Writing Superpowers - Foreshadowing & Eliminating Inconsistencies

 

Today, we wrap up our conversation about writing superpowers. Let's discuss ways to keep readers engaged when characters act out of character and how eliminating inconsistencies in a manuscript creates a better story.  

Have you ever been fully into a book when suddenly your main character does something you would never expect? Does it make you sit up and say, "What just happened? They would never do that!" 

Why do readers feel taken aback when a character acts "out of character?" 

First, readers feel a connection with the main character. They invest time and energy in getting to know that character's thoughts, actions, and motivations. The connection breaks when the character acts in a way they don't expect. An interruption in an established pattern can lead readers to feel betrayed. 

Second, unexpected behavior can seem random if it's not properly foreshadowed. 

Foreshadowing provides a hint of what is coming. Whether it be direct foreshadowing that openly suggests a problem or plot twist, or indirect foreshadowing that drops clues that lead to a revelation for the reader, recommended rules are that foreshadowing be relevant to the plot, subtle so that it creates anticipation or suspense, and properly timed so the reveal is satisfying to readers. 

For eliminating inconsistencies, type out character worksheets and a brief or detailed outline. The spelling of characters' names and their physical descriptions can be as hard to keep track of over a 250+ page novel as the sequence of events from beginning to end. Draw a simple map to remember where each building in your fictional town is located (especially important if you're planning a series). 

How did you enjoy traveling through these writing superpowers? Is there another topic you would like us to cover? Just for fun, are you a plotter or a panster? 

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Edit! Revise! Edit! Revise!

 
         For the past fifteen years I read and heard, “Don’t do any revising or editing until you have finished writing the whole story or book.”

         What! That goes against common sense and everything I’ve learned in all the years I studied, wrote, taught, and read. The reasons I disagree are several, but a main one (and I have seen examples of this too many times) is if an author waits until after he finishes and then changes something toward the start, he often forgets a later part of the story affected by the change but not adjusted. A story develops from the beginning to end, and once written, any change at the beginning makes differences later in the piece, changes that are easy to miss. Thus cohesion and coherence become weak and faulty.

         I know some “writers” who think any major editing should be done by an editor. Let me share something I found in the August issue of The Writer. According to Sam McCarver, the author of six John Darnell mystery novels,

                   In the time-intensive world of publishing, you may have only one
                   opportunity to intrigue an editor with your writing, your main
                   character and your story. And you must often do than within pages
                   – or the first few sentences – of your manuscript.

                   Editors are pressed for time and very perceptive in identifying good writing,
                   interesting characters and gripping stories, so they move fast through
                   your pages.

         McCarver goes on to say that an author must write the best story or novel possible: edit it, polish it, enhance it. Then he should read and make final changes – all before ever allowing anyone else to read it. Yes, before allowing anyone else to read an manuscript, the author should have spent hours improving a rough draft.

         Writing a story or novel is only half the job: Revising is the other half, a most important half, of writing. Ernest Hemingway, E.B. White, F. Scott Fitzgerald all admitted the need to revise and rewrite. Hemingway admitted he cut as he wrote, yet, he would take weeks to revise a book.

         McCarver’s article “How to revise your FICTION” gives eight steps for editing a person’s work. I happen to agree with his points, especially the one which states that delaying all editing until the manuscript is finished is a mistake.

         However, let’s examine this author’s ideas, as well as those expounded in many composition text books and believed by me:

1. Accept revising as the other half of writing. E.B. White stated that the best writing is rewriting.

2. Adopt good editing procedures. To produce a better first draft, one should begin revising with the first word written, making improvements as he goes. As a writer completes a day’s production, he should study what’s on the screen, if using a computer. If he sees a need for any changes, he should make them while they are fresh in his mind.. Then he should print what is finished.

         According to Chang-rae Lee, winner of the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award, he tries to polish as he goes because what leads him to the next sentence is the sentence before. "I find that it's hard to move on unless I've really understood what's happening, what comes before and where it's heading."

3. Review printed pages. Writers should print out the pages finished and set them aside to “cool.” Then they should read the printout with a pen in hand, noting corrections or revisions that will improve the writing. After making changes on the computer, writers should reprint the pages, adding to the pile of finished pages. Each day’s, or period’s, work should be the same: writing, rereading, editing, and making changes as one goes.

4. Identify errors and correct them. According to McCarver, three procedures are critical in the revision process: correcting mistakes, improving content, and enhancing the story.

         The first attention needs to go to spelling and punctuation errors, typos, grammatical mistakes, and inconsistencies in tense or point of view. Although such mistakes may seem minor to the author, editors expect manuscripts to be virtually free of any errors.

