Tag: editing

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Book Proposals

Why to Never Submit Your First Draft

Your first draft is only the beginning, not polished enough to send to a publisher. When your proposal is completed, lay it aside for several days before you send it. You will then be able to read it with fresh insight and make valuable improvements. Remember the old adage “Haste makes waste.” This is particularly true when it comes to writing book proposals. You want to make sure that every single word and sentence of your proposal and sample chapter are excellent. Never rush the process, because it will result in less than your best work.

From years of working in magazine production, I’ve learned one of the most difficult things to find in any publication is something that is completely missing. Yet if something is missing, it will clearly stick out to the reader (in this case, the editor and publishing executives).

Before you send the proposal is the time to catch any errors.

I’ve had fearful authors call me and request that I discard their first submission because of some missing element or incorrect element or poor format. You can only imagine the sloppy impression these calls make on your editor. It’s not the type of glowing impression an author wants to leave.

I’d encourage you never to forget the relational side of publishing. Often your relationship will be more significant than your printed work with a publisher—especially when it comes to what the editor will remember. Editors will move from publisher to publisher, and when this happens, they remember the authors they enjoyed working with on a project at their former publisher. You want to be an author in this particular category. Occasionally editors will brainstorm a particular book they would like to publish and approach an author. When these editors are tossing out names, they will include only those authors who made a professional impression. While this list will not be written anywhere, your editor will recognize excellence and want to take that excellence to a new publisher.

Here are some last-minute questions to ask yourself about your proposal and sample chapter:

  • Have you hooked the editor with your opening sentence?
  • Have you included a solid overview or the big-picture concept of the book?
  • Have you created a catchy title and subtitle, along with some alternatives?
  • Is your chapter outline logical, and do your chapter summaries address the various points of your book in clear and concise language?
  • Have you clearly outlined your vision for the book in terms of length or word count, overall appearance, and any special features? Also, have you included the estimated time to deliver the entire manuscript?
  • Have you listed names of well-known experts that you can secure through your personal relationships who will supply endorsements or a foreword?
  • Have you detailed your credentials for writing this book in the “about the author” section and shown without a doubt that you are the best person for this task?
  • Have you provided a detailed analysis of the competition for your proposed book and shown how your project is distinct from this competition?
  • Have you written a thorough marketing section about the projected audience and how you will join the publisher in a partnership to reach this market?
  • Have you highlighted any special marketing and sales opportunities you can bring to the project when it is published? For example, is there a special sale with thousands of books that you can create for the project?
  • Have you created a dynamic sample chapter that is compelling and clearly shows your writing style?

There is no right or wrong way to create a book proposal. The proposals that sell, however, are the ones in which the author thoroughly presents the concept and includes all of the necessary information.

Terry Whalin

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Get a free copy of his proposal book (follow the link). Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook, his blog and LinkedIn.

Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success
Categories
Guest Posts Other Posts

What Kind of Editing Does Your Manuscript Need?

Guest posts

You finished writing your book, begged an avid reader to give you some input, and made revisions. Are you ready to submit it to a publisher or publish it yourself? Maybe, but probably not. Even if your friend is an avid reader and/or writer, you may want to hire a professional editor before you take either step. 

Although publishing houses have their own editors who will edit your book after you’ve signed a publishing contract, the competition in the publishing world is so extreme that you want to be sure you put your very best product in front of them. You rarely get a second chance. If you plan to self-publish, you definitely want input from someone who can spot not only errors but also weaknesses. 

You first need to determine what your manuscript needs. 

  • Developmental editing means looking at the story as a whole—the characters, the plot, and the way in which the story is told. 
  • Line editing examines each sentence to ensure the use of active (versus passive) verbs, proper sentence construction, and punctuation. However, a line edit also evaluates your use of words. Does your writing draw readers in? Do you maintain tension and interest? Or are your words too passive and overly descriptive? Do you wander off on tangents to the point you lose the reader? 
  • Copyediting catches minor errors, such as punctuation and verb tense errors. 
  • Proofreading is the final pass, looking for typos. Proofreading is critically important if 100,000 copies of your book are being printed and shipped to bookstores. However, many books are now done in small batches of “print on demand,” so minor errors can be fixed before the next batch of printing. 

Edits are done in the order listed above. Developmental is looking at the overall work. After fixing the big issues in plot, intrigue, believability, and characters, you are ready to look at the actual writing, which is line editing. Once the writing is up to par, a copyeditor reads through to smooth out grammatical errors and punctuation. The proofreader reviews the final draft before it goes to print, looking strictly for typos.

Plot and characterization are the two biggest issues in any story, which is why you want the developmental edit first. An excellent plot is obviously necessary. However, a good editor also critically evaluates if the characters are well-developed. Will a reader feel they know your characters? Do they have any unique attributes that separate them from other characters? Are any of them memorable? (Sometimes a really great character can push an average story to stardom.)

Even in nonfiction, the arrangement of information can be critically important.  

I have been on both ends of the game—I am an award-winning author with seven novels published, as well as numerous articles and a decade-long weekly humor column, but I have also spent decades teaching writing workshops and working as a freelance editor. Although many editors concentrate on one type of editing, I do a combination of developmental and line editing. I provide editing comments throughout the manuscript explaining errors and suggesting what needs to be done. Some editors specialize in one genre, while an editor with broad experience may edit a range of different genres.

Proofreading is a special skill.

A proofreader must have an eagle eye, looking at every single word and period. 

The temptation is always to just get your dear Aunt Sally to give it a look-see. However, if she reads romances and you ask her opinion on your dystopian, you likely aren’t going to get the critical feedback you need. Likewise, don’t take advice willy-nilly from random writers. Read their work and discuss your story before you hack away at your prose based on their opinion. Random writing groups can destroy good manuscripts.

Style Guides

Most American book publishers use Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) as their directive on punctuation, but there are a few American publishers that use Associated Press style guidelines (AP). The differences are minor but distinct. Most websites, newspapers, and magazines use AP.

Michelle Buckman is a freelance editor of both fiction and nonfiction and the award-winning author of seven novels. She is also an international conference speaker renowned for her dynamic discussions on writing and faith. She has been a featured author at numerous conferences and events, including the Catholic Marketing Network trade show, International Christian Retail Show, Southeastern Independent Booksellers Association, and the South Carolina Book Festival.  Connect with Michelle Buckman

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Screenwriting

Rewriting is Writing

Three months into the new year and I am eager to get started on the first draft of a new screenplay. I’ve had this idea for a story since my accident, 25 years ago, and now I’m ready to attempt the first draft.

First drafts are only a part of the screenwriting process and the first step in the process of drafting. Drafting is a structured process that involves steps in creating a piece of work. Screenwriting typically has four phases of drafts, each with its unique audience, according to Naomi Write at Writeandco.com.

Draft Phases

  • Me draft
  • Audience draft
  • Producer draft
  • Audience draft

The goal of drafting is to create the best possible story that will be appealing to and readable by different audiences. It also allows a screenwriter to edit a screenplay for typos, grammatical errors, and repetitions.

Additionally, it helps create the characters, story plot, and conflict. As you can see drafting, editing, and rewriting are all part of the writing process.

Rewriting Is Writing!

No screenplay, prose, or story is written perfectly the first time. Professional writers understand that editing is writing. Editing and rewriting set a professional writer apart from amateurs.

Edited screenplays have been refined through the drafting process and have well-developed characters, clearly defined worlds, and obvious conflict. The stories are also easier to read because there aren’t any typos or grammatical errors to slow the reader down.

Edited screenplays are also clearly unique narratives that can spark our readers’ imagination. A screenplay can be like another movie, but not a retelling of a story we already know.

 Your story must be clear to others and not just yourself. Remember to keep the story simple. Below are common writing mistakes new writers make from Ben Larned at Screencraft.com.

10 Common Writing Mistakes

  1. Neglecting spelling and grammar.
  2. Incorrect formatting.
  3. Drawing from tropes.
  4. Forgetting the plot (or, skipping the outline).
  5. Crafting awkward, listless, or endless dialogue.
  6. Playing director in descriptions.
  7. Not punishing your characters.
  8. Leaving your story unfinished (or too neat).
  9. Letting the first acts slide (or, saving the best for last).
  10. Submitting without rereading.

Screenwriting teacher, Scott Myer’s mantra is…

“Rewriting is writing.”

With each draft there should be fewer and fewer mistakes and misunderstandings. Editing and rewriting help writers grow from amateurs to professionals.

This is why it is important to get feedback on our screenwriting, friends and family are nice, but professional coverage from industry insiders who know what screenplays need is best. Script coverage helps writers see flaws, know what to keep and what to get rid of.

When I first began screenwriting, I learned an important lesson. Writers mustn’t like their stories too much and must be willing to cut what doesn’t work. Regardless of how much you like a character, setting, or scene; if it doesn’t help the story, it needs to go on the cutting block.

Cut to Finish!

The goal of editing and rewriting is to trim the fat off a screenplay and help it flow better as a story. A screenwriter doesn’t have that much real estate to introduce characters, create conflict, and set up the plot.

In the old days, the general rule was a screenplay should be no longer than 120 pages, nowadays it’s around 100 pages—from start to finish, a complete story with new worlds, characters, and enough action to hold an audience’s attention for the entire movie.

Therefore, it’s important for the audience to enter a scene as late as possible and get out or move to the next scene of a movie. All while flowing smoothly without losing the audiences’ attention. The idea is to save space in a screenplay.

Even after a movie has finished shooting, editing in the studio helps cut the “fat” or nonessential parts of a movie out before the movie is released. Below are a few examples known for the bad editing before they were released.

Even big-budget movies from major studios can create the critical errors of bad editing and skipping rewrites. A movie is only finished by rewriting, because rewriting is writing!

Martin Johnson

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at MartinThomasJonhson.com  and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Craft Essentials

You May Be Done, But You’re Not Finished

Craft Essentials

“Rewriting is the essence of writing well; it’s where the game is won or lost. That idea is hard to accept.”

William Zinsser

Little in the writer’s life is as exhilarating as typing the words, “The End.”

If a celebration was ever in order, this would be our moment.

  • We’ve fought through the brain drain aka writer’s block.
  • Stayed at the keyboard till the wee hours of the night.
  • Surrendered free time to the fickle writing muse.
  • Missed parties, events, and time with friends and family.

But now, greatness is found in those two brief words that conclude the saga. The End. The skeptics, the critics, and those who predicted you’d never finish the book will be eating crow.

Bursting with a sudden rush of energy, (along with some well-deserved pride) you share the final product with a friend, your mom, or a writing buddy. You expect the standard oohs and aahs that attend the birth of greatness. Then somebody (clearly someone uninformed) says, “I don’t get the ending.” Or “I didn’t understand why the hero never showed up.”

The feedback is synonymous with calling your baby ugly.

You rationalize their response with the “I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt since they know nothing about writing,” brand of generosity.

Could They Be Right?

An essential component of writing well is the willingness to consider there might be a few valid points in their assessment. Some authors may not dismiss the critique entirely. They shop for additional feedback with an industry professional or pitch it to a publisher at a writer’s conference.

That can be the hard thump.

“It’s a good first draft,” says the pro. “Interesting storyline. I’d suggest you work with a coach or find a good editor to strengthen the plot and help develop your writing style. You have a promising start. Good luck with the second draft.”

If you believed the work was complete, this is a tough moment. A second draft, maybe even a third might be required. Adding more words is not the typical remedy. Killing off your darlings or discarding the overwrought half-page descriptions of the magnolias in full bloom in the moonlit night might be your road to success.

“We all have an emotional equity in our first draft; we can’t believe that it wasn’t born perfect. But the odds are close to 100 percent that it wasn’t.”

William Zinsser

The completion of a first draft is an epic accomplishment. In that finished work is evidence you have what it takes to be a writer – if you are willing to suck up the disappointment and dive in to refine and rewrite your work.

Don’t let the start stop you. You are not starting from scratch. But you do need to take a long look at your book baby with a more critical eye. The rewrite is inevitable as we learn the craft of writing. Every successful writer knows the first draft is seldom – if ever – the final.

Where Should You Start?

