Repetition Kills

Repetition can kill an otherwise perfectly good story. In a few cases, this is a technique to draw attention to certain text, but only if you are aware of it. And even then, be careful not to overdo it.

Repetition can consist of the same wording, but it can also be the same subject matter repeated more than once. This is an issue all writers should pay extra attention to during the editing process. For one thing, it’s extremely noticeable. So, send that manuscript in to the publisher with repetition and I guarantee he’ll know you haven’t taken the time to go through it with a fine tooth comb. And, if you don’t care, why should he care enough to put it on the publishing table.

It seems every writer, along with each different story, develops a word, or phrase, she loves to type onto the clean white page. With my latest, Seduced by Darkness, I discovered quite a few, but the main three were darkness, desire, and need. The words plagued the manuscript. These are the special words we narrow in on. But there are obvious ones which stick out like sore thumbs.

And, he, she, felt, watched - these are a few that find their way onto my page no matter the story or the mood I’m in. You should pay close attention as you move through your writing career. Creating a list of these overused words will help you recognize them quicker, but it will also help you to rid yourself of the habit. Unfortunately, you will probably gain a few new ones to replace the old.

This isn’t a major issue, don’t stress over it, but do make extra effort during your own editing and revision sessions. Your editor will thank you for it. And you’ll thank yourself when you get your manuscript back and it isn’t full of red slashes urging you to rid the manuscript of these troublesome words.

On subject matter, if your character is blond, the reader doesn’t need to be reminded of this every other page. If Shawn stabbed Josh, the reader only needs this information once. So, you think the reader may have forgotten? Go back and make the incident unforgettable instead of repeating it.

A Blast From The Past

Footsteps of a Writer began in 2009. I present the very first posting, August 25, 2009.

Some Thoughts on Writing

When I first began writing, I thought it was the easiest thing in the world. I wrote daily, stringing words together into wondrous stories. Then I sent my work out and was rejected over and over again. I didn’t know what I was doing wrong, so I wasn’t sure how to fix it. I laid my pen down, and gave up. In the back of my mind, I still believed that one day I would be a writer.

After years of avid reading, I looked back at those pieces and saw major problems. There was no rhythm to the prose. The characters moved around from one point to the next with no thoughts. My writing lacked emotion and detail.

I began writing once again. Three years later, I still hadn’t sent anything out in hopes of publication. No rejections. You may consider this a waste of time, writing with no rewards, but still no rejections. A true writer writes for the joy of it, not the promise of fame. The truth was I was still learning and hadn’t reached what I consider my time to submit.

I’ve recently began submitting and receiving rejections. Now, I don’t look at the rejections as a bad sign. I look at them as stepping stones. It may be a long walk, but each step will bring me closer to being a published writer.

I’d like to share with you some of the things I’ve learned over the years.

There are many tools that you will use, but there are four I’d say that are a must. They are: American Heritage College Dictionary, Roget’s Thesaurus, Punctuation Plain & Simple by Edgar C. and Jean A. Alward, and William Strunk Jr., and E.B. White’s The Element of Style. These should be on every writer’s bookshelf, and don’t forget to use them.

Writer groups have both good and bad points. Writing is a solitary job and will become very lonely. It’s good to have a few people around who share the same ambition in life, even if they are in cyber-space. But on the downside, you can read too much into other’s criticism. You must be careful when having your work critiqued. Everyone has an opinion, and they are not always correct. Your story is just that, yours. Now, I’m not saying to turn a blind eye to the truth. If you have five people read your story, and they all ask why your character did this, chances are you haven’t provided motivation for your character’s actions. Trust in yourself to know which advice to take and which to discard.

Reading is a major part of a writer’s life, because you learn from the examples of others. Your ideas will grow and techniques will improve. I asked a member of one of my writing groups what type of books he read. His answer was he didn’t have time to read, he was too busy writing. If you don’t read, how can you begin to know how to write? Each day should include some sort of reading; consider it part of your job. And by all means, enjoy yourself.

Writing, of course, is the most critical issue. It should become part of your daily routine. Most writers compose and rearrange scenes in their mind, which is perfectly fine, but you have to sit down at some point. Every writer has a different routine. It is important to establish what works for you. Start out slow, maybe thirty minutes a day, and increase the time limit as it feels right.

Self-editing should be separated from your writing time. Don’t let that part of your mind mess with you while you create. Find a different location to do this task if necessary. Let your piece sit for a few days. Try to detach yourself from it, as if it was written by another. Like writing, you will also need practice at editing. One way to get practice is to edit someone else’s work. It’s easier to see the flaws in another’s writing.

I would also like to suggest reading material of an inspirational level. There are many articles and books out there telling you how to write. I’m not saying not to read these, but don’t dwell on them. There is no simple plan to show you how to write that best seller. I suggest reading some that tell you why they do it.

One, in particular, I would like to recommend is Stephen King’s On Writing. He offers a few pointers, but what I enjoyed was the way he lets you step into his world and begin to understand why this man is so widely read. He writes for himself, as you should write for yourself. If you’re not having fun, what’s the point?

Above all else, a writer needs ambition and drive. If you don’t want it badly enough you won’t get very far. Writing is hard work; it’s more than stringing words together. You must be able to create worlds and characters that the reader wants to get to know.

