Lee Rene's Blog, page 10
June 9, 2015
Five Writing Tics to Delete in Revision
I found this useful post on Daily Writing Tips and wanted to share it.
Five Writing Tics to Delete in Revision
All writers strew less-than-perfect turns of phrase in their first drafts, unnecessary words and phrases that slow down writing. Here are five stylistic flaws that can be eliminated in revision.
1. Unnecessary prepositional phrases
EXAMPLE: After all my hard work, the superintendent’s compliment was gratifying to me.
BETTER: After all my hard work, the superintendent’s compliment was gratifying.
The “to me” can be inferred by the reader.
2. Adverbs that are weak substitutes for a vivid verb
EXAMPLE: The stranger walked threateningly toward us.
BETTER: The stranger stalked toward us.
I do not share the universal contempt for the -ly adverb, but I do take the time to examine -ly adverbs when I revise, replacing them with an evocative verb if I can think of one. For example:
spoke softly = whispered
crawled stealthily = crept
spoke loudly = shouted
Stalling phrased like tried to, seemed to, began to, started to
EXAMPLE: The sun’s reflection seemed to glisten and waver on the water.
BETTER: The sun’s reflection glistened and wavered on the water.
EXAMPLE: I took a detour down two short flights of stone stairs and started looking for the Last Chance Saloon.
BETTER: I took a detour down two short flights of stone stairs and looked for the Last Chance Saloon.
In most cases, these expressions merely stall the narrative.
4. Meaningless just
EXAMPLE: He just climbed to the top and fell asleep.
BETTER: He climbed to the top and fell asleep.
EXAMPLE: She just wished the lift would move.
BETTER: She wished the lift would move.
When the adverb just conveys the meaning at that moment or merely, it has a function:
I had just opened the letter when the phone rang.
I have just enough flour to make this recipe.
When just adds neither of these meanings, leave it out.
5. It as a sentence opener
EXAMPLE: It was the comment about the dog that enabled the detective to solve the case.
BETTER: The comment about the dog enabled the detective to solve the case.
EXAMPLE: It was her lack of skill with small talk that held her back.
BETTER: Lack of skill with small talk held her back.
Replacing the vague sentence opener it with a
Five Writing Tics to Delete in Revision
All writers strew less-than-perfect turns of phrase in their first drafts, unnecessary words and phrases that slow down writing. Here are five stylistic flaws that can be eliminated in revision.
1. Unnecessary prepositional phrases
EXAMPLE: After all my hard work, the superintendent’s compliment was gratifying to me.
BETTER: After all my hard work, the superintendent’s compliment was gratifying.
The “to me” can be inferred by the reader.
2. Adverbs that are weak substitutes for a vivid verb
EXAMPLE: The stranger walked threateningly toward us.
BETTER: The stranger stalked toward us.
I do not share the universal contempt for the -ly adverb, but I do take the time to examine -ly adverbs when I revise, replacing them with an evocative verb if I can think of one. For example:
spoke softly = whispered
crawled stealthily = crept
spoke loudly = shouted
Stalling phrased like tried to, seemed to, began to, started to
EXAMPLE: The sun’s reflection seemed to glisten and waver on the water.
BETTER: The sun’s reflection glistened and wavered on the water.
EXAMPLE: I took a detour down two short flights of stone stairs and started looking for the Last Chance Saloon.
BETTER: I took a detour down two short flights of stone stairs and looked for the Last Chance Saloon.
In most cases, these expressions merely stall the narrative.
4. Meaningless just
EXAMPLE: He just climbed to the top and fell asleep.
BETTER: He climbed to the top and fell asleep.
EXAMPLE: She just wished the lift would move.
BETTER: She wished the lift would move.
When the adverb just conveys the meaning at that moment or merely, it has a function:
I had just opened the letter when the phone rang.
I have just enough flour to make this recipe.
When just adds neither of these meanings, leave it out.
5. It as a sentence opener
EXAMPLE: It was the comment about the dog that enabled the detective to solve the case.
BETTER: The comment about the dog enabled the detective to solve the case.
EXAMPLE: It was her lack of skill with small talk that held her back.
BETTER: Lack of skill with small talk held her back.
Replacing the vague sentence opener it with a
June 6, 2015
Publisher Marketing Support
A wonderful post and so true. I have two marvelous friends who write for Big Five publishers, yet they both work like crazy promoting their books.
What Marketing Support Looks Like at a Big 5 Publisher by Todd Moss
One of the unexpected surprises of being a new author is how much goes into promoting your books. I was lucky to be published by Penguin’s Putnam imprint for my debut novel, The Golden Hour.> Yet even with the backing of a hefty Big Five publisher, I discovered that delivering the manuscript is just the beginning.
In 2013, Putnam offered me a generous multi-book contract for a thriller series about Judd Ryker, a crisis manager in the State Department inspired in part by my experiences working inside the U.S. Government. In the first installment, Ryker is sent to the West African nation of Mali to try to rescue an American ally who has been overthrown in a coup d’état.
During the sixteen (long!) months between signing the contract and the actual release of the first book in September 2014, Penguin provided an enthusiastic marketing team and two professional publicists. I couldn’t have asked for more support from Putnam, and I’m exceedingly grateful for all they did to help propel The Golden Hour to the Washington Post bestseller list.
The book’s success helped turn a fun, mostly weekend project into a second career. I still love my day job running a Washington DC think tank, so I tightly plan my schedule to allow me to do both. Yet, even with Penguin’s mighty PR machine, there’s still plenty the author is expected to do to create visibility and connect with readers.
Social Media.
Putnam helps me by crafting graphics and giving advice when I ask, but I built and manage my own website, created a Facebook author page, and was already fairly active on Twitter. I’m on Twitter nearly every day in short bursts and try to post on Facebook about once per week. I’m taking the long view on social media, as I’m not yet convinced the hours I spend on it greatly impact sales, but I find it energizing to engage directly with fans and other writers. I also created an email database of some five hundred friends and colleagues who want to know the latest and support my writing life. I’m still trying to figure out the right frequency for communicating with this list (how to keep friends in the loop without annoying them), so for now I’m hitting them only once or twice per year.
Print, Radio, and T.V.
Putnam’s publicists created a press kit and helped me to place articles in USA Today, the Daily Beast, and on NPR’s Goats and Soda. They booked me on MSNBC’s The Cycle and the Diane Rehm Show on NPR, and arranged nearly fifty (!) back-to-back radio interviews over two days. This was tremendous. Yet I’m still tapping my own networks to get in the newspapers or on radio and TV, especially outside of the immediate weeks surrounding a launch.
Public Appearances
I’d heard that traditional book tours are becoming a thing of the past, so I wasn’t expecting much. Still, Putnam arranged a book launch at Politics & Prose (a humbling rite of passage for any Washington DC author) and a brief but exhilarating tour to bookshops in Phoenix and Houston. Turnout at each was mostly friends (and friends of friends!) since, by definition, no one knows debut authors. I hope turnout will grow over time as my fan base expands. With encouragement from the publisher, I also organized a further seventeen public appearances at schools and professional organizations, plus several private events with book clubs, arranged by friends.
I recently delivered the third manuscript in the series and am starting on the outline for the fourth. But mostly I’m now gearing up to promote book two, Minute Zero, for its release September 15.
This time, Ryker is headed to Zimbabwe, where an aging dictator is trying to cling to power through force and fraud. Again, Putnam is doing the heavy lifting on marketing and publicity. But this time around, I’m more prepared to do my part, since I’ve realized that being an author is so much more than just writing books.
What Marketing Support Looks Like at a Big 5 Publisher by Todd Moss
One of the unexpected surprises of being a new author is how much goes into promoting your books. I was lucky to be published by Penguin’s Putnam imprint for my debut novel, The Golden Hour.> Yet even with the backing of a hefty Big Five publisher, I discovered that delivering the manuscript is just the beginning.
In 2013, Putnam offered me a generous multi-book contract for a thriller series about Judd Ryker, a crisis manager in the State Department inspired in part by my experiences working inside the U.S. Government. In the first installment, Ryker is sent to the West African nation of Mali to try to rescue an American ally who has been overthrown in a coup d’état.
