Kaylee Baldwin's Blog, page 7
July 24, 2013
Reasons Why I Might Stop Reading Your Book
I’m not one of those people who feel compelled to finish a book once I’ve begun. There are so many awesome books out there and I only have time to read so many, so if a book doesn’t grab me and hold me tight, I’m done.
Here are some reasons (in no particular order) I’ve stopped reading books in the past few months:
1) The men sound like women. Example: Male love interest checks himself out in the mirror and primps, while internally obsessing over what the female love interest is going to think of him.
2) Unbelievable conflictHistorical Romance: They can’t be together because he’s rich (except, he’s not because he gave up everything to come to America and make his own way in the world and is actually rather poor and estranged from his snobby family) and she’s poor (except, her dad was a super successful rancher and she’s extremely well educated.) I honestly didn’t understand what was keeping them apart.
3) The conflict could be resolved with one conversation.Personal Pet Peeve: Books revolving around an innocent miscommunication.
4) I can’t connect with the characters.I think this one is different for everyone, but I have a difficult time connecting with a character when I don’t understand their motivation.
5) Boring/overdone premise that doesn’t offer me anything new once I get further into the story.What did Snyder say in Save the Cat? Give me the same thing only different. Something like that. I’m sure I’m totally butchering the quote, but still—that’s what I want when I read commercial fiction.
6) Slow starts with a ton of background info. Example: I’ve recently read two books that revolved around someone inheriting a house they need to fix up—a premise I truly enjoy (which is why I picked up two books with it)
The first book started with the girl showing up at the house, seeing the mess it was (and thinking that she needed a project like this to take her mind of the massive mess she’d made of her life), and meeting the hunky/emotionally wounded/completely closed off contractor all in the first few pages. -àI was immediately drawn in to the story.
The second book started with a girl thinking. Then she thought some more. Then she found out about the house, which of course, led to more thinking. Then a flashback that was supposed to be sad, but I had a hard time caring because I had no context for who she was talking about, then more thinking. We didn’t meet anyone in the first chapter except the main character, and she didn’t do anything but ponder the change this house would bring to her life. SHOW ME!-à Now, maybe the rest of the book is amazing, but honestly, I’ll probably never know.
7) There’s nothing in particular that I can pinpoint, but I’m just getting a “meh” feeling. I don’t really feel a need to get back to it.
What makes you put a book down?
Here are some reasons (in no particular order) I’ve stopped reading books in the past few months:
1) The men sound like women. Example: Male love interest checks himself out in the mirror and primps, while internally obsessing over what the female love interest is going to think of him.
2) Unbelievable conflictHistorical Romance: They can’t be together because he’s rich (except, he’s not because he gave up everything to come to America and make his own way in the world and is actually rather poor and estranged from his snobby family) and she’s poor (except, her dad was a super successful rancher and she’s extremely well educated.) I honestly didn’t understand what was keeping them apart.
3) The conflict could be resolved with one conversation.Personal Pet Peeve: Books revolving around an innocent miscommunication.
4) I can’t connect with the characters.I think this one is different for everyone, but I have a difficult time connecting with a character when I don’t understand their motivation.
5) Boring/overdone premise that doesn’t offer me anything new once I get further into the story.What did Snyder say in Save the Cat? Give me the same thing only different. Something like that. I’m sure I’m totally butchering the quote, but still—that’s what I want when I read commercial fiction.
6) Slow starts with a ton of background info. Example: I’ve recently read two books that revolved around someone inheriting a house they need to fix up—a premise I truly enjoy (which is why I picked up two books with it)
The first book started with the girl showing up at the house, seeing the mess it was (and thinking that she needed a project like this to take her mind of the massive mess she’d made of her life), and meeting the hunky/emotionally wounded/completely closed off contractor all in the first few pages. -àI was immediately drawn in to the story.
The second book started with a girl thinking. Then she thought some more. Then she found out about the house, which of course, led to more thinking. Then a flashback that was supposed to be sad, but I had a hard time caring because I had no context for who she was talking about, then more thinking. We didn’t meet anyone in the first chapter except the main character, and she didn’t do anything but ponder the change this house would bring to her life. SHOW ME!-à Now, maybe the rest of the book is amazing, but honestly, I’ll probably never know.
