An excellent reference manual for self-editing your manuscript

Troubleshooting Your Novel: 100 Incredibly Practical Ways to Fix Your Fiction by Steven James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an excellent manual to help you edit a manuscript and ranks up there with Self Editing for Fiction Writers in terms of its effectiveness. It is a book aimed at helping the author revise or edit the manuscript. His earlier book Story Trumps Structure is about the organic process of writing a manuscript.
The one caveat I would have is that James has little idea or interest in the romance genre as he primarily writes thrillers aimed at men. Thus those two chapters are far weaker than the rest of the book (78 other chapters). However as I have written over 27 bestselling romances for Harlequin, I was not as concerned about that section -- I just rolled my eyes and muttered a few unprintable words.
The other sections are excellent however. The chart in the show (render) v tell (summarize) chapter is one of the best I have seen and is certainly worth the price of the book. The questions and fine-tuning your manuscript in each chapter are thought provoking.
It is a book which has made me think. I suspect it is a book that will find a place on many writers' desks for many years to come.


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Know why your narrator needs to tell the tale

There are  reasons why I love to go back over my writing book library.
The story I am working on at the moment is a non-HQN project and is in the first person because it seems to write like this.
But a small problem for me is that I have never written first person before. What I am doing is reworking a story I wrote a few years ago because well there were certain things I loved about it but it wasn't quite right.
Anyway, I remembered that Orson Scott Card has a section on First Person narrator in his wonderful book Characters and Viewpoint. In that he discusses the why of choosing narrator, particularly when the story is told in first person. For example with Sherlock Holmes, Watson is by far the best choice as Sherlock is far too knowing.
What he does mention as well and it really resonated with me last night is to make sure you understand why the character needs to tell the story. And that the character is the sort of person who would feel comfortable in telling the story. In other words, tale-telling has to be part of the character if you choose that character to be the vehicle or vessel to tell the tale. An emotionally closed character without a compelling reason to put the story down may not be the best choice even if they are the protagonist or driving the story. You also have to know who the narrator is telling the tale to. Is it the tale for general consumption (aka memoirs) , a journal (so ultimately for their later self) or for someone else entirely.If you are going to use first person, you have to know. it affects the choices you make in telling the tale.
This is less of a problem with 3rd person limited because it is more like the reader is watching a film.
Anyway, I found it interesting and it has given me insight into my narrator.

One way to tell if you have a successful character arc

There is a very good way to tell if you have a successful character arc for your main character.
Look at the first scene, look at the climatic scene. Did your character possess all the skills to be able to successfully complete the climatic scene in the first scene?  Or would she have failed spectacularly? How did she have to change/transform ? What was it necessary for her to learn? If she doesn't have to transform or change, you don't have a character arc.
In a romance, particularly a series romance that transformation must be directly influenced by the hero. In other words, the main agent for change for the heroine will have been her growing relationship with the hero. If she changes for some other reason, it is probably a story with romantic elements, rather than a romance.

Accountability

A few weeks ago, I suggested to a fellow writer who was suffering from writer's block that she might try emailing me her word count as it might help. I promised to do the same. Mutual support as it were, holding each other to account.  She did and she has been brilliant. She had last week off as it was half term and she had family commitments.  I have been waiting for my lovely editor to get back to me on the partial. However, I was supposed to be working on the single title project as part of my drive to be more efficient. Over the weekend, it slipped. I did other admin type things and pretended. Then last night, I woke in a cold sweat. I was about to get a word count and would have to confess. I prayed for a miracle. Sure enough my wonderful friend emailed me her word count. And I was the one who had to come up with the feeble excuse. I hate making excuses.
It was enough to get my rear in gear and to start working on The Project. Words have been written. At the moment it is a POS but it has potential. It will get there.
In the meantime, I am sitting here, hoping for my editor's wise words on my partial. Those characters are whispering and I remain super excited about their possibilities. And another set of characters are whispering for the HH after that one.
I think my daemon doesn't like being ignored. But I shall have to hold myself more accountable from now on and not simply play at it. I do have a deadline and more importantly I have dreams. Dreams like breaking out or writing a blockbuster do not happen if you fail to take positive action.
I am capable of more than I think. I can hold myself to account.

