A2Z Blogging Challenge 2021 Theme Reveal
Hi all, it's time once again for this year's reveal. I have
decided that I will indeed be focusing on the A2Z of editing. I am looking
forward to getting started. As part of my theme I will be actually editing my
novel, and I will be posting a five or ten minute video, when able.
TWW
A2Z Blogging Challenge, how
goes your prep work?
For me it was
going okay, but I've hit a slump. I'll get back up and running before the month
of April starts. I've some of the letters worked out already, and working on
what my first video should be. I'm thinking a 'hello how are ya' kind of thing,
before the end of March.
How is your own
prep work going?
Blogging A2Z Challenge, A
is for...
Note:
This
year’s challenge is going to be on Editing your novel. I have chosen this one
due to the fact that I myself am in the process of trying to edit a novel. A
note here that the A to Z is not linear, but alphabetical, so you don’t just do
A first, then B, then C…you can I guess if you want, but you don’t have to.
Acknowledge all
that you have accomplished, this is an awesome achievement.
This
is the most important thing that you can do. Once you have typed those wonder
words ‘The End’ or ‘The End For Now’ if it’s a series, you need to
acknowledge to yourself what you have just done. As you smile happily
staring at those words on the screen, remember all the time you spent coming up
with characters, places, and situations for your imagination to run riot in. All
those days that you sat in front of a blank piece of paper in a notebook, in a
typewriter or on a screen, trying to think of what to put down. The hours spent
down rabbit holes, and clawing your way back out of a warren you got lost in
while researching. Give yourself a hug, a pat on the back, close the document,
save it one last time, back it up one last time, then go get yourself a cuppa
of the good tea / coffee, and the best biccies, sit in the most
comfortable chair in the living room and finally admit to yourself, if
nothing else, you are a WRITER, you have done it, you have completed your first
draft. WELL DONE.
Allow
time apart from your draft
Now
that you have celebrated, and relaxed, saved your finished master piece and
backed it up, it is time to take a holiday, by that I mean that you and your
novel need some time apart, it’s not them, it’s defo you. The novel needs time
to prove, and you need time to calm your brain down. Now this can be a few
days, a few weeks, a few months or a year. Do your best not to think about it,
or go near it until your allocated time is up. Trust me, you’ll
appreciate it.
Are
you ready to edit your first draft?
Now
that you have left the Novel alone for a bit, you should feel more able to edit
it, but before you do, make a copy of the novel and save it under a different
name, you can create a folder with the working name of the book (this is what I
do) and save your new copy to that. You can use the main working name of your
book Blythe, and the draft number 2nd Draft or Draft
2. Each and every draft of your novel can be saved to this folder, the
end tag (draft number) should help you keep track, also don’t forget to back
this up.
Some
writers like to print off copies of their novels (some writers worry about
formatting and recommend that you remove all formatting if you are
considering doing this), they say they do this because it tricks the mind into
thinking differently, others change the font, or color of writing on the
new copy, for exactly the same reason then they make notes in a side
column (sticky notes in word like programs), others still grab a notebook,
and as they read, they take notes about each chapter, what is wrong and needs
deleting, or fixing, character mistakes, etc., this year this will be the
method I will attempt to use. I shall be reading through the copy of my first
draft, with a notebook in hand, making notes chapter by chapter, paragraph by
paragraph.
Adding
More.
Now
isn’t the time to add more, unless you are working with the notebook, make a
note about what needs to be added. One website that I’ve looked at suggests
that you make your notes or at least arrange them into these sections:
· Plot – characters not
doing enough, chapter end not compelling, ending feels too rushed.
· Setting – The arrival room
needs more description, where was the hidden hill located again, so, the main
council room is blank is it?
· Characters – You have two
characters with similar names, so the detectives gay partner is just a
mannequin is he, what is the main characters motivation again?
· Tone – My novel’s tone is
a bit bland, I keep using a word to describe a feeling, rather than describe
said feeling.
Address
the timeline and over all pacing:
By
rights you should have worked out a timeline when writing the first draft of
your novel (the one that some website authors refer to as the voimit draft),
this time line works out when and where certain instances were supposed to
happen, such as in my novel as to when my main character arrives on the
werewolf world, when they go to their headquarters, when they arrive on
the alternate dimension earth, when they meet the bond sorcerer, when they
fight the half demon / witch etc.,
Also
here you need to address the time of day that things happen, such as in the
evening your characters have dinner, and arrive out to a bright day…nope, that
needs to be still night time, with street lights etc.,
Then
there is the seasonal time line, pick one and stick to it, if you are creating
your own world, this also matters, if it’s spring, then it’s spring, make sure
that your seasonal time runs for as many months or weeks that you have stated
it does. Don’t suddenly start at spring and in the middle it’s winter
without mentioning that a. you’ve been through a summer, or 2. There is no
summer on this world.
Timelines
also connect to pacing, make sure your romances happen or unfold as they
should, not too soon, this can also go on your now to be revised timeline. Also
your deaths, or meetings, friendships and battles.
Short
video to follow.
The A2Z
Blogging Challenge official page have come up with a scavenger hunt...
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2021/04/alphabet-scavenger-hunt-atozchallenge.html
Follow the link and
check it out.
Blogging A2Z Challenge, B is
for...
BACK UP YOUR NOVEL, BACK UP YOUR NOVEL, BACK
UP YOUR NOVEL. – IT MUST BE DONE FOR EACH AND EVERY SINGLE DRAFT.
Beginning:
Okay, do you have
the notebook ready? The review tab open for making comments in the sidebar that
you will use in your second draft? Good, now we begin, with beginnings, these
can be very difficult to get right, just as endings can be (see ‘E’). Pay
attention to whether it is an intriguing opening, full of action and
motion, or is it dull and flat? If the latter, you may have some work to do. As
yourself, have you begun in the right place? Would your second chapter be a
better first chapter? Or should you have just gone for a prologue?
Bullet Pointed Lists:
This is when you
start your bullet pointed lists, and comments in your notebook, or in the
comments section of your document. You list what doesn’t feel right, what needs
to change, and any further ideas you might have such as…
Best Solutions:
These are the
solutions to each and every point you have made in your notebook, and in the
comments section of your online manuscript. Now remember with these lists and
solutions, you need to make sure that they don’t contradict something
later on in the chapter, or novel. Some sites say that this particular step can
take a while, a few weeks to a few months.
Better Reading / Editing Practice:
The better you get
at reading through your own work, the better that work will be. This process a
few of the sites state, is done by going slowly through the piece you are
editing, this helps you the editor pick up on things that may be wrong and you
may have otherwise glossed over on, such as something a character does that
they shouldn’t do just then, a forgotten description, or even the entire time
line has been thrown out of whack.
Don’t have a
character walk through a door without describing the room they have entered, or
building for that matter. If you plunge them into action straight away without
this your reader won’t be very happy with you, especially if they thought your
character was in a dust strewn, box filled, drafty warehouse instead of a
drawing room filled with oil paintings, ancient artifacts with an inch of dust
on them, and a carpet that has seen better days.
Don’t hold back on
information either, unless it is absolutely necessary to the plot.