During the sixteen (long!) months between signing the contract and the actual release of the first book in September 2014, Penguin provided an enthusiastic marketing team and two professional publicists. I couldn’t have asked for more support from Putnam, and I’m exceedingly grateful for all they did to help propel The Golden Hour to the Washington Post bestseller list.
The book’s success helped turn a fun, mostly weekend project into a second career. I still love my day job running a Washington DC think tank, so I tightly plan my schedule to allow me to do both. Yet, even with Penguin’s mighty PR machine, there’s still plenty the author is expected to do to create visibility and connect with readers.
Social Media.
Putnam helps me by crafting graphics and giving advice when I ask, but I built and manage my own website, created a Facebook author page, and was already fairly active on Twitter. I’m on Twitter nearly every day in short bursts and try to post on Facebook about once per week. I’m taking the long view on social media, as I’m not yet convinced the hours I spend on it greatly impact sales, but I find it energizing to engage directly with fans and other writers. I also created an email database of some five hundred friends and colleagues who want to know the latest and support my writing life. I’m still trying to figure out the right frequency for communicating with this list (how to keep friends in the loop without annoying them), so for now I’m hitting them only once or twice per year.
Print, Radio, and T.V.
Putnam’s publicists created a press kit and helped me to place articles in USA Today, the Daily Beast, and on NPR’s Goats and Soda. They booked me on MSNBC’s The Cycle and the Diane Rehm Show on NPR, and arranged nearly fifty (!) back-to-back radio interviews over two days. This was tremendous. Yet I’m still tapping my own networks to get in the newspapers or on radio and TV, especially outside of the immediate weeks surrounding a launch.
Public Appearances
I’d heard that traditional book tours are becoming a thing of the past, so I wasn’t expecting much. Still, Putnam arranged a book launch at Politics & Prose (a humbling rite of passage for any Washington DC author) and a brief but exhilarating tour to bookshops in Phoenix and Houston. Turnout at each was mostly friends (and friends of friends!) since, by definition, no one knows debut authors. I hope turnout will grow over time as my fan base expands. With encouragement from the publisher, I also organized a further seventeen public appearances at schools and professional organizations, plus several private events with book clubs, arranged by friends.
I recently delivered the third manuscript in the series and am starting on the outline for the fourth. But mostly I’m now gearing up to promote book two, Minute Zero, for its release September 15.
This time, Ryker is headed to Zimbabwe, where an aging dictator is trying to cling to power through force and fraud. Again, Putnam is doing the heavy lifting on marketing and publicity. But this time around, I’m more prepared to do my part, since I’ve realized that being an author is so much more than just writing books.
June 4, 2015
A timely post from She Writes
5 WAYS ASPIRING AUTHORS GET TRIPPED UP IN WISHFUL THINKING
By Brooke Warner on She Writes
I recently had a coaching session with an author who’s finished with her manuscript and was ready to shop it. Like most of the writers I work with, it’s taken her a year to complete, and there were another five years before we started our work together during which she was plotting and figuring things out and writing in fits and spurts. Writing a book is a long haul, as anyone who’s completed one can attest. Still, I witness an odd correlation with writers that goes like this: the more time they’ve spent on the book, the more anxious they are to rush the post-completion phase of shopping, author platform, and publishing, even though none of these arenas can or should be rushed.
If patience is a virtue, then impatience is a flaw, a fault, a vice, a trap. And we live in a society that cultivates—if not celebrates—impatience, so it’s also somewhat inevitable. Where authors are concerned, impatience leads to wishful thinking, which feeds these five delusions I see new authors suffer from, when they allow impatience to distort their path to successful publication.
1. Though the writer has spent upwards of five or six years on their manuscript, they think they should be able to execute their query letter, proposal, or shopping strategy in a matter of months. They don’t take the time to figure out the ins and outs of the publishing world, and then they fling themselves out into this world like a bird leaving its nest too soon. Then they wonder why there’s not a soft landing.
2. Realizing they don’t have an author platform to speak of, a writer looks to outsource, but to the wrong third party. I’m all for outsourcing social media, even blog posts where it makes sense, but you can’t just hire anyone to do it. You need to hire someone who knows your voice, and who understands your market. Otherwise you’re putting out a hollow message that's not about who you are. There’s no such thing as a quick and easy fix online, and you’re required to show up. Even if you outsource, you need to monitor and handle your own comments.
3. Feeling a little desperate for more likes and follows, a writer pays someone to get likes and follows, thinking the number alone will boost their chances with editors and agents. This is like the snake pit of social media followers, because these followers have no investment. They’re probably not even real people but proxy accounts. If their likes and follows can be bought, you’re not gaining true fans, which is all that matters. Publishing companies may want a high number of social media followers to prove your fan base, but you need and want to be able to back that up come your pub date—or else you’ve led with a false promise, and that will hurt you in the long run.
4. Having spent money on writing classes or a coach or a developmental edit, the writer decides not to get their book copyedited or proofread. I see this every single day. There is nothing more valuable than a copyedit on the manuscript you think is complete. It’s the best investment you will ever make, and it’s worth doing it before you shop. Editors are reading countless letters, proposals, and manuscripts every single week. You have one shot.
5. No matter how many statistics well-informed writers have seen about the number of books published every year, or how much they get on a cellular level that it’s hard to sell books, writers feel about their own book much the way they feel about their children—that it’s special and unique and beautiful and brilliant. You get to feel this way about your book; it’s okay. The problem is not that these things aren’t true, but that we live in a very educated society with lots of great writers, so just as is the case with kids, a lot of people’s books are special and unique and beautiful and brilliant. So you’re up against tough competition. Take this as a reality check that it’s hard, especially as a debut author, not only to sell books but also to get a book deal, to get serious media attention, to get reviews. It can happen, but the more you go in with your eyes wide open and with serious work ethic and patience, the better shot you’ll have at not being disappointed, and at experiencing some level of satisfaction with your publishing experience.
Are there things that you were naïve about going into your publishing experience? Things you know now that you wish you knew then? Please share!
By Brooke Warner on She Writes
I recently had a coaching session with an author who’s finished with her manuscript and was ready to shop it. Like most of the writers I work with, it’s taken her a year to complete, and there were another five years before we started our work together during which she was plotting and figuring things out and writing in fits and spurts. Writing a book is a long haul, as anyone who’s completed one can attest. Still, I witness an odd correlation with writers that goes like this: the more time they’ve spent on the book, the more anxious they are to rush the post-completion phase of shopping, author platform, and publishing, even though none of these arenas can or should be rushed.
If patience is a virtue, then impatience is a flaw, a fault, a vice, a trap. And we live in a society that cultivates—if not celebrates—impatience, so it’s also somewhat inevitable. Where authors are concerned, impatience leads to wishful thinking, which feeds these five delusions I see new authors suffer from, when they allow impatience to distort their path to successful publication.
1. Though the writer has spent upwards of five or six years on their manuscript, they think they should be able to execute their query letter, proposal, or shopping strategy in a matter of months. They don’t take the time to figure out the ins and outs of the publishing world, and then they fling themselves out into this world like a bird leaving its nest too soon. Then they wonder why there’s not a soft landing.
2. Realizing they don’t have an author platform to speak of, a writer looks to outsource, but to the wrong third party. I’m all for outsourcing social media, even blog posts where it makes sense, but you can’t just hire anyone to do it. You need to hire someone who knows your voice, and who understands your market. Otherwise you’re putting out a hollow message that's not about who you are. There’s no such thing as a quick and easy fix online, and you’re required to show up. Even if you outsource, you need to monitor and handle your own comments.
3. Feeling a little desperate for more likes and follows, a writer pays someone to get likes and follows, thinking the number alone will boost their chances with editors and agents. This is like the snake pit of social media followers, because these followers have no investment. They’re probably not even real people but proxy accounts. If their likes and follows can be bought, you’re not gaining true fans, which is all that matters. Publishing companies may want a high number of social media followers to prove your fan base, but you need and want to be able to back that up come your pub date—or else you’ve led with a false promise, and that will hurt you in the long run.
