Elizabeth Delisi's Blog, page 20

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Shape and Sharpen Your Fiction: Effective Revision

I used Grammarly to grammar check this post, because it shortens the time you need to spend revising your prose.

While we’re on the topic of revision, I’d like to share with you this article I wrote for NovelAdvice in 1997. Hope it’s helpful!

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There's nothing quite like the pride and feeling of accomplishment you get when you type the words, "The End" on the last page of your manuscript. But once the euphoria passes, it's time to buckle down and turn that wonderful, creative project into something salable.

When you're writing a first draft, you're using your "left brain" to draw on all your creative powers. Once your story is completed, let it sit for a while before you look at it again. This will give you the necessary distance from the material and allow you time to switch hats from 'creator' to 'editor.'

Return to your material with a fresh perspective, and go over it with a critical eye. Reading it aloud may help; you may also wish to solicit comments and suggestions from one or two trusted friends. Remember, though, that the ultimate responsibility for the manuscript is yours--don't take any suggestions unless you're sure they are sound.

The first thing to consider is your opening. This may be the most important part of your story; often, the first few paragraphs are all you have to "hook" the reader. Your opening must draw the reader's attention by introducing the main character and the main conflict. The reader should identify with the main character, and want to know more about the conflict and how it will be resolved.  Rework your opening as many times as necessary to get it just right.

Think about your overall story. There must be movement, progression; the main character should change for the better or learn an important lesson by the end. Check your character descriptions and interactions to make sure it's clear what the reader is to think of each character, what the characters want, and what they care about. Be honest with yourself--do you, as a reader, care about the outcome of the story?

Be sure the climax you hint at in your opening actually comes about by the end of the story. Don't write a story with a big buildup that leads to a minor, disappointing climax. Tie up all your loose ends--don't drop unexplained hints or leave dangling story lines.

Include everything in the story that your reader needs to know. Remember, the reader doesn't have access to your in-depth knowledge of the characters and story--he only knows what you tell him. Don't leave too much to the reader's imagination.

Check your tone. Is it consistent throughout the story? If you start with a comic tone, then switch to tragic, it will seem as if two different people are doing the writing. If you begin in present tense, don't switch to past in mid-stream. Use active rather than passive verbs. Consistency is also important in point of view. Don't switch from first to third person, or from third person limited to third person omniscient.

Make sure your most important scenes are fully fleshed out. They should usually be written in an action mode, concentrating on dialogue and activity, with very little description or exposition.

Look at your pacing. Does the story move too slowly, or too quickly? When you re-read it, do you find yourself skipping over sections? If you find a section that doesn't contribute to the whole, cut it out ruthlessly, no matter how beautifully written it is. Have you included too much information, or too little? Does the story end in the right place? The reader should be satisfied with the ending--it should be logical, tie up all the loose ends, and flow directly from the story events.

Is your story organized properly? One way to check this is to write a list of the major events in your story on index cards, with one event per card. Place them on the table or floor in the order in which they occur in your story. Then try rearranging them. Is there another sequence that makes more sense?

Check your transitions. For instance, if you have a flashback scene, is it clear to the reader that you are moving back in time? Transitions must be smooth, yet also unmistakable.

When you're finished checking the creative aspects, check the technical ones as well. Use the dictionary, if necessary, to make sure your words are spelled properly. Don't rely on your computer's "spell check" feature--it can't tell the difference between "heel" and "heal," but it will make a big difference in your story! Make sure you've used complete sentences and that your punctuation is correct. Look for repeated words--if you find you've used the word "finicky" twice in one paragraph, get out your thesaurus and find a replacement for one of them. Check your dialogue tags--make sure they're clear and unobtrusive.

After you've checked everything, let the story sit again for a few days, then go through the entire process once more. When you're satisfied with the story as it stands, congratulate yourself for a job well done--and then send it out!

c. 1997 Elizabeth Delisi

What is the Universe Telling Me?

I try not to complain, especially in public. Really, I do.But this past few months or a year have me wondering what message the universe is trying to send me.

First, you need to remember that I have Parkinson’s disease, so everything below is on top of that.

I had a breast cancer scare. My yearly mammogram showed…something. So I went through needle and surgical biopsies, and luckily it was not cancer. Phew. But it was frightening.

I had to have a tooth pulled. It had already had a root canal, where one root was punctured by the dental instrument since the root was crooked. So a few years later when it began to bother me again, the best option was to pull it.

Two days later, I had (planned) shoulder surgery on my rotator cuff to “clean it up” and, hopefully, get rid of the pain I’d been experiencing for at least a year.

Didn’t feel well after the surgery. I was tired to the point of lethargy, my stomach was a pit of acid, my skin seemed yellow, and my abdomen felt…somehow, wrong.

