As a writer, hopefully, you realize how important your beginning is to your story. If you don’t invest time and probably tears (yours, not your characters’) into the first few pages, then why should the reader? I’ve talked about beginnings before. Here are a couple more types of beginnings to avoid.
The Embellished: This is when a story, especially a mystery, thriller, or romantic suspense, starts with the discovery of a body or a murderer in the act of killing. Those beginnings can be great, but the rest of the story has to follow the same level of darkness or mystery. The opening shouldn’t be so disturbing that the rest of the story can’t live up to that situation. An over-the-top, sensationalized beginning requires an action-packed, fast-moving story that keeps the reader on edge. Otherwise, the opening will seem contrived and the reader will feel manipulated. This doesn’t mean you can’t have slower scenes to give the reader a breather but that the danger hinted at or shown in the beginning should present itself throughout the novel.
The Tearjerker: This is when a character starts the story off with tears, especially when she “loses it”, and the reader doesn’t know why. The problem with this opening is that, while it may be well-written, the reader doesn’t know the character, what she has gone through or is going through now. There’s no way of evaluating whether the character is justified in her sorrow or being melodramatic. Plus, since the character is still a stranger to the reader, it’s easier to shut the book than take the time and effort to figure out what’s going on. Save this scene and use it once the reader has built a rapport with this character, then the situation will have a stronger impact.
I can’t say I’ve read many published books that started out with either one of these beginnings, but I have read some unpublished work like this. Opening scenes need to be a balance of a hook and set up—and I’m not talking about a backstory dump here—otherwise, you risk losing the reader.
Have you read stories with either of these beginnings? What’s your favorite kind of opening scene?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Showing posts with label Writing Related. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing Related. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
The Nascar Beginning
Is a quick-paced beginning the best way to start a story? It’s one thing to launch with an inciting incident, it’s another to have characters running from an unknown and unseen assailant. While some might think this is a “hooky” approach, what it often does is alienate the reader because she feels as though she’s turned the TV on in the middle of an action movie. She doesn’t know the characters or the situation, so why should she care? Why should she continue to watch the movie or read the book? At least with a movie, she might be drawn in by a certain actor she admires, or the hunky looks of the hero. But in a novel, the reader doesn’t have that visual benefit.
How is this approach different from starting with an action-based inciting incident? Knowledge. It’s fine to start in the middle of a scene and even have that particular scene be exciting and tension-filled. But, the writer has to take the time to share some information with the reader. Make sure she has the chance to get her bearings and understand the context for the action taking place. She needs to know whether or not the POV character is the protagonist or a side-kick, and why she should care about this individual. Slip some of this information to the reader and she’ll jump right into the story without looking back.
How do you start your stories? Do you build them up with information and then spring into action or do you try to do it all at once? Have you read stories and felt lost right from the beginning because the author didn’t set things up properly? If you’ve experienced this, did you continue to read anyway or put the book down?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
How is this approach different from starting with an action-based inciting incident? Knowledge. It’s fine to start in the middle of a scene and even have that particular scene be exciting and tension-filled. But, the writer has to take the time to share some information with the reader. Make sure she has the chance to get her bearings and understand the context for the action taking place. She needs to know whether or not the POV character is the protagonist or a side-kick, and why she should care about this individual. Slip some of this information to the reader and she’ll jump right into the story without looking back.
How do you start your stories? Do you build them up with information and then spring into action or do you try to do it all at once? Have you read stories and felt lost right from the beginning because the author didn’t set things up properly? If you’ve experienced this, did you continue to read anyway or put the book down?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
6 Common Backstory Pitfalls
Backstory tends to have a bad reputation, but it’s essential to a story’s development. Through backstory, we learn about a character’s motivation and depth, how a fictional world functions, how the stakes are raised, and discover obstacles or fears that may prevent the character from moving forward. Unfortunately, many writers don’t know how to correctly insert backstory into the plot. Here’s a list of six common backstory pitfalls:
1. The dump. This is when a large chunk of backstory is tossed into the plot and pulls the reader from the immediate story. A way to spot the dump is to look for a page or more of backstory. The writer usually feels she must include this in order to inform the reader about the character’s past and how it influences him today. This can still be done, but not as a large section. Slip it in here and there.
2. The lesson. This is when the writer uses backstory to teach a moral or preach their opinion to the reader and shouldn’t be done. A fictional story is not a platform for the author to rant about his beliefs.
3. The attention hog. Backstory shouldn’t draw attention to itself or take away from the main plot. It should be subtly included as a part of the story.
4. The leap. If a trigger isn’t used to pull the character from the story, then there’s often more of a jolt to the reader. A trigger can’t always be used, but should be whenever possible. Types of triggers include dialogue, events, scents, or sounds. (For example, the smell of a pumpkin pie baking in the oven causes Jodi to flashback to her youth, when her mother used to bake. There was one time in particular, when she and her mother were putting the ingredients together to create a new recipe for pumpkin pie, but Gary stormed into the kitchen, drunk as ever, and threw the bowl against the wall.) This trigger allowed the character to smoothly transition into a flashback. She’d also need something to bring her back to reality. Maybe the phone rings or someone says something to her, etc.
5. The rush. This happens when the writer is so excited about her story, she rushes to tell the reader everything as soon as possible. Instead, tease the reader by dividing the reveal of backstory into small segments scattered throughout the beginning of the novel.
6. The POV blunder. Sometimes, writers use backstory as a way to explain how their fictional world functions. This is fine if done correctly. The problem is when the writer forgets to keep the character’s POV in mind. If the character is a teenager, she’s not going to have the same understanding of life as an adult. If the story is a historical, whatever may not seem normal for today’s standards may be perfectly acceptable back then and therefore the character wouldn’t draw any attention to it.
This is not to say backstory shouldn’t be used. A story would be dry without it. However, the trick is learning how to sprinkle the information throughout the story without the reader noticing.
Are you guilty of any of these pitfalls? Which ones? How do you add backstory to your novel?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
1. The dump. This is when a large chunk of backstory is tossed into the plot and pulls the reader from the immediate story. A way to spot the dump is to look for a page or more of backstory. The writer usually feels she must include this in order to inform the reader about the character’s past and how it influences him today. This can still be done, but not as a large section. Slip it in here and there.
2. The lesson. This is when the writer uses backstory to teach a moral or preach their opinion to the reader and shouldn’t be done. A fictional story is not a platform for the author to rant about his beliefs.
3. The attention hog. Backstory shouldn’t draw attention to itself or take away from the main plot. It should be subtly included as a part of the story.
4. The leap. If a trigger isn’t used to pull the character from the story, then there’s often more of a jolt to the reader. A trigger can’t always be used, but should be whenever possible. Types of triggers include dialogue, events, scents, or sounds. (For example, the smell of a pumpkin pie baking in the oven causes Jodi to flashback to her youth, when her mother used to bake. There was one time in particular, when she and her mother were putting the ingredients together to create a new recipe for pumpkin pie, but Gary stormed into the kitchen, drunk as ever, and threw the bowl against the wall.) This trigger allowed the character to smoothly transition into a flashback. She’d also need something to bring her back to reality. Maybe the phone rings or someone says something to her, etc.
5. The rush. This happens when the writer is so excited about her story, she rushes to tell the reader everything as soon as possible. Instead, tease the reader by dividing the reveal of backstory into small segments scattered throughout the beginning of the novel.
6. The POV blunder. Sometimes, writers use backstory as a way to explain how their fictional world functions. This is fine if done correctly. The problem is when the writer forgets to keep the character’s POV in mind. If the character is a teenager, she’s not going to have the same understanding of life as an adult. If the story is a historical, whatever may not seem normal for today’s standards may be perfectly acceptable back then and therefore the character wouldn’t draw any attention to it.
This is not to say backstory shouldn’t be used. A story would be dry without it. However, the trick is learning how to sprinkle the information throughout the story without the reader noticing.
Are you guilty of any of these pitfalls? Which ones? How do you add backstory to your novel?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Monday, November 21, 2011
5 Subplot Blunders to Avoid
Subplots are important in a novel to create a multi-layered effect, but there are certain blunders to avoid when using them. Here’s a look at five common subplot mistakes:
-Weakening of the main story. This happens when subplots are more interesting than the main plot or when they go off into so many directions it’s hard for the reader to follow the main story.
-Competing. Subplots shouldn’t take up the same word count as the main plot, nor should the reader ever be away from the main story for too long.
-Adding word count. A subplot should never be written simply to add words to the story. There should always be a reason for the subplot and it should be tied, in some way, to the main story.
-Rising and falling. The subplot should be considered a mini story and treated as such with a rising and falling sequence which, in the end, shows some sort of growth or change.
-Resolving. With more than one subplot, it’s important not to resolve all of them simultaneously or in the climax of the main story. Resolving one subplot at a time causes a stronger focus on the remaining plots.
Are you guilty of any of these blunders? Which ones?
For the last couple of weeks, I've been gathering information on writers though a questionnaire in hopes of matchmaking some of them so they can form critique groups. Over the next week or so, I'll contact those who have sent in a questionnaire. I believe I have a match for most of you, but not all. I wish I could've helped everyone, but I simply couldn't. If the match wasn't there, I couldn't create one. Of course, I'll always keep those writers in mind when I get queries about critique group. Otherwise, good luck on your search.
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
-Weakening of the main story. This happens when subplots are more interesting than the main plot or when they go off into so many directions it’s hard for the reader to follow the main story.
-Competing. Subplots shouldn’t take up the same word count as the main plot, nor should the reader ever be away from the main story for too long.
-Adding word count. A subplot should never be written simply to add words to the story. There should always be a reason for the subplot and it should be tied, in some way, to the main story.
-Rising and falling. The subplot should be considered a mini story and treated as such with a rising and falling sequence which, in the end, shows some sort of growth or change.
-Resolving. With more than one subplot, it’s important not to resolve all of them simultaneously or in the climax of the main story. Resolving one subplot at a time causes a stronger focus on the remaining plots.