4. Having spent money on writing classes or a coach or a developmental edit, the writer decides not to get their book copyedited or proofread. I see this every single day. There is nothing more valuable than a copyedit on the manuscript you think is complete. It’s the best investment you will ever make, and it’s worth doing it before you shop. Editors are reading countless letters, proposals, and manuscripts every single week. You have one shot.
5. No matter how many statistics well-informed writers have seen about the number of books published every year, or how much they get on a cellular level that it’s hard to sell books, writers feel about their own book much the way they feel about their children—that it’s special and unique and beautiful and brilliant. You get to feel this way about your book; it’s okay. The problem is not that these things aren’t true, but that we live in a very educated society with lots of great writers, so just as is the case with kids, a lot of people’s books are special and unique and beautiful and brilliant. So you’re up against tough competition. Take this as a reality check that it’s hard, especially as a debut author, not only to sell books but also to get a book deal, to get serious media attention, to get reviews. It can happen, but the more you go in with your eyes wide open and with serious work ethic and patience, the better shot you’ll have at not being disappointed, and at experiencing some level of satisfaction with your publishing experience.
Are there things that you were naïve about going into your publishing experience? Things you know now that you wish you knew then? Please share!
The problem with "That"
I found this to be a timely post from Daily Writing Tips - My beta reader is a "that" exterminator!
When To Keep “That” Daily Writing Tips
Since the 9th century, the word that has been one of the most frequently used words in the English language. It functions as pronoun, adjective, adverb, and conjunction.
A browser search for “that” brings up 14,490,000,000 hits.
Small wonder so many copy editors do their best to stamp out that whenever possible.
One editor tells his authors to search their manuscript for all uses of the word that and then “Evaluate each and delete 95% with no loss of meaning.”
I’d say that 95% is a bit high, but writers can reduce the number in a great many instances without loss of meaning. On the other hand, that should not be purged blindly in a misguided effort to save words.
The following statement by a police spokesman quoted in a newspaper account illustrates the natural use of that in spoken English:
We have to make sure that there is nobody inside any house; there’s always the potential that our suspects have fled into a house that was occupied, which is why it’s highly important to us to make sure that’s not the case.
Four thats occur in this sentence:
1. conjunction introducing a noun clause that is the direct object of “to make sure.”
2. conjunction introducing a fuller explanation of the noun potential.
3. relative pronoun standing for house and introducing the adjective clause “that was occupied”
4. demonstrative pronoun, subject of is (“that is not the case”).
Two thats can be dropped without loss of meaning:
We have to make sure there is nobody inside any house; there’s always the potential our suspects have fled into a house that was occupied, which is why it’s highly important to us to make sure that’s not the case.
A third that can be eliminated with a slight rewording:
We have to make sure there is nobody inside any house; there’s always the potential our suspects have fled into an occupied house, which is why it’s highly important to us to make sure that’s not the case.
How does one decide whether to keep or omit that? Clarity is the main consideration. Will the reader understand the sentence without out? Some readers may stumble over a missing that.
A writer’s preferred style is another determining factor. My own style tends to be rather heavy on the use of that. For example, I would probably keep that after potential in the original quotation. A writer may feel that a sentence flows more smoothly with that than without it.
That can usually be omitted after the verb say:
Dickens said that he wrote A Christmas Carol as a “pot-boiler.”
Dickens said he wrote A Christmas Carol as a “pot-boiler.”
But even with the verb say, if an adverbial element intervenes between the verb and the clause, that is needed:
Dickens said in an interview that he wrote A Christmas Carol as a “pot-boiler.”
Dickens said years later that he wrote A Christmas Carol as a “pot-boiler.”
When in doubt, keep the that. As it says in The AP Stylebook, “Omission can hurt. Inclusion never does.”
The following verbs should be followed by that:
advocate
assert
contend
declare
estimate
make clear
point out
propose
state
When To Keep “That” Daily Writing Tips
Since the 9th century, the word that has been one of the most frequently used words in the English language. It functions as pronoun, adjective, adverb, and conjunction.
A browser search for “that” brings up 14,490,000,000 hits.
Small wonder so many copy editors do their best to stamp out that whenever possible.
One editor tells his authors to search their manuscript for all uses of the word that and then “Evaluate each and delete 95% with no loss of meaning.”
I’d say that 95% is a bit high, but writers can reduce the number in a great many instances without loss of meaning. On the other hand, that should not be purged blindly in a misguided effort to save words.
The following statement by a police spokesman quoted in a newspaper account illustrates the natural use of that in spoken English:
We have to make sure that there is nobody inside any house; there’s always the potential that our suspects have fled into a house that was occupied, which is why it’s highly important to us to make sure that’s not the case.
Four thats occur in this sentence:
1. conjunction introducing a noun clause that is the direct object of “to make sure.”
2. conjunction introducing a fuller explanation of the noun potential.
3. relative pronoun standing for house and introducing the adjective clause “that was occupied”
4. demonstrative pronoun, subject of is (“that is not the case”).
Two thats can be dropped without loss of meaning:
We have to make sure there is nobody inside any house; there’s always the potential our suspects have fled into a house that was occupied, which is why it’s highly important to us to make sure that’s not the case.
A third that can be eliminated with a slight rewording:
We have to make sure there is nobody inside any house; there’s always the potential our suspects have fled into an occupied house, which is why it’s highly important to us to make sure that’s not the case.
How does one decide whether to keep or omit that? Clarity is the main consideration. Will the reader understand the sentence without out? Some readers may stumble over a missing that.
A writer’s preferred style is another determining factor. My own style tends to be rather heavy on the use of that. For example, I would probably keep that after potential in the original quotation. A writer may feel that a sentence flows more smoothly with that than without it.
That can usually be omitted after the verb say:
Dickens said that he wrote A Christmas Carol as a “pot-boiler.”
Dickens said he wrote A Christmas Carol as a “pot-boiler.”
But even with the verb say, if an adverbial element intervenes between the verb and the clause, that is needed:
Dickens said in an interview that he wrote A Christmas Carol as a “pot-boiler.”
Dickens said years later that he wrote A Christmas Carol as a “pot-boiler.”
When in doubt, keep the that. As it says in The AP Stylebook, “Omission can hurt. Inclusion never does.”
The following verbs should be followed by that:
advocate
assert
contend
declare
estimate
make clear
point out
propose
state
June 1, 2015
Word Count by Genre
This is an old post, but I found it helpful. I think some of the genres may be even shorter now.
Word Count by Genre by Jacqui Murray
Here’s information worth reposting. I got it from the SCWC blog. Check out these word counts. The last time I checked, they were longer. Fits what I’ve heard that publishers want shorter and shorter books:
Word counts for different genres of novels vary, but there are general rules of thumb that a writer can use for how long is too long. For the purposes of this post, I’m only talking about YA, middle-grade and adult fiction:
• Middle Grade Fiction = Anywhere from 25k to 40k, with the average at 35k
• YA Fiction = For mainstream YA, anywhere from about 45k to 80k; paranormal YA or YA fantasy can occasionally run as high as 120k but editors would prefer to see them stay below 100k. The second or third in a particularly bestselling series can go even higher. But it shouldn’t be word count for the sake of word count.
• Paranormal Romance = 85k to 100k
• Romance = 85k to 100k
• Category Romance = 55k to 75k
• Cozy Mysteries = 65k to 90k
• Horror = 80k to 100k
• Western = 80k to 100k (Keep in mind that almost no editors are buying Westerns these days.)
• Mysteries, thrillers and crime fiction = A newer category of light paranormal mysteries and hobby mysteries clock in at about 75k to 90k. Historical mysteries and noir can be a bit shorter, at 80k to 100k. Most other mystery/thriller/crime fiction falls right around the 90k to 100k mark.
