If you’re just hopping into the insanity that is my writing life, check out my previous “Writing to a Deadline” posts or this won’t make sense.
I was happily surprised when I sat down to edit, that I had very few things to change. Mostly typographical errors and little things like switching sentence structure to make it flow better.
The one scene that I purposely wrote as “tell” took a little time to work out, but it’s finally done.
So, I took a deep breath, and called in a Beta-reading army. Crossed genres and ages. These are all people I have a fairly high trust factor with:
Two are currently mercilessly ripping apart my novel and making great comments
One is a college professor who teaches creative writing (She has never read my work)
One is a Romance/ Middle-Grade soon to be publisher author who hasn’t read my work (she’s there for that kissy stuff I’ve never done before)
A memoir writer, who also has not read my work
A High Fantasy writer (my writing buddy for the past year or so—-who’s sick of reading my work) (ONLY KIDDING!)
My first ten pages will also be reviewed by three people in a critique group who I’ve never met before.
It’s kind of like submitting to a publisher, but you know these people will get back to you.
Funny, I was more nervous about this beta-read than I was about my novel. Probably because I feel deep down, that the story is pretty solid. After dissecting the Gold Mine Manuscript for seven months, I think I know what NOT TO DO. The question is… did I write what I THINK I wrote.
I also have that deadline looming over my head. And I don’t want to wait until the last minute… just in case the publisher decides to close for submissions early. It’s enough to make you a nervous wreck. Will I have time to make all the changes they might suggest? (If I agree with the suggestions, of course)
It never occurred to me to do an article on Who’s verses whose, because I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem with it. I can see how this could be confusing, however.
I will try to make this as simple as possible.
“Who’s” is kind of like “it’s”. It is a contraction of two words.
Who is going to the store?
Who’s going to the store?
Whose is the possessive form of “Who”.
Who does this book belong to?
Whose book is this?
I believe the problem that may cause confusion is that sneaky little apostrophe. In most cases apostrophe with an “S” denotes a possessive. That is not true for “who”, or for “it”.
It’s just another one of those wonderful little rules that make the English language so much fun!
It’s a little word. So small, so subtle, BUT SO TROUBLESOME.
Yeah, I admit it, I’m an “as” junkie. I love combining sentences. I like the way “as” makes sentences flow together in such a beautiful flowery way. But, unfortunately, too much of a good thing stands out.
The lovely Miss Ravena went through my manuscript and started highlighting my “as” addiction. Oh, what a colorful page I received back!
Did I get rid of every one of them? Of course not. I just reworded sentences where they were not absolutely necessary. I tried to make sure there wasn’t more than one “As” in a single paragraph. In one instance there were three in a paragraph, but I could only drop to two. Anything else and the pacing would have suffered (in my opinion).
So, yes, I still have the dreaded “as” used as a conjunction in my manuscript. Tabu? Maybe a little. I’ll watch for it, but I’m sure I’ll do it again, and again.
It is, after all, an addiction.
You won’t catch me giving up chocolate too soon, either.
I found out why The Monomaniacal Middle Grade Reviewer stopped doing reviews. He read “Fur Face” by Jon Gibbs, and really enjoyed it. However, he knew I wanted him to review it, but he was embarrassed to do one because he met the author at a recent book signing.
“Well, did you like the story?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
“Then what are you worried about?”
I got the lip… If you’re a parent, you know what that means.
He was just self-conscious about it because he was afraid of what he would look like in front of an author that he feels like he knows, even though his review would be positive.
Note to self: Introduce the MMGR to authors AFTER he has given the review.
Anyway… The MMGR’s review of Fur Face was:
(I’m paraphrasing from several conversations over the last several weeks)
It was really good. It was about this cat that can talk, who has to find a kid that can understand him to help him do what he has to do.
(Trying not to drop a spoiler there)
He mentioned an intricate plot that would be hard to describe. There was lots of funny stuff and action, and a big mystery about animals that had to be saved. (Right up his alley)
I didn’t get a star rating on Fur Face, but book two is on his list of “I gotta have it” books.
Now that we’re over that hurdle… The Monomaniacal Middle Grade Reviewer should be returning to the blogosphere very shortly. Yay!
