Category Archives: Words

What Ever Happened to Your Novel?

January 2, 2018 8:21 am ,

What Ever Happened to Your Novel?“How’s the novel coming along?”

“When will your novel be published?”

“Do you have an agent?”

My Novel Still Lives, Contrary to What You May Think

When you announce that you are writing a novel (which I did three years ago), these questions are typical of what you can expect. Friends and family members figure after all this time you must certainly be finished writing it. What would take so long?

The truth of the matter is … my truth, anyway … writing a novel is wayyyy harder than you think, and takes wayyyy longer than you could have imagined. I can’t emphasize wayyy strongly enough.

My WIP (work in progress) has had its fits and starts over the years. I successfully wrote the first draft for NaNoWriMo in 2014. I blogged about writing my second draft. I blogged about rewrites. I blogged about losing my momentum. Too much blogging and not enough writing, probably.

And then it was 2017.

2017 was a bad year for almost everything, including my novel, because I was consumed with outrage about the presidential election and chose to channel that anger through writing a newsletter for activists as well as dark humor pieces that I seldom shared but made me feel better.

It was cathartic for me, and I’m in a different place now. Still angry, still resisting, but giving myself permission to include some pre-Trump normalcy in my life.

2018 will be the Year of My Novel.

Here’s why. I am working with an amazing editor/mentor who really gets me, gets my story, and is motivating me with her questions and advice. We talk regularly on the phone. She is my sounding board and my cheerleader, and her collaboration has made a world of difference.

Also, I needed the time to take a fresh look at what I had written. Some of it was good and salvageable, but there were big changes that needed to be made, and the novel is so much better for making them. I’m excited about it again.

Now. About agents and publishers. When you write fiction, your piece must be in its final and complete form before said agent or publisher will even look at it. I’ve spoken with agents about my novel — the elevator pitch — who encouraged me to send them the manuscript when it’s done, and I will do so.

That said, here’s the truth. This is an awesomely competitive field. Very, very talented writers have works that have not been published. Fate may smile, or not. Rejection is a given in this line of work.

For context, did you realize these popular authors received multiple rejections for their novels? Talk about dispiriting! But also motivating for us writers to keep on trying.

HERMAN MELVILLE

Melville’s masterpiece, Moby-Dick, was turned down by multiple publishers, some of whom had creative suggestions for the author. Peter J. Bentley of Bentley & Son Publishing House wrote: “First, we must ask, does it have to be a whale? While this is a rather delightful, if somewhat esoteric, plot device, we recommend an antagonist with a more popular visage among the younger readers. For instance, could not the Captain be struggling with a depravity towards young, perhaps voluptuous, maidens?

 

 F. SCOTT FITZGERALD

“You’d have a decent book if you’d get rid of that Gatsby character.”

 Lord of the Flies by William Golding was rejected 20 times before it was published.

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell was rejected 38 times before it was published.

Carrie by Stephen King was rejected 30 times before it was published.

One rejection letter read: “We are not interested in science fiction which deals with negative utopias. They do not sell.”

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig was rejected 121 times before it was published.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was rejected 12 times and J. K. Rowling was told “not to quit her day job.”

There is no shame in rejection. There is shame in not trying.

Check back with me in December. If my novel isn’t done, I owe you a dollar.

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The Life of a Book

October 17, 2017 7:10 am ,
The Life of a Book

The Life of a BookI have always been curious about the birthing process of a novel, especially when I finish one that I adore. How did this bundle of joy come into the world? What is the life of a book?

It starts with a gleam in the author’s eye, of course. What inspires her? How does she take a nugget of an idea and flesh it out? What sparks her imagination when she creates characters and a fictional world that draws us in?

Let’s say she completes the book and is lucky enough to find an agent who loves it and sells it. What happens next? As a novel travels through its own bookish birth canal, from conception through delivery, all kinds of things are happening behind the scenes that most of us are unaware of.

I’ve always been drawn to interviews in which authors can talk about their journey. And now, thanks to Penguin Random House, we can hear from selected authors about just that — as well as the book doctors and nurses critical to the book’s success.

