The Long and Winding (Writing) Road, by Author Janet Sketchley

The earliest notes for my first novel, Heaven's Prey, are dated almost 20 years before it released. In

that time, it went through multiple revisions as I learned how to write. The standard advice to authors-in-training is to finish the manuscript and move on to a new one, learning as they go, but I felt my characters deserved better than that. As long as I could learn how to improve their story, I'd do it.

By the time I signed a publishing contract, I had two stories as ready-to-go as I could make them. Luckily I'd heard multi-published authors talk about the pain of edits, so I didn't bail on my dream when my editors returned files with copious notes and comments. 

What else was there to do than work through it? Because of their skill and my perseverance, my debut novel was strong enough to be short-listed in the suspense category of the 2014 Word Awards (recognizing Canadian Christian writing in multiple genres). 

The editing process taught me ways to improve the sequel before turning it in, but it still needed professional input. Writers are too invested in our projects to be objective. We see what we mean instead of what's on the page.

If editing was the hurdle for book one, self-publishing took that role for book two. My small-press publisher closed its fiction line. I had the option to leave Heaven's Prey an orphan or regain the rights and re-issue it independently. 

The manuscript for the second book, Secrets and Lies, was ready for editing. Friends in the indie-publishing world offered to share what they learned. I became my own publisher.

This was a God thing, timing-wise, and although stressful, it was surprisingly painless. Through my former publisher, I had contacts with the editor and cover artist who'd worked on the first book, and they both take freelance work. 

While my editor worked on Secrets and Lies, I learned how to publish a second edition of Heaven's Prey. This test run meant I knew how to prepare book two on time for its November 2015 release. 

And the hurdle for book three, my current work in progress, releasing this fall: I'd done preliminary character work, and yes, there were vague plot notes, but the first two books took all my attention last year. 

In December I started digging back into the beginnings of No Safe Place, Redemption's Edge #3. It's a whole different mindset to tackle a book I know from draft one will be published. With a deadline.

I'm my own boss, so it's a self-imposed deadline, but I'd like to keep the series momentum with this final book. (Discovering what comes next? That's going to take time. Later.) 

Book one was totally a seat-of-the-pants flight, and the revisions were massive. Number two was more planned, but not as thoroughly as I wanted for the third one. The biggest advantage for them both was unlimited time. If the muse didn't strike, I didn't write. 

These days you'll find me, seat in chair, fingers on keyboard, each weekday afternoon. If the muse doesn't cooperate, it's slow typing, but day by day the word count increases. Because I've discovered the story in advance, I know where I'm going. There are still a few fun surprises along the way.

I'll finish draft one in May and then start revisions. My editing spot is booked for the summer, and I'll contact the cover artist soon. 

