Writing style - tips to share

[M.T.]

J.A. wrote: "Hmmmm tricky... if the baddie didn't know the hero was there, the baddie could be muttering the rules to himself as he worked?"

Ah well, the baddie does a lot front of the hero, so to explain too much would be foolish of him but the hero, being a smart cookie, watches and picks a lot up.

I think it's nearer than I thought. After a day working on it, I've discovered that lot of stuff is there, it just needs a sentence or two to sharpen the focus. Then, with any luck, the beta readers and the editor will take it to bits and I can reassemble it as something a bit tighter.

16 days and then it goes to the first editor and I'll keep tweaking and adding jokes until then (and probably afterwards).

You are right about editing. I have learned so much from the process of producing book 1 and every now and again I notice things I'd never have thought about when I was writing Bk 1. I think I may do what Ali does and bring out the e-book before the paperback so I can absorb any feedback and alts, reduce change fees for Lightning Source etc

It's kind of exciting and a bit scary. I always wanted this but I didn't quite believe I'd do it. I'm really looking forward to launching it now.

I'm guessing we'll be launching our book two's at about the same time, yes?

Cheers

MTM

[Sarah]

JAC, re your suggestion here "...You only have limited writing time, I know but how about getting sneaking in a bit of reading time? Can you go have a read of something absolutely completely different in tone and style just to kind of re-set your brain? "

That's precisely what I was doing when I took 2 days out to work on cover art ;-) It also helps when you're working on more than one book at a time to change books--that is, work on Book A for a while (hours? days?) then next time you sit down, work on Book B even if you want to work on Book A. Having to change gears mentally is usually enough to help see your other work "with fresh eyes" so to speak. Still best to have 6 or more proofreader/ARC readers. I really need to start soliciting for ARC readers here on CR, don't I? oops.

I'm actually working on 3 books but have had to shelve the two Romantic Suspense novels until the SciFi thriller is out. I'll never make the release date I've publicized otherwise but I must say, the two Romantic Suspense novels' characters are chomping at the bit to be heard! Erm, written ;)

[M.T.]

Sarah, great suggestion. Art is an excellent diversion, I got stuck and spent a couple of months drawing the characters... it was great fun. ;-) I just don't have the head space to manage 3 at once or I think I would do just that!

Cheers

MTM

[M.T.]

Sorry to hear that. I do sympathise, as you know, I'm just coming out of a spell of extreme time poverty, myself so I feel your pain. I do have the same problem with edits though, if I miss the December slot, I, too, will have to wait until April. I think that's probably why I've been in such a dither.

Cheers

MTM

[J.A.]

I'm quite whingey at the moment. Not sure e-whinging is good though!!
JAC

[M.T.]

You know the address if you want a rant to get a load off!

Cheers

MTM

[Sarah]

MTM wrote: "Sorry to hear that. I do sympathise, as you know, I'm just coming out of a spell of extreme time poverty, myself so I feel your pain. I do have the same problem with edits though, if I miss the December slot, I, too, will have to wait until April. I think that's probably why I've been in such a dither."

MTM, it's so strange--and welcome!--to hear someone else here, anyone else here say they have been living in extreme poverty. Then I realized my mistake. You said "extreme time poverty" while I thought you referred to my own situation--extreme financial poverty, which has its own issues and seems to propagate issues no matter how many "fires" you put out. When there's no money (not a little but NO money) and you "steal from Peter to pay Paul" all the time, eventually, neither Peter nor Paul can pay either.

I'm currently looking forward to a winter without heat (as our nights begin to hit the freezing mark or lower on a regular basis here in "temperate" No. Carolina) and the idea of having my biggest challenge be that I haven't got enough time in my day seems like a piddling little problem. I'd much rather be "too busy" than risking hypothermia for lack of money when I already suffer malnutrition from lack of food. I dunno. Extreme poverty versus extreme time poverty? I'll take the latter any day!

