Ready, Set, Revise!

Oh yes, the revision stage. Some love it. Some loathe it.

I myself have a definite love-hate relationship with it. This week, for my homework with the monthly #5amwritersclub zoom (yes, you read that right — 5 a.m.….), I was tasked to create my revision checklist from broad to defined. I revise. A lot. Ask my critique partner. I usually send her a very messy-must-get-the-words-down first draft. Then I revise the heck out of it.

I’ve talked about revision, outlining, and my Great Word Purge. But what is my actual revision process? Hmm. Good question.

What is your Revision Shape?

Do you make a checklist and go down the line?

Do you funnel down with broader/big picture aspects first (plot, characters, GMC, scenes) working toward more specific (voice, copy edits, word purges, sentence structure) ?

Do you hop all over in no set format?

Is it a circle with spokes out?

revision.jpg

Some (of many) questions to ask when you revise:

  • What darlings should be killed?

  • Does this scene progress the story forward and support a goal, motivation, or conflict?

  • Are urgency and stakes addressed? How’s that tension?

  • How is the character arc?

  • Chapter endings: “but, therefore…” technique

  • What do I want the reader to feel? Care? Remember?

  • What promises have I made to the reader?

  • Have I answered all the questions?

  • How is this story read only from opposing POVs (e.g. read just the parts in one character’s POV, then another)?

  • Do I read aloud? Print? Give to a critique partner or beta reader (and at what point) or developmental editor? Copy editor?

  • Do I randomly open to a page and read (or revise)? Do I revise backwards?

  • How is the chapter length, dialogue?

  • For romance, is there a HEA? Are endings positive but unexpected? Or predictable?

  • How do I know I am done?

My Revision Style

revision style (1).jpg

I would love to say I do the funnel method, but I think my shape is more like a bullet list meets those pink blobs everywhere. I start with the bigger picture and work toward refining. Steps 3 to 7 can be out of order, a jumbled mess of things I am trying to tackle all at once. Here is my rough play by play…

I drop that manuscript into my CP’s inbox and chill for a month. She comes back with every type of edit under the sun: soggy middle, word weirdness, punctuation infatuations, lackluster character, plot holes, red flags, voice, dialogue…the works. Note: If I did not have her help at this step, I would still proceed with the following steps.

I make a list of the BIG things (cut scenes, move them around, flesh out a character, fix a plot hole, tighten the saggy middle). I then do one read through addressing these as I go. Next comes an outline to see if I hit all my beats (check out beat sheets). I write a one-page synopsis to make sure I have created a full story (GMC). Now comes analyzing characters: more GMC, urgency, stakes, positive and negative traits, fears, flaws & strengths, hobbies, ticks/mannerisms/voice, their emotional longing and shielding, how they deal with conflict, their warped perception of the world, triggers. Now to cut scenes (though this may come along earlier in the process). Add scenes. This helps pacing. Then on to the more refined revision: dialogue, cadence, description/details, grammar, crutches. Finally, the tedious word purge and copy edits.

Last but not least, some resources to help with revision. Feel free to include your favorites in the comments!

Books –

GMC: Building Blocks of Fiction (Debra Dixon): (goal, motivation, conflict, characters, scenes):

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/GMC-Motivation-Conflict-Building-Fiction/dp/0965437108

Buy directly from press (it’s cool, I did it): https://www.gryphonbooksforwriters.com/product/sku/1/Goal-Motivation--Conflict-Dixon-Debra

Emotion Thesaurus (Ackerman and Puglisi) AND the entire Thesaurus series: for developing characters https://www.amazon.com/Emotion-Thesaurus-Writers-Character-Expression-ebook/dp/B07MTQ7W6Q

Save the Cat (writing style book series by Jessica Brody; also has website): https://www.amazon.com/Save-Cat-Writes-Novel-Writing/dp/0399579745   

Eats, Shoots, and Leaves (Lynne Truss): everything punctuation https://www.amazon.com/Eats-Shoots-Leaves-Tolerance-Punctuation/dp/1592402038

Elements of Style (Strunk & White): for grammar/punctuation https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Style-William-Strunk-Jr/dp/1989862004

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne & King: https://www.amazon.com/Self-Editing-Fiction-Writers-Second-Yourself/dp/0060545690