The moment your reader realizes they’ve seen your world or character all
wrong they loose faith in you and the story that you are trying to tell. You
could end up losing them.
Boring Content:
When editing your
novel, please circle any area that you skimmed over, or thought boring, mark as
to reason why and that you were bored, because dear writer if you are bored,
then you can rest assured that your reader is bored as well. Try to figure out
how these can be made more interesting, or if they are necessary to the
plot, if they are not, can you cut them, and if you can do without them…then
cut. (If you are uneasy about this, see ‘C’ for ‘Cutting Things Out’.
Beta Readers:
Just a word here on
beta readers, these are people that offer to read your work for you, you will
find them on various websites, and some might even be followers of your blogs,
or websites.
Personally I feel
that it is too soon to call on them to read your work. You have only after all
completed a first draft, the so called ‘vomit’ draft, where you just upchucked
everything, and are only now checking it out to make sure that it’s forming
into something more palatable. At least give yourself another draft, or even
two before going in search of them.
When you do reach
that stage, make sure you have a list of questions for them to answer in
regards to your work. I do have one that I use, if you would like a copy, mention
it in a comment, and I’ll upload a link to it here.
Don’t panic when you eventually hand out the draft to be read by the beta
readers, try not to think of it, once again you are going to be seeing it with
fresh eyes once all the feedback comes in. Change small things that have been
commented on, but leave the bigger items until they all arrive back, then if
more than one person has pointed the item out as problematic, then by all means
see if a solution can be found.
A2Z Blogging Challenge B is for Bullet Printed Lists...
There
was a video here, but alas it didn’t transfer over…apologies, you will have to
find the original post in order to view it.
I am a major fan of lists, I couldn't survive a day without one. So the
idea of making bullet pointed lists and comments to guide you along when you
come to do the next draft appeals to me. Though as you can tell in this video, my
bullet points are written with the Chapter Number / Name, page number,
paragraph number, then Note 1, and Note 2 etc., with the necessary
info.
I am going to
change it, I am not a fan of 'Note 1, Note 2' so I'm going to pick a dot,
square or image to list my bullet points. I feel that it would look a lot
better that way.
Thank you so much
for coming back and reading my A2Z and watching these little videos, feed back
and any questions you might have I'm more than happy to have / give.
TWW
This is the
base bio that I use when making Bio's for my characters. I have made this from
various ones found online, and present it here in PDF form. When you are
beginning to profile your character you don't need to fill it all out, heck you
may never need to, but you can fill out everything that you know, and keep it
safe.
I have one of these
for good guys, and bad guys, I keep them in a folder just for them, so I know
exactly where to find them (paper one is actually in a lever folder, digital is
in my folder on my computer, on drop box and also memory key titled
Writing).
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S0MxnLFtH3NpZO0J5RHN6qYGywLjOD7R6uDZyRg2tNE/edit?usp=sharing
There
was a video here, but it wouldn’t transfer over, so if you want to see it,
you’ll have to find the original post…
Today's post is
mostly about characters and most of the stuff to do with them. Creating a
character Bio is easy enough to do especially in the beginning of your novel,
as I say here, writing down name, age, location, etc., that you know when you
start is important, don't loose that document, keep it safe on your computer,
as a print out in a file, or written on one of those index cards and stored in
a box.
As you continue to
write your novel and about your character, you will find that you find out more
and more about your character. It would be a good idea to get into the habit of
adding to your character bio's, and keeping them safe, much like the novel you
are writing, backing these up is important.
Thank you so much
for dropping by and reading plus watching. See you on Monday for 'D'
A 2 Z Blogging Challenge, C is for...
Character Bios:
A
necessary piece of writing, that should begin before you start writing
your first draft or Vomit draft, these beginning bios are usually just a few
lines, the name, age, description and why they are involved, they later expand
(during this vomit draft) to include more stuff like where they were born, are
their parents alive, do they have siblings, their relationships to the others
in the novel, where they went to school, their qualifications, and then even
later to become more in-depth.
This bio file can
be hand written A4 sheets, record cards, or stored on your comp in a file,
under the characters name and saved (plus backed up) to the same folder that
you have the novel first draft and this draft saved to.
Don’t forget to
ensure that you include any new notes that you may have made regarding your
character in this read through, or draft into the bio when you are done.
Don’t forget to
ensure that every detail that you have regarding your character when first
introduced is consistent through the entire novel, such as brown hair,
shoulder length with green eyes.
Don’t forget, your
characters should not be perfect, good guys should have a lot of flaws, bad
guys should have some form of ‘caring’ or ‘gentle’ about them in order to make
them believable.
Also when utilising
Beta Readers, don’t forget to ask them if your characters ring true / authentic
to them. If not, why not…
I have a bio that I
like to use, it’s an in-depth one, and I’d be only too happy to share it
with you and the webpage where I’d originally found it, if you ask in the
comments.
Characters
Introductions:
When introducing
characters (especially secondary characters) ensure that you have done it properly
and find subtle little ways of reminding people of who they where and what
their connection to the story is. At this point, you could create a master list
of characters with a BGP (back ground person), BG (Bad Guy) and GG (good guy)
tagged beside them, the main character would have MC and MV would stand for
main villain. With this list you should be able to keep track of everyone.
Character Arcs:
Over the course of
the novel, do your characters change? Do they become better people, worse
people, loose it all to gain it back, gain everything just to let it all go?
It’s very important that your character grow in someway. Does the hero /
villain achieve their goal (one should) and does this goal make them happy
(it’s not always the case), or sad (not everything we think we want will bring
us joy, sometimes it makes us sad for one reason or another, being alone,
losing a close buddy, family member, the world).
All characters that
appear more than once in the novel should have some form of an arc, even if
it’s say a gay detective realising that maybe he and his partner are indeed
ready to adopt after all, and has found a kid in the ruins of a cult who needs
a family.
Characters Missing in Action:
Make sure each
character you have created actually serves a purpose, that they aren’t just
cardboard stand ins. Make sure if you have a character at the beginning that
you have them at the end (unless of course you have killed them off). A
character that has been created at the beginning but that ‘disappears’ through
the novel may be a character that you can cut out altogether, especially if
someone else, or something else has taken over the job you had created them to
do.
Bare in mind if a
character is created, does something, vanishes, and comes back, then vanishes
again and comes back again, you may need to add information about why they keep
vanishing, OR, remove them and give their role (if possible) to someone else
who is always available and can do their role.
Characters Motivation:
What is your characters
motivation? Is their motivation clear? Is their motivation believable? Now
these questions can be asked not only of the main good guy, but also of your
villain. Your characters need to have Motivation or a reason behind what they
are doing. For your Villain it could be the death of a close relative, being
fired unfairly (in their head) from their job, or 'just to see what would
happen'. For the heroine it could be the death of a close relative, or to
thwart the bad guy / girl. Just make it clear, and believable.
Complications
and side plots in the novel:
If you have had
added complications for your characters, did they work? Did they distract from
your plot? If the first answer is no and the second is yes, then maybe that
distraction or side plot needs to go.
If looking for a
plot twist, maybe a ‘friend’ of the villain or the hero can turn out to be
something they weren’t made out to be.
