Karis Waters's Blog, page 2

What kind of edit does your book need?

What’s involved in a book edit? Are there different types of edits? How do I know which kind of edit my book needs?

Fair questions, and ones I hear often when talking to other authors and clients. But finding a simple, clear answer is surprisingly hard to come by. Terms are used interchangeably, and opinions are as varied as the authors. But for the sake of clarity, I’ll define the terms I use and hopefully I can shed some light on a convoluted subject.

I break down the different stages of the process into three types of edits. A content edit (often called a developmental edit), a follow-up line edit, and a copy edit (sometimes called proofreading).

Developmental content edit

Focuses on structural problems, character development, themes and voice
Designed to improve the writer’s craft as well as the manuscript
Writer receives manuscript back with extensive notes
Focuses on preparing a manuscript for line edits

My heart is in developmental content edits. It’s my specialty for a reason. I love looking at the big picture of the manuscript and helping put all the pieces together to create a beautiful story.

This coming week I’m headed to Atlanta to teach a couple workshops at PENcon, a conference just for editors. I’m teaching a workshop on content edits, and I’ve called “Seeing the Angel in the Marble,” because that’s exactly how I see it. A quality content edit carves away at the excess and brings a beautiful piece of art out of a chunk of raw material.

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” Michelangelo

Line edits

Goes line-by-line to evaluate flow, pacing, tense, point of view and word choice
Addresses formatting and grammar issues, descriptions, conciseness and tension
Is designed to polish a manuscript for publication

A line edit is typically the follow-up for the content edit. If a content edit looks at the big picture of a story, the line edit narrows the picture to look closer at the details.

Does the prose flow? Does it need more or less description? Is the dialogue natural and snappy, or does it lag and contain too much exposition? A line edit takes a solid foundation and starts whittling away at the rough edges, smoothing the story so it flows naturally with an effective rhythm.

Copy-editing/Proofreading

Designed to catch spelling errors, typos, and minor grammar problems
Focuses on polishing a manuscript for publication after a content and line edit

When most people think of editing a book, they are often thinking of a copy edit, which can lead to confusion in newer writers unfamiliar with content edits, line edits and other industry terms. A copy edit goes down to the nitty-gritty details. It fixes punctuation errors, finds typos, and gives a manuscript a final polish before it goes to an editor or publisher.

The book editing process can be a bit daunting for inexperienced writers, but take it a step at a time. Start out with a content edit, fix big picture problems, and then move on to smoothing out the bumps with a line edit and copy edit.

If you’re not sure if your manuscript is ready for a content edit, many authors find a manuscript consult very helpful to identify major problems with their story before the time and money investment of a content edit. 

Don’t be discouraged and have patience with the process. Editing and rewrites are hard work, but they are key to producing a quality, effective story that will touch your readers’ hearts and leave them asking for more.

Interested in speaking to me about a manuscript consult or my editing services? Email me at morford.katie@gmail.com or check out my Editing and Coaching services. 

 

 

 

 

How to choose the right type of edit for your story

What’s involved in a book edit? Are there different types of edits? How do I know which kind of edit my book needs?

Fair questions, and ones I hear often when talking to other authors and clients. But finding a simple, clear answer is surprisingly hard to come by. Terms are used interchangeably, and opinions are as varied as the authors. But for the sake of clarity, I’ll define the terms I use and hopefully I can shed some light on a convoluted subject.

I break down the different stages of the process into three types of edits. A content edit (often called a developmental edit), a follow-up line edit, and a copy edit (sometimes called proofreading).

Developmental content edit

Focuses on structural problems, character development, themes and voice
Designed to improve the writer’s craft as well as the manuscript
Writer receives manuscript back with extensive notes
Focuses on preparing a manuscript for line edits

My heart is in developmental content edits. It’s my specialty for a reason. I love looking at the big picture of the manuscript and helping put all the pieces together to create a beautiful story.

This coming week I’m headed to Atlanta to teach a couple workshops at PENcon, a conference just for editors. I’m teaching a workshop on content edits, and I’ve called “Seeing the Angel in the Marble,” because that’s exactly how I see it. A quality content edit carves away at the excess and brings a beautiful piece of art out of a chunk of raw material.

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” Michelangelo

Line edits

Goes line-by-line to evaluate flow, pacing, tense, point of view and word choice
Addresses formatting and grammar issues, descriptions, conciseness and tension
Is designed to polish a manuscript for publication

A line edit is typically the follow-up for the content edit. If a content edit looks at the big picture of a story, the line edit narrows the picture to look closer at the details.