The Life of a Book

Penguin Random House has a fascinating new interview series on its website called The Life of a Book that gives you a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the publishing process from start to finish.

If you read my blog last week, you know that I was smitten with Celeste Ng’s latest novel, Little Fires Everywhere. With its absorbing plot, unique and multi-dimensional characters, and modern-day look at complicated issues, Little Fires Everywhere stood out as an exceptionally good read.

So I was delighted to find out that Ng is one of the authors interviewed in a podcast for The Life of a Book series.

I listened to Ng’s interview, and if you’ve read the book (or even if you haven’t) I think you’ll enjoy hearing her musings on different aspects of her writing process. For instance, you’ll find out …

  • Is she a planner or a pantser? (Pantser means a writer who doesn’t rely on an outline but lets her characters lead the way in the story development)
  • Why she chose photography as the artistic persuasion of one of her characters.
  • What she felt the hardest part was to write.

It Takes a Village

I moved on to the interview with Virginia Smith, Senior Editor at Penguin Press, who spoke about the value of a team. Contributions from editors, cover designers, publicists, marketing experts all add up to make the book shine in every way.

Assistant Director of Publicity Juliana Kiyan explained how the publicity strategy for a sophomore novel differs from that of a debut. Her job is to spread book love among a targeted but widespread audience: readers, booksellers, the media and, of course, fans of Ng’s first novel. Sales Manager Megan Sullivan described the fun of getting to read galleys (uncorrected proofs) months in advance so she can start creating a buzz long before the novel is published.

Jaya Miceli, the cover designer, shared what she looks for in cover art; how it must relate to and capture the mood of the writing.

You can find all this on Penguin Random House’s blog, The Perch, along with interviews of other authors and publishing professionals.

Happy reading!

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Get Me Rewrite! Starting the Third Draft

March 7, 2016 9:27 am ,

Get Me Rewrite! Starting the Third Draft

I am writing a novel.

These five words have become my mantra, something I repeat silently to convince myself it is real. Not a dream, not a figment of my imagination. Not something I began and never finished.

This time I am getting ‘er done.

By putting it out there I am also making myself accountable. When “How is the book coming along?” is asked I don’t have to flounder around for a lame excuse.

It’s coming. I’m getting there. It’s moving forward.

“So after the second draft,” a friend asked me the other day, “your book is pretty much done, right?”

If only. But not by a long shot.

Get me rewrite.

Last fall I attended BinderCon, a writing conference for women. Among the many valuable sessions was a panel of four freelance editors, each of whom had worked in publishing for years. I was impressed with their knowledge and approach to helping writers make their book the best it can be. So after the conference I contacted one of them and I am working with her now.

I submitted my second draft to her and waited anxiously for feedback. Would she love it? Hate it? Biting fingernails, chewing the inside of my mouth, binge snacking: I engaged in every nervous habit I could think of.

Well, we had a phone call last week to discuss the book. There was good news and bad news.

Good news: she liked the story, thought the characters were well drawn, enjoyed the historical setting of the novel, and thought it would ultimately fare well with readers.

Bad news: a major rewrite is necessary.

Good news again: The rewrite is going to make it SO much better.

Before this feedback, I was having trouble seeing the forest for the trees. I was too close to the content. It was impossible for me to be objective.

With a few brushstrokes of her vision, she gave me clarity that I was unable to find on my own.  As I rewrite the second draft, I will:

  • Take a swipe at the number of characters. There were too many. “Beyond four or five major characters,” the editor told me, “people start getting confused. And it is really hard to make their voices unique.”
  • Narrow the time frame. The expanse was too wide, too Belva Plain. Instead of 50 or so years, now it will be five. And that’s enough.
  • Focus on the motivations of the characters. This has to be credible.
  • Intensify the drama. Make the precipice higher. This will make the reader want to keep turning the pages.
  • Be careful with the historical events. This is not a history lesson. Make the events part of the narrative but only in the context of their impact on the characters.
  • In each chapter, define where we are in time, what is going on with the family, and what significant event takes place that propels the story forward

These simple suggestions will eliminate many of the problems I had with the plot line and the development of the main characters. Instead of feeling angst, I feel a huge sense of relief – and excitement.