Continuity in
your novel:
Continuity doesn’t
just apply to your characters, oh no, it also applies to time, seasons,
buildings, animals, dimensions, and myth. When you introduce something into
your novel, that you must describe, or a time of day, or year, you must ensure
that that initial description stays the same over the entire novel, or
that if your season changes you are very clear of the time passage. Morning
can’t become midnight without you mentioning something about the passage of
time.
If your character
is drinking a goblet of blood, make sure you remember where they put it, or
that they do put it down before they rush off to kill the enemy, or be killed
themselves. Little things like that can mean a lot. Some writers say that you
don’t need to detail the making of a cup of tea, but…if the scene you are
writing it in, is supposed to be tense, then by all means, describe it, but
between each part, put dialogue or a description of what is happening to
make it tense, and at the end, either break the cup, or leave it standing,
while the character is off doing whatever. You could have someone outside a
window watching someone make that cup of tea, willing them to be done so they
can break in, or escape…
Conflict:
In every novel
there needs to be conflict, every single book has conflict, something that
needs battling and winning or losing against. Conflict can be an argument, an
illness to be beaten down, a company to rail against or a late train or bus.
It’s not just about a villain and hero.
Cutting things
out:
It is the job of
the writer to write and rewrite their work until they have created something that
they can and will send out into the world. A piece of writing will not stay the
same, so don’t be afraid to cut out scenes. If you are nervous or think you
might need that scene again, make a document, and save that scene to it under
the chapter heading. If using the notebook write the chapter name / number, the
page number, and then the paragraph number (yes number your paragraphs if you
must), and mark it as being cut, so that you can go back to the
original and see what you may have removed, saving that, get a pair of
scissors, and cut it out, save in an actual cardboard folder, in case you need
it, then continue (these are only suggestions).
Video for Blogging A2Z Challenge...
Well the title of
this video is 'Don't Freak Out', which given the amount of red ink that I have
on both the first and second chapters, is rather appropriate. When we see how
much actual work there is to be done on an edit, we can freak out a bit (which
I have done), and either not attempt it at all (get rid of entire thing and
forget ever writing again), or pack it away and promise yourself (fingers
crossed) that you will tackle it again. Try not to do either, try to stick with
it, because once you have this one done, you can look for beta readers who
might be willing to help you with anything you might have missed.
Also, I mentioned
in the video that I had done something called an information dump. This happens
when you fill a chapter full of information about something, rather than
telling your story. Also on reading through that chapter, I realized that I had
also confused tenses, the following chapter wasn't as bad at all, but still
loads of red ink.
Well that is 'D',
how are you all doing with your own editing, and your own A2Z?
Blogging A2Z Challenge, D
is for...
Description:
Are your
descriptions clear? Have you entered the room and described what your character
can see, so that the reader can see it as well and not mistake a warehouse for
a drawing room? Are your character descriptions accurate, across the novel?
Have you a description for each character as they are introduced in the novel
especially if they are a main character? Are they believable? Is the world your
novel set described enough that your reader can see it clearly, not too much
now mind you, but enough that they know where they are? Just because you the
writer can see it in your minds eye, doesn’t mean that your reader can. You
don’t need to be heavy handed, but you do need to be clear.
Dialogue:
Ensure that your
characters sound different to each other, not contrived or static (doesn’t do
anything to move the plot forward). By that I mean could only they have said
what was said, or could it have been anyone? Does the dialogue feel real,
like someone real would have said it, or is it contrived, just there to fill
space and add words, and I’ve explained static already. Try reading it aloud,
see how it sounds.
Drafts, How Many
Does It Take?:
There isn’t a set
amount, first is vomit (everything in one go if you can manage it), Second is
trying to whip that vomit draft into something legible, third is going back
over second and fine tuning, fourth is after the beta readers have gotten their
hands on it, fifth I think personally should involve a proof reader or editor
to catch any mistakes your tired brain, that has come accustomed to the
novel has bypassed. Set yourself a deadline, and end on it. (well do your best
as we all know life is complicated).
Don’t Freak OUT:
There may come a
point in your edits where you are wondering what the heck are you doing, who
told you you could write, and why are you even trying. Let it go, tell it to go
feck off, or oh look shiny then lock it up and throw away the key. We all have
those, they happen when we’re doing the vomit draft, editing, polishing, and
sending off to beta’s or publishers. Your gonna be okay, keep going.
Blogger isn't liking my videos, so what I am doing
is uploading them to You Tube and then posting a link on the video post. It's a
bit of a way around things, but it works so I won't complain.
Hope your day is going well, laters.
Video for Blogging A2Z
Challenge, E is for...
As Blogger has decided
that my Videos are too big, I've had to find a new way to upload my videos,
this is the Editing Accountability Note one, I am keeping my fingers crossed
that this works.
In order to keep us
going when doing our editing and given that we might more often than not freak
out about all the work that needs doing, we as writers can hold ourselves
accountable by typing up and signing a note / statement to that effect. You
should have a reward set aside for yourself, and also mention consequences for
not succeeding.
You will notice
that I don't have consequences written in my statement, but do mention them in
the video. I will add them later. The idea is not to stress you out, but to
give you something to strive for, and a consequence that you can live with if
you don't.
Blogging A2Z Challenge, E
is for...
Essential Information:
Ensure that
all essential information is in the novel, such as where a place is located,
how your character got there, how they missed the boat…that kind of thing. Just
make sure that it's not an information dump, and that it does
however make sense and moves the story forward. If you catch yourself
thinking 'how did they do that again' then you know it's going to be unclear to
your reader, or the 'that's just not possible' then as the story
teller you are going to need to fix it and make it believable.
Endings:
Your novel ending
should not be rushed, it should read as if it’s a natural conclusion to
everything that has just gone before. It doesn’t need to be neat and tidy, but
it would be nice if it made sense. Ask yourself:
o Did I achieve closure?
o Is there some satisfaction in the end?
o If I intended to surprise my reader, did I?
o Did I foreshadow well while not giving away
the ending too early?
Expansion:
As well as cutting
stuff from sections, and chapters, you also might find yourself needing to
expand. Description, plot and even some paragraphs may need a little something
extra, do not be afraid to add it if it’s necessary.
Epilogues:
Don’t rush these,
they should be used to clarify the ending of the novel if necessary, and bear
in mind they can also be useful for setting up the next novel in a series. Some
people don't agree with them, but it's up to you and your novel, if your story
warrants one, then put it in, if it doesn't, then don't.
Expectations:
Manage your
expectations, your first draft won’t be a pristine piece of work ready for
publishing, it should be your vomit draft, the one where you lay the bones of
the creation, and other drafts will then become the sinews, nerves, muscle and
skin of your novel. Expect it to be rough.
Editing Plan:
Before
you begin, you will need to figure out how much time you can dedicate to the
editing process. Will you be able to set aside one hour per week or a full
day? Then work out manageable chunks of the editing process. These
hours are sacrosanct, ensure that your family, and significant others
understand that this time.
I
recommend that you use one of those lovely thick notebooks you have in storage
(you know the ones, they’ve been there for some time, waiting to be used),
for the editing process. Once you have chosen your notebook, open it to
the first page, and write yourself an accountability statement, if you are
unsure of actually staying on track, then get a good friend (who will hold you
accountable) to sign your document.