5. Improve content. “What you say and how you say it also must be polished to the best of your ability,” states McCarver. “Improving content also includes considering the structure and sharpening your word choice,” as well as re-examining characters for consistency, making sure the plot hangs together, that scenes are compelling and dialogue natural, and that all loose ends are tied up.

         Word choice is a topic for another editorial, but it is a vital part of good writing.

6. Concentrate on enhancement. Enhancement goes beyond making corrections and improving content and style: It means increasing the quality and impact of the writing. A techniques given by McCarver are as follows:

         * Inserting foreshadowing for greater event impact later.
         * Increasing the emotion in dialogue and thoughts in scenes.
         * Adding or strengthening subplots.
         * Intensifying the consequences of actions and events.
         * Adding twists to the plot.
         * Shortening flashbacks, if used, and including action in them.
         * Making characters seem more real, depicting their actions, dialogue and thoughts more naturally and powerfully.

7. Do that final revision. After finishing the whole manuscript, revise again.

8. Take one last look. After revising the complete manuscript again, the author should reread the printed pages before mailing them or sending a query letter. All errors and last minute changes should be made.

         All authors want to impress editors by providing a story that the editors cannot put down. Each author, through a manuscript, has only one chance to make a great first impression.


Note: “How to revise your FICTION” by Sam McCarver in The Writer, August, 2005, provided research material for this editorial as did several composition text books and notes from my files. 

 

 

Editing Tips

 

 

Some Editing Tips

         Becoming a good editor of your own work takes time and practice, but it’s worth it. You will learn how to improve the structure and style of your writing, communicate more clearly, and eliminate grammatical errors.Plus, if you can edit your own writing, you will be able to better edit the writing of others.

         Isaac Justesen gives the following tips for editing in Freelance Writers

1. Read Your Writing in a New Format
         If you typed it, print it out. Alternatively, convert your Word document to PDF format, or change your text to a different font, color, and size. These techniques will help you see your content from an “outsider’s” perspective and give you a more critical eye.

2. Take a Break
         Let your writing rest for a few hours or overnight. Putting a literal distance between you and your work also creates an emotional distance. When you return to it, you’re more likely to spot awkward phrases and obvious mistakes.

3. Read it Out Loud
         To discover the rhythm of your writing, read it out loud. The best writing sounds smooth, so if you find yourself stammering through poorly worded sentences, you know it needs improving.

4. Remove Uncertain Language
         Good communication sounds authoritative, so avoid wishy-washy sentences. If you use phrases like “seems to be” or “could be a reason for,” you sound indecisive and it weakens your message.

5. Avoid Repetitive Phrases
         Try not to rely on certain words or phrases to make your point; readers will notice when you repeat yourself. Aim for variety. Use a word frequency counter to find repetitive words and scan a thesaurus to find alternatives.

6. Eliminate Filler Words
         Use your word processor’s find functionality to search for “there,” “here,” and “it” to find redundant words and phrases.

7. Remove Weak “To Be” Verbs
         Using versions of the verb “to be” can weaken the words that follow. Replace “am,” “is,” “are,” “was,” “were,” “been,” and “being” with stronger alternatives. For example:
         Weak sentence: They were not enjoying the editing process.
         Strong sentence: They hated the editing process.
         Stronger sentence: The editing process repulsed them.

8. Remove Weak Adjectives
         Weak adjectives also spoil your writing. When describing nouns and pronouns, use more powerful adjectives and avoid the words “really” or “very.”
         Weak sentence: He was really scared of snakes.
         Strong sentence: He was terrified of snakes. (note the use of "to be" verb, passive voice)
         Stronger sentence: Snakes terrified him.

9. Use Grammarly to Find Mistakes
         The Grammarly proofreading tool looks at spelling and grammar mistakes and checks more than 250 advanced rules to find mistakes such as double negatives, run-on sentences, and dangling modifiers. After you’ve used Grammarly a few times, you’ll start to see common weaknesses in your writing. (Note: Grammarly is not always correct and does not find all problems, but it does help.)

10. Separate Your Editing Tasks
         If the thought of editing your own work terrifies you, break down the tasks into a series of manageable steps. In the first read-through, check your ideas flow logically. In the next read-through, look at sentence structure, and so on.

         Editing tips from Jerry B. Jenkins:

• Editors can tell within a page or two how much editing would be required to make a manuscript publishable; if it would take a lot of work in every sentence, the labor cost alone would disqualify it.
• An editor can tell immediately whether a writer understands what it means to grab a reader by the throat and not let go.
• Have too many characters been introduced too quickly?
• Does the writer understand point of view?
• Is the setting and tone interesting?
• Do we have a sense of where the story is headed, or is there too much throat clearing? (See below for an explanation.)
• Is the story subtle and evocative, or is it on-the-nose?
         Yes, a professional editor can determine all this with a quick read of the first two to three pages. Therefore, what can you do to make your writing better and/or make yourself a better receiver of editing advice?

