Jacqui Murray's Blog, page 218
December 20, 2010
Writer's Tip #43: Make Sure Your Timeline is Accurate
When you read your story, does it sound off, maybe you can't quite put your finger on it, but you know you've done something wrong? Sometimes–maybe even lots of times–there are simple fixes. These writer's tips will come at you once a week, giving you plenty of time to go through your story and make the adjustments.
Today's Tip: Make sure your timeline of actions is correct.
Does time track correctly in your story? Make a table showing when sections take place. Have you given characters enough time to get from one place to another? It's a common problem.
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December 14, 2010
Make Your Settings Memorable With These Details
Placing a character in scene is sometimes boring. Same old house, middle-class street, skyscrapers, foreign tourist trap.
Wait. There are some amazing places around the world that should be mentioned if your character stumbles by them amidst the meanderings of the plot. They will truly be considered insider knowledge by your reader and they'll talk about your book for the scene that occurred here.
Check these out. BTW–I got this slideshow from my friend Paul who doesn't have a website or a blog to credit. He is, though, a member of my writer's group. Great guy, should you chance to meet him:
Click to view slideshow.
December 13, 2010
Writer's Tip #42: Avoid Inadvertent Rhyme
When you read your story, does it sound off, maybe you can't quite put your finger on it, but you know you've done something wrong? Sometimes–maybe even lots of times–there are simple fixes. These writer's tips will come at you once a week, giving you plenty of time to go through your story and make the adjustments.
Today's tip: If you unknowingly rhyme some words, rewrite it.
Readers get confused by rhyme. They wonder if that was your intent, and if so, why? Is it a character trait? I've seen that in at least one book–one of the supporting actors would rhyme everything. It was nice, but it was planned. It's not the same if you do it by accident.
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December 10, 2010
Book Review: The Hard Way
by Lee Child
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love action thrillers. They are fast moving, clever, with plots that twist and turn like a disco dancer. The guru of this genre is Lee Child and his character Jack Reacher is the unmitigated king. He usually publishes one Jack Reacher novel a year, but this year, we fans got two. What a wonderful year.
Jack Reacher is handsome in a XXX scruffy sort of way, a highly-skilled fighter, can read people like a Monday morning quarterback and has the bias for action we admire in others. His early life was spent in military intelligence, with many awards chronicling his success. When he retired, he became a drifter, walking across America, getting to know the country he never knew as a child. He's a man's man (quiet, doesn't say much, accepting), strong, damaged by life, but without self-pity. He enables us his readers to try out traits that we wouldn't have the courage to embrace in real life. For example, own nothing. Reacher owns only what he can carry. He buys his clothes cheap and tosses them when they get dirty. His mind is always open to the world around him and he always takes time to explore–a trait we encourage in our children and denigrate in adults. Jack shows us how to do it and make it work.
Reacher accepts whatever life throws his way, which may explain why Lee Child names his alter ego's books with fatalistic phrases like Bad Luck and Trouble. Die Trying. Nothing to Lose. Gone Tomorrow.
And The Hard Way. This is one of the best in the series. The essence of a Jack Reacher story is Reacher as puzzle master. He ends up in the middle of a plot with clues scattered like breadcrumbs. Something catches his attention. Reacher has a few hot buttons, such as mistreatment of military vets or dogs or children. It could be one of those or something else, but once it's on his radar, he doesn't let go until he's put each puzzle piece in its rightful spot. He never runs out of ideas. If one fails, he tries another. Usually, he solves the mystery quickly. Sometimes, it takes longer. In The Hard Way, nothing worked for our hero. By the end of novel, just in time for the climax, Jack came up with one more solution, which he called the Hard Way. I won't spoil it for you, but it brings to mind a time in every person's life when Plan A failed, then Plan B failed, and like dominoes, our world crumbled until all that was left was Plan Z.
That's the Hard Way.
I had one of those recently. I had to print one hundred fifty-page booklets for a presentation. My usual printer couldn't do it, so I decided to use my business laser printer. First I ran out of ink, so had to order more (that's right. Staples didn't carry them). When the toner arrived, my printer broke. I bought a new printer, started all over, but toner prices for new printers were so high, my booklets were going to cost $20 each–beyond my budget. So I went in search of a cheaper printer. Ten days later, I had those darn booklets, but I'd gotten them The Hard Way.