• Mainstream/commercial fiction/thrillers = Depending upon the kind of fiction, this can vary: chick lit runs anywhere from 80k word to 100k words; literary fiction can run as high as 120k but lately there’s been a trend toward more spare and elegant literary novels as short as 65k. Anything under 50k is usually considered a novella, which isn’t something agents or editors ever want to see unless the editor has commissioned a short story collection. (Agent Kristin Nelson has a good post about writers querying about manuscripts that are too short.)
• Science Fiction & Fantasy = Here’s where most writers seem to have problems. Most editors I’ve spoken to recently at major SF/F houses want books that fall into the higher end of the adult fiction you see above; a few of them told me that 100k words is the ideal manuscript size for good space opera or fantasy. For a truly spectacular epic fantasy, some editors will consider manuscripts over 120k but it would have to be something extraordinary. I know at least one editor I know likes his fantasy big and fat and around 180k. But he doesn’t buy a lot at that size; it has to be astounding. (Read: Doesn’t need much editing.) And regardless of the size, an editor will expect the author to be able to pare it down even further before publication. To make this all a little easier, I broke it down even further below:
• Hard SF = 90k to 110k
• Space Opera = 90k to 120k
• Wpic/high/traditional/historical fantasy = 90k to 120k
• contemporary fantasy = 90k to 100k
• Romantic SF = 85k to 100k
• Urban Fantasy = 90k to 100k
• New Weird = 85k to 110k
• Slipstream = 80k to 100k
• Comic Fantasy = 80k to 100k
• Everything else = 90k to 100k
Editors will often make exceptions for sequels, by the way. Notice that the page count in both J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series and George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series gets progressively higher. But even authors who have been published for years and should know better will routinely turn in manuscripts that exceed the editor’s requested length by 30k to 50k words, which inevitably means more work for that author because editors don’t back down. If a contract calls for a book that is 100k words and you turn in one that is 130k, expect to go back and find a way to shave 30k words off that puppy before your manuscript is accepted.
Remember that part of the payout schedule of an author’s advance often dangles on that one important word: acceptance.
I cannot stress highly enough that there are always exceptions to every rule, especially in SF/F. Jacqueline Carey and Peter F. Hamilton, among others, have proven this quite successfully. If an agent finds a truly outstanding book that runs in the 200k range (yes, it happens!), he or she may advise your cutting the manuscript into two books to make life easier for everyone. But for a debut novelist who is trying to catch the eye of an agent or editor for the first time? Err on the side of caution with your word count.
Word Count by Genre by Jacqui Murray
Here’s information worth reposting. I got it from the SCWC blog. Check out these word counts. The last time I checked, they were longer. Fits what I’ve heard that publishers want shorter and shorter books:
Word counts for different genres of novels vary, but there are general rules of thumb that a writer can use for how long is too long. For the purposes of this post, I’m only talking about YA, middle-grade and adult fiction:
• Middle Grade Fiction = Anywhere from 25k to 40k, with the average at 35k
• YA Fiction = For mainstream YA, anywhere from about 45k to 80k; paranormal YA or YA fantasy can occasionally run as high as 120k but editors would prefer to see them stay below 100k. The second or third in a particularly bestselling series can go even higher. But it shouldn’t be word count for the sake of word count.
• Paranormal Romance = 85k to 100k
• Romance = 85k to 100k
• Category Romance = 55k to 75k
• Cozy Mysteries = 65k to 90k
• Horror = 80k to 100k
• Western = 80k to 100k (Keep in mind that almost no editors are buying Westerns these days.)
• Mysteries, thrillers and crime fiction = A newer category of light paranormal mysteries and hobby mysteries clock in at about 75k to 90k. Historical mysteries and noir can be a bit shorter, at 80k to 100k. Most other mystery/thriller/crime fiction falls right around the 90k to 100k mark.
• Mainstream/commercial fiction/thrillers = Depending upon the kind of fiction, this can vary: chick lit runs anywhere from 80k word to 100k words; literary fiction can run as high as 120k but lately there’s been a trend toward more spare and elegant literary novels as short as 65k. Anything under 50k is usually considered a novella, which isn’t something agents or editors ever want to see unless the editor has commissioned a short story collection. (Agent Kristin Nelson has a good post about writers querying about manuscripts that are too short.)
• Science Fiction & Fantasy = Here’s where most writers seem to have problems. Most editors I’ve spoken to recently at major SF/F houses want books that fall into the higher end of the adult fiction you see above; a few of them told me that 100k words is the ideal manuscript size for good space opera or fantasy. For a truly spectacular epic fantasy, some editors will consider manuscripts over 120k but it would have to be something extraordinary. I know at least one editor I know likes his fantasy big and fat and around 180k. But he doesn’t buy a lot at that size; it has to be astounding. (Read: Doesn’t need much editing.) And regardless of the size, an editor will expect the author to be able to pare it down even further before publication. To make this all a little easier, I broke it down even further below:
• Hard SF = 90k to 110k
• Space Opera = 90k to 120k
• Wpic/high/traditional/historical fantasy = 90k to 120k
• contemporary fantasy = 90k to 100k
• Romantic SF = 85k to 100k
• Urban Fantasy = 90k to 100k
• New Weird = 85k to 110k
• Slipstream = 80k to 100k
• Comic Fantasy = 80k to 100k
• Everything else = 90k to 100k
Editors will often make exceptions for sequels, by the way. Notice that the page count in both J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series and George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series gets progressively higher. But even authors who have been published for years and should know better will routinely turn in manuscripts that exceed the editor’s requested length by 30k to 50k words, which inevitably means more work for that author because editors don’t back down. If a contract calls for a book that is 100k words and you turn in one that is 130k, expect to go back and find a way to shave 30k words off that puppy before your manuscript is accepted.
Remember that part of the payout schedule of an author’s advance often dangles on that one important word: acceptance.
I cannot stress highly enough that there are always exceptions to every rule, especially in SF/F. Jacqueline Carey and Peter F. Hamilton, among others, have proven this quite successfully. If an agent finds a truly outstanding book that runs in the 200k range (yes, it happens!), he or she may advise your cutting the manuscript into two books to make life easier for everyone. But for a debut novelist who is trying to catch the eye of an agent or editor for the first time? Err on the side of caution with your word count.
May 28, 2015
Best YA Releases in May
If you read or write Young Adult fiction you may be interested in this article from Young Adult Magazine
10 Best Young Adult Books That Came Out In May 2015 By Emily Maas
From Disney villain high school dramas to nerdy cross-country road trip adventures, May is simply bursting at the seams with amazing YA reads hitting the shelves that you won’t want to miss.
Some of the biggest authors in the YA game, including Sarah Dessen and Sarah J. Maas, have chosen this month to publish new work, along with plenty of worthy debut authors as well.
In fact, there were just too many great books to choose from this time around. So, in addition to the list below, here are a few honorable mentions that nearly made the cut:
- The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh (May 12) A Thousand and One Nights retelling with a ton of buzz.
- P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han (May 26) The first in this series made last year’s 10 Best Young Adult Books Of 2014 list.
- Vanished by E.E. Cooper (May 12) This one originally made our 10 Best New YA Books That Explore Sexuality list.
And now, check out 10 of this month’s most exciting YA book releases below.
'Daughter of Deep Silence' by Carrie Ryan
Carrie Ryan, known for The Forest of Hands and Teeth series, has given us a completely different, captivating world with Daughter of Deep Silence. Frances Mace lost her parents, her friend Libby and almost her own life as well when a brutal attack took out an entire cruise ship of people leaving only herself, Senator Wells and his son, Grey. The two survivors are lying about what (or rather who) took out the ship. The sharp thriller is a reminder that vengeance doesn't always equal fulfillment, and love can't be crushed as easily as we think. The protagonist exudes strength and yet, Ryan isn't afraid to shine a light on her weaknesses as well, giving us a commendable combo for a leading lady.
'The Isle of the Lost' by Melissa de la Cruz
A prequel to the upcoming Disney Channel movie Descendants, this one's a must for hardcore Disney fans. All the great villains that have plagued Disney — Maleficent, Jafar, Cruella De Vil, Evil Queen and even Captain Hook — have been exiled to an island where magic is impossible and the coffee tastes like mud. The children of these Big Bads go on a journey seeking a treasure that would bring true darkness to their home, but along the way, they might find a little light too. The interactions in this warped high school environment will make you root for the bad guys...in the best way possible.