Emotional Eating because of characters

This week on reshaping my writer's bottom line I learnt that in times of trauma and stress for my characters, I am ever likely to mindlessly graze and over eat. I have cornered the market on tissue but what shocked me was that suddenly I was finding excuses to eat.
I knew that I get wrapped up in my characters' lives but seriously? Does this happen to other writers?
The real heavy lifting of emotional trauma has been done. So hopefully my eating will revert to normal. Sometimes though it is interesting to discover patterns. It is what to do about it. I suspect exercise more...and refuse to mindless graze even when your heroine's life has totally collasped!

I am doing my Jillian Michaels dvds in rotation -- though I have tweaked it a bit and am switching them each day. I have also gone back to level 1 of the Six Week 6 Pack with heavier weights as that is where  a lot of the sculpting takes place. Interestingly, it is  SO much easier in ways and I could do side planks with twists. I was, however, marinated by the end. I really found I could push it far more during the cardio and I made sure that I was doing the advanced version -- spider planks with push up for instance. I was capable of more than I realised.

And with my wip, I am capable of more than I realise.

Step up on reshaping and a writerly rule of thumb

First the rule of thumb: if your characters cry, the reader doesn't have to. The character is doing the work for the reader. If the character resists, the reader is more likely to cry and be emotionally connected. It makes perfect sense to me, but then I am ever likely to have my characters cry and I do try to remember not to as some readers find crying makes for water pots, but never knew the justification.
Have I said how much I love Characters & Viewpoints?
There is a lot packed into a little book.

This morning I moved up a level on the Jillian Michaels 6 week six pack abs dvd. I had thought that perhaps the dvd was more focused on strength and core than cardio. Umm no. Can I whisper -- plank moguls? Or jumping jack knifes? I am pleased I had 3 weeks at level 1. Even then I have learnt -- start with the beginner moves and work up. My heart rate was through the roof. This is cardio plus with a heavy emphasis on abs. I know I have already changed my shape with the first 3 weeks. I lost about an inch and a half from my waist.
I suspect it will continue. The workout is incredibly intense, insane but goodness me, I felt good after doing it.  Sweat is good. Taking care of my body does not come easy. And every time, I carry a large bag of dog food (15 kg) I remember that I have lost more than that!

Now to get back to my wip and to get ready to give the first of my library talks this afternoon. It is wonderful that International Women's Day is being supported by Daniel Craig...It is the 100th celebration of the day.

The Jillian Micheals of the editorial world

I have decided that my editor is the Jillian Micheals of the editorial world -- very tough but with a lot of heart and absolutely 100 percent committed to making my stories absolutely the strongest possible. She pushes me and she certainly doesn't accept second best.
Before Christmas, she asked me to set aside the one I was currently working on. It just wasn't strong enough in its current form and in fact in her judgement, it was getting weaker. A hard decision for both of us. But I trust her judgement.
And after thinking a lot about it, I realised that among other things, it should have been the last book of a quartet rather than the first book of a duo. It may eventually get there. It may even be more single title than series. Loads of things needed to change and it just was not happening.
Did it hurt? Yes.
Was it the right decision? Yes. It is far far worse in the long term to put out something that is substandard.
I rather wait and get it right. That book has huge potential. I am just not ready to realise its potential yet (and I have 3 other books in the series to write first!)
And I toss this out so that people can realise being a published author doesn't mean that your books are always accepted. You are only as good as your last book. It happens  -- far more often than people might think. The difference is what you do after a set back.

I am currently working on a new ms. Stand alone Regency The partial has been sent back twice. My editor thinks it can be strengthened. And she is right. (Among other things I had gone for a reactionary start -- emotional situation but the heroine was passive) She is utterly committed to making my work as strong as possible. I am very lucky to have her. I want it to be my best to date and my editor is certainly trying to get me there.