  • Consider the advice of the industry professional. If the feedback is general in nature, ask for specific insight for both strengths and opportunities for improvement in the work. For every “no thanks” to my first book – ten rejections – I asked for feedback that helped strengthen the work. I know their input and my willingness to incorporate it has helped me gain contracts for a total of six published to date.
  • Seek assistance from someone who has a successful track record to help move you forward. A certified writing coach or industry professional can help you accelerate your knowledge and build new skills.
  • Take a course – many are available online or through regional writing groups in your area.
  • Purchase and read books on the craft. The patron saint of this column’s book On Writing Well is a classic.
  • Attend a writing conference and select courses specific to your need.

Above all, refuse to throw in the towel (or throw a tantrum) and remember, you may be done, but you’re not finished!

Deb DeArmond

Deborah DeArmond is a certified writing coach and award-winning author of five books. Her books often focus on family and marriage, covering relationship dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution. Her most recent wok is We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished (2021).

Deb’s published more than 200 articles in print and online, including a monthly column, for Lifeway Magazine. 200+ print and online articles published.

Deb helps writing clients achieve success using inquiry, humor, and a straightforward approach. Her clients describe Deb as “candid but kind” and skilled at helping “guide others to discover their answers and solutions to success.”

Website: debdearmod.com

Facebook Author Deb DeArmond

Categories
Proofed and Polished

This Post Is Better

Proofed and Polished

Have you ever decided to buy a certain product because the packaging assures you that it’s better? I didn’t have to look very hard around my house to find an example. My dish soap promises fifty-percent less scrubbing. We don’t have a dishwasher, so less scrubbing is definitely appealing. However, it’s probably a good idea before I spend my money on this product to ask myself, “Fifty-percent less scrubbing than what?”

Incomplete Comparisons

An incomplete comparison only tells you part of the story. In the dish soap example, I’m encouraged to believe that this product is better than another one, but I don’t know which product that is. Maybe it depends on what I use to scrub with, or if it’s just compared to not using soap at all. The bottom line is, there’s not enough information. The comparison is incomplete.

Ex. Brand name dish soap is more effective than bargain brand dish soap.

This example gives a complete comparison. The function word “than” links two things that are being compared: brand name versus bargain brand dish soap. Now I have enough information to make an informed decision.

When It Could Work

Sometimes you can get away with an incomplete comparison. 

Ex. Ida’s gardens are tidier than Allie’s. 

Imagine that this sentence appears in a story that you’re writing. You’ve explained who Ida and Allie are. Part of the plot is that these neighbor ladies compete over everything, especially their prize-winning backyard gardens. With all of that context, the reader could reasonably assume that you mean Ida’s gardens are tidier than Allie’s gardens, even though “garden” was left out of the sentence. It’s still an incomplete comparison, but you can get away with it.

However, if this were the opening sentence of a book or a chapter or just a stand-alone example sentence in a proofreading article somewhere, then its incompleteness is a problem. The reader would definitely infer that you mean “garden” but it could be quite a lot of other things as well. Ida’s gardens could be tidier than Allie’s living room, which you could be using to contrast how Ida is so very neat and tidy that even her gardens look good while Allie is the complete opposite. 

How To Fix It

Incomplete comparisons are easily resolved.

Ex. Andres loves cars and shoes more than Alexandra.

This incomplete comparison could cause hurt feelings. You could infer that Andres loves cars and shoes more than Alexandra loves cars and shoes, in which case we’re talking about preferences. But you could also infer that Andres loves cars and shoes more than he loves Alexandra, which sounds sad for Alexandra!  

To fix it, you need to give more information. Here are two ways to complete the comparisons.

Ex. Andres loves cars and shoes more than Alexandra loves those things. They just don’t see eye to eye.

Ex. Andres loves cars and shoes more than he loves Alexandra. Alexandra knows that Andres cares more about cars and shoes than he does about her, so she thinks she needs a new boyfriend.

When you’re writing, always double check that your comparisons are obviously comparing two or more things. If you can’t answer the questions, “Compared to what?” then you probably need a revision.

How About You?

Have you ever found any funny incomplete comparisons that have multiple possible meanings? What products can you find around your house that have used incomplete comparisons to make a sale?

Dayna Betz

Dayna Betz is a full-time freelancer providing proofreading and editing services to help writers put their best foot forward. She also enjoys reading and writing book reviews. Head over to her site, Betz Literary to learn more.

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

Now What?

Last month I shared three things I’ve learned on my way to becoming a soon-to-be-published middle grade author.

I have about a year between now and my book launch, and there’s a lot that happens between now and then. I thought I’d give you a little glimpse at what’s going on behind the scenes, at least for the next several weeks.

Working on the story

Every publisher is different, but the hopefully the priority remains the same across all of them: make sure the story is as good as it can be. Right now, I’m working with the editorial director on revisions that will help bring our shared vision of the story to life.

I’m working toward a very generous but slightly intimidating deadline (aren’t all deadlines like that?). Throughout this stage I’m editing my story and defining my creative process at the same time.

You might have heard that expression about writing the book you want to read? It’s true, but not for the reasons you might think. It’s true because when you’re editing that book, you’re reading it over and over a gazillion times. If you don’t like it, you won’t enjoy this part of the process at all. #trustme

Growing an audience

The other thing I’m working on – and I’m not working on it as much as I should – is connecting with gatekeepers and influencers. This is tricky, because as we have talked about, middle grade writers really have three audiences. I’ve spent most of my time really focused on one audience as I’ve written the book. That’s the children themselves, the readers. That’s who we write for.

Now I need to shift a little more attention to the other two audiences. One is the primary gatekeepers- the parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles who buy books for the readers they love. And finally, we have the librarians/teachers/bookshop employees who make recommendations.

My book isn’t even on shelves yet, so why do I want to work on this now? Because even the best stories in the world don’t sell themselves. It takes time to grow authentic relationships both in real life and on social media. Even though I should have started working on this a long time ago, the next best time to work on it is today.

Continuous improvement

I’m still eager to learn and grow as a writer, so even though most of my effort is going into polishing the manuscript, I carve out time each week to read writing books/blogs or listen to podcasts. Right now I’m listening to K.M. Weiland’s ‘Helping Writers Become Authors’ podcast and loving it.

Gratitude

Not a day goes by that I’m not immensely grateful that I get to do this. All of it. I have loved every minute of trying, learning, failing, laughing about failing, and trying again. If you take away anything from this post, or this blog, please let it be this: If I can learn to write for children, you can too. Don’t give up.

See you next time.

When Kelli McKinney and her family aren’t exploring national parks, she can be found on the sidelines at her son’s tennis tournaments, brewing a cup of cinnamon spice tea, or chucking a toy across the backyard for her English Mastiff to chase.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and her graduate degree in radio/tv/film from the University of North Texas. She enjoyed an eclectic-yet-fulfilling fifteen-year career in corporate marketing before wandering off on her own to be a freelance copywriter.

Now, she is a part-time copywriter, full-time mom, and a children’s author. She lives in Texas but a huge piece of her heart belongs to Oklahoma. Her debut novel, JEFF PENNANT’S FIELD GUIDE TO RAISING HAPPY PARENTS is forthcoming in late 2022 with Chicken Scratch Books.

Kelli loves to hear from readers and writers. She can be reached through her website at www.kellmckinney.com or on Instagram @klmckinneywrites .

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Proofed and Polished

Common Mistakes I See When Proofreading: Vocabulary, Part 3

Proofed and Polished

Let’s talk about contractions. I mentioned them last month in the context of using apostrophes correctly. Some words that are contracts are some of the frequent flier mistakes that trip up writers on a regular basis. Here are three to keep an eye on. 

1. You’re vs. your

“You’re” is the shortened form of “you” + “are”. 

Ex. “You’re definitely in trouble,” she said, shaking her head as she surveyed the utter disaster that had previously been the kitchen.

“Your” is possessive.

Ex. “Your dog has been in my yard every day this week. It has to stop!” Mr. Viking glared through smudged glasses and stalked away. 

Ex. “It seems that Mr. Viking has failed to recognize the irony of his statement,” Dan said, smirking while patting Mr. Pickles’ head. “He has been in your yard every day this week telling you you’re a menace.”

2. It’s vs. its

This error is one that probably gets more print space than any other common mistake out there, but it happens SO often that I’ll go ahead and add my two cents.

“It’s” is formed by “it” + “is”.

Ex. It’s time to start exercising again now that the kids are in school.

“Its” is possessive.

Ex. Its shell is dark green and brown.

Ex. It’s hard to tell what its favorite food is—lettuce or broccoli.

3. We’re vs. were vs. where

This last one is mostly tricky if the way that you pronounce these words is similar.

“We’re” is “we” + “are”.
“Were” is the past tense form of “to be”.

“Where” is either a noun or an adverb.

Ex. We’re [we are] excited to go on vacation, but where we are going, there were a lot of COVID cases, so now we’re [we are] worried.

A simple way to help you decide which form to use is to try both forms in the sentence that you’re writing. 

Decide between *your* and *you’re* in this sentence:

I hope you’re happy now. 

Do you want to say “I hope *you are* happy” or “I hope *your* happy”?? 

Of course, you mean to say *you are* which means you need the contraction “you’re” and not the possessive “your.”

What Do You Think?

Which of these three is the hardest for you? I still say “it is” to myself to make sure that it fits in any sentence I’m writing. 

Dayna Betz

Dayna Betz is a full-time freelancer providing proofreading and editing services to help writers put their best foot forward. She also enjoys reading and writing book reviews. Head over to her site, Betz Literary, to learn more.

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for August, PArt 2

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Newsletter Lead Magnets

In this episode, our own Jean Wise and Johnnie Alexander share with us about newsletters and lead magnets being essential tools for authors. You might think, but how does one create these and use them for maximum outreach? These two questions are answered and shown in step-by-step demonstrations in MailerLite for newsletter creation and compiling an automated onboarding sequence to deliver a lead magnet to your readers.

Watch the August 17th replay.

Bethany Jett is a multi-award-winning author, a ghostwriter, and marketer who received the Distinguished Scholar award for earning the top GPA in her Masters Program, where she focused on Communications: marketing and PR. Bethany co-owns Serious Writer and Platinum Literary Services and loves everything about the publishing industry…except the rejections! She is a military wife to her college sweetheart and a work-from-home momma-of-boys who loves planners, suspense novels, and all things girly. You can connect with Bethany on social media or at www.bethanyjett.com

Edit Your Book Like a Pro with Kristen Stieffel

Professional editors have a number of tools and techniques they use to edit books. In this episode of Writers Chat, Kristen shares her expertise on how to edit, in what order, and how to know when you’re finished. You’ll learn to use a book map to analyze fiction and nonfiction for sound structure. That and many more practical techniques are jam-packed in this episode to help you locate your book’s weak points, repair them, and strengthen your writing.

Watch the August 24th replay.

Kristen Stieffel is a writer and freelance editor specializing in science fiction and fantasy. She provides a full range of editorial services and has worked on projects for both the general market and the Christian submarket. She is the author of Alara’s Call, a fantasy novel, and Tales of the Phoenix, a collection of science fiction novellas about a Martian airship crew. You can connect with Kristen on social media or at kristenstieffel.com.

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. Visit our permanent Zoom room link.

Categories
Proofed and Polished

Do You Know The Apostrophe Basics?

Proofed and Polished

In elementary school, I distinctly remember doing numerous worksheets on the possessive -s. There would be a list of words or short phrases that we had to turn into the possessive. For example, it might say “dog” and we had to write “dog’s” and then use that word in a sentence: The dog’s snack is tasty.

Later, we would learn that you can create contractions by combining words and using a little mark to show where some of the letters were left out. The worksheet had “it is” and we had to make “it’s”. 

The thing that I don’t really remember anyone talking about was the fact that the possessive -s and contractions were both formed using the same symbol—the apostrophe. And it wasn’t until I was older and writing about language that I realized apostrophes could have other functions and that the simple grade school rules are actually a bit more complex.

The Possessive

The singular possessive is pretty easy. “The dog’s toy” or “the cat’s favorite spot” is just adding an apostrophe plus -s to the end of a singular noun. Did you remember, though, that if a noun ends in -s and the word that follows it also ends in -s that you need to use only the apostrophe? 

Ex. The actress’ script

The plural form of most possessives is formed by adding the apostrophe after the -s.