7) There’s nothing in particular that I can pinpoint, but I’m just getting a “meh” feeling. I don’t really feel a need to get back to it.
What makes you put a book down?
July 20, 2013
Reading for fun...?
It’s almost impossible for me to read solely for enjoyment because I am constantly analyzing the books I read.
If it’s good, I’m asking myself:
Why did I like that scene so much?What kinds of things did the author do to make me feel for this character in such a strong way?What specific writing techniques were employed in this chapter that made it stand out to me?What made this an “un-put-downable” read?
If it’s bad, I analyze that as well.
I’m constantly asking myself: What worked in this book? What didn’t work in this book? Why?
I feel like I’m back in college and I need to write a paper on If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch and dissect what she did with her language, the POV, the plot, the characters, the symbols, everything that added up to me not being able to put it down.
Can you turn off writer-brain when you read?
If it’s good, I’m asking myself:
Why did I like that scene so much?What kinds of things did the author do to make me feel for this character in such a strong way?What specific writing techniques were employed in this chapter that made it stand out to me?What made this an “un-put-downable” read?
If it’s bad, I analyze that as well.
I’m constantly asking myself: What worked in this book? What didn’t work in this book? Why?
I feel like I’m back in college and I need to write a paper on If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch and dissect what she did with her language, the POV, the plot, the characters, the symbols, everything that added up to me not being able to put it down.
Can you turn off writer-brain when you read?
June 24, 2013
Win a Copy of A Lady and a Spy
Back Cover Blurb:
Blanche Audley's old-fashioned grandfather cut off her mother after she married Thomas Audley and his millions of "new money," and for the last ten years since her parents' deaths, Blanche has lived under the gloom of his disappointment. So when she recklessly loses a thousand dollars to Etta Channing in a game of baccarat, she will do anything to keep her foolish actions from him. Except he oversees every penny she spends of the wealth her father left her, leaving her no way of paying the debt without his knowledge.
Until Etta offers her a deal. Alexander Whealdon, one of the most eligible bachelors in town, needs a companion to shepherd his younger sister through her first season. Etta wants Blanche to take the position and use it to infiltrate the household and pass along information that will help Etta get her hooks into the reserved Mr. Whealdon. It seems like an easy way to pay off the debt and save face at the same time. But the more Blanche sees of Mr. Whealdon's playful side, not to mention his surprising generosity, the less she wants to help Etta win him over.
Backing out means humiliating herself and disappointing both her grandfather and Mr. Whealdon, not to mention losing Miss Whealdon's trust and friendship, but if she goes through with her promise to Etta, she will lose what might be her last chance for love.
My Thoughts:
I have been SO MUCH in the mood for historical romance lately, so this weekend I pulled this novella up on my Kindle and read it for the second time. It's a really fun, well-written romance. I love Ranee's writing. She can be so funny--and I don't want to give too much away, but one of my favorite parts is this hilariously awkward moment involving Blanche and Alex and a garden hedge. The romance is so sweet and I can't wait to read what she has coming out next! If you're in the mood for a funny, light-hearted romance, I highly recommend this one.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Ranee` and her personal superhero, her husband, live in Wyoming where they are raising three future super-villains. When she's not breaking up impromptu UFC fights in her living room or losing to one of her sons at Uno, she loves to read and write. She has a bachelor’s degree in history that is probably useless, but she had a lot of fun earning it. She blogs about writing, reading, and editing at http://raneesclark.blogspot.com.Twitter* Blog* Amazon* Goodreads
June 2, 2013
Those "ah-ha" Moments
In the past three years, I’ve been to three writing conferences and each time, I seem to come away with one or two “ah ha!” moments that change everything for me.
Even though I’m in classes for 1-2 days, and hear all of these amazing things, and feel like I learn a ton, so far there is usually just one thing that—for whatever reason—just grabs me and doesn’t let me go.
ANWA writing conference 2011 This was my first writing conference. Meg’s Melody had just come out, and I still riding on the high of a first book. I had just finished my contemporary young adult novel and decided that I wanted to try to break into the national market… and that meant finding an agent.
I went to a class by Elana Johnson—who at the time was still awaiting the release of her first book—on how to write a query letter. I remember accosting her in the hallway in my desperation and telling her that I couldn’t get anyone to request my book based off my query and could she just tell me: Why? Was it my story? My writing? The way I’d written my letter? Should I put a super-cool streak in my hair like her? What was it!?