1. Develop a thick skin or at least to pretend to. It’s not easy. But, we writers need to listen to our editors—even if that means listening to ourselves!

2. Avoid throat-clearing. This is a literary term for a story or chapter that finally begins after a page or two of scene setting and background. Get on with it.

3. Choose the normal word over the obtuse. When you’re tempted to show off your vocabulary or a fancy turn of phrase, think reader-first and keep your content king. Don’t intrude. Get out of the way of your message.

4. Omit needless words. A rule that follows its own advice. This should be the hallmark of every writer.

5. Avoid subtle redundancies.“She nodded her head in agreement.” Those last four words could be deleted. What else would she nod but her head? And, when she nods, we need not be told she’s in agreement.
“He clapped his hands.” What else would he clap?
“She shrugged her shoulders.” What else?
“He blinked his eyes.” Same question.
“They heard the sound of a train whistle.” The sound of could be deleted.

6. Avoid the words up and down …unless they’re really needed. He rigged [up] the device. She sat [down] on the couch.

7. Usually delete the word that. Use it only for clarity.

8. Give the reader credit.Once you’ve established something, you don’t need to repeat it.
Example: “They walked through the open door and sat down across from each other in chairs.”
         If they walked in and sat, we can assume the door was open, the direction was down, and—unless told otherwise—there were chairs. So you can write: “They walked in and sat across from each other.”
         Avoid quotation marks around words used in another context, as if the reader wouldn’t “get it” otherwise. (Notice how subtly insulting that is.)

9. Avoid telling what’s not happening.
“He didn’t respond.”
“She didn’t say anything.”
“The crowded room never got quiet.”
         If you don’t say these things happened, we’ll assume they didn’t.

10. Avoid being an adjectival maniac. Good writing is a thing of strong nouns and verbs, not adjectives. Use them sparingly.
         Novelist and editor Sol Stein says one plus one equals one-half (1+1=1/2), meaning the power of your words is diminished by not picking just the better one. “He proved a scrappy, active fighter,” is more powerful if you settle on the stronger of those two adjectives. Less is more. Which would you choose?

11. Avoid hedging verbs, like smiled slightly, almost laughed, frowned a bit, etc.

12. Avoid the term literally—when you mean figuratively.
“I literally died when I heard that.” R.I.P.
“My eyes literally fell out of my head.” There’s a story I’d like to read.
“I was literally climbing the walls.” You have a future in horror films.

13. Avoid too much stage direction. You don’t need to tell every action of every character in each scene, what they’re doing with each hand, etc.

14. Maintain a single Point of View (POV) or perspective (if using third person POV) for every scene.
         Failing to do so is one of the most common errors beginning writers make. Amateurs often defend themselves against this criticism by citing classics by famous authors who violated this. Times change. Readers’ tastes change. This is the rule for today, and it’s true of what sells.

15. Avoid clichés and not just words and phrases. There are also clichéd situations, like starting your story with the main character waking to an alarm clock; having a character describe herself while looking in a full-length mirror; having future love interests literally bump into each other upon first meeting, etc.

16. Resist the urge to explain (RUE).
         Marian was mad. She pounded the table. “George, you’re going to drive me crazy,” she said, angrily.
         “You can do it!” George encouraged said.

17. Show, don’t tell.
         If Marian pounds the table and chooses those words, we don’t need to be told she’s mad. If George says she can do it, we know he was encouraging.

18. Avoid mannerisms of attribution. People say things; they don’t wheeze, gasp, sigh, laugh, grunt, snort, reply, retort, exclaim, or declare them. John dropped onto the couch. “I’m beat.” Not: John was exhausted. He dropped onto the couch and exclaimed tiredly, “I’m beat.”
“I hate you,” Jill said, narrowing her eyes.
Not: “I hate you,” Jill blurted ferociously.
         Sometimes people whisper or shout or mumble, but let your choice of words imply whether they are grumbling, etc. If it’s important that they sigh or laugh, separate the action from the dialogue:
Jim sighed. “I just can’t take any more,” he said. [Usually you can even drop the attribution he said if you have described his action first. We know who’s speaking.]

19. Specifics add the ring of truth. Yes, even to fiction.

20. Avoid similar character names.
In fact, avoid even the same first initials.

21. Avoid mannerisms of punctuation, type styles, and sizes.
“He…was…DEAD!” doesn’t make a character any more dramatically expired than “He was dead.”

          Hopefully, the preceding tips will help you be a better editor and a better writer who is edited.

 

       May you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy (and much better ) New Year.

 

 

Before Submitting Your Manuscript - 8 Hot Tips

By Karen Cioffi

Writing is a personal experience. Each writer faces his or her own obstacles and processes. But, one common aspect of writing is it always starts with an idea.