-sry

[Sarah]

JAC who is this Mike of whom you speak and why is there a "slot" in December in which you have to fit your book or else guaranteed wait until April? I don't get this scheduling. Most editors don't have open Decembers at this point (or at any point) In fact, when I started asking around in August and September I found most were already booked past New Year's and December was a short month since they were not even booking work through the Christmas holiday season. Since I'm Jewish and that's not my holiday, it's hard to not reset the entire country shutting down for 10-14 days (or it'd be easier if the US would just admit to being a Christian country but the PC ppl insist we are a nation of all religions which we definitely are NOT, certainly not when a Christian holiday stops the entire country but no one even knows when other holidays fall unless there's a department store sale advertisement telling them)

If you're trying to "find more time" in an already full day, there are definitely ways to reorganize your life to make more time. It becomes a matter of mental discipline more than actual time management, especially if there are other people (spouses, children) involved.

For all my living in poverty woes, I am "rich" in one thing: I live alone and have 100% control over my time when I'm home. I think that's why I hate so much that Food Lion (my day job) controls more than 50% of my time and a solid 10-15% of my time is GONE being spent sitting in the car doing NOTHING while stressing out in white-knuckle traffic with people on their cell phones instead of driving at 70mph. I hate my work commute more than I hate my work, though losing time and making so little money I can't even meet my basic needs of survival does make my work a close second (grin) I still manage to keep myself focused and disciplined enough to get writing and editing work done on a regular schedule (I set a schedule and stick to it, I mean)

Sometimes all it takes for some people is to have a schedule. Give it a shot, you might "suddenly" have time you didn't know you could have!

[Phil]

Sarah, The Webbiegrrl Writer wrote: "JAC who is this Mike of whom you speak and why is there a "slot" in December in which you have to fit your book or else guaranteed wait until April? I don't get this scheduling. Most editors don't ..."

Sarah, I can't offer you anything more than sympathy, but know you're not alone. There are many of us on these pages, including me, who are grateful for the wisdom, humour and insight of your inputs these past months. Lack of any kind of financial backing, and a partner totally unsympathetic to a writer's muse or needs is familiar territory for me, too.

Sometimes, all one has to fall back on that old Aussie motto: "She'll be right, mate!" The only remaining question is, "When?"

Phil

[Sarah]

Phil wrote: "Sarah, The Webbiegrrl Writer wrote: "JAC who is this Mike of whom you speak and why is there a "slot" in December in which you have to fit your book or else guaranteed wait until April? I don't get..."

thanx Phil. I complain about being broke / in poverty a lot b/c it's so dominant an influence in my life on a daily (relentless) basis but I am actually grateful to have a place to live and ajob that (nearly) pays for it. Some ppl--plenty of ppl--have less! I never forget that. Plus I have y writing. That is worth more than money to me

But thank you for the kind words :)

[M.T.]

Sarah, blimey where did that come from?

Extreme time poverty. An ironic phrase not usually considered offensive here in the UK. So I'm sorry. My bad. It's often used to describe a (sometimes trivial) lack of time, skill, amenities etc ie time poor, skills poor, light poor (ie dark) etc. Rather in the way 'carnage' is often used to describe a bit of a mess, as well as the aftermath of something like the tube bombings.

I'm British, my humour is ironic, laconic and somewhat sardonic. Yeh and probably moronic to the rest of the world.

In addition... In places like this, knowledge is power. Snap judgements, made without it, are sometimes wrong, often unkind and usually offensive.

Doubtless neither I nor JAC have been born. Nonetheless, I wouldn't set myself up to judge the gravity and relevance of other people's problems from a few posts on a forum. Not without any knowledge of the background facts. And Yeh. I would expect other forum members to extend that same courtesy to me.

[M.T.]

Yep. Amen to offline.

Have been brassic also so do sympathise.

However, the thing about people is there is so much about each one you meet that you don't know. So, it can be dangerous to make assumptions.

Pipple toot.

[J.A.]

NB have edited out some previous posts for being off-topic so if the conversation looks odd, that's why!

Back on topic, I am fast coming to the conclusion that rules of punctuation are actually quite different between US and UK. Anyone got views on that?