I will be deleting a huge chunk of my work, maybe even 50%. Perhaps some of it will return in another novel another time. A sequel, perhaps. Doesn’t that sound nice?

Onward.

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The Second Draft: A Debut Novelist’s Journey

February 15, 2016 12:06 pm ,

The Second Draft: A Debut Novelist's Journey

When we last heard from our hapless heroine, she was tied to the railroad tracks, screaming for help as the black locomotive chug chugged toward her. Where is that damn hero on the white horse, she despairs.

Whoops, wrong story.

Or is it?

My real life scenario isn’t quite as dramatic, but there are certain similarities. Restrained sitting in front of my computer screen, I scream (silently) to my creative Muse, Inspire me! Rescue me from the agony of an unfinished manuscript!

The hero on a white horse? My imagination jumping into the saddle.

Whoever said writing a novel was easy … wait. No one said writing a novel was easy.

To recap,

  • I waited until age 60 to get serious about writing a novel.
  • I wrote 50,000 words during NaNoWriMo in November 2014.
  • I submitted a first draft to a developmental editor in March 2015.
  • Working off the editor’s notes, I revised and edited, revised and edited.
  • I submitted a second draft (75,000 words) to my editor last week.

Hallelujah! The second draft is out the door. What have I learned?

Just to be clear, this is how the process is going for me. Every writer has his or her own style so I can’t speak for everyone, obviously.

A second draft is better than a first draft, but it’s not as good as a third draft.

My manuscript still needs work. If I had done more prep, perhaps it would be further along.  I would venture a guess that most writers start out with an outline. It makes sense to have a road map and a reasonably good understanding of your plot, your characters, and all the other elements in a novel.

But I am not an outliner. Never have been. So my process evolved differently. I had a basic premise of a story in my head and just sat down and wrote.  Without an outline, that road map was about as effective as my car’s faulty GPS. There were unexpected twists and turns, roadblocks and potholes. There were also dark tunnels that led me into the light.

Also, I heard voices.

You’ve heard writers say their characters speak to them?

They do. Mine did. They told me about their likes and dislikes, the way they walked, their desires. I let them take the lead and show me the way. So what I came up with was not exactly what I thought I would.

Experts tell you to not edit and write simultaneously. For the first draft, you should let your words flow unchecked. You finish the draft and let it marinate for a while. Then you come back to it with fresh eyes, better able to critique it.

As I soldiered on through my second draft, the things I focused on the most were:

Making sure each character had a distinct, unique voice. Was the point of view clear? Did the dialogue ring true?

Showing, not telling. SO important.

Justifying why each sentence should be there and trimming the excess.

Eliminating cliches and metaphors, of which there are way too many in this blog post.

So, what comes next?

Hopefully, hopefully the mistakes in the second draft will be fixed and the next draft can focus on fine tuning. When it’s in its final form I will share it with several beta readers for feedback. Revise and edit, revise and edit.

And I’ll be a little bit closer to freeing myself from the ropes on the train tracks.

 

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Eight Things NaNoWriMo Writers Should Do Now

November 30, 2015 9:02 am ,

Eight Things NaNoWriMo Writers Should Do Now

It is November 30. And that  means …

Congratulations, NaNoWriMo participants!

You made it!

Before I go any further, let me set the record straight for anyone not familiar with the term NaNoWriMo.

Here is what it is not.

It is not the ghost of Robin Williams invoking Mork from Ork language.

It is not baby talk for I Don’t Want To.

It is not a term of endearment for a grandmother.

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, in which thousands of determined writers attempt to bang out 50,000 words in 30 days during the month of November.

To all my writer friends partaking in the challenge this year, I hope you found it to be rewarding. It is no easy task to write that much in one month.

I know from whence I speak since I was a NaNoWriMo participant last year and hit my 50,000 words. It took a lot of time … and a lot of discipline.

But in the process, I realized that you don’t have to hit 50,000 words to be successful. Even 1,000 should count as a success.

