Linda Baten Johnson on Critique Partners

Hey everyone! Today, I want to welcome Linda Baten Johnson for a guest post. She's written about something quite close to my heart: critique partners.

Take it away, Linda!

In praise of critique partners

One of the topics Misha suggested was how to improve our writing. For me, that has been to join a critique group, a small number of writers who work together to improve by sharing tips, books, website postings, and reviewing each member’s work. Critique partners provide structure, accountability, discipline, and an opportunity to learn from reviewing the work of others and being reviewed prior to publication.

A critique group may meet in person or online. They may all write in the same genre, but that is not necessary. You may find critique partners in your neighborhood writing group, a book club, through your local library, or a national organization of writers in your genre. When forming a group, start with trial sessions and get a feel for the personalities, and the writing style of prospective members. If you think you could benefit each other, you’ll want to define the parameters--number of members, frequency of meetings, number of pages submitted for each session, and expectations. Some groups bring their work to the meeting and read aloud. My preference is having a copy in advance so I can read the submission more than once and then do track changes for my partner.

A critique session is not a criticizing session, but an evaluating session. Members should note the good things about the writing as well as how the selection could be improved. A flowery “this is wonderful” doesn’t help either the writer or the reader. Study the piece and tell exactly what makes it appealing, and if you have trouble seeing a scene or it doesn’t make sense to you, encourage the author to give more details.

The person being critiqued should listen, not explain or defend. The reader, your critique partner, doesn’t see what you meant to write, he only sees what you wrote.  Finding good critique partners is difficult. We all think we want to be in a group with more experienced writers in order to learn from their expertise, but some of the best critiques often come from a beginning writer. A person new to critiquing looks at the basic storyline, the characters, and descriptions, where more experienced writers may be caught up in the specifics of grammar or structure.

 I’ve been in several critique groups and I know that not all work. Some fail because of personal chemistry, different goals, or lack of commitment, but finding the right group is worth the effort. My critique partners have become dear friends who encourage me when I’m down, chastise me when I’m lazy, and cheer for me when I pass a milestone in my dream to become a better writer, and I try to do the same for them.

I hope you’ll find the perfect group for you, and that both your writing and the writing of the other members of your group will improve.

About Linda Baten Johnson

Linda Baten Johnson credits her critique group with getting her books ready for publication. With their help, she writes historical fiction for young readers and squeaky clean romances.

Linda and her husband live in Texas, but they love to travel and have visited all fifty states and twenty foreign countries. They love the national parks and have volunteered to work at some of them. A couple of years ago, they volunteered at a lighthouse in Michigan and lived in the assistant keeper’s cottage. Of course, the experience generated a book, Mystery at Desolation Point.

Please visit Linda’s website at www.lindabatenjohnson.com.

A magnolia means stability and grace through changing times, and times were certainly changing in Louisiana after the Civil War.

Energetic, hard-working Martha Bodine and her mother survive the war, but Captain Bodine does not return from the Confederate Army when expected, and the women must pay the back taxes or lose the family farm. A neighbor is eager to join his land with the Bodine property by marrying Martha, a solution which does not appeal to the young woman. In a desperate attempt to get the needed funds, the women rent a room to a controversial Northern gentleman, but this decision causes a rift between them and their neighbors.

Peyton Anderson, a soldier from the same unit as Martha’s papa, pays a visit to the farm on his way to join his family in Texas. He identifies their home by his officer’s description of the large magnolia tree in the front yard. Sympathetic to their dismal circumstances, he offers to help the feisty Martha and her gentle mother. Determined to honor his obligations, Peyton fears that even his best efforts may not change the course mapped out for Martha’s life or his own. 

Thanks for reading, everyone! Do you still use critique partners? How/where do you find yours? 

Looking for Critique Partners for the IWSG Competition

Even though I despaired of ever writing anything related to The War of Six Crowns in fewer than ten thousand words, I've managed it.

This weekend, I finished the rough draft of The One Who Would Wield the Sword in about 5000 words, although I'll probably be adding a thousand more in edits. (I'm the consummate adder-inner. You know... the kind of writer who adds in words while editing. As supposed to the bodily organs of a snake. That would be weird.)

Wow. Let me rein myself in and get back onto the topic before I digress way too far (as happens when I blog this close to my bed time.)

Ahem.

Okay.

I'm going to do rewrites and edits this week, but I would ideally be looking for some extra pairs of eyes on my works (metaphorically.) before I submit my entry to the competition.

Which made me think I probably wouldn't be the only one.

So if you're looking for someone to trade short stories with, get in touch with me at mishagerrick(AT)gmail(DOT)com. I'll make the exchange on a first-come, first serve basis.

And, if you don't have time to read my short story but still want me to critique your story, I'm currently doing full critiques of short stories for $5 (and a service review) per story on Fiverr. It's a sale I have going to build up my track-record there. Fiverr accepts PayPal, and you can change the price into your own currency.

To qualify for the sale, you have to be one of my first 100 customers there (which is a distinct possibility.) and PM me from the site I linked you to. (There's a big green button that says "Contact me.")

Anyone entering the IWSG competition? Looking for critiques for your work? 

Thursday Feature: M Pepper Langlinais

Hi everyone! It's that time of the week again. Every Thursday, I like to host another writing blogger either with a guest post or an interview. Today, M Pepper Langlinais is stopping over to do an interview with me. (My side of the interview is bold.)

Welcome to The Five Year Project! First things first. Why don't you tell everyone a bit more about yourself?

