Monthly Archives: October 2011

ROW80 check in 10-30-2011

Posted on October 30, 2011 | 7 comments

Here were my goals and stats for this week:

1:  Decide on the beginning on my novel

Thanks everyone who took the poll.  Results were 77% for Stuck in a closet, and 23% for fruit throwing.  This actually made me feel good, because I was leaning toward “Stuck”.  I am going to review all the comments now, and spruce up “stuck” a bit before I officially place it in the manuscript.

2:  Finish my short story – First draft done.  My first short story in over eight years.  Yeah for me!

3:  Do at least one, maybe two “Manuscript Rejection” lessons on my blog – Squeezed the second on in last night.  Done

4:  Begin editing 19,000 words from my novel- Glad my goal was just to “begin”.  150 pages are edited, and I am only down about 200 words.  That’s a little scary because “stuck in a closet” is actually longer than the current beginning.  Erghhhh.

This week’s goals:

1.  Re-vamp “Stuck in a closet” and finally insert it into my manuscript.

2.  Try to attend a “Getting published” seminar on Tuesday as long as it doesn’t snow again.

3.  Host a session for my writer’s group on how to build a successful blog. (Still shaking my head that they asked me.)

4.  Try to work out at least once (I think I might have to count Trick or Treating to get this done-That’s 1/2 mile of walking)

5.  Cut 1,000 words out of my manuscript

6.  Start a beta read that I have been sitting on (Sorry, J)

7.  Do one regular blog, and two ROW Check-ins.

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Lesson Twelve from the Gold Mine Manuscript Red Line: How Are Your Characters Feeling Today?

Posted on October 29, 2011 | 13 comments

For an intro into where these tips are coming from, please see my post: A Full Manuscript Rejection, or a Gold Mine?  You can also click “Rant Worthy Topics” in my right navigation bar.  Choose “Gold Mine Manuscript” to see all the lessons to date.

“Magellan walked back from the library slowly, feeling exhausted from studying all day.”

Sorry, Gellan.  You’re not allowed to “feel exhausted”.  I have totally failed you as a mother author.  (Don’t you feel like their parents sometimes?)  Anyway… .

According to this publisher, Feeling, Felt, and Feel are very telling words.  They are right up there with “look” for setting off the “no-no” meter.  Instead of using these words, we should be showing our readers how our characters feel instead.  Give us actions that show us that he’s tired without telling us that he is.

Errghhh. Okay…

“Magellan dragged his feet as he walked home from the library.  He could barely keep his eyes open after studying all day.”

Okay, they are forgiven.  Point taken.  The second one is better.  The word count does suffer a little in this example, but I could probably have done better if I gave it a little more thought. (They might even consider “barely keep his eyes open” as tell. too.  I could have probably done better there, as well.)

Another bad telly sentence that I would have been guilty of before seeing the Gold Mine Manuscript was something like:

“Magellan was exhausted.  He dragged his feet all the way home”
There is no reason to say “Magellan was exhausted” and SHOW that he is exhausted right afterwards.  Just delete that first part, and stick with the showing part and it will sound much better.

This tip, will definitely help make your manuscript stand out from the others.  I still have to stop myself from doing this.  For some reason, I naturally “tell” First, and then I show.  I don’t know why.  I’m starting to catch myself, but sometimes it’s tough.

Hope this one helps.

If you don’t get it, please drop me a line, and I will discuss in more depth. I think this is a really good point that a lot of people seem to be stumbling with (me included).  I saw it a lot critiquing a recent 250 word contest.  Set yourself apart by trying to avoid it.

Jennifer Eaton

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Posted in General Writing Tips, Gold Mine Manuscript

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Q & A Panel “Getting Published”

Posted on October 27, 2011 | 2 comments

I know most of you are probably nowhere near NJ, but a few of you might be close enough to take advantage of this.  For those of you who can’t get there… If I can drag myself away from my kids for a night, I will take notes and share the wealth (as always)

Tuesday, November 1, 7 PM: Panel/Q&A, “GETTING PUBLISHED.” Cherry Hill Library (1100 Kings Highway North, Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08034-1911 ).  Jennifer R. Hubbard appearing with Jon Gibbs, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Kristin Battestella,  Mike McPhail and Jonathan Maberry of the New Jersey Authors Network.

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Posted in General Writing Tips

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ROW 80 Check in 10-26-2011

Posted on October 26, 2011 | 12 comments

What a week!  And it’s only Wednesday!

I actually finished the first draft of my short story.  It ended up at 2,259 words.  I originally wanted it for a writing contest that was 1500 words.  I could probably cut it down, but I would lose the feel and emotion of the story, so I guess this contest is out for me.  Stinky.  Anyone know of any 2500 word short-story contests?

My Beta-Buddy Jenny Keller Ford won first place for her short story “Baby” on the Midlife Collage Writers contest.  She was also a semi-finalist for Brenda Drake’s  Can you leave us breathless” contest.  Be sure to scoot over to her site and give her a cyber high-five.  She’s on a roll!

