Sue Perkins's Blog, page 9
November 29, 2018
Friday Focus
Today we thank Holly Dunn for this article. Holly is the author of Moth Picture Book
With these principles in mind, you’ll need to evaluate whether or not you’re ready to self-publish. First, you’ll need a great book. This is the hardest part, but fortunately it is the part you have the most control over. This book assumes you already have a manuscript. Your manuscript’s success is very much reliant upon its quality. Remember the first point: You can present the book in the best possible way, and tell the entire world about it, but if the book is poorly written or about a subject no one is interested in, then it simply won’t sell. So how do you determine if your book is any good? Well first of all, you read. You read other authors’ books. You read all sorts of different genres. You read great books and poorly written ones, and you analyse what the great ones have that the poor ones don’t. You get others to read your book and you listen to their feedback. Treat it as an ever-changing piece of work, and adapt where necessary. Hire a professional editor, listen to what they have to say, and take it on board. If your book needs improvement and you’re not quite ready to hire an editor, try joining a writing group. Being around other writers, especially those who are better than you, can help to improve your writing. Reading your work out loud to an audience allows you to identify which sections you’re happy with and which sound awkward. If you don’t have any local writing groups, try looking online. You might be able to find a group more specific to your genre. Another constructive step you could take to improve your writing is doing a course, either in your local area or online. Subscription sites like Skillshare have hundreds of classes on writing as well as other skills, such as social media marketing, that will be useful on your self-publishing journey. Bookshops and libraries are common places to find local writing workshops.
This is an extract from Independent Publishing in New Zealand (978-0-9951155-0-7) by HL Kennedy, scheduled for release early 2019.
With these principles in mind, you’ll need to evaluate whether or not you’re ready to self-publish. First, you’ll need a great book. This is the hardest part, but fortunately it is the part you have the most control over. This book assumes you already have a manuscript. Your manuscript’s success is very much reliant upon its quality. Remember the first point: You can present the book in the best possible way, and tell the entire world about it, but if the book is poorly written or about a subject no one is interested in, then it simply won’t sell. So how do you determine if your book is any good? Well first of all, you read. You read other authors’ books. You read all sorts of different genres. You read great books and poorly written ones, and you analyse what the great ones have that the poor ones don’t. You get others to read your book and you listen to their feedback. Treat it as an ever-changing piece of work, and adapt where necessary. Hire a professional editor, listen to what they have to say, and take it on board. If your book needs improvement and you’re not quite ready to hire an editor, try joining a writing group. Being around other writers, especially those who are better than you, can help to improve your writing. Reading your work out loud to an audience allows you to identify which sections you’re happy with and which sound awkward. If you don’t have any local writing groups, try looking online. You might be able to find a group more specific to your genre. Another constructive step you could take to improve your writing is doing a course, either in your local area or online. Subscription sites like Skillshare have hundreds of classes on writing as well as other skills, such as social media marketing, that will be useful on your self-publishing journey. Bookshops and libraries are common places to find local writing workshops.
This is an extract from Independent Publishing in New Zealand (978-0-9951155-0-7) by HL Kennedy, scheduled for release early 2019.
November 25, 2018
50,000 words on NaNoWriMo
50,000 words and counting (actually 62,000 at time of certificate being issued.
November 23, 2018
Friday Focus
Proofreading is the final stage in presenting your manuscript (MS) for publication. Don’t skip it. Proofreading should happen after all other editing processes – and don’t skip them either.
For the purposes of this article I’m assuming that you have written a full-length novel, but the same principles apply to shorter forms. Do get your MS properly edited; you will probably have to pay for this service, but it is worthwhile. Editing looks at a piece of writing in its broadest sense, covering things like structure, plot, characterisation, and so on. An editor will point out such things as where the plot could be strengthened, when characters’ motivation is unclear, and how dialogue can be made more effective.