Ex. The roots’ path

If two or more nouns share a possession, you only add the apostrophe -s after the second person.

Ex. Fred and Cathy’s beach house

But if you’re talking about two people who each possess different things, then you use the apostrophe -s after both.

Ex. Jordan’s and Nick’s colleges (Jordan and Nick go to different colleges)

Contractions

In a contraction, an apostrophe suggests that something is missing. To combine “would have”, you would write “would’ve” with the apostrophe indicating that the “ha-” in “have” has been eliminated. 

Odds and Ends

Names

A person’s name ending in -s like “Jess” may take an apostrophe -s in some styles or only an apostrophe in others. 

Ex. Jess’ garden -or- Jess’s garden (Both are correct)

Silent -S

If the final -s of a word is silent, use the apostrophe to show possession. 

Ex. Illinois’ capital is Springfield.

Omitted Characters

To show that a number or letter is missing from a word or phrase, you can use an apostrophe. 

Ex. The musical Singin’ in the Rain uses the apostrophe to show that the -g is missing from the end of “Singing”.

You can also do this with numbers. 

Ex. I graduated high school with the class of ‘08.

How about you?

Have you ever struggled with apostrophe placement? Hopefully this review of apostrophe basics will help you out!

Dayna Betz

Dayna Betz is a full-time freelancer providing proofreading and editing services to help writers put their best foot forward. She also enjoys reading and writing book reviews. Head over to her site to learn more: https://betzliterary.com.

Categories
The Picky Pen

How to Edit Characters

As we continue this editing series how we can develop a great story, I hope you’re able to see that the elements of storytelling hinges on more than concept and characters. By having all the layers in place before actually writing, you can have a clearer idea of where your story is going. Or if you’ve already written your book, how to make sure all the layers are in place so that you give your readers a delightful reading experience.

The sixth layer in developing a great story is developing your character within your story, whether nonfiction or fiction.

Your character is your readers’ best friend. Your character makes or breaks the story. Your character helps readers grow. Your character has influence on all other characters in the story. Your character must create empathy in your readers.

How to Edit Your Characters

  • What does your character want most?
  • What are winsome/lose-some qualities about your character?
  • How is your character motivated?

What does your character want most?

As you know, in storytelling, it’s really what drives the main character. What do they want? And the best way to show that is to show the character interacting with themselves, other characters, and the events of the story.

As I’ve said before, the greater the need, the bigger the story. So if your character wants to fly around the world, not in eighty days, but in ten, how on earth is this possible, and why do they want to do something so impossible? If your character wants to fulfil a promise to a dying loved one, then what is the internal satisfaction they’ll gain from it? Don’t just have your character want to go out on a date for the first time in twenty years; give your character a reason for wanting to do so, and maybe the motivation for waiting so long.

We must ask ourselves the following potential questions (not exhaustive, by any means):

  • Does what your character wants stem from their past experiences, even before the book opens up?
  • Does what they want stem from something that just happened within the story itself? For example, they want changes. (For this to work, you’d have to have a really good reason, and you’d have to set up the story really well.)
  • Does what your character want leap off the first page, or within the first five pages?
  • Why does your character want what he/she wants?
  • Is your character’s desire from someone else’s expectation or from their own?
  • What would your character do if he/she didn’t get what they wanted?
  • What would he/she do if they got what they wanted?

What are winsome/lose-some qualities about your character?

I say winsome or lose some because if we had a character that was Goody Two-shoes all the time, I think we’d be throwing the book at the wall.

It’s better to have a character with a deep struggle that they grapple with throughout the book, and come to accept by the end. Maybe that deep struggle becomes their saving grace. If your character’s winsome qualities can somehow compliment their lose some qualities, that is even better, because it’s the constructive qualities that present the greatest challenges and victories.

These qualities can be internal, external, philosophical, esoteric, or however you choose them to be. And the more you mix them up or the quirkier they are, the stronger your character will be.

How is your character motivated?

Propelling the character forward through the plot is tough. Not gonna lie. It’s that delicate balance between stop, listen to the birdsong, and go, race through the sun-splashed woods.

In making the most of your character throughout the story, it’s important to understand why he/she is doing what they’re doing. It’s important to dive deep into the outer and inner motivations. If they want to make a trip cross country but are delayed by a snowstorm, do they drive forward anyway? What if your character doesn’t get what they want in the first place … do they flip the coin to see what their next option is, or do they sit and stew for days and days, until someone helps them snap out of it?

Whatever your character’s motivation, readers should be on pins and needles on your character’s behalf—because you have created a winsome character that tends to lose some sometimes. It’s all part of the character journey.

Secret Sauce to the Best Character Development. Ever.

“You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one.”

Henry David Thoreau

“We become the books we read.”

Matthew Kelly

The books we read. The characters we create. Both of these speak to the integrity and endurance of the fictional characters we create, or the real-life characters we write about in our nonfiction.

Each writer and author benefits from exploring their characters inside and out, while asking “why?” at every turn when crafting their character’s reactions and responses throughout the story because it’s really the secret sauce to writing a great story that captivates agents, editors, readers, marketers, and the person who wouldn’t necessarily pick up a book and read it.

Questions? Comments? I’d love to engage in the conversation with you! Drop your question or comment in the chat below, and I’ll look forward to responding!

Your Turn!

What is the best quality or trait about your character, and why?

What is your favorite character in a book or movie, and what makes you like or dislike them?

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and articles, and edits full time for beginning and best-selling writers and publishing houses. Since 2017 she has edited and evaluated 250 books, and written a plethora of back-cover and marketing book copy. She has a bachelor’s in Professional Writing, a master’s in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute. Her nonfiction contribution “The Meaning of an Heirloom” for The Horse of My Dreams: True Stories of the Horses We Love is available from Revell. Learn more at www.tishamartin.com.

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Proofed and Polished

Who Are We Talking About? Using Pronouns and Antecedents

Proofed and Polished

Keeping Your Sentences Clear

Example #1

“They had such a great time at the amusement park. First, my aunt and cousins went on the merry go round, then my uncle took them on the big roller coaster. Finally, they went on the teacups right before they closed for the night, and they took them home to bed.”

Have you ever started a sentence this way? Especially now that we’re home so much more, we may assume that everyone in our shrunken social circles knows exactly who we’re talking about when we start a story. In the sentence above, the first “they” is merely confusing if you’re just joining the conversation; the reference to “my aunt and cousins” in the next sentence seemingly clears that up. However, as the story goes on, the constant references to “they” and “them” start to get confusing. By the end, you’re asking yourself, “Wait, who went on the teacups? And who took who home after “they” closed?”

Pronouns and Antecedents

Pronouns are lovely things, and there are so many types! You have personal pronouns, direct and indirect pronouns, possessive pronouns, demonstrative pronouns… Pronouns prevent us from saying awkward things like:

Example #2

“Danny went to the store in Danny’s car to buy food to fill Danny’s refrigerator.”

Instead, they allow us to say:

“Danny went to the store in his car to buy food to fill his refrigerator.”

In this sentence, we understand that “his” is referring to Danny. 

One challenge I notice as a proofreader is that some people get a little “pronoun happy.” As you saw in the example at the beginning of the article, overuse of pronouns can cause the reader to lose the meaning of the story.

An antecedent (prefix “ante-” meaning “before) comes before the pronoun you use to clear up the meaning. “Danny” is the antecedent for “his car” and “his refrigerator.” 

What we need in the first example are some antecedents—and in some cases, to just use nouns—to help us know who all the “they” pronouns are referring to.

Let’s make some corrections:

Original Example #1:

“They had such a great time at the amusement park. First, my aunt and cousins went on the merry go round, then my uncle took them on the big roller coaster. Finally, they went on the teacups right before they closed for the night, and they took them home to bed.”

Improved Example #1:

“My aunt, uncle, and cousins had such a great time at the amusement park. First, my aunt and cousins went on the merry go round, then my uncle took my cousins on the big roller coaster. Finally, the whole family went on the teacups right before the park closed for the night, and my aunt and uncle took my cousins home to bed.”

You’ll notice that in the improved example, there are far fewer pronouns. In order to accurately convey what happened, you need to use more antecedents or leave out the pronouns. 

Example #3

“The girls went to the mall in the car to return it. They had missed the return window, so they only got $5.25 for it. They were disappointed.”

At first read, you may think, “I imagine they were disappointed if they only got $5.25 for returning a car!” Logically, you know that something is missing. Here, “it” needs an antecedent to make sense. 

Instead:

“The girls went to the mall in the car to return the sweater. They had missed the return window, so they only got $5.25 for it. They were disappointed.”

We all feel better for these girls!!

Finally:

Example #4:

“Roxanne is a real go-getter. She is always at work early. Sarah usually comes in to work a little late, but she really understands the data systems the best. They are both essential to the office, so it will be difficult to tell her that she’s the one we’ve chosen to let go.”

In this final example, everything makes sense until the very end where you have to be in the know to understand whether Roxanne or Sarah is the one being let go. To clear up confusion for anyone just entering the room, you would say:

“Roxanne is a real go-getter. She is always at work early. Sarah usually comes in to work a little late, but she really understands the data systems the best. They are both essential to the office, so it will be difficult to tell Roxanne that she’s the one we’ve chosen to let go.”

What about you?

Have you ever been deep into writing the next chapter of your book, knowing perfectly well which character you’re talking about, but realize you haven’t actually used that character’s name in eight pages? When you proofread, keep a sharp eye out for your pronouns, and make sure that there is a clear antecedent so that your readers don’t get confused!

Dayna Betz is a full-time freelancer providing proofreading and editing services to help writers put their best foot forward. She also enjoys reading and writing book reviews. Head over to her site to learn more: https://betzliterary.com.

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Proofed and Polished

Proofed and Polished: Tips on self-proofing for a flawless product

Proofed and Polished

A Scenario…

Finally! You sit back in your chair and breathe a sigh of relief. The project is done, and before the deadline! A small miracle in and of itself. You would love nothing more than to hit “Submit,” treat yourself to ice cream or a walk, and bask in the glow of accomplishment. But you know, you know, that if you don’t look it over at least one more time, that whatever errors are lurking in your nearly memorized manuscript will become glaringly obvious the second you hit “Send.” The errors will contaminate your ice cream with regret and your subconscious will taunt you while you’re trying to sleep.

So you take another deep breath, and you scroll to the beginning. 

Just one more read-through. 

I can do this.

Ok, this isn’t so bad. 

Is a comma supposed to be there? 

Wait, is it toward or towards?

Aaand fifteen minutes later, you’ve reread your first sentence twenty-five times and all words have lost their meaning. That, or you’re on page twenty-five and have found zero errors, which either means you’re a complete genius, or you’re not actually reading the words at all. HELP!

Introducing Proofed and Polished

It’s cool, we’ve all been there.  But still, we all need to send a proofed and polished manuscript so that the errors aren’t distracting the readers from the awesomeness of our storytelling. I have ideas to share!

Proofed and Polished will share some tips and tricks to help you send out a glitch-free product that you can be proud of. I’ll look at the nitty-gritty of proofreading: common vocabulary errors; some grammar pointers; goofy idiomatic expressions; and some practical tips to help you get the proofreading done without your eyes glazing over or second-guessing yourself.

Sound good? Let’s get started now! 

3 Tips for Proofreading When You Just Don’t Want To

Remember that scenario in the beginning? It can be avoided. I know you just want to turn it in, but instead, try this:

  1. Walk Away

Seriously. You wrote it, so you know what it’s supposed to say. Your eyes will play tricks on you. Of course you know that it’s its, not its’, or it’s…isn’t it? Is its’ even a thing?? Just walk away. Get your ice cream or go on a walk – you still worked hard – maybe even sleep on it. Only sit down to proofread once you have fresh eyes.

  1. One Thing at a Time

Welcome back! Fresh from your break, what to do first? Spelling? Punctuation? Grammar? Formatting? Pick just one. You can:

  • Go paragraph by paragraph and look only at your spelling (I know you ran spell check, but you still need to do this step – more on that in a future post). 
  • Go one page at a time and look for different types of errors; then, take a break between each page. 
  • What are your weaknesses? Punctuation? Check that first. 

If you’re proofing a big project, be willing to give it time! Otherwise, you’ll miss things or make new errors in the name of changing something.

