Circle of Fire Virtual Tour Day Six – On Self Editing
In keeping with the virtual tour format of addressing questions I usually get on tour, I've got another writing one for you, this time on self-editing.
Self-editing is one of those things that sounds so straight-forward, so… self-explanatory. We've all heard other writers say (and have said ourselves), "I'm revising XYZ book."
But I have to admit that my idea of revisions and self-editing have changed since I started working with my agent and editor. In the early days, I looked for obvious problems. Slow parts, timeline errors, things that jumped out at me as being "off" in some way, and typos. Oh, the time I spent scouring my manuscripts for typos! If only I could have just THAT time back I could write at least three more whole books.
Working with my agent, and later my editor, to revise my manuscripts has taught me so much. I'm very aware of how fortunate I am to have that experience and how much better it's made me as a writer, so I'm going to share with you some of what I've learned.
Following are things that my agent and editor are mostly likely to point out as problems;
1. Pacing issues. a well-written book has a certain flow. It's not super fast in some places and super slow in others. It moves smoothly, pulling you through the book from beginning to end without feeling like your yawning sometimes and wondering WTF just happened others. In YA, a compelling beginning is especially important. I read a lot of adult literature, and I'm constantly amazed at the difference in pacing. It isn't at all unusual to spend 100 pages building up to something with an adult book. If you do that in YA, you're dead.
2. Don't start with a bunch of meaningless backstory to give the reader a "feel" for your characters before the "real" story begins. This plays into pacing. Start with the scene that's most important to the actual plot. Anything you're tempted to stick in before that scene can probably be woven into the rest of the book or isn't necessary at all. I'm not kidding when I tell you that I cut about 100 pages from my beginning before we submitted to publishers. I cut long past the point where I felt like I couldn't cut another word and still say what I wanted to say. I was wrong.
3. Character development. You may feel like you know your characters really well. How they speak, how they move, their mannerisms, the things they like and dislike. But does your reader? Because that's the only question that matters. Each of your characters should be distinct so that the reader has a clear idea who they are and what sets them apart from everyone else in the book. This is true even of secondary characters. Spend some time thinking about how fleshed out your characters are and how much your reader will feel like they really know them. This is especially true if you tend to "rush to write" like I do. That is, research and forethought aren't my favorite part of the writing process – writing is. So sometimes I stick a name and description in just so I can start writing. I have to remember to go back and add more detail as the character becomes more real to me.
4. Relationship development. Same as above except this applies to the way characters relate to one another. Is it realistic? Is there a basis for their interaction, a history or reason why there may be jealousy or love of compatibility or a particular fondness or dislike. Do the relationships show growth and change where it's applicable to the story?
5. Logic. This is a big one, especially in sci-fi and fantasy. Some things can be just because they ARE. But some things can't. Knowing the difference is critical. There must also be logic in the things a character does and says. They can't just decide to look in an old warehouse that magically holds the next clue to the mystery. There has to be a REASON they go there, and it has to be a reason that would hold up in real life.
6. Questions. If you or your reader have questions, they must be answered. This applies even to little things. You have to respect your reader enough to know when they will have questions and to answer them. Believe it or not, this was a tough one for me. I rebelled against it for a long time and found my agents questions in editorial letters maddening; Why would Edmund take Henry to the river? Why would this happen? Why would they go here? Why would she think this? Etc, etc! But he was right. If the reader has to stop to ask themselves these questions, you haven't done your job. Worse, the reader has STOPPED READING to try and figure it out. And your goal as a writer is to KEEP them reading. My agent really did ask why Edmund and Henry would be down by the river. And I really was maddened by it! I thought, "Because they like it there!" was enough. Turns out I needed just a little bit more, and now when you read that part in Prophecy (it's a teeny, tiny part), you'll find a very brief explanation that does the job.
7. Endings. The reader needs a satisfying ending. In Prophecy of the Sisters, I set out to create an epic, old-school trilogy, one in which each of the books was dependent on the others a la The Lord of the Rings. This was cause for much discussion and hand wringing between my editor and me. We needed to give the reader of Prophecy some kind of glimpse of what lay ahead and some kind of closure, but I was really adamant about ending the book where I did. We ended up adding some things, deleting some things, and moving some things around. Some readers were still not satisfied with the unresolved nature of the ending (though I imagine that's less of an issue now that book two, Guardian of the Gate, is available and they can just go out, buy it, and keep reading), but I think they're more satisfied than they would have been had I not made the changes I did.
8. Formatting and typos. I list this last for a reason. Obviously, you want to send out a professional, properly formatted, clean manuscript. But don't focus on these things to the exclusion of the bigger picture (like the things listed above). An agent will not reject your manuscript because of a couple of typos nor will an editor who otherwise loves your story decide not to purchase it because you have six spaces above the chapter heading instead of seven. Spend your revisions time where it matters.
I know a lot of this must seem obvious. But it wasn't to me. I spent a lot of time focusing on the wrong things. I wish I'd known more! I hope this does a little bit to clarify the types of things you should focus on when revising your own work. If you can give yourself a few weeks away from the manuscript before working on it, all the better. You'll always see more with a fresh eye. I was never able to do this! But I did have a couple of great critique partners along the way who helped me see things I wouldn't have otherwise seen.
Good luck and happy writing!
Tomorrow, we'll celebrate day seven of the virtual tour with a special giveaway for International readers (and a little something for US readers, too)!
Don't forget that you can still enter to win a FREE hardcover of my next book, A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS, if you send me a copy of your Circle of Fire receipt dated no later than tomorrow night at Midnight EST. I addition, everyone who sends in a receipt will receive a signed, Limited Edition bookplate for their copy of Circle of Fire.
Lastly, there's the hilarious Random Shite Giveaway! You can still play to win random shite up until Midnight tonight.
