Julie Lence's Blog - Posts Tagged "plot"
Self Editing
You've written your first draft and typed those two little words--The End. Congratulations! You should be overjoyed, proud and thinking of how to reward your efforts. You deserve it. After all, writing a novel is hard work. Now comes the next step, self editing.
Self editing doesn't have to be hard and painful. But, it should be done right and a couple of times before you send your manuscript to an agent or publisher. Before you begin the first round, may I suggest you set your manuscript aside for a week or two, give your mind a break from the story and tend to other matters. When you come back to the story, you'll have fresh eyes, renewed energy and a different goal; to make the story better.
Spelling, punctuation, margins and neatness are a must when editing. Agents and publishers frown upon sloppy work. But there's more to editing than just fixing those red and green lines on your computer screen. This is your time to go through your story and make it the best it can be.
With honest eyes, pay attention to the following:
Does your story make sense? Is it believable? Do your scenes/chapters flow easily from one to the other? Do they move the plot? Or are they merely space fillers? Is there a gap in the middle of the story? Is the ending rushed? Perhaps something is missing, or not explained thoroughly or maybe you've repeated something from chapter two in chapter eleven. Is your POV correct? Do your characters stay true to form? Are they doing things because you want them to? Or is there good reason for the things they do and the decisions they make? Have you paid attention to detail? Is your heroine a blonde in one chapter and a redhead in the next? Did your hero board a train at the end of chapter two and is now on a ship at the beginning of chapter three? Have you flavored your story with enough, or too much, terminology? And have you used the five senses?
Don't be afraid, or against, making changes. You might have to explain something in greater detail or delete something that is not essential to the story. If you're unsure, ask someone you trust to read what you've written and give you honest feedback. A critique partner is great for this, but I don't suggest asking mom. Chances are, she'll love anything you've written, no matter how good or bad.
Once you've completed your first round of editing, again set it aside for a week or two and then go back and repeat the process. After that, the decision is up to you as to whether or not your work is ready to send to an agent or publisher. If you feel you've done the best you can, that your story works and flows at a good pace and your characters are true to themselves, then send it in. If there is something very wrong, a good editor will point out what, where and why.
I will caution you on one thing, don't over-edit yourself. There is such a thing as editing too much and you can spend years polishing the story until you no longer recognize it. Trust your instincts and then go for it. You've got nothing to lose and so much to gain.
Good luck to you in your endeavors and remember, it took me yeras to get published. But if you have the drive and the perseverence, good things will happen for you, too.
Julie
Self editing doesn't have to be hard and painful. But, it should be done right and a couple of times before you send your manuscript to an agent or publisher. Before you begin the first round, may I suggest you set your manuscript aside for a week or two, give your mind a break from the story and tend to other matters. When you come back to the story, you'll have fresh eyes, renewed energy and a different goal; to make the story better.
Spelling, punctuation, margins and neatness are a must when editing. Agents and publishers frown upon sloppy work. But there's more to editing than just fixing those red and green lines on your computer screen. This is your time to go through your story and make it the best it can be.
With honest eyes, pay attention to the following:
Does your story make sense? Is it believable? Do your scenes/chapters flow easily from one to the other? Do they move the plot? Or are they merely space fillers? Is there a gap in the middle of the story? Is the ending rushed? Perhaps something is missing, or not explained thoroughly or maybe you've repeated something from chapter two in chapter eleven. Is your POV correct? Do your characters stay true to form? Are they doing things because you want them to? Or is there good reason for the things they do and the decisions they make? Have you paid attention to detail? Is your heroine a blonde in one chapter and a redhead in the next? Did your hero board a train at the end of chapter two and is now on a ship at the beginning of chapter three? Have you flavored your story with enough, or too much, terminology? And have you used the five senses?
Don't be afraid, or against, making changes. You might have to explain something in greater detail or delete something that is not essential to the story. If you're unsure, ask someone you trust to read what you've written and give you honest feedback. A critique partner is great for this, but I don't suggest asking mom. Chances are, she'll love anything you've written, no matter how good or bad.
Once you've completed your first round of editing, again set it aside for a week or two and then go back and repeat the process. After that, the decision is up to you as to whether or not your work is ready to send to an agent or publisher. If you feel you've done the best you can, that your story works and flows at a good pace and your characters are true to themselves, then send it in. If there is something very wrong, a good editor will point out what, where and why.
I will caution you on one thing, don't over-edit yourself. There is such a thing as editing too much and you can spend years polishing the story until you no longer recognize it. Trust your instincts and then go for it. You've got nothing to lose and so much to gain.
