Birth of a Novel: It's my manuscript and I'll cry if I want to

So, you've written enough words to call your book a novel. You've given it form and purpose, fleshed out characters, not to mention all the blood, sweat and tears. You're finished, right? Not even close.

Now the hard work really begins. It's time to edit. ARGH! That dastardly word (my apologies to my own editor. You do know I love you, Jilly). I'd have to say edits are my least favorite part of writing, but a very necessary one. While Mozart may have been able to dash off music with nary a correction, no writer on the planet can produce a flawless first draft. I assure you, mistakes have been made and the fact of the matter is you will not be able to find them all on your own. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The author is always the first reader of his or her work therefore the first edit belongs to you, the so-called self-edit. Carefully read through your manuscript--I often do this aloud because it helps point out unnatural sentence structure and typos. This will help you find where you lost your way. What are you looking for? Plot holes, actions that are out of character, scenes you skimped on because you were feeling lazy that day (we all do it), scenes in which you fell in love with the sound of your own voice but were really writing to hear yourself type. Again, we all do that as well. I have a penchant for getting overly descriptive with food and meals. Could be because I love cooking but am perpetually dieting? Methinks yes. Anyhoo, now is the time to slash, burn and rebuild. Cry if you need to...I often do.

Once the alpha reader is satisfied (remember, that's you), it's time to pass your baby along to someone who does not love it nearly so much. And someone who does not love you too much either. By this, I mean your mom or best friend or number one fan just won't do. What you need is a veteran reader, grammar ninja and psychoanalyst all rolled into one--your beta reader.

Ahhhh, a good beta reader is hard to find and a hard beta reader is good to find. No, I'm not being naughty. The best thing you can do for your novel now is find someone to beat the crap out of it. Find the nitpicky-est, persnickety-est, lover of books and the English language you can find (Love you, Stacey!). Your beta reader should question everything that sounds even remotely inaccurate or contrived. When you receive your manuscript file back from your beta reader, it should be all marked up. It will sting but remember, pain is just weakness leaving your novel. Again, feel free to cry...I often do. But the fact of the matter is you cannot fully edit your own work because you're too close to it. I guarantee your beta reader will find at least one flaw that will make you smack your forehead and go, "How did I not catch that?" A fresh, critical pair of eyes is essential to the finishing process. That being said, you don't want someone who's just plain mean or unprofessional. We're going for constructive criticism not snarkiness.

Also, remember--no matter what changes someone else recommends, it is still YOUR VISION and you can accept or reject changes as you see fit. It may take a couple rounds of beta reader edits and some brainstorming to get the flow, plot and characters spit polished.

Now that you've read it and loved it, now that someone else has read it and given you constructive criticism, it doesn't hurt to pass your manuscript by a couple additional people, more for proofreading purposes than anything else. This time, you can use your mom or your best friend or anyone else willing to give it a looksee. You just need even fresher eyes to catch little typos you and your beta reader missed because you've read the darn thing so many times and you both know how it's supposed to read, but you actually wrote 'to' instead of 'too' or 'weather' instead of 'whether'. Again, you do want to use folks who are good at grammar and spelling...oh and that reminds me--don't forget to do one final pass with spell check. Sounds like a no brainer, but you'd be surprised how many writers ignore that most basic of tools.

After all that back and forth, you've finally got a manuscript you can send out into the world, whether you choose an e-publisher, self-pubbing or a more traditional route, you've gone through all the essential steps. It's time to put your best foot forward and let your work shine for all the world to see.

Good luck, my fellow writers! I hope my little series of articles on the birth of a novel has been informative and entertaining. I've just hit send and PINCH OF THIS is on its way to my editor. I'll let you guys know if it's contracted (fingers crossed!)

Cheers,
Cindy

Birth of a Novel: Are we there yet?

Unlike building a piece of furniture or painting a room, writing a novel has no real end so it's important to know when you've accomplished all you set out to do and then BACK AWAY FROM THE LAPTOP!