While editing looks at the big picture, proofreading looks at the detail – every single word and mark. Proofreading picks up typos, i.e. typographical errors, or accidental typing mistakes. These can be simple spelling mistakes, for example writing ‘though’ instead of ‘through’ or ‘hop’ instead of ‘hope’. It also picks up things like grammatical errors, inconsistencies, and incorrect punctuation, e.g. missing question marks.
It can be as difficult to proofread your own MS as it is to edit it. You are too close to the story, too involved with the characters and what they are doing, to be objective. When you look at the page, you can’t help seeing what you meant to write, not what is actually there. So the best advice is to get someone else to edit your story, make all the changes they suggest, and then get someone different to proofread it.
If for some reason you can’t get a professional proofreader, here are some tips for doing it yourself.
Give yourself some time. Put your MS aside for a while; perhaps work on another project. You need to get that piece of writing out of your head so you come to it from a fresh perspective.
Print out your work. Proofreading requires focussing on one word at a time. You must stop your eyes from running ahead, as they do when reading for pleasure. This is much easier when working from a printed copy than on screen.
Place a ruler under each line to hide the following text, and work your way down the page line by line. Use a pencil to point to one word at a time.
Read your work out loud. This forces you to read each word individually, and is also a good way to pick up things like repetitions, e.g. using your favourite word six times in one paragraph.
You will probably be amazed by how many little errors you will pick up!
Chrissie Ward
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November 15, 2018
Friday Focus
Belinda Mellor continues her insight on words used in writing. Thanks Belinda
As an editor I sometimes see words or phrases used that simply don’t fit – whether with the historical context, or situation, or experience of the characters. I think the problem comes when we take words for granted. Every word, phrase and saying has a history. If that history is too obvious then the words can sometimes stick out like a sore thumb.
But it’s possible to go too far. Where do you draw the line?
Take colours, for instance. ‘Burnt Siena’ is a rich reddish-brown colour. It is named after the Italian city-state of Sienna, which in turn was named after Senius (son of Romulus - as in one of the wolf-reared twins who were the supposed founders of Rome). On the other hand, Burnt Umber (a dark yellow-brown colour), which also shares its name with an Italian city (Umbria) actually translates as ‘shadow’; the region it is named after was known as the ‘land of shadows’. Perhaps because it doesn’t have a mythical Roman behind it makes it more acceptable. I’d let that one go, just as I’d let ‘Turquoise’ for, even though it takes its name from Turkey (the country, not the bird). However, for me there is no question at all about colours such as ‘Navy Blue’ – that one is a definite no-no if the context doesn’t warrant it.
On the subject of place name, Damask roses are named after the city of Damascus and I admit that I thought long and hard about that one in my own writing, but decided there was no good alternative. After all, Damask roses are a very specific type of rose with a texture and a scent like no other and that’s what I wanted to convey. On the other hand, I would not use the flower ‘Rose of Sharon’ in a book set in a time or setting that was unaware of the existence of that particular place. When I thought about it, I decided that my criteria was: exact word – no; derived word – yes. (But that’s not an actual rule, it’s simply my rule!)
Sometimes you just have to decide what works for you and not over-analyse it. So I would advise anyone against using Wellington boots, but woudn’t ever worry about the word ‘sandwich’. In this case, I think the capital letter is the issue: it announces that it is something named after someone, even though sandwiches, like the aforementioned boots, are so named (after an earl rather than a duke but that hardly matters!)
An author’s own experience can make a word or phrase problematic, while another author might not even notice it. For instance while ‘beyond the pale’ might to some sound slightly cliched, it probably wouldn’t worry anyone without a working knowlege of Irish history. But once you know that ‘the Pale’ referred to an area under English jurisdiction just outside of Dublin (in the 15th century) and ‘beyond the Pale’ was a 17th century British term referring to ‘unlawfulness’ or ‘uncivilised’ you might find it jarring to see it in a historical novel set for instance in Ancient Egypt or in a science fiction story where the characters hadn’t started off from Earth. And even if it doesn’t bother you, your readers might find it jarring, so if in doubt about a word or saying – check!