Thanks for having me. I'm an author and also a playwright and screenwriter. I've had one play produced at two separate venues, and that play was then turned into a short film that premiered in San Diego last November. On top of that, I write Sherlock Holmes stories and have just had my novel The Fall and Rise of Peter Stoller published by Tirgearr Publishing.


More personally, I grew up in Texas and attended UT Austin. I did the Shakespeare at Winedale program there and later used what I'd learned to teach Shakespeare at summer camps. I also interned on the film set of Hope Floats. Then I went to Boston to get my graduate degree at Emerson College, and that's where I met my now husband Scott. Boston is great in a lot of ways, but driving in snow and ice gave me panic attacks, so we moved to California, which is where we live with our three kids and a hamster.

Sounds like you've had a very interesting life. Tell me a bit more about The Fall and Rise of Peter Stoller. What's it about? What inspired you to write it?

The book is set in the 1960s and is about a gay British spy (Peter) whose lover is accused of being an enemy agent. Peter manages to escape with Charles, but then he begins to wonder whether the accusations could be true. When he's offered a chance to return to the Agency, Peter uses that access to try and discover the truth about Charles.


I'm not sure what inspired the story exactly. I think the story started as I was brainstorming new Sherlock Holmes ideas but then morphed into something else entirely. The first part of the book came spilling out quite rapidly. The rest took much longer. All told I spent almost three years on the whole thing.

Sounds like a fascinating project. What's your favorite aspect to the story?

I'm primarily a character writer. I love exploring the depths of people. When I write, I fall a little bit in love with my main character(s), and so Peter himself is one of my favorite aspects. The way he thinks, the deep well of his feelings . . . There is a scene in which he comes home to an empty flat (apartment) and thinks Charles has left him, and his response is, I think, beautiful. A testament to how quickly he fell for Charles, how important Charles has become to him. That was a tough scene to write because I had to feel everything for Peter and it was painful, for him and me!


So this is no fast-paced James Bond of a story. It's more psychological. I liken it to John Le Carre's works.

I also hurt for my characters when they're in pain. How do you approach your stories? Do you plan ahead or do you go by instinct?

I have a weird hybrid of planning and feeling it out. I go in with usually only two things: 1. A scene that I've played over and over in my head until I'm ready to write it down, and 2. A vague idea of how it will end. The middle is always mushy and up for grabs. It's sort of like having two points on a map but it's up to me to figure out how to get from A to B.

And the scene I have might not even be the first scene. So I'll write it, then decide what, if anything, needs to come before. So what I've really got is a point in the story and an end point, but I sometimes still need to find a starting point!


It's not the most efficient way of writing, but it's the only way that works for me. I can't outline. I can't work under too much structure. I do, however, keep a notebook beside my computer, and I will write down plot questions and then answer them so I can understand WHY things are happening. I think motivation is important. That's a character thing again. I'm really all about character.

So I take it you have substantial edits by the time you're done with your rough draft?

I wish I were a fast writer who could spit out a first draft and then get down to editing. I really do believe that's actually the best way--just get it on paper and then perfect it. Alas, I'm not that kind of writer. I can't speed through the first draft. I pick at it and fret over it. I want it to be perfect the first time, and then of course it isn't and still has to be rewritten.

When I finish a draft, I have to give it to others to read. I'm too close to the material; I won't see the flaws as clearly as they will. My husband reads it and so does my critique group. I ask them to mark anything that doesn't make sense, anything that slows things down, whatever. Most of them will also mark spelling and punctuation, but that's not crucial at this stage. Then it might still be a while before I'm ready to tackle the story again. I'll usually try to go write one or two short stories, a short play or something between novels.


Right now I'm doing a rewrite on a YA fantasy. One of my critique partners slashed whole chapters at the beginning because she wanted to the book to get to the action more quickly. It was valid, and I think it makes the book better, but it was still painful to hear that I needed to cut huge chunks of material! Back when I was an editor, we would call that a "bleeder" because of all the red marks on the pages.

I also swear by having my books critiqued. What's your best advice for finding a critique group?

I lucked into mine. I met someone at a writers conference who turned out to be from the next town over from mine, and she already had a group and they invited me to join. We meet weekly which, based on what I hear from other writer friends, is more than many groups who meet maybe once or twice a month. But of course all of us might not make it to every meeting either. It's very fluid and comfortable and I can't imagine a better group.


If I were going to go looking for a group? It's easier, I think, to start online. But the person-to-person aspect is important, too. Body language sometimes says a lot more than words being spoken. And you can hug one another if you're face to face! So I would check with local libraries to see if there are any groups, or maybe post at the library to start a group. Local bookstores might also know of writing groups, and certainly there are local chapters of writing associations (here we have the California Writers Club). They can usually hook you up with a critique group if you become a member.

Good tips. :-) Last but not least, where can people find you and The Fall and Rise of Peter Stoller?

Well, my main site is here. I'm also on Facebook and on Twitter at @sh8kspeare.

The best place to find The Fall and Rise of Peter Stoller is on the publisher's website. There's an excerpt there and all the buying links for various formats/e-readers. It's only available as an ebook for now, but if it does well enough the publisher says it will consider a print version.


You can also find all my books on either the Shop page on PepperWords, or on my Amazon author page.

In 1960’s London, British Intelligence agent Peter Stoller is next in line to run the Agency—until he falls in love with cab driver, Charles, and his life goes off the road. When Charles is accused of treason, Peter is guilty by association. Peter manages to extract them both, but the seeds of doubt have been planted, putting Peter’s mind and heart at war. Is ignorance truly bliss or merely deadly?

Thanks again for hosting me!

You're most welcome! 