Now, it's not about word count so much as that sense that the story has come to a logical and satisfying conclusion. If you set a goal of 50,000 words, but came up a little short or a little over, that's okay. You'll plump things up or pare them down once you start self-edits...Ha! And you thought you were done. It's called a first draft for a reason.

But how to tell if a first draft is truly complete? First things first, does it have a beginning, middle and conclusion? If you answered yes, you're on the right track. Now it's time be a little more critical. Did you write enough to develop the characters fully? Did you illustrate their motivations? Did you take them on enough of a journey to reach the conclusion without the reader feeling as though you rushed? Did you tie up any sideplots you developed, or at least those that won't be addressed in a sequel? (OMG, did she just mention a sequel? You mean I have to do this again???) Did your main characters grow and change? Did you conclude the main plot line in a way that let's your reader know the journey is over?

If you answered no to many of these question, you still have work to do. But if you answered yes to all these questions, it's likely you've completed your first draft! YAY! Now it's time to break out the champagne, celebrate, pat yourself on the back and update your twitter status cuz you have accomplished something amazing.

Tomorrow, the real work begins.

Next time we'll go over self-edits and beta reader edits or what I like to call, "It's my manuscript and I'll cry if I want to."

Cheers,
Cindy

Birth of a Novel: In the thick of it

At times, I feel like the Dunkin Donuts guy from those commercials in the 80s and 90s. "Time to write the novel," I groan, dragging myself to my laptop. Writing is hard, lonely and often unending work. Even when I finish PINCH OF THIS, I'll start another manuscript...okay, okay, I've got two others sitting open on my laptop begging to be finished as well. There are days that writing feels a lot more like work than others.

Somewhere between the 10,000 and 20,000 word mark, I hit a wall. The story stops making sense, I've lost track of what I the point I was making with all this, I consider making massive changes or scrapping the project altogether. Happens every single time. Having the experience of more than a dozen books under my belt helps me talk myself down from the heights of panic, but this loss of focus and inspiration used to leave me cold for days or weeks at a time when I first started writing.

Here's where I am with PINCH OF THIS: I'm 20,000 words in. I've got my characters' motivations and backstory down. I've got them acting out their wildest fantasies, but I just don't know why they started this journey. Does it even really make sense or did I use a device to push things along? And then there's Octavio from the first part of the tale. I really liked him so wouldn't Jennifer really like him and want to keep in touch? And would William really break down in tears at this point and explore his feelings of inadequacy after being fired? I mean he has to break down at some point and realize how emotionally unavailable he's been. Doesn't he? I just don't know.

So what do when you've hit the wall? First of all--don't panic. It's a natural part of writing and you will get through it if you don't give up. Two, if possible, stick to your guns. Push through a few days and stay the course. If that doesn't work, make minor changes and I cannot stress the word minor enough. There's nothing worse than slashing and burning at this point. That will only lead to massive re-writes which can lead to an endless loop of re-writes. Try tweaking your vision a little here and there and see if that clears the way.

Also, it might be time to phone a friend. Enlist your beta reader to read what you've written up to this point and offer an unbiased opinion. Or you can just discuss the project with another writer or your crit group (if you belong to one) and brainstorm a solution.

If absolutely necessary, step away from the book for a day...maybe two, but be careful this sabbatical doesn't turn into months of inactivity. I often work through a plot snag while kneading bread dough. Not sure why this works, but manual labor in general seems to get the creative juices flowing. Before I know it, I'm at the laptop typing with my elbows because I didn't want to stop and wash the flour from my hands lest I lose the thread of thought that will pull everything together.

Above all, don't give up. I know I sound like a broken record, but when asked how I write so much I reply, "I just write. Everyday." Good, bad or ugly, I keep doing it. Have faith that the clouds will part and you'll feel the light of a finished manuscript on your face.

Next time, I'll talk about the end game. How to finish up that novel and know where to stop.

Cheers,
Cindy

Birth of a Novel: But is it any good???

If I had a nickel for every time I or an author friend posed this question: Is what I'm writing any good? It's a natural for us to want our baby (aka manuscript) to be as good as we know how to make it. But the fact of the matter is, the first draft is not the time to worry about the quality. Right now, it is all about the quantity so write, write, write.