So when I have been doing my 30 day shred with Jillian Micheals dvd, I have been thinking about my editor and her determination to wring every last drop of emotion out of this story and to push me to do my best.
It isn't easy but the results will be worth it.
With my shred, I have moved up to level 2 and am busy dying. My clothes are getting looser though, so the results are starting to happen.
If someone is going to make big promises, they have to be tough and they have to be willing to see it through.

Have I said that I love my editor?

Shredding

I have decided that this year, I am really going to try to get a handle on my weight and fitness. It is a problem that a lot of writers face because it is really butt in chair and hands on keyboard. However, various instruments of torture such as the rowing machine are currently doubling as clothes horses, silent marks of shame. (Actually my youngest and my dh use the rowing machine and are constantly changing the settings). Plus I don't really like working out in the basement...
I do walk dogs but that is not really shifting the flab. The diet remains on going but again the flab stays. Plateauing is no fun. The only thing to do is to up my workouts. So I have purchased several fitness dvds.
First up -- Jillian Micheals 30 day shred. I figure I can do 30 days (I am on Day 2). It can't hurt. Level 1 just about killed me yesterday (to my surprise -- obviously dog walking is not doing as much as I had hoped!) However I will get better. The workouts are only 20 minutes long...or that is what it says. Pure torture lasts much longer.

With writing, I continue to go back to basics. Stimulus reaction units aka motivation reaction units or how you show feeling. Something happens, the characters reacts to it. The character can't react and then have something happen. If several somethings happen and the character does not react or react appropriately for the time and place, things feel off. It can be in your head and not on the page. But it is about wringing the last drop of emotion out. It is so easy to assume I know these things and realise that I have forgotten.

Suspension of disbelief

When you are reading fiction, you have to suspend your disbelief.  You know the story isn't true, the situation isn't true and the characters have not really lived, not in the way that author protrays them BUT you willing suspend that disbelief and enter into the author's world. You want to be able to live there and be a part of it.
If the characters don't ring true, the reader is pulled out.
Reasons for being pulled out included less than likeable characters, protagonists acting ways repellant to reader and the reader can't get her head around it, gaps in motivations/reactions, viewpoint problems, not enough research, failure plant sop that the character comes across as inconsistent and so forth.
Yes, once again I am trying to get to grips with the problem of creating truly memorable characters. And my failings are many. It is about more than filling out a character sheet. It is making sure things are on the page and understanding the back story, making sure the characters reveal the right emotion for the right reason at the right time.
I am currently rereading Creating Characters -- How to Build Story People by Dwight Swain. Slowly but surely I am hoping to improve. Rather than reaching for a new how to book, I am going back to my library and seeing what I can learn or whatI missed the first time.
First rule of thumb -- love your characters as it does show.

Secret crushes and updates

I am blogging today at the Pink Heart Society about the reason I watch Downton Abbey -- namely Brendan Coyle.  I haven't watched the latest episode yet as I tape it and watch on a Tuesday. It saves fighting with my husband for the remote as Sunday night is always NFL football. He developed a liking for the NFL when we first started going out...Luckily he saw sense to support my team! As a lifelong 49ers fan, this season has been a trial...but in baseball, the Giants have made the World Series.  But the downside of all this is that I go around for two days trying not to find out what happen in Downton but in many ways being desperate to! Monday nights are Spooks.

I finished the Author Alterations for To Marry A Matchmaker and I do love this story. It is really a feel good story and I am very proud of it.

I have finished the Discovery Draft for my current one. The semi-polished version is due on 1 November and I am still a few thousand words short (thankfully). I do know some of my bad habits now. These include: repetition, not layering in sensual tension, not layering emotion, confused motivation etc. But in theory knowing that these things exist, I can work on improving them. I do love this story and am totally excited about writing the sister's story as well. But right now I have to keep my eyes on  what needs to be done -- namely the polishing of this draft before my eagle-eyed editor looks at it...