I smile (but mostly cringe) when I think back on that, because the look on her face was this fantastic blend of: confusion/who is this girl?/where are my wingmen who are supposed to keep me from the crazies?! She hadn’t read my book, nor my query, but that didn’t matter. SHE HELD THE ANSWERS!
Well, she did in fact have a lot of answers, and after taking her class and advice, I revised my query (and my book based on discoveries I made when I wrote the query) and all of a sudden, I started to get requests.
LDStorymaker 2011I’ll be honest, I wasn’t going to go to this one. It’s not that I didn’t want to. But I live in Arizona, and this conference is in Utah, so I’d have to pay travel costs, plus the conference fee, plus hotel and food. Then, I found out I was a Whitney Finalist, and at the encouragement of my husband, we decided to take our three kids and go (and sleep on the floor of my sister’s one bedroom apartment—cozy.)
I’m so glad I did. Not only did I meet the fab Jolene Perryin person after emailing each other multiple times a day for the previous six months or so, but I also met Rachael Ranee Anderson. And you may have guessed, it was after this meeting that we decided to write All I Want.
My big take-away from this conference, though, was from a class I took from Sarah Eden on romance. Who better to take a romance class from, right? I still remember my “ah ha!” moment when she asked us: “What need does your hero fill in your heroine and vice versa?” I ask myself this question at the beginning of every new wip.
LDStorymakers 2013My takeaway from this is the idea of perseverance. It seemed to be the theme of the conference. So many people told stories about how it took several books to get their agents or to get their publisher, and how HAPPY they were that they continued to try—even when they were tempted to quit.
My highlights of the conference were:
Meeting Alyssa Henkin from Trident. She is as nice as all of her clients say she is. I loved her enthusiasm and positivity when it comes to publishing.
Hanging out Ranee Clark, who is one of my amazing critique partners.
Going out to dinner with Rachael Anderson and RebeccaTalley, both who are so great and easy to talk to. I wish we didn’t live in three different states, so we could actually see each other more than every other year at most.
I met so many fantastic people, and for that reason alone, I would say that going to a conference is worth it.
What were your favorite conference moments?
Even though I’m in classes for 1-2 days, and hear all of these amazing things, and feel like I learn a ton, so far there is usually just one thing that—for whatever reason—just grabs me and doesn’t let me go.
ANWA writing conference 2011 This was my first writing conference. Meg’s Melody had just come out, and I still riding on the high of a first book. I had just finished my contemporary young adult novel and decided that I wanted to try to break into the national market… and that meant finding an agent.
I went to a class by Elana Johnson—who at the time was still awaiting the release of her first book—on how to write a query letter. I remember accosting her in the hallway in my desperation and telling her that I couldn’t get anyone to request my book based off my query and could she just tell me: Why? Was it my story? My writing? The way I’d written my letter? Should I put a super-cool streak in my hair like her? What was it!?
I smile (but mostly cringe) when I think back on that, because the look on her face was this fantastic blend of: confusion/who is this girl?/where are my wingmen who are supposed to keep me from the crazies?! She hadn’t read my book, nor my query, but that didn’t matter. SHE HELD THE ANSWERS!
Well, she did in fact have a lot of answers, and after taking her class and advice, I revised my query (and my book based on discoveries I made when I wrote the query) and all of a sudden, I started to get requests.
LDStorymaker 2011I’ll be honest, I wasn’t going to go to this one. It’s not that I didn’t want to. But I live in Arizona, and this conference is in Utah, so I’d have to pay travel costs, plus the conference fee, plus hotel and food. Then, I found out I was a Whitney Finalist, and at the encouragement of my husband, we decided to take our three kids and go (and sleep on the floor of my sister’s one bedroom apartment—cozy.)
I’m so glad I did. Not only did I meet the fab Jolene Perryin person after emailing each other multiple times a day for the previous six months or so, but I also met Rachael Ranee Anderson. And you may have guessed, it was after this meeting that we decided to write All I Want.
My big take-away from this conference, though, was from a class I took from Sarah Eden on romance. Who better to take a romance class from, right? I still remember my “ah ha!” moment when she asked us: “What need does your hero fill in your heroine and vice versa?” I ask myself this question at the beginning of every new wip.