Now go, create something wonderful.

Feel free to share your thoughts. Are you a struggling writer trying to get published? Have you found the path to publication? There is always something to learn from others. Share with me what you’ve learned along the way. Ask questions.

Making Connections by Guest Poster Karina Fabian

I'd like to welcome Karina Fabian, author of Mind over Mind, to the blog. Before I hand the floor over, here is a little about our guest.

Bio of Karina Fabian: Unlike her characters, Karina Fabian lives a comfortably ordinary life. Wife to Air Force Colonel Robert Fabian and mother of four, her adventures usually involve packing and moving, attending conventions, or giving writing and marketing advice in one of her many workshops. She's always had an overactive imagination, however, and started writing in order to quell the voices in her head--characters who insisted on living lives in her mind and telling her their stories. Winner of the 2010 INDIE award, winner and finalist for the EPPIE and finalist for the Global e-book awards, she's glad people enjoy reading the tales her characters tell.
http://fabianspace.com

Please welcome Karina Fabian (applause)

I wrote my first novel back in 1986, mostly because I was challenged by a professor who liked a short story I'd written and thought it was the good beginnings of a novel. I spent a whole summer outlining it, lost the outline, decided it wasn't that great anyway, and wrote a second version. My professor introduced me to a writer friend of his and I shyly called and asked a few questions about publishers while in the back of my mind, I imagined him introducing me to his agent and taking me under his wing. Of course that didn't happen.

But I took his advice and bought Writer's Market and started querying. I got a lot of rejections, some with handwritten notes. I no longer have them, but they were more a testimony to my complete ignorance of the publishing industry and of writing. It was many, many years later that I had my first novel published, and it wasn't the one I'd written in college.

A lot of us hope that someday, we'll find that person who will love our work and help us to hone our story then connect us to a publisher. I still dream of that. However, finding a mentor right off, just by asking, is a rarity, and usually comes from a build-up we didn't even know we'd done--like the friend of a friend who is already impressed by our story. We won't find it by "ambushing" established writers. Still, you find people who will go to a writers' chat room and their first questions is, "Who will critique my novel?" Sometimes, I get e-mails asking me to recommend publishers (or recommend them to a publisher)--and if I'm getting them, I know more famous authors do.

A better way to handle this is to develop the relationships rather than jumping to the goal. Find critique groups in your local area or online. Go to conventions and meet people--talk to them about their books, share your story, keep in contact. Find writers' workshops--there are a lot online as well as live. Take the classes and use them to show off as well as hone your writing. (My first novel contract came from a workshop I took from a publisher who liked the story I submitted as homework.)

Learn the business side of publishing: how to write a query, what an elevator pitch is, how to write a synopsis, a book proposal, etc. Read up on what's happening with publishers. Seek out agents who are starting in the business. You can do this by reading Publisher's Weekly, Writers' Market, or many of the blogs by publishers, agents and writers in your genre. Jim Butcher (Dresden Files) said that when he found the agent he wanted, he learned about her, met her at a convention, struck up conversation and got to know her before presenting her with his book.

Be willing to give as well as receive. If you want your book or story critiqued, then be ready to comment on others' works as well. And please have a thick skin when it comes to receiving a crit. Most people take time--hours even--to comment on a story. Even if you totally disagree, be gracious, especially if it's by an established author.

Through it all, keep writing! That book I wrote in 1986 stayed in the drawer for 20 years. In the meantime, I wrote stories, edited anthologies and wrote articles. When I started thinking about novels again, I pulled it out, realized how awful it was, and completely reworked the concept. That book is now a trilogy, the first book of which, Mind Over Mind, is out from DragonMoon Press. Sometimes, I look back at the person I was when I wrote the first version, and I'm kind of glad I didn't get my wish back then. I had to learn a lot--and my stories are far better for it.

Karina, Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope the rest of your Mind over Mind blog tour goes well.

Purchase links for Mind over Mind - Amazon / Kindle

Other connections to author - Facebook / Twitter / Google+

Your Mission...Should You Decide to Accept It

Education Wants to be Free by Terri Main

Terry posted an article I thought you might enjoy. For the full article - click here.

Most businesses and nonprofit organizations have mission statements. A mission statement is an (ideally) short statement of the purpose of that organization which sets a focus for the organization's activities. Of course, the reality of mission statements is that often they bear little resemblance to what the organization truly does and those that do, are rarely short.

So, what does this have to do with you as a writer?

Writers lose focus, just as organizations can lose focus. Sometimes we need to set a point on a map and concentrate on arriving at the location. I find the description of the mission statement very similar to setting a goal. By looking at it from this viewpoint, you may find it easier to find your way.

Basically, a mission statement can keep you on track, rather than drifting in other directions. I often find myself doing just that. I have many interests, and I tend to go in multiple directions. When writing your mission statement you should devote your words toward your writing career, not other hobbies and such. Make it direct and leave no room for side roads. Save those delightful journeys for your free time, not for your writing job.

Your mission as a writer is what you plan to accomplish, and it will change over time. To keep it simple, your statement should be around 25 words.

My mission: Cher Green's mission is to provide the best possible journey, whether it is through her own writing or the editing process of others work.

So, what's your mission?