Does the prose flow? Does it need more or less description? Is the dialogue natural and snappy, or does it lag and contain too much exposition? A line edit takes a solid foundation and starts whittling away at the rough edges, smoothing the story so it flows naturally with an effective rhythm.

Copy-editing/Proofreading

Designed to catch spelling errors, typos, and minor grammar problems
Focuses on polishing a manuscript for publication after a content and line edit

When most people think of editing a book, they are often thinking of a copy edit, which can lead to confusion in newer writers unfamiliar with content edits, line edits and other industry terms. A copy edit goes down to the nitty-gritty details. It fixes punctuation errors, finds typos, and gives a manuscript a final polish before it goes to an editor or publisher.

The book editing process can be a bit daunting for inexperienced writers, but take it a step at a time. Start out with a content edit, fix big picture problems, and then move on to smoothing out the bumps with a line edit and copy edit.

If you’re not sure if your manuscript is ready for a content edit, many authors find a manuscript consult very helpful to identify major problems with their story before the time and money investment of a content edit. 

Don’t be discouraged and have patience with the process. Editing and rewrites are hard work, but they are key to producing a quality, effective story that will touch your readers’ hearts and leave them asking for more.

Interested in speaking to me about a manuscript consult or my editing services? Email me at morford.katie@gmail.com or check out my Editing and Coaching services. 

 

 

 

 

Ice, rice, and paradise

No matter how hard I try, my life just can’t be normal.

Sometimes it fools me for awhile. I start to have foolish ambitions of being the cool kid who actually has things together and enjoys a nice, boring, normal life where crazy, random things don’t happen on a regular basis.

Despite a plethora of outrageous wedding-planning stories you wouldn’t believe if I told you, for some reason I naively believed my honeymoon to tropical paradise would go smoothly and without bizarre incident.

[image error]Ha! Right.

In case you missed the universe-shattering big event and have been wondering at my online absence (and perhaps speculating that I was sucked down the toilet into the Ministry of Magic), I tied the knot April 8th to my fabulous dancer man.

[image error]Special thanks to the fabulous Gina Dreher Photography, who captured our day so beautifully. 

We danced off into the sunset to the classic strains of Sinatra, and promptly hopped on a plane for a restful week at a Sandals resort in Jamaica, thanks to a rockin’ awesome deal. (Let’s be real. I’m a full-time creative businesswomen. Your edits and consults buy my groceries. Thanks for that, by the way.)

Night 1. We stuffed ourselves (not for the last time) with all-you-can-eat sushi. So far, so good. Day 1. We see Soca dance lessons on the activities list for the day. I took the rare opportunity to do something dance-related where my husband didn’t have a distinct advantage.

[image error]As you can see, we have some epically sweet dance moves happening here. 

We jumped into the class. Learned some new moves. And apparently impressed the teachers, who dragged us into a dance-off to win extra points toward a souvenir (which we ended up getting, though not in the way they intended). We swept away the competition with a combo of swing and Soca dance moves, ending with me backflipping dramatically over my husband’s arm.

Sweet, right? And yes. We did win the dance off.

Unfortunately, I also came down wrong on the concrete floor and severely jammed/sprained my ankle and little toe. Within an hour it had swelled and began to turn purple. I spent the rest of the week alternating hopping/limping around the resort and sitting in random places with my foot propped up and covered in ice.

Not exactly the sexy swinging walk I had in mind for my honeymoon!

The plot thickens thicker.

While disembarking the sight-seeing boat part-way through the week, ourselves (and our bag) were swamped by a rogue wave. Upon opening the bag, we discovered our bottle of after-sun lotion had leaked all over the bag.

We’re not sure if it was the lotion or wave that did it, but my phone refused to turn on. Consternation abounded. We called our friendly concierge and requested rice. (Yes, the trick of letting your swamped phone sit overnight in rice does actually work). No, not cooked rice. Uncooked rice. Our confused concierge (who was probably already puzzled at the volume of ice we consumed) replied he couldn’t get any for us.

A bottle of $60 Jamaican rum? Yes. Any mixed drink under the sun? Yes. Uncooked rice? No.

What’s the point of all this? I wondered the same thing myself at the time. Certainly, things didn’t go exactly like I’d planned. But then my husband had a very insightful conversation with our resort shuttle bus driver, who spent all morning with people complaining about the light rain earlier in the day.