The discipline of continuing to write is important. Experts say the best way to market our books is to keep writing quality material. I do what promotion I can, and I love the chance to guest post on blogs like The Borrowed Book, but my biggest investment of time is in the next story.

~~~

Janet Sketchley's newest novel, Secrets and Lies, has recently been short-listed in the 2015 Word Awards. Like Carol in Secrets and Lies, Janet loves music and tea. Unlike Carol, she isn't related to a dangerous offender, has a happy home life, and has never been threatened by a drug lord. May those tidbits continue to hold true! You can find Janet online at janetsketchley.ca. Fans of Christian suspense are invited to join Janet's writing journey through her monthly newsletter: bit.ly/JanetSketchleyNews.

Social media links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JanetSketchley

Twitter: twitter.com/JanetSketchley

Amazon Author Central: www.amazon.com/author/janetsketchley

Pinterest: pinterest.com/janetsketchley/

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Wielding the Editing Scalpel by Author S. Dionne Moore

It’s sharp. It cuts, and a good writer will learn the value of using it with abandon. By wielding the cutting edge of your editing scalpel, you rid your manuscript of weak words, phrases, scenes, and even chapters. And as the word count you worked so hard to achieve falls to the floor in a bloody heap you rejoice knowing your manuscript is stronger for the loss. 

Strange?

Yes. 

Both writers new to the business and writers new to the world of publishing must learn the lesson of the scalpel and learn it well. As a newbie, I balked at the idea of cutting anything from my manuscript. Instead of bravely slicing unnecessary words and paragraphs, I would create a separate file for the precious orphans, thinking I might use them later, or that they might be fodder for another book. 

Only it never happened.

I quickly discovered that anything worth deleting from a manuscript needed to be deleted *permanently*. No tears. No pining after the hours spent creating the words. If they were marked to be cut then they were inferior. Period.

Writing my first 5K short story was quite a lesson in brevity. How to cram an entire mystery into what amounts to about 20 pages. . .? Ugh! I had to cut and cut and cut. But after ten books, I've learned it is for the best to trim and tighten any manuscript. Don't take my word for it, listen to what some of my other author friends and writing peers have to say on the subject:

Author Frances Devine’s response goes to show that applying the scalpel can be beneficial in more ways than one. “I cut several paragraphs a couple of days ago because I'd decided I needed to change the end of a scene. It gave me a new outlook on the next chapter.”

Kimberli Buffaloe isn’t published, but she is learning and maturing as a writer. This statement only proves that: “I've learned to push aside my ego and cut for the good of the story. I don't care if I like the line, scene, or chapter, or if I think the sentence is the most clever thing I've ever written. I've slashed 10k during this revision and know it's probable I'll cut at least 1000 more.”

Author Pam Meyers has learned the value of the scalpel during a revision she did on a manuscript before submitting a proposal. “Once I got into it (cutting words) I loved seeing how the story strengthened as I got rid of the "extra" words. So many times I found I had "Goes Without Saying" or "Resist the Urge to Explain" clauses at the ends of sentences.”

The secret to creating a better story is applying the scalpel. First, you have to learn to see your manuscript not as a work of art, but as a means of communication. Within a manuscript is a theme, a basic idea that you want to convey to the reader. Second, you have to kill ego. As writers we often become so caught up in ourselves that instead of conducting the orchestra of characters, we want to spotlight each one of our “pretties.” The problem is members of an orchestra who vie for time in the spotlight are taking away from the work they have been brought together to produce. Characters are the same way. The writer is the conductor and the characters must work together to create a beautiful story with a common theme. Applying the scalpel returns the focus to the theme of the story and puts the writer back in control. 

My fellow critique partner, editor, writer and jack-of-all-trades, Mike Ehret, sums it up it best: “I have never seen cutting words fail to make a piece better.” 

Have you ever seen the necessity of cutting words from your manuscript to make it stronger? Have you ever read a story where the author would have benefited from applying the scalpel a little more?

Moore enjoys life in the historically rich Cumberland Valley where traffic jams are a thing of the past and there are only two stoplights in the whole town.

She is author of the LaTisha Barnhart Mystery series, complete with a new LaTisha short mystery found in A Cup of Cozy, as well as new historical romance release "A Heartbeat Away" set in Sharpsburg, Maryland--Can a quilt and a hidden message bring enemies together? 

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Editing Services by Mike Ehret of Writing on the Fine Line

In my career as a writer and editor, I've learned to appreciate both the value of editing and the benefit of great writing.

Here at Writing on the Fine Line, I can help you improve your writing as you stay focused on the goal before you. I offer:

• Proofreading
• Copyediting
• Content editing
• Manuscript evaluation

In addition, I can help you prepare a:

• Contest entry
• A one-sheet
• A book proposal

Have a corporate communication need? I can also help with that. 

Michael Ehret loves to play with words and as editor of the ACFW Journal, he is enjoying his playground. He also plays with words as a freelance editor at WritingOnTheFineLine.com, where he often takes a writer Into The Edit, pulling back the veil on the editing process. He has edited several nonfiction books, played with words as a corporate communicator, and reported for The Indianapolis Star.