You may take that idea and turn it into an outline. You then take your outline and sprinkle it with letters and words and watch it grow. Words turn into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, and paragraphs into chapters.

The journey can take months and even years.

It's the love of writing, the love of your story, and the hope of publication keep you dedicated.

Then the day finally arrives. Your manuscript is complete. The query letter is ready. All you have to do is submit, submit, and submit again.

But, hold on a minute.

Have you gone over all the necessary steps to ensure your manuscript is actually ready to be submitted to a publisher or agent?

There are eight steps that every writer, especially those new to the business of writing, should follow before submitting a manuscript:

1.    Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. Then self-edit your story until it’s the best it can be.

2.    Make sure you belong to a critique group in your genre and submit your manuscript to them.  

3.    Revise your story again taking into account the critiques you received.

Here you want to use common sense in regard to which critiques you listen to. If all your critique group members tell you a particular section of your children’s story isn't age appropriate, listen.

If one member tells you he/she doesn’t like the protagonist’s name, use your own discretion.

4.    Resubmit the manuscript to the critique group again. See if you’ve revised or removed all the problem areas.

5.    Proofread and self-edit the manuscript until you think it’s perfect.

6.    Print the manuscript and check it again. You’ll be surprised at the different types of errors that will be found in this format. You should use a colored pen or pencil for these corrections so they’ll be easy to spot later on.

7.    Now, it’s time for the final corrections. Give it another go over.

8.    Have your manuscript professionally edited.

If you’re questioning why you need to have your manuscript professionally edited after going to the trouble of having it critiqued and worked on it meticulously and endlessly, the answer is simple: An author and a critique group are not a match for the expert eyes of a professional editor.

Did you and your critique group catch all the punctuation errors?

How about knowing when or if it is permissible to use quotation marks outside of dialogue?

Do you know about the Find function on your word program to check for over used words, such as 'was' and 'very.'
 
What about ellipsis dots, or the over use of adjectives and adverbs? 

This is just the tip of the iceberg.
 
Isn’t it understandable why it’s important to take that extra step, and yes, expense, to have your manuscript edited?

If you’re undecided, ask the professional writers you know if they recommend it. You can also ask if they could recommend a qualified and affordable editor.

The powers that be, editors, agents, reviewers, and publishers, all know the difference between a professionally edited manuscript and one that is not.

Every house needs a solid foundation, right? Getting your manuscript professional edited is the same thing - it will provide a solid foundation.

The number of authors seeking publishers and/or agents is staggering. 

Yet, the number of publishers and agents is limited. If your budget allows, give your manuscript every advantage possible. 

One of those advantages is having it professionally edited. It can be the deciding factor in whether your manuscript makes it to the editor’s ‘to read’ pile or the trash pile. 

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, successful children’s ghostwriter, and author/writer online platform instructor with WOW! Women on Writing. She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Writers on the Move.

For more on writing, stop by Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi.

And, if you’re looking for an easy-read, middle-grade fantasy adventure, check out WALKING THROUGH WALLS.

Or, you might be interested in a fantasy picture book geared to bring awareness of our environment to children: The Case of the Plastic Rings – The Adventures of Planetman

Editing Resources for Writers

Whether I am editing my own work or someone else's, there are resources and tools I've come to rely on. Here is a list of some that are kept close by.

Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, co-founders of the Writers Helping Writers site, have released a series of thesauruses to help writers find the right words or phrases to make their writing come alive and to make their characters real and memorable to readers. Now in its second edition, The Emotion Thesaurus discusses different types of emotions and the body language someone might use when experiencing a certain emotion or trying to suppress it.

Tired of people saying you need to "show, don't tell?" Looking for new ways to describe characters and their actions? Then Master Lists for Writers can help. It will also assist you with plot and setting ideas, dialogue, character names, and more.

I've owned a copy of Roget's Thesaurus since high school. (I won't tell you how long ago that was.) This third edition of Roget's Super Thesaurus from 2003 added new entries and expanded on some existing ones. It also contains sample sentences.

These three little books still get pulled from the bookshelf when I need them. Stephen King once recommended all aspiring writers take the time to read The Elements of Style. As I sat down to write this article, I realized updated versions of the first two had been released since I purchased my copies. Guess who is running out to grab them? 

ProWritingAid is an online editing tool I use regularly to easily find overused words and readability issues. 

I hope you find this list helpful. Now, it's time for you to share. What are editing resources and tools you use?

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Editing — It Makes All the Difference

As a reviewer, I’ve read hundreds of books in a variety of genres. While not every book has been my favorite, what leaves me feeling most disappointed is when I think to myself, “This could have been a great book… if only it had been edited more thoroughly.”