LDStorymakers 2013My takeaway from this is the idea of perseverance. It seemed to be the theme of the conference. So many people told stories about how it took several books to get their agents or to get their publisher, and how HAPPY they were that they continued to try—even when they were tempted to quit.
My highlights of the conference were:
Meeting Alyssa Henkin from Trident. She is as nice as all of her clients say she is. I loved her enthusiasm and positivity when it comes to publishing.
Hanging out Ranee Clark, who is one of my amazing critique partners.
Going out to dinner with Rachael Anderson and RebeccaTalley, both who are so great and easy to talk to. I wish we didn’t live in three different states, so we could actually see each other more than every other year at most.
I met so many fantastic people, and for that reason alone, I would say that going to a conference is worth it.
What were your favorite conference moments?
April 10, 2013
Helping Someone Out
Today is the book bomb for Ben Wolverton. Here's the information from their Facebook page:
Ben Wolverton, age 16, was in a tragic long-boarding accident on Wednesday the 4th, 2013. He suffers from severe brain trauma, a cracked skull, broken pelvis and tail bone, burnt knees, bruised lungs, broken ear drums, road rash, pneumonia, and is currently in a coma. His family has no insurance.
Ben is the son of author David Farland, whose books have won multiple awards, and who is widely known as a mentor to many prominent authors, such as Brandon Sanderson, Stephenie Meyer, and Brandon Mull. Costs forBen's treatment are expected to rise above $1,000,0000. To help raise money for Ben, we are having a book bomb (focused on Nightingale and Million Dollar Outlines) on behalf of Ben
You can learn more about Ben's condition, or simply donate to the Wolverton family here.
WHAT IS A BOOK BOMB?
A Book Bomb is an event where participants purchase a book on a specific day (in this case, Wednesday, April 10th) to support the author, or, in this case, a young person in serious need: Ben Wolverton.
WHAT BOOK SHOULD I PURCHASE?
David Farland’s young adult fantasy thriller NIGHTINGALE has won SEVEN awards, including the Grand Prize at the Hollywood Book Festival--beating out ALL books in ALL categories. It is available as a hardcover ($24.99), ebook ($7.99), audio book ($24.99), and enhanced novel for the iPad ($9.99).
You can purchase it on Amazon.
Barnes and Noble.
on the Nightingale website.
or, you can get the enhanced version complete with illustrations, interviews, animations, and its own soundtrack through iTunes.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Some people sing at night to drive back the darkness. Others sing to summon it. . . .
Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Thrown into foster care, he was rejected by one family after another, until he met Olivia, a gifted and devoted high-school teacher who recognized him for what he really was--what her people call a "nightingale."
But Bron isn't ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know. Bron's secret may be the most dangerous of all.
IS IT GOOD?
Authors such as James Dashner (The Maze Runner), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn), and Paul Genesse (Iron Dragon series) all PRAISED it. Nightingale has 4 and a half stars on Amazon. Read what other people are saying here. Or, purchase the novel and find out for yourself.
WHAT IF I ALREADY OWN NIGHTINGALE? OR I'M NOT INTERESTED IN IT?
If you are a writer, you may want to consider purchasing David Farland’s MILLION DOLLAR OUTLINES. It has been a bestseller on Amazon for over a month and is only $6.99.
As a bestselling author David Farland has taught dozens of writers who have gone on to staggering literary success, including such #1 New York Times Bestsellers as Brandon Mull (Fablehaven), Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time), James Dashner (The Maze Runner) and Stephenie Meyer (Twilight).
In Million Dollar Outlines, Dave teaches how to analyze an audience and outline a novel so that it can appeal to a wide readership, giving it the potential to become a bestseller. The secrets found in his unconventional approach will help you understand why so many of his authors go on to prominence.
Get it on Amazon.
Or on Barnes and Noble.
Read one of the 26 reviews here.
CAN I JUST DONATE MONEY?
You can donate money to Ben here:
(Or you could purchase a book as a gift for someone else.)
I WANT TO HELP BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY!
The best way you can help is by spreading the word of Ben’s donation page, and/or this book bomb. Share it on facebook, twitter, pinterest, your blog—anywhere you can. Invite others to the event.
TELL ME MORE ABOUT BEN. WILL HE BE OKAY?
