Scott Harper's Blog, page 3
April 6, 2016
Reading Aloud
A very common writing/editing tip I run across a lot is to simply read your work aloud. This helps you, as the author, to gauge the flow of your words. It also serves to help with sentence length – if it takes more than one breath to read one sentence, then the sentence is too long. It also helps to let the writer know if the dialogue sounds natural, or not.
Once in a while I do a bit of reading aloud of my work for these reasons. But I don’t do it as often as I probably should.
Is it really helpful to do this all the time while editing a manuscript? Is this something I ought to be doing all the time, rather than only here and there?
What do you other writers out there think of this practice?
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
Once in a while I do a bit of reading aloud of my work for these reasons. But I don’t do it as often as I probably should.
Is it really helpful to do this all the time while editing a manuscript? Is this something I ought to be doing all the time, rather than only here and there?
What do you other writers out there think of this practice?
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
Was
Over the years that I’ve been writing professionally, I’ve learned a vast amount about editing. One thing that editors harp on a lot are crutch words – words that an author uses over and over and over and over and over and over again. As an author, it’s very easy to fall into the trap of using a crutch word without even realizing that you’re doing it. One major word that has been brought to my attention again and again is the word “was”. It’s use is grammatically correct. But, with a bit of reworking, just about any sentence that uses the word “was” can be rewritten to omit that word. and sound better. Some editors let “was” slide. Others don’t.
During the editing processes of my award winning, bestselling novel “Quintana Roo, Yucatan“, and my critically acclaimed novella “Quagmire Fen“, I had several discussions regarding “was”. Long story short, a lot of repetition of the word ended up being cut from both of those projects.
Now, working on “Warder: Changing Guard”, I’ve set myself a personal challenge. Thus far, I’ve held to it. The challenge? To write an entire book without relying on the word “was” even once. “Warder: Changing Guard” isn’t a long book. If it were to be published as-is, right now, it would be 100-pages-long in an over-sized 6×9 format. Still, 100 pages written without using “was” even once…
Doing this has really made me aware of how reliant I tend to be on the word. While reading the work of other authors, I find myself counting how many times they used “was” per page. Sometimes I see it multiple times in a single paragraph.
Eliminating “was” from an entire book has had an interesting effect on it. “Warder: Changing Guard” pulls the reader into things more. It’s far more active, far less passive. It’s amazing what refusing to use one single word, even one time, in a book can do for the story!
Here’s hoping that all of you like “Warder: Changing Guard” as much as I do right now!
Oh! About the length of “Warder: Changing Guard”… The plan, currently anyway, is to release each “Warder” book as an e-book only to start with. Then, when several are out, to publish several of them at a time, three or four, in paperback. An original story will likely accompany them in the paperback edition.
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
During the editing processes of my award winning, bestselling novel “Quintana Roo, Yucatan“, and my critically acclaimed novella “Quagmire Fen“, I had several discussions regarding “was”. Long story short, a lot of repetition of the word ended up being cut from both of those projects.
Now, working on “Warder: Changing Guard”, I’ve set myself a personal challenge. Thus far, I’ve held to it. The challenge? To write an entire book without relying on the word “was” even once. “Warder: Changing Guard” isn’t a long book. If it were to be published as-is, right now, it would be 100-pages-long in an over-sized 6×9 format. Still, 100 pages written without using “was” even once…
Doing this has really made me aware of how reliant I tend to be on the word. While reading the work of other authors, I find myself counting how many times they used “was” per page. Sometimes I see it multiple times in a single paragraph.
Eliminating “was” from an entire book has had an interesting effect on it. “Warder: Changing Guard” pulls the reader into things more. It’s far more active, far less passive. It’s amazing what refusing to use one single word, even one time, in a book can do for the story!
Here’s hoping that all of you like “Warder: Changing Guard” as much as I do right now!
Oh! About the length of “Warder: Changing Guard”… The plan, currently anyway, is to release each “Warder” book as an e-book only to start with. Then, when several are out, to publish several of them at a time, three or four, in paperback. An original story will likely accompany them in the paperback edition.