Went to the doctor. She said I was severely dehydrated, so I had to drink a nasty salty solution and then keep drinking clear liquids. Also, my stomach “might be trying to give me an ulcer,” so an additional acid-blocker was added to my medications. And, blood work showed my liver enzymes were a bit off, so I was tested for Hepatitis A, B and C. Luckily, they were all negative.

Felt better for a couple of weeks, then began to feel ill again. Same symptoms for the most part, with an added day of vomiting. Oy. The nurse on call felt it was the stomach flu, and told me to see the doctor if I weren’t improving 24 hours later. I waited a couple of days, wasn’t better, so went to the doctor.

He examined me, said “I think it’s your gall bladder, so I’m sending you by ambulance to the ER.” I’m sure my jaw dropped a mile. Before I knew what was going on, I was having my first ambulance ride (too sick to look around and take mental notes for future books) and ended up in the ER. They were very nice, gave me some tests and pain medication.

Pretty soon, along came a surgeon who said my gall bladder was badly infected and he’d take it out the next morning. He probably would have to do the traditional long incision as it was too badly infected for the less invasive surgery. I was stunned; all I could do was say, “Okay.”

They took me to a private room and…that’s where my memory gets unreliable. The pain med they gave me was VERY strong, and made me hallucinate. So while I’m sure my hospital room wasn’t a cabana on the beach, and the man bending over me was my husband, not Dr. House…I don’t know what really went on.

My hubby stayed with me 24/7 for the 6 days I was in the hospital. Bless him. He was definitely my hero. He also stayed with me at home for the first 3 days, until I was ready to go it alone. He deserves a Nobel Prize.

So now as I recover from all of the above, I wonder what’s coming next. Oh please, oh please, make it a long period of good health! I swear, I’ve learned my lesson. (Whatever it was.)

Promote Your Book/Promote Mine Blog Hop

The purpose of this blog hop is to promote Charlene Raddon’s latest release, THE SCENT OF ROSES, as well as the work of each of the participating bloggers. Be sure to read to the end of this page so you don’t miss out on the grand prize. Also be certain you visit each blog and comment to qualify for the individual giveaways, and the big prize.

Charlene Raddon has been writing historical romance novels for over thirty years. Her work has won several awards and much well-deserved praise. Here is what she has to say about her newest release.

Any day when a new book is released is exciting for the author. I’m thrilled to announce that my eBook, THE SCENT OF ROSES, is now available.

THE SCENT OF ROSES is a sequel to my last eBook, TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, but stands alone and does not need to be read in order to be enjoyed. Whip Kincaid, from THE SCENT OF ROSES, is the half-brother of Buck Maddux from TO HAVE AND TO HOLD. Whip also has a twin, Cale, whom readers met in Buck’s story, which gives me an excuse to write a third book for this series.

The added touch of paranormal elements made THE SCENT OF ROSES a fun story to write. Who doesn’t enjoy haunted houses with hidden passageways? When I first moved to Utah, I lived in this house. No, there weren’t any secret passageways, but in every other way, my description of the old house is accurate. The third new element in this book is the subject of polygamy.

Rosalyn Delaney came to Whisky Ridge, Arizona expecting to receive aid from her estranged husband, Josiah Bullock, in escaping the crazed leader of a polygamist cult determined to have her. She’s broke and has nowhere else to go. But Josiah is dead, murdered the very evening of her arrival. The town is in an uproar, searching for the suspected killer, Josiah’s business partner, Whip Kincaid. Rosalyn also learns that Josiah had taken a second wife.

Whip is innocent but to prove that, he needs to stay out of jail. He hides in secret passageways in the old house he and Josiah shared. Smythely, the elderly butler who came with the house, is the only other person aware of the passageways. Lurking between spider-webbed walls and using the abundance of peepholes provided allows Whip to keep up with what’s going on. Sneaking out at night allows him to investigate. He’s particularly interested in Rosalyn Delaney, and for more than one reason. Besides being attracted to her, he’s sure she knows something about the murder.

But does she? Is she safe at Rose House? Will she be safe from Whip Kincade?

I hope you enjoyed this peek into THE SCENT OF ROSES. Find it here, at Amazon.com.

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At this point, I’d like to introduce you to my latest release, THE MIDNIGHT ZONE. Here’s the blurb:

When Cassie buys an antique compact, little does she know it can foretell the future--her future. Marjorie, a Florida girl unwillingly transplanted to Vermont, learns there's more to fear from the alien snowfall than just the cold. Neil Dallas's jagged descent from rock and roll singer to drug-addicted has-been is unstoppable . . . or is it?

Travel deep into unknown territory, where life and death are not as they seem; where you have to be careful what you ask for, because you might get it. These stories will take you beyond the realm of the solid and real, into the deepest, darkest corner of your imagination. Don't forget to bring your flashlight . . .

For more information or to purchase your copy, visit Tirgearr Publishing.

Everyone who posts a comment here, and leaves an e-mail address, is entered in a contest to win a free copy of THE MIDNIGHT ZONE. So, let me know what you think!

