YOUR Novel! After all these weeks and months and maybe years of writing, it’s done. Except… For one last rewrite. Really? Yep. Here we go. 1. Print a hard copy of your manuscript. You will catch errors on a hard copy that you miss when you’re reading YOUR Novel on a computer screen. 2. Find…
It’s very tempting to send YOUR Novel out into the world without a last rewrite for word use and phrasing, but please, after all your hard work, don’t succumb to the temptation to let that baby face the query gauntlet without a “sound check.” I recommend that you read this redux out loud. You will…
As you edit YOUR Novel, you may want to schedule a rewrite with your research in mind. This is pretty much a given for authors of historicals or techno-thrillers. Not so much for those who write contemporary fiction. An intensive research rewrite was always a part of my “redux” for my Alaska novels, but a few…
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get lazy. That’s not always bad. We all need a lazy day (night or evening) to regenerate after hectic times. But when it comes to novels, nothing pops a reader out of YOUR Novel more quickly than a few pages of lazy prose. Ninety-nine percent of the time,…
YOUR Novel! My dad has always been one of my alpha readers. He’s a speed reader. For him it’s all about story. My third draft is all about plot, and as I rewrite, I try to see what I’ve written “through my dad’s eyes.” On this rewrite, I read quickly and try to catch where my plot falls…
We’re in the midst of horse racing season. We’ve watched those incredible animals compete in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness. All those “big” runs, and usually the last few lengths are the most exciting of each race. If you’ve been working on YOUR Novel since I started these Monday posts you…
Welcome back to YOUR Novel! Let’s talk a bit about scenes. You can’t write a novel without scenes. Scenes are the molecular structure of story and thus of a book. I like literary agent Rachelle Gardner’s take on scenes. “A scene has three necessary elements: a location in time and space; action; and dialogue. Make…
Just a very quick note to let all of you know that a group of writers and literary agents are conducting an auction on Friday afternoon, March 25, with the proceeds to be donated to the Red Cross efforts in Japan. Not only is this a great opportunity to donate to a very good cause, it’s…
A couple of years ago, I decided to jump-start my writing career. First, I gave my writing career to the Lord. (Again!) Then I had a serious heart-to-heart with my husband. Neil has always believed in my dreams. He told me to go for it, that whatever happened we’d be a team as we’ve always been….
If you are a writer hoping for commercial publication, you know how important a literary agent can be. If you are a reader, the whole realm of commercial publication and agents might be a mystery. Here are some answers to a few questions I’ve been asked about agents. Q: What is a literary agent? A:…
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