Curses, oaths and expletives are another issue. But that might be a subject for another day.
As an editor I sometimes see words or phrases used that simply don’t fit – whether with the historical context, or situation, or experience of the characters. I think the problem comes when we take words for granted. Every word, phrase and saying has a history. If that history is too obvious then the words can sometimes stick out like a sore thumb.
But it’s possible to go too far. Where do you draw the line?
Take colours, for instance. ‘Burnt Siena’ is a rich reddish-brown colour. It is named after the Italian city-state of Sienna, which in turn was named after Senius (son of Romulus - as in one of the wolf-reared twins who were the supposed founders of Rome). On the other hand, Burnt Umber (a dark yellow-brown colour), which also shares its name with an Italian city (Umbria) actually translates as ‘shadow’; the region it is named after was known as the ‘land of shadows’. Perhaps because it doesn’t have a mythical Roman behind it makes it more acceptable. I’d let that one go, just as I’d let ‘Turquoise’ for, even though it takes its name from Turkey (the country, not the bird). However, for me there is no question at all about colours such as ‘Navy Blue’ – that one is a definite no-no if the context doesn’t warrant it.
On the subject of place name, Damask roses are named after the city of Damascus and I admit that I thought long and hard about that one in my own writing, but decided there was no good alternative. After all, Damask roses are a very specific type of rose with a texture and a scent like no other and that’s what I wanted to convey. On the other hand, I would not use the flower ‘Rose of Sharon’ in a book set in a time or setting that was unaware of the existence of that particular place. When I thought about it, I decided that my criteria was: exact word – no; derived word – yes. (But that’s not an actual rule, it’s simply my rule!)
Sometimes you just have to decide what works for you and not over-analyse it. So I would advise anyone against using Wellington boots, but woudn’t ever worry about the word ‘sandwich’. In this case, I think the capital letter is the issue: it announces that it is something named after someone, even though sandwiches, like the aforementioned boots, are so named (after an earl rather than a duke but that hardly matters!)
An author’s own experience can make a word or phrase problematic, while another author might not even notice it. For instance while ‘beyond the pale’ might to some sound slightly cliched, it probably wouldn’t worry anyone without a working knowlege of Irish history. But once you know that ‘the Pale’ referred to an area under English jurisdiction just outside of Dublin (in the 15th century) and ‘beyond the Pale’ was a 17th century British term referring to ‘unlawfulness’ or ‘uncivilised’ you might find it jarring to see it in a historical novel set for instance in Ancient Egypt or in a science fiction story where the characters hadn’t started off from Earth. And even if it doesn’t bother you, your readers might find it jarring, so if in doubt about a word or saying – check!
Curses, oaths and expletives are another issue. But that might be a subject for another day.
November 8, 2018
Friday Focus
CONQUERING THE DREADED SYNOPSIS
Many years ago I came across Lisa Gardner’s Conquering the Dreaded Synopsis: A Series of Ten Lectures. I was very impressed and when I was asked to do a workshop on presenting manuscripts to publishers I wrote and asked Lisa if I could use her Lectures as an example of how to write a synopsis. She gave her permission and I’m sure many people since have found her lectures very helpful.
This is Lisa's introduction to the series of ten lectures about writing a synopsis.