Good luck to you in your endeavors and remember, it took me yeras to get published. But if you have the drive and the perseverence, good things will happen for you, too.
Julie
Villains
Recently, I read R. Michael Phillips, Along Came A Fifer. In the story, Mr. Phillips created a villain who reminded me of Joan Collins from Dynasty and Larry Hagman from Dallas. I couldn't read the book fast enough, nor did I miss an episode of Dynasty and Dallas, because I couldn't wait to see what these evil characters were going to do next, which got me to thinking about these people and why we love to hate them.
There is no denying that Alexis Carrington Colby and JR Ewing were despicable people. They were cold-hearted, back-stabbing, egotistical snobs who wouldn't hesitate to pony up a member of their family if it meant the different between success and failure in one of their over-the-top deals. Very rarely, was their something likeable about either one, yet we faithfully tuned in to their wheeling-and-dealing every week.
Alexis was consistently at odds with her ex-husbands, her children and her current spouse. She married a man on his deathbed for the sole purpose of gaining control of his money and his company, kept secret a daughter from her first husband, and very rarely had a kind word for anyone she met. JR always duped sweet, loveable Bobby in one scheme or another. He nearly lost his mother's beloved home and he constantly cheated on his wife. It seems the more outrageous the plot these two were involved with, the more we couldn't turn away from our television sets. Or talk about them the next day with co-workers, family and friends. Translation: the writers did an awesome evoking public emotion for these two characters. But how did they do it?
Just like developing a likeable hero and heroine, a writer must develop something good about the villain; something that tugs at the audience's heartstrings as to why this person is so miserable and selfish. Alexis might have been at odds with her children, but she was also quick to come to their defense, help them with a problem and lend emotional support when a love life lay in ruin. What female, especially one who is a mom, can resist that little tug of the heart when watching another mom grieve with and care for her child?
And who could forget the depth of pain JR suffered when Bobby was killed off for a season? Larry Hagman brought some powerful scenes of grief to the tv screen. He treated us to a JR's vulnerable side, and we couldn't help but mourn right alongside of him. We caught a rare glimpse inside his soul and learned how much he really did love and respect his brother. The same held true for the heartfelt scenes where he interacted with his son, mother and father.
We all love to watch, or read about, a villain's evil prowess; the plotting, the cheating, the swindling, the lying, and the affairs. It's what makes them interesting and a fun escape from the hum-drum of our own lives. But what makes a good villain a great villain is his emotional side, his weaknesses and his fears. Without them, we can't identify with this person, feel sorry for him and maybe even like him. He becomes someone we don't care about, not to even to see him meet with sweet justice in the end. So when creating your villain, make him or her as real as possible. Give him weakness, vulnerability and a good reason for your readers to sympathize with the things he does. Make him believable and folks just may talk about your book around the water cooler one day.
And btw, my favorite villain was Abby Ewing on Knots Landing.
There is no denying that Alexis Carrington Colby and JR Ewing were despicable people. They were cold-hearted, back-stabbing, egotistical snobs who wouldn't hesitate to pony up a member of their family if it meant the different between success and failure in one of their over-the-top deals. Very rarely, was their something likeable about either one, yet we faithfully tuned in to their wheeling-and-dealing every week.
Alexis was consistently at odds with her ex-husbands, her children and her current spouse. She married a man on his deathbed for the sole purpose of gaining control of his money and his company, kept secret a daughter from her first husband, and very rarely had a kind word for anyone she met. JR always duped sweet, loveable Bobby in one scheme or another. He nearly lost his mother's beloved home and he constantly cheated on his wife. It seems the more outrageous the plot these two were involved with, the more we couldn't turn away from our television sets. Or talk about them the next day with co-workers, family and friends. Translation: the writers did an awesome evoking public emotion for these two characters. But how did they do it?
Just like developing a likeable hero and heroine, a writer must develop something good about the villain; something that tugs at the audience's heartstrings as to why this person is so miserable and selfish. Alexis might have been at odds with her children, but she was also quick to come to their defense, help them with a problem and lend emotional support when a love life lay in ruin. What female, especially one who is a mom, can resist that little tug of the heart when watching another mom grieve with and care for her child?
And who could forget the depth of pain JR suffered when Bobby was killed off for a season? Larry Hagman brought some powerful scenes of grief to the tv screen. He treated us to a JR's vulnerable side, and we couldn't help but mourn right alongside of him. We caught a rare glimpse inside his soul and learned how much he really did love and respect his brother. The same held true for the heartfelt scenes where he interacted with his son, mother and father.