If you wrote more in November than you have in any other month, give yourself a pat on the back. Congratulations!

Last year, the day after I completed NaNoWriMo, I shared 10 NaNoWriMo Tips for Writers based on my experience. But as the days unfolded into weeks, I felt a little lost now that the structure of the writing challenge had ended and I was once again on my own.

With NaNoWriMo now over, what’s the next step? When I was in your place last year, I asked for advice. Of course, you will decide what works best for you. But here are some tips that were shared with me.

And whether or not you participated in NaNoWriMo, these are good tips for all writers.

NaNoWriMo is over. Walk away.

Put your manuscript to bed for a bit of hibernation. You’ve written a lot and you’ve been consumed for a month. You can’t be objective about it right now. Walk away and let it marinate for a couple of weeks or even longer. In the meantime …

Work on a different project.

Don’t let your writing chops languish while your manuscript does. Keep the energy going with something else.

Start to craft an elevator speech.

This will be important down the road as you pitch your book to agents and publishers. The value of doing it now is it helps you evaluate the components of your story. Is the plot strong enough? Are the characters multi-faceted? Does their motivation make sense?

Work on a second draft but understand this won’t be your last draft.

The cognoscenti advise NaNoWriMo-ers to write, not edit, and hopefully this is what you have done. The idea is to let the 50,000 words flow without worrying about how good they are. I was fairly appalled at how bad my first draft was and I think many NaNoWriMo’ers feel the same. That’s OK. Your second draft will be better, but not as good as the third.

Broaden your characters.

You may have done character development before you even started to write. That is what is recommended. I did not do that. My characters threw some curve balls my way and that helped me better define their personalities. I think even if you have planned out the wazoo, your characters will still evolve over the course of writing.

Think as a reader.

As you go through the editing process, try to think as a reader, not a writer. Do your chapters end with a cliffhanger or at least an incentive for you to continue reading? Is there enough action, pathos, drama or mystery? Is there extraneous jibber jabber that can go away?

Keep writing.

Don’t stop now! You won the race but the marathon is not over yet. The speed at which you progress is up to you, but don’t give up. A year later, my manuscript is now at 70,000 words. I am still on the second draft.

Talk about your work.

I haven’t shared my manuscript with anyone except for an editor yet, but I do talk about it if people ask. I can gauge the general interest in my story with their response. It also keeps me accountable.

So writers, carry on. You should be proud of your effort and commitment. Good luck with the next phase of your writing!

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Words With Friends: How to Improve Your Game

October 22, 2015 12:19 pm ,

Words With Friends: How to Improve Your GameAre you as addicted to Words With Friends as I am?

Sometimes I think I need a 12-Step program, because I can get so wrapped in my games that I neglect other things. Like taking a shower and getting dressed.

But then, as addictions go, this is a fairly healthy one to have. After all, is it not a workout for the brain? That’s what I tell myself.

If only my other body parts were as well exercised. But that’s another story for another day.

I am not alone in my affinity for Words With Friends. According to an article in The Atlantic, Words with Friends is one of the most popular apps used by my midlife/boomer generation.

When I was a young girl I watched my mother do The New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle and eventually it became part of my Sunday morning routine as well. I love the challenge of word games. When Words With Friends became available as an app, I jumped on it — and it became an obsession.

I don’t profess to be an expert, but over time I have developed certain strategies that have been effective for me. If you are an advanced player these will seem a matter of course, but perhaps you will help me add on to this list.

Save your S tiles, and to a somewhat lesser extent, your R and D tiles.

They will come in handy with making a word plural or past tense

Look for possible suffixes: -ING, -ED, -IER, or prefixes: RE-. IN-,e.g.

These are valuable tools for enhancing an existing word.

Scrutinize the board for other opportunities.

For example, add A to moral to create amoral, or add A to toll to create atoll. Add Y to the end of miser for misery.

If you are the one to open the game, get rid of low-points letters.

That said, if you can make a double word on the opening move, do so only if the point score is worth it.  I wouldn’t do it for less than 20 points.