David Farland has been keeping everyone posted on facebook. Subscribe or friend him to get up-to-date information. At the moment, Ben is stable and appears to be improving.
Also, a website has been made where you can go to find out more information and get updates.
Thank you!
Ben and his family greatly appreciate your support, and so do all who love and care about them.
Ben Wolverton, age 16, was in a tragic long-boarding accident on Wednesday the 4th, 2013. He suffers from severe brain trauma, a cracked skull, broken pelvis and tail bone, burnt knees, bruised lungs, broken ear drums, road rash, pneumonia, and is currently in a coma. His family has no insurance.
Ben is the son of author David Farland, whose books have won multiple awards, and who is widely known as a mentor to many prominent authors, such as Brandon Sanderson, Stephenie Meyer, and Brandon Mull. Costs forBen's treatment are expected to rise above $1,000,0000. To help raise money for Ben, we are having a book bomb (focused on Nightingale and Million Dollar Outlines) on behalf of Ben
You can learn more about Ben's condition, or simply donate to the Wolverton family here.
WHAT IS A BOOK BOMB?
A Book Bomb is an event where participants purchase a book on a specific day (in this case, Wednesday, April 10th) to support the author, or, in this case, a young person in serious need: Ben Wolverton.
WHAT BOOK SHOULD I PURCHASE?
David Farland’s young adult fantasy thriller NIGHTINGALE has won SEVEN awards, including the Grand Prize at the Hollywood Book Festival--beating out ALL books in ALL categories. It is available as a hardcover ($24.99), ebook ($7.99), audio book ($24.99), and enhanced novel for the iPad ($9.99).
You can purchase it on Amazon.
Barnes and Noble.
on the Nightingale website.
or, you can get the enhanced version complete with illustrations, interviews, animations, and its own soundtrack through iTunes.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Some people sing at night to drive back the darkness. Others sing to summon it. . . .
Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Thrown into foster care, he was rejected by one family after another, until he met Olivia, a gifted and devoted high-school teacher who recognized him for what he really was--what her people call a "nightingale."
But Bron isn't ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know. Bron's secret may be the most dangerous of all.
IS IT GOOD?
Authors such as James Dashner (The Maze Runner), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn), and Paul Genesse (Iron Dragon series) all PRAISED it. Nightingale has 4 and a half stars on Amazon. Read what other people are saying here. Or, purchase the novel and find out for yourself.
WHAT IF I ALREADY OWN NIGHTINGALE? OR I'M NOT INTERESTED IN IT?
If you are a writer, you may want to consider purchasing David Farland’s MILLION DOLLAR OUTLINES. It has been a bestseller on Amazon for over a month and is only $6.99.
As a bestselling author David Farland has taught dozens of writers who have gone on to staggering literary success, including such #1 New York Times Bestsellers as Brandon Mull (Fablehaven), Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time), James Dashner (The Maze Runner) and Stephenie Meyer (Twilight).
In Million Dollar Outlines, Dave teaches how to analyze an audience and outline a novel so that it can appeal to a wide readership, giving it the potential to become a bestseller. The secrets found in his unconventional approach will help you understand why so many of his authors go on to prominence.
Get it on Amazon.
Or on Barnes and Noble.
Read one of the 26 reviews here.
CAN I JUST DONATE MONEY?
You can donate money to Ben here:
(Or you could purchase a book as a gift for someone else.)
I WANT TO HELP BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY!
The best way you can help is by spreading the word of Ben’s donation page, and/or this book bomb. Share it on facebook, twitter, pinterest, your blog—anywhere you can. Invite others to the event.
TELL ME MORE ABOUT BEN. WILL HE BE OKAY?
David Farland has been keeping everyone posted on facebook. Subscribe or friend him to get up-to-date information. At the moment, Ben is stable and appears to be improving.
Also, a website has been made where you can go to find out more information and get updates.
Thank you!
Ben and his family greatly appreciate your support, and so do all who love and care about them.
February 7, 2013
Influence from The Bard
I took several Shakespeare classes in college, and I am one of those extremely nerdy people who love Shakespeare. I mean, I don’t curl up with his collected works on a rainy day, but I do skim through his plays often enough. Especially when I’m working on a new manuscript.
The manuscript I’m working on now has influences from Cleopatra, Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure, and Romeo and Juliet. Which seems insane, I know.