“That’s the problem with these people,” the driver said. “They’re in Jamaica, man! But they’re not alive! Yeah, man.” 

Isn’t that the truth? These people were on vacation with the people dearest to them in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, with unlimited delicious food and friendly people to serve their every whim, and they’re whining about a little rain?

Life isn’t always sunshine and roses, even in paradise. Sometimes there’s a little ice and rice in paradise, too. And that’s okay. The key is to not let it steal your joy in the moment. 

Life isn’t always sunshine and roses, even in paradise. Sometimes there’s a little ice and rice in paradise, too. And that’s okay. The key is to not let it steal your joy in the moment.

[image error]Remm and I, with our empty all-you-can-eat sushi plates. 

We could have let a little stormy weather, a ruined phone and a very sore, purple foot ruin our wonderful week together in paradise. But we didn’t. Instead, we embraced the beauty around us, acknowledged and set aside the obstacles threatening to suck away our joy, and lived life alive.

Because, after all, life is short and worth living to the fullest. Even in paradise. Especially in paradise. Yeah, man. [image error]

Photo credit (unless otherwise noted) to Sandals Resorts. 

 

How to save time and money with a manuscript consult

Have you ever written most of the first draft of your novel, only to realize there are major problems in your plot and character arcs that will require massive rewrites?

I have. It’s so incredibly frustrating.

You have to throw out whole scenes, chapters, even the majority of your manuscript because you were so in love with your story that you overlooked its critical flaws. Or perhaps you’ve written several drafts of your manuscript and submitted it to a publisher or editor, only receive back comments identifying problems you’d never even considered.

There’s nothing wrong with loving your story. After all, if you weren’t passionate about it, you wouldn’t be a writer! But every author I’ve known is blind, to a degree, to certain problems in their manuscript.

There’s nothing wrong with loving your story. After all, if you weren’t passionate about it, you wouldn’t be a writer! But every author I’ve known is blind, to a degree, to certain problems in their manuscript. 

Maybe you’re on the other side of the coin. You can only see the problems in your story, and feel stuck. You have a wonderful vision of the story in your head, but you can’t seem to make it come to life and you don’t know what to do next.

You can only see the problems in your story, and feel stuck. You have a wonderful vision of the story in your head, but you can’t seem to make it come to life and you don’t know what to do next. 

I understand. I’ve been there.

For most creatives, time and money is always in short supply. No one wants to spend hours writing a novel, only to throw out huge sections over easily preventable problems. Nobody wants to spend a couple thousand dollars on a content edit, only to discover major plot holes that will require countless hours in rewrites and the expense of additional edits.

For most creatives, time and money is always in short supply. No one wants to spend hours writing a novel, only to throw out huge sections over easily preventable problems.

So how can you identify these problems early-on?

Manuscript consults are truly an author’s best friend. Manuscript consults give you professional feedback on your novel structure and character arcs for a much lower price tag than a manuscript critique or content edit.

Whether you are in the midst of writing your novel or revising it for publication, a manuscript consult can identify and allow you to correct problems early in the writing process and ensure you’re working from a solid foundation.

A manuscript consult can identify and allow you to correct problems early in the writing process and ensure you’re working from a solid foundation. 

What is a manuscript consult?

It’s pretty simple. In my consults, I send the author a novel outline guide to fill out a few days ahead of time. This includes major plot points as well as a summary of the book’s main character arcs and themes. I also include a free sample edit with my consults for first-time clients!

During the actual consult via phone or Skype, I give the author a chance to ask questions and go through the outline. I make suggestions on how to improve their manuscript and solve any plot or character issues, as well as encourage them on the strengths of their story.

“With clever, concise questions, Karis digs down to the roots of storytelling craft and gives you a blueprint for growth. If you want your book to reach its full potential, I can’t recommend Karis highly enough!” Jacqueline Patterson, author

At the end of the consult, I give the author a chance to ask any questions related to writing craft and the editing process. I also discuss my editing services and recommend how best to proceed depending the author’s writing and publishing journey.

Some authors find that the consult reveals major problems in their story and opt for several writing coaching sessions with me as they work on their manuscript. Others discover they are ready to move to the next stage of the process, and we begin conversations about content edits and the next steps forward.

However, no matter where an author might be on their writing journey, a manuscript consult can be an invaluable way to save time and money in the long run, and ensure you’re writing from a solid foundation.