My goal is to get published. At the moment, I am working on a novella for an Anthology. This is where I am:
If you’re just hopping into the insanity that is my writing life, check out my previous “Writing to a Deadline” posts or this won’t make sense.
I’d love to tell you that this outline is absolutely useless, but I’d be lying. I think it is actually helping me.
I keep referring back to it, which is good, because it is keeping me on track.
Since I have my story clearly outlined, I know all of the “little carrots” that need to be dropped early in the story so they are not “big surprise veggie bombs” later. I even caught myself forgetting one, and I had the chance to re-write a conversation that included that little snippet before it was too late.
In the first three scenes, I set up my world (and clearly defined it since it is a Futuristic Dystopian). Introduced all the characters. Gave the conflict of the main character and all subordinate characters.
I looked at my word count— 2,685.
Hmmmm. The submission guidelines say the story needs to be between 5,000 and 10,000 words. Can I finish it in that parameter?
My outline has 26 items/scenes/”things that need to happen”. Some are more in depth than others. I very carefully looked over the list, and placed a word count next to each number. This is how many words I think I will need to get each idea down.
300 here, 500 there, 1000 there, 2000 for the climax. You get the idea.
When I totaled it all up it came to 9,685. That was a bit of a surprise. I thought it would be higher. However, I am also brutally aware that I only have 315 words to spare.
Now, my challenge is to hold to those numbers. If I can’t finish each item it the allotted word count, I need to subtract words from somewhere else.
If you’re just hopping into the insanity that is my writing life, check out my previous “Writing to a Deadline” posts or this won’t make sense.
Wow… one thing that the outline “in my head” wanted me to write just wouldn’t work. Yikes, would I have wasted a lot of time. The whole scene would have been lost in editing.
And I wouldn’t have known that if I didn’t outline first.
Yes, I’m a pantser, and I cringe every time I read over this outline. But it is helping me to figure out how one scene will flow into the next. I stare at the outline every day and make changes to the story before I’ve even written it. It’s a very strange place for me.
Why aren’t you writing yet? Deadline, Jen, remember? What are you doing?
I do most of my writing in the car driving back and forth to work. Okay, stop gasping… I do it in my head. I have a pretty good idea of where key scenes in my outline are going. My question now is whether or not I will be able to write this story in the “10,000 words or under” parameter. Being concise was never my forte.
I am now four weeks in. Yes, everyone else is a month ahead of me. Some of them may have even submitted. The publisher may have already picked a few that they may include in the anthology.
Maybe. I have a little cheat card up my sleeve, though. I am going away to a writers retreat over a weekend. Eight writers closing themselves in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with no internet, and no ambition other than word count.
My challenge to myself is to be completely prepared going in.
Ready, set— go. Write, Edit, Polish, Complete.
When I get home, send it out to Beta readers.
Re-polish.
One last read from whomever I can convince to put up with me
Submit.
Cutting it close? Well, honestly, yes.
Today I actually start writing to my outline. New ground for me. Let’s see how this pantser does.
Stick to the outline, Jen. Stick to the outline.
Resist the urge to explode something. You can do this.
My characters breathe. There. I said it. THEY BREATHE. People breathe, right? Get over it!
Ugh. A beta recently said “your characters breathe a lot.” Hmmmmm. Do they? Nifty little count-it trick to the rescue (Click here if you need the trick)
Yikes! In 50 pages different characters breathed deeply, or took some sort of a breath 23 times!
No No No NO! She smacks herself in the head.
Now…. breathing. It’s normal. Everyone does it, right?
Ergghhhhhh. I think the deep breathing was a spastic reaction to making sure they don’t sigh too much. I guess my sighs turned into deep breaths. Now they all walk around sounding like Darth Vader.
The problem is, this seems normal to me. If I think hard about something, or I am about to say something important, I feel myself taking in a deep breath. Some call that a sigh. Because I do it, my characters do it. I guess I need to curb that habit.
It’s hard though, isn’t it? There are just so many descriptive words in the English language that don’t jostle you out of the story because they are too “odd”. It leaves us stepping, looking, sighing, and taking deep breaths.
Ugh. No one said this writing gig was easy, my friends.
You just have to stop breathing.