Are you guilty of any of these blunders? Which ones?
For the last couple of weeks, I've been gathering information on writers though a questionnaire in hopes of matchmaking some of them so they can form critique groups. Over the next week or so, I'll contact those who have sent in a questionnaire. I believe I have a match for most of you, but not all. I wish I could've helped everyone, but I simply couldn't. If the match wasn't there, I couldn't create one. Of course, I'll always keep those writers in mind when I get queries about critique group. Otherwise, good luck on your search.
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Should You Join an Online Critique Group?
Should you join an in-person or online critique groups? Let’s talk about both types.
In-Person Critique Groups:
Where do you find one? This isn’t always easy, but if you know where to look, you’ll have better odds at finding an in-person group.
-Google your city and add terms like critique group, beta readers, crit group, writers group, etc.
-Look for ads in bookstores, coffee shops, and libraries.
-Try Craigslist or your local newspaper but make sure the group meets in a public place. You never know who’s posting the listing and you want to stay safe.
-Check to see if there’s a national organization for your genre like Romance Writers of America for romance writers and find out if they have a local chapter near you.
What should you expect? Typically, every group has a set of rules that dictate how often you meet, where, and how the critiques will be done. Sometimes, the group takes one or more chapters home from one writer’s work. When you meet up again, the group discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the chapter(s) read and offers suggestions. The problem with this is it’ll take quite a while to get through one manuscript and only one writer has benefitted. To avoid this, some groups take turns with the exchanges. For example, during the month of November, they’ll meet once a week and work on all the first chapters.
Online Groups:
Where do you find one? This can be tricky, but it’s not impossible.
-Google your genre and terms like critique group, beta readers, crit groups, writers groups, etc.
-Search Yahoo groups and ask if you can join a particular group.
-Network with your blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media friends. Find out if they know of any groups who are accepting new members.
-Create your own group. Advertise through social media saying you’re starting a critique group and then scrutinize the writers who contact you. Use a questionnaire (you can even use mine) to discover if you’d make a good fit or exchange the first five to ten pages and see if you enjoy the writer’s style.
What should you expect? Pretty much anything goes here. The biggest issue is that you should have some sort of rules and expectations set up or things might get really messy. Know yourself and what you need out of a group. Some people prefer to stick with the same genre they write. Others will critique any genre they read, even if they don’t write it.
-Do you want a group that’s at the same level (like all beginners) or a mixed level group?
-If you’re a beginner, will you feel intimidated by the more advanced writers?
-If you’re an intermediate or advanced writer, do you have the patience to critique the work of a beginner?
-How often do you want to exchange work?
-How much time can you put into the group?
-Are you open to criticism?
As you may know, I’m matchmaking critique groups. The deadline to send me a questionnaire is FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2011. I can’t guarantee I’ll find a match for everyone, but I’m going to try. If I don’t find a match for you, use this post as a reference so you can search for the perfect critique group for you.
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
In-Person Critique Groups:
Where do you find one? This isn’t always easy, but if you know where to look, you’ll have better odds at finding an in-person group.
-Google your city and add terms like critique group, beta readers, crit group, writers group, etc.
-Look for ads in bookstores, coffee shops, and libraries.
-Try Craigslist or your local newspaper but make sure the group meets in a public place. You never know who’s posting the listing and you want to stay safe.
-Check to see if there’s a national organization for your genre like Romance Writers of America for romance writers and find out if they have a local chapter near you.
What should you expect? Typically, every group has a set of rules that dictate how often you meet, where, and how the critiques will be done. Sometimes, the group takes one or more chapters home from one writer’s work. When you meet up again, the group discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the chapter(s) read and offers suggestions. The problem with this is it’ll take quite a while to get through one manuscript and only one writer has benefitted. To avoid this, some groups take turns with the exchanges. For example, during the month of November, they’ll meet once a week and work on all the first chapters.
Online Groups:
Where do you find one? This can be tricky, but it’s not impossible.
-Google your genre and terms like critique group, beta readers, crit groups, writers groups, etc.
-Search Yahoo groups and ask if you can join a particular group.
-Network with your blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media friends. Find out if they know of any groups who are accepting new members.
-Create your own group. Advertise through social media saying you’re starting a critique group and then scrutinize the writers who contact you. Use a questionnaire (you can even use mine) to discover if you’d make a good fit or exchange the first five to ten pages and see if you enjoy the writer’s style.
What should you expect? Pretty much anything goes here. The biggest issue is that you should have some sort of rules and expectations set up or things might get really messy. Know yourself and what you need out of a group. Some people prefer to stick with the same genre they write. Others will critique any genre they read, even if they don’t write it.
-Do you want a group that’s at the same level (like all beginners) or a mixed level group?
-If you’re a beginner, will you feel intimidated by the more advanced writers?
-If you’re an intermediate or advanced writer, do you have the patience to critique the work of a beginner?
-How often do you want to exchange work?
-How much time can you put into the group?
-Are you open to criticism?
As you may know, I’m matchmaking critique groups. The deadline to send me a questionnaire is FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2011. I can’t guarantee I’ll find a match for everyone, but I’m going to try. If I don’t find a match for you, use this post as a reference so you can search for the perfect critique group for you.
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Monday, November 14, 2011
Before You Join a Critique Group
Joining a critique group can help a writer grow to the next level, which is why most writers want to be a part of at least one group. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to know if you’ll have a good fit with a group until you’ve tried it out, but there are some questions you can ask yourself to help prevent a bad match.
Sometimes writers jump into a crit group for the wrong reasons and are disappointed or even discouraged when they don’t get what they expected out of the group. A part of the problem can be the wrong match between the writer and the group, but occasionally, the difficulty stems from a writer who’s not prepared for criticism of their masterpiece.
Decide if you’re ready for a critique group by asking these questions:
-Why do you want to join a critique group?
-Are you looking for someone to praise your writing?
-Are you ready to be told your writing needs improvement?
-Can you use constructive criticism as a guide to help you better edit your manuscript?
-Do you have a good enough understanding of your story to know when you’re being offered advice that won’t work?
-Are you in love with your words and refuse to make any changes?
-Can you take some of the suggestions and leave the rest?
Just because you’re ready to become a member of a critique group doesn’t mean the first one you come across will be the one for you. Choose a critique group based on your answers to the following questions:
-What are the rules to the group?
-Does their schedule work with yours?
-Will you be able to receive as much as you give? (Some critique groups require you to crit a few chapters before you’re permitted to post one of your own.)
-Are the other writers working in the same genre as you? If not, do they have an understanding of your genre? How familiar are they with the genre specific “rules”?
-What writing level(s) do the other members fall under? Is there a mixture of beginners, intermediates, and advanced writers? Or is everyone along the same level? Are you truly at this level?
-How many members are in this group? Would you feel more comfortable with a small group or a larger one?
There are no wrong or right answers to the above questions, only honest answers that’ll help you know what kind of critique group you want to be a part of before you begin your search.
Do you have any questions or suggestions to add to this list that will help someone decide on a critique group?
Come back tomorrow for Critique Partner #3’s profile.
Don’t forget the deadline to submit a questionnaire for the critique group matchmaking services is Friday, November 18, 2011.
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Sometimes writers jump into a crit group for the wrong reasons and are disappointed or even discouraged when they don’t get what they expected out of the group. A part of the problem can be the wrong match between the writer and the group, but occasionally, the difficulty stems from a writer who’s not prepared for criticism of their masterpiece.
Decide if you’re ready for a critique group by asking these questions:
-Why do you want to join a critique group?
-Are you looking for someone to praise your writing?
-Are you ready to be told your writing needs improvement?
-Can you use constructive criticism as a guide to help you better edit your manuscript?
-Do you have a good enough understanding of your story to know when you’re being offered advice that won’t work?
-Are you in love with your words and refuse to make any changes?
-Can you take some of the suggestions and leave the rest?
Just because you’re ready to become a member of a critique group doesn’t mean the first one you come across will be the one for you. Choose a critique group based on your answers to the following questions:
-What are the rules to the group?
-Does their schedule work with yours?
-Will you be able to receive as much as you give? (Some critique groups require you to crit a few chapters before you’re permitted to post one of your own.)
-Are the other writers working in the same genre as you? If not, do they have an understanding of your genre? How familiar are they with the genre specific “rules”?
-What writing level(s) do the other members fall under? Is there a mixture of beginners, intermediates, and advanced writers? Or is everyone along the same level? Are you truly at this level?
-How many members are in this group? Would you feel more comfortable with a small group or a larger one?
There are no wrong or right answers to the above questions, only honest answers that’ll help you know what kind of critique group you want to be a part of before you begin your search.
Do you have any questions or suggestions to add to this list that will help someone decide on a critique group?
Come back tomorrow for Critique Partner #3’s profile.
Don’t forget the deadline to submit a questionnaire for the critique group matchmaking services is Friday, November 18, 2011.
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The Benefits of a Critique Group
Joining a critique group is an important part of a writer’s growth. But it’s not easy. You’ll have to take time away from writing your book to critique someone else’s work. Why should do that? Because someone will do the same for you.
But critique groups are more than an exchange of chapters amongst their members. Critiquing another person’s work sharpens your editorial eye. The more you critique, the better you’ll become at self-editing. Most abilities improve with practice and this is no different. However, the act of critiquing isn’t the only thing that will teach you how to recognize problem areas and how to correct them. If your group is set up so each critiqued chapter is posted for all members to see, you’ll surely learn a thing or two from the way others critique. Maybe you’ll discover a new term, like buried dialogue. Or maybe you’ll see how one member always seems to find logic problems like, “How can he hit her with a bat when the bat is still in the living room and they’re in the kitchen?” The more you notice what the other members notice, the more you’ll train your eyes to do the same.
