Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 215

The Little Things

I wrote a post on this last year, but it's a topic that has cropped up again for me.

I tweet a ton of different writing blogs on many different topics. I've subscribed to blogs that have nothing to do with my particular area of interest (graphic novels, scriptwriting, etc.), but which I think other writers might find interesting or helpful.

A couple of times in the last couple of weeks, I've gotten direct messages on Twitter from users about typos in different writing blogs that I've tweeted.

One tweeter said that they just couldn't finish reading the writer's article at all because they were so distracted by the typos. It made me pull that blog post up again on my computer and look at it with a more critical eye.

The post's content was very helpful, I thought. The writer had a refreshing take on the writing craft and sound tips to follow that could prove useful to someone facing the same issue with their writing.

I did see typos. And there was even a pretty flagrant typo in the post's title. Was it distracting? English Major Me would have said yes. And it still distracted me a little…but not enough to keep me from tweeting the post because I found it useful. That's because I was searching for content.

The second time was a couple of days ago and I got a direct message from a tweeter. She said sadly that she wished typos didn't bother her…but she couldn't seem to stop being bothered by them. I pulled up the blog post for the writing blog she'd referred to. I skimmed the author's blog, then skimmed it quickly again. Finally I saw it…due instead of do. Homonym issue.

Again, that person's blog post was worthy of tweeting…this tweeter was being especially picky. The post was a list of archetypes found in a particular genre. I hadn't seen a post like that and knew that people who wrote that genre would find it interesting.

Typos happen. I think some writers don't have an especially wonderful grasp of spelling, either. And some could use a grammar brush-up. I was an English major and am the daughter of an English teacher, but-- I still have typos, especially in blog posts, which I tend to write quickly. I do put more time into my manuscripts, as do other writers, I'm sure.

So…the question is, how picky are agents and editors? If just random writers on Twitter can get badly tripped up by spelling, grammar, and carelessness, how badly do the gatekeepers get tripped up by reading it?

I think, if the mistakes are flagrant, they can be distracting, no matter how good the content is. It would be like a person arriving at a job interview in a really inappropriate outfit—maybe they're an excellent candidate for the position, but the fact they showed up in torn jeans and a rock band tee shirt makes the interviewer think twice.

Former Writer's Digest publisher and editorial director, Jane Friedman, wrote in a post last summer entitled "Why I Don't Care About Grammar (and Why You Should Stop Worrying") Jane's main point was that perfect grammar didn't necessarily mean good writing.

I agree with her and I think, in my small way, proved that we can become immune to typos, etc., in the search for good content when I became temporarily oblivious to the mechanics of the interesting posts that I tweeted.

But still, I think about all the competition out there. I wonder what goes through an editor's mind when she sees two equally good manuscripts—but one needs a heck of a lot more editing (which equals more time and money) than the other. And I think about the poor impression someone makes when they show up at a job interview in torn jeans and a rock band tee shirt.

Janice Hardy had a nice post about areas every writer should be familiar with—great summary.

With spelling and typos, I think you just have to be super careful to check your work. And not just with the spell-check program on your computer, either—it won't catch a homonym problem.

Here are some other resources that might be helpful:

Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics, etc.:

Online guide to grammar and writing
Daily Writing Tips
Grammar Girl
The Grammarphobia Blog
Mighty Red Pen
Crystal Clear Proofing

Usage:
Common Errors in English Usage

Style:
The Chicago Manual of Style Online
The Elements of Style

Some writers might benefit from the help of independent editors. I know there are several who frequently comment here, including Helen Ginger, Marvin Wilson, Crystal from Crystal Clear, and Victoria Mixon.

How easy is it for you to ignore others' typos? And, are there resources that you've come across that you'd like to share?

Twitterific

Here are writing links that I've posted to Twitter for the past week.

If you're looking for a particular topic, just plug in your keyword into the search box at the top left-hand corner of the blog (on the black header right above my blog name…next to the Blogger symbol…the small search window is next to the magnifying glass) and the roundup with your subject will come up. To narrow your search down on the page, do a CTRL+F, type your subject, and hit enter.

I'm also archiving these posts in what I hope is an easily searchable format—if you look at the Twitterific tabs under the blog's heading, I'm posting the links there, too.

Steampunk Archetypes: http://dld.bz/GVR2

When Is a Story Worth Writing? – Part One: http://dld.bz/Hbg7 @JamiGold

The Process of Creation – Here's a Concept: http://dld.bz/GV5j @JustusRStone

Getting a new idea: http://dld.bz/GV4g

Editing by instinct and some tips to distance yourself from your manuscript: http://dld.bz/HbfT

Don't Show Up In Overalls: http://dld.bz/GV3Q

Failed at Installation: http://dld.bz/GV3J

6 Steps to Fight Content Theft: http://dld.bz/GV3B

The app I use to schedule my tweets ahead of time is down for scheduled maintenance. Tweeting will resume after SocialOomph is back up. :)

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Cream Scones: A Theme and Variations http://bit.ly/eK2beJ @CleoCoyle

Intern Tips: Query Edition: http://dld.bz/GSFg

Love's labour's located: how one writer plotted Shakespeare's London with an iPhone app (Guardian): http://dld.bz/GSEX

The 4 stages of writing--in comic form via @inkygirl: http://dld.bz/GSDE

Mystery writers guide to forensics--forensic linguistics: http://dld.bz/GSxP @clarissadraper