I’m talking about your characters. Breathe, QUICK! You’re turning blue!
Whew! That was a close one. You guys gotta stop taking me so literally.
Watch for words you use too much. Trust me, you won’t even see them. Someone will have to point it out to you and make you feel silly.
Sorry Little Blue Lady from Mars. I don’t have time to interview you today.
Unacceptable! I will be interviewed!
Wow! Did you just get bigger? Ummmm… Will you answer questions? Give helpful comments?
Ha Ha! No! I am here to take over the world!
.
.
Ummmmm. Maybe next week.
Today we are talking to the lovely and talented Brinda Berry
Hello, Brinda!
(Imagine Brinda waving madly)
Your first novel, The Waiting Booth was published in 2011. It was your very first published piece, right?
Yes, The Waiting Booth was my debut novel.
Do you have an agent?
I don’t have an agent. I have experience in querying agents but not in obtaining one. That was supposed to be funny. If you are an author, you should be smiling.
A brave lady. Publisher direct, Huh? So, How many publishers did you query before finding Etopia?
I have a spreadsheet with the exact number and details, but I’d say I queried a dozen before receiving the offer from Etopia Press.
What was your funniest/most memorable rejection letter?
Most of what I received were form letters. I don’t remember any specific letter that stands out. It’s all a blur. You begin to feel that you can recite the first paragraph of a rejection letter before you read it.
How did you settle down with Etopia press?
I participated in an online conference with authors and publishers. This conference, Digicon, accomplished two things for me. It gave me tons of information about digital publishing as opposed to traditional publishing. It exposed me to the changes taking place in publishing. It also gave authors the opportunity to participate in online pitch sessions with requested publishers. I received two offers as a result of the pitches. I chose Etopia because of the quality of their published works and their input on my manuscript.
I have a fifty pound poodle that could eat your cairn terriers. Either that, or she’d roll around with them making a mess of the lawn.
I hope she’d roll around with them.
Chloe is licking her chops looking over the screen. Don’t let her bows fool you.
Brinda: One of my cairns believes he is a bull mastiff. If challenged, he acts like a lunatic.
Sounds like a two-on-one puppy derby!
Okay, back on topic. Your first novel, The Waiting Booth, was told in “mostly first person” you switched to another POV in a few chapters. New writers are told to shy away from this. How’d you get away with it? Did the publisher have any concerns?
Although I felt this was the right thing for me to do in my story, I did have reservations. I quizzed my editor about the risk in another POV, and she whole-heartedly supported it. She had no reservations and I trusted her instincts. You will see this again in the second book of the series, Whisper of Memory.
So, interdimensional portals hidden in the woods, huh? Where did that concept come from?
I have a wild imagination. What can I say? Actually, I’ve always loved stories about portals. Also, I spend two hours daily in a car for my commute. I enjoy listening to NPR podcasts about string theory, black holes, and alternate dimensions.
Sexy government agents are always a hoot too.
One of mine is a hoot. The other is just sexy.
Just sexy works for me 🙂 Let’s see… If you had a choice between a pound of Godiva chocolate, or a week’s free Starbuck’s coffee, which would you take?
Could I take 1/2 lb of Godiva with the 3.5 days of Starbucks?
Nope.
You are drill sergeant tough. I guess the chocolate. One Christmas, my husband gave me a 5 lb. box of Godivas. The man loves me.
Yeah for thoughtful hubbies!
I hear you’re an internet junkie. What’s your favorite internet site?
I spend most of my time reading blogs. I like Amazon a lot because you can find anything there. I spend a limited amount of time on social media like Twitter and Facebook.
Yeah, I’m not much for Twitter or Facebook either, although I have met some interesting people on Twitter.
Your new novel, Whisper of Memory, is out on March 16. How long have you been working on it?
I worked on it for approximately three months. That does not include time editing after it was submitted to my editor. After submission and contract signing, you can add several additional months.
Because I work a day job, I’m a slow writer. I hope to get faster at some point (or not require a day job).
Quick Brenda Run!
Aaaaaa!
Okay, I just blocked her with my cyber-super-blog-o-blocometer. We’re safe. Quick, before she breaks back in, tell us about your new novel.
Are you sure it’s safe?