That's what I mean. And once Jack Reacher starts, he doesn't lose.
I wish I could read that book again for the first time. Rarely does a book speak to me so personally about problem solving and life and the human penchant for tenacity. Did you read it? What did you think?
December 8, 2010
Word Count by Genre
Here's information worth reposting. I got it from the SCWC blog (I'm attending in February). Check out these word counts. The last 
time I checked, they were longer. Fits what I've heard that publishers want shorter and shorter books:
Word counts for different genres of novels vary, but there are general rules of thumb that a writer can use for how long is too long. For the purposes of this post, I'm only talking about YA, middle-grade and adult fiction:
middle grade fiction = Anywhere from 25k to 40k, with the average at 35k
YA fiction = For mainstream YA, anywhere from about 45k to 80k; paranormal YA or YA fantasy can occasionally run as high as 120k but editors would prefer to see them stay below 100k. The second or third in a particularly bestselling series can go even higher. But it shouldn't be word count for the sake of word count.
paranormal romance = 85k to 100k
romance = 85k to 100k
category romance = 55k to 75k
cozy mysteries = 65k to 90k
horror = 80k to 100k
western = 80k to 100k (Keep in mind that almost no editors are buying Westerns these days.)
mysteries, thrillers and crime fiction = A newer category of light paranormal mysteries and hobby mysteries clock in at about 75k to 90k. Historical mysteries and noir can be a bit shorter, at 80k to 100k. Most other mystery/thriller/crime fiction falls right around the 90k to 100k mark.
mainstream/commercial fiction/thrillers = Depending upon the kind of fiction, this can vary: chick lit runs anywhere from 80k word to 100k words; literary fiction can run as high as 120k but lately there's been a trend toward more spare and elegant literary novels as short as 65k. Anything under 50k is usually considered a novella, which isn't something agents or editors ever want to see unless the editor has commissioned a short story collection. (Agent Kristin Nelson has a good post about writers querying about manuscripts that are too short.)
science fiction & fantasy = Here's where most writers seem to have problems. Most editors I've spoken to recently at major SF/F houses want books that fall into the higher end of the adult fiction you see above; a few of them told me that 100k words is the ideal manuscript size for good space opera or fantasy. For a truly spectacular epic fantasy, some editors will consider manuscripts over 120k but it would have to be something extraordinary. I know at least one editor I know likes his fantasy big and fat and around 180k. But he doesn't buy a lot at that size; it has to be astounding. (Read: Doesn't need much editing.) And regardless of the size, an editor will expect the author to be able to pare it down even further before publication. To make this all a little easier, I broke it down even further below:
hard sf = 90k to 110k
space opera = 90k to 120k
epic/high/traditional/historical fantasy = 90k to 120k
contemporary fantasy = 90k to 100k
romantic SF = 85k to 100k
urban fantasy = 90k to 100k
new weird = 85k to 110k
slipstream = 80k to 100k
comic fantasy = 80k to 100k
everything else = 90k to 100k
Editors will often make exceptions for sequels, by the way. Notice that the page count in both J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series and George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series gets progressively higher. But even authors who have been published for years and should know better will routinely turn in manuscripts that exceed the editor's requested length by 30k to 50k words, which inevitably means more work for that author because editors don't back down. If a contract calls for a book that is 100k words and you turn in one that is 130k, expect to go back and find a way to shave 30k words off that puppy before your manuscript is accepted.
Remember that part of the payout schedule of an author's advance often dangles on that one important word: acceptance.
I cannot stress highly enough that there are always exceptions to every rule, especially in SF/F. Jacqueline Carey and Peter F. Hamilton, among others, have proven this quite successfully. If an agent finds a truly outstanding book that runs in the 200k range (yes, it happens!), he or she may advise your cutting the manuscript into two books to make life easier for everyone. But for a debut novelist who is trying to catch the eye of an agent or editor for the first time? Err on the side of caution with your word count.