I once read a series of children’s books. I enjoyed the message and loved the characters, but the sheer number of typographical errors distracted me.

A famous author wrote an amazing mystery novel. Do you know what I remember most? In one chapter, the bad guys had kidnapped the hero and taken his belt. In the following chapter, the hero used the belt — the one he no longer had — as a tool to assist in his escape.

In another book, the main character’s mother’s name changed several times and one of the character’s cars was green early in the book, but silver later on.

Now, I’ll admit, I’m not as good at editing my writing as I am at spotting errors in the work of others, but the editing phase of completing a manuscript can’t be rushed. In addition, a critique group and a third party editor will catch errors and inconsistencies you will miss.

Here is how I approach editing my writing. After sending a manuscript to my critique group, I review the feedback and make necessary changes. Then, I let the manuscript sit for at least a week. I go back and perform three rounds of edits: one to pick up typos, one to focus on grammar, and the last to check for inconsistencies. Finally, it's off to an editor to polish it for submission.

Years ago, I interviewed a woman who had been in the entertainment industry for decades. She had written a book about her father, an award-winning composer. Finding a publisher proved difficult. She told me breaking into publishing was more of a challenge than catching a break in entertainment.

In such a market, taking the time to edit your book thoroughly will make a huge difference. Proper editing can turn a good book into a great one.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of Little Shepherd, A Christmas Kindness, Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving, and Amos Faces His Bully. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

My Favorite Things About Editing

It's almost December, so I am definitely feeling in the holiday mood. The Sound of Music is my favorite movie. One of its songs, "My Favorite Things," is often played around the holidays, so I thought I would use that theme to discuss my favorite things about editing.

Editing Makes Us Think

I don't edit as I go. My goal: get to the end as quickly as possible. That first draft might wind up dreadful, but it's done. When I sit down to edit, the thinking cap comes on. Is this the best word? How many words are overused? Does this sentence clearly communicate what I meant? What can I cut? Where should I add? It's the deep thinking of editing that makes the story stronger.

Editing Helps Us Better Understand Characters

In the world of fan fiction, if you write a storyline that doesn't stay true to a character, you'll hear about it. A reader of one of your stories might not take kindly to sweet ole Ida, who they have adored for twenty chapters, pushing the minister down the stairs or cursing up a storm when she slams her finger in the door. The reader will be scratching her head and wondering what the heck happened.

Editing gives you the time to consider the actions of your characters. In the middle of a situation, do their actions make sense? Take time to understand why they do what they do. If they are acting in an unusual manner, what has happened? Will that character's response be realistic to the reader?

Editing Helps with Fact Checking

As a writer of historical fiction, accuracy is important to me. If it's Christmastime in America -- before fancy wrapping paper was regularly used in the United States -- my character better not be opening a gift wrapped in shiny paper with a glossy bow on it. Writers can tweak history here and there, but readers of this genre have an expectation that proper research has been performed. Should the flow of writing be stopped to fact check? Who knows what rabbit hole that will lead you into. Highlight areas that need fact checking, and use the editing stage to iron out those details.

Hopefully, this has shown you some great advantages to the editing process. What do you enjoy most about editing? What are areas you struggle with?

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of Little Shepherd, A Christmas Kindness, Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving and the recently released, Amos Faces His Bully. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Book Marketing – 3 Reasons Why Editing Should Come Before Self-Publishing

By Karen Cioffi

Self-publishing is an amazing beast. It has brought the world of publishing into the hands of you, Joe, Beth, and everyone and anyone who wants to write a book. It has brought writing power and freedom to all.

But, with writing power and freedom comes responsibility.

This means that while it’s true that self-publishing has opened a tremendous amount of doors and anyone can now write and publish a book, it doesn’t mean you can slap anything together and self-publish?  You need to produce quality (edited) content for three reasons.

Reason number one: You have an obligation to your reader.

You want to give the reader her money’s worth. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, you want to create a book that will engage the reader. You don’t want the reader to stumble over grammatical and content errors while reading.

One of the drawbacks to the ease of self-publishing is those new to the arena don’t realize they should hone their craft before actually publishing a book. This means taking the time to learn about writing and self-editing, and realizing the importance of hiring a professional editor to edit the book before giving it to the world.

Reason number two: You have an obligation to other writers.

Part of the problem today is the 'I want it now' syndrome that self-publishing lends itself to. Authors don't want to take the longer 'proven' road. But, learning the ropes really does matter.

Once your book is ‘out there,’ it becomes another element in the determining factor as to whether self-published books are of the same quality as traditionally published books. This is where your obligation to other writers comes into play. It’s not fair to diminish the value of self-published books.

Reason number three: Self-editing is a good book marketing move.
In book marketing 101, the first step is to create a quality product.