JAC

[Phil]

J.A. wrote: "NB have edited out some previous posts for being off-topic so if the conversation looks odd, that's why!

Back on topic, I am fast coming to the conclusion that rules of punctuation are actually ..."

I think it's a generational thing, JA. Whether it's the current education system (from what I've seen, ir's not just in my part of the world) but English-speakers of early middle-age or above seem to have a different grasp of language. I don't say either one is better, just different. Perhaps it has always been thus, but it takes some getting used to for an oldie like me.

Phil

[Keryl]

J.A. wrote: "NB have edited out some previous posts for being off-topic so if the conversation looks odd, that's why!

Back on topic, I am fast coming to the conclusion that rules of punctuation are actually ..."

Oh yes. Among other things American authors use commas with reckless abandon compared to English ones.

However, I've also been told that Strunk and White or a Chicago Manual is correct on both sides of the pond, so apparently it's more a matter of the UK being more relaxed about following the grammar rules than having a different set of them.

I've also been told that grammar is no longer a topic taught in Brit schools. Which, if true, might explain the somewhat, sparse, punctuation of the Brit novels I've read.

[M.T.]

I think it is but there was a point in the 1980s when it wasn't I believe... although the grammar they taught me appears to hark from about 1910 as I understand it.

Cheers

MTM

[Sarah]

MTM wrote: "Sarah, blimey where did that come from?

Extreme time poverty. An ironic phrase not usually considered offensive here in the UK. So I'm sorry. My bad. It's often used to describe a (sometimes trivi..."

MTM, no apology necessary! I wasn't offended. I was dyslexic. I simply didn't see the word "time" in there. Or maybe it was a so-called Freudian slip (just not about sex) as in I read what I thought instead of what I saw.

I do have to ask, though, what exactly does brassic mean in your context? That's a Britishism if I ever heard one! :)

[Sarah]

MTM wrote: "I think it is but there was a point in the 1980s when it wasn't I believe... although the grammar they taught me appears to hark from about 1910 as I understand it.

Cheers

MTM"

No, no, no, if it were 1910, you'd have said harken not hark

LOL (I'm going to run and duck for cover now - plus I have to get some work done in the next few hours before I go into work for another crappy shift ...but at least I'm earning a few extra dollars, maybe $3 or $4 after taxes - of course, since gasoline is $3.20 a gallon and I commute 30 miles each way, I'm not actually making a profit, am I?)

[M.T.]

It is pretty niche. It's northern British, Yorkshire, to be precise, for poor.

Cheers

MTM

[Phil]

MTM wrote: "It is pretty niche. It's northern British, Yorkshire, to be precise, for poor.

Cheers

MTM"

Ah, I think I see -- it's an abbreviation for "short of brass", i.e. money, is it?

[M.T.]

I think so... that's definitely the 'brass' in it.

[J.A.]

I heard it was "Brass-sick" originally but can't remember where so that might not be relevant. Definitely Yorkshire though!
JAC

[M.T.]

Ah yes, sounds plausible.

[[deleted user]]

So when I write I don't even know if I have a "style", unless not having one is having a style. Just like I don't like to put myself into a genre. I guess I sort of have my own rules but I don't keep a schedule for myself.... well maybe a long term one. But I have no daily times that I block aside for writing, my inspiration to write comes when it comes. I try to carry around a notebook for any thoughts that come to me wherever I happen to be.

Most of my first draft happens in my head. I think about it and talk myself (quickly) through the plot. While I write my story on the computer I keep a notebook to write down timelines, character bios, (short ones) and direction. I write out by hand a lot of my ideas before I put them to the keyboard, I also talk them over in my head while walking around. I visualize a lot of what I write so I often find myself daydreaming about a scene or drawing it out on paper to describe a setting.

Once I finish writing out the story I go back to make corrections and then take stuff out. I'm learning more and more as I go along. I enjoy the process of storytelling and sharing it with others. I also love the community of writers, editors and reviewers I found that I get to learn from.