Anyone else wanting to sign up to be featured is more than welcome. (Regardless of whether they're published or not.) All you have to do is mail me at mishagericke(AT)gmail(DOT)com with "Thursday Feature" in the subject line. 

Who else gets empathetic pains when their characters suffer? 

Calling all Critique Partners!

It's Friday again and I'm yet again sitting here, shaking my head and wondering where the heck my time went.

It's actually the same with the whole month. Next week is the last week for October, which means that I should have done this a while ago...

Calling all Critique Partners!

I'm currently looking for critique partners for my Historical Romance and am willing to return the favor. 

What I'll Critique for you: Basically, I read almost all genres, but I don't critique MG, Picture Books, Memoirs, Erotica and Horror. Nothing against any of those things personally. I just don't "get" them, which means that I'll be pretty dang useless in reading them. 

You don't need to be ready for a critique to sign up for this, though. If you're still working on something, I do keep a tally of people I owe critiques to, so if you help me now, you can drop me a line whenever you're ready. 

What I'm Good at Critiquing: Plot, Characterization, Dialogue, copyedits. 

What I'm Looking for: Pretty much everything, but just let me know what you're good at so I know when is the best time to send my manuscript my way. 

About the Book: 

It's set in Texas before the Civil War. I'd classify it as a steamy romance. Not too hot, but the love scenes are there. 

A rough idea of the blurb: 

Wanted: A housekeeper and governess for five children. Position requires living on a ranch in Texas. Family welcome. 

Sarah McAllister is out of options. Her husband was killed, leaving her with two children and without any prospects. She's desperate enough to move into the wilds of Texas to save her family. But when she arrives, she encounters: One gunfighter in the making whose best friend is a gambler, one taciturn fourteen year old, twin girls who've been allowed to run wild and one boy who's fixing to be as wild as his older brothers. None of them want her there. Turns out, neither does her employer. 

Yes, Grady Kincaid had asked for a well-bred, well-read lady from back east. Heaven knows his children needs someone capable to get his children ready to meet their grandparents. What he hadn't asked for was a very pretty widow with more guts than sense. It's a nuisance to have her around, especially when his neighbor and enemy is interested in her, but when it's clear that she's in trouble, he can't turn his back on her. So he's stuck with her, which is a problem when he can't ignore his attraction to her...

If you're interested in helping me out, please mail me at mishagericke(AT)gmail(DOT)com and we'll take it from there. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

PS If you could spread the word to people who might be interested? Pretty please with shiny sprinkles on top!

Presenting: R. Mac Wheeler

Hey all! Welcome to the first installment of my new Monday Guest Post feature. For those of you who missed it, I'm featuring bloggers on Mondays, and any writer who wishes to be featured can contact me and book a date. (Even if unpublished.) Click here if you want more information. 

Today's post is a short and sweet one by R. Mac Wheeler. Take it away, Mac! 

The Value of the Beta Reader

I recently swapped beta reads with the eloquent India Drummond, who I adore. Her characters are rich and colorful, their heartache, their love, and anger palpable.

Every pair of eyes brings valuable feedback. Even the nits that at first glance seem technically or stylistically counter to how you write may sprout beneficial changes in your writing.

I love white space, and dis-like narrative that seems crammed together. So I use commas where other writers wouldn't.

"You often use commas to indicate a pause, but grammatically they aren't correct."

Of course I balked. My kneejerk reaction:

"'CMOS Rule 6.18: The comma, aside from its technical uses in mathematical, bibliographical, and other contexts, indicates the smallest break in a sentence structure. It denotes a slight pause. Effective use of the comma involves good judgment, with ease of reading the end in view.'

"The first rule in the CMOS on commas, of 44.

"The art of writing is about sharing the context, emotion and subtly of communication. The comma is the greatest inflection in the author’s tool box to replace the invisible body language."

After self-reflection and analysis of my writing (and three edit passes), I found myself removing a third of my commas which served to indicate a pause in narration or dialogue.

Tiny changes throughout a manuscript. But India's critique aided me to tighten and improve my prose.

Who is R. Mac Wheeler? A writer of speculative fiction, fantasy, SF, suspense, and paranormal with rich characters carrying tons of baggage, including eight series from YA with ogres and trolls, grittier vampire and werewolf noir, even a family saga. Two stand-alone novels are screaming for their own series.

If you love nature and life visit my blog where I post my photography.

http://rmacwheeler.com/

http://rmacwheeler.blogspot.com/ 

Thanks for stepping up first, Mac! 

So, ladies and gents, do you know Mac? What's the biggest lesson you've ever learned from critique? 

What to Do... (Need a CP?)

So... today I finished my first round of edits to Birds vs Bastards. That's very fast, I know. But I don't know whether the first edits went so fast because the story's so good, or because I'm still blind to its faults.

Most likely it's the latter, but at least I'm sure that it's polished enough for crit partners to look at it. So I've sent the first chapters off to two so long.

In the meantime, I'm at a loss as to what I want to do while I wait for feedback. See, I didn't expect edits to go so fast, so I didn't really put thought into what I'd like to do next.

Really, I'm thinking I might rest until year end. Or until I feel the need to start in on something else. Right now, I don't, so maybe a rest will be a good thing while I wait for two of my CPs to get back to me.

By the way, I'm looking for a few CPs for Birds vs Bastards, so if you like reading adult urban fantasy and would like to see something new, please leave your e-mail address in the comments, along with a short explanation of what your book's about. Of course, I'm willing to crit in return, but please know I don't read erotica, horror, MG or Picture Books.

So what's Birds vs Bastards about?