How is a critique group different from having beta readers go over your work? Generally speaking, betas won’t look at the small things or technical issues like grammar. They’re going to read the book in one shot, so they’ll look for big picture problems. This is important, but you won’t learn as much this way. Critiquing a few chapters at a time forces you to slow down and dissect each section. You can still see the big picture issues, but now you’ll notice little things like her eyes were green in chapter one and now they’re blue. Or you might find a scene that doesn’t work for you, but you can’t figure out why. If the critique is posted for the group, you can bring this up. Another member might be able to find the problem and suggest ways of fixing it. This is important because even in your own writing, there may be parts that don’t quite feel right but since you can’t spot the problem, you leave the scene as it is. With a critique group, you can ask for help. Or you can post the scene as it is and see if the members pick up on the issue.
There are other benefits of a critique group. You’ll have the chance to read the work of others for free. If you need to brainstorm, your critique group is there to help. Most of the time, there’s at least one member who excels in grammar. If your group follows a schedule, you’re locked into pumping out a certain amount of words during that timeframe. Talk about great motivation! Plus, the others will understand your struggles and support you during your journey to publication. This is something a writer really needs considering non-writers just don’t get it.
A critique group isn’t for everyone. While there are plenty of benefits of a crit group, there are also some disadvantages. We’ll talk about those in another post.
In case you missed my last post, I’m matchmaking critique groups. Tomorrow and Friday, I’ll post a questionnaire from a writer in search of a crit group or partner. Please spread the word. The more writers involved, the better your chances of finding a good match.
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
But critique groups are more than an exchange of chapters amongst their members. Critiquing another person’s work sharpens your editorial eye. The more you critique, the better you’ll become at self-editing. Most abilities improve with practice and this is no different. However, the act of critiquing isn’t the only thing that will teach you how to recognize problem areas and how to correct them. If your group is set up so each critiqued chapter is posted for all members to see, you’ll surely learn a thing or two from the way others critique. Maybe you’ll discover a new term, like buried dialogue. Or maybe you’ll see how one member always seems to find logic problems like, “How can he hit her with a bat when the bat is still in the living room and they’re in the kitchen?” The more you notice what the other members notice, the more you’ll train your eyes to do the same.
How is a critique group different from having beta readers go over your work? Generally speaking, betas won’t look at the small things or technical issues like grammar. They’re going to read the book in one shot, so they’ll look for big picture problems. This is important, but you won’t learn as much this way. Critiquing a few chapters at a time forces you to slow down and dissect each section. You can still see the big picture issues, but now you’ll notice little things like her eyes were green in chapter one and now they’re blue. Or you might find a scene that doesn’t work for you, but you can’t figure out why. If the critique is posted for the group, you can bring this up. Another member might be able to find the problem and suggest ways of fixing it. This is important because even in your own writing, there may be parts that don’t quite feel right but since you can’t spot the problem, you leave the scene as it is. With a critique group, you can ask for help. Or you can post the scene as it is and see if the members pick up on the issue.
There are other benefits of a critique group. You’ll have the chance to read the work of others for free. If you need to brainstorm, your critique group is there to help. Most of the time, there’s at least one member who excels in grammar. If your group follows a schedule, you’re locked into pumping out a certain amount of words during that timeframe. Talk about great motivation! Plus, the others will understand your struggles and support you during your journey to publication. This is something a writer really needs considering non-writers just don’t get it.
A critique group isn’t for everyone. While there are plenty of benefits of a crit group, there are also some disadvantages. We’ll talk about those in another post.
In case you missed my last post, I’m matchmaking critique groups. Tomorrow and Friday, I’ll post a questionnaire from a writer in search of a crit group or partner. Please spread the word. The more writers involved, the better your chances of finding a good match.
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
How to Write Tight - Part 4
The past few posts have been about how to write tight. Here’s the last installment of this series.
12. Cut needless words. Every writer has his favorite words whether he realizes it or not. “Just” is often overused. For example, “She just wanted to sneak another cookie.” This can be tightened like this, “She wanted another cookie.” Or, “She wanted to sneak another cookie.”
13. Know when to use tags. If it’s obvious who’s speaking, you don’t need to use a dialogue tag. Often the action tag reveals who’s speaking, so it’s redundant to use a dialogue tag as well. For example, “Jimmy touched her shoulder. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said.” This can be tightened like this, “Jimmy touched her shoulder. ‘I’m sorry.’” There was no need to write “he said” because we knew Jimmy said this.
14. Look for “was” + “ing” verbs. This is passive writing and too wordy. Instead, change the verb tense to make the sentence tighter and more active. For example, “He was watching her.” This can be tightened like this, “He watched her.” Instead of, “She was dancing all night.” Try, “She danced all night.”
15. Avoid non-specific words like “it’ and “thing.” Writing tight isn’t just about cutting the word count. It’s also about using specific words. For example, “She didn’t want to do it.” Try, “She didn’t want to do her homework.” Whatever “it” or “thing” is replacing, try using the actual word instead. This can’t always be done without ruining the flow of the writing, but you’ll find if you make an effort to replace non-specific words like this, your writing will be stronger. AND, try to avoid starting sentences, especially paragraphs with “it.”
Now it’s your turn. What are some of the tricks you use to tighten your writing?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
12. Cut needless words. Every writer has his favorite words whether he realizes it or not. “Just” is often overused. For example, “She just wanted to sneak another cookie.” This can be tightened like this, “She wanted another cookie.” Or, “She wanted to sneak another cookie.”
13. Know when to use tags. If it’s obvious who’s speaking, you don’t need to use a dialogue tag. Often the action tag reveals who’s speaking, so it’s redundant to use a dialogue tag as well. For example, “Jimmy touched her shoulder. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said.” This can be tightened like this, “Jimmy touched her shoulder. ‘I’m sorry.’” There was no need to write “he said” because we knew Jimmy said this.
14. Look for “was” + “ing” verbs. This is passive writing and too wordy. Instead, change the verb tense to make the sentence tighter and more active. For example, “He was watching her.” This can be tightened like this, “He watched her.” Instead of, “She was dancing all night.” Try, “She danced all night.”
15. Avoid non-specific words like “it’ and “thing.” Writing tight isn’t just about cutting the word count. It’s also about using specific words. For example, “She didn’t want to do it.” Try, “She didn’t want to do her homework.” Whatever “it” or “thing” is replacing, try using the actual word instead. This can’t always be done without ruining the flow of the writing, but you’ll find if you make an effort to replace non-specific words like this, your writing will be stronger. AND, try to avoid starting sentences, especially paragraphs with “it.”
Now it’s your turn. What are some of the tricks you use to tighten your writing?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Monday, October 31, 2011
How to Write Tight - Part 3
In my last two posts, I’ve talked about ways to write tight or at least self-edit to make it appear that way. Check out these tricks.
9. Search for “ly” words. You don’t have to cut them all, but it’s good practice to look at them and decide if you could remove the adverb and use a stronger verb instead. For example, “Betty spoke softly.” This can be tightened like this, “Betty whispered.” Or, “He walked into the room in a leisurely manner.” This can be tightened like this, “He sauntered into the room.”
10. Use strong nouns and cut adjectives. This doesn’t mean you need to delete all adjectives, but you want to use them sparingly. For example, “The cute, little, young dog ran quickly as the spunky, skinny cat chased him.” This can be shortened to, “The puppy sprinted as the cat chased him.” Granted, sometimes you want the extra details an adjective can give you, but use them in moderation. Here’s another example, “The huge, old, run-down, ghost-filled house was haunted.” This can be tightened like this, “The mansion was haunted.” Or, “The old mansion was haunted.” Sometimes you want to go into details with a description, but you can’t do that with every description.
Make sure you don’t cut pertinent information. If the details are necessary to move the story forward or reveal something about the main characters or their past, you’ll want to go into more details. The problem some writers have is they describe EVERYTHING. Know what to keep, what to delete, and what to weave into the story.
11. Watch for “repeaters.” These are words that you use over and over and over again. I know. These are hard to spot on your own. Have someone else read your story to find them. Or change the font and color, and/or print out your story so you see it in a different light. You’d be surprised how many times your characters smile, walk, laugh, nod, and shrug. Substitute the word with another or use a different way to show the same emotion. For example, if the character has smiled three times in a row, you might want to have him laugh or say something so we know he’s happy instead of having him smile.
Wednesday, I’ll post the last part of this series. Happy Halloween!
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
9. Search for “ly” words. You don’t have to cut them all, but it’s good practice to look at them and decide if you could remove the adverb and use a stronger verb instead. For example, “Betty spoke softly.” This can be tightened like this, “Betty whispered.” Or, “He walked into the room in a leisurely manner.” This can be tightened like this, “He sauntered into the room.”
10. Use strong nouns and cut adjectives. This doesn’t mean you need to delete all adjectives, but you want to use them sparingly. For example, “The cute, little, young dog ran quickly as the spunky, skinny cat chased him.” This can be shortened to, “The puppy sprinted as the cat chased him.” Granted, sometimes you want the extra details an adjective can give you, but use them in moderation. Here’s another example, “The huge, old, run-down, ghost-filled house was haunted.” This can be tightened like this, “The mansion was haunted.” Or, “The old mansion was haunted.” Sometimes you want to go into details with a description, but you can’t do that with every description.
Make sure you don’t cut pertinent information. If the details are necessary to move the story forward or reveal something about the main characters or their past, you’ll want to go into more details. The problem some writers have is they describe EVERYTHING. Know what to keep, what to delete, and what to weave into the story.
11. Watch for “repeaters.” These are words that you use over and over and over again. I know. These are hard to spot on your own. Have someone else read your story to find them. Or change the font and color, and/or print out your story so you see it in a different light. You’d be surprised how many times your characters smile, walk, laugh, nod, and shrug. Substitute the word with another or use a different way to show the same emotion. For example, if the character has smiled three times in a row, you might want to have him laugh or say something so we know he’s happy instead of having him smile.
Wednesday, I’ll post the last part of this series. Happy Halloween!
