger as your novel progresses. Fix it asap and let the rest of the manuscript fall into place.

-If the fat lady's singing... or simply if the book is not working- the characters are flat (fixable), the plot plods (fixable) or the dialogue is stilted (fixable) or the point of view jumps all over the place (fixable)- you can save the manuscript. But if you have a combination, most, or all of these problems, it might be the death knell for this book. There is not one successful author that doesn't have several novels sitting in a drawer or lighting the logs in the fireplace. It happens. Don't give up too easy- try to work through it by listing all the problems and then solutions. Attempt a resurrection, but if it doesn't work, kiss it goodbye and move onto that other idea that's been intruding at inappropriate times, keeping you from sleep or work.

-Don't even think of a 'book doctor' until you've attempted to fix it yourself. It's like calling in a carpenter to tighten a loose screw. If you become accustomed to relying on someone else to correct the flaws in your manuscript, you won't get valuable practice and experience, and if you ever sell your book to a traditional publisher, you won't be able to make the edits yourself. Plus, it'll cost you a fortune.

So get everything into place, read those books, make some notes (I know you've noticed some things needed fixing as you wrote the novel...). Maybe a chapter outline (one or two sentences per chapter) is a good starting point, so that if you have to cut out/add scenes, you can see how it might affect the subsequent chapters.

I'll be working on my time-travel YA romance. I've done one pass but I know it has a major flaw so that it reads as a collection of short stories. I need a better connector (I'm not using a time machine so I have to be real creative). Now that my belove New England Patriots didn't make the Super Bowl I won't waste time preparing for a big party and watching the game. This week I will be finishing my middle grade and my NA sci fi edits (again) so that I can focus on the time travel while we all edit together.

See you Monday, February 1st!

Char
All graphics courtesy of Microsoft, Inc.

Making A List, Checking It Twice...

Actually, you'll be checking your manuscript many more times than twice. If you thought you only had to do it once, maybe twice, this is a very rude wake up call. For Sirenz (1st book), the revisions led to a stack of paper (between my co-author and I) to about my height (I'm 5'9"). Yep. I have boxes of revised, discarded, marked up pages. So, don't get too comfy, we've got a lot of work to do.

So grab your tablet, your Monte Blanc, your laptop. We're making a list of the things you need to look out for when editing.

The Easy Stuff  (Things you should know, but we're going to remind you.)

-Grammar (know if you use an apostrophe, a semi colon, a double quote. If you don't, consult one of the books I mentioned in previous post that you should have in your possession.)
-Spelling (don't rely solely on spell check; it doesn't know between read and red.)
-Consistency (If you've changed your character's name, town, eye color, gender, etc. make sure it's the same all through the novel.)
-Cliches (Unless the character is making a bad joke, eliminate them all, along with slang phrases that will date your work.)
-Dangling Sentences (Authors can take some artistic license, but if your sentence)
-Dialogue Confusion ("Go away," she said. She flipped her hair back, "I don't want to talk to you." If this one gal talking, or two? Make sure dialogue tags, modifiers and context make it clear who is speaking.)
- Repetitive Repetitive Words (There will be certain words that you love- everyone has them-but you use them way too often. Trim down the places where you use it.)
-Appropriate Language (Middle graders will not say "I must consider all the ramifications of your actions." Make sure the language fits not only the age, but the situation, place, and culture of your character.)
-Descriptive Language (Can't have too much, can't have too little; you have to find the balance between boring us to death with drawn out descriptions of everything and everyone, and leaving us struggling to picture the character or the scene.)
-Fact Check (even if you write fantasy, science fiction or contemporary fiction, you need to do basic research. The laws of physics have to work on other planets unless you can explain how they don't, but then you need research, right? If you're writing adventure stories, maybe you need to know the difference between a trebuchet and a catapult. Have the right highway when a villain gets run down. Don't wing it because readers will pick up when you're wrong.)
-

The Hard Stuff (Things that will take more than one glance, may have to be read aloud or by someone else to be picked up.)