Aleria Tyson wakes up in hospital, unable to remember the terrorist attack that put her there. In fact, she remembers nothing. Since she's immortal, that's a huge problem. 

A to Z Challenge: Partners (And a crit partner match-up)

Writing is a solitary endeavor. It's hours and hours of drafting away alone until you come to the end. After the first few drafts, though, you're going to need partners.

Not after the first draft. Not after the second draft. You need to edit as much as you can until you can't see anything wrong with the story.

And then you send it out to crit partners or beta readers. Not your mom, sister or friend. They'll just keep saying. "That's so nice!"

Which isn't all that helpful.

You need someone who will read through a book and wonder about your character's motivation because you didn't highlight it enough. Or someone who'll spot a huge gaping hole in your story that you're so used to that it's just part of the scenery.

Good crit partners are also excellent cheerleaders. Not like your family, but they won't be out to cut down everything you've written. Unless you sent them a first draft. Which would be silly. Your partners will highlight what they like and what they want to see more of too. Those bits are really good for a writer's ego.

What do you do to have such an amazing writerly angel in your life? Easy. You do the same for them. Or at least promise to do the same once they're ready. This isn't a chore. There's something amazing about helping someone form their idea into what they want in the end. Just like they're helping with your book.

Where do you find crit partners? Well... there are websites that offer to match up crit partners. I'm sure the veteran novelists will be able to furnish some links in the comments.

I, however, try to get crit partners out of the bloggosphere. Every now and then, a blogger will give an opportunity for writers in need to advertise for a crit partner. Then, if you know the person and the story sounds interesting, you can offer to partner up.

...You know what? I think I'll do that today. In the comments, say you want a crit partner. Then give the following info:

• Genre
• A short pitch of the book. This isn't a query pitch, so don't worry about it being perfect. Just try to get the point across. Try to keep it under 50 words. 
• State whether you prefer sending out whole books or a few chapters at a time. 
• What are your writing strengths? (These also gives your partner an idea of your critting strengths.)
• What are your writing weaknesses? (So people have an idea of what you need.)
• E-mail address. To those of you new to blogging, please use the following format so as to avoid spam: name(AT)domain(DOT)com/co.country code.

So... who needs crit partners? Don't forget to check the comments as well as leave your details. Mail who you think you'll like and do a trial run of the first three or so chapters. Also, don't be afraid to crit outside your genre if you enjoy reading it. But make sure your prospective partner enjoys your genre too.

Who has tips on crit partnering? Any good websites to find crit partners? 

Interview with Susan Rocan

Hey all! Welcome to another fortnightly interview. Today I welcome Susan Rocan to my blog.
 
Hey Susan, thanks so much for hanging out with me on MFB. Why don't you tell everyone a bit about yourself?

 I'm Canadian, specifically from Manitoba, which seems to be the heart of the Young Adult market, these days. This works very well for me, because that's what I am most known for - my YA fiction - and where my publisher is situated. Great Plains Publications has produced both of my YA novels, 'Withershins' and 'Spirit Quest', which are time travel tales set in Manitoba during the mid-1800s.
 
Withershins sounds like a fascinating idea. Where did it come from?
 
It began when my writers group and I were brainstorming short story ideas for a new anthology we wanted to produce. It was supposed to come out around Hallowe'en, so we were discussing scary stories. I suddenly remembered a time when I was 18. I was with three friends at the oldest church in western Canada late one Friday evening when one of them suggested we try the withershins, although at the time we didn't even know it had a name! I was too chicken to finish the third circle around the church, but speculated what might happen if my character did it. The result was two novels where it started simply as a short story.
 
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
 
The answer is simply, 'no'. I never seriously considered it growing up, although I always enjoyed creative writing in school and I did write in a diary as a teenager - you know, the usual angst stuff. I did always want to work with kids and ended up with two Bachelor degrees, one majoring in Speech Pathology and Audiology, the other in Elementary Education. Both career paths involve words and language, so I suppose it was inevitable that I would become a wordsmith!
 
What got you to start writing?
 
Well, I started writing when my youngest child began going to school - about 18 years ago. That was about the time when my husband and I got interested in an old British SciFi show called 'Blake's 7'. The series ended with all the heroes being killed, apparently, in an ambush by their arch enemy. That bothered me more than you'd expect. I spent many sleepless nights trying to figure out how to save the heroes and finally came up with a satisfying conclusion. I wrote it all out then decided there was no point to it, but I really liked the characters that I had created to help the 'Blake's 7' crew and decided to write a story that revolved around them. When it was done, I joined the Manitoba Writers' Guild. In one of their newsletters was a call for 'fan fiction'. I had never heard of it, so I called up the woman looking for stories for her 'fanzine' and submitted my original 'Blake's 7' story. She liked it and it was published in her fanzine. Her husband ran a writers group and, since he really like my story & writing style, asked if I'd like to join. By that time I had a couple of novels written, so wanted their feedback. I said, 'yes!'
 
Their critiques were rather brutal, but I learned a lot from them. By the time my ideas for 'Withershins' came along, my writing had improved considerably. They loved it and helped me improve on the initial premise. One of the members practiced wicca and gave me some insight into magical ways. Their group disbanded before I finished writing it, but I was fortunate to have another group who helped me polish it all up and helped me through the synopsis stage and inquiry letter. I have both groups to thank for the hours they spent helping me perfect my stories.
 
Brutal crits can be best, as long as they're not intended to be mean. What was the best lesson that you learnt from being critiqued?
 