Finally as regular readers know, I suffer from lymph oedema in my left arm. A year ago when we were in Istanbul, it was brought to my attention that my left arm was much larger than my right one. I had to have all sorts of tests and after all sorts of nasties were eliminated, it was decided that I had lymph oedema.  I now wear a bandage sleeve and glove on my left arm most of the time. And last week, joy of joys, my fingers had gone down enough that I could get my wedding ring off!!! At one point, there were muttering about cutting it off, so I am pleased. My left arm now looks like my right arm in proportion but I think it remains a bit bigger.  The main complication from lymph oedema is infection, particularly celluitis. Thus far, knock on wood, I have avoided that.

My weight is also going down and I was able to throw away another pair of too big trousers. I still have some way to go before I reach the weight I want to be and fit into clothes that I wore a few years ago.  Slowly but surely and each small victory is surely worth celebrating!

How to read a synopsis for problems

In my re-reading of Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies I was reminded of the importance of having an outline or a road map for the novel. It is also useful if you can read a road map for signs of trouble.
Signs of trouble include: no clear emotional hook, no clear internal conflict, a plot that means the hero and heroine will have to spend a long time apart, suddenly they are dating, lots of the turning points are caused by secondaries characters or the romance is not being moved forward.  The last four are evidence of a Sagging Middle Syndrome or SMS. All of the above will lead to revisions.
The thing about an outline is that is merely a map. You can put it to one side and write the ms how you intend but at some point you need to revisit the outline and make sure that everything is there.
So you write the ms and then you look at the synopsis to see problems.
I start with the setting, the internal/external conflicts of the hero and heroine -- these help  give the emotional hooks. Then using the words -- when the novel begins, I dive in. The first paragraph gives a brief summary of the set up (again these are the hooks that are going really grab the reader and keep her turning the pages), next comes the evidence of the growing attraction, the block moment and finally the resolution.
I also do a chapter by chapter outline.
So why have I been having so many revisions lately? The simple answer is that I haven't been reading my outlines carefully enough and I haven't seen the pitfalls -- in particular the SMS pitfalls. It is easily done. Thankfully my editors do seem to see them and tell me to pull up my socks.
So hopefully now I will pay more attention to the pitfalls BEFORE I turn things in.
And yes, I wrote my preliminary outline over the weekend as I knew the characters well enough I thought, but then realised that I had definitely had a few of the Signs of Trouble. So I will attempt to fix those and then write with the road map in the back of my mind. As I write somewhat into the mist, it is helpful to have an idea of where I'm going but not to refer to it constantly.

Bits and bobs

First the Lymphoedema update -- the arm slowly deflates. It is getting better and does look like an arm. And I suppose as I don't have bat wings etc, I should be grateful. And yes I know that it could have been much, much worse.
As I am healthy, we are going to a sleeve that squeezes more.  The physio is trying to sort this out. Until then, I can wear two sleeves. Basically the physio's thoughts are that it took an age to get to where it was (and quite frankly if it was like it is now, I won't have gone to the doctor's) and therefore it will drain slowly.  It was great when I was in Orlando and only wore the sleeve and glove a little bit. However being back home means all the time except at night. 

Second, I'm waiting for my editor to get back on the revisions I turned in. Fingers crossed here. While I wait, I'm doing research for the Sinai one and I'm revising the paranormal. Believe me it needs a lot of revising as the romance needs to be brought to the fore and sensuality increased. The early connections were missing as well.  It is a matter of doing the revisions and trying to get it up there.

Third I need to get more hens as we are down to 3. This is a job for this week. Mr Fox appears to have gone else where for his snacks. The duck population is down but not out.

Fourth tomorrow is AS results day. Tension runs high as basically I want to know how my daughter did. We will cope with whatever but it is the not knowing that is the problem.

Fifth My daughter says that my two good finds from the RWA are Jodi Thomas and Toni Blake. I've haven't read the Jodi Thomas yet, but I do like Toni Blake and her Destiny books. One Reckless Summer arrived yesterday and was the perfect fodder for my daughter to forget about the AS results. I thought it excellent as well -- sexy and heartwarming. I inhaled it yesterday evening. And can't wait for the third. I believe Toni is working on a fourth. Read them if you haven't discovered them yet.
On the writing side: Basically, the books also showed me how much more I need to up my sensuality, particularly in the early stages. Do not assume the awareness is on the page. If it is in your head and not on the page, the reader can't know.