www.WritingOnTheFineLine.com


Find out more:
http://writingonthefineline.com/they-really-said-that/from-publishing/ (references)

Contact me: opusmle@gmail.com or editor@acfw.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.l.ehret.7?ref=tn_tnmn

Twitter: @WritingFineLine

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Tweaking a Sentence to Add Drama by Donn Taylor

Who would believe that a subject as prosaic as punctuation of compound predicates could help dramatize the actions—and thus the immediacy and interest—of a novel? Yet, with apologies for the pedantry, that is what I will attempt to illustrate today.

First of all, though, I’d like to suggest that no structure of writing is too small for a writer to pay attention to. When the poet and dramatist Oscar Wilde said he had worked all day on a poem, someone inquired what took so much time in a single poem. Wilde replied that in the morning he put in a comma, and in the afternoon he took it out. The best writers do spend time on small details that others may think insignificant.

I would also like to cite a concept proposed years ago by literary critic Stanley Fish, that the meaning of a sentence is everything that happens to the reader as he progresses through it. The skilful writer can speed his reader up or slow him down, as appropriate to the events being described.

Now back to compound predicates: Elements of these are connected by coordinating conjunctions, usually and. Thus:

Light from the Jeep's headlights moved at right angles from the highway and then disappeared.

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/doMqtrIKOMw

However, the sentence cannot be written this way: 

Light from the Jeep's headlights moved at right angles from the highway then disappeared.

The reason is that then is an abverb, not a coordinating conjunction, so it cannot connect the two elements of the predicate. (Yes, I know that sentences written this way appear in many poorly edited manuscripts, but that does not make them grammatically correct.)

However, another grammatical rule says that a comma is often used to mark an omission. In this example, and.

Light from the Jeep's headlights moved at right angles from the highway, then disappeared.

For fiction, this construction has the advantage of suggesting passage of time between the moving and disappearing.

The principle I’m proposing: Use the and to rush the reader through the sentence to suggest continuous action, but substitute the comma for and to make the reader pause, suggesting a time lapse or at least separation of the predicate’s two actions.

Here is an example from my suspense novel Deadly Additive:

The man hesitated, then spoke.

The comma forces a pause, dramatizing the man’s hesitation. That dramatization is lost if the sentence is written with the and, rushing the reader through to the second action:

The man hesitated and then spoke.

Here, from the same novel, are other examples in which I chose to force a pause for dramatization or to show a separation of the two actions. Also provided are the same sentences written the other way, with the and. It’s not that those are wrong. It’s just that they lose the dramatic or illustrative quality of those with the comma.

He nodded toward the eastern mountains, then threw a glance at [his companion].

He nodded toward the eastern mountains and then threw a glance at [his companion].

He held up the guilty document, then thumbed through her other receipts….

He held up the guilty document and then thumbed through her other receipts….

[The victim’s] twitching grew into violent convulsions, then subsided into stillness.

[The victim’s] twitching grew into violent convulsions and then subsided into stillness.

"Fools!" Contreras permitted himself the one exclamation, then asked for details.

"Fools!" Contreras permitted himself the one exclamation and then asked for details.

The rifle held steady, then wavered.

The rifle held steady and then wavered.

The guard came to present arms and back to port, then stepped aside.

The guard came to present arms and back to port and then stepped aside.

He worked his fingers to restore circulation, then shook hands with [his rescuer].

He worked his fingers to restore circulation and then shook hands with [his rescuer].

Deliberately, he touched his forefinger to his lips, then gently pressed it to hers.

Deliberately, he touched his forefinger to his lips and then gently pressed it to hers.

This is a small distinction, and one that may be meaningless to speed readers. But small distinctions like this make the difference between mediocre writing and good writing.

Donn Taylor led an Infantry rifle platoon in the Korean War, served with Army aviation in Vietnam, and worked with air reconnaissance in Europe and Asia. Afterwards, he completed a PhD degree at The University of Texas and taught English literature at two liberal arts colleges. His previous novels include a mystery, Rhapsody in Red, and a suspense novel, The Lazarus File (spies and airplanes in the Caribbean). Poems that he published in various journals over the years are collected in his book Dust and Diamond: Poems of Earth and Beyond. He is a frequent speaker for writers' groups and has taught poetry writing at the Glorieta and Blue Ridge conferences. His current teaching crusade is to promote the writing of good-quality poetry that's accessible to ordinary readers. He and his wife live near Houston, where he writes fiction, poetry, and articles on current topics.

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Announcing a New Freelance Editing Business!

I hope you don't mind that I'm taking this opportunity to let you know about my new business (or that I'm re-using material from the post over on my personal blog...). But for all you writers and authors out there who happen to be following the BB, I thought I'd let you know about my latest endeavor, in case you might find it to be useful to you!