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
How to Write Tight - Part 2
In my last post, I talked about a few ways to ensure your writing is tight. I gave you questions to ask yourself to see if a scene or conversation is necessary, and I told you not to overuse names in dialogue or to beat the reader over the head. If you missed this post, scroll down. It should be below this one.
The lesson is not over. I still have plenty of tricks to share. Take a look…
5. Don’t overdo descriptions. A dark blue dress is a navy dress. See, you’ve cut one word already. Not so hard, right? Take a look at this… “He wore a tattered green shirt, ripped on one shoulder, and stained across the front with something yellow. His jeans had holes in the knees—not for a fashion statement—and his shoes didn’t match.” If this person is a main character, you could keep this as it is. The problem is that writers tend to describe everyone as detailed as this. If the character is a secondary character, mention one to three things about him. If she’s a walk-on, only note one thing about her, something you’d notice as a first impression. Otherwise, the same description above can be shortened like this, “He dressed like a pauper.” Or, “He dressed like a bum.” Or, “He dressed like he shopped at a thrift store.” The reader will still be able to create a similar image in her mind.
6. Choose descriptive verbs instead of weak verbs that need enhancing with adverbs and more details. For example, “Billy walked with a limp.” This could be tightened like this, “Billy limped.” Go through your manuscript to find “walked” and see if you can use a more specific verb to show how the character walked.
7. Avoid backstory or info dumps. Instead of stopping the forward motion of the story by writing paragraphs or pages of details about the character’s past, weave all of this into the story through dialogue, flashbacks, and narrative.
8. Simplify your sentences. Watch for these examples in particular:
-stand up = stand (The only way to stand is “up”, so it’s not necessary to write both words.)
-sit down = sit (The same logic applies here.)
-rose up = rose (And here.)
-turned back = turned (We’ll be able to tell by the context if he turned back or around, so no need to add the extra word.)
-turned around = turned (Same logic applies here.)
-he thought to himself = he thought (He can’t think to anyone else but himself, so this is unnecessary. It would be stronger if you showed him thinking instead—that’s deep POV.)
-he shrugged his shoulders = he shrugged (What else could he be shrugging but his shoulders?)
-he nodded his head = he nodded (The same logic applies here.)
-she pointed her finger = she pointed (And here.)
-he whispered softly = he whispered (You can’t exactly whisper loudly.)
-she yelled loudly = she yelled (Yelling is loud. No need to tell us something we already know.)
-she smiled to herself = she smiled (This is too wordy. We should be able to tell by the context that she’s smiling to herself and not someone else.)
-she crossed her arms over her chest = she crossed her arms (That’s usually how people cross their arms. If she’s doing some other sort of arm crossing, like over her stomach, then you can go into more details to show the reader what you’re describing is a little different.)
-he looked up at the sky = he looked at the sky (Where else would the sky be?)
-he glanced down at his feet = he glanced at his feet (The same logic applies here.)
See? Writing tight isn’t so hard, right? Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to actually write tight. You just have to know how to self-edit so it appears that way.
There’s still more to come in my next two posts. See you then!
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
The lesson is not over. I still have plenty of tricks to share. Take a look…
5. Don’t overdo descriptions. A dark blue dress is a navy dress. See, you’ve cut one word already. Not so hard, right? Take a look at this… “He wore a tattered green shirt, ripped on one shoulder, and stained across the front with something yellow. His jeans had holes in the knees—not for a fashion statement—and his shoes didn’t match.” If this person is a main character, you could keep this as it is. The problem is that writers tend to describe everyone as detailed as this. If the character is a secondary character, mention one to three things about him. If she’s a walk-on, only note one thing about her, something you’d notice as a first impression. Otherwise, the same description above can be shortened like this, “He dressed like a pauper.” Or, “He dressed like a bum.” Or, “He dressed like he shopped at a thrift store.” The reader will still be able to create a similar image in her mind.
6. Choose descriptive verbs instead of weak verbs that need enhancing with adverbs and more details. For example, “Billy walked with a limp.” This could be tightened like this, “Billy limped.” Go through your manuscript to find “walked” and see if you can use a more specific verb to show how the character walked.
7. Avoid backstory or info dumps. Instead of stopping the forward motion of the story by writing paragraphs or pages of details about the character’s past, weave all of this into the story through dialogue, flashbacks, and narrative.
8. Simplify your sentences. Watch for these examples in particular:
-stand up = stand (The only way to stand is “up”, so it’s not necessary to write both words.)
-sit down = sit (The same logic applies here.)
-rose up = rose (And here.)
-turned back = turned (We’ll be able to tell by the context if he turned back or around, so no need to add the extra word.)
-turned around = turned (Same logic applies here.)
-he thought to himself = he thought (He can’t think to anyone else but himself, so this is unnecessary. It would be stronger if you showed him thinking instead—that’s deep POV.)
-he shrugged his shoulders = he shrugged (What else could he be shrugging but his shoulders?)
-he nodded his head = he nodded (The same logic applies here.)
-she pointed her finger = she pointed (And here.)
-he whispered softly = he whispered (You can’t exactly whisper loudly.)
-she yelled loudly = she yelled (Yelling is loud. No need to tell us something we already know.)
-she smiled to herself = she smiled (This is too wordy. We should be able to tell by the context that she’s smiling to herself and not someone else.)
-she crossed her arms over her chest = she crossed her arms (That’s usually how people cross their arms. If she’s doing some other sort of arm crossing, like over her stomach, then you can go into more details to show the reader what you’re describing is a little different.)
-he looked up at the sky = he looked at the sky (Where else would the sky be?)
-he glanced down at his feet = he glanced at his feet (The same logic applies here.)
See? Writing tight isn’t so hard, right? Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to actually write tight. You just have to know how to self-edit so it appears that way.
There’s still more to come in my next two posts. See you then!
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Monday, October 24, 2011
How to Write Tight - Part 1
Have you gotten rejection letters saying the writing isn’t tight enough? Have contest judges told you to tighten your writing? Are you scratching your head because nobody’s really explained what that means or how to fix the problem?
Get ready. Here’s a lesson you won’t want to miss.
Why is it so important to write tight? Today’s agents and editors expect tight writing because that’s what readers want. For the most part, readers want to get into the story and to the point. They don’t want to have to skim through fluff. Many of them would rather close the book instead.
Here are some self-editing tricks you can use when looking specifically at tightening your work.
1. Ask yourself… Is every scene essential to the main character’s goals, motivations, and conflicts? Does the scene advance the story or reveal something about the characters? If not, the scene is fluff or filler. Even if this scene is the best scene you’ve ever written, if it doesn’t add to the story (or wouldn’t change the story if you deleted it), you must cut it. Sorry. That doesn’t mean you have to trash the scene. Save it in another folder. You never know. This same scene or portions of it may work well in another story. If not, you’ll always have it and can dig it up to read and cherish whenever you want.
2. Ditto for dialogue… Too many writers think they need to write every little detail about the conversation between two characters. Not true. In reality, we might have small talk about the weather, kind of like a warm up to “the real reason we called,” but we don’t want to read chitchat in novels. Get to the point. Make sure there’s a reason for every word used in the dialogue.
3. Don’t overuse names. This is an area where you want to imitate real life. Think about it. How often do you call your friends by name when you’re talking with them? Not much, if at all, right? The same should apply to your characters when they’re talking. There are other ways to show the reader who’s talking without mentioning names in the dialogue.
4. Don’t beat the reader over the head. Say it once and move on. You don’t have to keep repeating the same idea, even if you’re using different words to do so. Sometimes, a writer will do this in the same paragraph. For example: “Joan’s scraped knee burned. The open wound screamed. Her cut shot pain to her knee.” We get it. She hurt her knee and is in pain. Pick one way to describe this and move on. Another repetition issue is when the writer mentions something in one paragraph and then repeats it a few paragraphs later. For example, “Damn. A flat tire. I’ll have to get this fixed before I can meet up with Peter.” Then, Suzie does something and two paragraphs or more go by. Finally, the tow truck driver arrives and Suzie says, “Oh, thank goodness you’re here. I have a flat and need to get it fixed.” This would’ve been obvious to the driver, and the reader already knows, so there’s no need to say more than, “Thank goodness you’re here.” Of course, the writer could’ve done worse. He could’ve shown the conversation where Suzie called the towing company, so the reader would’ve heard about the problem three times.
I have many more tricks to share with you but don’t want to overwhelm you. Look for more ways to tighten your writing in my next few posts.
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Get ready. Here’s a lesson you won’t want to miss.
Why is it so important to write tight? Today’s agents and editors expect tight writing because that’s what readers want. For the most part, readers want to get into the story and to the point. They don’t want to have to skim through fluff. Many of them would rather close the book instead.
Here are some self-editing tricks you can use when looking specifically at tightening your work.
1. Ask yourself… Is every scene essential to the main character’s goals, motivations, and conflicts? Does the scene advance the story or reveal something about the characters? If not, the scene is fluff or filler. Even if this scene is the best scene you’ve ever written, if it doesn’t add to the story (or wouldn’t change the story if you deleted it), you must cut it. Sorry. That doesn’t mean you have to trash the scene. Save it in another folder. You never know. This same scene or portions of it may work well in another story. If not, you’ll always have it and can dig it up to read and cherish whenever you want.
2. Ditto for dialogue… Too many writers think they need to write every little detail about the conversation between two characters. Not true. In reality, we might have small talk about the weather, kind of like a warm up to “the real reason we called,” but we don’t want to read chitchat in novels. Get to the point. Make sure there’s a reason for every word used in the dialogue.
3. Don’t overuse names. This is an area where you want to imitate real life. Think about it. How often do you call your friends by name when you’re talking with them? Not much, if at all, right? The same should apply to your characters when they’re talking. There are other ways to show the reader who’s talking without mentioning names in the dialogue.