For the month of March only, I’m offering manuscript consults for just $10 per 30-minute consult. To take advantage of this offer, connect with me! 

 

The key to thriving when you want to give up

Have you ever felt like giving up?

Not just when life gets a little hard or you think it’d be easier to just quit. I’m talking about those times when you’ve not let yourself quit time after time, and you just start feeling like your situation is never going to change. You feel like you’re throwing everything in you, down to your toes, into overcoming–and it’s still not enough.

You feel like you’re throwing everything in you, down to your toes, into overcoming–and it’s still not enough. 

It’s those days when the hits keep coming and a friend stabs you in the back and a client pulls out on you at the last minute and you start thinking, “I can’t do this. I don’t know what else to do. I want to give up.”

Have you ever been there? I have.

News flash: It’s not fun. But the people who overcome when other people quit see real success on the other side.

The people who overcome when other people quit  see real success on the other side. 

Anybody who is anybody got there by refusing to quit. Everyone from Olympic athletes to world-famous novelists like J.K. Rowling and Steven King–who both received rejections from multiple publishers–will tell you that the key to success is to never quit and never give up.

It’s hard to see the path to success on the other side of difficulties when you’re in the  messy middle. I get that. I’m there myself. So, what’s the key to overcoming the challenges of life when everything in you is screaming at you to just give up?

It’s hard to see the path to success when you’re in the messy middle. So, what’s the key to overcoming the challenges of life when everything in you is screaming at you to just give up? 

Perspective.

That’s it. That’s the key.

Out of perspective flows an attitude of gratitude, eyes to see what you do have, instead of what you don’t. Perspective is the antidote to the deadly disease of comparison. Perspective helps you accept where you’re at, and work to improve, instead of being frustrated by unrealistic expectations.

The gift of perspective expands our view of ourselves and our circumstances, a view that can magnify stress and negative events until all we can see is obstacles. Perspective looks at roadblocks as opportunities for growth and learning. Perspectives brings you and me out of our own head enough to see that there are others around us who love and care about us.

The gift of perspective is the true game changer.  

If you’re feeling discouraged today–maybe in your writing, maybe just in life–take a step back and regain your perspective. The obstacles may not be as imposing as you think. Or maybe they are.

Either way, gaining perspective can lift you out of the discouragement and give you the courage to hang strong one more day, to take the next step.

Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Just hang on and take the next step.

Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Just hang on and take the next step. 

Want to get to know the author a bit better? Hop on over and Meet Katie and learn some fun, random facts! Such as my obsession with scarves and cuddly winter throws.

How do I choose the right editor?

The question of how to choose the right editor is one of the most common queries I see floating around writer communities, and for good reason. It’s an important question! A quality book editor represents a substantial investment of time and money for most authors (I’m guessing you fall into that category, since you’re reading this post), so you want to get it right.

A quality book editor represents a substantial investment of time and money for most authors, so you want to get it right.

Big surprise, there’s no foolproof method for choosing the right editor for you and your manuscript. Book creation is an organic process and, as such, defies 10-step plans. But you can make a wise, informed choice of editor. You just have to ask the right questions.

So, what are the right questions?

Is the editor pleasant and professional?

Don’t give your book baby to an editor you don’t know you can trust. Are they professional? If an editor’s website is haphazardly thrown together and it takes them a month to answer their email, you should probably think twice.

Ask for referrals from authors you respect (most editors are also happy to provide references and testimonials). Is the editor’s demeanor pleasant and respectful? Editors and authors tend to have a close, on-going relationship. If they’re a difficult person prone to drama, it will make for a difficult working relationship.

Nobody has time for that, least of all you.

Do they have relevant professional experience?

It should go without saying that any editor you’re considering must have writing experience and expertise. But consider also your style and type of writing. An editor who specializes in non-fiction devotionals and self-help books will have a very different skill set and look for different issues in manuscripts than a story-loving fiction editor.

For example, an editor familiar with non-fiction might focus on fact-checking and making sure everything is cited properly, while a fiction editor is looking for pacing issues and flat characterization. Research your prospective editors’ specialties.

Great editors are often authors and passionate readers as well. (That’s why they went into editing, after all). If they read and write in a particular genre, they are more likely to love your book and be aware of audience expectations and the standards for that genre.

Great editors are often authors and passionate readers as well. If they read and write in a particular genre, they are more likely to love your book and be aware of audience expectations and the standards for that genre.