I’m not mashing all the plots together or all of the love stories together. I swear, there is no suicide, asps, poisons, cross-dressing, nuns, star-crossed lovers, creepy old men, or jail scenes.
What I do have are four girls who are best friends. One who wants to be in charge and control everything ALL THE TIME. One who is defined by her family name and people telling her what to do. One who believes in all that is just and right, is innocent, and will do anything for the people she loves. And one who is mischievous, fun, and gets into her share of trouble (somehow enticing the other girls to follow.)
There’s also blackmail, secrets, and quite a bit of falling for the wrong guy (who is oh, so right!)
Oh, and there’s kissing. Lots and lots of it.
What’s influenced your wip?
The manuscript I’m working on now has influences from Cleopatra, Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure, and Romeo and Juliet. Which seems insane, I know.
I’m not mashing all the plots together or all of the love stories together. I swear, there is no suicide, asps, poisons, cross-dressing, nuns, star-crossed lovers, creepy old men, or jail scenes.
What I do have are four girls who are best friends. One who wants to be in charge and control everything ALL THE TIME. One who is defined by her family name and people telling her what to do. One who believes in all that is just and right, is innocent, and will do anything for the people she loves. And one who is mischievous, fun, and gets into her share of trouble (somehow enticing the other girls to follow.)
There’s also blackmail, secrets, and quite a bit of falling for the wrong guy (who is oh, so right!)
Oh, and there’s kissing. Lots and lots of it.
What’s influenced your wip?
February 4, 2013
Happy Post-Super-Bowl-Sunday and Chillin' at Cassie Mae's
On the news this morning they said, "Happy post-Super Bowl Sunday!" and I was like... Is that really a thing? My husband says I don't appreciate the holiday-esque nature of the Super Bowl. Probably because I'm completely hopeless at sports (playing and watching). Anyone who has seen me play knows... it's no bueno.
Also... Check out Cassie Mae's blog for my guest post on unique roads to publication and how we all want to give up sometimes.
Also... Check out Cassie Mae's blog for my guest post on unique roads to publication and how we all want to give up sometimes.
January 30, 2013
So, So Close
I seriously don’t know what my problem is, but this happens EVERY SINGLE TIME I write a book. I get to the very end, and I can’t focus.
I find a million things that HAVE to be done.
Right this very second.
Like scraping off the dried-on Honey Nut Cheerio that’s been stuck to the tile under my couch for about three months. Or organizing all of my Kindle books into collections. Or cleaning out our Harry Potter closet full of a mish mash of camping gear, swimming equipment, toys that are in long-term “time out,” diapers of all sizes (seriously, I’ve been hoarding diapers for years, apparently) and more give-away bags that I care to admit I own.
And those are just the non-essential tasks of yesterday and today.
So tonight, I sat down and said to myself: You WILL finish this book. Tonight. NO American Idol. NO surfing Amazon for another new book to read. NO calling Mom, Dad, either sisters, bestie from high school, friend down the street that I’ve already talked to like ten times today, husband who is just in the other room (also working.)
I guess I am just not firm enough with myself, because somehow, instead of writing, I am listening to Curious George on PBSkids.org (I unwisely let my 3yo take a five hour nap this afternoon, so we’ll probably be up all night long watching this stuff) and updating my blog. Oh, and checking Twitter and FB.
By the way, the rest of the book I’m whining about is written. And I’ve gone through it twice already to do my edits. And I still haven’t written the last couple of scenes. I have them outlined. I have them imagined. I’ve known exactly how this book will end since I first started writing it. And yet… *crickets chirping* (that’s the sound in my brain when I sit down to write)
Where are you at in your manuscript? Do you stall on endings or breeze through them?
January 23, 2013
Novellas
I've been loving them for the most part. I wrote my Christmas novella for All I Want, and I've never written story that short before. I actually had to outline (what? outline? I may be converted, btw), remove the side plots I was dying to put in, and make sure everything pointed in the direction I wanted the story to go. In fact, I think I'm going to do a lot of this in my next wip and see if I can lessen how many drafts I have to write to get a clean manuscript.
ANYWAY... here are a few novellas I've read this month that I thought did a great job of telling an entire story with shorter word count.