'The Heir' by Kiera Cass
Technically, this is the fourth novel in Cass' Selection series, but really, it can be read as a standalone that anyone can pick up and start with if they so choose. (I sure did!) The Heir picks up with America and Prince Maxon's children — okay, that plot point is ruined, but really, did you expect anything different from the title? — particularly their heir Princess Eadlyn, a bright but headstrong girl who struggles with opening up to others. Suddenly, she has to open up quickly: to her parents, her siblings, her country and to the 35 suitors invited for her own Selection that she doesn't even want. Get ready to squeal along with all the adorably romantic moments, and go white-knuckled over the devastating twists.
'Saint Anything' by Sarah Dessen
This superb release originally made our 15 Most Anticipated Young Adult Books of 2015 list. It's Dessen's 12th novel, and clearly, she isn't slowing down from here. The story follows Sydney, a sister who has always been in her big brother's shadow, until he trades in his popularity for illegal activities and lands himself inside a court room for drunk driving. This mature read is some of Dessen's most impressive work yet and explores both the realities of a difficult home life, as well as fitting in with a family that isn't even your own.
'A Court of Thorns and Roses' by Sarah J. Maas
This one also made our 15 Most Anticipated of 2015 list, and is Sarah J. Maas' first deviation from her Throne of Glass series, which has positioned her as one of YA's top authors This new series is loosely based on Beauty and the Beast (a tale that 2015 can't seem to shake), and follows a nineteen-year-old huntress in a magical land named Feyre who is kidnapped, leading to a grand, fantastical romance that'll have you begging for the next installment.
'End of Days' by Susan Ee
The ending to Ee's fiery Penryn & the End of Days trilogy begins with Penryn and Raffe post-escape from the Angels, running in desperate need of a doctor. As with all third books in a post-apocalyptic series, expect war (in this case a civil war brought on by the Angels to extinguish mankind), shifting allegiances and plenty of other massive resolutions to — fingers crossed! — tie up everything Ee has set up for the conclusion of this major series.
'The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak' by Brian Katcher
Prepare for a nerdy read with a heartwarming center: Ana and Zak, a Type A winner and a slacker, pair up to search for Ana's brother when he ditches a school trip to hang out at Washingcon. Along the way, you'll get swoon-worthy romance in an environment that breaks the norm of the usual YA love story, and will have you dreaming up a romantic fantasy at the preferred Con of your own.
'I Am Princess X' by Cherie Priest
Speaking of nerdy YA, this one's getting down with its dorky side too, as well as feeding into the Missing BFF mystery theme that's been cropping up in YA lit lately. Libby (Yes, another Libby!) and May created a webcomic based around their perfect superhero: the sword-wielding Princess X. But when Libby dies in a car accident, their purple-haired hero is soon forgotten. That is, until May starts seeing drawings of Princess X plastered all over her Seattle town and thinks that her best friend may not be gone after all. This YA debut from a seasoned science-fiction author is definitely going to be a home run for the genre this month.
'Made You Up' by Francesca Zappia
Zappia made our 15 Authors to Watch in 2015 list earlier this year for this exciting debut about mental illness. The novel's main character, Alex, is a totally unreliable narrator due to her inability to distinguish real from the unreal. For help, she's got a Magic 8 ball and her little sister as she struggles with her own sanity during her senior year of high school — a year that's already plenty difficult to deal with on its own. If unreliable narrators aren't your thing, scroll away. However, if they are, this is one of the most thoughtful examinations of schizophrenia this year.
'Kissing in America' by Margo Rabb
Bookish people, rejoice! This final selection supplies a main character who also happens to be a total bookie in sixteen-year-old Eva, a girl lost in love and romance novels. (She's already devoured 118 of them.) When she does finally fall in love, the boy of her dreams moves to California without any notice. As a grand romantic gesture, Eva decides to go after him, traveling across the country with her best friend Annie in a road trip tale that'll give you all the friendship and love (and kissing!) your summer needs.
10 Best Young Adult Books That Came Out In May 2015 By Emily Maas
From Disney villain high school dramas to nerdy cross-country road trip adventures, May is simply bursting at the seams with amazing YA reads hitting the shelves that you won’t want to miss.
Some of the biggest authors in the YA game, including Sarah Dessen and Sarah J. Maas, have chosen this month to publish new work, along with plenty of worthy debut authors as well.
In fact, there were just too many great books to choose from this time around. So, in addition to the list below, here are a few honorable mentions that nearly made the cut:
- The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh (May 12) A Thousand and One Nights retelling with a ton of buzz.
- P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han (May 26) The first in this series made last year’s 10 Best Young Adult Books Of 2014 list.
- Vanished by E.E. Cooper (May 12) This one originally made our 10 Best New YA Books That Explore Sexuality list.
And now, check out 10 of this month’s most exciting YA book releases below.
'Daughter of Deep Silence' by Carrie Ryan
Carrie Ryan, known for The Forest of Hands and Teeth series, has given us a completely different, captivating world with Daughter of Deep Silence. Frances Mace lost her parents, her friend Libby and almost her own life as well when a brutal attack took out an entire cruise ship of people leaving only herself, Senator Wells and his son, Grey. The two survivors are lying about what (or rather who) took out the ship. The sharp thriller is a reminder that vengeance doesn't always equal fulfillment, and love can't be crushed as easily as we think. The protagonist exudes strength and yet, Ryan isn't afraid to shine a light on her weaknesses as well, giving us a commendable combo for a leading lady.
'The Isle of the Lost' by Melissa de la Cruz
A prequel to the upcoming Disney Channel movie Descendants, this one's a must for hardcore Disney fans. All the great villains that have plagued Disney — Maleficent, Jafar, Cruella De Vil, Evil Queen and even Captain Hook — have been exiled to an island where magic is impossible and the coffee tastes like mud. The children of these Big Bads go on a journey seeking a treasure that would bring true darkness to their home, but along the way, they might find a little light too. The interactions in this warped high school environment will make you root for the bad guys...in the best way possible.
'The Heir' by Kiera Cass
Technically, this is the fourth novel in Cass' Selection series, but really, it can be read as a standalone that anyone can pick up and start with if they so choose. (I sure did!) The Heir picks up with America and Prince Maxon's children — okay, that plot point is ruined, but really, did you expect anything different from the title? — particularly their heir Princess Eadlyn, a bright but headstrong girl who struggles with opening up to others. Suddenly, she has to open up quickly: to her parents, her siblings, her country and to the 35 suitors invited for her own Selection that she doesn't even want. Get ready to squeal along with all the adorably romantic moments, and go white-knuckled over the devastating twists.
'Saint Anything' by Sarah Dessen
This superb release originally made our 15 Most Anticipated Young Adult Books of 2015 list. It's Dessen's 12th novel, and clearly, she isn't slowing down from here. The story follows Sydney, a sister who has always been in her big brother's shadow, until he trades in his popularity for illegal activities and lands himself inside a court room for drunk driving. This mature read is some of Dessen's most impressive work yet and explores both the realities of a difficult home life, as well as fitting in with a family that isn't even your own.
'A Court of Thorns and Roses' by Sarah J. Maas
This one also made our 15 Most Anticipated of 2015 list, and is Sarah J. Maas' first deviation from her Throne of Glass series, which has positioned her as one of YA's top authors This new series is loosely based on Beauty and the Beast (a tale that 2015 can't seem to shake), and follows a nineteen-year-old huntress in a magical land named Feyre who is kidnapped, leading to a grand, fantastical romance that'll have you begging for the next installment.
'End of Days' by Susan Ee
The ending to Ee's fiery Penryn & the End of Days trilogy begins with Penryn and Raffe post-escape from the Angels, running in desperate need of a doctor. As with all third books in a post-apocalyptic series, expect war (in this case a civil war brought on by the Angels to extinguish mankind), shifting allegiances and plenty of other massive resolutions to — fingers crossed! — tie up everything Ee has set up for the conclusion of this major series.