Quick editing tip for rewriting weak scenes: http://dld.bz/GSwg

Character building tips from King's "On Writing": http://dld.bz/GSve

Resistance is futile: 10 ways you can find NOT to write that novel: http://dld.bz/GV5E @ziggykinsella

Thoughts on realistic sexual tension for your book: http://dld.bz/GSuM

A tip for adding realistic tension to your book: http://dld.bz/GSut

Best Articles This Week for Writers 1/21/11: http://dld.bz/GV4r @4kidlit

Taming Time—Practical Tips to Increase Writing Productivity: http://dld.bz/GSsV

Barnes & Noble makes small -- or big? -- exec changes: http://dld.bz/GV3s

Insufficiently challenged heroes: http://dld.bz/GSs6

How to Find a Direct Line to Your Readers: http://dld.bz/GSsn

How to Feature Your Book on Your LinkedIn Profile: http://dld.bz/GSsc

When Social Media Becomes a Time-Suck: http://dld.bz/GSrG

Making your super characters extraordinary: http://dld.bz/GSqT @cvaldezmiller

10 ways to be awkward at a writers' conference: http://dld.bz/GSqe

The part that a lack of perspective and perception plays in creating crime fiction victims: http://dld.bz/GSzx @mkinberg

How Do You Know if Your Writing is Getting Better? http://dld.bz/GMPA

Why You're Only 1/4 of A Writer And How to Make You Whole Again: http://dld.bz/GMPu

Rediscovering the fun in our fiction: http://dld.bz/GMNN

Reading like a Writer: http://dld.bz/GMNe

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Vegetarian Split Pea soup http://bit.ly/f64jeW @CleoCoyle

Advice From An Editor: The Three-Word Non-Magic Formula: http://dld.bz/GMFW

B&N lending features are disappearing: http://dld.bz/GMA6

Is It Just Too Much to Ask of an Author? (Huff Post): http://dld.bz/GJm9

Writer's Platform Vs. Writer's Foundation: http://dld.bz/GJmv @HeatherMcCorkle

8 Tips To Launch Successful Challenges at Your Blog: http://dld.bz/GJfU

How original do you have to be? Writing for a market: http://dld.bz/GJfJ

Links addressing whether our manuscript is ready for querying: http://dld.bz/GJdW @bluemaven

The difference between "pitch" and "query": http://dld.bz/GJd9

6 Mistakes That Make Your Website Look Like a 1970s Kitchen: http://dld.bz/GJd6

RT @KMWeiland Need to brush up your grammar? Useful site for a crash course: http://tinyurl.com/94rou

Formatting Your Manuscript – 25 Lines Per Page: http://dld.bz/GHtM @jhansenwrites

SFF and the Classical Past, Part 1: Atlantis: http://dld.bz/GHtb

Writers' group etiquette: http://bit.ly/grDtrM

Self-Editing for Writers: Part 1, Mechanics: http://dld.bz/GHqD

Steps toward establishing a writing habit: http://dld.bz/G7Ne

5 Tips for Freelance Mentor Relationships: http://dld.bz/G7MD

Authors, don't take offense at changes your editor & production team make to your book: http://dld.bz/G7Mp

How to Optimize Your Blog for Google: http://dld.bz/G7Fw

An agents says--Be Careful Over-working Your Story. You Will Never Finish: http://dld.bz/G7Fp

Blog design counts-- tips on what to avoid: http://dld.bz/G7Fb

Steampunk thoughts: the novels of Felix Gilman: http://dld.bz/GxKD

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Leftovers and Editing http://bit.ly/fV6s3V @CleoCoyle

Do-Overs: 10 speculative fiction books that got major rewrites after they were published: http://dld.bz/GxKe

How to be a Writer and Have a Life: or, Livin' the Dream: http://dld.bz/GxMk

Trying to Explain Characterization: http://dld.bz/GxKS

Writing The Next Book: http://dld.bz/GxJ3

How blogging helped one writer find an agent: http://dld.bz/G7Aa

The Increasing Importance of the First Chapter: http://dld.bz/G7AR

Need inspiration? A coffee break for writers: http://dld.bz/GBqK @elspethwrites

Developing a Unique Voice - Links, Tips, and a Useful Tool: http://dld.bz/G7AC

Interesting post on narrative distance: http://dld.bz/G6cD

What your writers block may be telling you: http://dld.bz/G6b7 @flawritersconf

Unknown and unpublished: enjoy it while it lasts: http://dld.bz/G6aK

Finding--and Leading With--Theme: http://dld.bz/Gy7R

Free Books Aren't Free: http://dld.bz/GxGH

Setting the Right Tone for Your Story: http://dld.bz/GxGn

Branding: The Secret to Selling More Books (Huff Post): http://dld.bz/GxFY

Wikipedia is the non-fiction writer's best friend (Guardian): http://dld.bz/Gxb7

Foreign Rights: Not for the Faint of Heart: http://dld.bz/Gxbc

Edgar Nominees 2011: Mystery Writers of America: http://dld.bz/G6jk @janetrudolph

5 Reasons to Tackle Freelance Projects You Don't Love: http://dld.bz/GxaY

Is the Print-and-Pray Model of Book Publishing Dead? http://dld.bz/GxaV

Each scene in our book needs to earn its keep: http://dld.bz/G5Cz @authorterryo

Should I Mention My Blog in My Query? http://dld.bz/GwZP

With All the Hype, Is Self-Publishing Really for You?: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself (Huff Post): http://dld.bz/GtBN

