Bad Book Postures

I've been doing some reading lately. As a writer, I find it helpful to look over other works and see what other authors are doing. And after a few books, I have found that they start off quick and energetic, with interesting characters and plot. But by the middle of the book, the story starts to sag. The energy level is gone. The characters have no spark left but just seem to be existing day by day as if they themselves are bored of the storyline (and thus, I am too). And then as the book goes on, by the ending chapters, the energy is back again to reach that satisfying conclusion.

So what to do about the sagging middle? I realize sometimes it's like we as writers just want to make it through the book so we can get to our victorious conclusion. The hero wins. The guy gets the girl. Evil is overcome. Or whatever the case may be. But to get there, we must keep the energy level high throughout the book. To write a story that will keep readers turning the pages so they do make it to that great end. So I will begin from now on to analyze my own work better, especially that forgotten middle section. I don't want to see the characters lose their zing or the plot to drag. Keep the story flowing. Perhaps add in an extra twist in the plot by a minor subplot. To not get bogged down with the day to day living that can really be a drag. To put in new and quirky things with the characters to keep readers entertained. To make it an interesting work through and through. To make the story stand upright all the way to the end.

Get rid of bad posture in your book. Keep it fresh and the writing lively from page one on.

It's Written...Now What?

The manuscript is written. After toiling over the pages, the plot, the characters, writing chapters in tune with the synopsis, bringing out all facets of the story, writing the beginning, middle and the end, you are finished.

Or are you?

Yes, you can relax and take a break. It's well deserved. But there is still much more yet to be accomplished. The tedious work of revising. Fine tuning. Make the manuscript sparkle and shine. Polishing, cutting, pasting, altering, making the writing the best it can be before it finds its way into the hands of your editor.

So what does this entail? Well, for me it means looking over my work. I first read through it on the computer. I look for awkward phrasing, for misplaced sentences, for obvious typos and correct these. I then print out a hard copy. It is impossible to do an accurate survey of your work without looking at it on the written page, as if you are reading a book. I find that I have two different manuscripts when I see my work this way. And I usually end of doing much more dicing and splicing when I see the manuscript in hard copy. I see the mistakes in flow. The choppiness. What I need to change. And often typos that are easily bleeped over on a computer screen. Such as the computer spellcheck missing "abut" for "about" (it happens more than I can say!).

Once this is done, I insert the changes in the computer file. Then it's good to have your work critiqued by a fellow writer, with a fresh set of eyes to catch those mistakes you might never see or think about; to do the critical analysis you would never do. You then take the suggestions and incorporate them. Perhaps print out another hard copy to read over (I do). And then one final look on the computer, along with checking chapter titles, headers, etc.

And walla! A finished manuscript you are proud to send to an editor and eventually to readers in the form of a published book.

Shredded to Perfection

I was just asked to be part of a critique group for the novella collection that recently sold. The moment I hear the words "critique group" I think of this picture - your work being cast into the shredder. :) And who likes pain after all, even if it is your story? But then I considered the many times my work faced the red ink of an editor before the advent of e-mailed proposals (now replaced by the dreaded red tracking of online corrections). And how much better the piece reads after others take an objective look at it. Pointing out those errors that even if you've scanned your work a dozen times, you don't catch them. Fine tuning it like a musical instrument so that the story sings. Bringing forth work that is the epitome of perfection.

Perhaps then critiquing is more liken to the scripture that talks of pruning. Getting rid of the gnarled branches to allow the fruit to come. Clipping off the redundant words, the lagging passages, the missplaced analogies. And what better way than through a critique group where other writers care enough to bring out the very best.

So take a pain pill and allow your work to be critiqued.