We all love to watch, or read about, a villain's evil prowess; the plotting, the cheating, the swindling, the lying, and the affairs. It's what makes them interesting and a fun escape from the hum-drum of our own lives. But what makes a good villain a great villain is his emotional side, his weaknesses and his fears. Without them, we can't identify with this person, feel sorry for him and maybe even like him. He becomes someone we don't care about, not to even to see him meet with sweet justice in the end. So when creating your villain, make him or her as real as possible. Give him weakness, vulnerability and a good reason for your readers to sympathize with the things he does. Make him believable and folks just may talk about your book around the water cooler one day.
And btw, my favorite villain was Abby Ewing on Knots Landing.
Jumpstarting Your muse
School went back in session over a month ago. I had such high hopes of getting back into my routine of writing and blogging. I had begun a new story in June, wrote five good chapters by the end of July and then took the first two weeks off in August, each day plotting in my mind more of the story and eagerly waiting until I was back at the computer. When I finally planted my bottom in the chair, I had writer's block and more than a dozen home and family issues needing my attention. I tackled those issues, wrote in between and found a whole new list of chores that needed attention. In trying to be super woman, my muse suffered. So did my routine. Despair settled in quick and I found I didn't know the story or the characters anymore. I kept second-guessing the pace and voice, forgetting things and repeating things. But I didn't give up.
Normally, I'll write five chapters and then go back and edit. I concentrate on scenes and chapters flowing into each other, not repeating dialogue and plot points and I pay close attention to the characters to ensure they are moving the story along. A couple of weeks ago, at the end of chapter 9 and feeling like I was way out in left field with this story, I decided to go back to page one and do a thorough edit. I'm so thankful I did. My muse returned and reunited me with my characters, the pacing of the story and my sense of direction. This week I finished chapter ten and feel so much better.
This technique may not work for everyone. Usually, I encourage people to keep writing until they reach the end and then go back and edit. But if you're honestly not feeling the story anymore and beating yourself up about muse, voice and direction, try going back to the beginning. You'll have fresh eyes on page, because you haven't seen it in a while. And in re-reading, you'll find mistakes and where you lost insight. New ideas will form in your mind and that rush of excitement will return. Your muse will be in full work mode and then you'll be like me--onto to the next chapter and welcoming the others that follow.
Normally, I'll write five chapters and then go back and edit. I concentrate on scenes and chapters flowing into each other, not repeating dialogue and plot points and I pay close attention to the characters to ensure they are moving the story along. A couple of weeks ago, at the end of chapter 9 and feeling like I was way out in left field with this story, I decided to go back to page one and do a thorough edit. I'm so thankful I did. My muse returned and reunited me with my characters, the pacing of the story and my sense of direction. This week I finished chapter ten and feel so much better.
This technique may not work for everyone. Usually, I encourage people to keep writing until they reach the end and then go back and edit. But if you're honestly not feeling the story anymore and beating yourself up about muse, voice and direction, try going back to the beginning. You'll have fresh eyes on page, because you haven't seen it in a while. And in re-reading, you'll find mistakes and where you lost insight. New ideas will form in your mind and that rush of excitement will return. Your muse will be in full work mode and then you'll be like me--onto to the next chapter and welcoming the others that follow.
The Importance of a Critique Partner
Writing a novel from beginning to end is a long, rewarding journey. As the author, you must create characters, world build and develop a plot. And then you have to put them all together so that they interact well and make sense. But how do you know your characters are true to themselves? Or that your plot isn't flat? Or that your dialogue isn't stilted? Or that the situations you place your characters in are believable? This is where a critique partner comes in. She, or he, reads your work and tells you, honestly and as a neutral party, what is working and what isn't. She will catch your spelling and punctuation mistakes, and she will make you rewrite a scene until she feels it's believable, keeps the plot flowing and is at its absolute best. Sometimes she might change a word to something you don't like or agree with, but that's okay. You don't have to accept a minor change. But the best part about having her in your corner--she's always there when you need her.
I hit a snag in my current work and last night, Stacey came through for me. We brainstormed for an hour about what I could or couldn't do at this point in the story. I have to tell you, not only was this the most fun I've had in a week, it was the most creative. Stacey jump-started my muse and the ideas flowed--hers and mine. We bounced scenarios off each other, dissected the characters and their motives, and the plot and came up with something good, something believable and something that can work for the hero and heroine. I was so excited after we'd logged off for the night that today I sat down and outlined a chapter--something I very rarely do but the momentum and the ideas just wouldn't let go.