Heather Moore's Third Time's The Charm. She sent it to me to review and I picked it up one evening about an hour before bed. I loved that it only took me an hour to finish, because I am one of those people who get into a story and will stay up until 3am to finish it. (And then I'm a total bear in the morning and no one is happy.)
This was just a fun, feel-good story. I really wasn't left wanting more, which can sometimes happen in a novella. I just read Moore for the first time in the Winter Anthology she did with a bunch of other (awesome) authors, and I really like her writing style.
From the back cover:
Welcome to the Aliso Creek Novella Series
Liz, Gemma, Arie, Jess, and Drew have been best friends since creating the “Five” at Aliso Creek High School. But that was over ten years ago, and each is still trying to find that perfect someone . . . if perfect is even possible.
In fact, Liz Carlson will settle for a normal man. A normal man with a job, that is. Married twice, then divorced twice, Liz’s rose-colored glasses fell off and shattered on the ground a long time ago. Her main focus now is raising her six-year-old daughter and surviving long days at work on her feet as a hairdresser. When Sloane Branden answers her call for help, quite literally, Liz doesn’t even give him a second glance. She’s sworn off dating for as many years as it takes, and it seems that Sloane has done the same after his own tumultuous marriage. But when Liz realizes that Sloane defies every stereotypical deadbeat she’s dated, she might just find room in her heart and discover the third time’s the charm.(less)
Denise Hunter's Truth or Dare.
Okay, I came into this one a bit biased. I love Denise Hunter. She lured me in with Surrender Bay and then hooked me with The Convenient Groom. After reading Third Times the Charm, I decided to search out other novellas and found Hunter's. Since I love everything she's written, I went ahead and bought it, and spent the next night reading it. Again, it took me about an hour, which is PERFECT since that's usually about how long I read before bed.
From back cover:
A foolish stunt in high school left Brianna VanAllen questioning her self worth for the past five years. She didn't expect to dig up those painful memories when she returned home for her high school reunion. But, paired with Jake Volez on a project at her parents' ranch, Brianna must face the issue of forgiveness. Will she have the courage to put her heart at risk again?
What are you thoughts on novellas? Any good ones to recommend?
ANYWAY... here are a few novellas I've read this month that I thought did a great job of telling an entire story with shorter word count.
Heather Moore's Third Time's The Charm. She sent it to me to review and I picked it up one evening about an hour before bed. I loved that it only took me an hour to finish, because I am one of those people who get into a story and will stay up until 3am to finish it. (And then I'm a total bear in the morning and no one is happy.)
This was just a fun, feel-good story. I really wasn't left wanting more, which can sometimes happen in a novella. I just read Moore for the first time in the Winter Anthology she did with a bunch of other (awesome) authors, and I really like her writing style.
From the back cover:
Welcome to the Aliso Creek Novella Series
Liz, Gemma, Arie, Jess, and Drew have been best friends since creating the “Five” at Aliso Creek High School. But that was over ten years ago, and each is still trying to find that perfect someone . . . if perfect is even possible.
In fact, Liz Carlson will settle for a normal man. A normal man with a job, that is. Married twice, then divorced twice, Liz’s rose-colored glasses fell off and shattered on the ground a long time ago. Her main focus now is raising her six-year-old daughter and surviving long days at work on her feet as a hairdresser. When Sloane Branden answers her call for help, quite literally, Liz doesn’t even give him a second glance. She’s sworn off dating for as many years as it takes, and it seems that Sloane has done the same after his own tumultuous marriage. But when Liz realizes that Sloane defies every stereotypical deadbeat she’s dated, she might just find room in her heart and discover the third time’s the charm.(less)
Denise Hunter's Truth or Dare.
Okay, I came into this one a bit biased. I love Denise Hunter. She lured me in with Surrender Bay and then hooked me with The Convenient Groom. After reading Third Times the Charm, I decided to search out other novellas and found Hunter's. Since I love everything she's written, I went ahead and bought it, and spent the next night reading it. Again, it took me about an hour, which is PERFECT since that's usually about how long I read before bed.
From back cover:
A foolish stunt in high school left Brianna VanAllen questioning her self worth for the past five years. She didn't expect to dig up those painful memories when she returned home for her high school reunion. But, paired with Jake Volez on a project at her parents' ranch, Brianna must face the issue of forgiveness. Will she have the courage to put her heart at risk again?