-Solid Characters (Characters can't be perfect, too insipid, stupid, or blind. Moments of those things, yes, but not all the time. Make sure they aren't one dimensional; they need a personality and some depth.)
-Clear Plot (You remember high school English- your story must have a setting, rising conflict, climax, and resolution. Action is required even in 'quiet' books.)
-No Info Dumps (This is where the author spends numerous paragraphs--or pages--'telling' us background info instead of weaving it in through dialogue or internal thoughts, observations and knowledge of others. The rule is show, don't tell.)
-Unrealistic Elements (If your character knows what someone else is thinking, unless they're a superhero who can read minds, that's unrealistic. No one can know what's in another's head. Another example is knowing always the right thing to do or having everything work out perfectly. That doesn't even happen in fantasies)
-POV (Point of view- can't have everyone's thoughts jumping out, shouldn't have too many viewpoints-unless you're doing speculative fiction, you're really good at it, or you're famous and people let you get away with it. Know the difference between first person, third omniscient, et al.)
-Time Skips (Your character is going to the store on a Monday afternoon and suddenly they're waking up to Thursday morning. Unless they were drugged, in a coma, knocked out, went through a wormhole or have black outs, you're jumping the time line.)
-SAT Quizzes (Don't use big, fancy, overly pedagogish words. You're not checking SAT knowledge. Say it clearly. This is where that thesaurus comes in handy for synonyms.)
-Flow (Does the action flow consecutively? Do speech and reactions make sense, are in the right place? You don't want your character to ask a question that never gets answered, or the other character answers 5 pages later.
-

Yes, this is a long list- and it's not everything you need to check. As you learn to review your work more thoroughly, you'll pick up more with each pass. No crying or whining because this is part of the writing process. If you want to get published, and even if it's just for you to write and read, it should be the best it can be.  So...

We're in this together. We all made mistakes and need to correct them. If you think anything should be added onto the list, add it for yourself.

Until next week, keep positive.

Char  

(All images courtesy of Microsoft)

Rolling Up the Sleeves

January I'm focusing on getting ready for our National Novel Revision Month. The NaNoWriMo org does this in June, but why wait? I plan to be writing another novel then, so now's the perfect time to revise NaNoWriMo projects. I didn't write another novel because I focused on editing three others. One I've since gotten back with revision notes from my agent and have already revised again. Fear not, I have plenty of projects to work on with you, so we're in this revision nightmare together.

Today I'm giving you some tools; books that may help. Honestly, I've used these books uncountable times and they are tops on my reference shelf. You can buy tons of books on self editing, but I don't think you really need them. I'll post more about editing with expert insight from publishing people so save your money. Next week, I'll put up links for editing advice. If you ,have any suggestions that you think should go on the list because they've been helpful to you, let me know and I'll include it.

My advice is not to sit and immediately read the following books. They're references, so consult them as you need them. There is so much information, you won't be able to retain it all.

• The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. This book helps you to reveal character emotions without repetitive, tired phrases (like 'He quirked an eyebrow, questioning her claim.')  They list physical signals, internal sensations, mental responses, cues of active/long term or suppressed emotion. Plus, there's a handy tip for each category. I have found this book invaluable. If you find yourself reading the same emotion indicators over and over, or realize you need to 'show' rather than tell, reach for this book. The co-authors also put out other books which may help when you're refining the manuscript, such as Emotion Amplifiers, Negative Trait Thesaurus (flaws for you characters), and Positive Trait Thesaurus (character attributes). 
• The Oxford American Thesaurus. The thesaurus on your computer, no matter which word processing program you use, is still very limited. I have a trusty, beat up and mangled copy of the Oxford Thesaurus within arm's reach. (I prefer it to Roget's which I don't feel is as comprehensive.) Choose better, stronger words in place of weak or overused ones. 
• US News (or AP) Stylebook. Everything from how to properly capitalize titles, make plurals or possessives, to when to use 'whom' is in this tiny treasure trove. I used it all the time when I was a reporter and when I wrote magazine articles. I still use it writing fiction as a quick grammar reference. You don't need (or want) a thick book on proper grammar. This book does nicely.
• Oxford or Webster's Dictionary.  Yep, I know your word processing package has one built in. Again, it's not complete or exhaustive. Keep a dictionary on hand because sometimes you need a deeper search.
• Encyclopedias. If you're writing a story about a witch, then The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft by Rosemary Ellen Guiley needs to be on your desk. There are specialty encyclopedias for just about every subject, from science fiction to vampires to folklore and more. Shop around for your subject and keep it handy.

