UFOs

I just picked up my latest quilt top from my friend, Kathy, who put it together with the batting and backing since I don’t have a long-arm sewing machine. She does a great job, and I’m excited about the way my quilt looks.

However, I have a UFO—an unfinished object. I still need to finish the binding to make it complete. I know it will get done because it needs to go to Salt Lake City for a quilt contest at the end of this month, but sometimes the thought of finishing it seems daunting.

With my writing, I have several UFOs. Sometimes I lose interest in what I’m writing, sometimes I don’t feel like finishing it so it sits, sometimes I have an idea but it doesn’t go anywhere, and sometimes I forget that I started the story in the first place.

To me, having UFOs isn’t always a bad thing. For example, UFOs are okay if they are a way to get me to write every day, or at least several times a week. I might wake up with an idea and write a few paragraphs to see how it feels, to see where it heads, to see how interesting it is. It’s amazing how many abandoned stories or blog posts I have that started with a strange thought. It’s also amazing how many of those abandoned stories or blog posts have later been finished or in the case of stories, fleshed out in more detail for future writing.

I am also okay with UFOs that aren’t done because they require more research. This is mostly because I only do research when I’m in the mood. I’m not one to sit still for long and patiently try to find the information I need. I have to be in the right frame of mind.

Many of my UFOs are undone because they need editing. I love to edit, but it requires bigger blocks of time, and I’m often short on that. I have to purposely schedule editing into my schedule otherwise my UFOs remain UFOs for much longer.

The biggest problem with UFOs is that too many false starts may start to trip you up. You might begin to think that you can’t write, that you don’t have it in you to finish a novel, or that you are a miserable failure because you can’t finish anything you started. If you have several UFOs, take a long look at them and ask yourself why they’re unfinished. Is there anything worth resurrecting? Are they UFOs for a good reason? Can you muster up the enthusiasm to complete them?

Sometimes UFOs can be remedied by finding a contest to enter—then you have a deadline. Sometimes they can be remedied if you ask new “what if” questions and send it in a different direction. Sometimes they can be remedied by tossing them out with the garbage.

 

It’s up to you how to manage them!

WOW! Women on Writing

 

WOW! Women on Writing (http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/) is an e-zine that began in 2006, and has evolved into a global website that has over 10,000 visitors a day. Angela Mackintosh, the Founder and CEO, is an incredible artist and writer who has put her heart and soul into creating a friendly place for writers to come and learn more about the craft (read my review here: http://www.readablewriter.com/Reviews.html).

Ms. Mackintosh has run WOW! the smart way—by surrounding herself with other women who have stepped up and taken ownership of the site. These women are dedicated to putting out quality information, issue after issue, and it has paid off.

The current issue couldn’t have come at a better time. I sent the second book of my trilogy to my publisher, and it came back with requests for edits. I thought I had edited it to death before, so I decided to read what other people did in the editing and revision process.

After reading Devon Ellington’s article, “The Layered Edit”, I am more excited about tackling my edits. She uses a color-coded system, which I’m going to try. I generally edit and fix as I go, but using colors will most likely help point out areas that need extra attention. She also uses what she calls “purpose sheets” where she analyzes the characters and each scene to decide whether it stays or goes. It seems labor intensive, but I see how her method will help me cut words. I am certainly glad that WOW! published this piece.

Katherine Higgs-Coulthard also has a great article, “Help! I’ve Frankenmonstered My Manuscript”. If that title doesn’t catch your attention, her article will. I can relate to several of her examples, and have even created a frankenmonster a time or two myself. I managed to write myself out of them, but only after serious revision. Her tips are great, and I can see how they can help.

The column, “10 Questions” by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo is relevant. The two editors who were interviewed, Kelly Lynne and Annette Rogers, provided valuable advice. I especially appreciated their answers to questions four, five, and seven.

WOW! has been one of the Writer’s Digest “Best Websites for Writers” since 2008, for good reason. It provides fresh, interesting, and varied, content that is applicable to today’s writers. It's definitely one of my go-to places when I need suggestions and guidance.

 

Coincidences

I went to town on Tuesday to donate blood, and ran into an old friend. We haven’t seen each other for two years, so we had a lot of catching up to do.

She asked if we still had three dogs, and I told her we have a fourth, a boxer from hell, that she hasn’t met yet. She gave me a strange look and said her family got a boxer as well. Turns out her boxer is the same age as mine, is just as goofy looking, with the same hyperactive tendencies. They are sisters! On top of that, my boxer’s name is Bella, and so is hers.

Coincidence.
This made me think about coincidences in books and stories. As writers, we need to be careful that there isn’t so much coincidence that our story becomes predictable. But most stories also need to have a few to move the story along.