“I
Bridgina Molloy [enter your own name here] will edit one chapter per week,
which mean that I will have completed all chapter edits by [59 chapters]
approximately February 2022 [insert your own date here as your chapters
may not be as many as mine]. To meet this deadline, I must sacrifice the
time that I use to sit in front of Netflix during the day mindlessly
watching movies [or activity of your choice]. Once I have completed my edit,
I will reward myself by eating one large knickerbocker glory, going for
coffee with my beautiful wife (providing lockdown has been lifted) and
handing the edit out to beta readers to be read.”
Here
is a checklist that I found on one of the websites regarding editing,
which recommends somethings you might like to keep in mind as you read
[print off one of these per chapter to help, tick off as you go through
the list]:
· In this scene,
whose point of view am I writing in? Does this make sense?
· Can I improve on the pacing
in Acts 1, 2 or 3? Do any parts drag on or feel like they have been
skipped over?
· Does the inciting incident
still work? Does the story start in the right place?
· Is my climax good enough?
· Where did I lack detail?
· Does each scene have a
purpose? Does it advance the plot and/or contribute to character development?
· Are the stakes high enough?
If not, what do I need to change to raise the stakes?
· Have I rushed the ending?
· What is the overall
theme in my first draft? Is it clear enough? Is it too clear
(i.e., not subtle enough)?
· Are my characters
fleshed-out and complex? What emotions do they make me feel?
· Which characters might need
to be cut, or relegated to the background?
· Who needs to come forward?
Do I need to introduce a particular character earlier?
This
list can be added to, but remember, when you’ve done all this, and even sent it
to your betas, it’s worthwhile saving to hire a professional to go through
the novel.
Also,
this notebook can become your editing bible, where you write down all your
thoughts on what you are reading and what you need to do. Don’t forget, we
aren’t rewriting the thing just yet.
It is important
that when you show something such as a sword, a dagger, or a gun, that it
should be used by the end of the novel to kill or protect someone. Even a noose
can be a foreshadowing implement. Make sure that if something happens at the
end of a novel, a way out of a dangerous situation, or someone dying, that you
have foreshadowed the incident earlier in the novel.
If you haven't,
this is the time to make sure that you make a note of the incident, or item,
and where it should appear at first. Be subtle, and believable, but make sure
that it is mentioned once or twice during the course of your novel.
Thank you for following
along with my blog. See you tomorrow.
Blogging A2Z Challenge, F
is for...
Filler Words:
This means getting
rid of anything that you may have used to pad out your novel, consisting of
unnecessary words or information such as:
That, Just, Only, Really, Slightly, Almost,
Seemed, Perhaps, Maybe, Simply, Somehow, Absolutely, Basically, Actually, Now,
Sort of, Kind of, a Little, Very.
Mark the sections
where these occur, and then add some substance, facts or clearer descriptions
instead.
Focus on one
thing at a time:
Like this, your
first pass could be to look for filler words and remove them, second pass could
be to focus on your dialogue and make sure it’s tight, the third pass could
check through your character arcs and make sure that they work. The idea behind
this is so that you don’t get overwhelmed with it all.
Flip the order
of your read through:
Another trick that
has been suggested so that you don’t get over whelmed is that you flip the way
you are doing your edits, instead of starting at the very beginning of the
first vomit draft, you could, begin at the end, and read back towards the
beginning, taking notes (naturally) as you go.
Fictional
Worlds:
Ensure that you
have built your fictional world well, but also make sure that you have given
the descriptions that you need to give, sometimes we writers see the things we
build in our heads, the worlds we have imagined, but forget to detail these on
paper for our readers to envision.
Flash Backs:
These should lead
to story complications, to move the story on, if the flashback doesn’t change
things around it, then don’t use it.
Foreshadowing:
Make sure that you
have foreshadowed what needs foreshadowing, during this read though, you may
find areas that are missing this, ensure you make a note in the place you have
arrived to, but also back where it needs to be, so that you can add it into
your Novel’s 2nd draft.
Video for Blogging A2Z, G is
for Grammar...
Today's video is
about Grammar and how important it is to us as novel writers and how much I
suck at it. If like me you are bad, very bad, and down right awful at grammar,
so much so that 'eats leaves and shoots' can't even help you, then like me you
may have to start saving in order to have someone who does know about grammar
go through it for you.
Remember that at
this stage we aren't rewriting just yet, we're still making notes, so when you
are finished with this pass of editing, and you have rewritten what you can,
then, find and hire someone to check your grammar.
Blogging A2Z Challenge, G
is for...
Give Yourself
Time:
Editing is not a
rush job, it takes time, if you give yourself a week per chapter and like me
have 60, that brings you to February 2022 (started in April 2021). Take the
time, do the best job you can do, before sending it to the beta readers.
Grab your reader
from the start:
Ensure that your
novel, your plot grabs your reader from the very beginning, don’t take three
pages, two pages etc., to get into the story, your novel should grab the reader
straight away.
Grammar:
You do not need to
focus on this until you have looked through the whole thing and fixed plot,
character arc’s etc., of course if you are reading through it and notice the
glaring grammar mistakes, then make a note to fix it when you are typing the
second draft.
Give the work to
beta readers who are not related to you:
This is to ensure
that you get back proper feedback. You might think that your family or partner,
or friends could be unbiased, but that isn’t always the case, they don’t want
to hurt your feelings, they want you to believe you are the best, so they might
innocently tell you everything is awesome, when it isn’t really.
Gadgets:
Make sure that all
tech, science, and gadgets in your novel are appropriate for your time, or what
you have told readers is appropriate for your world.
You
will find the link to the videos under the letter image on the video posts. I
know these are kinda hard to see, I will try to change the color so that they
stand out better.
Video for A2Z Blogging Challenge, H is for...
Hope you have
enjoyed this video.
Blogging A2Z Challenge, H
is for...
Have you made it
clear what your characters want?
From the guy on the
street who smiles into the interview camera at the scene of a crime, to the
villain of the piece, have you made sure that it is clear what the characters
in your novel want?
Have editing
equipment on hand:
Such as
dictionaries, thesaurus, or encyclopaedias on hand, or bookmarked on
your computer if you are editing on your computer or with your computer. You
should also have highlighters, multi coloured index cards, spreadsheets and
post its on hand depending on what method you are using for editing.
Have I included
all the senses in my writing?
You need to include
all the senses you can in your writing, seeing, hearing, taste, touch, smell,
are they all there?
Have I covered
everything that needs to be covered with the character and plot?
During this read
through, make sure that you have everything in the novel pertaining to the plot
and character that you need to move the story forward. If you find yourself
thinking “Oh I forgot to put the trap door in earlier” make a note of it and
add it in the next draft.
Have you had
enough dramatic moments?
As you read through
your novel, ask yourself, do you have enough dramatic moments, that can change
the character through revelations? From the Hook through to the Payoff, have
you succeeded in doing what you set out to do?
Have you removed
all unnecessary summaries?
You know the bits
you put in to explain why this is all happening, as if the reader were not
paying attention…also note if you have done this…you might want to rewrite the
section so it’s as clear as day.
How long should
the novel be?