Never use your best tiles on an opening move.

The point score just won’t justify it. Save them for a bonus square.

Down to one consonant and six vowels? Time to swap.

If you must swap for other reasons, always keep at least one vowel and one consonant in your possession.

Get rid of Is, Us and Vs.

They’re hardest to place.

Play defensively.

Minimize your opponent’s opportunities to take advantage of a triple word score. Assume that your opponent will have the final letter — an S or Y, e.g. — when you are considering a move that will open up the triple word opportunity.

Check the status of the high points letters.

When my game has about 20 letters left to play, I do a quick inventory of the high scoring letters – X, J, Q and Z. Have they been played? If not, I want to make sure I am not leaving a high scoring opportunity open in case my opponent has one of them.

And if you have one of them, don’t get stuck.

If you have an X., J, Q or Z, use it or get rid of it if you are down to 10 letters. Too many games are lost because you are left hanging with one of these.

Learn the language: Words With Friends-ese.

A good vocabulary is your best friend, but also be aware of the two- and three-letter words common in Words With Friends: QI, ZA, SUQ, QUA, RAJ, HAJ.

Are there other strategies that work well for you?

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When Your Work in Progress is Not Making Progress

September 29, 2015 11:12 am ,

I got used to the incessant drone of crickets around here.

Not the ones chirping outside our bedroom window. Those I like.

No, it’s the crickets inside my head that bedeviled me. The crickets that invaded the space where my writing inspiration should be.

When Your Work in Progress Is Not Making Progress

Writing a novel has been a lifelong dream, one that has eluded me thus far. Ten months ago I participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and banged out 50,000 words of my novel. It was actually a stress-free, even pleasant experience. I let my creativity flow and I sat back and watched what happened.

The outcome surprised me. My characters, with flaws and desires I hadn’t predicted, made choices I hadn’t foreseen. Major characters switched places with minor characters. My setting evolved from blurry to crystal clear, vivid and colorful, the way Oz looked when Dorothy’s house plunked down in it.

I felt like I was on the sidelines observing the action in a lively football game.

I kept at it, several hours a day. In the end, I proudly tacked the NaNoWriMo certificate of completion on my office wall. I did it! It would be smooth sailing now.

On a roll of self-confidence, I didn’t let the momentum subside. I continued to work on the draft, writing more chapters, editing, and finally in March, submitting the work in progress to a developmental editor. I wanted a professional to take an overview of what I had done so far.

Nervous to hear her say I would never be a writer get her feedback, I was relieved to get thoughtful, helpful notes of ways to improve my story.  She pointed out where the holes were, alerted me to inconsistencies in the timeline and, since I am writing historical fiction, suggested ways to give the reader a fuller context of the time period.

Charged with energy, I dove into the second draft, certain that 2015 would be my year. The year I finally finished the novel.

That’s what I thought.

Welp. It’s not happening.

Why? Well, life kind of got in the way. My son got married. My daughter got engaged. My dog got sick.

Maybe I should not have let these interruptions derail me, but I did. I was distracted. I couldn’t get back into my novel.

Chagrined, I started to feel like a failure. Would this novel never get completed? I had come so far, done so much work. Invested so much love in this project.

I sat myself down and did some soul searching. Some DIY psycho therapy. I resisted the inclination to slip into self-doubt. What could I do to get back on track if I couldn’t muster the energy to work on my draft?

I did three things.

  1. I gave myself a pep talk. Instead of my normal refrain — I can’t, I won’t, I’ll never — I told that inner voice to shut the hell up. I gave myself permission to extend my deadline. It’s my deadline, no one else’s.
  2. I continued to write, blogging at least once a week on topics of interest to me. This gave my writing muscles a regular workout.
  3. I kept reading. The hours that were not spent writing were devoted to the stack of books next to my bed. There’s nothing quite like reading brilliant writing to inspire your own.

The upshot?

I’m back. The juices are once again flowing, the wheels are turning. I’m happy to say that my work in progress is again progressing.

And I’ve kicked those crickets out of my head.

