Tuesday's Writer's Tip Revising as you go #MFRWAuthor #BWLAuthor $Writing #Revising

Now this isn't my way of revising but many authors find this works for them. I tried it a time or two and never got much further than the first scene and lost interest in that story. But I'll give you some reasons this might be the method for you.

Begin at the beginning and make your word changes as you go along.

Read the passage you've written yesterday and make the changes before moving on to the next scene

Sentence drafting can be liberating.

For some writers it's easier since they don't have to write a complete draft or finish the book in one big gulp.

Revision seems easier since the story is being revised sentence and scene by scene.

If a block is hit the sentence writer can go back and tinker with what they wrote before.

These are some of the advantages and this way of writing may work for you.

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Tuesday's Writer's Tip Ways to Avoid Detail dumps #MFRWAuthor #BWL Publishing Inc, ##Writing #Details

You have all that lovely research. You've pages of descriptions of the house, the garden, etc. ready for your story. You've described your characters from head to toes. How do you keep from swamping your readers with all these details;

One way is to intersperse the facts with fiction.  Show the characters interacting with the facts and each other. Use dialogue. Use a character's curiosity. Find ways to pur the information in bit by bit instead of long passages.

Cut down those fact filled bits. This comes under revision. As you're revising and you come to a long prose passage filled with facts and information. Look to see which ones are vital to the story. I know how wonderful all these new facts you've learned and taken notes about are but think of the poor reader forced to read on and on before the story returns. Think of those commercials, not an informational when you're laying on the facts.

Don't turn your character into a teacher. Having one of the characters run on and on about something that interests them is one way to have the reader put the book aside. A long sermon on dieting or on cutting a gem into shape or any number of things slows down the story not to mention the reader's patience.

Next time I'll show a few more ways to keep from turning your story into a marsh waiting to suck the reader down with facts.

Tuesday's Writer's Tip -- Effect Cliches #MFRWAuthor #BWLPublishing #Writing #Cliches

Just what if a cliched effect? The effect is the way a character reacts to something. Using a cliched phrase is so easy. He knew he was in danger. He felt as if he was jumping from the frying pan into the flame. Now this may describe how he feels but we've all heard that used a million times. They're making love and one of the characters feels like the rockets are going off on the Fourth of July. Another cliched phrase.  Finding the way characters react to events or situations takes some effort to avoid those cliched bits.

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Tuesday's Writer's Tip More on Trimming the MSS #MFRWAutor #BWLPUblishingLTD #Revision

 Let's talk about repetitions that can also occur more than words, phrases of scenes. What about ideas? Not exactly that but some times one character or another will obsess over something and this is repeated in scene after scene. The reader may want to shout, "I've heard that before." And perhaps they have. If this is something major ways can be found to express the idea in a different way. If this is a minor matter that's repeated, a good idea would be to cut it out. Annoying the readers isn't what a writer wants to do.

If a scene or an idea is repeated one way to look at this is to decide. Does the repetition enhance characterization? Does it add to the plot? Does it add new information? The final question to ask yourself is the last one. Repetition can be used if the second appearance adds to the knowledge providing the characters and the reader with new material.

So when you revise, pay attention to repetitions in any form and find a way to make your story sing.

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Tuesday's Writer's Tip - Black Moment Gone Awry #MFRWauthor #BWLPublishing #amwriting #Blackmoment

When the black moment goes awry, the search for what has gone wrong has to be discovered. A flat black moment can't bring the reader any excitement. So just what can go wrone.

In your book, you may have a number of important characters. Choosing the wrong one to have the moment when they believe all is lost makes the moment fall flat. yes, you can have more than one character have this moment but they shouldn't be back to back. Having say the hero, the detective or whoever have the black moment and then have their opposite have one at the same time. We'' as a reader, I would believe the story was totally boring. So choose the right time as well as the right character. Then that character can decide to try a different approach to his or her goal. Only then can the opposite character have their momentof belief.

Other things is basing the black moment totally on the outside force. The black moment has to address something in the main character. If the character is poorly motivated the black moment will fall flat.

Another way to go wrong is to use coincidence to bring the black moment about. Coincidences happen in real life but shouldn't in fiction. If you're going to use what looks like a coincidence, you'd better plan it carefully. Misunderstandings give the same result as coincidences. A misunderstanding can be used for a minor bit but clear it up quickly.

The last way a black moment may feel forced or wrong is to have it happen abruptly. Black moment in three paragraphs or less isn't going ot convince your reader that the hero or heroine believes all is lost.

So plan for your black moments and when they occur play them out to the full.

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Tuesday's Writer's Tip -Looking at the When of a story #MFRWauthor #Writing #When

There are six elements you need to have in your book- Who are the characters. What is the goal the characters want to achieve. When is the time the story takes place. Where is the place where the story takes place. Why is the reason the characters want to achieve their goals. How is the road they take to reach their goal.

Today, I'm looking at the when of a story. When the story takes place is very important to the writer. Let's look at the number of whens that go into a story.

When can be the century. The story can take place any time from prehistorical times to the future, The time period of a story can help create the story. I have a series set in an ancient alternate Egypt. The when had a part in determining the alternate world part of the story. I learned there were no camels in Egypt until around one AD. My story was set in BC centuries before. Thus I had to change the focus of the story.

Many of my stories are contemporary and what happens in the world around is important. I seldom mention the political events but looking at the medical advances is important.

So century does have an effect in a story and often means research.

The when also means things like season, time of day. I'll look at these Next week.

Tuesday's Writer's Tip - More on Where to Begin #MFRWauthor #Amwriting #Beginnings

Remember, the first paragraph is what leads the reader to move to the second. So how do you make this bit so intriguing they can't resist reading on?

It's a matter of presentation.
You can make this opening unique. I started a book with She was the first woman to turn him down. Starts matters buzzing doesn't it?

There is also something unexpected. One of my books starts with the villain hiding in a cemetery across the street from the hospital. I didn't realize that this was both unique and unexpected until I had an editor remark that she never heard of a cemetery across the street from a hospital. Well, the burial groud was and is still there.

Show a deviation from the routine. Most mornings, John ate a hearty breakfast. Not this morning. Once again the curiosity if raised and the reader wonders why this has happened.

Show a change is about to take place. Suppose you're writing a story where a flood, a storm, something like this is about to change the lives of the characters. The dark clouds rolled across the sky like a giant run unfolding sending chills along Mary's spine.

Or begin with a lot of detail about a mundane object. I began a book when a heroine in the high meadow making a wreath of wild flowers that were known for their healing properties. Immediately this raises questions.

So that opening paragraph is the rope for the reader to catch and be drawn into the story.

Tuesday's Writer's Tip Goals Scene and Book.

Each scene you write has a goal for one or more of the characters. This goal may be the one you've chosen for the character in the end or it may be just for that scene. So let's look at this from a small viewpoint.  Johnny wants a date for the prom. He has always liked Cindy but has never had the courage to do more than talk to her.

The scene would begin with a meeting with her and his fumbling way of asking. Now Cindy might want to go with Roger so her goal is different from Johnny's. The scene will end when one of them fulfills their goal.

To take this to the larger picture. Years later John runs into Cindy and she has become a beautiful woman. He remembers how she turned him down or how she accepted him and he decides to pursue her. In some ways his goal hasn't changed from when he wanted a date. Has her goal changed? This will be how the longer story plays out.

So a goal is something a character wants.
The goal can be possession of a thing. The goal be relief from something.. Or the goal can be something like revenge.

Be sure to make the goal a strong one.