A novel should be
about 100,00 words, most writers seem to prefer to keep all their chapters at
about 5,000 words and have approx. 15 – 20 chapters. Some writers however maybe
only 1,200 words long or 6,000 words long depending on the pace of the story or
plot development.
Video for Blogging A2Z
Challenge, I is for...
Have you removed any chapters from your novel when editing? How did it feel?
A2Z Blogging Challenge, I
is for...
Is your tense
consistent?
Now this one is
mainly for me, I have a habit of ‘accidently’ switching tenses when I least
expect it, so for me I will have to pay attention to my work, and mark the
sections in my notes as to where I do this.
If I remove this chapter will it make a
difference to my novel / plot?
If the answer is
yes, then leave it be, if the answer is no, then you should delete it.
Inner Lives of
the characters known:
Is the inner life
of you character, their background, history, likes etc., known? Now you do not
need to do long chapters, paragraphs or that on their lives, but you can drop
things into your novel, like a memory regarding his or her history, hopes and
dreams, nature, love life, level of intelligence, and education. It’s all part
of making your characters three dimensional rather than flat.
Imposter Syndrome:
A little word about
this condition that we all suffer from, especially those in the arts, and that
is the feeling that we aren’t as good as others think we are. How many times
have your friends told you that your writing is awesome, or you have told a
friend that their Knitted or Crocheted throw is amazing, or the artist friend
who just finished a piece for ‘fun’ that they should be exhibiting, or a
photographer who should be selling their prints, only to respond or be told…No
way, it’s only a hobby for fun.
It’s a battle, one
we all must fight and win. You are good enough, in fact, you are amazing, and
so is your novel so there!
Video, Blogging A2Z, J is
for...
This is the J is
for Jotting down notes video.
A2Z Blogging Challenge, J is for...
Jot down all thoughts that come to you in your notebook:
As you read through
the printed-out chapters of your novel, or review it on screen, make sure that
you jot down everything that comes to mind about the plot / characters /
description. I know I have mentioned this previously, but I am mentioning it
again here so that it sinks in. This second draft / Editing that you are doing
requires you not to change things now, but to read through what you have
written and make tonnes of notes for the next draft.
Joy:
Okay, now you are
probably looking at this post and saying, “Aww come on Gina, how can this possibly
be anything other than grump inducing hard work.” Well the answer is, because
it can be fun to rearrange things, to discover silly little mistakes and
correct them, laughing at the fact you put ‘the hat on the cat’ or whatever.
It is indeed hard
work, but it is fun work, there is much joy and excitement to be had during
this process, the further along you get, the closer to being done with your
novel and sending it to be published you are. So, take a moment, sit back and
let yourself feel that little spark of joy…
Justifying the
time:
This goes with the
Imposter Syndrome. As writers, who wish to have a completed novel, that will
sit on someone’s bookshelf, or be purchased and downloaded to be read on an
electronic device, we must take what we are doing seriously. Explain to your
family, friends, significant others that you need to take aside the time you
have allotted to editing and do the work.
Sometimes those
closest to us don’t understand, and will interrupt us with teas, coffees,
questions about where their shoes are, and when was the last time you put oil
in the car, and if you will cook dinner now.
If you give in, if
you don’t make your work important, then how will they take you or it
seriously? Just as your writing time was sacrosanct (and if it was not it
should have been), your editing time must be cherished and abided to by all.
A2Z Blogging Challenge K is
for...
Keep Going:
It is especially
important to keep going, do not let yourself be dissuaded. Your novel is going
to be awesome when you are done.
Keeping Drafts:
Don’t forget to
ensure that your work on the computer is backed up and each draft you go
through is kept in a folder with the name of the working novel as it’s main
name, it’s own individual number or letter which makes it easier for you
to find.
Kill your
darlings:
If a character is
not working, or can easily be replaced by another character, then it is time to
get rid of them. We must be brutal at this stage, we may love this character
and enjoy writing them, but if they serve no purpose, and don’t move the novel
along, it’s time to get rid of them, and as mentioned previously, if a plot
point, or scene is not working, get rid of it as well. Learn to cut out what
doesn’t work (besides as mentioned before, you can save them to a separate
document in case you need them later, or for something else).
Being kind to
yourself:
When reading
through what you have written in your first draft, don’t be negative about your
writing or ability, that was the first draft, it’s supposed to be awful, you
were just getting the bones down. Now I know that it sounds like repetition,
but the more you hear / read it, the more you will be prone to believing it and
actually feel good and be kind to yourself about your writing.
Write what you
KNOW:
It’s an old adage
and for beginner writers complicated. The way I look at this writing what you
KNOW thing is this, I may not know how to pick a lock, but if I research it, so
that I can either do it, or explain it, then I know about it right? If I read a
lot of true crime and can recognise how a crime scene looks then I can write a
crime mystery, if I research the PI business I can write about a P.I, I don’t
always have to physically ‘KNOW’ something for years and years, doing it does
help (I don’t condone murder, theft, or kidnapping), but research helps you
KNOW stuff if you get what I mean.
How
is your A2Z going?
For
me so far I have completed the editing on my prologue and five chapters. That's
a heck of a lot of red ink. I've also discovered while doing that, a chapter
that was excess to the plot, the story points in that chapter will be moved to
other chapters further on, and it will be deleted.
Using
the notebook has proven to be handy, though to be quite honest, I have also
printed out the chapters and gone through them paragraph, by paragraph. It's a
lot of work, but it's been fun and productive.
During
this time I've not just been editing my novel, but also knitting and crocheting
a lovely throw, which I'll photograph and put up later. It is important to note
that you do need to take breaks from working on your novel from time to time.
I've
not done any videos for the last few letters as I don't know how useful they
were. Anyway, back to the letters tomorrow.
TWW,
Bridgina Molloy
A2Z Blogging Challenge, L is for...
This is where you
go line to line, chapter to chapter making sure that chapters, paragraphs, and
sentences say what you want them to say in an understandable manner. Make sure
that the points that you are making are clear. Can be done in the next pass.
Listen to
your work:
There are programs
out there that will read back what you have written, and some E-Readers do as
well. Failing that you could read it out loud, notice where you change up what
you are reading (as we do sometimes), then make a note to change accordingly. I
suggest this because sometimes the only way to catch something that you have
read and reread quite a bit, is to listen to it. It may not work for you, or
even me, but if you can give it a shot and see, especially if you are stuck.
Links:
Make sure all your
plot links are added, and followed through on, make a note of any that need an
end, or you had forgotten in your work.
Blogging A2Z Challenge M is for...
Meanings:
Ensure that you have
the correct spellings for the words that you are using in your novel,
especially if you are using your computers spell checker, so easy to have too
instead of two and even the other way around. Your own words, that you make up,
should also be checked, that you have spelt them correctly throughout the
novel, and that they mean what you said they mean and have not suddenly
migrated to mean something else.
Mishaps:
Mishaps can happen
with paper prints of your novel (coffee cup, editing outside and it suddenly
starts to rain, dogs), and can happen with the digital copies of your novel, so
do your best to ensure that you have it backed up, and that there is a version
where you can print out your damaged piece from.