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Ten Thousand Tweets

July 31, 2015 9:31 am ,

I am very close to hitting the ten thousand mark on my Twitter account. See?

Ten Thousand Tweets

Ten thousand tweets. Who knew I was so chatty?

Well, I’m really not. I mean, I joined the Twitterverse in August 2008, so it’s been seven years. Ten thousand tweets spread over seven years is not so much.

I did the math although I can’t swear I did it right. Ten thousand tweets over seven years works out to a .25 tweet per day.

A quarter of a tweet=35 characters per tweet.

This tiny sentence is 35 characters.

Anyway.

Most of my writer and blogger friends are active on Twitter, but to the unpersuaded, Twitter may seem frivolous and pointless. When I was a Twitter newbie I remember people making fun of it. “Why would I post about what I’m eating for breakfast,” scoffed some.

But that is not what Twitter is, although yes, you will find occasional tweets about breakfast (although Instagram would be the better platform for food porn). Twitter is much more than breakfast posts, and here are some reasons why I continue to be a fan.

Crafting a message in 140 characters is a good exercise for writers.

Speaking of writers, I’ve gotten to know so many of them on Twitter.

Twitter is often the most effective way to reach someone if you need a quick response (I’m looking at you, @ComcastCares).

It’s also the quickest way to get breaking news. Honestly.

Twitter makes the world seem so much smaller. You get to know people all across the universe.

Live tweeting an event, like the Oscars or The Bachelor/Bachelorette, is hilarious and usually way more fun than the event itself.

Connecting with someone you admire – a celebrity, e.g. – is definitely an unexpected treat. Getting a “favorite” or a retweet by a celebrity is cool, I’m not gonna lie.

Because I love word games, participating in a hashtag game on Twitter is a fun diversion when I need a break. This week I played along with one called #TenThingsYouNeverSaytoaWriter.

Group Tweet chats with like-minded Twitter users can be educational and are a great forum for networking.

Do you like Twitter? Why or why not?

 

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Ten Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors

June 15, 2015 10:15 am ,

Timing is everything.

The Philadelphia Writers’ Conference (PWC2015) this past weekend could not have come at a more opportune time for this lapsed writer.

I needed a shot of inspiration badly.

To those of you I have bored kept abreast of my novel-writing journey, you may have noticed I’ve been a little quiet lately.

My novel-writing locomotive had screeched to a shuddering stop.

When we last saw our heroine (me), she was on that train headed for Destination Draft #2.

But all of a sudden, life got in the way and threw a roadblock on the tracks.

I’m not complaining. It was all good stuff: a couple of months of family celebrations that meant busy weekends and lots of company. With two of my children getting married in a matter of months, there was also wedding planning to be done during their visits home.

So that destination remained elusive. And the more time that passed, the less fired up our heroine was.

So she, or I, needed a shot in arm, and that I got in spades at this fabulous writers’ conference.

It's a new day!

It’s a new day!

Ten Writing Tips

Full of energy and ready to tackle that manuscript, I pause only to share some writing tips that I picked up at the conference and credit the presenters who provided them. I hope these will be as useful or informative for you as they were for me.

Don’t use adverbs.

This was a hard pill for me to swallow, because I love adverbs deeply. Admiringly. Hopelessly. But adverbs tell you how to feel instead of show you, and that’s not good writing. (Judi Fennell)

Use ellipses and m-dashes correctly.

An ellipsis is for trailing off thoughts. “His marriage proposal took me by surprise, and I wasn’t sure …”

M-dashes (long dashes) are used with truncated thoughts. For example, someone interrupts.

“A marriage proposal, so soon? I—“

“Surprised?” He reached over to touch my cheek. (Judi Fennell)

 Start your story where your life goes left.

You don’t have to start when you wake up in the morning, have a cup of coffee, get dressed, etc. Start it when the real action starts. Like, you walk outside and witness a car accident, if that is pertinent to the story. (Judi Fennell)

Romance and women’s fiction are two separate genres.

Women’s fiction is about a woman’s journey. Romance novels always end either happily ever after or happily for now. (Judi Fennell)

Short stories have hooks, lines and sinkers.

