Editing and Writing Tips

 I'm a reader of writing tips. 

Writing is a talent, but a person is never too old or too young to learn.

I love writing, but I think I love editing even more. I love molding my story into a better story. Into the best story that I can.

Editing does that.

I'm always reading about finding filler words and getting rid of them. Finding passive words, vague words, redundant phrases, and common cliches and getting rid of them.

I am in the process of writing a sequel to my novel, Where the Stars Grant Wishes, and I have been editing it to rid my manuscript of those filler words.

Some of the words I've been searching for are IT, SOME, THEY, THEM, etc.

My story had a lot of those vague words. I am one of those writers who doesn't have to lower my word count. I need to up my word count. And in getting rid of these words and getting more specific, I found that I actually upped my word count - Yeah!

Another way I found to up my word count is in description.

Early this morning I opened the door and stared out. I soaked in all the sights and sounds and came up with passages that I could easily find a place for in my manuscript.

If you go outside during the day and sit and observe everything around you, new ideas will appear all around you. 

Are you in the middle of writing a manuscript?

Do you like editing?

Click here and here to see a few of my other posts on writing tips.

 

Making our Stories Better

I have a habit of copying writing tips and putting them in a folder on my desktop. I have lots and lots of tips.

Which is a good thing to do.

But I also have a habit of forgetting about them after putting them in the folder.

It's a good idea to go back and review all those tips you save. You'll be surprised at what you may have forgot.

I went here and read a post about How to Start a Novel. I found a couple of their ways interesting and applied one to one of my manuscripts.

I'd changed the beginning paragraphs of this story many times and I thought I had a good beginning.

It was pretty good, but now it is so much better. The 'Why is he doing that' prompt is the one that brought about my change.

I sent the new and old version to two of my critique partners, and they both liked the new version better.

So, my manuscript has a new and better beginning, and it is all because I kept reading blog posts and I kept reading tips.

I didn't quit. I kept trying to make my story better, which is what we all should do.

We should keep striving to make our stories better.

Don't be satisfied with a so-so story. Make it the best story you can make it.

Middle Grade First Lines and First Paragraphs

MMGM

I'm always surfing the web for writing tips and techniques. I search for the rules of writing and advice from other authors. I have read that first lines or first paragraphs can stir your curiosity, create surprise, be humorous, have shock factor, state a simple statement of facts, and last, but not least, hook your reader into reading more.

Here are a few first lines and/or paragraphs from middle grade books:

Charlotte's Web - “Where’s Papa going with that ax?”

Holes -  “There is no lake at Camp Green Lake.”

A Wrinkle in Time -  “It was a dark and stormy night.”

A Series of Unfortunate Events -  “If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book.”

The Hobbitt -  “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.”

Wonder -  I know I'm not an ordinary ten-year-old kid.

 Rain Reign - I am Rose Howard and my first name has a homonym.

Navigating Early - The first time you see the ocean is supposed to be either exhilarating or terrifying. I wish I could say it was one of those for me. I just threw up, right there on the rocky shore.

Fever - I woke to the sound of a mosquito whining in my left ear and my mother screeching in the right.

The Ballad of Lucy Whipple - "Mama," I said, "that gold you claimed is lying in the fields around here must be hidden by all the lizards, dead leaves, and mule droppings, for I can't see a thing worth picking up and taking home."

A Year Down Yonder - Oh, didn't I feel sorry for myself when the Wabash Railroad's Blue Bird train steamed into Grandma's town. The sandwich was still crumbs in my throat because I didn't have the dime for a bottle of pop. They wanted a dime for pop on the train.

Everything on a Waffle - I live in Coal Harbour, British Columbia. I have never lived anyplace else. My name is Primrose Squarp. I am eleven years old. I have hair the color of carrots in an apricot glaze (recipe to follow), skin fair and clear where it isn't freckled, and eyes like summer storms.

Duck and Cover - I survived the long drive from Cleveland. Now if I could just survive the Russians, I'd be OK. Some people worried they were going to blow up the United States. Mom and I had come back to West Virginia to start over. How could we start over if the world was coming to an end? (Sorry, but I had to include the first paragraph of my book.)


Wishtree - It's hard to talk to trees. We're not big on chitchat.

As you can see from the examples, some books do it better than others.

Have you read any of these books? Which one is your favorite line? What are some of your favorite first lines or first paragraphs?