Managing your
time:
Beware of burn out,
make sure that you take time away from what you are doing, go for a walk, run,
cycle ride, just a change of pace away from your writing so that you can still
do the work that you have set yourself.
Minor
Characters:
As mentioned
earlier, ensure that all your minor characters serve a purpose and have a
character arc of their own. If they are as useful as a blank wall, then delete
them. Do not name a character unless that character has a specific role to
play. Also, beware of naming characters the same or similar names (Guilty and
trying to think of a new name now).
Mixed Metaphors:
One example that I
have found in my research that states, “There was an emptiness inside her that
burned…” Emptiness does not burn, it is hollow, or deep. I am
almost sure I’m guilty of something like this, I just need to find it…
Blogging A2Z Challenge N is
for...
Numbering:
Numbering covers
both the numbering of drafts that you end up rewriting (important so that you
can tell them apart, and please, don’t forget to back them all up) but do bear
in mind that you are going to have to let it out into the world at some stage,
and numbering the pages, and chapters that you are working on when making notes
in your notebook (otherwise how will you know where you are?).
Notes:
All notes at this
stage, should be clear and concise, no matter what format you are using for
editing your novel, the notebook, printed chapters (I’m using both of these
right now), or on the computer and a comment or sticky note program, make sure
that your notes to your self are clear.
For me that means
listing the page number, the paragraph number, and the word before and after
whatever needs correcting. I am using the strikethrough feature to eliminate
words and sentences from my novel, I am underlining words to be added, and
using the asterix to say where some passages might need to be moved.
It is a long
process, but you know what, it’s worth it, and it is fun.
Novel Length:
Just and FYI, A
novel should be (according to some) 60,000wds, or more, a Novella should be
around 40,000 wrds, and less than that can be viewed as a short story. 80,000
wrds to 120,000 wrds are tomes, and can be feasibly used as doorstops.
Novel
Description:
When you have
edited down your novel, and are waiting for the beta readers to get back to
you, why not try this little exercise…write the book description that will
appear on the back of your novel, this should be about 100 wrds long, and
answer the following questions:
1. What are the major plot points and
conflicts?
2. Who are your main characters?
3. Why do you think your novel is interesting?
4. Why do you think it is appealing?
5. Who do you think this novel will appeal to?
Practice makes
perfect if you are feeling that you haven’t quite got the knack of it.
Never End a Chapter by Solving Something:
Leave the solving
of things to the very end of the book when everything should be tied up. If you
simply must solve something do it in the middle of the chapter but ensure that
your characters think this is the end, but it really is not. Leave a piece of
string that can lead to the unravelling of this solving and towards the final solving
at the end of the novel.
Blogging A2Z Challenge O is
for...
Outlines:
There is a common
misassumption that outlines have to be written at the beginning when you are
preparing to write the vomit draft, now while I do prefer to do this, I have
found that an outline can also be written when you are finished with the first
draft, and might come in useful when you are editing to keep you in line so
that you don’t wander off, now this might not be for everyone, but why not give
it a go and see where it leads you?
Opening Scenes:
Your first sentence
should grab readers, by the third page an event should have happened that will
make the reader want to keep reading (The hook if you will).
Opportunity to
fill in holes in the plot:
If when you are
editing your novel you find yourself with a glaring plot hole (as mentioned
earlier), now is the time to fill it in. If you have left yourself a little
note when writing the vomit draft about something that needs to go there, now
is the time to put it in. Remember though, you are making notes to yourself in
your notebook, not rewriting it just yet.
Order of
editing:
There is no real
order of editing, but most of what I’ve read in researching all this for you
and for me, is that the big things might need looking after first (plot holes,
structure) before you look at the little things (punctuation, grammar,
spellings).
Blogging A2Z Blogging
Challenge, P is for...
Prologues:
Not many writers,
it would seem, agree with the use of a prologue. That’s not me, I believe in
them as well as their twin the epilogue, maybe it’s because I come from a
generation of readers who had them placed in the novels that they were reading.
The prologue sets up the story that you are writing with information that you
won’t be stating in the novel. Handy in a series.
Proof reading:
As mentioned
before, if you aren’t that good at it yourself (you’ll know when you get your
manuscript back from beta readers covered in red ink), save up and purchase the
ability of someone that is way better than you.
Platform for
Authors:
I would recommend
that you lay off this until you are ready to send your novel out to beta
readers, it is recommended on many sites that you start pages on all the top
social media sites and several book sites. On these pages you will put up who
you are and all about your novel.
Most platforms should consist of, a blog, e-mail newsletter (if you can
manage it), social networking, podcast (again only if you can manage it), video
(Ditto), digital downloads, etc the idea is that these will gather followers or
a community of people who are interested in what you have to say. This is
usually a long-term process, which in the beginning, and possibly all the way
through your career you will have to manage yourself.
I also recommend here that you check out some of your favorite authors
and their web presence, especially their websites (which may contain links to
the other sites they are on), for an idea of how to create your own. At this
stage, when beginning and bearing in mind that you may not have a lot of money,
choose a free site that you can make look professional, that has clean lines
and build a site that is easy to not only maintain, but use.
Printing off
chapters:
When we are just starting off, we don’t have much money. Printing off chapter after chapter can use up all your expensive ink. If you can, save up and either pay for more ink, or pay for a printing service to print it off. A service might work out cheaper, if you have a kid at uni, maybe they can print your vomit draft for you for a couple of dollars.
Blogging A2Z Challenge, Q is
for...
Questionnaires:
Or bio’s which I’ve
mentioned before can be quite handy for keeping all your character details, but
did you know that you could also use questionnaires to construct the worlds you
have your characters live in, especially if they are fantasy or sci – fi
worlds, I bet you could even use one to construct a made up modern day town or
city if required.
I’ve also used a
questionnaire or bio when creating fictional businesses and organizations, they
helped me keep track of what the business or organization created, who was
employed there, and whether they were on the side of the good guys, or bad
guys.
Now I only use
these methods if the business, world or organization are main players in the
novel, there is no point on going into depth with anything that won’t last
longer than one chapter or mention.
Also don’t forget,
a questionnaire can be handy if you get stuck with your writing, or re write,
you can use a kind of questionnaire to help you out of the pickle you have set
yourself in the form of an interview questionnaire that your character or
characters answer about the event you are stuck on.
Quirks,
do you have any in your writing?
Did you overuse the same phrase, character motion (such as shrugging or
sighing), or have characters repeat themselves a lot, I know that I have, so I’m
getting rid of a great many of them as I go through the Novel.
Query
Letters:
Personally,
I wouldn’t even try to write one at this stage, I would wait until I got the
next draft back from the beta readers and had made those changes. I think at
this stage of the process your novel is still too raw, too much like vomit and
not enough like a
A 2 Z Blogging Challenge R is
for...
Research:
Important at any
stage of the novel writing process, but you can use this stage to go back over
your research and make sure you have everything written down in your Writers
Notebook, or on your bio’s for use when retyping your novel.
If there are any holes
in your novel’s original research, such as places where you have put [NEED YOUR
CHARACTERS PARENTS NAMES AND OCCUPATIONS HERE] (something that I have actually
written in my first draft), or [WHERE THE HECK IS THIS HOUSE LOCATED?] is where
you research further into these areas.