Yeah, I’ve got my finger on the blocometer button. go ahead.
Okay. Whisper of Memory is Book 2 in the Whispering Woods series. It was actually more fun to write since I knew the characters so much better. I like to have lots of action, and it was interesting to create problems for my characters. Mia Taylor, the main character, is a high school senior who is a synesthete. Her sensory perception is different from the norm. Beyond the typical synesthesia experience, Mia is able to sense portals. In Book 1, The Waiting Booth, she wanted to find her missing older brother. This book still includes that goal but adds the tension of a romantic relationship.
Did you have this plot in mind when you finished book #1, or did that come later.
I already had this book plotted when I finished Book 1. Otherwise, the first book might have ended differently.
If anyone wants to get a taste of Brinda’s first novel, here is the trailer. You can pick up book one now so you are all ready for the release of book two in a few days.
Check out the book trailer here!
Just curious, did your publisher ask you for another novel, or did you wave and say “Hi, I have more!”
When I pitched my story for the first book, I let them know that I had plans for three in this series. I was asked to give the details for the entire series arc.
What is one bit of advice you can give to “soon to be published” authors?
One rejection does not a failure make. Seriously. Also, authors should be open to new ideas and challenges.
Great! Thanks, Brinda. As you know, Q & A is a prerequisite to stopping by here. Are you ready to answer questions?
In Part One, I told you about this publisher’s writing prompt. I told you I decided to pass, even though it was a great opportunity. It nagged at me, though. I have written two Epic 400,000 word series. Why the heck couldn’t I do something with this picture?
I opened the web site back up. I stared at that picture. I was brutally aware that I was now two-weeks behind all those happy writers that seemed to be all over this story. I could do this. I stared at the picture some more. I put it on my desktop. Looked at it all the time. Thought about it all the time.
Had I lost my touch?
“Just do it,” my son says. “Just write it. Get it over with and see what happens.” I ground my teeth as my own words came back to haunt me. (See my previous post) Problem was… this was a publisher, not a fourth-grade teacher. They wouldn’t be happy with a “B”. This needed to be “A” grade work.
I had no idea where to start, so I used a trick that I’ve used in my novels when I’m not sure how to start a new chapter. I took the character in the picture— I knew nothing about her, just what she was wearing and a setting.
I sat down to my keyboard, and had her take a simple step. The wind whipped up around her. Her shoes got dirty in the mud. The air chilled her face… I engaged myself into her setting. I allowed myself to feel her.
You know what happened?
Within one paragraph, I knew who she was. I knew where she was going. I knew how she had to get there. I knew why she was going. I knew what she had to do. Her character snowballed in my mind.
Do have a story? Well, no. Not yet. I need more characters. I need to develop those characters. I need conflict. I need antagonists. I need explosions. I need overlying theme and plot.
But I had a start. And, to my surprise, I was suddenly interested in that woman in the picture.
Wow. It has been about 7 months since my beta partner and I sat on the phone pulling our hair out over the comments the publisher made on her manuscript. I think at this point I have hacked up and drilled everything they had to say as much as possible. The rest of their comments are just repeats of the same mistakes throughout the work.
Sooooo….. This is the last one. Thirty posts in all.
So, did this help you? Did you learn from this? I totally did. My novel is much more crisp, clean, and fluid as a result of all this information. I hope you have benefitted as well.
Now the only problem is…. What do I post about on Monday nights from now on?
**GACK** I have no idea!
Here are all the lessons in a sparkly package for you. If you missed one, I’d suggest going back and taking a look. Heck, maybe read them over again to get a fresh perspective.
I hope that you have all benefitted from these lessons as much as I have. I’d also like to send out a special “thanks” to the brave author who was nice enough to allow me to slice and dice her red-lined manuscript for all the world to learn from.
Just out of curiosity, which lessons helped you the most?
I truly hope all of you will have the opportunity one day to add the revised version of the Gold Mine Manuscript into your own libraries. Once it is published, (with the author’s permission) I will let you know so you can all see the value of good clear suggestions, and the results of hard work and editing.
Anyway… The MMGR’s review of Fur Face was:
Yes, The Waiting Booth was my debut novel.
Jennifer M Eaton 