  1. Start at the End

Huh? Try it. Read the last paragraph first, checking for errors as you go. Then the next-to-the-last paragraph, then the one before that…Kinda weird reading your creation backwards? Good! You can stop getting distracted by the flow of the story, and get focused on the technical side of things.

*P.S. I used this strategy for this article.

Got it? Now…

Try these ideas and share your results or your own proofreading tricks! You’ll be proofed and polished and ready to publish before you know it!

Dayna Betz is a full-time freelancer providing proofreading and editing services to help writers put their best foot forward. She also enjoys reading and writing book reviews. Head over to her site to learn more: https://betzliterary.com.

Categories
Screenwriting

What’s the Plot?

Recently, I finished the first draft of my latest screenplay. The crazy part is I didn’t think I had the training to write it. I wanted to use television techniques to bring this action film to the big screen.

However, due to the pandemic and my freed-up schedule, I had the time to do the research and prewriting prep work needed to write this narrative, including:

  • Set locations.
  • Character sketches.
  • Action script notes.
  • Gaming research.
  • Military command research.
  • I.T. research.

With these pieces of the puzzle, I was eager to put them together to reveal the big picture I wanted my audience to see. I had written a storyboard outline on my screenwriting software and was ready to connect the dots in a visual story.

With my story’s theme, I was cautiously ready to dive in. Then I remembered screenwriting teacher and legend Scott Myers’ advice for screenwriting, “It doesn’t have to be perfect in the first draft, just get the story out!”

With my outline as a blueprint, I began to plot the course of the narrative. But, I soon realized that my characters wanted to tell their own story and it wasn’t long before the plot changed.

By the time I got to the words “fade out,” the plot, genre, and subplots had changed. I still had the take-away I intended, just through an improvised plot.

Plot?

Most of the time when I ask people about movies they’ve seen, I ask them about the plot, but the response is always about the message or take-away. The average person doesn’t understand that a story’s plot isn’t what a movie is about—it’s how the writer gets the characters through the story.

Simply put the plot is how we get from point A (the beginning) to point B (the end.) Master storyteller and screenwriting genius Robert McKee explains, “Plot is an accurate term that names the internally consistent, interrelated pattern of events that move through time to shape and design a story.1”

Our jobs as screenwriters is to plot the events leading from point A to point B and hopefully craft an entertaining story along the way; these events are more than just information, like dominoes they have a cause and effect on each other to move our narrative forward. Take for example the plots of movies like The Sixth Sense or Split.

The plot is the road map for your story. In my limited experience in writing fiction, I’ve had to learn to listen to my characters as they share the parts of their stories that influence my narratives’ plot. Keep in mind the following seven elements of the plot as you write:

  1. Inciting action – this is the first domino that gets the story moving.
  2. Rising action – A sequence of events that causes the protagonist to struggle with some sort of conflict.
  3. Climax – the highest point of conflict when change occurs for the protagonist.
  4. Falling action – the bridge between the climax and the denouement.
  5. Denouement – Where the loose ends of your story are wrapped up.
  6. Resolution – this wraps up the story.

The more time I spend with my characters and in their world, the more I understand their journey; how each of the previous elements will fit together in my narrative puzzle.

In sticking with Scott Myers’ teaching on first drafts, it’s okay to have loose ends and unclear motives in the first draft, because at this point we’re just setting up the dominoes where they’ll connect with the others as the momentum moves the story forward.

  Don’t expect to hit a home run with your first draft. The average screenplay goes through at least 30 rewrites before it’s sold or optioned. You’ll have plenty of time to tie up those loose ends, tighten the dialogue, and clarify the scene descriptions along the way. Stories tend to change with each rewrite and that’s okay.

Change It up!

In case you haven’t heard, editing is writing. Editing is about more than just catching typos, misspelled words, and bad punctuation. Editing is an opportunity to tell a better story.

The most successful screenwriters know they can’t love their script to the point that they won’t allow any changes, because with each change the story is improved. Studios, directors, and producers only make changes that will make a stronger story, so be prepared to let go of your favorite scene or welcome a few other common changes, such as:

  • Character names and personalities.
  • Scene locations may need to be moved for budget purposes.
  • Subplots can be built up or cut out completely, especially if they take away from the main plot.

The production team wants to be sure that all the pieces fit together perfectly so that the audience knows what’s the plot!

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1  McKee R. (1997). Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pg 43.

Categories
The Picky Pen

How to Edit Scenes

As we continue this editing series how we can develop a great story, I hope you’re able to see that the elements of storytelling hinges on more than concept and characters. By having all the layers in place before actually writing, you can have a clearer idea of where your story is going. Or if you’ve already written your book, how to make sure all the layers are in place so that you give your readers a delightful reading experience.

The fourth layer in developing a great story is developing the scenes within your story, whether nonfiction or fiction.

The scenes within your story link the characters and plot together like a colorful construction paper chain link that can be as short or as long as you want them to be.

How to Edit the Scene

  • What does the character want or how does the character react in this scene?
  • What is the most important dominant impression in this scene?
  • How does the scene propel the plot forward?

What does the character want or how does the character react in this scene?

As you know, in storytelling, it’s really all about what’s at stake for the main character. And the best way to show that is to show the character interacting with the scene. We’re not going to talk about the character right now, but more how the elements in the scene help the character.

In my current story about a woman who retrains retired cavalry horses, she encounters an accident where one of the horses has gotten tangled up in barbed wire fencing. The horse has been there quite a while, has thrashed around, and is lying with its neck stretched out, as if struggling for the very breath of life.

Now, what kind of elements would this scene need to include for it to grip readers by the throat and pull them through this rescue?

We must ask ourselves the following potential questions (not exhaustive, by any means):

  • What is the end of this scene?
  • What does this scene tie back to?
  • Does the scene open closer to the middle of the scene, rather than setting up the scene and easing the reader into it?
  • What is the driving emotion and motivation for the character?
  • Are any of the five senses represented here, and how to incorporate them?
  • What character actions would enhance this scene?
  • What is the takeaway for your readers?

If it seems that every aspect of storytelling is comprised of asking lots of questions, you’re right. It is. As writers, we must don our analytical hats and comb every journalist-style question as we map out the story basics. For in asking those deeper questions, we will be able to craft a compelling scene that dazzles and engages readers.

Here’s a piece of my draft scene for the story I’m writing:

The tips of Laurie’s shoes caught under some overlain bumps of grass, and she landed facedown near a pile of manure. She pushed herself up and limped toward the mare’s cry.

Ebony writhed, struggling, next to the fence.

Laurie dropped to the ground. “Easy, girl,” she soothed in her calmest voice—or what she hoped sounded calm. “Let’s see what’s wrong.”

Barbed wire had wrapped several times around the mare’s right foreleg. The wire carved gashes in her leg; skin and blood mingled together.

“Oh, my girl, how did you get into this fix?” She found out where the wire started and began to unwrap it.

The mare kicked and struggled to rise, causing the barbs to sink into Laurie’s fingers.

Laurie winced, tears springing to her eyes. “Listen, Eb.” She stroked the mare’s sweaty neck. “You’ve got to stay still until I get this wire untangled. Just take it easy, girl. Relax.” She took a deep breath as the mare squinched her eyes in pain. “It’s okay,” she soothed, working the fencing wire around and around.

Ebony apparently sensed Laurie’s racing emotions and fought to get up. The wire dug deeper into her skin as well as scraping Laurie’s fingers again. As the mare’s sweat dripped onto her bloody cuts, her fingers burned. She blew short breaths, hoping the action would distract her from the pain.

“Ebony, easy, easy,” she commanded in a shaky voice. “Hold on.” She worked furiously despite the fire sensation in her fingers. “I almost got it.”

Ebony settled down, even if the constant twitching in her shoulder did not.

Like it? It’s not perfect, and will change, but it’s a start. Can you picture the scene as if you were right there? Do you notice words that invoke emotions such as fear, intensity, pain, anguish? Do you feel the rush and the patience that Laurie does as she works to free the horse? Do you feel the blood, smell the sweat, hear the rushing of your heart in your ears?

Think about your own story, and what your character wants. Got it? Now what kind of things would need to be in your scene for the character to act upon or react to what they want, or what is happening within the scene?

What is the most important dominant impression in this scene?

The dominant impression is what stands out most in the scene. The dominant impression is the wrinkles in grandpa’s face as he smiles at his grandchildren while he’s remembering the bittersweet moments with his own childhood. The dominant impression is the dank cellar filled with root vegetables during the Depression. The dominant impression is the quirky flying car in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

In my draft scene example, the dominant impression was the horse, and I used words and descriptions and motivations that described the animal, while bringing focus to what my character was feeling—and what she wanted.

In short, the dominant impression centers around the scene and helps bring focus and emotion to the scene and whatever happens in it.

How does the scene propel the plot forward?

Propelling the plot forward is tough. Not gonna lie. It’s that delicate balance between stop, listen to the birdsong, and go, race through the sun-splashed woods.

In making the scene move forward, whether slower paced or break-neck speed, it’s crucial to set certain actions, thoughts, motivations, descriptions in such a way that the scene builds to a crescendo. If you’ve ever listened to Handle’s Messiah, you know the rush of emotion you get when that last stanza is played. Same for your writing because readers will be able to experience all those emotions with your characters at those levels, and then when you raise the stakes, then that emotion only grows.

For example, in my scene, the highest propeller is toward the end of that scene:

Ebony apparently sensed Laurie’s racing emotions and fought to get up. The wire dug deeper into her skin as well as scraping Laurie’s fingers again. As the mare’s sweat dripped onto her bloody cuts, her fingers burned. She blew short breaths, hoping the action would distract her from the pain.

“Ebony, easy, easy,” she commanded in a shaky voice. “Hold on.” She worked furiously despite the fire sensation in her fingers. “I almost got it.”

As if Laurie’s fingers are going to get pinched off, right?

Secret Sauce to the Best Scene. Ever.

Classic film director Alfred Hitchcock said,

“There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.”

And let that be true of your manuscript, however you choose to set up your scenes in your story, whether you choose to ease in, ramp up, create waves, let it ebb and flow, or go off the deep end. No. No. Don’t do that. But do make your readers anticipate every moment of every line if every scene.

Each writer and author benefits from exploring their characters inside and out, while asking “what if?” at every turn when crafting their novel’s scene because it’s really the secret sauce to writing a great story that captivates people, agents, editors, readers, marketers, and the person who wouldn’t necessarily pick up a book and read it.

Questions? Comments? I’d love to engage in the conversation with you! Drop your question or comment in the chat below, and I’ll look forward to responding!

Your Turn!

What is the dominant impression in your scene?

Which of the five senses will you use in your scene, and how?

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but edits full time for beginning and best-selling writers and publishing houses. Since 2017 she has worked on over 250 books, including Planned from the Start, the devotional companion to Unplanned the movie, and serves as contest judge for Writer’s Digest. She puts her bachelors in Professional Writing, masters in English Education, and editing certificate from the PEN Institute to delightful good use. Her nonfiction essay “The Meaning of an Heirloom” in The Horse of My Dreams: True Stories of the Horses We Love is available from Revell. She enjoys speaking at writer’s conferences and coaching writers in the self-editing process. Learn more at www.tishamartin.com.   

Categories
The Picky Pen

How to Edit Point of View

As we continue this editing series how we can develop a great story, I hope you’re able to see that the elements of storytelling hinges on more than concept and characters. By having all the layers in place before actually writing, you can have a clearer idea of where your story is going. Or if you’ve already written your book, how to make sure all the layers are in place so that you give your readers a delightful reading experience.

The third layer in developing a great story is developing your story’s point of view.

Point of view doesn’t stop with characters, but also affects inanimate and animate objects like setting and weather. Let’s discuss some possibilities!

How to Edit the Point of View

  • Who has the most at stake in this story?
  • Whose perspective offers the best story in this scene?
  • How will your chosen POV impact your characters, the plot, your readers?

Who has the most at stake in this story?

In storytelling, it’s really all about what’s at stake for the main character. And it’s not what they’re grilling, either. Unless, of course, it’s a camping novel, and then it works.

Which character has the higher stake? The butcher who is forced to sell his butcher shop because his wife is sick, or the daughter who must leave her school to travel with her family so they can get medical help for mother? It depends.