A little practice can go a long way. Write and write again until you get it right.  

Now go and create the perfect first line for your story.



Go over to Always in the Middle to find out who else is posting about MG Books.

Reading and Writing go Together Like Peanut Butter and Jelly

I love to read and I love to write. They go together like peanut butter and jelly (which I love almost as much as reading and writing).

But sometimes I have too many pots on the stove as the old saying goes.

I recently finished reading Woman of Courage, an inspirational book that takes place in the 1830s, by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Twice Betrayed, a YA that takes place during the Revolutionary War, by Gayle C. Krause. 

I am currently reading two MGs - Silent Boy by Lois Lowry and Vilonia Beebe Takes Charge by Kristen L. Gray. I am enjoying both and am looking forward to finishing them. 

I am also reading One for Agnes, One for Effie, an inspirational book by Nancy Merical. Nancy is a member of my writing group.

As you can see, I have a wide range of books I read. I must admit, though, I enjoy reading MG the most.

While doing all this reading, I am also writing. And unfortunately I am also writing numerous manuscripts.

I feel I need to concentrate on just one and get it finished.

I am still working on my cookbook that is currently titled,  LET'S EAT! There's no place like home COOKING! In addition to regular recipes, it has a few non-edible recipes, sections on old-fashioned tablecloths, food traditions and superstitions, old-fashioned aprons - even how to make a few from denim jeans and cloth calendars, cooking tips, and pages in the back to write down your own treasured recipes. On my other blog, I have posted many recipes on my other blog and some of these are included in this book. 

I am also making changes to my novella, Lucy of Tuppers Hollow, which takes place in 1908.

And I have a chapter book which I would love to get back to, but has been put on hold temporarily. 

Do you work on more than one book or manuscript at a time or do you finish one before starting another?

Any tips on finishing your projects?

Writing Tips

I have ONE writing tip.

Get out those writing tips and re-read them!

If you are like me, you have printed numerous pages of writing tips. Or, you have numerous  books on writing.

But, how long has it been since you got out those tips and read them again or got out those books and refreshed your memory on the tips and info they gave you?

I have been organizing my writing space. I don't have a room devoted to my writing (wish I did), but I mainly use our family room for my writing.

I have rearranged my family room. I have went through and organized my three bookcases. I have gotten rid of a bunch of books (took them to the thrift store or my writing group). I have rearranged the books I have left and grouped them according to what they are about.

And, I switched out my dad's old trunk with another bookcase I had in an adjoining room. Now I have all four bookcases in one room.

The above are my reference books. I write articles for kids and these books are filled with helpful ideas and info. 

These are my writing books - how-to books, dictionaries, thesauruses, etc.

 

Here is my tray of folders filled with info - writing tips, publishers, submissions, etc.

What I am saying to do in this blog post is to use your info you have gathered down through the years.

Get out those tips and refresh your brain.
Get out those books and refresh your brain.
Have them organized so they are easy to find and get to.

Then do what you love - write!

Writing Tips on Prose

I attended a workshop by Cat Pleska about putting poetry in your prose.

How do you do that?

To make your narrative flowing and beautiful you can add metaphors and similes and figurative language.

As always, with your writing, choose your best words. Revise and move parts around. And, my favorite, use rhythm and sound. Make the words sing when read aloud.

So, when writing, create a mood, entertain and play with your words and phrases. Using elements of poetry can make your story memorable and a pleasure to read.

Here are a couple of links to elements of poetry.

Elements of Poetry: Examples and Techniques

Poetic Devices - Judi Moreillon

 

 I love putting poetry in my prose, whether it be a middle grade novel or a picture book. 

 

One of my favorite picture books, Owl Moon, is written beautifully using some of these techniques.

With passages such as:

 

we reached the line of pine trees, black and pointy against the sky

the moon made his face into a silver mask

the trees stood still as giant statues

 

I have also written a picture book (unpublished at this time) where I have used lines such as:

 

We walked past the cattails near the pond, standing tall like toy soldiers all in a row

The ground rose before us like a giant stretching his arms tall and touching the sky. 

 

So, give it a try, whether you are writing a picture book or a novel. Add a little magic to your writing to make it memorable and fun to read.

 

 Do you put poetry elements in your prose?

Happy Writing! 