Some people may call coincidence by other names: fate, chance, divine intervention, happenstance, or synchronicity. No matter what the tag is, we have to plan them carefully. Why does he see her every day around the same time, but not in the same place? Is she stalking him? Are they supposed to meet and marry? Does she want him to follow her? Is she someone from his past that he doesn’t remember? Does she even realize that he sees her every day? Ask yourself why you are including this coincidental sighting. If it has no bearing on the plot, it doesn’t belong.

I’ve cut coincidences in my stories before. Usually it’s because my plot was going in a particular direction, but I changed course. Other times it’s because I thought I was giving too much away when I wanted the reader to continue wondering about a certain element.

Coincidental situations should be strategically planted in your stories for a reason. Watch for them while editing!

Why Don't Writers Care?

I overheard some people lamenting the fact that they can’t find a good book to read any more. The conversation went something like this:

Person 1: I always read my favorite authors when their books come out, but in between, I have nothing.

Person 2: I know what you mean. I see books that look interesting, but I’ve been burned too many times now and don’t want to waste my money on a promise.

Person 1: Why don’t writers care about their readers?

Person 2: I don’t know, but I shouldn’t have to do research just to find out if someone has had their book edited.  Why does everyone think they’re a writer?

At first, I smiled and nodded with understanding.

Then I got mad.

Most of us work hard to be the best writer we can be. Most of us spend a lot of time and energy working at our writing to produce something readable. Most of us care about our readers and want to give them a great reading experience.

Why does everyone think they’re a writer?

My husband once lamented that every man thinks he can build. He complained regularly that his craft was being diluted by people looking for work who didn’t know how to pound a nail. He was always proud of the end result of his work—the beautiful building that would serve many and that would be a landmark for him, for years to come. Building, to him, was a form of art, and a reminder of the time and energy he expended to create something functional and usually, aesthetic.  He left the construction field several years ago because it was no longer satisfying, and his annoyance level was high since he worked with people who didn’t care.

What are writers who care supposed to do? Continue to put out good product, market ourselves and get known so people can’t wait to read our work again, and keep our audience amazed and delighted.

People are looking for good authors, and we’re out here. Let’s do our best to maintain the integrity of our craft so the public doesn’t discount us and our hard work.

Fresh Pages

When I received the galley copy of my book, 2012: The Rising, I was appalled at the errors that still existed. I edited my book, my beta readers edited my book, the content editor and the line editor edited my book. And yet I had pages and pages of corrections to submit.

Even with all those people finding and fixing errors, something went wrong. But what was it?

You’ve probably heard of “fresh eyes”—letting a manuscript sit for a few days, weeks, or months between edits. It is a helpful tool, because when you come back after a short recess, mistakes seem to pop out and you wonder how you missed them before.

What about “fresh pages”? Maybe it’s me, but I think I noticed the errors because my book was in final format. There were fewer words per line, fewer lines per page, different font, and different font size. It was like seeing my manuscript for the first time. Call it what you want: a change of perspective, a change of scenery, a change of view. Whatever it is, it’s a new instrument in my editing arsenal.

I just finished the edits on the second book in the trilogy, Chasra: The Homecoming. But before submitting it, I changed the format. I put my manuscript into two columns per page, and found silly mistakes that were suddenly noticeable.

From now on, I will edit with both “fresh eyes” and “fresh pages” to try to ensure that I can catch my errors. It may not be a foolproof method, but if it means even one less mistake, it’s worth the effort.

Maggie is our Belgian Shepherd. She's a funny dog, and at eight years old, shows no signs of slowing down. Maggie is also a stubborn dog. She knows she's not supposed to lie in the middle of the floor where everyone walks, she knows she's not supposed to steal treats from the other dogs, she knows she's not supposed to bark when there’s nothing to bark at.

Maggie has a mind of her own. Sometimes you have to say her name several times in order for her to obey. Other times you just walk around her or give up because she's already stolen the treats or has come inside the house and has quit barking.

Every writer has a stubborn streak. We write and want to hold onto all of our words. Editing is a rough process. We love our words, and we want to give them a fighting chance. But if they aren’t necessary, why do we keep them?

Editing is like asking us to give away a prized possession. If an editor or asks us to cut words, that stubbornness rises and we think it’s impossible to find anything that doesn't belong.

I find that editing is my favorite part of the writing process; the hard part is over. I struggle the most when trying to get the first draft out. Editing is my chance to perfect what I'm trying to say, and to be as objective as possible. Objectivity doesn't come easily because of the stubborn person inside, so I redline, and read my manuscript both ways. Most of the time, I find that the edits make my story stronger. Then, I don't feel so bad about letting go of my hard work.

Sometimes it's okay to be stubborn, if you really can justify the need. But don't take up the fight just to fight. Try editing the way your editor, a beta reader, or your critique group suggests, and let go of that stubbornness. It may be the best decision for your work.