Revisions

Still doing the revisions but the story is getting better. Some stories are like that. I had done something and it sucked the likfe out of the story, but a bit of judicous cutting , the life and tension are back.
Sometimes it is better to withhold information until the point it will have the most impact.

It will be finished in the next couple of days. Then I have more revisions to do on the Roman Undone. In theory they should be quick.

Working away

I have been busy doing an online workshop on Using Historical Detail to Create a Vivid World this week. It is proving interesting as I am having to put my thoughts on paper.

I am also nearing the end of my revisions. I think angels will sing when this book finally gets accepted. I do know that it is a far stronger romance now. I have gone back to basics and reread Writing Romance for Dummies. It is funny how much stands out to me now that I have had so many books published since the last time I read it.
One key phrase about sexual tension -- make it obvious. I might know the chemistry and the desire is there, but does the reader?
I am going back and layering it in.

The devil is really in the detail!

Iceskating and writing

My cp Donna Alward wrote a wonderful piece using an iceskating metaphor. It is well worth reading, as it does capture some of the reasons why certain books are outstanding and others are...well...just there. Go read it. It might sparks some ideas about creating magic.

I am busy working away on my revisions and trying to capture some of the magic. I do think I know where I went wrong in the beginning -- namely I forgot the focus needed to be so heavily on the main couple and as I was starting what I had planned to be a trilogy, I wanted to do some other things. And guess what it didn't work. One always hopes the new way is a better way.

Oh and tremendous excitement -- the Literacy Autographing List is up for the RWA signing on 28 July. It is wonderful to see my name amongst all the authors. I get to sit next to Cara Summers who writes wonderful Blazes and a relative newcomer AY Stratton who writes for Wild Rose Press. The seating is all alphabetical...it is a relief in a way to know I am not sitting next to Debbie Macomber, Nora Roberts or Julia Quinn who will have huge lines. If anyone does happen by, please say hello as I am always delighted to talk to people and I suspect my line will be very short...

Birthdays and other things

Today is the ever so lovely India Grey's significant birthday. Hooray for India! And hooray that she is writing more books!

I will be appearing on the newish Silk and Shadows blog tomorrow. There is a signed copy of An Impulsive Debutante up for grabs.

My revisions are being done. My editor was right about the book (editors generally are) but I am working away. Unlike some authors, I do not mind admitting that at times I have to sweat and slave over my work. Writing can be tough. It is supposed to be challenging as the author does have to pour emotion in. 99% persperation, 1% inspiration.

Yesterday, as part of my Orlando prep, I bought an Acer netbook. It was a good deal and should be more than adequate for my needs. Basically I want to be able to communicate with outside world...and if an agent asks to see my single title paranormal, I want to be able to send it. I was surprised how light they are. As my dd pointed out, the basic wordpad programme is fine as I can save and then do a cut and paste thing if I want. In theory, it make doing the chunks easier.

We will not mention how the exercise is going. Some day it will make a difference...

Sometimes it is more difficult than others

Right, the Mess in Progress has been messing with my head. I suddenly realised that I had ditched the hook/set up that I had originally intended to write for something that I thought would be more powerful, but had neglected to add in another hook. The ms as reported here actually fell v flat. But while acknowledging this, I personally love bits and am stubborn.
This afternoon, my daughter served as a human sounding board until the point came where she said -- why don't you just ditch and write something totally new. Uh no. I like certain parts v. much.
The set up finally came to me and it does mean massive changes but it will also make it much better. Watch this space...

Set ups/hook are things like Marriage of Convenience, Amnesia, Reunion, Back from the Dead etc. I have not used this particular set up before but Anna Lucia will be pleased as it is one of her favourites...

Reactive inciting incident

As I was asked:

Reactive means passive or reacting to something else rather than seeking to change your life.

