Rachelle M.N. Shaw's Blog: From Mind to Paper: On Writing and Editing, page 3

Now Accepting Submissions for Project YA Editorial 2016!

The official launch of the first contest for Project YA Editorial is finally here! As a campaign dedicated to helping young authors get their start in the publishing world, my good friend and fellow editor, Sarah Wright, and I are on a quest to find a stellar short story that we will professionally edit—for free! She and I will be combing through the entries up until August 20, when we will select the top 5 finalists. Each finalist will receive an in-depth assessment of their piece along wit...

Developing a Supernatural Edge: Where Have All the New Ideas Gone?

A huge challenge every fiction writer must face at one point or another is conjuring a unique idea to write about. It seems like everything under the sun has been written about, especially when it comes to the supernatural genre. Vampires and zombies have been plaguing the publishing and entertainment industry for several years now, and though tales about them have been floating about for hundreds of years, many readers beg for some new material, something that will set those books apart fro...

Developing a Supernatural Edge: Foreshadowing

In one of my writing/editing tips on Tumblr, I mention the importance of foreshadowing in the supernatural genre. Foreshadowing warns about events soon to come, and it often builds tension. But finding a good balance can be difficult. You want to tease your readers, giving them a sneak preview without giving away too much of the information. So here are some tips for tackling foreshadowing to provide the optimal level of suspense without overdoing it.

Layering

In your initial draft, you might...

Developing a Supernatural Edge: Establishing the Genre

For a lot of books, the genre is pretty clear the second you peek at its cover. Romance books often sport the image of a young couple or an item that is symbolic of love. Horror books display creepy houses and the like, along with strange fonts that instantly clue you into the book’s content. Supernatural books sometimes swing both ways though. You have beloved series like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, both of which have editions with well-known covers that depict creatures of fantasy a...

Comedic Fantasy at Its Best: an Interview with Kylie Betzner

Though I didn’t meet my original goal of posting this on April Fool’s Day (joke’s on me), I figured, what better way to kick off April than by interviewing a comedic fantasy author? So I’d like to introduce you guys to Kylie Betzner, a talented author and friend of mine that I’ve known now for several years. I’ve had the privilege of working with Kylie on both of her humorous tales, and I’m excited to share her books and tips with all of you—as well as an excerpt from her latest book, so be s...

Why I Wrote a Second Edition

Most writers don’t get stuff right on the first try. They know it takes practice, determination, patience, and sacrifice in some form or another. But I think a lot of us forget that it’s okay to make mistakes—and to admit to them—even after we’ve published.

I’ve spent the majority of my life writing, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have a few publications. I’ve also worked as a technical writer, a graphic designer, an editor, and I have some experience in self-publishing. By now, I’ve learne...

Supernatural Introduction: Interview with April White

To kick off FMTP’s supernatural series, I’ll be sharing an interview with one of my favorite new authors, April White. I had the privilege of chatting with her a few weeks ago about her Immortal Descendants series, a supernatural time-travel series with a touch of romance. Not only does she do an excellent job of weaving in historical fact with fiction, but she’s also really adept at incorporating supernatural elements, especially at hinting at them early on. So I figured it was only fitting...

Preparing for the Local Author Event

In less than a week, I’ll be attending a local author event at the nearby public library. It’ll be my first in-person event, and though I’m very excited to be part of it, I’ll be honest: my nerves are setting in. I was invited to speak at the event about my experience in editing and the process of self-publishing, which is a huge honor, but no matter which way you slice it, my inner introvert is thrashing about, fighting this tooth and nail. I’ve fretted and fussed over what to bring, how ma...

The Ballerina's Gift Cover Reveal!

After several months of hard work, The Ballerina's Gift is one step closer to being finished—which means I finally get to share the cover (and the blurb) with you guys! So here it is, the second installment in The Porcelain Souls series:

Marley Harcove wants nothing more than to inch her way up the social ladder and win over her three-year crush. But when her parents buy the infamously spooky Whitson house, she comes face-to-face with the rumors surrounding it—and one of its previous occupan...

The Editing Agenda: When Is It Time to Call in a Professional?

You’ve written the first draft, you’ve had your friends read through it, and you’ve even edited it a few times yourself. Time to start hunting for a professional editor, right? Well, not quite. First, there are a few steps you should take to ensure your book is at its best so you can find the perfect editor for it.

1. Beta testing. One of the easiest ways to find out if your piece is successful is to hand it over to some beta readers. Ideally, these readers will not have seen any of the drafts...