 

Writing Tips on Beginnings

While at the WVWriter's Conference last week I went to a workshop on ----- beginnings.

This was a long workshop that came in two parts. Edie Hemingway was the teacher.

Some of the things I gleamed from the workshop were:

The importance of the first page.

Your opening page should be powerful, giving a glimpse of your voice.
If writing for a young audience, try to incorporate the POV character's name, age, something about their physical appearance, and time/place within the first three pages or better yet, the first page.

That's quite a list for you to include in the first or second page of your manuscript.

In the second half of the workshop, we got the chance to read our first page for her. She, and members of the audience, critiqued it. Before reading my first page, I quickly skimmed through it, realizing that I had not incorporated some of those things listed above. I found out (through a little quick editing) that most of these bits of info can be easily incorporated into your manuscript -- and it does make it better.

Very helpful is all I can say about this part of the workshop. I would love to attend other workshops that incorporate this into their presentation.

A few other first line tips are: draw your reader in with emotion, set up conflict, set up a question for the reader, set the mood or tone of the story and jump right into voice. If starting with description, add something extraordinary (no hum-drum, overused or ordinary descriptions)!

Open with a powerful image, dialogue with tension and/or emotion to pull your reader in.

Give your manuscripts a glance and spiffy up those first pages!

Go to the library, or your bookshelves, and check out the first pages of your favorite books, to see how they did it.

Do your first pages make the grade?

Happy Writing!

Editing in Bits and Pieces

I'm participating again in Writing for Children and Teens Red Light, Green Light event. It is hosted by Cynthea and Kissy.

It is kind of like the Red Light, Green Light game you played as a child.
You submit your first 125 words of your manuscript - Cynthea and Kissy either give it the red light or green light. If you get a green light, you advance to the next round. Then you submit the next 250 words of your manuscript. You keep submitting until you get the red light. Then you go back to start and start all over again

She gives you helpful tips on your manuscript excerpts along the way.

I am finding that this is a great way to edit - in bits and pieces. I find myself making small changes in each of my submissions before hitting the send button. I want each word and each sentence the best it can be.

In looking at your manuscript in tiny lumps, you help each section of your manuscript better stand alone. You make each word and sentence count.

Pull up your manuscript and give this a try. I think you will find it helpful in making each section better.

Better sections mean better manuscripts.

Writing is like quilting. You work on it one section at a time, 

until you are happy with the finished product.

Posted byJanet Smart on Creative Writing in the Blackberry Patch.

A B C's of Writing

If you notice, I have a picture of a booklet I wrote on my sidebar.
I had fun putting it together.
The Table of Contents consist of: A B C's of Writing, Specific Words, Find Button, Tips on Writing ABC Books, Tips on Writing Articles, Prompts, What If's, Sites for Writers, Last, But Not Least - Helpful Tidbits and Author Info.

I thought I would share a little of the A to Z Book on Writing
If you are a freelance writer, or would like to give writing a try, there are times when you are at a loss as to what to write about. Below are a few ideas.

A

ABC BOOKS.*

Pick a topic and write a unique ABC book for small children.

ADVERTISEMENTS

ANTHOLOGY Gather stories and put together an anthology

ARTICLES.*

There is always a need for someone to write articles.

ASSEMBLE YOUR TOOLS.

Dictionary, Thesaurus, Pens, Pencils, Computer, Books, The Elements of Style Handbook, Writing Tablets (keep small one at your bedside and with you at all times for whenever an idea pops into your head)

 B

BIOGRAPHIES Pick a favorite person, research and write a biography

BITS OF WISDOM Share bits of wisdom with others

BLOGS Start a blog and write daily or weekly posts. Write about your passion, your craft, your day to day life.

BOOKMARKS Make bookmarks with your info, books, etc. printed on them to give out.

BORROWED STARTERS When you are at a loss for an idea, pick up a book and borrow the first sentence. Write your own manuscript, article, poem or prose starting with that first sentence.

BROCHURES Write brocures. Focus on a topic, be specific and mix writing styles (Bullet points, numbers and lists). Add photos.

BUSINESS CARDS Always have business cards to give out

C

CHAPBOOKS Write a collection of poems or short stories and put them together in a chapbook. Stay to a certain theme.

CHARACTERS Collect unique, quirky, fun characters. Write them down and give them a home in your writing.