4. Don’t beat the reader over the head. Say it once and move on. You don’t have to keep repeating the same idea, even if you’re using different words to do so. Sometimes, a writer will do this in the same paragraph. For example: “Joan’s scraped knee burned. The open wound screamed. Her cut shot pain to her knee.” We get it. She hurt her knee and is in pain. Pick one way to describe this and move on. Another repetition issue is when the writer mentions something in one paragraph and then repeats it a few paragraphs later. For example, “Damn. A flat tire. I’ll have to get this fixed before I can meet up with Peter.” Then, Suzie does something and two paragraphs or more go by. Finally, the tow truck driver arrives and Suzie says, “Oh, thank goodness you’re here. I have a flat and need to get it fixed.” This would’ve been obvious to the driver, and the reader already knows, so there’s no need to say more than, “Thank goodness you’re here.” Of course, the writer could’ve done worse. He could’ve shown the conversation where Suzie called the towing company, so the reader would’ve heard about the problem three times.
I have many more tricks to share with you but don’t want to overwhelm you. Look for more ways to tighten your writing in my next few posts.
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Beat Writer's Block
Do you ever experience writer’s block? If you’re a writer, I don’t think you can avoid it, but how do you overcome the brick wall that keeps you from your muse?
I’ve written about this before but wanted to include the great ideas some of you suggested in my comments section. Plus, I have some new followers who may not have read the original post…
One way to over come writer’s block is to start a new document (so you don’t mess with the good one) and take the scene you were struggling with. Now, do your best to make this scene the worst scene you’ve ever written. Destroy it. Add all the adverbs you want. Make your characters one dimensional. Have floating body parts and talking heads. Dump all kinds of info and backstory. Get all that bad writing out of your system. Now, read it. Laugh. And realize no matter what you write afterwards won’t be nearly as bad as this. Sometimes what’s blocking you is a little thing called perfectionism. Give yourself permission to make mistakes and realize it takes a lot of effort to really create a writing disaster. While you’ll most likely have to tweak your work after you write, at least you’ve grown as a writer. Just think. If you know enough to purposely ruin a good scene, then you have the knowledge to fix it, too.
Another twist to this trick is to open a new document, then copy and paste the last scene you were working on before you became blocked. This time, try several different scenarios for this scene. Doing this gives you the creative freedom you need to experiment with the scene. Sometimes, we get blocked because we’re afraid what we write in our manuscript will be written in stone. Although we consciously realize we can always go back and change something, occasionally, our muse forgets. So, try writing “outside the box” and when you get back into the grove, copy and paste this new scene into your manuscript.
Ask yourself why you’re blocked. Are your characters saying you’ve taken a wrong turn and should go back and change something? Or does your block have nothing to do with your story but everything to do with your life? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you stressed out? Are you sick or not feeling well? Are the kids fighting in the background? If you can figure out why you’re blocked, it may be easier to fix the problem.
Other ways to overcome writer’s block are:
-take time away from writing
-remove yourself from your desk and go for a walk
-switch to a different computer or to a notepad
-change the font or color you’re writing with
-recite the scene into a digital recorder and play it back to see if it works
-brainstorm with other writers
-edit a different scene or project
-take a nap
-jump into the shower
-grab a cup of coffee
-exercise
-read a book
-watch a movie
-put on headphones and listen to loud music
-remove the clutter around you—clean
-work on another story
-write a letter to your character about how frustrated you are with him
-have your character write you a letter to you about what he’d like to do in the scene instead of what you’re telling him to do
Unfortunately, finding your lost muse doesn’t mean you’ll write the perfect manuscript, but it’ll get you writing again. Worry about the editing later.
Maybe you can’t figure out why you’re stuck, but you know how to overcome the barrier. Take note of whatever works for you and keep that tucked away for the next time you need to overcome writer’s block.
Do you have any other ideas on how a writer can beat writer’s block?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Monday, October 17, 2011
8 Plotting Pointers
As a freelance editor, sometimes I come across a manuscript that is well-written, but there’s no plot. The characters are simply meandering around with no real purpose. No plot? No story. No book deal. No fans. No money. See how you can miss out on a lot if you don’t ensure your story has a plot?
Here are eight pointers on plotting:
1. Know where to start. A story should begin at or near the inciting incident. This is the moment when the protagonist’s normal life is suddenly turned upside down and her journey begins. This means the story has already begun before we opened the book, but we won’t learn about this backstory until later on. For now, we want to enjoy the moment, see how the character handles herself, what she has to lose, and where she’s going from here. The backstory can be slipped in later through flashbacks, exposition, inference, or dialogue. Don’t DUMP it at the beginning or anywhere for that matter.
2. Keep your characters true to themselves. A mild-mannered man won’t hit his girlfriend. Unless the writer has shown us a different side to the character, we won’t believe the man could be violent. Motivate, motivate, motivate. We’ll believe a character can and will do anything as long as it’s properly motivated and makes sense within the story.
3. Nothing should happen at random. Every element in a story must have significance. Always ask, “Why this person and not another? Why this place instead of that? Why would he say or do this? What is its purpose? Does it move the story forward? Does it reveal something about the character? Will the story still make sense without this?”
4. Tick tock goes the clock. The protagonist should have a sense of urgency. If she doesn’t attain her goal by such and such, this will happen… Without this ticking time bomb looming over her, the heroine can easily get distracted and forget what’s at stake. Or she can simply take her time attaining her goal, but the reader probably won’t stick around.
5. Show character growth. Make ‘em suffer. I know it’s tempting to give your characters a break. You don’t want to hurt your darlings. But, you MUST torture them. Every time life starts to get easy for your characters, another hurdle must present itself. The more things the hero has to overcome, the stronger he’ll be in the end.
6. Subtly foreshadow things to come. You want the reader to realize the clues to the killer’s identity were there all along. If only she’d been paying closer attention and hadn’t been so focused on the story… A miracle shouldn’t solve the problem. The villain shouldn’t suddenly cave or become weak. The final clue to solve the mystery won’t drop from the sky. And the killer won’t be someone we’ve never seen or heard about before. But remember, foreshadowing something is done subtly or you’re no longer foreshadowing, you’re giving it away.
7. Resolve it. Whatever the conflict may be, and no matter how hard it’s been for the hero to overcome it, at some point, he must do just that. By the end of the story, he should’ve learned enough and grown enough that he can finally attain his goal. The reason the hero can now overthrow the villain is because the hero has grown and is stronger, not because the villain is weaker.
8. Remember your readers. Make sure your story fits within the genre you write and what your readers expect. It’s okay step outside the box, but don’t run from it.
What are some plotting pointers you’d like to share?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Here are eight pointers on plotting:
1. Know where to start. A story should begin at or near the inciting incident. This is the moment when the protagonist’s normal life is suddenly turned upside down and her journey begins. This means the story has already begun before we opened the book, but we won’t learn about this backstory until later on. For now, we want to enjoy the moment, see how the character handles herself, what she has to lose, and where she’s going from here. The backstory can be slipped in later through flashbacks, exposition, inference, or dialogue. Don’t DUMP it at the beginning or anywhere for that matter.
2. Keep your characters true to themselves. A mild-mannered man won’t hit his girlfriend. Unless the writer has shown us a different side to the character, we won’t believe the man could be violent. Motivate, motivate, motivate. We’ll believe a character can and will do anything as long as it’s properly motivated and makes sense within the story.
3. Nothing should happen at random. Every element in a story must have significance. Always ask, “Why this person and not another? Why this place instead of that? Why would he say or do this? What is its purpose? Does it move the story forward? Does it reveal something about the character? Will the story still make sense without this?”
4. Tick tock goes the clock. The protagonist should have a sense of urgency. If she doesn’t attain her goal by such and such, this will happen… Without this ticking time bomb looming over her, the heroine can easily get distracted and forget what’s at stake. Or she can simply take her time attaining her goal, but the reader probably won’t stick around.
5. Show character growth. Make ‘em suffer. I know it’s tempting to give your characters a break. You don’t want to hurt your darlings. But, you MUST torture them. Every time life starts to get easy for your characters, another hurdle must present itself. The more things the hero has to overcome, the stronger he’ll be in the end.
6. Subtly foreshadow things to come. You want the reader to realize the clues to the killer’s identity were there all along. If only she’d been paying closer attention and hadn’t been so focused on the story… A miracle shouldn’t solve the problem. The villain shouldn’t suddenly cave or become weak. The final clue to solve the mystery won’t drop from the sky. And the killer won’t be someone we’ve never seen or heard about before. But remember, foreshadowing something is done subtly or you’re no longer foreshadowing, you’re giving it away.
7. Resolve it. Whatever the conflict may be, and no matter how hard it’s been for the hero to overcome it, at some point, he must do just that. By the end of the story, he should’ve learned enough and grown enough that he can finally attain his goal. The reason the hero can now overthrow the villain is because the hero has grown and is stronger, not because the villain is weaker.
8. Remember your readers. Make sure your story fits within the genre you write and what your readers expect. It’s okay step outside the box, but don’t run from it.
What are some plotting pointers you’d like to share?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Writing Advice from an Editor
As a freelance editor, I’m often asked what advice I’d give writers when it comes to writing. I could go on and on about this topic, but I decided to compile ten things all writers should do before publishing their book.
1. Read in your genre every day. While reading on a daily basis is good, reading in your genre is better. This keeps you on top of what’s been done already and it allows your subconscious mind to learn the subtle tricks for successful storytelling in that genre.
2. Learn the craft of writing like your life depends on it. Too many writers don’t bother to really learn the craft of writing. Sure, it’s a great accomplishment to complete a 90,000 word book. Not everyone can do that. However, just because the novel is written, doesn’t mean it’s publishable. Maybe the story is even good, but if the manuscript is filled with craft errors, the book will fail. Readers, whether they’re agents, editors, or simply people who love to read, have expectations. If you don’t know what they are, how are you supposed to fulfill the reader’s needs? There are rules to writing publishable novels. Learn them.