That no matter how good you think your manuscript is there's always room for improvement. My hubby read my very first story and questioned certain scenes. I got very defensive, trying to argue why I wrote it a certain way. Once I thought about what he'd said, I realized he had legitimate concerns. If he questioned parts of the story, other readers would probably feel the same - and I couldn't defend their criticisms! After that first critique experience, my hubby hesitated to read my future work. He and my first writer's group helped me realize the importance of taking criticism in the spirit to which it was given - to help make the manuscript the best it can be. I respected their opinions because they had been writing a lot longer than I had, at that point. It's never easy to have your 'baby' criticized, but if you want your readers to read more of your work, some changes will inevitably need to be made.
 
So true. How do you deal with cutting your baby? (Editing out scenes?)
 
It's a matter of deciding what is not going to progress the plot. It may be a wonderful scene about picking daisies in a field, but what does it have to do with the plot or character development? If it's just a scene for the sake of a scene, no matter how eloquently you described it, cut it out!
 
I don't trash all the scenes I delete, though. They are all on a file somewhere on my computer in case I need something similar for character development, like if the character is stressed and needs to chill, I would adjust the daisy scene to show that she is trying to unwind, or is learning how to de-stress. I know that's a silly example, but I hope you get my drift.

With 'Withershins' I have about four different versions, especially the beginnings. At first, I wanted to dump a lot about my lead character's background at the beginning, scenes like being in history class and how it was so boring, which would have bored the reader, so I completely cut out the first chapter, jumping into the scene where they were actually on their way to the church.

I handle my edits like that too. I save every draft and every round. Do you plan your plot ahead or do you pants your way through a draft?

For my published work it was mostly by the seat of my pants. I was so focussed that every morning, I had pretty much the whole next chapter in my head. There were scenes that I would have to divert my attention to research, but for the most part, It was a day-by-day process with no real plan in mind except the ending.

I also keep the ending in my head. How much time do you spend on writing?

When I wasn't working, I spent several hours every morning once the kids went to school, until they came home for lunch. Sometimes, if I was on a roll, I would continue once they headed back to school. Nowadays, my writing times have been more sporadic, catching an hour or two whenever I can.

What's your favorite part about writing?

When I'm so immersed in the story that the characters practically write themselves.

Aah I love that too. Last but not least, where can people find you on the internet?

My blog can be found here. My books are available through Amazon, at Chapters (at least, in Canada) and McNally Robinson Booksellers. My twitter handle is @SusanRocan. I do have a 'Withershins' Facebook page, too, which can be found here.



Thanks again for the great interview!

To the readers I ask: What got you writing?

Interview Tuesday: R. Mac Wheeler

Hi all, welcome to another round of Interview Tuesday (on a Wednesday). Today I welcome R. Mac Wheeler to MFB.

Hi Mac! Please tell us a bit more about yourself?

I’m an author of character-driven SF/F/paranormals filled with quirky sorts who lug a lot of baggage, in worlds that aren’t that far out. I was raised in the desert southwest; have called Florida my home the last twenty-five years. As we say in Texas, I have three dogs, a truck, and a beautiful wife, not necessarily in that order.

Hehehe so do the quirky sorts walk into your head fully formed or do you design them to be quirky?

I run a little on the quirky (and obsessive) side myself, so my characters are a natural extension.

Do the characters come into your head first or the story?

 
Most definitely, the characters.They beat me about the head and shoulders while I sleep.

What's your favorite part about writing?

The fame, fortune, and idolizing of my groupies.
When that wears thin, I live off the creativity and sense of accomplishment.

Do you have any books out there for prospective groupies?

 
After one too many rejections last fall, I decided to self publish all of my eighteen novels. I’ve been editing like a crazed lunatic since then, and diving into the creative process of developing covers (Never thought that would be harder than the writing, even blurbs). I have thus far gotten fourteen of my titles on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and will have title number fifteen there hopefully within three weeks.

Don’t ask me about my sales. No time to worry about that. They are assets that aren’t going anywhere, and when I get all eighteen titles out there, I’ll do some marketing. But in reality…anyone approaching writing expecting to make money should keep playing the Lotto.

Wow! How do you get so many works out there? Do you multitask between WiPs?

I’ve been writing full time for ten years, during my bench time when I was consulting for five years, and otherwise I stole what time I could back in the days I still worked a regular gig…did that for another ten years. I probably sound long of tooth. Yep. Feel about as old as dirt.

Ah so you've been at this gig for longer than a lot of us. Got any tips that you wish you knew early on in the process?

Unless you have a favorite uncle running one of the big publishing houses…pick another hobby. Writing can break your heart. Why do that when so many hobbies, like sticking pins in your eyes, are so much more rewarding, without as much pain.

*snort* Right. Excellent tip. Except you're preaching to the addicted. ;-) Any other tips?

Read the top ten style books three times.
Recognize that fifteen edit passes isn’t excessive. You’ll still have a change to make in every paragraph on the sixteenth pass.
Compose your query letter, blurb, and synopsis early in the writing process. That will enrich the edit process. You’ll see your manuscript in a different light.

Those are some great tips. I didn't do the blurb etc. earlier, now I'm sort of at a loss with where to start.

Do you use crit partners and/or betas and/or editors? If so, where did you find them?

I’ve tried combinations of all…and while they improved my writing years ago, I’ve never really been that satisfied.

Multiple crit partners can do an excellent job picking out copy errors. But unless they are highly skilled, they can rip the emotion and voice out of your writing.

If you can’t afford true editing, and not JUST copy editing, crit partners is a must. But, I’ve seen the results of $400 editing. You get what you pay for. I’m not making money writing, so I’m not spending $1,500 for an edit.