Synopsis writing is one of the most difficult tasks any writer faces. Most novel-length authors have an undying love for the written word. We craft wonderful 70,000-100,000 word books with beautiful descriptions, complicated plots, and complex characters. Now, we’re supposed to summarize our magnum opus in merely three pages?It seems impossible. But for any writer serious about selling her work, sooner or later she must undergo the submission process with its boilerplate query letters and stringent length requirements. The purpose of the following ten lectures is to help guide a new writer through this complicated, formalized process. The lectures are: “Synopsis: Introduction” ©2000 Lisa Gardner www.LisaGardner.com Page 1
Lecture One: The MarketLecture Two: The Query LetterLecture Three: Synopsis OverviewLecture Four: Short Synopsis ExamplesLecture Five: Creating a Strong HookLecture Six: Identifying Plot PointsLecture Seven: Short Synopsis OutlinesLecture Eight: The Long SynopsisLecture Nine: Full SubmissionLecture Ten: Final Summary of Submission Do’s and Don'ts
The first lecture covers how to view a novel as an objective product to be marketed, versus the precious child it has become. Then we will go through the submission process step-by-step, starting with the query letter, then spending significant time on developing the short synopsis before covering the long synopsis. The lectures on the query letter and short synopsis include generic outlines for a writer to follow, as well as award-winning examples of proposals. Finally, we’ll cover the complete submission package along with proper follow up protocol as you anxiously wait for an editor to read your work.By the end of this fifty page lecture series, you should have a good idea of what an editor expects in the submission package, as well as some best-in-class examples for you to follow.
To download all ten lectures visit Lisa’s webpage for writers and find this and many other helpful things such as The Writers Toolbox.
https://www.lisagardner.com/about/for...
Many years ago I came across Lisa Gardner’s Conquering the Dreaded Synopsis: A Series of Ten Lectures. I was very impressed and when I was asked to do a workshop on presenting manuscripts to publishers I wrote and asked Lisa if I could use her Lectures as an example of how to write a synopsis. She gave her permission and I’m sure many people since have found her lectures very helpful.
This is Lisa's introduction to the series of ten lectures about writing a synopsis.
Synopsis writing is one of the most difficult tasks any writer faces. Most novel-length authors have an undying love for the written word. We craft wonderful 70,000-100,000 word books with beautiful descriptions, complicated plots, and complex characters. Now, we’re supposed to summarize our magnum opus in merely three pages?It seems impossible. But for any writer serious about selling her work, sooner or later she must undergo the submission process with its boilerplate query letters and stringent length requirements. The purpose of the following ten lectures is to help guide a new writer through this complicated, formalized process. The lectures are: “Synopsis: Introduction” ©2000 Lisa Gardner www.LisaGardner.com Page 1
Lecture One: The MarketLecture Two: The Query LetterLecture Three: Synopsis OverviewLecture Four: Short Synopsis ExamplesLecture Five: Creating a Strong HookLecture Six: Identifying Plot PointsLecture Seven: Short Synopsis OutlinesLecture Eight: The Long SynopsisLecture Nine: Full SubmissionLecture Ten: Final Summary of Submission Do’s and Don'ts
The first lecture covers how to view a novel as an objective product to be marketed, versus the precious child it has become. Then we will go through the submission process step-by-step, starting with the query letter, then spending significant time on developing the short synopsis before covering the long synopsis. The lectures on the query letter and short synopsis include generic outlines for a writer to follow, as well as award-winning examples of proposals. Finally, we’ll cover the complete submission package along with proper follow up protocol as you anxiously wait for an editor to read your work.By the end of this fifty page lecture series, you should have a good idea of what an editor expects in the submission package, as well as some best-in-class examples for you to follow.
To download all ten lectures visit Lisa’s webpage for writers and find this and many other helpful things such as The Writers Toolbox.
https://www.lisagardner.com/about/for...
November 1, 2018
Friday Focus
Cultivating a love of words
The writer has many tools in their box, of these, words surely are the most important. The more you enjoy words, the better you will use them. That’s not to say you have to know the meaning or history of every word you use, but sometimes really understanding a word will add a new dimension to it, which will allow you to use it in a refreshing or different way, and that will lift your writing. Similarly, it might suggest not using it, and that, too, might benefit your writing. Besides all that – words are so much fun.Not all words are created equal, of course, and we all have favourites and least favourites. ‘Moist’, I believe, is among the least favourite of many. Personally, if I can get through life without using the word ‘pulchritudinous’ I will be very happy, especially as this (imo) extremely ugly word means ‘very beautiful’. I suspect that said with an Italian accent ‘pulchritude’ is not so bad.Favourite words. Now, that’s hard. But I do love the word ‘capricious’. I could write a whole article on this word. It sort of comes from the word for ‘goat’ (think ‘Capricorn’) and the way they move and behave. This is one of the reasons I love the word – I have a huge fondness for goats! I think it’s a good thing to know what influences your love (or dislike of words too – often they have personal associations). But ‘capricious’ also comes from an Italian word for a lively piece of ‘free’ music, and that comes from the term for the hairs standing up on the back of your neck … and that comes from a combination of two words meaning ‘head’ and ‘hedgehog’!!!! So it can have rather spooky connotations (a word that itself has an interesting history, coming from ‘con’ – together with, and ‘nota’ – to mark/note, so it means ‘an additional meaning’).