So if you've got a critique partner, count her as one of your blessings. She's like an angel sent from above to make your life that much better. And if you don't have a critique partner, find one. Not only will you have someone to catch those pesky little mistakes, you'll have a friend for life. I know I have a friend for life in Stacey.
I hit a snag in my current work and last night, Stacey came through for me. We brainstormed for an hour about what I could or couldn't do at this point in the story. I have to tell you, not only was this the most fun I've had in a week, it was the most creative. Stacey jump-started my muse and the ideas flowed--hers and mine. We bounced scenarios off each other, dissected the characters and their motives, and the plot and came up with something good, something believable and something that can work for the hero and heroine. I was so excited after we'd logged off for the night that today I sat down and outlined a chapter--something I very rarely do but the momentum and the ideas just wouldn't let go.
So if you've got a critique partner, count her as one of your blessings. She's like an angel sent from above to make your life that much better. And if you don't have a critique partner, find one. Not only will you have someone to catch those pesky little mistakes, you'll have a friend for life. I know I have a friend for life in Stacey.
Life's Little Curve Balls
I absolutely hate when my weekly schedule is tossed to the curb. This usually happens on a Monday with the ring of the telephone or an unexpected email that leads from one thing to another. I like structure and balance to my routine. I like knowing that by the time I sit down to watch Castle on Monday night that I will finish writing a chapter on Wednesday and this blog on Thursday. Dull, boring, tedious; yeah, it's true, but it's how I manage to write one book per year, keep up with chores and family and enjoy the summer.
Such was not the case these past two weeks. Mother Nature threw a bad curve ball in my direction. Thirty minutes before school let out for the weekend my little one called from the nurse's office. He wasn't feeling well. I picked him up, brought him home and figured he had a cold. No problem. He had the weekend to rest, until the flu took over that night. I spent the weekend tending to him. We watched movies, played cards and snuggled on the couch. Monday came and he seemed to feel a little better so I decided to get some writing done. And that's when it all went south.
He developed a cough that kept him and me up most of the night. I swore he was going to hack up a lung, but somehow he didn't. That in itself was a miracle, but the four hours at the clinic the next day wasn't. Not only was he sick, so was the hubby. The hubby didn't complain, but just having him home and underfoot for the day wore on my nerves. By Wednesday morning, I was tired from two sleepless nights, but determined to crank out my chapter for the week. After staring at the words I had written on Monday and trying to jumpstart my muse with a good dose of caffeine, I realized I felt no connection to the story or the characters. That really irked me, because it was Wednesday and I had nothing worthwhile in the form of writing accomplished. And then I made an executive decision. Since the muse had no desire to work, I'd let it rest and turn my attention and energy elsewhere while I continued to take care of the little one.
Spring cleaning seemed to help relieve the tension of not completing a chapter for the week. And it gave me the opportunity to cuddle with the little one in the afternoon. We watched television--in my opinion, afternoon television stinks--and ordered out dinner since the hubby and I didn't feel like cooking. By Saturday, my son seemed to be on the mend. And then Sunday greeted me with a visit from the allergy witch. The congestion was terrible. Worse was my stupidity to go outside and work in the sage garden. Monday was more of the same. Yesterday, I began to make some headway in the breathing department. Today is even better. Now, if the weatherman could make all this wind we've been having disappear, I'd be happier than a pig up to his ears in slop.
You might be wondering what my jibber-jabber is leading up to. The answer is simple. Listen to your body and your muse. When life throws you a curve ball in the form of not feeling well, or ideas not flowing easily, it's time to take a break. As I have frustratingly learned last week, that break may be longer than a day or two. You may think you're wasting time, but in reality, you're not. When you sit back down at the computer, you'll be looking at your work with fresh, rested eyes and discover you and your muse are ready to get back to work. I recommend you take a break a few times during the year. Afterall, we're human and good ideas need a chance to formulate and blossom before we can get them correctly from our minds to paper.
Happy Spring everyone!
Such was not the case these past two weeks. Mother Nature threw a bad curve ball in my direction. Thirty minutes before school let out for the weekend my little one called from the nurse's office. He wasn't feeling well. I picked him up, brought him home and figured he had a cold. No problem. He had the weekend to rest, until the flu took over that night. I spent the weekend tending to him. We watched movies, played cards and snuggled on the couch. Monday came and he seemed to feel a little better so I decided to get some writing done. And that's when it all went south.