We must ask ourselves the following potential questions:

  • Who is your audience?
  • Which character is speaking to you the most?
  • Which character has the most to learn by the end of the story?
  • What is the takeaway for your readers?

If it seems as if storytelling is comprised of asking lots of questions, you’re right. It is. As writers, we must don our analytical hats and comb every journalist-style question as we map out the story basics.

Whose perspective offers the best story in this scene?

Perspective is everything. It’s the difference between telling the story from Boo Radley’s eyes or from Scout’s eyes; the old man’s eyes in UP or his wife’s eyes; or Turnley Walker’s eyes.

Even if you are not familiar with the characters I just named, you might have noticed that the perspectives are all very different from each other. There’s first person, third person, and second person.

First Person

To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee tells the story from Scout’s perspective in first person. Everything that I experience in this story is as if I were viewing the world from Scout’s vantage point. I get inside Scout’s head and notice everything, feel everything, do everything, and think everything that Scout does. I’m affected by the arguments of the era, the racial disputes, and the events around me.

Writing in first person is a great way to share cultural and social issues with readers because of the depth of voice you can write from. You can also write your story from a first-person heroine and a third-person hero (in separate chapters, of course), if you’d like to switch it up a bit. Additionally, teen readers often relate to stories written in first person, as my friend Kara Swanson has done in her Peter Pan retelling, Dust (July 2020, Enclave Escape, a division of Enclave Publishing).

Second Person

Writing in second person is often discouraged. I’m not quite sure why, other than it can feel a bit clunky on the page. My friend Angela Hunt, author of biblical historicals, says that writing in second person “is the bubble gum flavor of ice cream. It’s delicious, but a bit annoying because you have to work on holding the bubble gum in your mouth while trying to swallow the ice cream and cone” (Unmasking the Mystery of Point of View, Angela Hunt, 14).

But sometimes I think that second person (you) tends to sound narrative in tone, which can be a fun way to tell a story. So if your story feels narrative in nature and your characters aren’t good at telling their own story, you might consider writing in second person. Or if your story has an ultimately unique perspective or subject matter, then maybe telling the story in second person works. Keep in mind, second person also requires the present tense verb. Let’s read an example from a book published in 1950.

Rise Up and Walk by Turnley Walker. It’s the personal story of a man who contracted polio, a crippling flulike virus, and he chose second person voice to tell his story. I think it’s effective because it puts readers in an empathetic mood. Turnley opens the story like this,

“The regulation hospital bed is thirty-four by seventy-four inches. In the beginning that much space is allotted to each polio—the new name you get after Infantile Paralysis slugs you. That thirty-four-by-seventy-four inch area is a place that poliomyelitis allows  you, and even though you have been a much-traveled man in the outside world, you learn to live in it” (Rise Up and Walk, Turnley Walker, 7).

There are a few things I notice about this opening and the second-person viewpoint:

  • The subject matter is interesting
  • The tone is reflective and conversational
  • The tone affects empathy

Now, lest you think second person is a great idea, please think again. It’s not often used, and when it is, it can be difficult to manage because it also requires writing in present tense. Still curious? Go ahead. Give it a try. See how it works for you—and then ask a beta reader or skilled editor to ensure the story’s worthy of second person.

Third Person

Writing in third person is the most-used option for POV for several reasons. It’s easy. It’s fun. And you get to explore the world through multiple characters’ eyes. Besides, most authors write in third person.

Telling the story from the viewpoint of she or he or they or it adds life to a story because it allows readers to experience the story from a bird’s-eye view while also getting inside the head of the main character in the story at the moment.

Nan, in Elizabeth Berg’s The Pull of the Moon, sets off to adventure the world at fifty. As she gets into her car and drives across the country, she explores places, meets people, and discovers herself along the way. And I imagine the author wrote this book from Nan’s perspective, making this book an exceptional insight into the life of one character.

Writing in third person requires using the five senses and the journalist’s five W’s and H, and for the best reading experience, showing readers the world from that character’s POV. This means—what they see, hear, feel, say, think, do—whatever they experience is only told from their eyes. Only. Head hopping is not an option here. It’s more confusing for readers to experience the same scene from two characters or more. (Watch for a future blog post on that topic!)

How will your chosen POV impact your characters, the plot, your readers?

Choosing the correct POV is as important as choosing the correct plot trajectory or characters to act out the story. The correct POV is the mood of the story, the flavor you want readers to taste, the mountain you want them to view.

If you’re writing in a voice that seems “off,” try switching gears and write in another voice. There isn’t a wrong way to write a story, but there is the right viewpoint that tells the best story.

Secret Sauce to the Best Point of View

Elizabeth Berg, author of The Pull of the Moon, says, “I have wanted you to see out of my eyes so many times.”

And let that be true of your manuscript, however you choose to tell your story and whomever to use to tell your story—whether first person, second person, third person, deep point of view … or if you choose to let an animate or inanimate object tell the story, so be it.

Each writer and author benefits from exploring their characters inside and out, while asking “what if?” at every turn when crafting their novel’s plot because it’s really the secret sauce to writing a great story that captivates people, agents, editors, readers, marketers, and the person who wouldn’t necessarily pick up a book and read it.

Questions? Comments? I’d love to engage in the conversation with you! Drop your question or comment in the chat below, and I’ll look forward to responding!

Your Turn!

Who is your audience, and what do you hope they gain from reading your book?

Which viewpoint do you think is best to tell the story you’re writing, and why?

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but edits full time for beginning and best-selling writers and publishing houses. Since 2017 she has worked on over 250 books, including Planned from the Start, the devotional companion to Unplanned the movie, and serves as contest judge for Writer’s Digest. She puts her bachelors in Professional Writing, masters in English Education, and editing certificate from the PEN Institute to delightful good use. Her nonfiction essay “The Meaning of an Heirloom” in The Horse of My Dreams: True Stories of the Horses We Love is available from Revell. She enjoys speaking at writer’s conferences and coaching writers in the self-editing process. Learn more at www.tishamartin.com.   

Categories
The Picky Pen

How to Find the Felt Need

This is the first post in my editing series in 2020 for how to develop a great story by having all the layers in place before actually writing, or if you’ve already written your book, how to make sure all the layers are in place.

The first layer in developing a great story is finding the felt need.

We all have needs. We have a need for sleep, sustenance, and sunshine. Your readers have needs, such as reading a soul-stirring good book. Your characters have needs like how to move forward in a relationship or making it through a congested highway in time to punch the clock. And do all those needs need to match? Not really, but they should at least mesh in some way. If you don’t know why your readers are reading your book, then what’s the point? You don’t have an engaged audience, you can’t sell books, and you just aren’t going anywhere, eh? Well, I want you and your books to go somewhere! 🙂

Recently, one writer lamented that the qualities necessary for a good nonfiction book were clearly not the same as the qualities necessary for a fiction book. Readers of fiction, they said, do not specifically read to meet their “need.” Okay, so I can see what they’re saying, but I respectfully disagree.

While it’s somewhat true to that fiction readers don’t read because they have a flaming need, readers of fiction read because they enjoy a good story. And as writers who care about writing good stories, we must give readers what they’re looking for, what they’re craving. The next few paragraphs presents several ways to easily find the felt need in your fiction manuscript.

How to Find the Felt Need

  • why are you writing this particular story?
  • what do you want readers to come away with at the end of the story?
  • how do the answers to the above questions play into your characters’ lives?

Why Are You Writing this Particular Story?

If you’re writing for the sake of writing, that’s a good cause, but if you’re writing because you have an urgent message to share with the world, that’s an even better cause.

Sometimes a book explores an issue to seek to uncover the lie and expose the truth, as in To Kill A Mockingbird. Sometimes a book is meant to show the reader what is most important, such as in Where the Red Fern Grows. And sometimes a book is just fun and lighthearted, with a loose message threaded throughout, like Cranford.

What Do You Want Readers to Come Away With?

Every story has a “so what?” factor, whether it’s an essay, article, nonfiction, or fiction. Every story has a purpose, even if it’s to have a good, hearty laugh (like the ladies do in Elizabeth Gaskell’s Cranford) or to integrate the romance factor as in The Great Gatsby.

In my essay, “The Meaning of an Heirloom,” in The Horse of My Dreams (Revell 2019), I wanted readers to come away with the idea that an heirloom extends beyond the space of something tangible; an heirloom could be intangible—and have a lasting impact on the world and others.

Each author benefits from exploring this “why” question when crafting their novel because it’s really the secret sauce to writing a great story that captivates people, agents, editors, readers, marketers, and the person who wouldn’t necessarily pick up a book and read it.

A Few Examples

In The Baggage Handler by David Rawlings, the characters are on a journey of discovery about who they really are and the baggage they carry. I believe the author wanted readers to be at peace with their relationships in all kinds of spaces.

Under Moonlit Skies (Prairie Skies series) by Cynthia Roemer seeks to empower readers that self-acceptance is more powerful than romantic love.

The theme of Sarah Sundin’s Sunrise at Normandy series is about forgiveness, and each main character (The Sea Before Us [2018], The Sky Above Us [2019], and The Land Beneath Us [2020]) must forge their own forgiveness path as they interact with each other and experience different situations that speak to their own needs.

So … as you’re editing your manuscript’s “felt need” and crafting your novel and its purpose to better serve your current readers and your future readers, I hope this bit of explanation is helpful to you.

Questions? Comments? I’d love to engage in the conversation with you! Drop your question or comment in the chat below, and I’ll look forward to responding!

Your Turn!

What is your character’s felt need? What is your story’s “why”?

What do you want your readers to come away with by the end of reading your book?

(Please, no retelling what the book is *about.)

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but edits full time for beginning and best-selling writers and publishing houses. Since 2017 she has worked on over 250 books, including Planned from the Start, the devotional companion to Unplanned the movie, and serves as contest judge for Writer’s Digest. She puts her bachelors in Professional Writing, masters in English Education, and editing certificate from the PEN Institute to delightful good use. Her nonfiction essay “The Meaning of an Heirloom” in The Horse of My Dreams: True Stories of the Horses We Love is available from Revell. She enjoys speaking at writer’s conferences and coaching writers in the self-editing process. Learn more at www.tishamartin.com.   

Categories
The Picky Pen

Punctuation Series: How to Edit Commas with Clauses

In light of the holiday season, here’s a final fun topic in our Punctuation Series: editing commas within independent and dependent clauses. Do you think Santa Claus will be pleased we included him?

I’ll be referring to The Chicago Manual of Style 17th edition, chapter six.

Let’s hitch up our sleigh and explore briefly these elements. Knowing when to insert commas in relation to independent and dependent clauses can seem confusing, like someone mixing up your name with someone else’s at the holiday gift exchange. So, let’s be clear and get started.

Use Commas with Independent Clauses When…

  • two ideas are separated by a conjunction.

    Heather trekked two miles through the snow back to her house, but when she arrived, the gift was not there.
  • the clause is part of a series.

    Jack is writing about thoroughbreds, Crystal is writing about detectives, and Cathryn is writing about the militia.
  • However, if the sentence is relatively simple, then consider eliminating the comma.

    Elyah played the harp and Havilah sang.
  • Or, if the sentence has the same subject but different verbs, leave off the comma.

    Ian dusted and waxed the piano for tonight’s singalong.

Use Commas with Dependent Clauses When…

  • your sentence has an introductory element, like a subordinating conjunction (if, when, or because).

    When we are ready, please lift the angel to the top of the tree.
    Because without six carolers, our group won’t be in harmony.
    If no one comes, it means more cookies for me.
  • your sentence has a parenthetical thought.

    We’ll watch the play, if you’re inclined to join us.
  • your sentence has two dependent clauses separated by a coordinating conjunction.

    Grandpa decorated the tree with an array of bubble lights, and if little Claire had not played with the end of the string, the lights might have gone up sooner.


I hope you’ve enjoyed this final blog post for this year’s series! It’s meant to be a reminder for those sometimes tricky and pesky Grammarly things.

Thanks as ever for joining this Punctuation Series journey this year. It’s been a pleasure sharing with you. Out of this series, what have you most enjoyed?

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but also edits and proofreads for beginning and best-selling writers, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. She has a BA in Professional Writing, an MS in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, affordable continuing education for editors. Active in American Christian Fiction Writers and The PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. As Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, she enjoys travel marketing and updating PENCON’s Facebook Page. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and engage in the conversation.