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
May 28, 2015
"Quintana Roo, Yucatan" News
Some great news arrived earlier today in my e-mail regarding my award-winning, bestselling book "Quintana Roo, Yucatan": http://www.amazon.com/Quintana-Roo-Yu...
The book jumped from 1,276,913 all the way up to 195,205 on Amazon's ranking over the past few days! Thank you, everyone!
Here's the books listing here on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
The book jumped from 1,276,913 all the way up to 195,205 on Amazon's ranking over the past few days! Thank you, everyone!
Here's the books listing here on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
April 10, 2015
Sasquatch Novel Update
The sasquatch novel that Desirée Lee and I have been working so hard on is nearly finished. We’re a bit over 60,000 words into it. This draft should wrap up quickly. We’re still looking for the right title for the book. Nothing we’ve come up with yet fits it, and sounds less than cheesy. So, we continue tossing title ideas around. We’re also doing a lot of back and forth discussion on what the book’s cover ought to look like.
In the meantime, we’re still looking for sasquatch researchers to read the book, and review it before it’s released. I talked about that in more detail in a recent post.
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
In the meantime, we’re still looking for sasquatch researchers to read the book, and review it before it’s released. I talked about that in more detail in a recent post.
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
March 26, 2015
"MoonWraith" on Patreon
The webcomic “MoonWraith” (www.MoonWraith.com) by Desirée Lee and myself now has a page on Patreon. Please give it a look: https://www.patreon.com/MoonWraith
For those of you not familiar with Patreon, it’s basically a crowd-funding site to help artists make a bit of money from their endeavors. “MoonWraith” is a free webcomic. Desirée Lee and I don’t see a penny of return for all the time and effort we put into writing it, or creating the artwork for the series. As such, we take time away from paying work to create something free for our fans. “MoonWraith” is currently being looked at – again – by a producer. This one is looking at it as a possible TV series. Several people have been interested in turning “MoonWraith” into a series, or movie. Thus far, though, no one has put the resources into doing so. Until that happens, “MoonWraith” is bringing us no money. Even if such a film or show happens, as long as the producer and/or network allows the webcomic to continue, we plan to do so.
Fans who help support the “MoonWraith” webcomic via the new Patreon page will be helping us to put food on our table, and clothes on our daughter, and still allow us to devote the time to bringing you fresh “MoonWraith” content each and every Monday.
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
For those of you not familiar with Patreon, it’s basically a crowd-funding site to help artists make a bit of money from their endeavors. “MoonWraith” is a free webcomic. Desirée Lee and I don’t see a penny of return for all the time and effort we put into writing it, or creating the artwork for the series. As such, we take time away from paying work to create something free for our fans. “MoonWraith” is currently being looked at – again – by a producer. This one is looking at it as a possible TV series. Several people have been interested in turning “MoonWraith” into a series, or movie. Thus far, though, no one has put the resources into doing so. Until that happens, “MoonWraith” is bringing us no money. Even if such a film or show happens, as long as the producer and/or network allows the webcomic to continue, we plan to do so.
Fans who help support the “MoonWraith” webcomic via the new Patreon page will be helping us to put food on our table, and clothes on our daughter, and still allow us to devote the time to bringing you fresh “MoonWraith” content each and every Monday.
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
Researcher Reviews Requested
Please forgive the alliteration of the title of this post. I just couldn’t help myself.
A few times here before I’ve made mention of the new book that my wife Desirée Lee, and myself are working on. The project I’m referring to is the still as yet untitled sasquatch novel. As a progress report, I’d like to let you all know that we’re over 58,000 words into the current draft. Anyway, we would like to include reviews of the book by sasquatch field researchers, and/or groups. Either whole reviews, or small snippets from those reviews.