In a webinar, pro marketers Daniel Hall and Jason Fladlien discussed the importance of ‘the offer’ (your product) compared to the sales copy. By far, a quality product is much more important.

If your intent is to only publish one book, then quality may not matter from a marketing perspective. The saying goes, ‘if you fool me once, shame on me.’ If this is the scenario, then you don’t have to worry about readers/purchasers buying more from you. But, you’ll need to be careful here, because word-of-mouth is lightning fast in the internet world. This could easily stop your one-time purchasers also.

On the flip side, let’s assume you love writing and have decided to earn an income from it. Then, self-editing will play a huge part in your book marketing success. If you produce a sub-standard product (book), it will discourage a customer from buying your future books.

Remember, a great product will not only sell itself, it will usually write its own copy. Editing before publishing helps create a quality product.


Karen Cioffi is an award-winning author and online marketing instructor. Check out her new Blogging Smart Video Workshop through the Working Writers Club.

This hour long workshop will show you how to get more website visitor, more authority, and more sales. And, there are 3 bonus lessons . . . and, it's only $20. You can't go wrong. Check it out today!
 

Using a Beta Reader

By: Stephanie Burkhart 

You’ve finished your manuscript and are ready to submit your “baby” to several literary agents and or/publishers. Wait! It might be a good idea to have a beta reader look it over first.

 What’s a beta reader? Someone who is willing to read your finished story and give you the feedback you need to ensure your story is consistent, makes sense, and holds one’s attention. They should do it in a timely manner so you can tighten your story before sending it off. A beta reader should be willing to read your work and offer honest feedback on what works – and what doesn’t.

While just about anyone can be a beta reader, be selective in asking. You want to look for readers who read the genre you’re writing in and can offer thoughtful feedback.

You might consider 1-3 beta readers so the feedback is varied. The big thing in asking someone to beta read for you is not to pressure them to do it and stress to them that you want their honest thoughts and feelings. Give them a timeline to read the story and if they can’t do it in the time allotted, let them know there’s no hard feelings. I always show my appreciation with a Starbuck’s gift card. Remember, they are taking time out of their schedules to read and offer you feedback, so thank them.

Provide your beta reader with a list of questions that you want feedback on. Examples: 

Is “Johnny” likeable? 

Did the opening confuse you?

When did you know what the story was about?

Is there a scene that made you sad, happy or angry?

 

Once you get your feedback, than your betas, compare notes, and identify the area you need to tighten up. You might have to rework your opening or add a scene to clarify you main character’s motivation. Be open to making the changes if they make your story better.

For me, it’s about honesty. I want my beta reader to be honest with me. I’ve got to let them know I’ll be okay with their feedback regardless if it’s glowing – or not. If they tell me hero is cold and aloof, and that’s not my intention, I’ve got to be open to receiving that feedback.

Question for you: Do you use a beta reader? How many? How do they help you? Do you take all their suggestions to heart?

Author Bio: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 Dispatcher for LAPD. Her latest childrens book with 4RV Publishing is “Brady’s Lost Blanket.”  She enjoys coffee, adores chocolate, and strives to keep up with the active boys in her cub scout den. 

Find her at:

http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

How do you know when you're done editing?

If you're like most writers, you write a first draft, revise, edit, edit, edit ...

A recent discussion had me considering how I knew when I was done.
Because in one sense, I'm never done.I'm learning all the time, and nothing I write is perfect, or even close to it. But at some point, like any parent, I have to let go of my baby and send it out into the world. So how do I decide?

Well, there's the process: write, revise, edit. I write, set my work-in-progress aside for a couple of weeks or so, then revise it. A lot or a little, depending. I get a few trusted readers to read the result and I consider what they've said, then I most likely make more changes. Then I edit, check for wording etc. Get another reader or two to check it over.

I'm working on a novel right now that is getting close to completion, and I had a brainwave when reading over the latest version. I actually *like* it. I like my main character. I enjoy reading this draft. I couldn't say the same about the earlier versions.

And then it hit me. This is when I'm close to done with my novel. When I start to enjoy it. When I like what I read.

How about you all? When do you know you're done?

Writing on Display All the Time - Don't Shoot Yourself in the Foot

 by Vivian Zabel  

        How can we shoot ourselves in the foot with writing? Simple, we don't pay attention to what we write, especially if we don't believe it important, such as in a Facebook comment or post or a message sent to another person that may be aired publicly. We fail to think we are on display as a writer or editor. Other times, we may hurry and become careless. The fact remains, we need to remember our writing is on display all the time others can read it.

     As an author, an editor, a publisher, and a retired English teacher, the number of errors (not just typos, we all have those) found in posts by "authors" or "editors" on social sites makes my teeth clinch in agony. Then along come articles and blog posts by authors and editors full of some of the most commonly known grammar -- incorrectly used. The mistakes found in stories, novels, and other types books become an avalanche. 