I’ve traveled to over 30 countries , so I’m passionate about novels with multi-faceted characters and rich cultural world-building. I love “soft” speculative fiction, so I specialize in editing character-centric space opera, urban fantasy, steampunk and similar genres, but typically avoid hard sci-fi, epic-scale medieval fantasy and non-speculative genres.

That said, don’t discount an editor if you like them personally and their credentials. I specialize in speculative fiction, but I’ve written romantic suspense/military fiction and edited historical fiction, contemporary/women’s fiction, mystery/thriller, and romantic comedy novels. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the authors on those projects and they were great experiences for both parties.

Are their prices competitive?

Take the time to do some price-checking of editors you are considering. Most editors charge by the word, though some charge an hourly fee. Most editors also charge different rates for different types of edits, with content (substantive, developmental) edits bearing the highest ticket price.

Beware of editors offering services for significantly less than the going rate. After the sticker shock of professional editing prices it can be tempting to go with a lower-cost option. And some part-time or beginning editors discount their prices to build their client base, and are legitimately skilled editors.

However, generally you get what you pay for when you hire an editor. Quality editing is a painstaking and time-consuming process for comparatively little pay. The best editors will respect their work enough to charge a fair price for it – and so should you.

Quality editing is a painstaking and time-consuming process for comparatively little pay. The best editors will respect their work enough to charge a fair price for it – and so should you. 

Do they offer a sample edit or consult?

Many professional editors will offer first-time clients a free sample edit (usually the first 3-10 pages). This helps them evaluate your writing level and estimate how long it will take them to complete your manuscript edit. Take advantage of this chance to see their editing style and prepare yourself for the problems they are likely to find in your manuscript.

Some editors also offer a manuscript consult option. This looks different for each editor. In my consults, I listen to authors share their vision for the story and their career and give feedback on their manuscript outline (which they’ve submitted to me in advance). Then they have the opportunity to pick my brain on everything from types of edits to character development.

Personally, I love the chance to get to know an author and provide preliminary feedback on their manuscript before it ever reaches the content edit stage. My clients have also stated they find it helpful and clarifying. Manuscript consults can be a great way to get to know an editor and their editing style.

Manuscript consults can be a great way to get to know an editor and their editing style.

Do they offer the type of edits I need?

Without expounding on the different types of edits (you can find descriptions and breakdowns on my editing services page), you should be aware that there are several different kinds. Often, editors will specialize in one or two kinds of edits (my specialty is deep developmental content edits and line edits). The main types are a content edit, a line, edit, and proofing.

A content edit focuses on the big picture of your manuscript and story. An editor looks for plot structure, pacing and characterization issues, as well as making notes of on-going problems like show vs. tell and point-of-view slips.

A line edit is for manuscripts that are structurally sound and already have dynamic characters and an engaging story. They are usually preceded by a content edit. An editor focuses on word choice, grammar issues, correct dialogue tags, sentence length, etc. It’s not uncommon to have several rounds of line edits.

A proofing is the polishing stage of edits. An editor looks for punctuation errors, some grammar problems, typos, and other fine details.

Use beta readers and critique groups to get an accurate picture of where you’re at in your writing process. If you’ve not had a content edit before, you’ll likely want to start with a manuscript critique or content edit. If you’ve already been through several rounds of edits and just want a second pair of eyes to find all the typos you missed, you’re looking for a proofreader. Be aware that many editors who are skilled at developmental (big picture) edits are not the best proofreaders, and vice versa.

Choosing the right editor for you and your manuscript can feel overwhelming at first, but knowing what you’re looking for is half the battle.

Choosing the right editor for you and your manuscript can feel overwhelming at first, but knowing what you’re looking for is half the battle. Once you’ve chosen an editor, you’ve taken another huge step in your writing journey. Now you need to know how to work with an editor to make the most of your experience.

Interested in talking to me about a sample edit or manuscript consult or finding more info on the types of edits? Connect with me. I’d love to chat!

 

 

 

Exercise solutions for the stressed-out creative entrepreneur

Almost six months ago I embarked on a journey far crazier and more difficult than anything I had previously attempted (which, by the way, includes traveling to Siberia and interviewing an ex-Buddhist monk in Myanmar).

I knew I’d need to be at the top of my game, mentally and physically. I knew I’d have to overcome my insecurities and face new challenges without giving up. I knew it’d be tough.