No, I was not a finalist in the “breathless” contest.  I read just about every entry.  I was the only middle grade story, so I was not surprised.  I couldn’t compete with sensual kissing, demons, death, gore, drugs, and murder.  Nope, even I will not do that to my kids J.    No biggie.  As usual, I learn something from every contest.  I think I even picked up some new followers from this one “Hi guys!”  I actually enjoyed reading a lot of those entries.  There are a lot of talented people out there.

Jury’s still out on the 50 word synopsis contest.  That one’s being judged by an agent… still holding my breath on that one.  HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT is more up the right alley for that contest.

Ugh.  The bad news.  I started out with 119,567 words in my novel, and I wanted to cut it down to 100,000.  Well…  Sigh. I was doing really great until I hit about page 100.  I had to remove an unnecessary POV and change it to the MC.  In the first draft, the character looks up and sees the MC doing something supernatural.  It was quick, it was easy.  Now, the MC has to feel it, experience it, all from within this huge encompassing scene.  Honestly, I really like how it is coming out.  There is much more feeling.  HOWEVER… now I have 119,845 words.  And that’s after 100 pages of editing done already!  Ugh.  I am in trouble.

Still not daunted!  Trucking along!

Jennifer Eaton

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Omigosh! You have to try this!

Posted on October 25, 2011 | 17 comments

Like Kristina Stanley, who keyed me into this site… I may be behind the times and maybe everyone else knows about Wordle.  But if you don’t you just have to try it!

You load something you’ve written into it, and it gives you a visual representation of the frequency of your words.  The bigger the word, the more you use it.  You can then click on the randomize button, and it will show you different configurations.  It’s different pictures of your words!

I loaded my entire blog just for the fun of it.  This is what I came up with.

I guess I use the word “like” a lot.  Tee Hee.  “Brian” and “Mom” must appear because of my “Cricket Riders” posting.

As Kristina suggested, this has a practical use, too.  You can upload a chapter of your novel, and see if you overuse any words. This is what I came up with when I loaded Chapter 4 of my novel.  If you want to see it bigger, click on the picture.

It’s dead on, because Magellan is the main character, and Meagan is the only other person in the scene.  They are talking to each other through a locked door, and he is begging her to “please” don’t go.

This could be addictive.  Great idea, Kristina!

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Posted in General Writing Tips, Senseless Ranting

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Lesson Eleven from the Gold Mine Manuscript Red Line: Pre-Telling

Posted on October 24, 2011 | 5 comments

For an intro into where these tips are coming from, please  see my post: A Full Manuscript Rejection, or a Gold Mine?

I’m not sure I completely agree with this from the angle  where it’s marked, but I’m mentioning it nonetheless.  In the Gold Mine Manuscript, the MC had something weird happen to  him.  It’s something that could possibly  change his life.  One chapter ends  (paraphrasing)  “He had to find the  truth.  He cleaned up the mess, closed  the doors, and formulated a plan.”

The publisher highlighted “formulated a plan” and called it  “Pre-Telling.”  They said this is  telling us what is happening without telling us what “did happen.”  They asked the author to look for instances  like this in the novel and eliminate them.  They wanted her to show them what happened instead.

Now, I read this as a decent chapter close.  It left me wondering what the MC was going  to do.  I think that was the effect that the author was going for.  In my mind,  it gives you a little push to turn the page.  However, my opinion doesn’t really count, does it?  They red-lined it.

Do with this what you like.  I’ve seen this in published work.  Frankly, I didn’t mind it, but somebody “in the know” did.  I suppose, like anything else, once we stop  using little writing crutches like these, and we see what we can do without  them we will realize what better writers we can be.  Which, I suppose is what looking at manuscript red-lines like  this is all about… even if we don’t necessarily agree.

In some cases, you need to decide what is best for you.  However, I would consider trying to write without something like this, and see if you can still get the effect you want without the Pre-Telling.  You probably can.  If you can’t, and you are unhappy,  then maybe you have a decision to make.  Just get ready for the red-line (or maybe not… like I’ve said.  Some publishers have let this go.)

Hope this helps!

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Posted in Gold Mine Manuscript

Row 80 Check in 10-23-2011

Posted on October 23, 2011 | 12 comments

Whew!  This was an action packed week!  I feel like a pest because I needed to post something almost every day.  Sorry about that.  Row80 alone creeps in 2 extra posts a week, and then the contests… Jeez.  Sorry for the email glut

Anyway… My first goal was to write a short story.  I have 1200 words written.  I want to try to make it 1500 to enter a contest, but it might have to be 2000.  I guess I’ll decide when I’m done.  I’m pretty happy so far.  It’s very different from my normal writing.  Not an alien or a space ship in sight!

Second goal:  DONE!  Yes, my novel ends! (At least now it does… Thanks so much Thor for the epiphany!)

Third Goal:  Finish my summary.  YES!  I think I’ve got it!  I have a 1800 word, 800 word, 500 word and a 50 word.  I love them all!