3. Design your writing like an engineer. Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, at some point you need to figure out where the story is going. For plotters, that happens before you write. You’ll probably have character sketches written out, GMC (goal, motivation, conflict) sheets filled, and a plot outline to follow. Pantsers still need to do these things, but they usually worry about this after they’ve completed the first draft, once they begin their editing stage. Some writers do a little of both styles. How you design your story isn’t important, but you need to do it. Stories and characters have arcs. Make sure yours are obvious. The more you know about your characters, the easier it is to make them appear three dimensional. But you have to sit and think about all of this before you polish your novel.
4. Love your story as if you are its mother. If you don’t love your writing, nobody will. Getting published is hard. Your story will go through all kinds of scrutiny. If you don’t love the characters and the plot like you’re their mother, you’ll probably give up before the battle is won. However, that doesn’t mean you need to hold onto every single word you’ve written. Even a mother knows when it’s time to let her baby go. If your editor or agent or several critique partners have told you to cut a scene, chapter, or character, you should probably listen. Don’t take this the wrong way. There’s a danger in listening to everyone. If you’re in a critique group, you have to know your characters and your story well enough to understand when fellow critiquers’ advice makes sense and when it doesn’t. Often your critique partners are at the same writing level as you, so they don’t necessarily know better, even if they have good intensions. The best way to judge whether or not to change something is if more than one person suggested the change, or if an industry professional made the suggestion.
5. Edit your writing like you’re that anal retentive teacher you hated in school. You remember that teacher everyone loved to hate because she was so damn anal retentive that you had to think twice as hard in her class? Well, now you are that teacher. Search and destroy any error in your manuscript. And then do it again, until your story is so polished, it squeaks.
6. Have other writers read and critique your work. As much as family and friends have good intentions when reading your work, most of them will never be honest enough to help you grow as a writer. Either they don’t want to hurt your feelings or they don’t know how to judge if a book is publishable or not. Heck, even agents struggle with that. Your best bet is to join a critique group and have other writers critique your work.
7. Decide which path to take: traditional publishing, e-publishing, or self-publishing. Before you jump into the great agent chase, research these three options and make sure you follow the path that best suits your needs. There are pros and cons to each.
8. Advocate for your work with the passion of a politician. No matter whether you’re self-publishing or not, you’ll still need to market your book. This is another reason you need to love it because you have to convince others they’ll love it, too. The best way to do this is to stay focused. Who is your target reader? How do you reach her? How can you convince her that your book is different from all the others like it? Pretend your book is running for office. How can you encourage readers to buy into your campaign?
9. Learn how to use the internet to your advantage. Start a website and keep it active with a blog. Learn about social networking like Twitter, Facebook, Google +, etc… and how they can work for you. BUT don’t fall into their trap. Too many writers get carried away on these sites and waste too much of their precious writing time as they tweet about the weather or how much they want another cup of coffee. Use these systems in moderation.
10. Write every day. That’s the only way you’re going to finish your story and the next and the next. Plus, writing every day gets you into a routine and forces you to learn self-discipline, something you’ll need once you’re published and on a deadline.
Do you have any other suggestions?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
1. Read in your genre every day. While reading on a daily basis is good, reading in your genre is better. This keeps you on top of what’s been done already and it allows your subconscious mind to learn the subtle tricks for successful storytelling in that genre.
2. Learn the craft of writing like your life depends on it. Too many writers don’t bother to really learn the craft of writing. Sure, it’s a great accomplishment to complete a 90,000 word book. Not everyone can do that. However, just because the novel is written, doesn’t mean it’s publishable. Maybe the story is even good, but if the manuscript is filled with craft errors, the book will fail. Readers, whether they’re agents, editors, or simply people who love to read, have expectations. If you don’t know what they are, how are you supposed to fulfill the reader’s needs? There are rules to writing publishable novels. Learn them.
3. Design your writing like an engineer. Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, at some point you need to figure out where the story is going. For plotters, that happens before you write. You’ll probably have character sketches written out, GMC (goal, motivation, conflict) sheets filled, and a plot outline to follow. Pantsers still need to do these things, but they usually worry about this after they’ve completed the first draft, once they begin their editing stage. Some writers do a little of both styles. How you design your story isn’t important, but you need to do it. Stories and characters have arcs. Make sure yours are obvious. The more you know about your characters, the easier it is to make them appear three dimensional. But you have to sit and think about all of this before you polish your novel.
4. Love your story as if you are its mother. If you don’t love your writing, nobody will. Getting published is hard. Your story will go through all kinds of scrutiny. If you don’t love the characters and the plot like you’re their mother, you’ll probably give up before the battle is won. However, that doesn’t mean you need to hold onto every single word you’ve written. Even a mother knows when it’s time to let her baby go. If your editor or agent or several critique partners have told you to cut a scene, chapter, or character, you should probably listen. Don’t take this the wrong way. There’s a danger in listening to everyone. If you’re in a critique group, you have to know your characters and your story well enough to understand when fellow critiquers’ advice makes sense and when it doesn’t. Often your critique partners are at the same writing level as you, so they don’t necessarily know better, even if they have good intensions. The best way to judge whether or not to change something is if more than one person suggested the change, or if an industry professional made the suggestion.
5. Edit your writing like you’re that anal retentive teacher you hated in school. You remember that teacher everyone loved to hate because she was so damn anal retentive that you had to think twice as hard in her class? Well, now you are that teacher. Search and destroy any error in your manuscript. And then do it again, until your story is so polished, it squeaks.
6. Have other writers read and critique your work. As much as family and friends have good intentions when reading your work, most of them will never be honest enough to help you grow as a writer. Either they don’t want to hurt your feelings or they don’t know how to judge if a book is publishable or not. Heck, even agents struggle with that. Your best bet is to join a critique group and have other writers critique your work.
7. Decide which path to take: traditional publishing, e-publishing, or self-publishing. Before you jump into the great agent chase, research these three options and make sure you follow the path that best suits your needs. There are pros and cons to each.
8. Advocate for your work with the passion of a politician. No matter whether you’re self-publishing or not, you’ll still need to market your book. This is another reason you need to love it because you have to convince others they’ll love it, too. The best way to do this is to stay focused. Who is your target reader? How do you reach her? How can you convince her that your book is different from all the others like it? Pretend your book is running for office. How can you encourage readers to buy into your campaign?
9. Learn how to use the internet to your advantage. Start a website and keep it active with a blog. Learn about social networking like Twitter, Facebook, Google +, etc… and how they can work for you. BUT don’t fall into their trap. Too many writers get carried away on these sites and waste too much of their precious writing time as they tweet about the weather or how much they want another cup of coffee. Use these systems in moderation.
10. Write every day. That’s the only way you’re going to finish your story and the next and the next. Plus, writing every day gets you into a routine and forces you to learn self-discipline, something you’ll need once you’re published and on a deadline.
Do you have any other suggestions?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Monday, October 10, 2011
Buried Dialogue: The Unofficial Rules
Last week, we discussed buried or hidden dialogue and I promised to continue today with the unofficial rules. Here they are:
1) Show dialogue, narration, dialogue.
Ex. “This is silly.” She looked away. “There’s no way I could put that on.”
2) Show dialogue then narration.
Ex. “I’m coming.” She rushed down the stairs with her purse in hand.
3) Show narration then dialogue.
Ex. He flipped open the phone. “Morris. Yeah, she’s right here. Don’t worry. I won’t let her leave my sight.”
4) Don’t show narration, dialogue, narration because the dialogue is buried between the two pieces of narration, which explains why it’s called buried dialogue.
5) An exception is when the narration following the dialogue is a dialogue tag or narration explaining the tone of voice used. But even that should be used sparingly.
Ex.1 She picked up the last toy and tossed it in the box. “If I have to clean up after Sissy one more time, I’m going to scream,” she said slowly, emphasizing every word.
Ex.2 She lifted a tissue to her nose and blew. “He’s gone.” Her voice quivered almost as much as her hand.
Example 2 would be stronger like this:
She lifted a tissue to her nose and blew.
“He’s gone.” Her voice quivered almost as much as her hand.
How do you eliminate buried dialogue? Sometimes that means moving things around so the dialogue is at the front or end of the narration. Sometimes you'll have to delete the narration, or you can add narration about someone else, which gives you an excuse to change lines. Other times, a line change is all that's needed to either give you a "narration plus dialogue" or "dialogue plus narration" effect. Look back at last Wednesday’s post to see examples of how to fix buried dialogue.
Like I mentioned before, this isn’t a rule. It’s more like a trick to help keep your story’s pace flowing well. If you look through some of the more recently published novels, you’ll see authors rarely bury their dialogue. There has to be a reason for that, right?
Okay, fess up. Have you buried your dialogue?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
1) Show dialogue, narration, dialogue.
Ex. “This is silly.” She looked away. “There’s no way I could put that on.”
2) Show dialogue then narration.
Ex. “I’m coming.” She rushed down the stairs with her purse in hand.
3) Show narration then dialogue.
Ex. He flipped open the phone. “Morris. Yeah, she’s right here. Don’t worry. I won’t let her leave my sight.”
4) Don’t show narration, dialogue, narration because the dialogue is buried between the two pieces of narration, which explains why it’s called buried dialogue.
5) An exception is when the narration following the dialogue is a dialogue tag or narration explaining the tone of voice used. But even that should be used sparingly.
Ex.1 She picked up the last toy and tossed it in the box. “If I have to clean up after Sissy one more time, I’m going to scream,” she said slowly, emphasizing every word.
Ex.2 She lifted a tissue to her nose and blew. “He’s gone.” Her voice quivered almost as much as her hand.
Example 2 would be stronger like this:
She lifted a tissue to her nose and blew.
“He’s gone.” Her voice quivered almost as much as her hand.
How do you eliminate buried dialogue? Sometimes that means moving things around so the dialogue is at the front or end of the narration. Sometimes you'll have to delete the narration, or you can add narration about someone else, which gives you an excuse to change lines. Other times, a line change is all that's needed to either give you a "narration plus dialogue" or "dialogue plus narration" effect. Look back at last Wednesday’s post to see examples of how to fix buried dialogue.