He developed a cough that kept him and me up most of the night. I swore he was going to hack up a lung, but somehow he didn't. That in itself was a miracle, but the four hours at the clinic the next day wasn't. Not only was he sick, so was the hubby. The hubby didn't complain, but just having him home and underfoot for the day wore on my nerves. By Wednesday morning, I was tired from two sleepless nights, but determined to crank out my chapter for the week. After staring at the words I had written on Monday and trying to jumpstart my muse with a good dose of caffeine, I realized I felt no connection to the story or the characters. That really irked me, because it was Wednesday and I had nothing worthwhile in the form of writing accomplished. And then I made an executive decision. Since the muse had no desire to work, I'd let it rest and turn my attention and energy elsewhere while I continued to take care of the little one.
Spring cleaning seemed to help relieve the tension of not completing a chapter for the week. And it gave me the opportunity to cuddle with the little one in the afternoon. We watched television--in my opinion, afternoon television stinks--and ordered out dinner since the hubby and I didn't feel like cooking. By Saturday, my son seemed to be on the mend. And then Sunday greeted me with a visit from the allergy witch. The congestion was terrible. Worse was my stupidity to go outside and work in the sage garden. Monday was more of the same. Yesterday, I began to make some headway in the breathing department. Today is even better. Now, if the weatherman could make all this wind we've been having disappear, I'd be happier than a pig up to his ears in slop.
You might be wondering what my jibber-jabber is leading up to. The answer is simple. Listen to your body and your muse. When life throws you a curve ball in the form of not feeling well, or ideas not flowing easily, it's time to take a break. As I have frustratingly learned last week, that break may be longer than a day or two. You may think you're wasting time, but in reality, you're not. When you sit back down at the computer, you'll be looking at your work with fresh, rested eyes and discover you and your muse are ready to get back to work. I recommend you take a break a few times during the year. Afterall, we're human and good ideas need a chance to formulate and blossom before we can get them correctly from our minds to paper.
Happy Spring everyone!
Spring Break
I can't believe that spring is here. It seems like yesterday I was packing up the Christmas tree and stowing it in the basement. So much activity has taken place these past few months that I am ready for a break. I'm happy to say I've published two more books to Kindle and Create Space. Zanna's Outlaw and Lydia's Gunslinger are now available for purchase. Excerpts can be found on my website: www.julielence.com and on my Amazon page: www.amazon.com/author/julielence
Currently, I'm working on the last installment to the Revolving Point, TX series, Debra's Bandit. For the upcoming week, I'm taking a writing break and turning my attention to spring cleaning and enjoying time with my son. He's promised to help, for a small fee. We'll see. His idea of helping and mine are two different things. Either way, I love opening the windows, listening to the robins chirp and cleaning out the old to make room for the new, and that doesn't necessarily apply to things cluttering up the house.
Physical activity has a way of clearing the clutter from my mind. As I work, new and exciting ideas take shape for future stories or a work in progress. I imagine scenes. I hear dialogue, and I've no doubt the same will happen for Debra's Bandit. A third of the way thru the story, I'm looking forward to what comes next. Debra and Gage are headed for difficult times, and while washing windows and cleaning closets, I'll center on small plot details and jot down notes, and when I return to the keyboard, I'll feel refreshed and excited to dive right back into the action.
Enjoy your spring break. May you I hope you take time to hear the robins sing and admire the flowers blossoming. And I you feel as re-energized as I do when I return to writing.
Currently, I'm working on the last installment to the Revolving Point, TX series, Debra's Bandit. For the upcoming week, I'm taking a writing break and turning my attention to spring cleaning and enjoying time with my son. He's promised to help, for a small fee. We'll see. His idea of helping and mine are two different things. Either way, I love opening the windows, listening to the robins chirp and cleaning out the old to make room for the new, and that doesn't necessarily apply to things cluttering up the house.
Physical activity has a way of clearing the clutter from my mind. As I work, new and exciting ideas take shape for future stories or a work in progress. I imagine scenes. I hear dialogue, and I've no doubt the same will happen for Debra's Bandit. A third of the way thru the story, I'm looking forward to what comes next. Debra and Gage are headed for difficult times, and while washing windows and cleaning closets, I'll center on small plot details and jot down notes, and when I return to the keyboard, I'll feel refreshed and excited to dive right back into the action.
Enjoy your spring break. May you I hope you take time to hear the robins sing and admire the flowers blossoming. And I you feel as re-energized as I do when I return to writing.