Review:
This is what you
are doing right now, reviewing your novel for the next draft, preparing to
write it up, and getting it ready to send out to beta readers to look over so
that they can send it back to you with their comments.
Reading:
As writers and
authors it is important that we read everything we can get our hands on, before
we write the vomit draft, we should be reading what we can within our genre and
seeing how others do it, when we are writing that vomit draft we can still read
within our genre, or we can read books or sites on our research for our novel,
and when we reach this stage, we can web search, or book search for everything
we can lay our hands on that is even remotely connected to editing.
Now days there are
video classes, and online courses in all areas of writing, a good many of these
are out of our financial reach. If you are going to splurge, choose one that
comes highly recommended, and will cover everything you need to know.
Record Cards:
Better known as
Index Cards, are handy as you can use them in all areas of writing and editing,
these can be used to jot down character names and occupations (a short and
concise little bio), plot points, and scenes that can be stuck to or pinned to
a wall or board to keep you in line with your writing.
A2Z Blogging Challenge, S is
for...
Scene:
This is the section of your novel where your character or
characters engage in some form of action or dialogue. A scene is a
story with a beginning, middle, and an end. The scenes within a
chapter are usually related. Some novels might have only
one scene per chapter for the entire story. It is at this point that
you review your scenes and make sure that they are exactly as they should be
and can move a story on. If they aren’t then you either need to delete them, or
rewrite to suit.
Self – Editing:
What you are doing right now, unless of course you have the
money to spend in hiring someone to take your vomit draft and rewrite the
novel. You are reviewing your novel, noting the mistakes you made, the holes
you might need to fill, research to finish or update, and all the notes you can
make before you rewrite it.
Story So Far:
For me, I have now
Six Chapters edited, and am planning on changing the age of one of the younger
characters from a young child to a teenager, and as she’d been controlled by a
spell previously, I’ve decided to go along with a bug that is an ‘earworm’ type
of thing, that controls whom ever it’s put into, by whom ever commands it, I do
need to work out the details, but it’s coming along. I really don’t think I’m
going to make anymore videos.
A2Z Blogging Challenge, T is
for...
Timeline:
We mentioned
needing to keep track of events in your novel, i.e. a time line, now you can
list them as in from A to B, or you can draw an actual line and write down what
is happening and when.
Talk it out:
When stuck on a
part of your story, and it does not seem like you can move forward, have a
reporter talk to your characters about the event that has just happened, this
little device could manage to move the story forward.
Do you have a good
friend or a group of writers that you chat to about your story? Why not
brainstorm with them about where to go to next? It could work.
Tools of the
trade:
When writing we all
know that the pen / pencil, paper, typewriter, computer, and printer are our
closest buddies and what we use to create our vomit draft. When editing we add
sticky notes, index cards, questionnaires, timelines, character check lists,
notebooks and either red pens or highlighters. Make sure that you have your
tools of the trade ready to go before you sit down to either write or edit.
Taking it Easy!
This is a note to
remind you not to rush through your editing process, take it easy, take your
time and if you can enjoy it. Be happy with the changes that you are making,
and with the success of finally finishing your vomit drive. May there be
many more ‘New Novels’ in your future.
How you all
doing? Me I'm grand. I've put up this weeks letters all of a shot as we are
going to be a little busy over this coming week end (starting tomorrow), with
car stuff to do, food shop and if the weather stays good a little
gardening.
I still aim to have
time to edit my novel, and to date I'm thrilled with how it's coming along. I'm
liking the changes to it that I'm planning on making, the change up of some
names, though I need a fae name that isn't Devon and and Alien name for a blue
skinned telepath with no mouth that isn't Derrin...
A prime example of
having too many characters with the same name, because one of the bad guys is
called Dion and I want to keep hers...so...suggestions welcome.
I hope this week is
treating you all well, and that you are having a lot of fun with your A2Z
Bloggling Challenge, I'll check back in later on and see how you are all
doing.
Love and Bubbles
TWW - Bridgina
Molloy
A2Z Blogging Challenge, U is
for...
Underestimating
the process:
Some new writers
don’t think they need to go through the editing and proofing process of novel
writing, they get a vomit draft done during NaNoWriMo or even the Blogging A2Z
Blogging Challenge and decide that it’s good enough to put up, and others don’t
finish off what they are doing properly (holds hands up with original version
of Sorcery).
What is important
however is that you follow the process, you read through what you have written,
you edit your novel using either a printed off copy, a notebook, or a program
on your computer, you send then to beta readers, you make notes on what they
send back, you create another draft, and if you like, send back out, once you
get that one back, work up a query letter, and see if you can a. find an agent,
or b. get a traditional publisher onboard.
This is what I hope
to do this time around. Lesson learned.
Underestimating
your audience:
When editing your
novel, look out for bits where you have explained what is going on, rather than
showing or even describing it. Even if you do write as if your reader is
twelve, don’t assume they are daft, because they aren’t. Twelve year olds are
quite smart and will happily point out any mistakes you make. If you can't hold
a Twelve year old's attention, you'll never hold an adults.
Useless
information:
Please don’t impart
a whole lot of information to the reader unless it’s to muddy the waters in a detective
novel (even then It’s not that useless, just misdirection). Avoid the dump, and
keep everything moving forward.
Blogging A2Z Challenge, V is
for...
Value:
All the work that
you do in the editing process is worth it, I know I have mentioned it before,
but sometimes as writers and authors we think that nothing we are doing is
going to matter in the end, but the truth is, that if we stick with it, and
edit it to our best abilities we can create something amazing. So that
everything you are doing at this stage has value.
The same is true of
our ideas, sometimes we think that there is no point on working on an idea we
have because it’s been done before, by what we would consider better writers,
the truth of the matter is, these ideas do have value, because you aren’t those
writers, and your take on the story / idea will be different, because you
thought of it, and your take may be completely different.
Vault:
Aka where you store
your ideas and where you store the extra bits you delete and are afraid to get
rid of…hey that might be a good name for the folder where you store them all.
Until you feel you can get rid of what you remove, use this folder in case you
a. want to put it back in, or b. want to use it in another story / novel.
Vitamins:
Just because we are
awesome writers / authors, doesn’t mean we can afford to let our health
dwindle, working on our own, in our own little rooms (office, kitchen, bedroom,
shared living room, car), can seriously damage our health. You need vitamins to
keep you healthy, sunshine helps, so if you can go outside and work. Go for a
walk, run, swim (when pools open up again), move around, get up and do the
dishes, then go back to it. Keep as fit as you can, take your meds, do your
exercises, stay as healthy as you can.
Victory:
Every draft you
complete is a victory, every notebook you fill with ideas, and notetaking
before you rewrite is a victory, each and every book you succeed in publishing
wither by self-publishing as an e-book, or by traditional publishing is a
victory and should be celebrated as one. Reward yourself with something nice, a
new portable hard drive, new ink for the printer, a glass of wine, or the best
tea / coffee you can find. The point is, you have won, you have succeeded. WELL
DONE.
Blogging A2Z Challenge, W is
for...