There are books by famous authors like Stephen King's On Writing which gets rave reviews, and books by the not-so-famous. Bookstore shelves and online retailers are full of them. Peruse the inventory, maybe something will catch your eye and work for you, but don't go crazy and buy a ton of them- I guarantee you won't use them all. 

Finally, ask your writer friends which books they like. It's always good to check around because you'll get so many different answers and one choice has to work for you. Start building your reference library now.

Char

What's in a word....?

On, out, up, in- they're all pretty much the same.

Hubs: I let the cats out.

DON'T LET THE CATS OUT, THEY EAT ALL THE CAT FOOD AT THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE!

Hubs: I let the cats UP. (they stay in basement playroom at night because they run like crazy at 2 am and wake everyone up.)

See the difference? Even the littlest words have power...  Choose your words carefully....

Char

Between Breaks...

I've finished roughing out the (almost) total re-write of my sci fi (I got to keep the first 50 out of 380 pages).

This is what I want to do:

This is what I should do:

This is what I'll probably do:

I need more chai, more mulch, ice cream for lunch, book for the kid's summer reading, and I'm sure something else...

But it's good to get away from the desk, writing,

Oh yeah, and I need to trim the cat's butt fur. *Runs to car...

Char

Leave That Cliche Alone!

I know, writers and editors are always telling you to eliminate cliches (unless they are part of dialogue or the piece is tongue-in-cheek).

Weeeeellllll, not necessarily.

There are some cliches I can't eliminate. For example, when writing a scene about food, French bread is always "crusty." That tells you it's a golden color, and when you bite into it, pieces flake off. Mmmmm. You could substitute "crunchy" but that doesn't convey the same feeling because nuts are crunchy, and cereal, and apples. "Crispy" may work, but that's not the same either, right?

Then there's "cat-like reflexes." This phrase has been used so many times that it qualifies as a cliche. But what other animal has such graceful power? Bears are powerful, not at all graceful. Butterflies are graceful, not powerful. (Okay, I may have to rethink about my cat having those reflexes.)

It's a problem. Some words are just necessary to describe exactly what you mean. There are many more though I can't think of them at the moment, but I'm sure you get the gist (see that, another cliche, but what other word would work?).

Sometimes a cliche is the only way to go. What are your faves that you don't want to give up?

Char

Don't Touch the Cool Stuff

Every 'job' has it's 'cool stuff.' Rocket scientists have rockets. Designers have cool computer programs to make hypothetical products. Football players have pink shoes made just for them.

Well, writers have cool stuff too.

This is a gift I bought myself:

It's a writing book shaped like a typewriter. (If you don't know what this is, I don't think we can be friends...) The pages inside look like the cover, only in very light ink, so you're not distracted, but encouraged to keep going. I can almost imagine the click of the keys and the bell at the end...

This was a gift from my Blonde OPS and Sirenz series co-author, Natalie Zaman. (I had a black one from my cousin for my first book signing, but a 'fan' stole it while I was at the Boston Teen Book Fest. If you took the pen, please return it, no questions asked, and I'll send you a free book....)

It's a Swarovski pen, all pink and glittery. I'm one of those sentimental slobs who likes to have little mementos of special occasions, so I use a special pen. (Which is why I really miss the black pen because it's from MY FIRST BOOK SIGNING EVER.)

This is probably the first, no second, writing gift I ever got (the first being a typewriter with stiff keys so that it was easier to write a book by hand). My mom got me this:

Although it doesn't really work to clip papers, and it's pretty heavy (see how big it is next to the average size hard cover?) it's cute and fun, and I'm that sentimental slob, remember?

This was made by a sweet fan (I know I've showcased this before, thanks Melissa and her mom!) but it's just so awesome.

A photographic collage for Sirenz. I almost cried when I opened it. A gift from the heart. Sniff.

Writers get great gifts from other writers and organizations. This came to me from the New Jersey Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators as a thank you for helping out during the annual conference.

 It's a Lucky Duck (which can be used to relieve stress by squishing it. At the moment, if I squish him, it may tear him to pieces; ah the not-so-tranquil life of a writer.) And he floats in the tub, so it's fun too.

So, back to editing and the two most useful things for a writer: the delete button and the keyboard...

Char