I knew it was time to finally take exercising and my physical health seriously. 

The deadly combination of a sedentary desk (or couch, as it were) job and a slowing metabolism were adding some unwanted fluffiness. The stress of running two start-up companies and wedding planning on the side was giving me tension headaches and stomach issues. I knew something had to change, and that something was me.

Now, I’m not exactly athletically inclined. The last official organized sport I played was t-ball when I was a very small child. (And let’s be honest, I only did it because there was cold grape soda afterward). I’d tried running various times with my sister and friends during and after college, but I hated every minute of it.

As a creative entrepreneur, my mind is always going. So, I knew I need exercise solutions that would relieve tension, get my heart rate up, and occupy and engage my brain. I needed something I could learn and enjoy enough to do it regularly. 

I started with a half hour of yoga every night before I went to bed, thanks to watching videos on YouTube (Yoga with Adrienne is awesome). It was no quick fix, but after months of consistent practice I found myself growing stronger, more flexible, and less stressed. The tension headaches and back problems gradually went away, but I still wanted to trim down and add some cardio to the mix.

“Great!” Said my fiance, who is the complete opposite of me (i.e. ridiculously athletic) and has been a principal-level ballet dancer and swing dance instructor for many years. “We’ll sign you up for a dance class.”

No, thank you. I humiliate myself enough on a daily basis. Why not?, he insisted. I’m too old. I can’t learn the steps. I’m not athletic. I look horrible in a leotard. (That one earned me a dirty look). But he slowly wore me down.

Six months ago I signed up for an intermediate adult ballet class (there are no classes for adult beginners) at his dance studio. And it all went fabulously. I picked it up quickly. I lost weight. I never felt lost or overwhelmed. Right?

Wrong on all counts. I cried on the phone with him every single week after class for four months. I kid you not. I’m not making this up.

It was hard. I was using muscles I’d never used before. I was trying to learn years’ worth of knowledge of poses and choreography into a few minutes. As the largest woman there (at a hefty size 10), I struggled almost constantly at first to not look at myself critically in the studio-length mirror. I fought every week not to quit.

I’m a creative type person, I thought. I’m just not good at this type of thing. I’m not athletic. I’ll never be able to do the things they can do. I should just give up. 

But I didn’t, thanks in large part to my fiance’s patient encouragement. And you know what? It’s still hard. Really, really hard some days. I still have to talk myself into going to class every week. But I’m learning. I’m improving. There are muscles now where there was once chicken wings. For the first time in my life I actually have abs. Talk about weird.

Even more importantly, I conquered my fear of failure. I conquered my fear of looking foolish. I overcame my insecurities and accepted myself and my limitations and tried to do a bit better each time. And it’s paying off. 

This week I’m starting rehearsals for the studio’s spring recitals. I’ve been informed by my various friends at the studio that I’m auditioning for a party parent role in the company’s annual performance of the Nutcracker. I can do a push-up without falling on my face and I no longer stare blankly when someone tells me to tondu and releve.

I’m less stressed and more confident. I’m healthier and stronger and have more energy for the endless tasks facing a creative entrepreneur. And you know what? If my 29-year-old, non-athletic, bookwormish self can walk into a ballet class and own it, so can you. 

So. Can. You.

Note: The person in the photo is not me. She’s much more graceful. #adultgoals

 

Show vs. Tell: Draw Your Reader into Your Story

In my career as a full-time fiction book editor, I’m sometimes asked the most common problems plaguing manuscripts. And I always know exactly what to tell writers.

Show versus tell.

No matter how interesting the characters or unique the concept, telling instead of showing in your prose will kill your story every single time.

Most authors know showing is better than telling. They’ve read it in craft books and heard it discussed at conferences. But few people seem to know exactly what it is and how to fix the problem.

Don’t worry. I’m here to help.

How do I identify show vs. tell problems?

One way is to look for key words and phrases that can indicate the prose is telling the reader what is happening, instead of immersing the reader in the action. When I edit a manuscript, I always look for “telling” phrases like, “The woman had very large feet, he thought,” or “so-and-so felt angry, so he waved his hands in frustration.”

It may get across gist of what’s happening, but it’s not very interesting or engaging. Telling throws the reader out of the story world and gives them a reason to stop reading. Showing, on the other hand, draws in your reader.

Another tell-tale sign of “telling” in prose is use of the passive voice or tense. For example, “He was hungry and went to get lunch” rather than “He patted his growling stomach and reached for the sandwich on his desk.”