If you are a sasquatch researcher, if you’d be willing to read a digital copy of the book’s manuscript before it’s published, and if you’d be willing to give us permission to use any or all of your review in the book (or on the book cover), and allow the publisher to use said material for promo purposes, then we want to hear from you. Please get in touch with me me via the “Contact” page on my website. The more responses we get to this, the better. So, please share this around as much as you can. The more visible this post becomes, the more potential sasquatch researchers that are likely to see it.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
A few times here before I’ve made mention of the new book that my wife Desirée Lee, and myself are working on. The project I’m referring to is the still as yet untitled sasquatch novel. As a progress report, I’d like to let you all know that we’re over 58,000 words into the current draft. Anyway, we would like to include reviews of the book by sasquatch field researchers, and/or groups. Either whole reviews, or small snippets from those reviews.
If you are a sasquatch researcher, if you’d be willing to read a digital copy of the book’s manuscript before it’s published, and if you’d be willing to give us permission to use any or all of your review in the book (or on the book cover), and allow the publisher to use said material for promo purposes, then we want to hear from you. Please get in touch with me me via the “Contact” page on my website. The more responses we get to this, the better. So, please share this around as much as you can. The more visible this post becomes, the more potential sasquatch researchers that are likely to see it.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
December 27, 2014
Umbral Press
Umbral Press, the publishing company co-owned by Desiree Lee and myself, is still seeking new submissions from authors. We’re also looking for qualified editors to edit those submissions, and help get them prepared for publication. Prior to the very recent past, Umbral Press was an invite-only publisher. It’s only been in recent weeks that we’ve opened up for anyone to submit to us. Umbral Press is still very small, but we’re looking to grow the company. The more authors we publish, the better.
Please see the “Submissions” guidelines on the website for author requirements.
Please see the “Contact” page for information on how to apply for a job with us as part of our editorial staff.
Umbral Press publishes fiction only. Everything we publish has some element of fantasy, the paranormal, horror, mystery, steampunk, etc. to it. Any given work may, or may not, contain erotica, or other adult content. So, anyone applying for a position as one of our editors, please let us know when you apply if such adult content is something you don’t want to read. That way, if you’re hired, we’ll know not to assign any such projects to you.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
Please see the “Submissions” guidelines on the website for author requirements.
Please see the “Contact” page for information on how to apply for a job with us as part of our editorial staff.
Umbral Press publishes fiction only. Everything we publish has some element of fantasy, the paranormal, horror, mystery, steampunk, etc. to it. Any given work may, or may not, contain erotica, or other adult content. So, anyone applying for a position as one of our editors, please let us know when you apply if such adult content is something you don’t want to read. That way, if you’re hired, we’ll know not to assign any such projects to you.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
E-Piracy
My wife, who you all know as bestselling, award-winning paranormal author Desirée Lee, recently found several pieces of her work on yet another pirate site. This is very upsetting to us both. While it’s flattering, as an artist of any type, to have people want your work so badly, piracy is a crime. When someone downloads a book via a pirate site, the author receives to royalties from that. It’s not a book sale. It’s a book theft. There’s no other way of describing it.
When you download a book from a pirate site, everyone loses. The author loses the royalty money for what would’ve been sale. The publisher loses the money they’d have made from their cut of that book sale. Any sites or stores that would otherwise have sold that book loses the money they’d have made on that sale. And the person who made the illegal download has lost because they’re now a common criminal.
Please do not use pirate sites. Not now. Not ever. No one wins when you do. Everyone loses. Authors, like any artist, can’t do what we do without support. When you use pirate sites you’re yanking that financial support right out from under us. You’re telling us that you don’t care about us, our families, or our work. You don’t have the respect for us, or the decency, to actually buy our work. Instead, you’re simply stealing it.
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
When you download a book from a pirate site, everyone loses. The author loses the royalty money for what would’ve been sale. The publisher loses the money they’d have made from their cut of that book sale. Any sites or stores that would otherwise have sold that book loses the money they’d have made on that sale. And the person who made the illegal download has lost because they’re now a common criminal.