'The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak' by Brian Katcher
Prepare for a nerdy read with a heartwarming center: Ana and Zak, a Type A winner and a slacker, pair up to search for Ana's brother when he ditches a school trip to hang out at Washingcon. Along the way, you'll get swoon-worthy romance in an environment that breaks the norm of the usual YA love story, and will have you dreaming up a romantic fantasy at the preferred Con of your own.
'I Am Princess X' by Cherie Priest
Speaking of nerdy YA, this one's getting down with its dorky side too, as well as feeding into the Missing BFF mystery theme that's been cropping up in YA lit lately. Libby (Yes, another Libby!) and May created a webcomic based around their perfect superhero: the sword-wielding Princess X. But when Libby dies in a car accident, their purple-haired hero is soon forgotten. That is, until May starts seeing drawings of Princess X plastered all over her Seattle town and thinks that her best friend may not be gone after all. This YA debut from a seasoned science-fiction author is definitely going to be a home run for the genre this month.
'Made You Up' by Francesca Zappia
Zappia made our 15 Authors to Watch in 2015 list earlier this year for this exciting debut about mental illness. The novel's main character, Alex, is a totally unreliable narrator due to her inability to distinguish real from the unreal. For help, she's got a Magic 8 ball and her little sister as she struggles with her own sanity during her senior year of high school — a year that's already plenty difficult to deal with on its own. If unreliable narrators aren't your thing, scroll away. However, if they are, this is one of the most thoughtful examinations of schizophrenia this year.
'Kissing in America' by Margo Rabb
Bookish people, rejoice! This final selection supplies a main character who also happens to be a total bookie in sixteen-year-old Eva, a girl lost in love and romance novels. (She's already devoured 118 of them.) When she does finally fall in love, the boy of her dreams moves to California without any notice. As a grand romantic gesture, Eva decides to go after him, traveling across the country with her best friend Annie in a road trip tale that'll give you all the friendship and love (and kissing!) your summer needs.
May 27, 2015
ACCELERATION will be a novel
The hit novel from Graham McNamee is set at Safran.
The Safran Company has acquired the rights to the YA novel ACCELERATION. Written by Graham McNamee, Acceleration tells the story of Duncan, a teenager forced into community service cataloging lost and found items for the city’s Transit Authority. Amongt the mess, he finds a serial killer’s journal, detailing the madman’s stalking of subway passengers. Duncan sets out with his friends to find and stop the killer.
Safran is circling Saw creator Leigh Whannell to adapt and direct the novel. Whannell has written Dead Silence and the Insidious series, and his directorial debut Insidious: Chapter 3 hits theaters next month.
Acceleration was named the Edgar Allan Poe Award’s Best Young Adult Novel in 2004, and McNamee’s young adult novels are published under Random House Children’s Books Ember imprint.
The Safran Company has acquired the rights to the YA novel ACCELERATION. Written by Graham McNamee, Acceleration tells the story of Duncan, a teenager forced into community service cataloging lost and found items for the city’s Transit Authority. Amongt the mess, he finds a serial killer’s journal, detailing the madman’s stalking of subway passengers. Duncan sets out with his friends to find and stop the killer.
Safran is circling Saw creator Leigh Whannell to adapt and direct the novel. Whannell has written Dead Silence and the Insidious series, and his directorial debut Insidious: Chapter 3 hits theaters next month.
Acceleration was named the Edgar Allan Poe Award’s Best Young Adult Novel in 2004, and McNamee’s young adult novels are published under Random House Children’s Books Ember imprint.
13 Lessons for writers
I loved this post from Peggy, a 60+ writer from the whitehairedshooter blog
LESSONS I’m Learning… on my Journey to becoming an author.
While it’s easy to be witty, easy to amuse and even amaze your friends and family with short spurts of original writing, a novel is a horse of a different color, and it doesn’t take long to realize you’re “not in Kansas any more.” No yellow brick road or wonderful wizard behind a curtain is going to provide you with the heart, the mind and the courage this process is going to take. It’s work. Amazingly difficult at times, but filled with joyful growth if you persevere. It will require adjustment of your self image and development of a “thick skin.”
I’ve shared the first lessons of my journey in the “Writing the Book” category of this blog, and may include a few of them here. My intent with this page is to summarize and share the resources and lessons I am learning along my way as they happen, rather than trying to categorize them. My plan is to add to this with the newest discovery, lesson or resource entered at the top of the list.
If you have discovered things and resources on your own journey, I would love to hear about them. Sharing what we learn is important!
LESSONS I’m learning on my Journey to becoming an author.
13. Reading other debut novels while writing my first book is very helpful.
12. Minor characters in a story can provide opportunities to develop plot and add depth to main characters. Richness, intrigue and interest can be woven into the story by letting the minor characters provide foreshadowing, backstory, and show different aspects of the setting and main players. Having interesting, well developed and believable minor characters makes for a better novel overall.
11. Using a fiction writing software program helps me concentrate more on my writing, keep track of characters and their relationships, locations, and provides me with an easy way to insure my novel’s structure is on target. Along with other helpful writing tools, it speeds along a first draft, with places to store and retrieve thoughts and ideas, and make changes to the text easily as I go.
10. Make sure you’re telling a story, not just knitting words and scenes together. Storytelling is what makes a connection with your readers. Imagination, a clever turn of phrase and thought provoking ideas can make for interesting prose, but don’t skip over checking to see if you have actually told a story. Doing this will help, particularly if critiques have mentioned (in similar remarks) your work is “confusing, ambling, and not at all compelling.”
9. Sometimes you’ve got to take a step or so back in time and action to find the inciting incident for conflict, growth, or change that will make your story “pop.” Some indicators you may have to move your beginning point back: needing too much backstory in the narrative; little or no change in your MC (main character) — lack of conflict or growth; by the end of the book you still haven’t told the whole story.
8. World Building isn’t just a SciFi writers thing. In order to have depth, and have your characters truly speak for themselves — you must know what makes up their world. Scenes and settings should be a reflection of their world. Where did they come from culturally? What were their parental and familial influences? Genetic hereditary? Geographical, spiritual, historical, political influences? How did their specific background mold them into the unique individual they have become? Add to this their present situation and circumstances, what they look like– their habits, pursuits and activities, likes and dislikes,–and you will know them deeply. Once you have built “their world,” they can spring to life and speak for themselves.
7. It’s not only okay, it’s a good idea to put aside my novel while I’m learning a new concept. But only if I keep writing during that time. Lessons must be applied as I learn about them. Writing flash fiction, short stories, or just writing ideas and notes for my main project, not only helps me absorb and better understand ideas I am learning, but also builds excitement for getting back to my novel.
6. Let my characters speak. I have learned that narrative fiction uses a different skill-set than expository writing. Everything I write comes from my thoughts, feelings, beliefs and I need to develop my voice. But the characters in my story must have their own voices, and it needs to match their personality, situation, and lifestyle. I have to know them in depth, and make sure they come alive with conflict and have a stake – something to win or lose. If my story’s dialog is dry and lifeless, there’s a good chance I am putting words in their mouths, and not letting my characters speak.
5. The time to develop a log line (elevator pitch, one-line) is BEFORE you begin writing your story. It can assist in building your outline, and developing your characters and ideas. A log line can’t be successfully written until you have thought your story all the way through. Then write your story. … from “Save the Cat” by Blake Snyder
4. Find a group of other writers to discuss, review and critique your work. If you have a writer’s group close to where you live (I don’t) – go meet with them regularly. If you don’t, online help is available. I discovered the “Critique Circle” through a comment here on WordPress. Good, solid, constructive critiques and sharing of technique happens in this environment. The “cost” of these groups is typically giving critiques to other writers. It’s writers helping writers and sharing what they have learned. I was very surprised that reviewing and giving help to others is one of the best ways to grow in your own writing and self editing!
3. First drafts are meant to suck. Go ahead and finish them, even if your chapter/writing is flat or just plain bad. This is you getting your story out, you’ll work with later to polish it and make it shine. Nothing springs forth fully edited and complete. That’s what revisions and drafts #2 – #9999 are for.