Beat Procrastination With a Stopwatch: http://dld.bz/GtB3

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Combatting the Weather With a Southern Favorite—Goulash! http://bit.ly/gFl4no @CleoCoyle

Critiquing with grace and a little panache: http://dld.bz/GsP9

Reject the "New Rules For Writers" (Huff Post): http://dld.bz/GsPm

The 2 Guaranteed Ways to Ruin Your Novel: http://dld.bz/GsNY

An agent with conference tips: http://dld.bz/GsN4

One writer's experience with Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award process: http://dld.bz/GsE3 @hartjohnson

A Writer's Quick-fix Toolkit: http://dld.bz/GsNb @jammer0501

More Cuts at Borders (Publishers Weekly): http://dld.bz/GxHw

Showing your characters' emotions through dialogue: http://dld.bz/GsFr @Paize_Fiddler

Editing made easier: http://dld.bz/GsPK

How Authors Move Their Own Merchandise (Wall St. Journal): http://dld.bz/GxF3

The Writing Process: From Idea To Print: http://dld.bz/GnHR

The Snowball Effect of Social Media: http://dld.bz/GnHM

Finding Book Endorsements: http://dld.bz/GnHn

Non-Fiction–The Road to Becoming an "Expert": http://dld.bz/GnGT

What Makes a Hero: http://dld.bz/GnGC

Me or You? Choosing Between First and Third POV: http://dld.bz/GnFR

A litmus test for your opening scene: http://dld.bz/GkGx

6 Common Dialogue Mistakes to Avoid: http://dld.bz/GkuZ

The Problem - and Reality - of Adding -LY: http://dld.bz/GkuV

Why one tweeter says 'no' to RTs: http://dld.bz/Gkut

Combining characters: http://dld.bz/Gkud

Looking back on past writing goals and tweaking them for the future: http://dld.bz/GktF

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: The Particular Happiness of Orange Cake by Cleo Coyle http://bit.ly/f1n2xY @CleoCoyle

4 business moves you'll never regret, as a writer: http://dld.bz/Gh2V @wendypmiller

Writing children's fantasy--what sets it apart from other fantasy: http://dld.bz/GksS

An interesting journey--one writer goes from self-published success to agented author: http://dld.bz/GkkD

Authors weigh in on being published by small presses (and thoughts on distribution): http://dld.bz/GkgT @LadyGlamis

Keeping characters real by allowing them to be moody: http://dld.bz/GnMc @elspethwrites

Know thy hub: http://dld.bz/Gkg5

NPR's new short fiction contest is on (LA Times): http://dld.bz/GnJS

The best practices list--for writers: http://dld.bz/Gjfz

How to write a press release for your book--8 tips: http://dld.bz/Gjfj @alexisgrant

The Neil Gaiman master class for writing--headhopping vs. POV shifts: http://dld.bz/Ghyk @SimonCLarter

The Cons of a Freelance Career: http://dld.bz/GaAH

How to Write a Synopsis When You Have Lots of Characters in Your Story: http://dld.bz/Ga9J @chucksambuchino

New Rules For Writers: Ignore Publicity, Shun Crowds, Refuse Recognition And More (Huff Post): http://dld.bz/Ga9r

An additional post on openings--defining our characters at the start of our book: http://dld.bz/GkjM @p2p_editor

Openings: In the Beginning . . .: http://dld.bz/Ga8Y

Lessons from the Slushpile: Good vs. Great: http://dld.bz/Ga8N

Be Focused, Be Prepared, Be Committed – Steps to Take Before Hiring a Publicist: http://dld.bz/Ga7g

40 tips to become more productive: http://dld.bz/Ga6Y

Edits vs. Revisions: One on One Death Match: http://dld.bz/Ga3f

How to Make Powerful Connections Through Social Media: http://dld.bz/Ga2G

Jospeh Conrad – A Writer Must Believe: http://dld.bz/Ga25

5 desk exercises for writers (or others who are attached to their desk): http://dld.bz/Ga2z

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Winter Salad with Black-Eye Peas and Spinach http://bit.ly/f26GZg @CleoCoyle

Avoid this "writing contest": http://dld.bz/Ga2h

Trade magazines for writers: http://dld.bz/Ga2b

3 fixes to make your first novel fly: 1 – hook your reader by the head AND the heart: http://dld.bz/GazX @dirtywhitecandy

Why ebooks cost so much: http://dld.bz/GazT

10 Steps for Working Past the "This Stinks" Blues: http://dld.bz/GazM

What the powers-that-be think about DRM, and an explanation of the cloud: http://dld.bz/GazA

One reader's top 10 paranormal picks for 2011: http://dld.bz/FSfq

Creating empathy for your characters: http://dld.bz/FSfe

How to create a podcast: http://dld.bz/FSeU @thecreativepenn

Tension vs. Just Plain Old Annoying: http://dld.bz/FSeE

Using Setting to Help Build Your World: http://dld.bz/FSe7

How novels came to terms with the internet (Guardian): http://dld.bz/FSem

America's most literate cities: http://dld.bz/FSdG

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Welcome Our Guest Blogger Terry Odell: What's in a name? + Honey and Orange Glaze... http://bit.ly/fUvLGJ @CleoCoyle

When the Bookshelves Spilleth Over: Ideas and Links for Book Donations: http://dld.bz/FSdv

Creating unforgettable settings--world building: http://dld.bz/FSdn

An illustrator's process in the spotlight: http://dld.bz/FSdh

An agent believes that writers who don't read their reviews limit their potential for growth: http://dld.bz/FNpD