Like I mentioned before, this isn’t a rule. It’s more like a trick to help keep your story’s pace flowing well. If you look through some of the more recently published novels, you’ll see authors rarely bury their dialogue. There has to be a reason for that, right?
Okay, fess up. Have you buried your dialogue?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Dig Out That Buried Dialogue
Buried or hidden dialogue, both terms mean the same thing, but what is that exactly? While buried dialogue isn’t a technical term nor is there any rule that says you can’t use it, editors often suggest you eliminate as much of it as possible. There are two basic reasons behind this.
1) Buried dialogue slows the pace.
2) Dialogue can lose its oomph when squished between two narratives.
Let’s look at some examples, so you can see what I mean.
Example 1:
With Buried Dialogue:
Toni opened the door. “What are you doing here?” She crossed her arms, determined to show him she meant business. “I told you to stay away.” Why was he there anyway? Didn’t he know what was good for him?
Without Buried Dialogue:
Toni opened the door.
“What are you doing here?” She crossed her arms, determined to show him she meant business. “I told you to stay away.”
Why was he there anyway? Didn’t he know what was good for him?
Example 2:
With Buried Dialogue:
Marnie wrapped a ringlet of her hair around her finger. Maybe she could convince him yet. “Surely, there must be something I could help you with.” She batted her eyelashes and puckered her lips. Swaying her hips, she circled around him. If there was one thing she knew about men, they couldn’t resist a good tease.
Without Buried Dialogue 1:
Marnie wrapped a ringlet of her hair around her finger. Maybe she could convince him yet. “Surely, there must be something I could help you with.”
She batted her eyelashes and puckered her lips. Swaying her hips, she circled around him. If there was one thing she knew about men, they couldn’t resist a good tease.
Without Buried Dialogue 2:
Marnie wrapped a ringlet of her hair around her finger. Maybe she could convince him yet.
“Surely, there must be something I could help you with.” She batted her eyelashes and puckered her lips. Swaying her hips, she circled around him. If there was one thing she knew about men, they couldn’t resist a good tease.
Notice the difference between the “with” and “without” buried dialogue examples. The dialogue is lost in the narration and doesn’t have the effect it could have on its own.
Come back next Monday for the unofficial rules in regards to buried dialogue.
Do you ever use buried dialogue?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
1) Buried dialogue slows the pace.
2) Dialogue can lose its oomph when squished between two narratives.
Let’s look at some examples, so you can see what I mean.
Example 1:
With Buried Dialogue:
Toni opened the door. “What are you doing here?” She crossed her arms, determined to show him she meant business. “I told you to stay away.” Why was he there anyway? Didn’t he know what was good for him?
Without Buried Dialogue:
Toni opened the door.
“What are you doing here?” She crossed her arms, determined to show him she meant business. “I told you to stay away.”
Why was he there anyway? Didn’t he know what was good for him?
Example 2:
With Buried Dialogue:
Marnie wrapped a ringlet of her hair around her finger. Maybe she could convince him yet. “Surely, there must be something I could help you with.” She batted her eyelashes and puckered her lips. Swaying her hips, she circled around him. If there was one thing she knew about men, they couldn’t resist a good tease.
Without Buried Dialogue 1:
Marnie wrapped a ringlet of her hair around her finger. Maybe she could convince him yet. “Surely, there must be something I could help you with.”
She batted her eyelashes and puckered her lips. Swaying her hips, she circled around him. If there was one thing she knew about men, they couldn’t resist a good tease.
Without Buried Dialogue 2:
Marnie wrapped a ringlet of her hair around her finger. Maybe she could convince him yet.
“Surely, there must be something I could help you with.” She batted her eyelashes and puckered her lips. Swaying her hips, she circled around him. If there was one thing she knew about men, they couldn’t resist a good tease.
Notice the difference between the “with” and “without” buried dialogue examples. The dialogue is lost in the narration and doesn’t have the effect it could have on its own.
Come back next Monday for the unofficial rules in regards to buried dialogue.
Do you ever use buried dialogue?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Monday, October 3, 2011
Style Checklist for Writers
For those of you who are in the editing stages of your story, you might want to take a peek at this style checklist.
1. Check your sentences. Do they begin with the words “there” or “it”? Sometimes it’s necessary to use “there” or “it”, but replacing these words with something more specific makes for stronger writing.
2. Is your writing tight? Or do you go on and on and on like a lonely, old lady? Are you double-talking? For example, as a sample of this type of writing, you’d need to think or ponder what it would be like to express and communicate your thoughts and ideas with abundant or surplus, maybe even redundant, repetitions. Are you scratching your head right now? That’s exactly how your readers would feel if you wrote this way.
3. Are you repeating what you've already told or shown your readers? For example, Riley thinks about asking Julie on a date and plans on giving her a rose. Then, he runs into Gary and tells him what he’s going to do. When Riley finally sees Julie, he gives her a rose and asks her out. The reader is disappointed because this is the third time she’s read this. The writer had two choices. He could’ve shown Riley’s angst over his first time asking a girl out, and when he finally sees her, his nerves melt away. This isn’t considered repetition because something different occurs. Or the writer could’ve skipped the first part, where Riley agonizes about asking her out. Instead, Riley could go right up to Julie and then his nerves could kick in. This way, the writer is still showing the same emotions, but this is more immediate.
4. Are you using clichés? While it’s okay to use clichés in dialogue (sparingly), you want to avoid using them in narration. Try to find a fresher way of saying the same thing.
5. Are you trying to be clever by using words that are above your readers’ vocabulary level? This doesn’t make you look smart. Well, maybe it does, but many readers are turned off by authors who “show off.” If they have to check words in the dictionary just to understand your story, they’ll probably pick up an easier read—one they can lose themselves in.
6. Is the text fluent, varied in rhythm, and the right tone for your genre?
7. Does every conversation advance the story and reveal something new about the plot or characters? If not, why is it there? Eliminate as much fluff as possible to tighten your story. Dialogue is one area where writers often become long-winded.
8. Would your character really speak that way? Would anyone? Keep the dialogue real but compelling. While we might talk about the weather in real life, we don’t want to read about people having small talk. You also want to ensure your character stays in character. For example, Grandma said, “Hey, peeps. I’ll hang with y’all in a sec. Just chill.” Would that fit your story and your genre? Would readers believe this?
9. Do you replace “said” with other verbs like “whispered, muttered, screamed, yelled, mumbled, giggled, spat, etc…? For some reason, writers are afraid to use “said.” Learn to love this verb because it blends in with the story. That doesn’t mean you need to write “Peter said”, “Jerry said”, “Molly said” after they’ve spoken. Try to mix things up a little by using action tags, too.
10. Watch for passive writing. For example, “The story was read by the little boy” is passive. “The little boy read the story” is active. Hint: Watch for “by.” That can be an indication that your sentence is passive.
There are many things you should look at when editing. Don’t limit yourself to this list. Use the checklist as a cheat sheet and go from there.
Which one of these “rules” have you broken? Which is the hardest to follow? Are any of these new to you?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
1. Check your sentences. Do they begin with the words “there” or “it”? Sometimes it’s necessary to use “there” or “it”, but replacing these words with something more specific makes for stronger writing.
2. Is your writing tight? Or do you go on and on and on like a lonely, old lady? Are you double-talking? For example, as a sample of this type of writing, you’d need to think or ponder what it would be like to express and communicate your thoughts and ideas with abundant or surplus, maybe even redundant, repetitions. Are you scratching your head right now? That’s exactly how your readers would feel if you wrote this way.
3. Are you repeating what you've already told or shown your readers? For example, Riley thinks about asking Julie on a date and plans on giving her a rose. Then, he runs into Gary and tells him what he’s going to do. When Riley finally sees Julie, he gives her a rose and asks her out. The reader is disappointed because this is the third time she’s read this. The writer had two choices. He could’ve shown Riley’s angst over his first time asking a girl out, and when he finally sees her, his nerves melt away. This isn’t considered repetition because something different occurs. Or the writer could’ve skipped the first part, where Riley agonizes about asking her out. Instead, Riley could go right up to Julie and then his nerves could kick in. This way, the writer is still showing the same emotions, but this is more immediate.
4. Are you using clichés? While it’s okay to use clichés in dialogue (sparingly), you want to avoid using them in narration. Try to find a fresher way of saying the same thing.
5. Are you trying to be clever by using words that are above your readers’ vocabulary level? This doesn’t make you look smart. Well, maybe it does, but many readers are turned off by authors who “show off.” If they have to check words in the dictionary just to understand your story, they’ll probably pick up an easier read—one they can lose themselves in.
6. Is the text fluent, varied in rhythm, and the right tone for your genre?
7. Does every conversation advance the story and reveal something new about the plot or characters? If not, why is it there? Eliminate as much fluff as possible to tighten your story. Dialogue is one area where writers often become long-winded.
8. Would your character really speak that way? Would anyone? Keep the dialogue real but compelling. While we might talk about the weather in real life, we don’t want to read about people having small talk. You also want to ensure your character stays in character. For example, Grandma said, “Hey, peeps. I’ll hang with y’all in a sec. Just chill.” Would that fit your story and your genre? Would readers believe this?
9. Do you replace “said” with other verbs like “whispered, muttered, screamed, yelled, mumbled, giggled, spat, etc…? For some reason, writers are afraid to use “said.” Learn to love this verb because it blends in with the story. That doesn’t mean you need to write “Peter said”, “Jerry said”, “Molly said” after they’ve spoken. Try to mix things up a little by using action tags, too.
10. Watch for passive writing. For example, “The story was read by the little boy” is passive. “The little boy read the story” is active. Hint: Watch for “by.” That can be an indication that your sentence is passive.
There are many things you should look at when editing. Don’t limit yourself to this list. Use the checklist as a cheat sheet and go from there.
Which one of these “rules” have you broken? Which is the hardest to follow? Are any of these new to you?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
How Does Your Villain Grow?
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary,
How Does Your Villain Grow?
With a demented mind and evil heart
And motivation that readers know.