Categories
The Picky Pen

Punctuation Series: How to Edit Slashes

We’re toward the end of our self-editing blog post punctuation series, but it certainly is not the end of the self-editing blog posts! In 2020, I’m planning a fiction and nonfiction course available in this similar blog post format to help writers nail down those sometimes tricky nuances of self-editing.

And sometimes the tricks are small, like the slashes we’re going to cover in today’s blog post. But though they are small, they are mighty in presentation—because that’s been the focus of this series, to ensure our manuscript presentation is spot-on for agents, editors, and readers, and for you, because when our presentation is beautiful, it’s something to be even prouder of, isn’t it?

Using slashes is important for both genres: fiction and nonfiction, believe it or not.

You might think it strange using slashes in fiction. . . well, how about fantasy or science fiction, where there’s occasionally that word or turn of phrase that just requires the slash? Like, the Hyperdrive 437/895 or Sector 222 maneuvering into the 343/898 realm.

I’ll be referring to The Chicago Manual of Style 17th edition, chapter six.

You may have always known the slash as the slash. But there’s another name for it. Several, actually. Yeah, I didn’t know that either, but I think it’s really cool!

  • The slash / is also known as slant or forward slash. OK, those we know. . .
  • But—the slash / is also known as virgule. Say, what?
  • And, the slash / is also known as solidus.

I see now how the slash makes a good case for being used in fantasy or science fiction, ha! Those last two alternate words are definitely fiction-worthy!

Let’s dive into the few tips for using slashes correctly within our manuscripts.

Slashes can signify alternatives in our writing. (Chicago Manual of Style 6.106).

  • Using the slash is somewhat informal, but even in formal circumstances, it can be used more effectively than the longhand “or.” The slash is shorthand or slang for our writing.
  • Sometimes the slash can be used for alternative spellings or names.
  • Now, one minor point to notice with that last bullet:
  • If you’re using a slash and your phrase has more than one word (compound), then simply enter a spacebar space between the slash on both sides.

Ready for some real examples? Here we go!

  1. he/she  Philip/Phyllis
  2. and/or  World War II / Second World War

    Now, sometimes a slash makes better sense to replace “and” in a sentence. For instance, a Jekyll/Hyde personality, a BS/MS program, or an addition/deletion error. These slashes would refer to the phrases as an equal opportunity or offers both options, or includes both things.

Using slashes that span two years (Chicago Manual of Style 6.107).

  • If you’re using dates with the difference of one year, then a slash is a better option to use than an en dash.
  • For example, Between 1943/44 the US was in the thick of a world war.

Using slashes in breaks with poetry (Chicago Manual of Style 6.111).

  • We see poetry in both fiction and nonfiction, and knowing where to put those breaks is super helpful.
  • If you’re writing two or more lines of poetry, rather than using a comma at the end of each stanza, use a slash at the end of each stanza break.
  • For example, “A word is dead / When it is said, / Some say. / I say it just / Begins to live / That day.”

Using slashes with URLs and other paths (Chicago Manual of Style 6.112).

  • We see this mostly in endnotes, bibliographies, sources cited, etc. And sometimes we see them in prose, but not often. (Again, it’s also useful for science fiction genres.)
  • Slashes are great for URLs, file paths, and certain directions, including where to find something in Word.
  • With URLs, insert a slash with each part. For example, https://www.tishamartin.com/blog/. Or, https://www.almostanauthor.com/category/career/book-proposals/.
  • If you’re using any kind of resources page at the end of your book (this applies mostly to nonfiction), and a URL happens to be part of the resources used, it’s good to separate part of the link after the slash, not before. www.tishamartin.com/
    blog/.
  • With file path directions, it’s best to outline it this way for ease and clarity: To find Track Changes in Word, in the toolbar, go to Review/Tracking and click the down arrow to select Track Changes on/off or to see in Simple Markup, All Markup, or No Markup.

How’s that for a very brief introductory to using the slash that’s sometimes used but so often tricky to use?

Using the well-placed slash is important because your overall presentation makes a world of difference to your editor, agent, publisher, and readers. That may seem counterintuitive because the writing is equally important, but it’s the presentation that enhances your credibility as a writer. (Especially if you self-publish and are doing your own first-draft editing.)

Pro Tip :: I’m creating a few cheat sheets on some of the topics I’ve covered so far, and if you’d like to be in the loop for when they’ll be ready, just go to my website and email me, letting me know you’d like to be added to my Grammar List!! I look forward to seeing you!

Please take a minute and join in the discussion! I’d love to hear from you!

Conversation Time!! What kinds of things would you like to see in my upcoming Fiction and Nonfiction self-editing courses? This can be anywhere from finding the “need,” how to edit character, scene, or dialogue, or anything else that you have been curious about! Drop a line in the comments! I’d love to hear from you!

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but also edits and proofreads for beginning and best-selling writers, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. She has a BA in Professional Writing, an MS in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, affordable continuing education for editors. Active in American Christian Fiction Writers and The PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. As Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, she enjoys travel marketing and updating PENCON’s Facebook Page. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and engage in the conversation.

Categories
The Picky Pen

Punctuation Series: How to Edit Parentheses

Here we are, nearly at the end of our year-long punctuation/grammar series. I hope you’ve learned a lot and gained much insight from these quick posts so that your manuscripts gleam professionalism on the inside. Believe it or not, this careful attention to all the little grammar nuances in a story is what catches the eye of agents and editors—and readers, oh yes!—because it shows you care deeply for the presentation as well as writing a great story.

Why Paying Attention to the Parentheses Is Important (Just in Case You’re Wondering)

  • Presentation is everything, presentation is everything, presentation . . . yeah.
  • The parentheses is stronger than the comma because it sets what you have to say apart from the rest of the sentence.
  • Using the parenthesis sets off the part of text that doesn’t necessarily have any grammatical relationship to the rest of the text. (I’ll explain. . .)

In this blog post, let’s look at the parentheses. The plain and simple parentheses that actually plays an important role in your manuscript, whether fiction or nonfiction. I’ll be referring to The Chicago Manual of Style, chapter six.

Mostly, parentheses are used in nonfiction pieces, but can be used in fiction also. For reference, here are a few examples of parentheses used wisely in a sentence:

  • The authors who speak to our souls (Jane Austen, C.S. Lewis, Eugene Petersen, Charles Dickens) have paved the way for excellent literature and classical voice.
  • The Write-to-Publish conference (which brings in agents and publishers) is held in June in Chicago every year.
  • Hudson’s explanation of Scripture versus scripture (it’s found in Christian Writer’s Manual of Style) is important when referring to works of theology or religion.

If you have an educational or technical manuscript, use parentheses for glosses or translations. (Chicago Manual of Style 6.96).

  • Use parentheses to explain or translate what might be unfamiliar to readers.
  • If a term is given in English, you might want to give the original term in whatever language you’re talking about. For example, German has two levels of beauty—general (schöne) and radiant (sehr schöne).
  • But in material that’s quoted, it’s best to put that extra material in brackets (according to CMoS 6.99 and 7.53 and 11.9).

Ready for some real examples? Here we go!

  1. The box of books for the competition (they are from a wide variety of writing styles) will arrive next week.
  2. Have you read any of the recent authors (most of them are debut authors)?
  3. When using scientific terms, please define them simply for a lay audience, such as the number 1,000,000,000 is mil millones (billion).

Parentheses within parentheses! (Chicago Manual of Style 6.97).

  1. This one’s short, but I think the explanation is necessary, especially if you’re writing a bibliography for your book.
  2. For fiction and nonfiction writers, Chicago actually prefers brackets within parentheses instead. It’s British style that uses parentheses within parentheses.
    • For US writers, use brackets within parentheses. (CMoS 6.101.)
    • For example, (If you want to study how to ask better questions, Dean Nelson’s Talk to Me [2019] is a clear, concise, and easy book to read.)

Parentheses with other punctuation (Chicago Manual of Style 6.98).

  • If you’re using parentheses, the closing punctuation is a comma.
    • For example, When we go to the store (that’s every Friday), we’ll get milk and cookies and a book.
  • Do not use a colon, semicolon, or comma before a parentheses.
    • For example, When we go to the store (that’s every Friday) we’ll get milk and cookies and a book.
  • A period comes after the closing parentheses in a sentence that is entirely a parenthetical statement. If not, the period comes before.
    • For example, an entirely parenthetical statement (I’m excited about seeing Downton Abbey this fall.)
    • A partial parenthetical statement, Let’s go see Downton Abbey (that’s coming out this fall).
  • And sometimes you’ll see two parentheses back to back.
    • For example, The structure for using American Sign Language is different than speaking (store I will go) (I will go to the store).

How’s that for a very brief introductory to using the parentheses that’s sometimes used but so often tricky to use?

Using the well-placed parentheses (as well as the surrounding punctuation) is important because your overall presentation makes a world of difference to your editor, agent, publisher, and readers. That may seem counterintuitive because the writing is equally important, but it’s the presentation that enhances your credibility as a writer. (Especially if you self-publish and are doing your own first-draft editing.)

Pro Tip :: I’m creating a few cheat sheets on some of the topics I’ve covered so far, and if you’d like to be in the loop for when they’ll be ready, just go to my website and email me, letting me know you’d like to be added to my Grammar List!! I look forward to seeing you!

Please take a minute and join in the discussion! I’d love to hear from you!

Conversation Time!!

Do you find yourself using parentheses in your writing? I’d love to see an example! What kind of writing do you think would warrant the use of the fabulous parentheses? Let me know in the comments!

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but also edits and proofreads for beginning and best-selling writers, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. She has a BA in Professional Writing, an MS in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, affordable continuing education for editors. Active in American Christian Fiction Writers and The PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. As Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, she enjoys travel marketing and updating PENCON’s Facebook Page. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and engage in the conversation.

Categories
The Picky Pen

Punctuation Series: How to Edit the Em Dash

In the world of grammar and punctuation, there are three types of dash (hyphen, en dash, and em dash). “So what?” you say. “Ah,” but I say, “presentation is everything, especially when it comes to the publishing world. And your presentation of such a small thing as a dash is crucial to your book’s success.”

Working with the dash can be tricky, boring, and downright distressing at times. As a writer and an editor, I completely understand your frustration with grammar and punctuation altogether.

You’d rather write, right? Right! So let’s continue our focus on a simple, easy-to-understand punctuation series that I hope will be a help and encouragement to you—allowing you more time to write well.

If you feel like you’re back in grammar school, please take heart—and know that this isn’t going to be a boring, stuffy ‘nother grammar lesson.

It may seem like the dash is not important, but they are, especially if you use a lot of extra information in your prose or poetry. And that’s nearly every piece of writing, so I invite you to stay for this little journey. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but merely to give you a tool to use in your self-editing journey, should you choose to do so.

Why Paying Attention to the Dash Is Important

  • Appearance is everything, appearance is everything, appearance . . . yeah
  • The difference is subtle, like missing the road sign on the highway
  • Using the dash correctly shows you care about your story, your editor, and your readers

In this blog post, let’s look at one of the dashes, the em dash. And my text for today is The Chicago Manual of Style, chapter six.

Using the em dash instead of using commas, parenthesis, and colons (Chicago Manual of Style 6.85).

If you ever hear just the word “dash,” the speaker most likely will be referring to the standard em dash, so please don’t be confused. Em dashes can be used for abrupt insertions of information in a sentence, or important side elements that an author wants the reader to notice something.

Em dashes set off or amplify an element in a sentence, or function in place of parenthesis, comma, or a colon. Please notice examples one, two, and three below, respectively:

  • Parenthesis. Tim Shoemaker’s keynotes at the Write-to-Publish conference in June, 2019, centered on several biblical characters—Nehemiah, King David, and David’s mighty men—and encouraged writers to produce great content that fills readers with hope in a fresh and exciting way.
  • Comma. The encouragement of three people in my life who were an inspiration to me in different stages of my writing journey—a journey that, much to my surprise, spanned twenty years, include my mother, my grandfather, and my writing mentor.
  • Colon. Even though I had many people who inspired me to write, it was a novel written by a British author that set my pen on fire—pure bliss.

*Avoiding confusion. (Chicago 6.85.)