The best I’ve found is partnered-editing with other full-time writers. If you’ve paid your dues reading the ten style books three times, you’ve bound to have picked up some skill. (Too bad you can’t see your own errors.) If you find a considerate partner willing to put the required time in, both of you will end up with a much cleaner product, cross editing.

Last but not least, where can people find you and your works on the internet?

RMacWheeler.com     On Kindle     On Nook     Blog

 

Thanks so much, Mac! I truly enjoyed doing this interview with you. Good luck with your writing and publishing endeavors!

Please wait...

Something I'm finding in the crits from WriteOnCon has me wondering again.

See... it's not limited to the forum, although I'm lucky in that my CPs usually don't step in this trap.

A trap named being overly critical.

Now before I go on, let me just say that this isn't about me being unable to handle my criticisms. Because heaven knows I give as good as I get. And I don't just see this in my own works, but those by others too.

But the thing is, I think for and CP there's a very real risk that they're so focused on being a CP that they forget they're supposed to be readers too.

And here's one thing readers do a lot of: they wait. They wait to find out what happens in a chapter. They wait to see if the characters end up together. They wait to find out more about something that intrigues them.

They don't care that they have to wait, though, as long as there's plenty going on in the mean time. Or enough things readily available in the story right at that moment to keep them going until they don't have to wait any more.

Make sense to everyone else?

So why is it that my first five pages seem to be getting crits where people seem to want to know everything right now? They book is 110k words long. If I told anyone I'd put the explanation of some of the biggest factors in my book right in the first five pages, they're probably laugh and call me mad.

Same with the first 250 words. It's 250 words. In a 110k novel. At the start. And I was a good girl and didn't start with an action sequence. Where would anyone expect those first words to go? They only gain their meaning as the chapter progresses.

In other words: wait.

And yes I start those 250 words slowly, because I want to lull the reader into the fact that, yes, the story starts somewhere they didn't expect. I'm actually fulfilling my first job as a writer: gaining a reader's trust. The trust that's needed for a reader to be willing to wait. Because why would they wait if they didn't think I'd reveal what I need to reveal in due time?

But yeah... being a CP means you need to think as a reader and a writer. Not actually as a CP. As a reader you need to think: hmm... if this was a published book, I wouldn't have thought of the comment I'm writing now. As writer you'd think: hmm... this is different, but why is the writer doing this?

As supposed to just blasting away with crit that writers have to dismiss because it's neither pointing out an unforced error nor pointing out why a reader would have a problem with this.

So if someone who's never been a CP asks me for advice, I'd suggest the following: Think before you comment. And if you're a trigger happy commenter, read the piece at least once before starting to crit. Because you'd be surprised at how many times the answer to your question is only two sentences away.

What about you? Do you also get a little annoyed when you read comments by people who clearly didn't think before they wrote?

YATT: Doorways Update

Young Adult Teen Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by S.A. Larsen from The Writer's Ally.

Because I'm a bit challenged when it comes to remembering these things, I don't post every week, but now I'm planning out my posts weeks ahead, so I plan to alternate YATT with Interview Tuesdays.

Basically,  YATT celebrates all things YA, whether by writing YA books, or writing about writing YA books. Since I have a no-review policy on my blog, I stick to the latter.

This pretty much leaves me with updating you on my progress with Doorways, my YA epic fantasy. Progress is slow but steady and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be able to finish edits by 31 August.

One of my CPs has finished the entire novel, and he likes it! ^_^

Sorry. I know squeeing about one CP sounds silly, but there's something really satisfying about having people you don't know read your book and they come back with prasie.

So yes... I have two more CPs to who are still going through my work with a fine toothed comb, then I need some beta readers. I currently have three, but might still need one or two more, but I'm not worrying about that too much yet.

In the mean time, I wrote the query letter for Doorways and submitted it for critique.
It's really strange though, writing a query. I didn't struggle with it or anything. But there's something... real... about it, you know? Like I took one step closer to a cliff I will jump from one day.

Still, now that it's done, I feel pretty good about it. Now I just need to start stalking my dream agent.

Are you writing a YA novel? At what stage of the process are you?  

A Call for Help

Young Adult Teen Tuesday is a meme hosted by the wonderful Sheri Larsen to showcase all aspects of creating a Young Adult Story.

So... Although I am one of the original participants, I can safely say that I'm far from a regular one. Which makes be feel bad. But today, I have something that's weighing on my heart.

Something, involving my YA Fantasy Epic, Doorways. See, my one crit partner extraordinaire  won't be able to critique the ms anymore, because he's about to release his own book.

And that left me with a bit of a problem. Because I have a little more than 100 days left to finish the story... and now am needing a cp whose core strength lies with copy editing.

And who made me laugh. Even though he was so brutally honest that it stung sometimes.

And I need a cp like that if I'm to have any hope of finishing on time. I did start looking for cps and came up with a promising one, but she's still drafting, which is something that I don't want to interrupt with my editing. So although I will definitely be her cp, I can't get the work out right now.

And I'm really really scared of just putting my baby out there to for a stranger without a familiar face to read.

So here I am. Asking begging you. If you are getting to the point where you want to send your work to be critted and you're good at copy editing other people's work, please please please think of me. If you want, I'll ask my other cp's to contact you so that you can see that I don't only take without giving in return.

Okay... begging aside, here's a bit more:

Doorways is the first book of a four book YA Fantasy epic. But I'm willing to crit almost anything except erotica and too dark fantasy. So period novels, thrillers, procedurals, sci fi, romances, fantasy etc all welcome.

My strengths: characterization, world building, plot, voice, pacing.