Here are some famous novels, old and recent and their word counts.
HARRY POTTERS
Philosopher's Stone….77,325
Chamber of Secrets…..84,799
Prisoner of Azkaban…106,821
Goblet of Fire……..190,858
Order of the Phoenix..257,154
Half Blood Prince…..169,441
Deathly Hallows…….198,227
Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe…36,363
Anna Karenina…349,736
War and Peace…587,287
Gone with the Wind…418,053
The English Patient…82,370
A Prayer for Owen Meany…236,061
Crime and Punishment…211,591
The Brothers Karamazov…364,153
Sense and Sensibility…119,394
Great Expectations…183,349
Ender's Game…100,609
Moby Dick…206,052
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory…30,644
Emma…155,887
The Hours…54,243
The Golden Compass…112,815
The Fellowship of the Ring…177,227
The Two Towers…143,436
The Return of the King…134,462
The Lord of the Rings…455,125
The Tenth Circle…114,779
My Sister's Keeper…119,529
A Tale of Two Cities…135,420
White Teeth…169,389
Atonement…123,378
The Mouse and the Motorcycle…22,416
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn…109,571
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer…69,066
One Hundred Years of Solitude…144,523
Memoirs of a Geisha…186,418
Snow Falling on Cedars…138,098
Cold Mountain…161,511
Midnight's Children…208,773
A House for Mr. Biswas…198,901
All the Pretty Horses…99,277
A Suitable Boy…591,554(est.)
December 6, 2010
Writer's Tip #41: Don't Tell What You Can Show
When you read your story, does it sound off, maybe you can't quite put your finger on it, but you know you've done something wrong? Sometimes–maybe even lots of times–there are simple fixes. These writer's tips will come at you once a week, giving you plenty of time to go through your story and make the adjustments.
Today's tip: Show an emotion rather than tell us it happened.The reader would much rather see a man's anger in scene than have you tell that the character was angry:
Angry, John punched his fist through the wall.
People don't usually punch holes in walls. One reason they would is they're angry. Trust your reader to understand this based on the balance of the scene. Leave out angry. Just say, John punched his fist through the wall.
Here's another:
Stunned, she froze midstride and stared at the horse.
Leave out stunned. You've described the actions of a stunned person so stating the emotion becomes redundant. Never waste the readers time. If you're not sure you got your message across, rewrite–don't add more words.
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December 1, 2010
Book Review: Oxford Essential Dictionary of Difficult Words
The Oxford Essential Dictionary of Difficult Words
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is a wonder if your style of writing is a bit on the intellectual side or if you want an Anthony Hopkins type of character, ala Silence of the Lambs–educated, professorial, cerebral. Their dialogue and interior monologue must include words that are well-selected, pithy, yet meaningful in their spot. They become the signature of that person and the reader recognizes the character's appearance on a scene by their speaking style. If that's not your normal speaking style (as it isn't for most of us), it can be tricky, but not impossible thanks to this book.
In my case, I love words. I keep a list of my five hundred favorite nerdy words (like abecederian and apocryphal). I enjoy finding that one word to replace ten others–
dew point
heuristic
curmudgeon
…or the exact word to fit a circumstance
diaphoretic
heterodox
palindrome
When I bought this book, I curled up in bed and read it before going to sleep. The beauty of well-selected words is calming. So many of them flow off the tongue as though they should always have been there, in my mind.
xenophobic
obfuscate
bibliophile
perspicacity
Oxford Essential Dictionary of Difficult Words also has common words that we-all have likely forgotten–
objective
pantomime
raffish
spurious
When I read these, I scratched my head. They aren't difficult, but–then it struck me–when was the last time I used them?
For more about beautiful words, check out these posts:
'Whiffling' and Other Beautiful Words
Seven More Favorite Geek Words
Ten Favorite Geek Words–Part I
November 29, 2010
Writer's Tip #40: Use Began and Started Sparingly
When you read your story, does it sound off, maybe you can't quite put your finger on it, but you know you've done something wrong? Sometimes–maybe even lots of times–there are simple fixes. These writer's tips will come at you once a week, giving you plenty of time to go through your story and make the adjustments.