Please do not use pirate sites. Not now. Not ever. No one wins when you do. Everyone loses. Authors, like any artist, can’t do what we do without support. When you use pirate sites you’re yanking that financial support right out from under us. You’re telling us that you don’t care about us, our families, or our work. You don’t have the respect for us, or the decency, to actually buy our work. Instead, you’re simply stealing it.
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
“Quintana Roo, Yucatan”
As you all know, I’m an award-winning, bestselling author. “Quintana Roo, Yucatan” (http://www.amazon.com/Quintana-Roo-Yu...) is the book that gave me those titles. It’s also the longest book I’ve written to date. It’s 564-pages-long in paperback. The outline for this book was longer than any one of my first three finished novels were! To check this book out on Amazon, please click on the above book cover image, or the title.
“Quintana Roo, Yucatan”
Rikki Breitenberg is an archeologist in charge of the first team of American documenters allowed by the Mexican government to explore newly discovered Mayan ruins in the Yucatan. However, shortly after their arrival in Mexico, things go awry. Treacherous jungle, inclement weather and dangerous wildlife are only the beginning. When Rikki and her team run afoul of members of an ancient cult devoted to the worship of a bloodthirsty god, things take a terrifying turn for the worse. During their struggle for survival, the team makes a startling discovery that may rewrite the whole of human history. Will they survive to bring their amazing find back to civilization?
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
“Quintana Roo, Yucatan”
Rikki Breitenberg is an archeologist in charge of the first team of American documenters allowed by the Mexican government to explore newly discovered Mayan ruins in the Yucatan. However, shortly after their arrival in Mexico, things go awry. Treacherous jungle, inclement weather and dangerous wildlife are only the beginning. When Rikki and her team run afoul of members of an ancient cult devoted to the worship of a bloodthirsty god, things take a terrifying turn for the worse. During their struggle for survival, the team makes a startling discovery that may rewrite the whole of human history. Will they survive to bring their amazing find back to civilization?
Scott Harper
www.scottharper.net
“Quagmire Fen”
Several projects are in the works here. Some of them are books of varying lengths. I look forward to returning to work on them. Lately, however, film and comic book projects have been keeping me away from book projects. Once the screenplay-in-progress is wrapped up, the next thing on my agenda is a return to one of the novels-in-progress. I look forward to that.
Right now, though, “Quagmire Fen” (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B0GHQL4) is my most recent release. It was released in January of 2013, and is my first novella. Please click on the title, or the cover image to be taken to its listing on Amazon.
“Quagmire Fen”
Bog skulks are small, mysterious creatures with vicious teeth and claws. They turned up in Quagmire Fen some time ago. No one seems to know what they are or where they came from.
Spencer Foster is a young man who has lived his entire life in the poor backwater of Quagmire Fen. He despises the swamp, and wants only to leave and start a new life in the city with his girlfriend. But his callous drunkard of a father has other ideas.
Very soon, Spencer’s life is irrevocably changed. His destiny is now linked to the bog skulks and Quagmire Fen.
What are the bog skulks? Where did they come from? What is the connection between Spencer Foster and the odd beings he’s given so little thought to?
Scott Harper
http://www.scottharper.net
Right now, though, “Quagmire Fen” (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B0GHQL4) is my most recent release. It was released in January of 2013, and is my first novella. Please click on the title, or the cover image to be taken to its listing on Amazon.
“Quagmire Fen”
Bog skulks are small, mysterious creatures with vicious teeth and claws. They turned up in Quagmire Fen some time ago. No one seems to know what they are or where they came from.
Spencer Foster is a young man who has lived his entire life in the poor backwater of Quagmire Fen. He despises the swamp, and wants only to leave and start a new life in the city with his girlfriend. But his callous drunkard of a father has other ideas.
Very soon, Spencer’s life is irrevocably changed. His destiny is now linked to the bog skulks and Quagmire Fen.
What are the bog skulks? Where did they come from? What is the connection between Spencer Foster and the odd beings he’s given so little thought to?
Scott Harper
http://www.scottharper.net