Inciting incident is the thing that starts the story.

In my current mess in progress, the heroine agrees to do something for her brother. Her sole reason for encountering the hero has to do with her brother. And she is on the back foot the entire time. She is constantly running to stay in place, rather than making changes. Given a choice, she chooses the wrong one. The brother dominates rather than complicates.

But it was really the reactive inciting incident that sets the tone of the story.
The heroine who is supposed to be bossy or as my daughter's mug used to say -- I am not bossy, I just have better ideas is never given a chance to show her better ideas.

Anyway, it is a massive revision job and involves a new beginning and ending with quite a bit of tweaking in the middle. I do think I have an idea on how to go about it though.

One of these bright days, I am going to produce something that really sings! (Of course then I will worry that I have gotten it totally wrong!)

Book release schedule for 2010

My editor has left me know my book release schedule for the rest of 2010. The Viking's Captive Princess is a Dec 2010 UK release and A Question of Impropriety is a Dec 2010 Direct and ebook release in NA. Impoverished Miss Convenient Wife is a January 2011 Direct and ebook release in NA.
Still no word on the title for the Mach 2011 release.

I remain mulling over my extensive revisions (or perhaps rewrite is the correct word here). Think Thomas Edison. He had discovered 10,000 ways that a light bulb didn't work before discovering the one way it did...

My editor likes my Roman Undone BUT it needs minor revisions to really make it great. These are to be done AFTER I do my other revisions. Contracted work comes first!

We have agreed more work -- Thrand's and Dagmar's story is to an Undone. And I get to do my Sinai and Ottomen Empire stories as a duo. Because of the changes to my current Mess In Progress though, it becomes a stand alone.

Character dimensions -- trying to explain

As a few people didn't understand what I was talking about yesterdya.

One of the problems with protagonists is that you can be so focused towards moving towards the goal/exploring the conflict etc that the protagonist seems flat, like an actor rather than a person. The personality is missing.
Equally you might know lots about a character but unless it is down on the page, your reader won't know. Been there, done that. In my head, but not on the page = flat character for reader.
More than stories, readers remember characters. They keep mental files about what they look like or how they react to others. And you want to breathe life into your characters. They need personality, in particular your protagonist.
You also don't want your characters all sounding the same.
Some of the trouble is that the writer only has a limited experience. It is why listening to how people speak, the vocab that is used etc is so important. Little details that give insight. Telling emotional details that add a richness to the world.
The metaphors and how people describe each other are affected by their life experience. Even the pet phrases and the cliches. They help define personality and character.
In revision it is all about taking those bland phrases such as She looked at him and changing it to give a deepness and texture to the character.
She glared at his unshaven chin, grimy t-shirt and overly-pleased grin. How dare he come to her dinner party dressed like some refuge from a used clothes shop and expect her to hug him!
Alternatively,
She raised her eyes to his intense emerald gaze. Nothing else mattered not the spreading puddle of water on her best Oriental carpet, the whispers of the servants, or even the impropriety of the hour.

The words and word choice help to give a roundness to the character. They revealed something about the POV character as well as the other. Same situation for both. Different responses. By adding the extra detail, you enrich the reader's experience and you make your character more rounded.
It is about attitude and opinion. Your protagonist has to care passionately about things and this helps to define your character and raise them from blandness. It helps to create characters who linger in your mind or who you feel have a life beyond the page.
Think about the characters you remember. Do you remember them because they are bland or inoffensive? Or do you remember them because they cared deeply and passionately? Or noticed things or somehow leaped from the page.

It is about making your characters memorable. And for me, with my protagonists, often it doesn't happen in the first draft. It may take several goes before I can those little telling details down that really differentiate them. Other authors can the details much more quickly. It is just how I work.

Another problem comes when you have delved to deeply with the same theme or similair characters. Where they were new and fresh once, you start falling back and reaching for familiar words/patterns. Results -- flat characters who all seem to be the same and do not have a life of their own.
And I can always strive to be better. Nobody said writing was easy!

Does this help?