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL They are always asking for submissions. Check their site often for new topics

COLLECTIBLES Collectibles are very popular. Write about a group of collectibles or a single collectible.

COLUMNS Write columns for newspapers or magazines

CONTESTS Enter Please!

COOKBOOKS Who doesn't love cookbooks? Put together a family cookbook, school cookbook, workplace cookbook or a specialty cookbook. There are publishers who deal specifically with printing of cookbooks. 

COUNTING BOOKS As with ABC books, there is always room on the bookshelf for one more. Pick a topic and make yours unique. Put the counting into a storyline such as ... One day one little puppy walked down the road. A kitty joined him and then there were two.

CRAFT BOOKS If you are good at a certain craft, write a book about it. Blog about it.

CRITIQUE GROUPS Join at least one!

The subjects with an * beside of it, means there is more about that topic later in the booklet. 

I hope you enjoyed this small peek into my booklet. In the ABC section, I go through the entire alphabet - even finding an entry for Z!

I know I am quite often at a loss as to what to write about. This booklet helps spark my imagination when I need a little nudge.

Do you need a little nudge? Just let me know and I will email you a free PDF copy of the booklet.

Posted by Janet Smart on Creative Writing in the Blackberry Patch.

My Writing Workspace

I do not have an office. I do not have a regular desk or a computer desk.

But I have 'my space.' Which is all I need to write.

Below is my old enamel top wooden desk:

This desk holds my laptop, my file folders for ideas, manuscripts, call outs and contests, tips for writing PBs and MGs, etc., my notepad, my books, etc. The pictures and mouse pad provide me with 'childlike' inspiration. There is a fold out poster stored beside of my desk for picture book brainstorming.

I just recently added this corkboard:

I will thumb tack my ideas on this during the month of November!
It currently has six new ideas posted on it!

I think this will work much better than keeping them in a folder or notebook. They will be in full  view at all times.  I will continue to keep my ideas there - whether they be ideas for PBs, columns or MGs even after PiBoIdMo is over.

What does your workspace look like? How many ideas have you came up with this month?

Go here to see links to other people's writing spaces.

Posted byJanet Smart on Creative Writing in the Blackberry Patch.

Whipping Your Manuscript Into Shape and Free PDF Booklet

I am getting ready for National Picture Book Month . . . and PiBoIdMo!

I am going to try (notice I said try) to post about picture books every day in November! That is a big endeavor, so I am already writing posts and saving them.

Stop by each day and read and learn a little bit about picture books.
I will try not to disappoint you.


But, until November arrives I am working on my middle grade novels.
I've got out my whip and I am whipping them into shape.

Here is a little checklist of some things I am doing.

√   If something is in there that shouldn't  be - delete it to the wastebasket - no matter how much you are attached to it.

√  Check the chapter endings - do they make us excited to go on to the next chapter? If not, change them so they do.

 √  Does the first page make us want to continue reading? If not, change it so it does.


√  Use your find button. Check for 'it'. I bet most of them can be changed to a more specific noun. Check for 'that'. I bet many of them can be taken out. Check for 'ly' words. Check for telling words, such as: saw, smelled, heard and felt.

√  Check for 'your overused' words. You know what I mean, favorite words that pop into your writing too many times. Everyone's words are different. I have a tendency to overuse old, that, of and just.

Other unnecessary words can be: about, actually, almost, like, appears, approximately, even, exactly, finally and really. Check for redundant phrases, such as: sat down, end result,  free gift, combine together, kneel down, raise up, exact same, etc. You get the idea.

√  Check your story. Does your character grow? Are your characters likeable? Do they have flaws? No one likes a perfect character. Are there unique parts in your manuscript? Is there something in your story that makes it stand out? etc.

Are you whipping a manuscript into shape? Hope my checklist helps you out a little. 

√  Check out my sidebar. If you want a free PDF of my booklet, The Handy Little A to Z Book on Writing, just email me and let me know. I'll  email one out to you. Contents include: A B Cs of Writing, Specific Words, Find Button, Tips on Writing ABC Books, Tips on Writing Articles,  Prompts, What If's, Sites for Writers, Last, But Not Least - Helpful Tidbits.

I think you'll like it!

Happy Writing and don't forget about November and Picture Book Month.

Posted by Janet Smart  on Creative Writing in the Blackberry Patch.