I need: someone strong on copy-edits, who are honest, but who knows the difference between critting and being critical. Someone who can start within this week.

So if you are that person, and you need a person like me or you know such a person that you can vouch for, please contact me at mishagericke(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Thanks very very much in advance!

And... because I am so very grateful that you read all of this, if you need a crit and don't suit my profile, put your needs, strengths and contact details in the comments section. Who knows? Maybe you strike it lucky. X

The Usual Suspects That Weaken Your Writing

Hi all! Welcome to another installment of Guest Post Friday! Today's special guest is D.U. Okonkwo, although he's probably better known as D.U.O. from D.U.O Says... For those of you who haven't been there before, D.U.O. Says... deals with the various aspects of writing, from waiting for agent responses to talking to ourselves as well as some other aspects to life. This is definitely one of my favorite blogs that I visit without even looking at the post's title. I hope you'll go over there and say hi! 

Take it away, D.U.O.




The Usual Suspects That Weaken Your Writing


I'm part of different online writing critique groups and get to review other writers opening chapters. In return I get mine reviewed.

Something I've noticed while reading is that many writers don’t seem to read enough. Reading makes it easier to avoid what I call ‘The Usual Suspects That Weaken Your Writing.’ These suspects are rarely seen in published novels.

When I get to review a great sample chapter it’s awesome, and I’m immediately intrigued as to what will happen next. However when I struggle to get past the first line I know I’m in trouble.

Some of the things I've noticed with the stronger chapters are the following:

1. Great characterisation - You can instantly visualise the character because they’re authentic. Consequently you can relate to the problem they face.

2. The writer is trying to hard to write lyrically. With this I mean the writing is simple and therefore brilliantly effective. Every word is there for a reason and it flows well. Trying to make a piece of fiction read like poetry rarely works.

3. Dialogue is realistic - Dialogue can be the hardest thing to write, but when it's done right, it's great.

Some of the things I've noticed with the weaker chapters. These are the usual suspects:

1. Exclamation marks throughout the prose. This is trying to force the reader to have a strong reaction to what you've written. This rarely happens. The reader is new to the story so unlikely to feel any strong emotions yet. Better to craft a scene that engages the reader to have a strong reaction.

2. Making stars out of secondary characters. Others may disagree but for me, I need to know who the main character is. I need to know their name, what their purpose is, and why they are the narrator. Secondary characters should never have a bigger presence than the main character. It’s the main character that should be at the centre of the readers’ mind.

3. A lot of tell, not enough show. We're all guilty of this, and this is where the process of editing makes your writing shine. Instead of saying, 'Mike was angry,' for example, you can replace it with something more demonstrative such as, ‘Mike’s face tightened / Mike gritted his teeth.' The word angry needn't be said at all, the reader will get it.





What do you all think makes a good/bad chapters? Any pet loves/hates when reading?

Thanks so much for this great post, D.U.O.! I know I now have a few things to look out for in my writing.

Any of my bloggy friends can book a Guest Post Friday slot. I still have plenty open, from the third week of July onwards. You can post about anything you like, as long as it is reading/writing/literary world related. If you're interested, please contact me at mishagericke(AT)gmail(DOT)com for more information or to book a slot. Can't wait to hear from you!

The benefit of multiple critique partners

Yesterday (today for my friends a few time zones back) was one of those days where my day took a completely different spin from what I expected. But it was necessary to do, so there you are. Anyway, I hate that my posting is getting a bit erratic, so I'm posting now to compensate for the lack yesterday. My regular GPF is going up later today at 2PM(ish) CAT.

I've been thinking about crit partners last night as I went to sleep. A lot of people seem to believe (me included) that the best thing about crits are if they all pick up something for you to correct. 

But then I was struck by something. (Sorry if this is old news.) All of us are wired differently. I'm a stickler for plot and characterization. I've been lucky enough to have  found a CP who's great at Voice. 

Still another one is great at pointing out mediocre word choices and crutch words. 

All of us have different talents. Which is great for me. 

See, the devil is in the details. Those small, subtle errors that you miss won't get past someone with a knack for picking up those types of errors. 

I think that's the beauty of being in the crit group or having more than on CP. It's just that more likely to get the mistakes spotted.  

So, what are your strengths and weaknesses when you write? Are you part of a crit group or crit partner arrangement?  

A to Z Challenge: Judging Your Own Writing

Just like the action implied, this topic feels like quicksand beneath my feet.

See, I know I'm good at what I do. I feel it in my bones. Writing is familiar to me. It's my comfort zone. So it follows that my story must be brilliant, right? 

I hope so. 

Even though I think I've got a wonderful story going that will appeal to a wide range of readers and (I hope) agents. But the rub lies in two words. I think. 

Because in those words a fact is implied that can both help and harm us. We are biased when it comes to our own stories. 

As such, can we truly be reliable in judging the quality of what we wrote? 

No and yes. 

No, because we love our story. Our characters become our friends. We spend an incredible amount of time on both. So asking one of us if our story is bad is like asking a mother if her child is ugly. There's just not a chance of getting an objective answer. 

Does that mean we are left blind? Not really. We can find ways around it. 

I also look at aspects in isolation. If I look at the plot, I can realize that there are some problems. Or one of the characters might not be quite up to scratch. Or the voice gets wonky in some places. Those things I can catch. Just don't ask me to give a definitive answer on the overall picture. 

To get a better view on the general impression, I have crit partners. They catch the errors I miss (and I have a few big ones) and give me an idea what impressions the reader gets. I find that those opinions are golden, because 1) when something's wrong, I'll be told and 2) when something's right, I get the validation of knowing that I got the right thoughts onto the page. 