     The word there is used in place of their or they're, or one of the others is used incorrectly. It's and its are interchanged incorrectly, as are your and you're. Those examples are simply a few of the grammar mistakes I read every day. Commas are not used where needed, or they are sprinkled like rose petals everywhere possible. Run-on sentences create a feeling of confusion in the minds of readers.

     All right (and that's another mistake, using alright for all right), some people don't know grammar well, but writers and editors definitely should. I don't know that I would want to read a book by someone who can't manage to understand the difference between homonyms (words that sound alike but have different meanings) and/or what version of a pronoun is used as the object of a preposition. For example, I often hear (hear not here), "That's important to Mary and I." Really? He would say, "That's important to I"? Actually, that is what he did say. A compound object is the same form pronoun as a singular object. And I have heard and read that problem from so called well-educated people. Anything between a speaker or writer and another person means the object form MUST be used: between John and me; between my husband and me; between you and him.

     I know some people think that using correct grammar isn't important, not even for writers. After all, editors are responsible for making a writer's work "pretty." Wrong. Many publishers do not edit. Whatever the author wrote, the way he wrote it, goes in print, if accepted. Also, I've seen editors make some of the same type mistakes in their writing and editing. Again, I'm not talking about an occasional typo (which we all make and need to watch and correct); I mean mistakes that brand us as not being good writers or editors.

     A side note to those who don't believe good grammar matters since they don't write or edit: Not only are writers expected to use their own language correctly, but businesses are expecting their candidates for employment or promtion to use grammar the right way. "Experts" say the use of correct grammar shows intelligence, creativity, and a desire to communicate effectively: traits that employers want in those hired or promoted. I'll cover this topic later, but business experts are presenting arguments in support of not hiring or promoting those with poor grammar skills.

     I fought high school students for nearly thirty years, trying to help them understand and use their language correctly. I cringe when I read what some of them write on social sites because I know they should know better. However, I shudder more when people who call themselves authors or editors slaughter grammar.

     As I said, we all make typos, especially when auto-correct kidnaps our words, but correct grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure do matter. 

4RV Publishing 

4RV Bookstore  

Writing, Submission, and Working with Editors

Writing, Submission, and Working with Editors

By Karen Cioffi

Every writer, at least hopefully, will work with an editor from time to time. While, we’d all like it to be on a regular basis, time to time is better than nothing. When in the joyous situation (you’ve gotten something accepted for publication) there are some tips that will help you in your working relationship with an editor.

The first thing, even before you think of submitting your work, is to have your manuscript or article in the best shape possible.

Getting to the Point of Submissions

1. Be part of a critique group. Every writer needs the extra eyes of writers working in the same genre. Their insights and critiques will prove to be invaluable to you.

2. Revise and self-edit . . .  repeat and repeat . . .

3. When you think your manuscript is in perfect shape, send it to a freelance editor. You may think this isn’t necessary, but it is. Ask around for one that comes with recommendations.

Now, you’re set; off you go on your submissions fishing trip. But, don’t just drop the line randomly; be sure you do research and find the best spot – one where you know the fish are biting. What this means is to look for publishing houses that are best suited to your manuscript, and ones that are accepting submissions.

After you’ve found a few publishing houses suitable, read their submission guidelines CAREFULLY, and follow them just as carefully. Now it’s time for the infamous query letter. If you’re unfamiliar with queries, do some research.

Okay, you’ve done everything you needed to, and now you cast off. AND, you get a bite.

Working with Editors

Once you’re accepted by a publishing house, you will be assigned an editor. And, don’t be alarmed, but that manuscript you meticulously slaved over, and even paid an editor to go over, will end up with revisions. This is just the nature of the beast—each publishing house has its own way of doing things. They will want your manuscript to fit their standards.

Note: the purpose of those long hours of writing and hiring an editor is to give your manuscript the best shot of making it past the editor’s trash can, and actually getting accepted.

Now on to 4 tips that will help make your editor/author experience a pleasant one:

1. Always be professional.

2. Don’t get insulted when the editor requests revisions. They are not trying to hurt your feelings; they are hired by the publishing house to get your manuscript in the best possible saleable state. They want your book to sell as much as you do, probably more.

3. Keep the lines of communication open. If you have a question, ask. If you disagree with an edit, respectfully discuss it. Editors are not infallible; sometimes your gut feeling is right.