Using -ly adverbs (hungrily, angrily, etc.) to indicate emotions can be another writer cheat to avoid the hard work of showing that character’s emotion through their thoughts and actions.

Instead of telling your reader that your character is upset, show your character fisting his hair and overturning the kitchen table. 

How do I fix show vs. tell problems?

It’s easiest to demonstrate how this is done than try to explain it, so follow me to the writer workshop as we get our hands dirty. Take these examples…

He couldn’t believe that his own mother could be so selfish. He shook his head angrily. He knew he would have to tell her the truth next time he saw her. He didn’t have to take this kind of abuse. His wrath boiled over. He was pretty sure he’d never felt so angry and betrayed. 

This example is perhaps a bit extreme, but it’s not that far removed from what I see frequently in my client’s manuscripts. So, how do we using “showing” prose to convey the character’s emotion naturally and draw in the reader?

How could his own mother be so selfish? He shook his head, pacing the two-toned squares of his kitchen floor tiles. He’d gone to get the butter from the fridge twice now, only to forget it in his preoccupation. I don’t have to take this abuse. He shoved an offending chair out of his way, ignoring as it teetered and crashed to the floor.  

See how that works? I added actions and body language that indicate emotion (these are  often called beats), personalized the character’s thoughts using a close point-of-view, and showed events happened to the character rather than telling the reader what happened.

Showing versus telling can be one of the trickiest skills to master in an author’s toolkit, and even experienced writers lapse into it at times. And yes, telling does have its place in certain types of stories. These are usually first-person novels with a strong character or narrator voice.

But eliminating telling and showing as much as possible in your fiction will tighten up and strengthen your prose. Which, in turn, will draw your reader into your story and immerse them in the magic of the world you’ve created. 

Confused on some point or looking for an editor? Connect with me or find details on pricing and types of edits over at editing services.

Rest: The Ultimate Creativity Boost

Writers and other creatives really are their own worst enemies.

Have you noticed that? Isn’t it crazy? We are always the first people to criticize our work, run ourselves into the ground striving for impossible perfection, and just generally try to do ALL THE THINGS perfectly ALL THE TIME, convinced that everyone else totally has their act together and we’re the ones failing at creative life.

Ha! Right.

The strange irony to the epidemic of creative burn-out is that for most creatives their greatest ideas and boosts in creativity come when their mind is actually given a chance to rest and reflect. (I’m convinced this is why creatives always seem to have their best-seller brainstorms in the shower). 

It seems counter-intuitive. The more you take time to rest and reflect, the more creative you’ll be and the more you’ll be able to accomplish? Really? If you’re anything like me, you subscribe to the opposite school of thought. The longer hours I work and the more I push myself, the more I’ll be able to accomplish.

But it’s true, isn’t it. This is why writer’s retreats are so popular (and wonderfully productive!). This is why many writers find they are most creative early in the morning or late at night when there are few distractions from the outside world and they can pause, rest, and reflect.

The key to greater creativity is strategic, intentional rest. 

Notice I said strategic and intentional. This doesn’t mean the solution to writers’ block is Netflix binging (although, in some cases, it could be). This isn’t an excuse for procrastinating or a rationalization for not putting that butt in the chair and just writing.

But I’ve learned about myself that when I become emotionally, spiritually and physically exhausted I rapidly become less creative, less effective, and far less productive in my creative pursuits. My initial reaction to this creative fatigue is often to push harder and try to cram more into my day to make up for the work I’m not getting done. But I’m slowly learning that when I hit that wall, trying to muscle my way through only reduces the quality of my creative work, spikes my stress levels (which usually results in no exercise and skipping meals–bad!), and lowers my efficiency and productivity.

Have you ever felt that? Constant exhaustion. Little or no motivation to work on creative projects that would normally excite you. Writing a 500-word blog post takes twice the normal time and feels like pulling a cat through a keyhole (and is just as painful).

I’ve been in that zone the past few months and the last few weeks have been particularly stressful. So, for Valentine’s Day my fiance and me took a day off from everything. No job searching. No making phone calls or business emails. No wedding planning. No budgeting. We left our phones at his apartment and went and wandered around the zoo all day. We laughed, talked (how refreshing!), ate a picnic lunch and told stories about our favorite zoo experiences growing up. It was absolutely wonderful and so rejuvenating.