What are you thoughts on novellas? Any good ones to recommend?
January 14, 2013
Tips for Cutting Word Count
Since I talked about word count on Monday, I want to share some of my tips for cutting down my words.
1) Highlight useless words like "just" and "that." Delete most instances.
2) Look for redundancies
A) redundant phrases--she bit her lip, she flipped her hair, his eyebrows raised, he rolled his eyes) B) redundant descriptions--are we getting a play-by-play of every outfit the mc wears, of the love interest's crooked smile, her frizzy brown hair mentioned every other chapter. The reader will remember that the mc has frizzy hair without being constantly reminded C) Redundant emotions-- "Jenny covered her face and slid down the door after realizing that everyone had seen her skirt tucked into her underwear. She was so embarrassed " Take away any telling things like: she was so embarrassed. We were just shown it, we don't need to be told it, too.
D) Redundant scenes-- If you've already established something, you don't have to keep reestablishing it. If Jenny sees Mac hauling hay and is impressed by his shoulders, we don't need to have another scene later where she's watching him swim and impressed by his shoulders again. Yes, Mac may have great shoulders, but we only need to see them one.
3) Figure out the point of every chapter. A chapter should take the reader somewhere--introduce a new question and help us to get to know a character or place better. If there is extraneous dialogue or description that doesn't have a purpose or lead somewhere (setting the mood or tone, setting up the dynamic between characters, setting up conflict... these are all places that the writing needs to lead--if this isn't where it's going, take it out.)
4) Find all instances of back-story and highlight it. Is it needed? Is it needed there? And is so much of it needed? Can you take three paragraphs of back story and condense it into one sentence? Can you sprinkle a few hints here and there in the dialogue?
5) Ask the question: Does this scene drive my story forward? If there are any places where the pacing slows (long explanations, long descriptions, long prosy thoughts) and try to cut them down.
6) Play with words. "Jenny heard Mac grunt when he picked up the hay bale." Instead say: "Mac grunted when he picked up the hay bale." You don't need to say "Jenny heard" We know she heard it since we are in her head. This seems nitpicky--but trust me--they add up.
Its all about tighter writing and tighter storytelling. It takes a lot of work, but it's worth it.
What other suggestions do you have for cutting down word count?
1) Highlight useless words like "just" and "that." Delete most instances.
2) Look for redundancies
A) redundant phrases--she bit her lip, she flipped her hair, his eyebrows raised, he rolled his eyes) B) redundant descriptions--are we getting a play-by-play of every outfit the mc wears, of the love interest's crooked smile, her frizzy brown hair mentioned every other chapter. The reader will remember that the mc has frizzy hair without being constantly reminded C) Redundant emotions-- "Jenny covered her face and slid down the door after realizing that everyone had seen her skirt tucked into her underwear. She was so embarrassed " Take away any telling things like: she was so embarrassed. We were just shown it, we don't need to be told it, too.
D) Redundant scenes-- If you've already established something, you don't have to keep reestablishing it. If Jenny sees Mac hauling hay and is impressed by his shoulders, we don't need to have another scene later where she's watching him swim and impressed by his shoulders again. Yes, Mac may have great shoulders, but we only need to see them one.
3) Figure out the point of every chapter. A chapter should take the reader somewhere--introduce a new question and help us to get to know a character or place better. If there is extraneous dialogue or description that doesn't have a purpose or lead somewhere (setting the mood or tone, setting up the dynamic between characters, setting up conflict... these are all places that the writing needs to lead--if this isn't where it's going, take it out.)
4) Find all instances of back-story and highlight it. Is it needed? Is it needed there? And is so much of it needed? Can you take three paragraphs of back story and condense it into one sentence? Can you sprinkle a few hints here and there in the dialogue?
5) Ask the question: Does this scene drive my story forward? If there are any places where the pacing slows (long explanations, long descriptions, long prosy thoughts) and try to cut them down.
6) Play with words. "Jenny heard Mac grunt when he picked up the hay bale." Instead say: "Mac grunted when he picked up the hay bale." You don't need to say "Jenny heard" We know she heard it since we are in her head. This seems nitpicky--but trust me--they add up.
Its all about tighter writing and tighter storytelling. It takes a lot of work, but it's worth it.
What other suggestions do you have for cutting down word count?