4. Take note of deadlines and be on time—this is your career, and in some cases your livelihood.

~~~~~

Need to build or increase visibility and traffic to your site?
Check out: Creating and Building Your Author Online Presence
http://www.karencioffi.com/author-online-presence-ecourse/

And, for ongoing writing and marketing help join The Writing World (http://thewritingworld.com)

Who is responsible?

Who is ultimately responsible for the quality of writing that reaches the eyes of the reader?

First, traditional publishers don’t have the time or resources to copyedit or proofread books because of today’s publishing environment.

Second, many authors choose to self-publish or create digital books on various platforms.

Third, authors choose POD or companies like Lulu, Create space, Xlibris, Booklocker, and more publishing companies showing up daily.

Fourth, do publishers offer copy-editing as part of a publishing package?

Fifth, but not final, is the author.

As a reviewer who has reviewed over 100 books within a period of six years, I’ve seen what appears to be what I call quality writing becoming passé.

I have written blog articles about the trend of quality writing becoming obsolete; or has editing become outdated?

I have no explanation; I’ve noticed a trend in published books that makes me wonder if teachers still teach English in schools as it was when I was in school. In many books, I read for review, there are errors in grammar, punctuation, typos, and wrong word choices. I’ve also notice errors in punctuation consistency, and word usage.

Example: If the author uses the word, truck in a story, than car is used. It might be nice if the author would explain where the car came from. Am I the only one that finds this weird if the character arrived in one or the other in the story then they get in to a vehicle in the next paragraph that uses the other word? I’ve seen it.

I have noticed the use of old clichés, so old that they were old when I was young. What about taking a cliché situation and turning it around to make it new again. Authors are supposed to be creative.

What this all boils down to is, the author has the ultimate responsibility of the quality of the book that the reader purchases to read. If authors choose to publish a book, they need to obtain a copy and proofread it for any errors in the production and correct them before readers get to read the book.

Robert Medak

Published Freelance Writer, Editor, and Reviewer

Never Trust Your Spell-Checker

by Laurie Boris

It’s all Maria Mariana’s fault. She was one in a group of six linguists from Georgetown University who, back in the 70s, first developed an automated way to check spelling and grammar on word processing programs for IBM. Perhaps she meant well. Thought it would be a good thing to create this seductive monster that can batch-attack the often time-consuming and ponderous human task of checking one’s work for errors.

Backfire, Maria. Semi-total epic FAIL! Spell-check has made us lazy. It has lulled us into a false sense of security with its offers to change your grammar or correct that questionable word. We all have stories of spell-checking failure, some with embarrassing and humorous results. Here are a few more reasons you should never trust that pathetic plug-in with your important work.

1. Spell-checkers are notoriously obtuse.

Consider the following passage: “My physical therapist worked out a weight-bearing routine for me that stimulates my osteoblasts, which are the cells that build new bone.” The spelling and grammar checker in my version of Microsoft Word wants to replace “stimulate” for “stimulates.” It believes that the subject that is being stimulated is plural…actually, I have no idea what it believes. It’s just wrong.

2. Spell-checkers can’t parse your intentions.

Example dialogue: “Pete’s working again.” Spell-check suggestions for this alleged error in “subject-verb agreement” include “Pete’s is working” or “Pete’s was working.” The writer’s intention was to state that Pete is once again gainfully employed. But good old SC doesn’t know this, and assumes that something of Pete’s is now or formerly was functional.

3. Spell-checkers can’t find missing words.

“Ted raced the sink” has a rather different meaning than “Ted raced to the sink.” In a long document like a novel manuscript, particularly one you’ve been poring over draft after draft, your brain will supply the missing word. So, you may miss it in the proofreading and lead your readers to believe Ted has been imbibing and sincerely believes he and the sink are in competition.

4. Spell-checkers can auto-correct you into situations in which you do not want to be auto-corrected.

A former colleague, who normally relied upon his assistant to correct and send out his correspondence, decided to give her a break and take care of some of his own. In an e-mail that went out to the entire sales staff, he intended to ask for their opinions on a new sales program. He ended with, “I look forward to seeing your evaluation.” Only, because of his less-than-stellar keyboarding skills, his spell-check program decided he meant to type “ejaculation.” Yeah. It went out that way.

4. Spell-checkers won’t tell you if your formatting is inconsistent.

This is one reason why you should never abandon something as format-dependent as your press kit, resume, or book proposal solely to the eye-chips of your computer program. It won’t tell you that you’ve ended some bullet-text items with periods and left them off others. It won’t tell you a heading is in the wrong font or tabbed in too far. It’s CRUCIAL to swing these details by human eyeballs.

5. Spell-checkers don’t measure up to humans…at least not yet.

Flawed as we are, we’re still better than a machine at certain tasks, like knowing what we meant to say. Don’t have time to proofread or can’t tell if your participles are dangling or your infinitives are split? Hire a human.

Laurie Boris is the author of The Joke's on Me, from 4RV Publishing. She also blogs about writing, books, and the language of popular culture at http://laurieboris.com.