  • Don’t use two sets of em dashes in the same sentence because it causes confusion for your reader, not to mention makes the sentence really clunky. In this case, you would use parenthesis or commas instead.
    (I have bolded the parenthesis and commas, as they add extra, extra information. Notice where the em dash is placed in relation to the other punctuation as well.)
    A few examples:
  • The Write-to-Publish conference—which met for four days in June near Chicago (and is a perfect balance of emerging and skilled writers)—featured in-house publishing editors and excellent subsidy publishers for writers of all levels and genres.
  • The Write-to-Publish conference—which met for four days in June near Chicago, and is a perfect balance of emerging and skilled writers—featured in-house publishing editors and excellent subsidy publishers for writers of all levels and genres.

Use the em dash for sudden breaks or interruptions (Chicago Manual of Style 6.87).

You may use an em dash if your sentence decides to go on a jaunt or a jolt, or entertain an interruption in dialogue or thought. Hey, no worries—that’s okay! Just plug in the em dash and you’re all good.

Here are some examples:

  • My friend jiggled the car keys still in the ignition, the steering wheel, the H-emblemed car horn, the door locks, anything to silence the deafening screech. “I—I can’t seem to deactivate this—this alarm.”
  • A woodpecker rap made me jump. The man shot two fingers in my direction on the other side of the passenger window. “If you don’t stop messing around with that alarm,” he shouted over the blaring sound, “I’m gonna call the cops—I mean it! People are tryin’ to sleep!”

The em dash is used instead of quotation marks

(Chicago Manual of Style 6.80). *This is mainly for European manuscripts. If you have read any international works or are getting your books published with foreign rights, you might have seen the em dash.

Okay, so this is a fun one, and I might add, an interesting rule to keep in mind. I’ll make it as simple as possible for you. 😊 Don’t use any quotation marks or spaces after the em dash. Ask your agent or editor or publisher if this method is still used in today’s books, because. . .

I’ve seen the em dash used in older novels, but haven’t seen them in recent novels. Have you? I’d sure love to know! So—please leave a comment on the blog, telling me where you have seen this rule used.

For example,

  • —Oh Henry, isn’t this a lovely party?
  • —Yes, Louise, and it’s lovelier with you here.

How’s that for a very brief introductory into using the em dash that’s widely used but so often misused?

Pro Tip for Finding the Em Dash

  1. Make sure your cursor is at the place where you want the en dash to be placed.
  2. In Microsoft Word (version 2016), go to the Insert tab.
  3. At the very end of the icon list, you’ll see Symbols.
  4. Click the drop-down menu, and you’ll choose the Symbol option.
  5. Mouse over the symbols, until you find the Em dash.  
  6. Click, and insert into the place where your cursor is located.

Using the well-placed en dash is important because your overall presentation makes a world of difference to your editor, agent, publisher, and readers. That may seem counterintuitive because the writing is equally important, but it’s the presentation that tends to enhance your credibility as a writer. (Especially if you self-publish and are doing your own first-draft editing.)

Next month, we’ll look at the final way to edit the dash in your manuscript, but for now. . . just remember, There may be three types of dash, and one of them is not Dasher.

Please take a minute and join in the discussion! I’d love to hear from you!

Choose between the questions to engage in the conversation:

Why do you use em dashes?

Have you seen any in place of quotation marks in dialogue? Which title/author uses them?

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but also edits and proofreads for beginning and best-selling writers, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. She has a BA in Professional Writing, an MS in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, affordable continuing education for editors. Active in American Christian Fiction Writers and The PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. As Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, she enjoys travel marketing and updating PENCON’s Facebook Page. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and engage in the conversation.

Categories
The Picky Pen

Punctuation Series: How to Edit Modifiers

Presentation is everything, especially when it comes to the publishing world. And your presentation of punctuation is crucial to your book’s success. But punctuation can be tricky, boring, and downright distressing at times. As a writer and an editor, I completely understand your frustration with grammar altogether. You’d rather write, right? Right! So let’s continue our 2019 focus on a simple, easy-to-understand punctuation series that I hope will be a help and encouragement to you, allowing you more time to write well.

How to Edit Modifiers

Wait a minute, you say. Dangling, misplaced, or simultaneous modifiers does not fall into the category of punctuation. Eh, you have a point. However, might I propose that a dangling modifier has everything to do with commas, and that does point to using the best sentence structure for good punctuation results. Hang on—and I’ll show you what I mean.

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, take notice. Misplaced modifiers are like the creepy crud of winter, and certainly not meant to be misused in your manuscript.

Why We Even Use Modifiers in the First Place

A modifier use in the beginning of your sentences modifies (or supports) the subject of the sentence. If that’s out of place, your sentence causes a misreading, which is not nice.

What IS a Modifier??

A modifier is a word usually ending in “ing” and is part of a word or phrase. A modifier describes the action or the subject. Feel better? I hope so!

What Are Poorly-placed Modifiers?

  • If the modifier does not describe the subject
  • If the modifier cannot be connected to the subject
  • If the modifier causes the reader any confusion about the subject and the verb’s purpose of the sentence
  • If the modifier happens at the same time the subject is doing the action

Dangling Modifier – does not connect to the subject of the sentence

Misplaced Modifier – is unclear about the action taking place

Simultaneous Modifier – creates confusion because two actions are happening at the same time

Let’s Dive In!

Dangling Modifiers

Sentence:

  • [Running down the street], the construction cones guided the cars

Problem:

  • Well, construction cones can’t run down the street, so this structure is unclear.
    Rewrite:
  • The cars drove in between the construction cones lining the street.
    Reason:
  • We made the cars the subject of the sentence, which it should be anyway, and this is a much clearer sentence.

Sentence:

  • [After offering a slice of bacon], the traveler was nourished to keep going.

Problem:

  • Okay, questions. . . Who offered the slice of bacon? And how can one piece of bacon nourish anyone?? I’d want a heaping pile! This sentence is uber unclear on so many levels!
    Rewrite:
  • After offering the weary traveler a plate of bacon, Rudy saw the man’s strength return.
    Reason:
  • We inserted a clear subject, completed the modifier so that it made sense, and gave the traveler more bacon!!

Misplaced Modifiers

Sentence:

  • The professor wrote a book about his experience in Prague on Saturday.

Problem:

  • Hmm, when did he write the book? Or when did he have the experiences? The action is totally unclear here.
    Rewrite:
  • On Saturday the professor wrote a book about his experience in Prague.
    Reason:
  • We placed the adverb at the beginning of the sentence, which establishes the professor’s action. Now we know what actually happened!

Sentence:

  • I met with my writer’s group where we talked about our characters’ actions on Tuesdays.

Problem:

  • So your characters only have actions on Tuesdays. What do they do on the other days?
    Rewrite:
  • I met with my writer’s group on Tuesday where we talked about character action.
    Reason:
  • We moved the adverb to when the group actually meets, and we adjusted the subject being talked about so that it made better sense.

Simultaneous Modifiers

Note: I have to say that this one is my favorite because I’ve committed this offense myself, and chuckle now when I catch it. This one truly is a psychological trick, but if we think through each action, this is a super easy fix!

Sentence:

  • Taking her shoes off, she put the milk in the fridge.

Problem:

  • She cannot take her shoes off and put the milk away at the same time. Not even if she’s a main character from your latest sci-fi or fantasy tale—there are certain rules that cannot be broken.
    Rewrite:
  • After taking off her shoes, she put the milk in the fridge.
    Reason:
  • We made the first part past action, and made the second part present action.

Sentence:

  • Hugging her parents, she tore into the bag of goodies.

Problem:

  • Again, this is impossible to do both at once. (No…not even if your character has two sets of hands! It’s just wrong.)
    Rewrite:
  • Grateful, she hugged her parents before tearing into the bag of goodies.
    Reason:
  • We set each action up as happening separately, with the most obvious order happening first. (Thanking and then opening.)

Using well-placed modifiers is important because presentation and sentence understanding makes a world of difference to an editor, agent, publisher, and readers. That may seem counterintuitive because the writing is equally important, but it’s the presentation that tends to enhance your credibility as a writer. (Especially if you self-publish and are doing your own first-draft editing.)

Next month, we’ll look at some more ways to edit the punctuation in your manuscript, but for now. . .

Please take a minute and join in the discussion! I’d love to hear from you!

What are some of your “pet” dangling modifiers?

Are there any of these sentences you would reword?

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but also edits and proofreads for beginning and best-selling writers, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. She has a BA in Professional Writing, an MS in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, affordable continuing education for editors. Active in American Christian Fiction Writers and The PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. As Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, she enjoys travel marketing and updating PENCON’s Facebook Page. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and engage in the conversation.

Categories
The Picky Pen

Punctuation Series: How to Capitalize Tricky Words

Presentation is everything, especially when it comes to the publishing world. And your presentation of punctuation is crucial to your book’s success. But punctuation can be tricky, boring, and downright distressing at times. As a writer and an editor, I completely understand your frustration with grammar altogether. You’d rather write, right? Right! So for 2019, I’d like to focus on a simple, easy-to-understand punctuation series that I hope will be a help and encouragement to you, allowing you more time to write well.

How to Capitalize Tricky Words

 It’s a truth universally acknowledged that capitalizing words are tricky. We want to make our manuscript as clean as can be for our editor because we want them to be more concerned about developing our content than fixing pesky punctuation errors … most of the time. (References used: Chicago Manual of Style [for manuscripts], The Associated Press Stylebook [for journalistic style], and Christian Writer’s Manual of Style [for biblical works or manuscripts], and Merriam Webster Online Dictionary [for everything].)

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, take notice how to capitalize these words:

  1. Words using time reference.
  • a.m. [CMoS, AP]
  • p.m. [CMoS, AP]
  • eternity [CWMS]
  1. Words referring to Deity.
  • Abba (term for God, as in “Father” or “Daddy”) [CWMS]
  • the Almighty
  • almighty God (used as an adjective here)
  • Alpha and Omega
  • Angel of the Lord (a visible manifestation of God)
  • the Anointed One
  • blessed name
  • Chief Shepherd
  • the Crucified One
  • the Door, the Eternal, the Guide, the Head, the Holy One
  • Divine King
  • the Divinity (but “the divinity of Christ”)
  • Divine Father
  • God’s Son
  • God’s Word (the Bible)
  • God’s word (statement or promise)
  • Light of the World

This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but common words that are tricky to know how to capitalize.

  1. Words referring to education.
  • Master of Science
  • master’s, master’s degree
  • business degree
  • Bachelor of Writing
  • bachelor’s, bachelor’s degree
  • MFA

Again, not exhaustive, but gives you a general idea. All are from CMoS.

  1. Words referring to the Internet Age.
  • the Web (Merriam Webster dictionary), the web (AP)
  • webcast (AP)
  • webmaster (MW)
  • Wi-Fi (MW)
  • website (CMoS, AP)
  • internet (CWMS)
  • Internet (CMoS, MW)

Using correct capitalization is important because presentation makes a world of difference to an editor, agent, publisher, and readers. That may seem counterintuitive because the writing is equally important, but it’s the presentation that tends to enhance your credibility as a writer. (Especially of you self-publish and are doing your own editing.)

Next month, we’ll look at some more ways to edit the punctuation in your manuscript, but for now. . .

Please take a minute and join in the discussion! I’d love to hear from you!

What are some of your pesky capitalization words?  

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but also edits and proofreads for beginning and best-selling writers, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. She has a BA in Professional Writing, an MS in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, affordable continuing education for editors. Active in American Christian Fiction Writers and The PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. As Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, she enjoys travel marketing and updating PENCON’s Facebook Page. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and engage in the conversation.

Categories
Blogging Basics

How To Polish Your Blog With A Little Help

When meeting first time bloggers, I am often asked about hosting, web pages, and behind the scenes technical issues. Focusing on the technical side of blogging often overwhelms first time bloggers stifling creativity where it is needed most; in writing the blog itself. To conquer this problem, I suggest a homework assignment. Write three to six blogs in Word.

Two reasons I suggest this assignment. One, it helps with concept and organization. If I write six blogs, what will I write? What concepts do I want to share? Do I have enough content to maintain a weekly or a monthly blog? Two, having six created blogs ready to go, helps you then focus on the technical and marketing side of blogging when you are ready to go live. I offer to read their first two blogs checking for content, flow, and overall readability.