My new website, "Editing Through the Seasons," is up, and I am open for business!

~

What is this all about, you may ask? Let me elaborate...

Why Freelance Editing?

I graduated back in May with a Bachelor's degree in English. I chose to major in English because I love the written word - I love studying literature; I love reading; I love writing; I love editing and proofreading. Getting a degree in English, without any specializations, seemed the best route to allow me to feed my passion and perhaps prepare myself for entering the publishing industry in some form or fashion (maybe as a publicist or an editor, and hopefully someday as a novelist!).

After graduating, I ended up returning home. It's been great being with my family, and my parents were kind enough to give me the summer "off," so to speak. But now the time has come to start working. Since I want to stay around the area for the time being, I'm trying my hand at freelance editing.

What do I love about the idea of freelance editing? Besides the fact that it allows me to work from home and gives me time to spend with my family and work on my own novel-writing, I love the thought of putting my degree and passion to use helping fellow writers and authors. My business is geared toward meeting a writer wherever he or she is at in the story-creating process (at whichever "season" the story is in). Whether someone is just starting out, or whether someone is almost ready to submit his or her work to an agent or an editor with a publishing company, I'm willing and ready to walk alongside that person on the journey, with everything on a "per project" basis. As an avid reader and book reviewer, I can offer general comments on the direction of the novel regarding plot, characterization, etc. And as far as proofreading and copy-editing goes, I am prepared to fine-tune a story in its grammar, syntax, and dialogue.

Preparing for Business

Getting a business started was a little bit tougher than I first imagined - and I keep finding new challenges all the time! But thanks to my daddy, I haven't have to navigate all of this craziness alone.

For those who might be wondering, no need to worry! I have applied for my business license; I have submitted the fictitious business name documents (I still have to advertise in a local newspaper, but that will happen soon!); I have bought the domain name for my website; I have purchased web hosting and figured out (thanks to Google...) the ins and outs of contact forms and such (I'm sure the website will continue to be updated in the days to come, but it's in working order for now!); and I have verified my PayPal account in order to receive payments. I'm sure there are some other little things to figure out, but at this point I am ready to meet my first customer. ;)

Could it be you?

I would be honored if any one of you, dear readers, would be my first customer! If you're an unpublished writer (or even a seasoned author!) who is interested in the services of a freelance editor, I would love to have you check out my website and see if I might be of service to you. =) If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment here or fill out the contact form on my website!

If you're not looking for editing services right now, not a problem! But if you are willing to help me out, it would mean so much to me if you could blog or tweet about my business, post about it on Facebook, or take the button in the sidebar [on my personal blog] and post in on your blog. Spreading the word would be super helpful!! And one other thing: if you could please pray for me and any writers who might contact me, that would be wonderful!

Thank you so, so much to all my blogging and author friends out there who have already encouraged me, prayed for this endeavor, and helped spread the word!! I believe that starting this business after having already been blogging for a couple of years - and after having made such dear friends because of it - is so much less daunting than it would have been if I had started from "scratch."

~ 

Thank you for taking the time to read about my new life adventure! If you're curious about business-launching, freelance editing, or anything of that nature, I'd love to chat with you in the comments section!

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Do Not Disturb, I'm Disturbed Enough!

It happens. People look at me with wide-eyed wonder when I tell them I'm a published author. Sometimes I think it's really cool too. But weeks like this make me wonder if there is something else I could do that pays more money for the amount of work (and stress!) this career path can generate.

This week, for example, I received galleys that needed proofed for my second historical. Then two background outlines were requested, one for my third cozy, which was written so long ago that I couldn't even remember the storyline! The other outline was for my second historical. To top it off, I had a request for a full manuscript that meant I needed to pump out 25,000 extra words. . .

In.

Six.

Days.

Now, besides eating and sleeping, I like to live a little. You know, nothing fancy, but going to church is a must, which meant one of those six days was. . .shall we say, rather unproductive. I think I logged a little over 700 words. Reality check:

24,300 words.

In.

Five.

Days.

Now remember. This request for a full manuscript does not guarantee a contract. No. Not at all. As a matter of fact, five days of commiting my life to my laptop will more than likely mean rejection.

Are.

We.

Having.

Fun.

Yet?

My brain is mush. I have 3,000 more words to go. I need inspiration. Encouragement. A shoulder to cry on. So, a copy of my latest romance to the person who can make me smile the biggest. Because I love you. And because my lips don't remember what an upward curve feels like. (See? I'm in really bad shape!)

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