Let's call the whole thing off: http://dld.bz/FNpr @sarahlapolla

This post rates a rare 2nd tweet from me...just b/c I think it's an easy, clever method for deep POV: http://dld.bz/F8j7

Ways to go from Plod to Plot: http://dld.bz/FNnA

Writing like it's a game of chess: http://dld.bz/FUbY @JustusRStone

Literary tattoos (Guardian): http://dld.bz/FNnx

Tips for making your writing sparkle: http://dld.bz/FRMR

The use of artistically-arranged crime scenes in mysteries: http://dld.bz/FT4k @mkinberg

Gut Editing

A couple of days ago I was at a friend's house, dropping off some craft supplies for the Girl Scout meeting. I was in a hurry, as always, made my goodbyes, jumped in the car, turned the key in the ignition…and nothing happened. And I mean nothing. It wasn't like the car even tried to turn over…and I'd just been driving the darned thing minutes earlier.

I can do a few things with a car—I can change a tire, add some oil…but I'd probably just call AAA auto club to come and do those things, since we have a membership. I had a feeling this problem was battery related so I popped open the hood.

My friend and I looked at the engine dubiously. Finally, I noticed that there was a cable that was kind of flopping around. I frowned at it. "That couldn't be right, could it? Some cable not connected to anything?"

My friend said, "You know, I think that's supposed to clamp onto the battery. See? It's got a red cover on it and there's the green one."

Ahh. I hooked it onto the battery terminal, or whatever it was. I jumped into the car and it started right away.

I know very little about cars, but I do know when something doesn't look right.

I've focused a lot on editing this week, probably because I just finished a slew of it recently. Now I'm back in the creative part again, but the editing still lingers in my mind. So my mind jumped right back to editing as I hurried back home.

I think that sometimes we can overthink the editing process. It seems so daunting (or boring) sometimes, but really…all it boils down to is that we're searching for something that doesn't look right.

Now the car engine was completely unfamiliar to me, so my eye went right to the thing that didn't look right. But with a manuscript, we've been working so closely with our words that it can be hard to get that distance.

Ways that we can distance ourselves enough from a manuscript to find the things that don't look right?

Time: You can put your manuscript down for as much time as possible, then return to it.

Reading aloud: This is a method that I use and it does help quite a bit.

Change of scenery: I really don't know why this works, but it does. If I've written the majority of the book at home, then I'll go to the coffeehouse to edit it, or vice versa.

Different font: I've heard this trick before, but haven't used it. Some swear by putting your manuscript in a completely different font for editing.

What gives you the distance to see when something doesn't look right?

Quick Editing Tip

Microsoft Word 2010 and I have not been getting along, unfortunately. I've been very good to back up, as well as to save work as I go…but I've still experienced data loss.

Yesterday I was writing, carefully hitting 'save' at the end of each paragraph—and Word froze right before the end of a long paragraph. So I lost the sentences.

It wasn't a lot of text lost, but it was enough to make me take a 30 minute break in irritation. :)

When I sat down again to rewrite the paragraph, I tried to capture the feeling and gist of the previous paragraph. I'd written quickly and I couldn't remember my exact word choice.

I used different phrasing and I think the order of the sentences was different—and I know it reads a lot better than what I'd originally written.

I'd kept only my vague impression of the old paragraph. I had the gist of the scene but rewrote it in a fresh way.

This was accidental editing (that I sure wasn't planning on doing yesterday), but I've used the technique on purpose when editing manuscripts before.

Each draft of every manuscript I've worked on has had a mixture of strong and weak scenes.

When reading the first draft, I'll mark scenes that stand out as weak with a comment to myself in the margin, using Word's commenting feature.

After I've finished my read-through, I'll rewrite the weak scenes without looking at them. Well, I'll do a really fast read-through, to get the gist of the weak scene, but not a close-enough reading to be able to remember specific word choice.

The end product is nearly always much better than the old version.

I've found that if I'm looking right at the sentences that need to be edited, I tend to use the same phrasing…phrasing which obviously didn't work and which resulted in the weak scene to begin with.

Have you tried doing blind rewrites of a scene, page, or paragraph? How did it work for you?

How Original? How Edgy? Writing for a Market

One exhilarating thing about writing is that there are so many choices for our story.

When I'm working on the Memphis Barbeque series, the plot possibilities are endless. There are dozens of possibilities for story direction, new characters, and character development.

What I do know when I start writing, is that the book will be set in Memphis. There will be at least one murder (and probably two.) Much of the story's activity will be centered around a barbeque restaurant.

There will not be a lot of profanity, excessive gore, or over-the-top violence.

The lack of profanity, gore and violence is because I know my genre and my readers—and I respect them. I'm writing for a particular market...and readers who might not buy my next book if they're disappointed by a radical departure from cozy norms. Check out these posts from Margot Kinberg (she explains that these subgenre categories help readers find the kinds of books they want) and Alan Orloff (writers should know their audience and the conventions that audience expects.)

The story's setting, the murders, and the centering around a restaurant is due to the series' branding and the expectations of my publisher. This is how we're marketing the series—it's set in Memphis, Tennessee which is a vibrant city known for its barbeque. The series is a culinary mystery series.

When I signed the contract for the series, I agreed to certain conditions. My publisher paid me an advance on the books that I hadn't written yet, and in return I promised to produce something that they could market and put on the shelf—that fit the parameters of the genre.

