Publishing Series: #8 How Do You Know When You Are Done?

How do you know when a piece of writing is finished?

Good question!

Sometimes you don't. The best advice at this stage of the writing process is to get your writing in front of other people that you respect for their writing talent and that you trust. In most cases this is some sort of writers' group.

I've belonged to a writers' group for about 15 years. The membership has changed over the years -- people drift out as life gets complicated and sometimes drift back in when they enter a period of time to dedicate to writing. Our core group of writers, however, has pretty much remained the same. They are a great group of talented, intelligent, creative people.

We meet once a month and bring a piece of writing to share -- something that we need help with or need to see a response to. Before we read our piece to the group, we try to tell them what we need them to look for. We provide a copy of the piece for each member and they mark up their copy while we read it aloud to them. Constructive criticism runs the gamut from spelling and punctuation errors to word choice and development suggestions.

At one meeting, I brought one of the last chapters of Relic before it was published. After I read, the group was upset. The character of the county historian had been mean to the two young girls in the story, they said. He needed his "comeuppance" -- their word, not mine. All the way home that night, I cursed them out! How could I fit this in? How could I make it happen? By the time I got home, I had figured it out. And to this day, I think it is one of the best parts of the story!

The writers' group has been invaluable in my journey as a writer. Find one near you, or reach out to your local library or indie bookstore and see if there is interest to start one!

Next Up: So You Think You're Done...

Publishing Series: #5 Revising by Adding Dialog

Once you have completed your first draft, there are several ways to begin your revisions.

One of the first places I look for are areas that I can expand with dialog. Dialog shouldn't be there just to have characters talk, however. Good dialog moves the plot along, while at the same time helping to define your characters. 

Mark Twain said, "Don't say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream." What he meant was look for places where you told the reader something. Maybe you say your character was worried or pleased about something. Instead of saying it, let the character say it. It is often why I work to keep characters traveling together, so they have someone to talk to.

And dialog needs to sound authentic. While you are out and about during your day, listen to people talk. Really listen. The spoken language isn't usually stiff and formal. People hem, they haw. They don't speak in complete sentences. And people usually don't monolog. If your characters are having a discussion, don't let one of them take over unless it is essential to the plot, and even then, intersperse it with comments or body language from the other characters.

Remember, each character needs to sound unique. This is where character traits come into play. What is important to that character will come out in what they have to say.

Writing good dialog takes practice. I have often thought that my experience as a reporter has helped my dialog sound authentic. I spent years writing down exactly what people said so I could quote them in articles. I spent time listening to the rhythm and nuances of language and how it was punctuated. It was time well spent.

Next Up: Adding Description

 

Meeting Fellow Authors

Good time at the Local Author Fair this afternoon at the Audubon Library in Amherst, NY. There was a great group of local authors present, and I had the chance to chat with many of them. I also had the pleasure of sharing a table with another Young Adult author, Sandi Van, whose debut novel Second in Command came out in February of this year. It’s written entirely in verse, and I can hardly wait to read it. Check it out on Amazon.

In between browsing customers, many of the authors circulated, and we talked about marketing, publishing, illustrations and covers, and writer’s groups. Many echoed my feelings that belonging to a writer’s group is one of the most vital parts of a writer’s life. So much valuable feedback can be gotten if an author has trusted fellow writers they can depend on.

I hope to make this fair an annual event on my calendar!

First Step

So…

I got a quick start on my 2017 New Year’s resolutions today. Here’s the back story:

At one of my writers’ group meetings last year, I read one of my most recent additions to Eye of the Peacock. I was really pleased with the new character that had to be created to take the story line in the direction it was supposed to go in.

But let’s say it was met with little enthusiasm.

On the drive home, I realized that my fellow writers were correct. I was getting too far away from the original story line. But to cut that part of the plot, I realized the ending of the story would need to be changed as well. And for that to happen, another method for murder had to be considered.

On that quiet drive home it all came together. The cut would have to come and it would have to be drastic. I dreaded it.

So today the cut was made. More than 4,000 words set aside. (I never delete. I may need it someday.) And to go with that cut, highlighting of sections that may need to be rewritten to accommodate the new plot twists.

I have a lot of work to do in 2017.

Vita Sudatio Interrumpitur

Life gets interrupted. Or should I say writing does. At least mine does at this time of year.

The start of the school year is always a hectic time. As a teacher, there are always high expectations, learning 120+ new names and faces, new demands of the profession, plus the stress of transition wear – but that’s an entirely different topic. Then there’s my family. In my house, we balance three different school districts and four different schools, dance, piano and family time.

So where does writing fit in? Fortunately, the start of the school year also means the monthly meetings of my writing group, so I have the welcomed pressure of writing for them.

Relic is also in its final stages, although I am surprised at how long those last few teeny tweaks take. My students are excited for me, and that warms my heart. While I wait for the (hopefully) final proof, I’m scoping out locations for book signings and possibly a book launch party! Stay tuned!

           

Floor Plans

At a recent meeting of my writing group, I shared a section of my current project. The section had two characters traveling though a house at two different times in history. After sharing, one member of the group asked if I had designed a floor plan since there were so many details, and they were so consistent from scene to scene. I responded that, of course, I did.

Earlier in the session, another member of the group had shared a piece he was writing about a hotel. He had a realization about his own writing, saying that he hoped when characters were coming out of the elevator they were turning the same way to get to the lobby!

One piece of advice I would give any writer is to create a map or floor plan as one of the earliest stages of your writing process. It doesn’t sound much like writing, but mapping an imaginary world, sketching out a floor plan or consulting existing maps and floor plans all keep details consistent. They’ll help you describe your setting to your readers, so that they can picture what you are seeing. Readers are smart and observant. They’ll notice if you make basic location mistakes.

Writers Group

I have to say that joining a writing group is a must. I joined my writers group at least 12 years ago. Although the number of members flexes every year, the core members have remained the same. We meet once a month and bring a piece of writing. It can be anything the writer would like feedback on. The author passes out a copy to each member and tells the members where they would like to focus the feedback. It can be anything – “I was having trouble with descriptions,” “Are you picturing this?” “Is my dialog realistic?” The author reads the piece. Then feedback happens. Some members are good at catching grammar and punctuation errors. Others great with trimming the fat. Within 15 minutes you have some excellent feedback on your work.

My group has been great listening to chapters of Relic and giving me feedback. A couple of the members were even among my Beta readers. They read the entire manuscript and were additionally valuable when I presented two new chapters I added because of Beta reader feedback.

Writing is such a solitary endeavor, but it’s no good if you write just for yourself. Every writer should seek outside eyes so that future readers will love every word.