Random Friday facts: *The word ‘jot’ and the word ‘iota’ are, in fact, the same word. The letter ‘j’ did not exist in the classical world and was, instead, written ‘ie’ (which, to confuse things more, looks like IH in Greek). Iota is the name of the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet and is the smallest - simply a ‘jot’ (the Ancient Greeks didn’t dot their ‘I’s).*Speaking of which, the word Alphabet is from the first two letters of the Greek, well, Alphabet – Alpha and Beta.*Did you know that the word ‘Conversation’ shares a root with ‘convert’ and has to do with the fact that a good conversation should change both the participants’ mind sets?*The word ‘conspire’comes from the same root as ‘inspire’ and ‘expire’. It literally means ‘to breathe together’.*Similar to the word ‘inspire’, the word ‘enthuse’ (enthusiasm) also means to be filled with the breath of the divine. It comes initially from religious fervour associated with the worship of Apollo.*Finally: the word for a lover of words is ‘logophile’.
So, there you are. Collect words, understand words, fall in love with words, use words to maximum effect and watch your writing come alive.
Belinda Mellor
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October 29, 2018
NaNoWriMo is almost here!
Years ago I did NaNoWriMo – for those who don't know what this means it's National Novel Writing Month – and found it very helpful. Over the intervening years I lapsed a bit with my writing but this year I'm going to give it another try as I have an epic fantasy I want to get moving.
NaNoWriMo are very helpful and have decided to put some articles on their site to help first time writers, but the article will also be halpful to people like me who haven't done NaNo for several years. Here's the link.
http://blog.nanowrimo.org/
Happy Writing.
NaNoWriMo are very helpful and have decided to put some articles on their site to help first time writers, but the article will also be halpful to people like me who haven't done NaNo for several years. Here's the link.
http://blog.nanowrimo.org/
Happy Writing.
October 25, 2018
Friday Focus
Pantser or Plotter?New creative writers may not recognise the question pantser or plotter but I’m sure they will have heard the phrase – by the seat of your pants. Some authors prefer to plot their stories, either working out every scene from start to finish, or as a brief description to give their muse a nudge when they sit down to write.
Others – myself included – prefer to write – by the seat of their pants – or get the idea for the story, but when the author starts writing they have no true idea how the story is going to pan out. I like the uncertainty of what will happen next and find the story guides me the way it wants to go. Friends who are plotters prefer to be in control of most aspects of their story.
Ready to write? Don’t know what to write? It’s Halloween next week, how about a ghost, horror or vampire story? Or a romance that starts with trick or treat? The choice is yours.
So which way is right? Both. It depends on the individual. What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another. This is the same when it comes to work schedules. Some authors prefer to sit down at a certain time each day and work for a number of hours, while others prefer to write whenever the mood takes them. Again, it’s really up to the individual.
One of the most important things to do when you get ready to write is to find somewhere comfortable, preferably where you won’t be disturbed. Try and decide what you want to write several hours before the actual deed and always leave off when you know what’s going to happen next. This way you won’t sit staring at the computer screen for minutes or hours before you carry on writing.
Happy Writing.
August 26, 2018
Dragons Galore!
I am pleased to announce my Dragon World books are now available in online bookshops.