If NaNoWriMo teaches us anything, it's that to complete a novel, you gotta work. You have to produce word count and if you worry about every word choice, every sentence fragment, every nuance of a scene, you cannot make forward progress. Nothing is ever perfect and really, it's just another delay tactic to avoid the hard road ahead. A novel is a marathon, not a sprint.

During your first draft, give yourself permission to make mistakes because you're going to. I just went back and read some of the stuff I dashed off in the first couple of days of my current project, PINCH OF THIS and realized it doesn't work with what I'm building now. Did I go back and fix it? Not yet and here's why: I don't know exactly how this journey is going to wrap up and what seems out of place or just plain nutty right now may not seem so when I'm done. There's no sense going back and editing and re-editing something that doesn't have a full form. Don't get caught in that endless loop. Lots of first time writers do and that's also why you'll hear more people say "I'm working on a novel" as opposed to "I've written a novel."

Though you might cringe later, write whatever feels appropriate now. There's always the backspace and delete buttons, but ONLY after the first draft is complete. The hard fact of the matter is that none of it may seem very cohesive once you read it as a finished product, but you won't know UNTIL you finish. So keep plugging away and save the self-edits for another day. Hey, that rhymes. Hee hee.

Next time, we'll talk about how to keep the inspiration flowing because a novel or even a novella is a long haul.

Cheers,
Cindy

Birth of a Novel: Character Development

IMHO, there is no other step that will make or break a novel like character development. Skimp on it and the book doesn't hold together. Become inconsistent with it and the plot falls apart as well. I write character driven as opposed to plot driven books so this step to me is crucial.

Who are these people you're going to spend several weeks to several months writing about? How do you get to know them better? What do you do when one just won't cooperate? Oh, trust me it happens. It ALWAYS happens. But it's one of the joys of writing. In a small way, watching a character blossom is similar to watching a child take its first steps. But how to get to that point?

The first thing I do is try to envision my characters--what do they look like? How do they dress? Why do they dress that way? Granted, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but whether we want to admit it or not, the public face one chooses to present to the world sends the world a message. So what message is my character trying to send?

Now when it comes to the hero, I'm a little limited by my genre. Apparently, no one wants to read about hot monkey love with a short balding, paunchy hero. So in general I know my hero has to be tall, in good shape, a pleasant to look at. However, I can play with how he chooses to display his obvious good looks Does he try to downplay them? Is he a peacock? Is he rugged and outdoorsy? Does he prefer a slicker, more metrosexual look?

Once I've nailed down what the hero and heroine look like, I develop their backstory. That's all the stuff that I know have happened to these folks that you may or may not ever read about in the actual novel. Also, it's usually things that have gone on in the character's past.

After the emotional baggage has been doled out, it's time to get down to the particulars: What is this characters favorite food? Drink? Movie? Music? What kind of car does he/she drive? Does he/she like their car? What kind of home does he/she have? The more details you can pin down, the more realistic this person will seem. Characters preferences and why they prefer these things go a long way to telling the reader who they are.

In PINCH OF THIS, I've sketched out Jennifer and William as my heroine and hero. They are both in their mid to late forties. Jennifer is blonde with shoulder length hair. She is thin, but not naturally so, she works hard at it. She dressed in expensive, but not flashy clothing. Her favorite drink is vodka on the rocks. She was once a much freer and more open-minded person, but the demands of motherhood and her husband's corporate image pushed her into a mold she's not all that happy about. She's restless, bored with herself and her marriage. And so on and so forth. I created the same kind of profile for William.

Now that these folks are fleshed out, it's time to put them in action. This can be the tricky part. It's important to keep the characters actions consistent with the portrait you've painted. Or if they do something out of character, you have to be able to defend these developments. Or worse, characters will out and out refuse to take the path you've proscribed for them (sounds nutty, but you writers out there know what I'm talking about). When this happens, you have to resort to what you know about them and make the adjustments as needed. The better you know your characters, the easier it is to do all of this.