I was on Twitter the other day and someone sent me a message. They were interested in my agent's name because they had written something that "had never been done before."

I know that many unpublished writers say that they want to write a book that is unique and really stands out from the crowd…or the slush pile.

Of course you should write the book you want to write. The one with the characters that talk to you all hours of the day and night, begging for more lines.

But, if you're looking for publication, I don't think you have to go wildly original. And you don't have to push the boundaries or be really edgy to stand out.

In most genres, there's an audience for what's considered standbys for the genre. And what you see on the shelves in those genres represent, for the most part, what works. What people want to read, what they're talking about and sharing with each other.

It's great to have the breakout novel that defies definition. I think many of us have a book like that in us.

But I think there's a lot to be said for following industry guidelines for a genre and delivering something that can easily be marketed and sold. The type of book that readers of that genre genuinely love to read.

What makes your book unique and not the same as every other fantasy or YA book or mystery out there? Your characters and your voice.

So, if it's the edgy, breakout novel that resists labeling is the one that's asking you to be written, definitely write it.

But don't feel like that's the novel you have to write. There's plenty of room for the old standards. For the kinds of stories that people go back to. For comfortable reads. For what works.

I think it's great to wow an agent or editor with your unique voice and your amazing characters. I don't think you necessarily have to forge new territory with a radically different or edgy plot.

And maybe…once you've established yourself in the industry with with reliable sales, you can more easily find a home for something really unusual or unique or edgy.

I know there are folks who feel otherwise, though, like the man who contacted me on Twitter. What do you think? New territory? Old standards? Which do you see making its way through the slush pile easier?

Keeping Busy While You Wait

Patience is the trait that I admire most.

Unfortunately, it's one of the traits I'm lacking. :)

Actually, I think if I had to name my biggest fault, it would be my lack of patience. I'm always moving, restless. I have trouble sitting still…even when I write. I'll frequently "write" in my head while I'm doing housework or errands.

And publishing? It moves veryyyyy slowwwwly.

There's actually not a single area of the publishing industry that I can think of that moves quickly. Querying? Very, very slow. Contract agreements? Slow. (Usually back and forth between agent to editor a couple of times before getting to us to sign.) Edits? Pretty slow, again mostly due to the back-and-forth nature of it and the need for thought in regards to changes. Book production…oh Lord. That's the slowest of all.

Of course, it takes time to write a book, too. :) Some of the time, they're all waiting on me.

Actually, for most published authors that I know, the process is wait, wait some more, waaaait, then…hurry! Hurry! Make the deadline! Then waaaait. Then there's an insane rush around release time that lingers.

But I never think about the waiting. I'm never anxiously wondering what stage of production my book is in.

I'd ordinarily be the worst person in the world with all the waiting…except that I'm so very busy writing books and working on promoting them.

My mother sometimes will ask me, "Now when is your book coming out? Everyone is asking me!" I'll tell her it's June and she'll exclaim over the wait. And…each time I'm surprised by her reaction. It hasn't felt that long on my end. For one, I think I'm just getting used to it.

But really, it's just my busyness. Who has time to think?

Unfortunately, publishing wasn't designed with impatient types in mind.

I think, if we spend too much time thinking about the wait—particularly if we're waiting to hear back from queries—then it just makes things worse. I can't think of a single productive internal monologue that I've had when I've felt impatient and anxious. They always end up making me feel worse.

If you're waiting on something to do with publishing (queries, contracts, your release)…have you tried writing another book? What else do you do to keep yourself busy while you wait?

Editing Made Easy (Or At Least Easier)

After I finish a first draft, I start into my edits right away. And boy, is there usually a lot of editing to do!

Looking at the manuscript as a messy whole is sometimes overwhelming.

To get me started on the right track and help myself feel a little more enthusiastic about the chore in front of me, I usually start out with some easy edits that make a big difference.

The first thing I do is a find {ctrl F} for my favorite words. I'll find a lot of 'justs' and 'sighs.' This takes only minutes to do, but makes me feel a little more cheerful.

Not sure what your favorite words are? Some folks use Wordle, which highlights the most common words in a manuscript.

The next thing I look for are weak words and words to investigate…because I might need to make the sentence stronger: That, seem, there, might, something, 'to be' verbs (like was ____ing), had, very, so, little, almost. This takes a bit longer, but is still really easy. Terry Odell has a nice post on using Word to eliminate problem words.

I have some new words to look for, too. There was a great post on Write it Sideways last week about filter words. Quoting the post, filter words are "those that unnecessarily filter the reader's experience through a character's point of view."

Those words are (again, quoting directly from the blog):

to see to hear to think to touch to wonder to realize to watch to look to seem to feel (or feel like) can to decide to sound (or sound like)

So, to give a quick example, a sentence using the filter word 'heard' might look like this:

John heard the siren.

Without the filter word, you could have this:

The siren blared.

Basically, you're putting the reader in John's shoes and deeper into the story.

Of course, you wouldn't want to eliminate all of these words. And there are plenty of situations where you need them—where the wording would be too awkward otherwise.

But it's a great place to start with editing, I think. It's nothing if not easy. You can search for the words and just take a quick look at the sentence and see if it can be stronger or worded better.

When I knock out these easy fixes, it just helps me feel more confident about knocking out the rest of the mess. :)

Are there particular words that you look for? What words do you commonly use as fillers?

Best Practices…for Writers

There's a term that I keep tripping over—'best practices.' I've seen it in literature my husband brings home from work, and my son has been studying it for a business class he's taking. It's also mentioned on television from time to time.