2. Study fiction writing from successful authors. I have found these resources here on WordPress and other Blogs, browsing through amazon.com, Goodreads. Start following and forming a community- of other authors on Twitter. Look at the “creds” of those supplying lessons. I am wary of those wanting to “sell” me lessons, many of the truly great authors have written books generously sharing the craft, and many blog freely.
1. Read a lot and constantly. You’ve got to have a rich background and love of reading: the classics, and particularly in the genre you want to write.
LESSONS I’m Learning… on my Journey to becoming an author.
While it’s easy to be witty, easy to amuse and even amaze your friends and family with short spurts of original writing, a novel is a horse of a different color, and it doesn’t take long to realize you’re “not in Kansas any more.” No yellow brick road or wonderful wizard behind a curtain is going to provide you with the heart, the mind and the courage this process is going to take. It’s work. Amazingly difficult at times, but filled with joyful growth if you persevere. It will require adjustment of your self image and development of a “thick skin.”
I’ve shared the first lessons of my journey in the “Writing the Book” category of this blog, and may include a few of them here. My intent with this page is to summarize and share the resources and lessons I am learning along my way as they happen, rather than trying to categorize them. My plan is to add to this with the newest discovery, lesson or resource entered at the top of the list.
If you have discovered things and resources on your own journey, I would love to hear about them. Sharing what we learn is important!
LESSONS I’m learning on my Journey to becoming an author.
13. Reading other debut novels while writing my first book is very helpful.
12. Minor characters in a story can provide opportunities to develop plot and add depth to main characters. Richness, intrigue and interest can be woven into the story by letting the minor characters provide foreshadowing, backstory, and show different aspects of the setting and main players. Having interesting, well developed and believable minor characters makes for a better novel overall.
11. Using a fiction writing software program helps me concentrate more on my writing, keep track of characters and their relationships, locations, and provides me with an easy way to insure my novel’s structure is on target. Along with other helpful writing tools, it speeds along a first draft, with places to store and retrieve thoughts and ideas, and make changes to the text easily as I go.
10. Make sure you’re telling a story, not just knitting words and scenes together. Storytelling is what makes a connection with your readers. Imagination, a clever turn of phrase and thought provoking ideas can make for interesting prose, but don’t skip over checking to see if you have actually told a story. Doing this will help, particularly if critiques have mentioned (in similar remarks) your work is “confusing, ambling, and not at all compelling.”
9. Sometimes you’ve got to take a step or so back in time and action to find the inciting incident for conflict, growth, or change that will make your story “pop.” Some indicators you may have to move your beginning point back: needing too much backstory in the narrative; little or no change in your MC (main character) — lack of conflict or growth; by the end of the book you still haven’t told the whole story.
8. World Building isn’t just a SciFi writers thing. In order to have depth, and have your characters truly speak for themselves — you must know what makes up their world. Scenes and settings should be a reflection of their world. Where did they come from culturally? What were their parental and familial influences? Genetic hereditary? Geographical, spiritual, historical, political influences? How did their specific background mold them into the unique individual they have become? Add to this their present situation and circumstances, what they look like– their habits, pursuits and activities, likes and dislikes,–and you will know them deeply. Once you have built “their world,” they can spring to life and speak for themselves.
7. It’s not only okay, it’s a good idea to put aside my novel while I’m learning a new concept. But only if I keep writing during that time. Lessons must be applied as I learn about them. Writing flash fiction, short stories, or just writing ideas and notes for my main project, not only helps me absorb and better understand ideas I am learning, but also builds excitement for getting back to my novel.
6. Let my characters speak. I have learned that narrative fiction uses a different skill-set than expository writing. Everything I write comes from my thoughts, feelings, beliefs and I need to develop my voice. But the characters in my story must have their own voices, and it needs to match their personality, situation, and lifestyle. I have to know them in depth, and make sure they come alive with conflict and have a stake – something to win or lose. If my story’s dialog is dry and lifeless, there’s a good chance I am putting words in their mouths, and not letting my characters speak.
5. The time to develop a log line (elevator pitch, one-line) is BEFORE you begin writing your story. It can assist in building your outline, and developing your characters and ideas. A log line can’t be successfully written until you have thought your story all the way through. Then write your story. … from “Save the Cat” by Blake Snyder
4. Find a group of other writers to discuss, review and critique your work. If you have a writer’s group close to where you live (I don’t) – go meet with them regularly. If you don’t, online help is available. I discovered the “Critique Circle” through a comment here on WordPress. Good, solid, constructive critiques and sharing of technique happens in this environment. The “cost” of these groups is typically giving critiques to other writers. It’s writers helping writers and sharing what they have learned. I was very surprised that reviewing and giving help to others is one of the best ways to grow in your own writing and self editing!
3. First drafts are meant to suck. Go ahead and finish them, even if your chapter/writing is flat or just plain bad. This is you getting your story out, you’ll work with later to polish it and make it shine. Nothing springs forth fully edited and complete. That’s what revisions and drafts #2 – #9999 are for.
2. Study fiction writing from successful authors. I have found these resources here on WordPress and other Blogs, browsing through amazon.com, Goodreads. Start following and forming a community- of other authors on Twitter. Look at the “creds” of those supplying lessons. I am wary of those wanting to “sell” me lessons, many of the truly great authors have written books generously sharing the craft, and many blog freely.
1. Read a lot and constantly. You’ve got to have a rich background and love of reading: the classics, and particularly in the genre you want to write.
May 26, 2015
Submitting a manuscript
Five Terms Related to Submitting a Manuscript
________________________________________
This is basic stuff from Daily Writing Tips, but I'm always shocked when novice writers don't know about them.
A reader asked;
I’m confused: What’s the difference between Submissions and Query Letters and Cover Letters and Biographies and Resumés?
As these terms are often used interchangeably on writing sites, the reader’s confusion is understandable. Perhaps the following explanations can help.
1. Query Letter
A query letter is a one-page letter intended to interest an editor in something a writer has written or intends to write. It should address the editor by name (spelled correctly) and begin with a hook: a strong statement that piques the editor’s interest.
If the query is about a magazine article, the hook might be the first paragraph of the article. The query should give the editor an idea of the structure and content of the piece being offered. If the offered work is a novel, the letter should include a description of the main theme and story line, including conflict and resolution (how it ends).
A query letter should tell why the author is qualified to write the article or book and end with a direct request for the desired magazine assignment or for permission to send a manuscript.
2. Cover Letter
When the editor asks to see a manuscript or sample pages, the writer includes a cover letter with the submission: a brief letter to accompany the manuscript or sample. Editors receive hundreds of queries. The cover letter is a practical and courteous way to remind the editor of the particulars of your initial query. Keep it short and don’t try to do any additional selling. It’s enough to say something like this: “Here’s the short story I queried you about on March 20, 2016. I look forward to hearing from you.”
3. Author’s Bio
The shortening bio for biography is the norm in the context of marketing written material. The bio focuses on the writer’s credentials. Publishers want to know if the writer has published before and is qualified to write about the material being offered. They do not want to know about the writer’s dogs, cats, children, hobbies, or any other irrelevancies.
4. Resumé
A resumé is a brief account of one’s education and professional experience. Some of the same information that belongs in a resumé can also have a place in an author’s bio, but a resumé will be more comprehensive regarding past employment. A writer who is applying for a job as an editor or a blogger will certainly offer a resumé to the potential employer.
Note: Although the French original is spelled with two accent marks (ré•su•mé) American spelling recognizes both resume and resumé. I favor a single accent for two reasons: the first accent is meaningless to most English speakers, but the final accent mark distinguishes the noun and its pronunciation from the verb resume. For example: “I started writing my resumé today, but was interrupted. I’ll resume work on it in the morning.”
5. Submission
When an editor asks to see a partial or completed manuscript, the writer prepares a submission that includes a manuscript (partial or complete) and whatever additional material has been requested by an editor or publisher.