Today's tip: Use 'began' and 'started' sparinglyIt's tempting to say 'She began to laugh' or He started to walk down the road'. Just say 'She laughed' and 'He walked down the road'. You probably aren't chronicling the exact moment she started to laugh or he began walking down the road. The reader doesn't need that much detail. Just include the important stuff–the actions that move the story forward.
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November 28, 2010
9 Reasons Why Readers Stop Reading
I rarely stop reading a book once I've started. Once I've committed, I hate to think I've wasted the time already spent and, anyway,
the story surely will improve or it wouldn't have been published.
There are nine reasons why I do stop, though.
Characters aren't likable.
Plot develops too slowly
Plot is too complicated. I don't understand what's going on. There are too many pieces that don't seem to be connected well enough. I can't keep up.
Plot is unrealistic (and it isn't a science fiction story. Even those should inspire me to willingly suspend my disbelief)
No hook. You've created a dazzling plot, great believable characters, set in a perfectly-described scene, but forgot the hook. Why does the reader care? Will he learn something? Is this a common problem that a lot of readers can relate to? Whatever the hook, it has to be there and be good.
Author is preachy. I don't want the author's opinions on a subject for more than a paragraph. If I wanted preaching, I'd attend a sermon. Same goes for politics. For many, reading is an escape from politics. Let them escape (unless of course, it's a political novel like Alan Drury. Then by all means, go get 'em)
I can't see what's going on. The author hasn't sufficiently fleshed out the scenery, nor filled my senses with the world inhabited by the story's characters
Author didn't do his/her research. I've caught too many errors and no longer trust what the author is telling me. This is especially important in historic fiction–critical, even. A writer can make one mistake, but two is a trend. Three is an end.
Author made mistakes. A character has red hair one scene and black the next. It was a drizzly day when the chapter opened and the characters dress for summer–for no reason.
One I used to consider deadly was POV switches. I hated when the author jumped in and out of characters heads with abandon. Unfortunately, I see that all too often even in good writers' books, so I must be more tolerant. That's a trait that doesn't come easily to me.
What are your reasons?
November 23, 2010
Technorati Finally Noticed Me!
I don't know why. I've done nothing different. I write 3-4 blogs a week, chat with fellow bloggers, search out a few new ones every week, make sure my content is exciting and interesting. In short, I follow all the rules that should make for a great blog, but Technorati has consistently ranked me right around 25,000-ish with a 120-125 authority. That gets no one's attention.
Then, three things happened:
I checked my Technorati authority and found it up to 467. 467! Where'd that come from? I have no idea. With that, my ranking increased to 6967 (meaning dropped, meaning improved)
Amazon placed a massive order. By massive, I mean humongous–eight times my normal order. I'm a small press, so coming up with that volume became a daunting project. First, my printer broke. I bought a new printer. Then, I found out the cost of toner for my shiny new machine was well beyond what I had been paying on the six-year old printer. Producing my series of textbooks in gleaming laser color had become cost-prohibitive. I had to outsource. That meant emails, phone calls, trips to printing houses, back and forth with proof copies, before finally, receiving the product. Paying for that many books ahead of sale (Amazon is
Special offer
consignment only) dug into my savings. That'll be my Christmas present to myself, my husband, my dogs, probably even my kids. They better sell fast or… Well… Or what? What are my options? In fact, Amazon holds all the cards. They reserve the right to ship back to a seller any overage books at the seller's cost. Argh.
Amazon promoted my books in one of their mass emails. Now I get it. That's why they placed the big order. I hope everyone buys a set for Christmas. They make great gifts!
As a result, here's what I did:
I reviewed the blurbs attached to Amazon, my Technorati listing and this blog. I hadn't updated them for a while. Not surprising, things have changed, mostly my vision of what I'm doing here
I prepared a holiday special for book buyers. Buy a book, get the PDF free. That sounds appealing, doesn't it?
Only one task remains. Even if all the books sell, Amazon pays over a month in arrears. What will I do about Christmas?
Enjoy your holiday. I'm off to prepare!