According to Wikipedia:

A best practice is a technique, method, process, activity, incentive, or reward which conventional wisdom regards as more effective at delivering a particular outcome than any other technique, method, process, etc. when applied to a particular condition or circumstance. (Wiki)

I thought I'd put together a sort of best practices list for writers of the advice I've heard and read most frequently from other writers.

Writing:
Set a writing goal, either daily or weekly.
Don't be too critical of yourself during the first draft.
Try to be flexible about the times and places that you write.
Keep dialogue tags simple.
Showing rather than telling is usually more effective.
Make sure your book has enough conflict.

Read. It helps if you've either been an avid reader or are one currently.

Find what works for you (outlining or no-outlining, edit as you go or later, research now or later) and do it.

Connect with other writers who understand and appreciate what you're going through. Others close to you may or may not.

Editing and Revising:

Try putting away your manuscript for a while.

Be aware of industry standards for word count for the genre you've written--and try to conform to the standards, if you plan to submit for publication.

Find an honest critiquer to offer constructive criticism. But still respect your gut.

Read the book aloud.
Printing the book and revising on paper may help.

Querying

Research agents, focusing on those that represent what you write. Check the agents against Writer Beware and Preditors and Editors.

Research dos and don'ts of query writing (lots of advice on these agents' blogs): Rachelle Gardner's Rants and Ramblings, Bookends, Query Shark, Pub Rants, Babbles from Scott Eagan.

Expect rejection and persevere. Learn what you can from any feedback you receive.

After Signing Your Contract and Following the Book's Release:

Respect your editor. Think twice before arguing over a change.

Market, in some form, with as much enthusiasm as you can. Make sure your publisher is aware of your efforts.

Manage your time, especially online time.

Be careful of what you say online..on your blog, when commenting on others' blogs, when Tweeting, while on Facebook.

Keep writing. Write while you're submitting, write while you're waiting for your book to release. Not only does it keep you busy, but it's great practice.

Obviously, the most important thing is to find out what works best for you, then do it. :) What works for you…what would you recommend for a 'best practices' list for writers?

Twitterific

Here are writing links that I've posted to Twitter for the past week.

If you're looking for a particular topic, just plug in your keyword into the search box at the top left-hand corner of the blog (on the black header right above my blog name…next to the Blogger symbol…the small search window is next to the magnifying glass) and the roundup with your subject will come up. To narrow your search down on the page, do a CTRL+F, type your subject, and hit enter.

I'm also archiving these posts in what I hope is an easily searchable format—if you look at the Twitterific tabs under the blog's heading, I'm posting the links there, too.

How Do You Decide on Your Author Brand? – Part One: http://dld.bz/FJZj and Two: http://dld.bz/FJZP

When Dialogue is nothing but "Blah, Blah, Blah": http://dld.bz/FJX3

The use of artistically-arranged crime scenes in mysteries: http://dld.bz/FT4k @mkinberg

Secret Weapons of Successful Self-Publishers (Huff Post): http://dld.bz/FJTZ

3 Things to Do While Querying: http://dld.bz/FJT3

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Now, kill two New Year's resolutions with one recipe! http://bit.ly/dRWnXW @CleoCoyle

6 things one author wishes she knew when writing her first novel: http://dld.bz/FJTk

Crossing over with YA: http://dld.bz/FJS5

Tall, Dark, And All Wrong: http://dld.bz/FJSb

5 Ways to Develop Consistency in Writing & Blogging: http://dld.bz/FJpB

Best articles this week for writers-- 1/14: http://dld.bz/FJpm

Tips for high concept writing: http://dld.bz/FJeh

How to fall back in love with your story: http://dld.bz/FNnT @WeronikaJanczuk

Deepening Your Character's Needs: http://dld.bz/FJdX

The Character of the Successful Writer–A New Level or a New Devil?: http://dld.bz/FJdD

7 Reasons Why Writers Need To Start Using Video For Book Promotion: http://dld.bz/FJd8 @thecreativepenn

SEO and Social Networking for Writers (Who Don't Have All Day for It): http://dld.bz/FJdv

Tips for speaking on panels: http://dld.bz/FJgu

Point of View: A Cheat Sheet: http://dld.bz/FJda

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Winner - BWW Contest http://bit.ly/he6JXm @CleoCoyle

The evolution of how @janefriedman uses Twitter: http://dld.bz/FKfZ

How Soon Do I Query Again? http://dld.bz/FJc7

Saying "I'm a Writer" - The 6 Stages of Responses from Others: http://dld.bz/FJcg

Developing Characters While Waiting in Line: http://dld.bz/FJx9 @LauraMarcella

Why it's a good idea to promote other writers: http://dld.bz/FBVg

25 Ways To Wake Up Early (And Maybe Get Some Writing Done): http://dld.bz/FBUW

Worldbuilding: The Art of Everything: http://dld.bz/FBSF

First Vs. Third: Point of View and Character Development: http://dld.bz/FBS4

The best font for a book: http://dld.bz/FBSx

Appositives: Quick Lesson From the Style Guide: http://dld.bz/FBSu

7 Ways to Get Your Blog Posts Shared On Facebook: http://dld.bz/FBSq

The Agent's Role in Today's Digital Book World: http://dld.bz/FBSh

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Julie's Favorite Salad http://bit.ly/ht9Ulh @CleoCoyle