Still, when I get my critted work back, I go over the crit with a fine toothed comb as much as I do the writing.  Because at the base of it, I have to get my story written, and crit partners are only sharing their opinions. I have to decide if those opinions are right or not. 

I find that bit easier, though, because crits are like cold water thrown onto my face. Not always fun, but it does clear the mind. And in that clarity, I can look at my story and trust my instincts. 

How do you find objectivity when it comes to your work? 

Help!!!!

Hi all! Remember to drop by tomorrow for another exciting installment of GPF! If you want to join in the fun, please mail me at mishagericke@gmail.com (mishagericke(AT)gmail(DOT)com) to book a post.

So, let's get back to today's post, where I am doing something very different....









I am looking for a bit of advice today....

As you know, I have now started with crit partners. I have found it very enlightening and enjoyed critting other's ms's. But now I have received my crits and have to wonder.

Do I rework my ms to fix the errors pointed out? Or do I continue writing the story to get my rewrite done?

What, in your opinion, are the pros and cons to each?

Crit Partners: What I have Learned so Far

It's amazing how much I have learned after only one session with my crit partners and crit group.

1) Critting is harder work than it looks. It is always tricky  to tell someone that something is wrong. Particularly if it is done using Track Errors and comments. The secret is in the wording.

2) Critting is good for writers in that they learn from other people's mistakes. Nothing like writing that someone should avoid a certain mistake only to realize that you're doing exactly the same.

3) Getting Critted is good in that it highlights my most atrocious writing habits. No one is immune to this one, but these are some of the ones that get picked out most often...

• Characters appearing with zero introduction. I have this way of assuming that people already know who is who. I got one crit partner lost completely because of this and my next habit.
• Too few (believe it or not) tags. Attributing the actions of one party while the other was the one who was speaking... Yeah... Lots of work in dialogue here...
• Word and phrase repetitions. While I have no love for one particular word or phrase, some of them pop up in the same paragraph or close enough to each other that the reader is annoyed.

There are many more that have been pointed out, but I decided to only include the ones that all of my CPs agreed on.

So... what nasty habits have you picked up in your writing?

My tiny dilemma(s).

Well, except for trying to remember how to spell the word dilemma.

Last time, I announced my decision that I was out on the hunt for a crit partner. One of the big reasons for this is that I am well on my way now, but I've been feeling this tiny nag of uncertainty in the back of my mind. It has to do with my plot.

See I have five main characters along with a cast of supporters. Fine. The thing comes in where the story is told from two perspectives. The book is largely about two stories.

To me, this isn't large, since I keep track of the goings on, but then, I did create the stories. I let my gran read the first portion and she said that the story is good, but that she's worried about the readers being confused.

Problem here is two-fold. One, she absolutely doesn't want to hurt my feelings and two, she was taught never to write with more that two or three main characters. She never read or wrote a fantasy novel. 

I can't give it to my three best friends. One will soften the crit, and the other understands the convoluted workings of my mind too well. So Theresa will say I make perfect sense, because she knows how I think (Although the deal with helping me edit stands :-)). As scary as the thought is, I think that creatively, she thinks like me. Waldo is well read on fantasy, blunt to a fault and being a guy, never quite grasps my thinking, but... he's doing a Masters in Engineering. I just can't be cruel enough to make him read through what is sure to be a reasonably sized beast of an epic - in rough draft form - again and again.

So I need someone to read my work, that doesn't know me, but understands Fantasy as a genre.

Which brings me to the troubling part(s). Firstly, there is the matter of trusting a complete stranger with my brainchild. I don't know if I'm being overly dramatic, but it feels like I'm toeing the abyss with my eyes closed. It's just that, I think that this is such a good concept for a book. Really, it's very very good. If I can pull it off... So I have to check, but what if this person I choose to trust decides he or she likes my idea more than their own?

Then there's the logistics of the deal. I'm currently writing the Fantasy with pen and paper. So, to get it to a CP involves me rewriting the parts I've written, while I'm writing the rest of the book. I don't want to stop dead, since I'm on a roll. Also, if I get input early on, it might mean a smaller scale rewrite later... 

Anyone have any advice about this?

Wish I could be more creative with my titles.

Really I do. I guess that is one of my greatest weaknesses when it comes to writing.

I'm sure that you have noticed that I refer to my Works in Progress as the Fantasy and the Western. Why? Because I haven't figured out titles for them.

I have most of my story lines down. I have my characters about as figured out as they'll let me. Both books are in a stage of rapid movement towards the climax (although far from it), but I have no idea what to call them.

It's a problem that has haunted me from my childhood. I write good stories (I hope), but thinking of a suitable title is always difficult. So usually I finish the story and pick a name related to some aspect of it. The thing is that my Fantasy novel has quite a few aspects, so picking one is going to be tricky. Still, I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

At least today, it gave me something to start with. Brilliant eh?

On the topic of writing, I am much relieved to report that I have spent the past few hours writing my Fantasy. My head hurts like hell from the effort, but it's done and I'm happy. Why? Because I have thousands of ideas running in front of me. 

For once, those ideas involve events immediately after my last written sentences. So hopefully next time I won't have to wonder what I have to start with.

On a somewhat unrelated topic, I think it's time for me to let someone who doesn't know me read at least portions of my book. So... I'm searching for a crit partner. Now, I have never done this before, and I've heard many horror stories about mismatched personalities, so I'll have to wait and see. I will keep you posted...

Right, so enough about me. What about you? Have you ever had to do with a CP? How did it work out? Any advice for the rookie?