For romance, Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes: https://www.amazon.com/Romancing-Beat-Structure-Romance-Kissing/dp/1530838614

New book, Revise your Draft (Joan Bouza Koster): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MFQ64CD

Programs –

Story Grid: https://storygrid.com/ for the whole suite of Story Grid stuff, but for people who are new: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3-dw9cIx2o&list=PLN9df6jf_yAvWPCA3CKuhZhoDdQIWgiFq has the five video lessons, or the podcast (especially going back to the early episodes) is helpful. 

https://smile.amazon.com/Story-Grid-What-Good-Editors-ebook is a link to the Story Grid book

Websites – 

Writers Helping Writers: https://writershelpingwriters.net/

Grammar Girl: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl (and her books)

WordArt.com: https://wordart.com/  (for making word bubbles/lists to purge weak words)

Beat Sheets and Writing Worksheets by Jami Gold: https://jamigold.com/

                Also: https://jamigold.com/2015/06/revising-without-tears-guest-rachel-funk-heller/

https://susandennard.com/for-writers/: Great writing resources generally,

But scroll down to the "On Revising" section for tools and PDFs.

Podcasts/YouTube –

Writing Excuses (by Brandon Sanderson): https://writingexcuses.com/

Alexa Donne video on Revising your Novel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAKvUwrhCr0 

 

Feeling Merry: A TRIPLE giveaway!

Yes, you read that right. I’m getting to the short and sweet of it on this holiday eve….

A triple book giveaway!

Enter here to win ANY one of my books in any format! That means paperback, e-book, or an audio code.

I will choose 3 winners on New Year’s Day!

Disclaimer: if you choose a paperback, the postal mailing address needs to be in the United States.

xmas giveaway (1).jpg

What are these books about? Hop over to my BOOKSHELF page to read more or listen to an audio snippet.
A quick summary…

The Hundred trilogy is an historical (medieval) romance trilogy with a paranormal sprinkle. The books can be read as standalones or in order. If you like Scotland, Vikings, mystical lore, developed secondary characters, suspense, and devilish villains, this is your book/series.

Soul of the Storm is a contemporary romance novella set in a rustic town in Vermont. If you like hiking and outdoorsy things, this is your book.

Will Rise from Ashes is contemporary women’s fiction set against a natural disaster backdrop. If you like stories of heartache, healing, and hope, parenting journeys, and adventure, this is your book.

What’s next for me?

A contemporary mainstream novel with romantic elements. Hopefully out in the end of 2021 or early 2022!

Medieval Monday, Week 12 - final week!

Medieval Monday, autumn-style

WEEK 12

We made it to the end of Medieval Monday, fall edition. And guess what? It went out with a BANG of a Nor’Easter here in central MA, with about 10-12 inches of snow yesterday. Instead of my usual fall palette, I’m offering up the winter dish I got this weekend.

Check out Medieval Romance Lovers as we share in the fall theme of "Nature" in our excerpts from our medieval stories. You’ll see weekly snippets each Monday on our blogs. And since I live in New England, home to memorable fall foliage, I will continue to try to post some photos! This week, though, is a map from my book. The trilogy spans across northern England, the Highlands, and west to the isles.

I encourage you to follow along with all the other Medieval Monday authors on the Facebook page here. You will find the links to their blogs where they are sharing their snippets. There may be even be some giveaways on the page…

You can also find us on Twitter at #MedMonFall20

This week’s snippet…

Set-up:

Domhnall is a Seer who descends from powerful Ancients with mystical abilities. He suffers from terrible visions of the Sight, an affliction that comes with each touch, except with Rosalie. He is taking Rosalie on a stroll through the village. They come upon the loch shore and he suggests they collect pebbles for her necklace-making. Rosalie is a crafter and fortune-teller, scrimping to make ends meet and support her uncle and aunt, but she is also on the run from a vengeful noblewoman not pleased with her readings. She tells lies for a living. Domhnall believes her to be a true seer.

This week’s snippet…

“Disturbance was here before your arrival. Lady Brantingham just added to the unrest.” His stab at humor did not work.

She clutched the bag of pebbles against her stomach. “Os is almost done. We should take our leave.”

“No. We can offer you full protection. How can you return south now, with her men about?”

She grimaced.

“I have an idea.”

He wrapped a hand around hers, guiding her from the loch toward the castle. The idea had, admittedly, entered his mind a few times, but he thought it rash.