Before preparing a submission, the writer will consult the publisher’s guidelines to see how the manuscript should be formatted, how it should be sent (by mail or electronically), and what additional enclosures are wanted. The manuscript included in a submission should be as complete and as correct as the writer can make it.
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This is basic stuff from Daily Writing Tips, but I'm always shocked when novice writers don't know about them.
A reader asked;
I’m confused: What’s the difference between Submissions and Query Letters and Cover Letters and Biographies and Resumés?
As these terms are often used interchangeably on writing sites, the reader’s confusion is understandable. Perhaps the following explanations can help.
1. Query Letter
A query letter is a one-page letter intended to interest an editor in something a writer has written or intends to write. It should address the editor by name (spelled correctly) and begin with a hook: a strong statement that piques the editor’s interest.
If the query is about a magazine article, the hook might be the first paragraph of the article. The query should give the editor an idea of the structure and content of the piece being offered. If the offered work is a novel, the letter should include a description of the main theme and story line, including conflict and resolution (how it ends).
A query letter should tell why the author is qualified to write the article or book and end with a direct request for the desired magazine assignment or for permission to send a manuscript.
2. Cover Letter
When the editor asks to see a manuscript or sample pages, the writer includes a cover letter with the submission: a brief letter to accompany the manuscript or sample. Editors receive hundreds of queries. The cover letter is a practical and courteous way to remind the editor of the particulars of your initial query. Keep it short and don’t try to do any additional selling. It’s enough to say something like this: “Here’s the short story I queried you about on March 20, 2016. I look forward to hearing from you.”
3. Author’s Bio
The shortening bio for biography is the norm in the context of marketing written material. The bio focuses on the writer’s credentials. Publishers want to know if the writer has published before and is qualified to write about the material being offered. They do not want to know about the writer’s dogs, cats, children, hobbies, or any other irrelevancies.
4. Resumé
A resumé is a brief account of one’s education and professional experience. Some of the same information that belongs in a resumé can also have a place in an author’s bio, but a resumé will be more comprehensive regarding past employment. A writer who is applying for a job as an editor or a blogger will certainly offer a resumé to the potential employer.
Note: Although the French original is spelled with two accent marks (ré•su•mé) American spelling recognizes both resume and resumé. I favor a single accent for two reasons: the first accent is meaningless to most English speakers, but the final accent mark distinguishes the noun and its pronunciation from the verb resume. For example: “I started writing my resumé today, but was interrupted. I’ll resume work on it in the morning.”
5. Submission
When an editor asks to see a partial or completed manuscript, the writer prepares a submission that includes a manuscript (partial or complete) and whatever additional material has been requested by an editor or publisher.
Before preparing a submission, the writer will consult the publisher’s guidelines to see how the manuscript should be formatted, how it should be sent (by mail or electronically), and what additional enclosures are wanted. The manuscript included in a submission should be as complete and as correct as the writer can make it.
May 25, 2015
Daily Writing Tip, Top Ten Confused Words
I read it everyday and liked these - I found it helpful, hope you do too.
Top Ten Confused Words [C-D]
The words in the following list represent misunderstanding of the words’ meanings and not simply an inability to spell them correctly. This post covers words starting with the letters c and d (the a-b list is here).
1. canvas / canvass
The OED and M-W both show the spelling canvas as a variant spelling of the verb ”to canvass,” but Chicago, AP, and Paul Brians (Common Errors in English Usage) all agree that the verb meaning “to survey” is spelled with a double s. The spelling canvas is a noun signifying a heavy cloth.
2. clench / clinch
Although both words share their origin, in modern usage they are not interchangeable. You clench your fist or teeth, but clinch a deal or a victory. In boxing, “to clinch” means “to grapple at close quarters.” As a noun, clinch is used colloquially to mean “an embrace.”
3. compliment / complement
Both words may be used as either nouns or verbs. A compliment is a praising remark; a complement is something that enhances or completes. “To compliment” is to praise”; “to complement” is “to complete.”
4. conscience / conscious
Conscience is a noun that refers to the sense of right and wrong in an individual. Conscious is an adjective that means “aware of.”
5. corporal / corporeal
Both words are adjectives that mean “of the body,” but in modern usage corporeal is used in philosophical or theological discussions in which the animal body is compared to the spirit. For ordinary references to the body, corporal is the usual word. For example, one might refer to “the corporeal existence of Jesus,” but to “corporal punishment.”
6. denote / connote
“To denote” means “to indicate.” “To connote” means “to imply or suggest.” A squiggly red line under a word in a corrected essay denotes a misspelled word. Words like Mother and home connote warmth and comfort.
7. deserts / desserts
In the idiom “to get one’s just deserts,” the word deserts is often misspelled as desserts. For other uses and pronunciations of desert and dessert, see this post: Just Deserts vs Just Desserts.
8. discrepancy / disparity
A discrepancy is an inconsistency, for example, a discrepancy between a person’s date of birth might exist between different sources. A disparity is a lack of equality. A common topic of concern is the disparity between the earnings of men and women.
9. disinterested / uninterested
Although the distinction is ignored by many speakers, style guides advise that uninterested should be used to describe mere lack of interest, whereas disinterested should be reserved for use in the context of neutrality. For example, some students are uninterested in schoolwork, whereas a third-party mediator is disinterested in the dispute being arbitrated.
10. discreet / discrete
Discreet means judicious or circumspect. A discreet friend can be trusted not to tell all he knows about your private affairs. Discrete means “distinct, separate, not connected.” It’s the opposite of continuous. Charles Dickens published his novels in discrete parts that could later be fused as an uninterrupted whole.
Top Ten Confused Words [C-D]
The words in the following list represent misunderstanding of the words’ meanings and not simply an inability to spell them correctly. This post covers words starting with the letters c and d (the a-b list is here).
1. canvas / canvass
The OED and M-W both show the spelling canvas as a variant spelling of the verb ”to canvass,” but Chicago, AP, and Paul Brians (Common Errors in English Usage) all agree that the verb meaning “to survey” is spelled with a double s. The spelling canvas is a noun signifying a heavy cloth.
2. clench / clinch
Although both words share their origin, in modern usage they are not interchangeable. You clench your fist or teeth, but clinch a deal or a victory. In boxing, “to clinch” means “to grapple at close quarters.” As a noun, clinch is used colloquially to mean “an embrace.”
3. compliment / complement
Both words may be used as either nouns or verbs. A compliment is a praising remark; a complement is something that enhances or completes. “To compliment” is to praise”; “to complement” is “to complete.”
4. conscience / conscious
Conscience is a noun that refers to the sense of right and wrong in an individual. Conscious is an adjective that means “aware of.”
5. corporal / corporeal
Both words are adjectives that mean “of the body,” but in modern usage corporeal is used in philosophical or theological discussions in which the animal body is compared to the spirit. For ordinary references to the body, corporal is the usual word. For example, one might refer to “the corporeal existence of Jesus,” but to “corporal punishment.”
6. denote / connote
“To denote” means “to indicate.” “To connote” means “to imply or suggest.” A squiggly red line under a word in a corrected essay denotes a misspelled word. Words like Mother and home connote warmth and comfort.
7. deserts / desserts
In the idiom “to get one’s just deserts,” the word deserts is often misspelled as desserts. For other uses and pronunciations of desert and dessert, see this post: Just Deserts vs Just Desserts.
8. discrepancy / disparity
A discrepancy is an inconsistency, for example, a discrepancy between a person’s date of birth might exist between different sources. A disparity is a lack of equality. A common topic of concern is the disparity between the earnings of men and women.
9. disinterested / uninterested
Although the distinction is ignored by many speakers, style guides advise that uninterested should be used to describe mere lack of interest, whereas disinterested should be reserved for use in the context of neutrality. For example, some students are uninterested in schoolwork, whereas a third-party mediator is disinterested in the dispute being arbitrated.
10. discreet / discrete
Discreet means judicious or circumspect. A discreet friend can be trusted not to tell all he knows about your private affairs. Discrete means “distinct, separate, not connected.” It’s the opposite of continuous. Charles Dickens published his novels in discrete parts that could later be fused as an uninterrupted whole.