ALSO, BE SURE TO LEAVE A COMMENT WITH CONTACT INFORMATION. AT THE END OF THE HOP, A NAME WILL BE DRAWN FROM THOSE WHO VISITED AND COMMENTED AT EVERY BLOG. THE GRAND PRIZE IS A $45 GIFT CARD FOR AMAZON OR B&N, WINNER’S CHOICE. Other bloggers are also offering giveaways so make sure you hit them all.

Here is the list of participating blogs. Thanks for dropping by, and best of luck in the contests!

May 31,  http://www.heartoffiction.blogspot.com/  giveaway

May 31  http://www.hurricanereads.blogspot.com

June 1  http://www.charleneraddon.blogspot.com - Official blog tour for Kat Flannery (not part of PUB/PM blog hop)

June 2, http://authortammieclarkegibbs.blogspot.com/   giveaway

June 3  http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/     giveaway  

June 4  http://writingdreams.net/          giveaway

June 5  http://ciaragold.blogspot.com/ giveaway

June 7, http://peggylhenderson.blogspot.com/  giveaway

June 8, http://alisonhenderson.blogspot.com /    giveaway

June 9, http://www.pamelaforeman.com/  giveaway

June 10 http://annettedrake.com/annettes-blog/

June 11, http://elizabethdelisi.blogspot.com/  giveaway

June 12, http://www.patyjager.blogspot.com/ giveaway

June 14 http://www.wittyonlineeditor.com  giveaway

June 15  http://blog.cathymansell.com/   giveaway

June 16, www.katerobbinsauthor.com/  giveaway

June 17 http://tinafosterspageturner.blogspot.com/  giveaway

June 18  http://ccrawley210.wordpress.com/    giveaway

June 19, http://lynhorner.blogspot.com/   giveaway 

June 21  http://ketaskeep.blogspot.com/  giveaway

June 22, http://www.raintrueax.blogspot.com   giveaway

June 23, http://bethtrissel.wordpress.com giveaway

How I Became A Writer

Check out my latest guest blog post about my road to becoming a writer, at the fabulous blog, “A Date With A Book.” http://datesbooks.blogspot.com/2013/05/my-path-to-becoming-writer-by-elizabeth.html 

If it intrigues you, please visit my website: http://www.elizabethdelisi.com

My publisher’s website: http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Delisi_Elizabeth/index.htm 

And my other publisher’s website: http://www.amberquill.com/bio_Delisi.html

Hope to see you there!

The Midnight Zone

Available now: my speculative short fiction collection, THE MIDNIGHT ZONE. It’s published by Tirgearr Publishing.

When Cassie buys an antique compact, little does she know it can foretell the future--her future. Marjorie, a Florida girl unwillingly transplanted to Vermont, learns there's more to fear from the alien snowfall than just the cold. Neil Dallas's jagged descent from rock and roll singer to drug-addicted has-been is unstoppable . . . or is it?

Travel deep into unknown territory, where life and death are not as they seem; where you have to be careful what you ask for, because you might get it. These stories will take you beyond the realm of the solid and real, into the deepest, darkest corner of your imagination. Don't forget to bring your flashlight . . .

THE MIDNIGHT ZONE is available in multiple e-formats. Something for everyone! For more information and to purchase your copy, please visit Tirgearr Publishing .

Monday Gripes, 4/22/13

Since the Boston bombing, my “gripes” are mainly too big to be fixed. The other gripes seem silly and inconsequential in comparison. But life must go on, and I do think focusing on the normal rhythm of life helps you through the bad times. So here’s today’s gripes, as crazy as they are.

My granddaughter is here and doing some cross stitch. Somehow, she lost her needle. We’ve looked everywhere and can’t find it. Bets on who will find it a week from now when walking around in her bare feet?

I looked through all my sewing and knitting things for another needle, but the sewing ones are too small and the knitting ones too big. She settled for one that’s only a little too big.

It’s a lovely, spring-like day outside…from inside the house. Outside, it’s in the 40s and pretty nippy. I guess I’m just impatient, but this winter was so bad, I’m ready to jump into late spring. At least.

Something in my grandson’s video games appeals to the parakeet, and he’s chirping his little head off. And making me crazy.

What little things are nagging you today?

Heartsick

I am horrified at the explosions in Boston. When will the violence end? How can anyone who calls him/herself human cause such pain and grief?

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and their families.

Friday Happies, 4/12/13

Haven’t done Friday Happies in a while. I guess I fell off the wagon. But I’m baaa-ack!

Today I’m most happy to have a safe, warm and dry house, because it’s sleeting outside, covering everything with a coating of ice. Here’s the porch roof, which normally is black:

I’m very happy I don’t have to go out!

There’s been a lot of bad weather across the Midwest especially. What’s your weather like? What do you do when you have to stay in?