Now…now not so much.

(end of scene…)

winter 4.jpg

Tres the kitty…

Fun story fact: Rosalie names her cats after Latin numbers (she has 4), so Tres is #3. Eerily, I had decided on this naming convention before I found about a foster cat named Tres (who’d had 3 kittens) that my friend was watching (along with her babies), who I then went on to adopt! 🐈

Universal Link ~ Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ iBooks ~ Bookbub ~Goodreads ~ Kobo ~ Google ~ coming out in audio book format on Audible and iTunes soon!

Universal Link ~ Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ iBooks ~ Bookbub ~

Goodreads ~ Kobo ~ Google ~ coming out in audio book format on Audible and iTunes soon!

Beginnings & Endings

I am way overdue for a blog post—although I’ve been participating in a fun weekly “Medieval Monday” nature-themed fall blog fest. I usually end the year with a best-of list or recap (and that may come January 1st). This time, I want to talk about beginnings and endings with books…simply put: how to name this darn thing I’ve poured my heart into?

Ah, choosing the perfect book title.

This FINALLY happened a few days ago:

Woo-Who! I FINALLY typed those magical words on my latest manuscript after over 6 months of writer’s block and the rocky coaster that has been 2020!

Woo-Who! I FINALLY typed those magical words on my latest manuscript after over 6 months of writer’s block and the rocky coaster that has been 2020!

But with the end, comes the beginning all over. The title. I have a working title but it doesn’t feel right. How does an author find the perfect title to convey the mood and plot of her story in so few words? I’ve yet to even write my blurb or query, so how can I describe my story in 5 words or less? I know what my story is about, but how to convey it in a few magical words to my readers? Here are a few words that come to mind with my latest book (which is a sweet contemporary romance meets women’s fiction, a genre I call “love story”).

Words, words, words. I am a word lady. I love to write out words when coming up with a title. Just like searching on images evokes my cover ideas (and is far easier for me, TBH!), word bubbles help me create the title.

Words, words, words. I am a word lady. I love to write out words when coming up with a title. Just like searching on images evokes my cover ideas (and is far easier for me, TBH!), word bubbles help me create the title.

Some titles have come naturally and stuck. Some took more puzzling out. When it comes down to it, a title should:

  • Convey the mood (is this a story of hope? loss? mystery? suspense?)

  • Hint at the plot (what is this story about?)

  • Follow the market (has this been used before?)

  • Fit with genre trends (romance, suspense, fantasy)

  • Use simple, descriptive language

  • Be relatable to readers

    It may: use character name or occupation, lift words from the story, play into theme, hint at intrigue/mystery, use famous phrases, use hooks, be formulaic/use punctuation, or be as simple as one word

Uh yeah, so no easy task! A title can make or break a book. Obscure or confusing titles may confound readers or intrigue them. Some of the simplest titles are mind-blowing amazing. I am sure we can all rattle off a few of our favorites, new or classic.

My visual inspiration for the newest book…just a snapshot into key elements. Some authors have Pinterest boards for their visuals.

My visual inspiration for the newest book…just a snapshot into key elements. Some authors have Pinterest boards for their visuals.

SO here I am, having written “THE END” and yet, back to the beginning I go! My biggest hurdle seems to be convey the mood (sad, but hopeful), without using an overused or cliché title already out there.

How did I get my other titles?

The “Hundred Trilogy”

A Hundred Breaths, A Hundred Kisses, A Hundred Lies

Admittedly, I wrote the middle book first, and it was meant to be a stand alone, based on this curse of a hundred kisses. Being romance, I wanted something romance-y. What is not more romantic than “kisses?” Add in the curse of a “hundred” and there we had it. My heroine is also a Feeler, using touch to sense auras/life bloods. Kissing is a very touch-y word. Next came the prequel. I wanted to keep the hundred. Breaths came to mind as it plays deeply into the plot line (the heroine loses “breaths” of her life with every healing she does, and to heal her loved one might take every last “a hundred” breath). Breaths can also be sensual. Lastly, book three. I was torn between using “lies” or “truths.” I chose lies, again, because it tied into the plot (a fraudulent fortune-teller who tells lies for a living, who meets a true Seer, and his own visions have become murky lies). Lies packed more punch that truths.