I didn’t feel like I had time to take the whole day off. I felt like I was constantly reminding people that I wouldn’t be taking phone calls that day. For the first couple hours I kept compulsively checking my pocket for my phone and thinking about the work that wasn’t getting done. (So silly, I know). 

But, you know what? I woke up this morning relaxed and refreshed. I knocked out this blog post in a couple hours. I played with table decorations for an upcoming con where my friend will be selling books (check out A.C. Williams at GalaxyCon if you’re in the Colorado Springs area next week). I discussed ideas for our new Crosshair Press website redesign.

I’ve discovered that I am more productive, more creative, and definitely a happier and more relaxed person after taking a day off for intentional rest and refreshment. 

So, if you’re in the zombie-zone right now, give yourself a break. Take time to do the things that refresh your soul and reignite your creative self. Read a book. Take a walk in the woods. Spend some time with one of your favorite people. Make a character mood board on Pinterest. Take a nap.

It may feel counter-intuitive, but you will come away refreshed and with a much-needed boost of creative energy in the long run!

Be brave enough to tell your hard stories

A year ago Sunday, my beloved aunt tried to take her own life after a long battle with depression and anxiety.

A year ago, I received a phone call from my younger cousin telling me her mom shot herself and would I please come and stay with her and her siblings.

A year ago,  I wrote a blog post about the experience, When Your Story Hurts. I wrote about a tough-love type of Valentine’s Day when I comforted frightened kids to whom the unthinkable had become reality and cried later on my boyfriend’s shoulder, while a terrified husband paced the floor of a hospital waiting room and wondered how he would tell his children their mom was gone.

Thankfully, this story has a very different ending than we could see in the long, painful days, weeks and months that followed.

Slowly, my aunt’s physical health improved and she was discharged from the hospital. Several friends rallied around the family and stayed with her in a house in Wichita until she could return home.

But the long, hard battle continued. Doctor’s visits. Counseling appointments for my aunt and the kids. Legal paperwork. Bills still had to be paid and groceries for a bottomless teenage boy and his growing siblings still had to be bought. Emotional healing and improvement in my aunt’s mental health seemed excruciatingly slow, if not non-existent.

Sometimes the road is long and hard. Sometimes it’s the length of the road, with no end in sight, that feels the hardest.  

Finally, in October of last year, my aunt turned a corner. She describes it (present tense!) as if a switch was flipped. She hasn’t had bouts with depression, anxiety or panic attacks since October. She is homeschooling her children, arranging field trips, managing a busy household, all with her infectious smile on her face. I see that big smile, watch her playing peek-a-boo with her two-year-old daughter, and tears well in my throat.

Their story could have ended so differently. But just because your story hurts, just because there’s no end in sight, doesn’t mean the ending won’t be happy. 

My aunt is now mentoring other homeschooling moms and is even working with her counselor to encourage a young mother struggling with depression. My uncle said it well: “It isn’t a ministry we would have sought out, but it’s what God is clearly calling us to.” 

I identify with his words. Several immediate family members have experienced or are currently struggling with depression and/or anxiety. When I was traveling overseas with a global missions organization, inevitably God would take me to countries all over the world and bring to me people battling mental health issues, to the point I wrote a blog post series on the topic. 

It’s not a ministry I would have chosen. It’s not a part of my story I like to tell. But being brave enough to tell the hard stories can speak to a person in a dark place in a way nothing else can. 

Writers, creatives, we need to be brave enough to tell the hard stories. We need to be brave enough to travel the long, hard roads and have faith that if it’s not happy, it’s not the end. Writing about only the positive parts of your story is easy. Painting your story in the way you prefer to see it is often preferable to letting your readers see the ugly truth.

Don’t try to be clever. Write honest. Deep hurt often leads to deep writing. 

I’ve discovered the stories I really don’t want to tell are the ones that impact people the most. When I’m writing my most authentic, I’m writing my best work. And I know. It’s hard. It feels vulnerable. It takes the story to places you’d rather not go.

Writers are some of the bravest people I know. These often shy, sensitive creative types pour out the musings of their heart and mind on the page and put it out there for anyone to criticize, ignore or dismiss. But their bravery pays off, because they are able to encourage and speak to people in the midst of their own hard story in ways closed to most people.

Be brave, my friend. Tell your hard stories. You never know who might gain hope in the midst of their own long, hard story.  

 

Photography by Silver Fern Custom Photography. All rights reserved.