Last year I discovered an amazing resource to help with the heart of your blog: the actual writing and editing of blogging. I edited my second book using ProWritingAid. The following are my favorite features of this writing software program.

The Summary Report

My blog writing process starts with free writing. Without self-editing, I let my words flow on the page, mistakes and all. Without words on the page, you have nothing to edit. Then I self-edit without opening an editing software program. Once I am satisfied with flow and content, then I open ProWritingAid in Word.

Without words on the page, you have nothing to edit.

My Blog Writing Process

  1. Free Write
  2. Self-Edit
  3. Edit Using ProWritingAid

The Summary Report

This report offers an overall score for grammar, spelling, and style. I open this report first to get a sense of how much I need to edit the document. The goal is to have each category report a 100% score. If any score is lower than 100%, I select the individual report for review.

Grammar

Grammar suggestions appear in the right-hand column of your Word Document. Select the down arrow to read offered suggestions.

Examples:

  1. Sentence: A score of 100 for overall score. The report suggests: A score of 100 for an overall score. Action: Add an to the sentence.
  2. Sentence: An illness or disease like cancer. The report notes: Possible missing determiner. Change to: An illness or a disease like cancer. Action: Add a to the sentence.
  3. En-dashes: _ to –  . The report advises: En-dashes should never have a space on either side. Action: By selecting the suggested change, it automatically makes the update in Word.

Example #1:

Note: I also use Grammarly to check grammar as it also offers suggestions.  See free version at the end of the blog.

Spelling

The spelling check is found in the Grammar report and is straight forward. In this blog, I used the words Free Write. The spelling feature of ProWritingAid suggested I change my words to Fred Waite instead. In this case, I would select the green eye icon to override and hide this suggestion.

Style

This report checks for use of passive and hidden verbs. The report highlights areas for review and correction. Here is an example of a passive verb and a hidden verb discovered in the initial writing of this blog.

Passive Verb Example: Many people are overwhelmed

The report suggests: it overwhelms many people.

My corrected sentence: The technical side of blogging often overwhelms first time bloggers.

Hidden Verb Example: in the writing of the blog

The report suggests: No suggestions

My corrected sentence: in writing the blog itself.

Repeated Sentence Starts:

Another great feature of the style report is catching repeated sentence starts.

Example: I jumped in the pool. I shivered because the water chilled me to the core. I had to get out fast.

Change to: After diving into the pool, I shivered as the water chilled me to the core. In less than a minute, I swam to the side and leaped out.

Note: You can still obtain a 100% score by keeping two of your personal style preferences in the document. In editing my devotional, the program made a recommendation to correct a bible verse. I left the bible quotation “as is” leaving the integrity of the words in place and still received a score of 100 in the Style Report.

Readability

The readability report uses the Flesch Reading Ease, The Coleman -Liau Formula and The Automated Readability Index to return an overall score for this report. If your document is easy to read this report congratulates you. Otherwise, it highlights sentences you may want to re-write for easy reading for your audience.

In my initial writing of this blog, I wrote these two sentences:

Sample Sentences: This report offers a unique feature giving Estimated Reading Time. Great resource to offer your readers with limited time to read your blog.

But, the report flagged these sentences for readability by highlighting them in yellow as seen above. To change the sentence for a wider audience of readers, I made this adjustment:

Corrected Sentences: The readability report has a feature called, Estimated Reading Time. Using this resource will let your readers know how long it will take to read your blog.

Sticky

Another report to check for wordiness is the Sticky Report. The software checks your document for “Glue Words.” ProWritingAid shares “Glue words are the empty space that readers need to get through before they can get to your ideas. Generally, your sentences should contain less than 45% glue words. If they contain more, they should probably be re-written to increase clarity.”

They offer the following example:

  • ORIGINAL: Dave walked over into the back yard of the school in order to see if there was a new bicycle that he could use in his class. Glue index: 60.7% – Sentence length 27 words
  • REDRAFT: Dave checked the school’s back yard for a new bicycle to use in Glue index: 42.8% – Sentence length 14 words

Examples of Glue Words include in, on, the, was, for, that, will, and just.

All Repeats

This is my all-time favorite report of ProWritingAid. I attend a local critique group once a month where fellow writers read up to 1500 words of a work in progress. This group has helped me to grow as a writer over the years. They have helped me to avoid glue words and to catch duplicate words in my writing among other things. I recommend joining Word Weavers, not only for the critiques offered but the comradery.

Word Weavers Link: https://word-weavers.com

I use ProWritingAid to catch duplicate words before presenting my work to the critique group. This helps polish my document so my fellow writers can focus on the content presented.

This rainbow-colored report takes some getting used to at first, but it helps to identify changes to make your work shine. The following paragraph is from my October 2018 blog:

I remember the first time I saw a little person. I was about 8 years old. My mom brought me to the grocery store, and as we were leaving, I saw an adult dwarf. He had the short stature of child, but the facial features clearly showed he was an adult. Little did I know then, I would one day become the mother of a little person.

Each color highlights repeat words to review. Notice “an adult” is shown in orange because it appears twice in this paragraph. See the suggested change below.

The report suggests “a man” as an alternative. I could change the third sentence to read “a male dwarf” or “a middle-aged man who had dwarfism.”

You can also check for synonyms in the Thesaurus also included in the software.

In my opinion, this report alone is well worth the cost of ProWritingAid. If you feel this software would benefit your writing, see below.

Writing Software Costs:

In this blog, I’ve suggested ProWritingAid as a writing software option. Below are a few other programs for comparison.

Grammarly

Free Program: Critical grammar and spelling checks.

Premium: $139.95 a year, $59.95 quarterly or $29.95 a month. (Includes checks for punctuation, grammar, context, and sentence structure, and more.)

Purchase here:

Hemingway Editor

Addresses lengthy/structurally complex sentences, meandering sentences, hard to read sentences, weak sentences, and passive voice.

Online version: Free

Hemingway Editor 3 – One-time payment: $19.99. (Publish directly to WordPress or Medium with one-click.)

Purchase here:

ProWritingAid

Offers a free trial.

Cost: 1 year for $60, 2 years $90, 3 years $120 and Lifetime $210.

Purchase here:(This is an affiliate link: As a ProWritingAid affiliate, at no additional cost to you, I earn compensation if you click through and make a purchase using this link.)

What editing software program do you use? Comment below and share your favorite feature.

Evelyn Mann is a mother of a miracle and her story has been featured on WFLA Channel 8, Fox35 Orlando, Inspirational Radio and the Catholic News Agency. A special interview with her son on the Facebook Page, Special Books by Special Kids, has received 1.4M views. Along with giving Samuel lots of hugs and kisses, Evelyn enjoys hot tea, sushi and writing. Visit her at miraclemann.com.

Categories
The Picky Pen

Punctuation Series: Four Ways to Edit Commas

Presentation is everything, especially when it comes to the publishing world. And your presentation of punctuation is crucial to your book’s success. But punctuation can be tricky, boring, and downright distressing a times. As a writer and an editor, I completely understand your frustration with grammar altogether. You’d rather write, right? Right! So for 2019, I’d like to focus on a simple, easy-to-understand punctuation series that I hope will be a help and encouragement to you, allowing you more time to write well.

Four Ways to Edit Commas

 1.  Commas used with adjectives.

If you can place the word “and” between two adjectives before a noun without changing the meaning, then you need a comma separating the adjectives.

Here is an example:

His narrow chiseled jaw showed off his handsome physique.

His narrow [and] chiseled jaw showed off his handsome physique.

His narrow, chiseled jaw showed off his handsome physique.

The two adjectives here act as separate modifiers for the noun “jaw,” and that’s why there is a comma between them.

However, if two adjectives before the noun are considered a unit, then do not use a comma.

Here is an example.

The author had written many famous award-winning articles.

Famous describes award-winning, and award-winning describes articles. Therefore, no comma is needed because the words work together and make sense.

2.  Commas with adverbs.

Generally, adverbs like however, therefore, and indeed are set off by commas.

Examples:

She wanted to join the group, however, she had to work instead.

He asked his boss if he could take the week off, therefore, he was able to finish writing.

But if the adverb is important to the meaning of the clause, or if no pause is needed in the reading, then no comma is needed.

Examples:

The cattle indeed ran through the pasture as a group.

I’ll wait for you however long it takes for you to make a decision.

Even if you’ve written a letter, you are therefore a writer.

3.  Commas with cities and states.

This is an often-confusing issue. When do you use commas and when don’t you?

Always use a comma between the city and state, even if the state is spelled out or used as abbreviation.

Examples:

Grand Rapids, Michigan, is one of several Christian publishing hubs.

Will you visit any museums in New Orleans, L.A., this year?

If the state precedes a zip code, do not use a comma.

Example:

Send your book proposal to Your Agent, 123 Proposal Rd., Manuscript, TN 12345.

4.  Commas with compound predicates, dependent clauses, and independent clauses.

Compound Predicates. Do not use commas when you have two verbs that belong to the same subject.

For example,

The writers drove to the writer’s conference and attended every session.

Dependent Clauses. A dependent clause that is considered restrictive cannot be left out of the sentence without changing the meaning of the sentence, therefore, use a comma when the dependent clause comes before the main clause.

For example,

When you send the manuscript to the publisher, tell them we can edit if necessary.

A dependent clause that is considered nonrestrictive, and which provides information that supplements the sentence not necessary to the entire sentence does need a comma.

For example,

I’d like to spend the afternoon in the bookstore, if you don’t mind.

Essentially, if you can leave out the dependent clause (“if you don’t mind”), and the rest of the sentence makes sense, then you need the comma.

Independent Clauses. An independent clause is part of a sentence that can stand on its own. If there are two of them together, joined by a conjunction (and, but, or), then a comma comes before the conjunction.

For example,

The instructors prepared for their sessions six months in advance, and they taught several classes at the annual writer’s conference.

The only exception: Short clauses don’t need a comma.

For example,

Sarah ran the signup table and Bill greeted the guests.

Using commas correctly is important because it makes a world of difference in the meaning of a sentence. One wrong comma could mean someone’s life! (Let’s eat Grandma… or Let’s eat, Grandma.)

Next month, we’ll look at some more ways to edit the punctuation in your manuscript, but for now. . .

Please take a minute and join in the discussion! I’d love to hear from you!

What do you struggle with when using commas?  

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but also edits and proofreads for beginning and best-selling writers, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. She has a BA in Professional Writing, an MS in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, affordable continuing education for editors. Active in American Christian Fiction Writers and The PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. As Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, she enjoys travel marketing and updating PENCON’s Facebook Page. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and engage in the conversation.

Categories
Guest post archive

Editing Tip: Have Your Computer Read Your Work Aloud

Published authors are often asked what their number one piece of writing advice is. Well, I’m not published yet, but I’m already beginning to form my answer to the question.

My top piece of writing advice is:

Have your computer read your manuscript aloud. This is an option offered in both Pages and Word.

Though I can’t remember where I first heard the advice to read my work aloud, it’s one of the most valuable tips I know. I tend to feel self-conscious when I read my stories aloud to myself, so I made the switch to having my computer perform the task. While the robot-like voice may grate on my nerves at times, having my computer read to me is a great way to catch typos and awkward wording.

This is also a nice way to smooth out dialogue. Sometimes I’ll be listening to my manuscript and a few lines of dialogue will appear. While I listen, I’ll find it’s hard to keep track of who said what. I then add or adjust my dialogue tags to add clarity.

Sometimes I find descriptions that sound great in my head but just stand out strangely when read aloud. Therefore, I switch out some words for less strange ones or rewrite/cut the description all together.

Another thing I do is read along with my computer. Sometimes there will be words that sound similar , but have different meanings. For example, my computer read the word “decent” allowed when I had meant “descent”. I almost missed the difference, but scrolled back to double check and found the typo.

What about you? What’s your top piece of writing or editing advice? Or, what is one piece of editing or writing advice you want to try?

Ashlee Schaller enjoys reading about reckless, headstrong heroes, prefers tea over coffee, and loves dollhouse miniatures. When not writing, she can often be found curled up with a book.

You can find out more about Ashley and what she writers here:

https://ashleyschaller.wordpress.com