The Making of a Novel: Courage to Tell Your Best Story: http://dld.bz/FB8K

26 Tips to Enhance Your Experience on LinkedIn: http://dld.bz/FB8h

Maintaining Your Sanity and Your Blog: http://dld.bz/FB8c

Signs of a bad writing day: http://dld.bz/F8cu @elspethwrites

Smart Self-Publishing: How to Get Published Without Getting Scammed (Huff Post): http://dld.bz/FBsd

Tips for radio and print interviews for writers: http://dld.bz/F8k3

How To Avoid Preachy Writing: http://dld.bz/F8km

Intern Tips: The Query Edition: http://dld.bz/F8kh

5 Mistakes to End Your Freelance Career: http://dld.bz/F8jN

Are These Filter Words Weakening Your Fiction? http://dld.bz/F8j7

Thanks to @SGRedling & wkee.com for my radio interview! Streaming live Fri. at 8:35 EST, if you'd like to tune in.

Why you should consider guest blogging: http://dld.bz/F8ju

The Greatest Challenge Agents Will Face: Standardization of Terms: http://dld.bz/F8hQ

Got an idea for a book? Let it stew: http://dld.bz/F6Yt

Why Writers Persevere In the Face of Doubt: http://dld.bz/F8kM @storiestorm

Taking The Emo Out of Emoticon: http://dld.bz/F6Yn

Putting Critiques to Good Use: http://dld.bz/F6Yg

RT @thecreativepenn Writing Mysteries With Elizabeth Spann Craig http://bit.ly/eg1Jdd

7 Myths About Freelance Writing Online-- http://dld.bz/FxA4

How One Writer Became a Twitter Freak in Less than a Week: http://t.co/0kBnRxK @jhansenwrites

How to speak publisher - B is for Blad: http://dld.bz/FxAz

How to Write a Readable Writing Blog: http://dld.bz/FxAn

8 Ways To Convey a Professional Image When You Work from Home: http://dld.bz/FxAg

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Let's hear it for LIBRARIANS!!! http://bit.ly/gfYxta @CleoCoyle

How Spell Check CAN Be Helpful When Proofreading: http://dld.bz/FxAb

The Neil Gaiman Master Class in Writing--Openings: http://dld.bz/Fx8D @WritingAgain

Should Writers Complain Publicly About Hardships? http://dld.bz/FxzR

Writing from the Garret: The Joys and Dangers of Readership: http://dld.bz/Fxz8

Gotten stuck? Try the good vs. evil trick for getting unstuck: http://dld.bz/F3dM @SGRedling

Resist the urge to explain: http://dld.bz/Fxzn

Low Paying Freelance Writing Gigs: Jump Off That Train, Quick!: http://dld.bz/FxyF

Can You Launch Your Book Without Losing Friends, Family, or Your Mind? http://dld.bz/Fxyj

Tips for starting out with your writing blog (or improving it): http://dld.bz/Fxuh

Want to write a mystery? My tips, from my interview with @thecreativepenn : http://dld.bz/FxwH

Formatting your manuscript – the silent scream: http://dld.bz/FxtU

7 Common Homonymic Spelling Errors: http://dld.bz/FxtF

How to let a scene write itself: http://dld.bz/FrRH @jammer0501

The 7 Secrets of an Indie Editor: http://dld.bz/FrR8

Thinking of pitching a non-fiction book? 5 questions to ask yourself: http://dld.bz/FxBp @JanetBoyer

Social Media and the Myth of the Master: http://dld.bz/FrRh @TAOXproductions

Plotting for Your Antagonist: http://dld.bz/FrR6

Tips for planning a writing convention: http://dld.bz/FrR3

50 Things to Tweet About: http://dld.bz/FjPw

A post on writing for trade magazines: http://dld.bz/FjPr

What Books Topped Bestseller Lists the Week You Were Born? http://dld.bz/FjPe

Are Publishers Becoming Technology Companies? http://dld.bz/FjNV

Got ISSN? http://dld.bz/FjN3

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Rice Pileau (Also Pilau. And Perlo. And Pilaf…) http://bit.ly/hSFdCV @CleoCoyle

Writing milestones--editing: http://dld.bz/FjNh

9 Types of Listeners' Responses - on Twitter and Everywhere Else: http://dld.bz/FjGx

Is Your Setting Helping Or Hurting? 3 Tips To Bring It Alive: http://dld.bz/FrSq @AmieKaufman

Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu…Who Knew?: Words Without Borders' Surprise Hit: http://dld.bz/FjJ7

10 reasons one writer doesn't share early drafts: http://dld.bz/FrNv @elspethwrites

How one writer approached self-publishing: http://dld.bz/FjMT

Reading Writers' Houses: http://dld.bz/FjKV

Thoughts on changing editors: http://dld.bz/FjMx

How using lists can help you write your book: http://dld.bz/FjMg

Turn Social Networking into Character Development: http://dld.bz/FjK8

10 signs you're a published writer: http://dld.bz/FjJX

Equipping yourself to write--4 tips: http://dld.bz/FkzA @camillelaguire

Interactive fiction in the ebook era (Guardian): http://dld.bz/FjJ4

An editor answers questions about whether you can mention celebrities, lyrics, etc, in your book: http://dld.bz/FjHR

Vital Secondary Characters: http://dld.bz/FjFZ

Does your writing echo? Tips for eliminating repetition in your writing: http://dld.bz/Ffqk @jhansenwrites