The three original ones, Dragon Flames, Dragon Clans and Dragon Ice follow Talei and her family through their meeting and interaction with the dragons. Adri's Journey reveals Adri's story. These books are available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and various other online outlets.
At a special price Dragon Flames, Dragon Clans and Dragon Ice are available in a box set under the name of Dragon World.
The three original ones, Dragon Flames, Dragon Clans and Dragon Ice follow Talei and her family through their meeting and interaction with the dragons. Adri's Journey reveals Adri's story. These books are available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and various other online outlets.
At a special price Dragon Flames, Dragon Clans and Dragon Ice are available in a box set under the name of Dragon World.
August 11, 2018
Here We G0
I now have the rights back for all my books previously published and I've started with the re-releases of three contemporary romances an one historical romance. These books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks and many other sites online. Paperback books will be released next moth.
Blitz is a 20th Century Historical Romance.
Twenty-four-year-old Velma longs to be treated as an adult, but her older sisters insist they know what is best for her future.
Tall, dark, and handsome, Jack is a soldier distantly connected to Velma's family. He sweeps Velma off her feet and asks her to marry him.
War looms on the horizon and Jack must go to face the enemy. Their love now has to survive the family and the war - or will their parting be forever?
Recipe for Romance is a contemporary romance set in New Zealand.
Influenza leaves Kirsty alone in the hotel kitchen to prepare all the food for the day's menus. Her day goes from bad to worse when the new hotel manager appears and demands to know what's going on.
Reeve arrives in the kitchen and looks in disgust at the untidy state of the work surfaces. Things get off to a bad start but when he discovers the reason for the untidiness he strips off his jacket and lends a hand.
Despite their truce, Reeve must discover the cause of the hotel's loss of profits. He feels an attraction for Kirsty but work must come first.
Three Hearts is a contemporary romance set in New Zealand
Darcy refuses to believe Travis is telling the truth when he claims he's Brooke's father, but doubts enter her mind when he proves he married her sister. Would Travis kidnap her beloved niece and disappear with her to America?
Travis is suspicious of Darcy's occupation and believes she is not acting in his daughter's best interest. It can't be that difficult for a father to get custody of his daughter - can it?
Broken Heart is a short prequel to Three Hearts, set in New Zealand
Darcy's older sister has returned home from America. Kelly seems happy and carefree but Darcy is positive her sister is hiding a secret and this is making her unhappy.
Blitz is a 20th Century Historical Romance.Twenty-four-year-old Velma longs to be treated as an adult, but her older sisters insist they know what is best for her future.
Tall, dark, and handsome, Jack is a soldier distantly connected to Velma's family. He sweeps Velma off her feet and asks her to marry him.
War looms on the horizon and Jack must go to face the enemy. Their love now has to survive the family and the war - or will their parting be forever?
Recipe for Romance is a contemporary romance set in New Zealand.Influenza leaves Kirsty alone in the hotel kitchen to prepare all the food for the day's menus. Her day goes from bad to worse when the new hotel manager appears and demands to know what's going on.
Reeve arrives in the kitchen and looks in disgust at the untidy state of the work surfaces. Things get off to a bad start but when he discovers the reason for the untidiness he strips off his jacket and lends a hand.
Despite their truce, Reeve must discover the cause of the hotel's loss of profits. He feels an attraction for Kirsty but work must come first.
Three Hearts is a contemporary romance set in New ZealandDarcy refuses to believe Travis is telling the truth when he claims he's Brooke's father, but doubts enter her mind when he proves he married her sister. Would Travis kidnap her beloved niece and disappear with her to America?
Travis is suspicious of Darcy's occupation and believes she is not acting in his daughter's best interest. It can't be that difficult for a father to get custody of his daughter - can it?
Broken Heart is a short prequel to Three Hearts, set in New Zealand
Darcy's older sister has returned home from America. Kelly seems happy and carefree but Darcy is positive her sister is hiding a secret and this is making her unhappy.
