Lisa Hall-Wilson's Blog, page 12

Editing In Layers Part 2: Plot

 

Are you stuck on an unending groundhog day cycle of editing the same book for years? I created this 5 layer editing system a year ago to be more efficient and effective with my edits and rewrites. Since I started using this system, I’ve written 3 books, rewritten one (for market and audience even though it won a national award), and am half done a fourth.

The problem with the unending edits is that a small change in the middle causes ripples that force you to go back to the beginning and s...

Editing In Layers Part 1: Goals

 

Editing and revising is a necessary part of writing fiction because no one NO ONE writes a perfect first draft. Everyone’s work is improved with the help of a good editor and the first editor who should go over your work is YOU. That said, especially if you’re a pantser like me, the first draft can be fugly.

Pantser or planner, it’s time to get off the crazy train and work smarter.

Fast drafting and first drafts aren’t supposed to be pretty. They’re a skeleton outline of your story. For me...

One Quick Reason Readers Cheer For Unlikable Characters

How do we get readers to cheer for unlikable characters? We cheer for anti-heroes and characters who are surly, have anger issues, and even questionable morals. Why? They all have one thing in common but it means we have go right back to the basics.

I came across this post this week on Facebook from Writers Helping Writers on 10 Ways To Make Your Character Likable. It was a good post though brief. You could do some of your own research into any of the methods mentioned there to strengthen yo...

How Description Can Build Characterization

Description can bring a scene, place, or character to life, but too much or too little can break the fictive dream for readers.

A reader will do 90% of the work creating a mental image of a character, their setting and the fictional world, but if the writer is too sparing with description the reader can’t fill in the gaps. If the story is bogged down with unnecessary description, readers begin to skim (the fictive dream is broken) or they’ll just quit.

Description is one of the aspects of fi...

Gifts For Writers

What do you buy the writer on your Christmas list with too many notebooks already? Here’s a list of fun ideas to get you started.

It’s that time of year again when people want to give a writer a meaningful gift. The go-to gift is always a notebook and pen, and notebooks are always handy–especially pretty ones (not knocking that) but sometimes you want something different. I fell down the Etsy, Amazon, Red Bubble rabbit hole so you don’t have to! Here’s some fun ideas I found (none of these ar...

What To Buy The Writer With Too Many Notebooks This Christmas

What do you buy the writer on your Christmas list with too many notebooks already? Here’s a list of fun ideas to get you started.

It’s that time of year again when people want to give a writer a meaningful gift. The go-to gift is always a notebook and pen, and notebooks are always handy–especially pretty ones (not knocking that) but sometimes you want something different. I fell down the Etsy, Amazon, Red Bubble rabbit hole so you don’t have to! Here’s some fun ideas I found (none of these ar...

How To Shut Out Writer’s Block So You Can Fast Draft!

Fast Drafting is a concept I first heard about from author Candace Havens. I have never taken her workshops, but I gleaned the concept from a handful of blog posts and ran with it. Jami Gold summarizes this writing technique: “Fast drafting entails getting the framework of our stories down as fast as possible—without worrying what that draft looks like.” (Read Jami’s post here.)

I have always been a S L O W writer and a dedicated pantser, but I was frustrated with the relentless editing pant...

How Relationships Affects How We Write Subtext

This is part two to Monday’s post on writing subtext. On Monday, we talked about how power and power imbalances affect subtext. Today, I’m over at Jami Gold’s blog talking about how relationships affect subtext.

Here’s a sneak peak at that post (or just click over there now):

Subtext is the silent conversation that happens while another topic is being discussed. Subtext can use euphemisms and other diversionary tactics to have a private or intimate conversation in public–when we need this to...

6 Ways Power Imbalance Affects Subtext In Fiction

What is subtext? Subtext is the non-verbal communication expressed through what Psychology Today called “a silent orchestra” which is a combination of facial expression, tone of voice, posture, and body language. Subtext can be subtle, nuanced with many layers of meaning that leave miles of room for misunderstanding. It can also be as blatant as a shout in a quiet room. Subtext is a more advanced writing technique, but it’s vital for writing in deep point of view (Deep POV).

Subtext includes...

How Feelings and Emotions Differ In Fiction

As writers, part of what makes us good at our jobs is the natural inclination for self-awareness and introspection. Understanding the difference between “feelings” and “emotions” is important, especially when using an intimate writing style such as Deep Point of View (POV). I came across this in my research this week and it kinda blew my mind – so I had to share.

Often in English, feelings and emotions are considered interchangeable, but Psychology tells us they are distinct though two sides...