Next time, I'll talk about staring down the bull and jumping into those first 2000 words.

Cheers,
Cindy

Birth of a Novel: The Outline

Pantsers! 
Plotters!
Pantsers!
Plotters!

Yes, yes, yes. These two groups work very differently and never the twain shall meet...or shall they? Most authors claim to be either a "fly by the seat of the pants" kind of writer or a strictly disciplined outliner who plots every single scene. I think in reality most of us lean one way, but borrow techniques from the other side as well. Call me Ms. Pants-a-plot...wait, don't call me that. That just sounds wrong.

Anyhoo, for my current WIP titled PINCH OF THIS, I have an outline. I did character sketches of Jennifer and William, my heroine and hero. I made sure I understood the theme which is basically "where ever you go, there you are." I really got into the motivating force so that their wild explorations make sense to the reader. There is a definite climax to the story (no pun intended, lol) and I know what each character must learn to get to the conclusion. I've outlined the book from start to finish and I'm ready to jump into the thick of it. That being said...the best laid schemes of mice and plotters...

I believe for a story to have the ring of truth to it, it has to evolve organically. Yes, I can force my will onto the story, but then it reads as forced. No matter what I think I understand about my characters and the place they need to go, I always learn something along the way and there's inevitably something about the book that has to change. It is then that I deviate from the outline (or sometimes throw it out altogether) and let the book take me where it needs to go. I've done more introspection and learned about myself and the world around me mucking around in the fictional space between my ears. It's great therapy and a lot cheaper too...not that I need therapy...hey, who said, "Yes, you do!"

Anyway, the point is that if I had to choose a camp, I'd call myself a plotter but I think it is important to give yourself the freedom to work in the manner that serves the needs of the manuscript. If that means working outside your comfort zone, all the better. An art professor once told me (and I do consider writers to be artists), in the midst of creation, if you're scared and off balance, that's exactly where you should be.

Also, if there's one thing I've learned: At some point my characters will have an uprising and Jennifer and William will take charge of who they want to be. Ahhh, characters and their wily ways, but I'll get to those slippery buggers next time. Until then, keep writing!

Cheers,
Cindy

Birth of a Novel: Conception

The question I heard a lot last month during my NaNoWriMo journey was: How do you do it--how do you write a complete novel?

Well, unfortunately there is no formula that works for every writer or heck, even for every manuscript. However, since I'm beginning a new project, I thought it would be fun (and hopefully informative) to show you what I go through with each and every book. Some stages are easy, some are as painful as giving birth...okay, so NOTHING is as painful as giving birth, but it's damn near as bad.

To begin with, you gotta have an idea, that spark of inspiration that lights the whole fire. The novel I'm completing this month is titled PINCH OF THIS. It will be (fingers crossed) part of a series called SPICE RACK which another author invited me to join. There are two requirements to fit into this series:
1. The couple featured in the book have to be married and need to add a little spice to the relationship. At the end of the book, they have to remain in a committed monogamous marriage, but guests in the bedroom are allowed to "spice" things up as long as they do not become a permanent part of the relationship.
2. The story has to include The Spice Rack, an item sold in department stores and other locations that one would buy gifts. Instead of holding actual spices, the jars have suggestions to spice up one's life. The couple has to use this item as a catalyst for change.

This is a little bit different way to come up with a story line because the starting point has already been decided for me. Usually ideas will just hit me out of the blue and then it's up to me to figure out the specifics. For this one, I had to brainstorm a little. I thought--married couple, spices, bored with themselves and their lives--and instantly thought of travel. Literally sampling different spices from various regions of the world. From there it wasn't hard to come up with a couple who have retired early, are financially well off, but--due to their pursuit of a comfortable life--never indulged in the travel to exotic places they planned to as young lovers. So, how to make this romantic and erotic? While they're sampling the local cuisine, they'll also sample the sexual culture of the location as well.

After this initial concept, the outline wrote itself, but that's spilling over into the next blog entry: The Outline. Love it or hate it, it's a useful tool, even if you only make broad strokes to guide your journey.

Cheers,
Cindy