Okay, so that’s a cheesy poem, but it gets my point across. When creating a villain, keep in mind he can’t just be evil for the sake of being evil. Too cliché. Showing that he’s a psychopath and can’t control his urges is overdone. Readers want more from the villain. They don’t necessarily have to sympathize with him, but they need to understand what makes him do the nasty things he does. Motivation. This doesn’t mean you should dump the villain’s motivation at the beginning of the story, but you should hint at it along the way.
A well-written villain is a character readers love to hate. They want to see the hero and/or heroine beat him. They don’t want a two-dimensional character who kills just to kill or to get an emotional high from slaughtering innocent people. If you’ve ever watched the TV series Criminal Minds, you’ll have an idea of how to portray your villain three-dimensionally. The FBI profilers on this show often talk about triggers. Something happened in the villain’s life that caused him to lose sight of reality and begin his evil path. What prompted the villain to kill isn’t something that would make a normal person become a murderer. There’s still something about the villain that made him snap when others would have possibly struggled but not gone over the edge. It’s up to you to create the background or character history that would grow a villain. His motivation should be strong, clear, and believable, but warped.
Let’s face it. There are a lot of sick puppies in the real world who do bad things that we don’t understand. However, in fiction, readers expect more from the villain that a real life psychopath. This isn’t any different than what the reader expects from the hero or heroine. They don’t want to read about someone who just walks through life. They want to see character goals, motivations, conflicts, and resolution. The villain, just like the other main characters in the story, should have his own GMCs. He just won’t be able to resolve his conflict. But ensuring all major characters in your story have believable goals, motivations, and conflicts means they should feel real to the reader. If the reader cheers for the hero/heroine and hates the villain, you’ve done your job.
Who are some of your favorite villains and why?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
How Does Your Villain Grow?
With a demented mind and evil heart
And motivation that readers know.
Okay, so that’s a cheesy poem, but it gets my point across. When creating a villain, keep in mind he can’t just be evil for the sake of being evil. Too cliché. Showing that he’s a psychopath and can’t control his urges is overdone. Readers want more from the villain. They don’t necessarily have to sympathize with him, but they need to understand what makes him do the nasty things he does. Motivation. This doesn’t mean you should dump the villain’s motivation at the beginning of the story, but you should hint at it along the way.
A well-written villain is a character readers love to hate. They want to see the hero and/or heroine beat him. They don’t want a two-dimensional character who kills just to kill or to get an emotional high from slaughtering innocent people. If you’ve ever watched the TV series Criminal Minds, you’ll have an idea of how to portray your villain three-dimensionally. The FBI profilers on this show often talk about triggers. Something happened in the villain’s life that caused him to lose sight of reality and begin his evil path. What prompted the villain to kill isn’t something that would make a normal person become a murderer. There’s still something about the villain that made him snap when others would have possibly struggled but not gone over the edge. It’s up to you to create the background or character history that would grow a villain. His motivation should be strong, clear, and believable, but warped.
Let’s face it. There are a lot of sick puppies in the real world who do bad things that we don’t understand. However, in fiction, readers expect more from the villain that a real life psychopath. This isn’t any different than what the reader expects from the hero or heroine. They don’t want to read about someone who just walks through life. They want to see character goals, motivations, conflicts, and resolution. The villain, just like the other main characters in the story, should have his own GMCs. He just won’t be able to resolve his conflict. But ensuring all major characters in your story have believable goals, motivations, and conflicts means they should feel real to the reader. If the reader cheers for the hero/heroine and hates the villain, you’ve done your job.
Who are some of your favorite villains and why?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Monday, September 26, 2011
Breaking the Rules Can Cost You
All you rule-breakers out there, listen up. You’ve probably heard it’s okay to break the rules of writing as long as you understand you’re breaking them. That can be true. However, too many writers who are attempting to do this haven’t convinced me they actually know what they’re doing. For one thing, this exception to the rule is to be used sparingly. It doesn’t mean you can continue to break the same rule over and over again in your book. Break it only when necessary. Otherwise, how is the reader supposed to know you’re consciously making this mistake?
Ask yourself a few questions. Why do you feel it’s necessary to ignore the rule? Are you acting like a rebel? Do you not quite understand the rule and because of that are deciding to break it? Is your story stronger when you ignore the rule or when you follow it, and why?
“What difference does it make? I’m the writer. I should be able to create my story the way I want to write it.” That’s fine if you’re okay with possibly not selling that story. If you want to publish through a traditional publisher, you should consider editors’ expectations because breaking the rules can cost you. How you handle rules in this industry will affect your credibility as a writer. If not done correctly or for the right reasons, rule breaking will diminish the reader’s trust in your ability to tell a story. And the last thing you want is to have an agent or editor believe you’re an amateur.
“But bestselling authors break rules all the time and they’re making beaucoup bucks.” This is true. You can ignore all the rules you want when you’re a bestselling author. However, in order to get to that position, you need to prove yourself and your ability. You have to create a readership based on your skills, not your name. After that, what you do is between you and your publisher (unless you’re self-publishing.)
What kind of rules have you broken? Did you do this purposely? What rules have published authors ignored? Does it bother you to read a book where the author has broken rules you try so hard to follow?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Ask yourself a few questions. Why do you feel it’s necessary to ignore the rule? Are you acting like a rebel? Do you not quite understand the rule and because of that are deciding to break it? Is your story stronger when you ignore the rule or when you follow it, and why?
“What difference does it make? I’m the writer. I should be able to create my story the way I want to write it.” That’s fine if you’re okay with possibly not selling that story. If you want to publish through a traditional publisher, you should consider editors’ expectations because breaking the rules can cost you. How you handle rules in this industry will affect your credibility as a writer. If not done correctly or for the right reasons, rule breaking will diminish the reader’s trust in your ability to tell a story. And the last thing you want is to have an agent or editor believe you’re an amateur.
“But bestselling authors break rules all the time and they’re making beaucoup bucks.” This is true. You can ignore all the rules you want when you’re a bestselling author. However, in order to get to that position, you need to prove yourself and your ability. You have to create a readership based on your skills, not your name. After that, what you do is between you and your publisher (unless you’re self-publishing.)
What kind of rules have you broken? Did you do this purposely? What rules have published authors ignored? Does it bother you to read a book where the author has broken rules you try so hard to follow?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Emotions: Show, Don't Tell
We’ve all heard about the show, don’t tell rule in writing, but have you ever considered what this means when talking about your characters’ emotions? Portraying emotions in your story is essential in order to engage the reader. However, that doesn’t mean the task is easy.
The key to connecting the reader with your story is understanding how to show your characters’ emotions without telling what they’re experiencing. Here are a few examples of how writers tell readers about their characters’ emotions.
-Jacob felt a rush of anxiety as he approached her, ring box in his pocket.
-Linda was so mad at him.
-Monica felt warm and secure in his arms.
-Tommy was excited to see his mom.
Let’s change these examples and show the reader how these characters feel. Notice this sometimes means using more than one sentence to convey the same message. AND THAT’S OKAY.
-Jacob wiped the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He could do this. He’d practiced the proposal all morning. He was ready. Now, if only his heart could calm to a regular pace, maybe he could relax a bit. He slipped his hand in his pocket. The ring box was still there. Ready and waiting. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on her door.
-Linda’s face burned. How could he do this to her? She grabbed a nearby glass and threw it at her soon-to-be ex-fiance and his lover.
-Monica slid into Preston’s arms and snuggled her head into his nook. A sigh escaped her as his body warmed hers. She was finally home.
-Tommy rushed through the door, dropped his backpack at the entrance, and jumped into his mommy’s arms. His heart was full. He plastered kisses all over her face and promised to never leave her again.
Showing what your characters are feeling allows the reader to experience everything through the characters. Readers will root for the hero and hope the villain gets what he deserves. They’ll feel good when the hero and heroine finally make love. They’ll feel relieved when the missing boy is found. Basically, readers want to get lost in the story, but they want to feel like they’re a part of it, too. In case you haven’t caught on… Readers want to FEEL something when they read.
You’re a reader, too, right? Do you want to feel what the characters are feeling? Or would you rather be told? Can you think of any examples of telling how a character feels? Could you share examples of how a character shows how she feels?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
The key to connecting the reader with your story is understanding how to show your characters’ emotions without telling what they’re experiencing. Here are a few examples of how writers tell readers about their characters’ emotions.
-Jacob felt a rush of anxiety as he approached her, ring box in his pocket.
-Linda was so mad at him.
-Monica felt warm and secure in his arms.
-Tommy was excited to see his mom.
Let’s change these examples and show the reader how these characters feel. Notice this sometimes means using more than one sentence to convey the same message. AND THAT’S OKAY.
-Jacob wiped the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He could do this. He’d practiced the proposal all morning. He was ready. Now, if only his heart could calm to a regular pace, maybe he could relax a bit. He slipped his hand in his pocket. The ring box was still there. Ready and waiting. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on her door.
-Linda’s face burned. How could he do this to her? She grabbed a nearby glass and threw it at her soon-to-be ex-fiance and his lover.
-Monica slid into Preston’s arms and snuggled her head into his nook. A sigh escaped her as his body warmed hers. She was finally home.
-Tommy rushed through the door, dropped his backpack at the entrance, and jumped into his mommy’s arms. His heart was full. He plastered kisses all over her face and promised to never leave her again.
Showing what your characters are feeling allows the reader to experience everything through the characters. Readers will root for the hero and hope the villain gets what he deserves. They’ll feel good when the hero and heroine finally make love. They’ll feel relieved when the missing boy is found. Basically, readers want to get lost in the story, but they want to feel like they’re a part of it, too. In case you haven’t caught on… Readers want to FEEL something when they read.
You’re a reader, too, right? Do you want to feel what the characters are feeling? Or would you rather be told? Can you think of any examples of telling how a character feels? Could you share examples of how a character shows how she feels?
Lynnette Labelle
www.labelleseditorialservices.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