Developing Your Unique Writing Voice: http://dld.bz/Fe7v

How to Dish Out Backstory in Digestible Bites: http://dld.bz/Fe7u

I don't usually tweet classes, but will now: http://dld.bz/Fkwy Took it in '09 & credit it for my blog & Twitter success. @blogbooktours

How to get ideas for stories – be gullible: http://dld.bz/Fe7g

The 2 Ways Writing Keeps You Off the Streets & Out of the Bars: http://dld.bz/Fe4Z

Electronic cover letters: http://dld.bz/Fe6h and http://dld.bz/Fe6j

12 Email Marketing Mistakes To Avoid: http://dld.bz/Fe63

Should You Consider a Small Publisher? Part I: http://dld.bz/Fe8j

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Cleo Coyle's Most Useful (and Useless) Kitchen Gadgets and the Perfect Hot Dog http://bit.ly/i40kBA @CleoCoyle

One mother's writing habits: http://dld.bz/EZTM

Why the popularity of the Kindle means that writers need stronger beginnings to their books: http://dld.bz/EZnY @hartjohnson

Realistic, challenging writing goals: http://dld.bz/EZUc

Need writing resources? An impressive list of links for your writer's toolbox: http://t.co/4IzJWvj @jhansenwrites

The power of positivity: http://dld.bz/EZTA

Ideas vs execution: http://dld.bz/EZT4

On critiquing--pros and cons for when to offer constructive criticism: http://dld.bz/FeAC

5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary: http://dld.bz/EZTv

Is the Query System Dying? http://dld.bz/EZTs

Three Tips To Writing A Better Book Proposal: http://dld.bz/EZSG

Keeping It Readable: How Not to Write Dialogue Like Mark Twain: http://dld.bz/EZSD

The ABCs of character development: http://dld.bz/EZSC

Starting a book with the protagonist vs starting a book with a circumstance: http://dld.bz/EZS3

Building relationships with blogging: http://dld.bz/EZSw

A Twitter Case Study of an Author Brand: http://dld.bz/EZSh

Word formatting 101: http://dld.bz/EZkN @authorterryo

10 Tips for Your New eBook Reader: http://dld.bz/EWhs

Using Your Premise to Create Plot: http://dld.bz/EWhe

14 Lies We Tell Ourselves about Writing: http://dld.bz/EWhd

Recommendations for Debut Authors: http://dld.bz/EWgG

Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 1/7/11): http://dld.bz/EWfJ

If You're Watching The Clock, You Ain't Really Writin': http://dld.bz/EWeB

Are You Using "There" as a Crutch? http://dld.bz/EWef

Top Reasons People Won't Read Your Blog: http://dld.bz/EJk3

The Contradictory Nature of Great Fiction: http://dld.bz/EJkq

The journey of the eBook (slideshow): http://dld.bz/EJjN

Five Favorite Love Stories and Why They Work: http://dld.bz/EJjH

How POV Can Solve Your Writing Troubles: http://dld.bz/EJjB

Fiction editing checklist: http://dld.bz/EJj5

17 Killer Writing Tips for an Internet Audience: http://dld.bz/EJhM

How to Exhibit at Book Industry Tradeshows: http://dld.bz/EJgm

Signs you are Query Worthy: http://dld.bz/EJge

Reasons not to be afraid of reading while you write: http://dld.bz/EJfv

The First Day of the Rest of Your Life: http://dld.bz/EJfa

Avoid Capital Offenses When Using Job Titles: http://dld.bz/EJeR

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Welcome Guest Blogger Lois Winston! http://bit.ly/ijygVK @CleoCoyle

Style blunders in fiction: http://dld.bz/EJeN

Backlinking bootcamp (learning how to use backlinks effectively on your blog): http://dld.bz/EJdQ

Creating unforgettable settings: http://dld.bz/EJd4

Should we finish writing a bad book? http://dld.bz/EJcY

10 of the best explosions in history (Guardian): http://dld.bz/EEEW

The Sparkle in Our Writing

I have a neighbor who is interested in my writing and frequently asks me questions about it. She's from South America and expresses herself in refreshing ways sometimes.

One day this week she called me on the phone around lunch to ask me something about our girls' drama class. "Elizabeth," she said, "I'm sorry to have to call you! Did you have the inspirations and I am interrupting them?"

Sadly, no. I was actually writing when she called, but I was definitely not having the inspirations. Being on a schedule, though, means writing every day—and not just when I'm inspired. The story comes out just as easily, even when the muse is silent. But the words don't sparkle as much.

I've gotten over the lack of sparkle in the uninspired days because I know I can add the sparkle later, in revisions.

The sparkle to me in a book is the feeling I get when reading it that the author was enthusiastic. And, maybe, that the characters themselves are enthusiastic and vibrant as they face whatever challenge they're up against.

Sometimes it's hard to put my finger on exactly what makes for sparkle. But this is what I've been able to find that helps:

Strong verbs—Usually they show instead of tell. And sometimes if you look for 'to be' verbs like is, was, been, you can find passive construction that could be written stronger.

Vivid imagery-- adjectives that go the extra mile (using all the senses.) Words that add texture.

Clever metaphors and similes. Just a dash. Too many and I tend to see the puppet's strings.

Precise nouns—Try not to overuse pronouns. And name things—"the diner" is Bo's Diner. "The chair" could be a rocking chair, an armchair, or a recliner.

Varied sentence structure—Something a little different than a subject-verb start. And both short and long sentences.

Characters that are animated instead of stagnant. And that can be both literally animated—they're in motion—or that their speech is lively.

What do you do to bring the sparkle back to your writing?