Soul of the Storm

This one took lots of reworking but in the end, I LOVED it. I had a dozen titles I ran by my beta readers. Words that bobbed in the brainstorming sea included: peaks, mountain, healing, past/loss, remembrance, courage, yesterday. This title plays into plot (a past winter storm that caused the loss of a loved one, and a current winter storm that puts my heroine to the test), as well as mood and play on words. The soul is the heart or center of the metaphorical storm. There is both the literal storm in the book, but also the heart of a storm raging in my characters. They need to find their center, their heart, true self.

Will Rise from Ashes

Ah, the one I call my book baby (though as authors we are not supposed to refer to them as thus). This story is about a mother on a journey with her son, Will, in the wake of a devastating volcano that leaves her other son’s whereabouts unknown. She is widowed and cannot lose another loved one. She must overcome. I wanted to play on the name Will in the title. I also wanted to convey the road of grief AJ Sinclair’s walked in her life: her past, her present, and her future. I wanted to show a world that would rise up out of the ashes of mother nature, out of our own fraught journeys, while also showing that her son, who is autistic, will also overcome his challenges. It is a story of heartache, healing, hope, and acceptance. My first title was Will Not Fade Away. I still like it. But, under editorial advisement (it has a double negative —“not fade”— which might take longer for brains to process; it also has a darker tone) we chose Will Rise from Ashes: AJ, her son, and the world all will rise from literal and metaphorical ashes.

There you have it. Am I any closer to my new manuscript’s title? NOPE. Will I get there? Eventually. With my word bubbles, brainstorming, researching, and beta feedback? You betcha.

Readers — share with my your favorite titles and why!

Authors — share with me how you have come up with some of your fantastic titles!

Medieval Monday, Week 11

Medieval Monday, autumn-style

WEEK 11

Another week of Medieval Monday! Almost to the end. How are you hanging in there?

This swampy area on a nearby trail never ceases to bore me. Each time, the reflection is calm and clear, the colors and shadows varied. The photos are from the same spot, taken just weeks apart. Left: yesterday, sun shining. Right: 2 weeks ago, overcast sky.

Check out Medieval Romance Lovers as we share in the fall theme of "Nature" in our excerpts from our medieval stories. You’ll see weekly snippets each Monday on our blogs. And since I live in New England, home to memorable fall foliage, I will continue to try to post some photos! This week, though, is a map from my book. The trilogy spans across northern England, the Highlands, and west to the isles.

Read last week’s scene snippet here.

I encourage you to follow along with all the other Medieval Monday authors on the Facebook page here. You will find the links to their blogs where they are sharing their snippets. There may be even be some giveaways on the page…

You can also find us on Twitter at #MedMonFall20

This week’s snippet…

Set-up:

Domhnall is a Seer who descends from powerful Ancients with mystical abilities. He suffers from terrible visions of the Sight, an affliction that comes with each touch, except with Rosalie. He is taking Rosalie on a stroll through the village. They come upon the loch shore and he suggests they collect pebbles for her necklace-making. Rosalie is a crafter and fortune-teller, scrimping to make ends meet and support her uncle and aunt, but she is also on the run from a vengeful noblewoman not pleased with her readings. She tells lies for a living. Domhnall believes her to be a true seer.

This week’s snippet…

“Her sons are dead?”

She nodded. “And she still plots to see her husband dead. She is with child. It’s not his. She knows I know this.”

“Hmm.”

“I believe now she wanted all of them to die. She is sly, Domhnall. She doesn’t usually confront people. Quiet. Keeps to herself. I believe she only came to me for readings out of desperation. She exploits others to her causes. She has naught but one friend in court, and from what I hear, her standing is shaky with nobility after the revolt. She avoids making a scene, as it would soil her reputation.”

“So she wouldn’t just confront you?”

Rosalie shrugged. “Not likely. She wouldn’t engage with me in public unless she must. She’d find another person to do her bidding. I should return to Edinburgh. I’ve brought trouble to your home.”

Stay Tuned….

Universal Link ~ Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ iBooks ~ Bookbub ~Goodreads ~ Kobo ~ Google ~ coming out in audio book format on Audible and iTunes soon!

Universal Link ~ Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ iBooks ~ Bookbub ~

Goodreads ~ Kobo ~ Google ~ coming out in audio book format on Audible and iTunes soon!