Word Meanings:
It is so easy to
use the wrong word, thinking that it means something else. Like whether,
weather, wither, etc., it can get very confusing. We think that our spell
checkers are going to catch these, but they don’t and that’s because those
words are actual words, so if you are using a word that might be different to
what you think it means, use your trusty heavy dictionary, or the free ones on
your computer then look them up. It is the safest, surest way to ensure that
you got it right. (I am so guilty of not doing this)
Weather:
Writers are advised
never to start a novel with the weather…but sometimes ‘it was a dark and stormy
night’ can actually be useful, ‘or The twin suns of Zarnac beat down on the
heads of Nori and Bos, who were buried up to their necks in sand, watching as
in the distance, the darkness of an approaching sand storm came towards them,
creeping up, bit by bit…’or ‘The perfect day had started off with blue skies,
and the white trail of an airplane across the sky, Emerson Greenwood had woken
up happy, then pulling on his dressing gown, and putting his feet in bunny
slippers, he’d opened the French doors behind his sheer curtains and walked out
onto the patio…’
Writers:
Yup, that’s what we
are, we write and therefore we’re writers, own that, be proud of that, and know
that once we’re done with the editing process, we will level up to Author.
Enjoy the process.
Blogging A2Z Challenge, X is
for...
Xerox:
A nice word for
copies, which is what some writers will do when they are at the editing stage,
they will make copies of their work and save them (we’ve spoken about it
earlier), and also copies or Xerox’s are what we print off to work from time to
time.
Xenagogue:
This is a word that
means ‘guide’, and I have it here because while this (blogging A2Z challenge
about editing), is a guide of sorts, I am a believer in books and reading up
about what I need to know, for those of you who are not into reading help books
on writing, editing, etc., try online research, just type in what you are
looking for to the search engine and have a look through what’s available.
Guides are handy to read in order to help you over any humps you might
encounter on this journey of yours (and mine).
Blogging A2Z Challenge, Y is
for...
Yield:
This aspect of
yield, means what you will get when you are done with your editing, when you
work so hard on perfecting the vomit draft here at editing, it will yield you
one fantablous book. There is also the creation of other books, in this word. A
yield of many if we are lucky.
YIKES:
As in…YIKES…I’m
almost done, what happens next, answer, type up your changes, find beta readers
online (if you want some places to look, ask in the comments section), and make
out your questionnaire (I do have a version that I use, message me with BETA
QUESTIONAIRE in the comments and I’ll put a link to it here).
Yellowback:
This is actually a
cheap novel that has a yellow cardboard backing. (can you tell I’ve had trouble
with Y words?).
A2Z Blogging Challenge, Z is
for...
Zombies:
As the saying goes,
if you can put ‘by zombies’ at the end of your sentence and it makes sense,
then you need to change it, of course, this only applies in something that is
not about Zombies lol.
Zone of Writing:
This is the state a
writer gets into when in the swing of things, when the muse has stricken them
with the absolute necessity to write, when everything flows perfectly and it
all makes sense, it’s best not to interrupt this if at all possible, and
hopefully it will happen when you in the process of writing up your next draft…
Zen, the state
of completion, happiness:
This is the last
bit, the end of the edit, when you have completed all the levels and are ready
to either send it to an agent, or to a traditional publishing house, or even
publishing it yourself on Amazon. It is here where you breathe the sigh of
relief, and pat yourself on the back. YOU ARE DONE!
A2Z Blogging Challenge, Last
Post of the Month...
Hi there everyone, there you go, that's the last post of the month, whew
that went by quicker than I thought it would, it's been fun putting this
together, and putting them up. I have really enjoyed reading the few comments
that have been left on my posts, and visiting the other blogs involved in the
challenge.
I know I didn't
keep up with the videos, but they kinda got away from me, and I really don't
think they were that beneficial, if you think otherwise, or have a comment
about that, then I would like to hear it.
I am still editing
the novel, I am at chapter six, and my notebook is going great. I decided that
I needed to delete a chapter, and also now add one, so everything is going
beautifully. My darling T will be printing off the rest of the chapters next
week, as she'll be in uni and it's a little cheaper using their ink than using
mine.
Feel free to
comment and let me know your thoughts on all this, how was your month?
Okay, gotta go,
TWW - Gina -
Bridgina Molloy
A2Z Blogging Challenge Reflection Post
I really enjoyed
this years A2Z Blogging Challenge, this year I was blogging about Editing Your
Novel, and had a few words for each letter. Like everyone else I had found
difficulty with q - z, but did in the end manage to get through it. I was down
on readers this year, but I'll put that down to the fact that editing a novel
is not a subject that everyone is interested in. Also, it's difficult to edit a
full novel in a month.
I managed to
complete the challenge, that is I got all the letters done, but did end up
doing two block posts at the end, as life took over and the internet that I use
was being a pain. I learned that it's not possible to finish editing a novel in
one month, but it is possible to get 6 chapters edited. I found that I got about
the same out of it as I put in, and found some lovely blogs to follow on
afterwards.
As far as the
shirts go, I don't have the money right now, they are lovely, and maybe next
year if they are still an option I may save up to own one. I would like to thank
all the members of the team for running this challenge every year, it is
something that I enjoy doing, and even if I don't keep up with my own blog, at
least for the month of April I have some great content and find some awesome
blogs to follow.
I did begin by
adding a video with each post I was doing, which worked okay for the beginning,
but ran into trouble as Blogger only allows a certain amount, once that
happened, I discovered that you can upload videos to YouTube, then add them to
your posts here. I got a little annoyed with all the video faffing around, and
stopped putting them up as I wasn't sure how advantageous they were, though I
still like the idea, and may try the odd video post here now and again.
My favorite blogs
to follow where:
The Great Raven I loved all the Greek myths that she
discussed here, I've always been a fan of myths and legends, there were a few
here that I hadn't been aware of which is always interesting.
Quilting Patchwork Applique This blog is amazing, every time I
visited there was something new to take my fancy, and now that April is over, I
have a long list of crafts to try from here.
Curious as a Cathy - Enjoying
life through music, doodles and pix For a fan of cartoons and warner bros ones, these posts gave me
the warm and fuzzies.
Weekends in Maine - Optimizing
life in Maine Another
Crafting Blog, with some rather amazing projects that along with Quilting,
Patchwork, Applique I shall be attempting in May, June, July...etc.
Bronx Quilter I'm a wannabe quilter, and this blog
is beautiful, check it out.
I also spent a lot
of time going back and forward to the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge official blog, I may not have commented on the posts, or even did
any of the extra tasks, but it was always fun seeing what was going on.
As I said earlier,
from Q to Z letters were a little difficult, and I did use an online dictionary
to try and figure out what I could use in those posts, personally I think when
you get to here, your mind goes "...what the heck am I going to put
here..." and refuses to function, but with the prompting from the
dictionary, thesaurus and also by typing in 'words beginning with...'
The two posts with
the highest views where 'Z' with 23, and 'L' with 10, then 'O' and 'U' with 9
each. Top views where from the USA, and Ireland (The Irish one was probably me
checking in and up on my blog and comments) followed by England and Europe.
I would heartily
recommend doing this challenge to anyone that might be in two minds about doing
it next year. Thank you to all involved. It's been awesome.
TWW / Bridgina Molloy / Gina / Abydos6
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