Goals Three and Four:  Enter 50 word synopsis, and “Gasp” writing contests.  DONE.

I also managed to visit about 20 other “rowers”

Goals for this week:

1:  Decide on the beginning on my novel (You can help me pick which one here.  Please take a look if you have a moment.  I’d love as many opinions as I can get.)

2:  Finish my short story

3:  Do at least one, maybe two “Manuscript Rejection” lessons on my blog

4:  Begin editing 19,000 words from my novel

I’m on the home stretch!

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Posted in Row 80

Help me decide on a beginning to my novel

Posted on October 22, 2011 | 10 comments

I’ve been thinking about a comment J Randolph said on one of my earlier posts for Row 80, where I said I had a goal this week of “choosing one of two possible beginnings” to my novel.  She suggested doing a poll.

Well, honestly, I’ve never done a poll, but her comment stuck with me.  I thought… Why not?

I am struggling between two possible beginnings to HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT.  I really like both.  I am steering towards one, but I figured, why not get a few more opinions?

The choices are:  **Drumroll please**

“Fruit Throwing” or “Stuck in a Closet.”

If you look at my header bar, I have placed a separate page for each one.  They are both about 700 words long, and bring you to exactly the same point.  If you’re into it, please read both, and then come back here to vote.  I’d also like to know what you liked, or didn’t like about each one.

I’ll let you know what I decide after I chew on the feedback.

Thanks for your input!

Update:  Poll closed.  Thanks!

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Posted in General Writing Tips, Senseless Ranting

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Can you make us “GASP” contest entry

Posted on October 21, 2011 | 13 comments

Here is my “famous in my own mind” contest entry for Brenda Drake’s “Can you make us GASP” contest.  My poor eight-year-old son still refuses to sleep alone after reading this.  It’s going on two weeks now.  (Sorry, Buddy)

I feel like a horrible mother, but who better to judge a middle grade “GASP” than my target audience?  Now granted, this wouldn’t make a teenager gasp, but it sure knocked the socks off my eight year old.  All in good fun, right?

This is the first 300 words of my middle-grade novel:  CRICKET RIDERS

Enjoy!

————————————————————————-

“Good Night, buddy,” Brian’s mother said, kissing him on the forehead.

“Good night, Mom.”  Brian pulled up his blankets and tried to hide his brother Mark, who was asleep in his bed.

Mom smiled, and pulled down the covers.  “He can’t sleep in here
with you, Brian.”

“Awe, come on, Mom!  He gets scared at night.”

“Really?” Mom said.  “He gets scared, or you get scared?”  She picked up his little brother, and carried him to his own room.

Mom poked her head back in the door.  “You’re too old to be afraid of the dark, sweetie.”

“I’m not afraid,” Brian said, pulling his blankets up to his nose.

Mom sighed.  “Good night, Buddy.”

She turned out the lights, and he curled into a ball.   He heard a thump, and braced himself, but it was just Mom and Dad going to bed.

He held his breath, waiting.

The shuffling noise came first.  Then a scrapping across his dresser.  Something  hit his computer stand, and his monitor popped on like a huge green night-light. 

Brian hid his eyes.  Count to a hundred and it will all be over!  One,
Two, Three…

The sounds kept coming, and Brian could only hold his breath for so long.  He let it out in one big poof.  Everything went quiet.  He froze.

Brian’s heart beat franticly as his computer screen hummed.  He squeezed his eyes shut pretending to be asleep, until it started again.

Shadows crept along the wall as he slowly peeked over his blankets.  Three toy robots walked across his desk, slinking and ducking in the night.  What?  Toys can’t move by themselves!

But they were moving.  Brian tried to hold his breath again, but a scared murmur escaped his lips.  The robots all turned their fiery red eyes at the same time…  and stared right at him.

 There you have it.  300 words.  I hope you enjoyed it!

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Posted in Uncategorized

Wow. It’s kind of weird

Posted on October 20, 2011 | 12 comments

 

I am numb.  I really am.

This week is the three-month anniversary of my blog.

My first post was July 17th.

When I started this blog, I had no idea what I was going to do with it.  I just did it because everyone says it’s a good idea.  I couldn’t imagine that anyone would ever be interested in what I had to say.

Not having any clue what I was doing, I just used it as a journal of everything I’ve learned along the way.  Honestly, I was really using it to force me to type out my thoughts, because I remember things better that way.  It made me really think about topics, and digest them better.  Little did I know that my little lessons for myself were catching on.

When I started getting a few followers, I changed the look of my blog to give it a more professional feel.  I started really taking it seriously.

BAM!  Holy cow.

Wednesday night, I watched my little three-month-old blog reach 1,000 hits. What?  I couldn’t believe it.  If you told me this would happen three months ago, I would have laughed in your face.

I also have all these followers that I don’t even know (Although I am starting to get to know a few of you).   Wow.   This is really cool.

Thanks all of you for tuning in.  I truly hope you are getting something out of my ranting.  Hopefully we will all reach the finish line to publication together.

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Posted in Senseless Ranting

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