The hook is the incident that happens in the very first paragraph. The lines that follow serve to up the stakes. The sinker is the conclusion and the last line must relate to what you said in the beginning. (Fran Wilde)

In novel writing, setting comes first.

You have to anchor the reader in a world. Characters are products of the landscape you create and expressions of the world they live in. (Solomon Jones)

You can be both a pantser and an outliner.

A pantser is someone who writes by the seat of his/her pants without first making an outline (me!) and an outliner obviously outlines. It is OK to be pantser for the first draft and an outliner between the first and second drafts. (Stuart Horwitz)

What is the optimal number of beta readers?

Between three and seven. (Stuart Horwitz)

Increase the pace in short stories.

Make sentences short. Do not data dump. Dialogue should consist of a few quick pieces. (Fran Wilde)

How can you generate material?

Count your words (set a goal)

Find a neutral audience (avoid critics and find the cheerleaders)

Don’t try to organize anything

Make the time

Listen

Have fun (the most important) (Stuart Horwitz)

Thank you to the amazing presenters who provided so many valuable takeaways, and I’ll see you at PWC2016.

And now, my train is leaving the station. All aboard!

Ten Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors

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A Checkup With a Developmental Editor

March 25, 2015 10:29 am ,

I once wrote a post comparing writing a novel to baking bread.

Now that my first draft is written, I can also compare it to giving birth after a verrrry long pregnancy.

And now, I realize that a round of editing by a developmental editor is much like a baby’s checkup at the pediatrician.

So, if you’ll bear with me through this metaphor, here is a summary of my baby’s first doctor visit:

Scrutinized by critical eyes, my baby was gently weighed and measured. A stethoscope was held to my baby’s heart. The pulse was strong. Eyes and ears were checked. Notes were written on a progress chart.

I breathed a sigh of relief when my baby was pronounced healthy and ready for the next phase of growth.

A Checkup With a Developmental Editor

Yessir, that’s my baby. My novel, that is.

My novel is a work in progress now, not merely a figment of my imagination. I kind of took a leap when I participated in NaNoWriMo last November to get the ball rolling.  I reached my goal of 50,000 words knowing that this was just the beginning.

Every writer has his or her own method, and I’m not the most organized person in the world, although I try hard to be. So in preparation for the month of intense writing, I did … nothing.

I didn’t outline. I didn’t develop my characters. I had an idea and started to write on November 1. My goal was to write about 2,000 words a day. And, to my surprise, the words came easily. I reached the 50,000 word goal line with several days to spare.

The upside to that was my story flowed in unanticipated new directions. The downside was that I got lost in a thicket of too many characters and plot lines that went nowhere and chronology that made no sense. I needed a road map. Hell, I needed a forest ranger who could lead me out of the brambles into the clearing.

I reached out to my writers’ circle and got hooked up with a very good developmental editor to whom I entrusted this wildly flailing bundle of not-yet joy.

What is a developmental editor?

A developmental editor will take an overview of your manuscript and assess the organization and big picture, and then suggest changes to make it work better. I knew I needed this help because I was too close to my work to be objective.

From the time I hit Submit til today, when I received her feedback, I tried not to think about it too much, because when I did I dissolved into a pile of insecurity. I guess I really must be a writer now, because that insecurity kicked in big time.

A Checkup With a Developmental Editor

I felt insecure about my story, about the caliber of my writing, my chutzpah in even thinking I could write a novel. I was open to criticism of the book. I just didn’t want to be criticized as a writer.

I didn’t want her to tell me to throw the baby out with the bathwater. And she didn’t.

Instead, she had examined my baby with extreme care and thoughtfulness. As I read her extensive notes, I nodded in affirmation. Yes, yes, yes. This is exactly right. With her checklist of suggestions to guide me, I feel confident heading into the next phase working on Draft #2.

My developmental editor will remain nameless, but someday her name will be front and center in the Acknowledgements section at the end of my novel. That visual makes me smile.

For now, thank you, thank you,  nameless developmental editor. And if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some writing to do.

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