editing

A note to readers…three rules for reading

/ AuthorMeganCox / 1 Comment

I had such a great opportunity to hear a fellow young adult author speak at a recent conference. She had written a riveting book, one that had won several awards, and I ate up everything she said about character development. However, toward the end of her speech (and I can’t even remember exactly what she was talking about at that point), she said something about Amazon reviews sometimes being toxic.1338696071187_6291332

Of course I was puzzled. Had people slammed her book, one that I had thought had a fantastic mix of intriguing plot and deep characters?

It seems that they had.

And I thought, what makes some people so small and petty that they must skewer a book that has been through all the best gates–an author with an agent with an established traditional press that hires first-rate editors? I understand when people rally against a book that has grammatical errors, poor plotting, and other things that are sometimes not addressed if a self-published author doesn’t take the necessary steps to make sure their book will stand up to the crowd. Your audience then becomes the gatekeeper for quality. No one wants to waste his or her money. But this was a good book, not only in my estimation, but in the estimation of expert panelists who had judged it worthy of awards, as well as many happy readers who had given it stellar reviews.

So here, in no particular order, are three things you might think about while you consume a novel. Whether you read for pleasure, are an established or aspiring writer, or function as a beta reader or editor helping someone get work ship-shape, think on this as you digest a writer’s work.

1. It’s not your story. Maybe you like robots. Maybe you think robots should be in every book that ever was. With fiction, we sometimes judge the author more on what wasn’t in the book than on what was. Authors must be mindful of word counts (when was the last time you read an 800-page novel?), and sometimes actions and events must be streamlined. If the story makes sense and has appropriate tension, then quit your whining. You wouldn’t ask Maya Angelou to add robots to I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, so let an author of fiction tell you his or her best story too.

2. Style is an artistic choice. Maybe you like stories written in first person, maybe in third. Maybe you don’t like diary-type novels or books written as email entries. Before you decide to hate something, remember that authors can spend months considering their “voice” for a novel and even rewriting one that doesn’t work, because a story or character might demand to have the tale told a certain way. Enjoy the diversity. I love impressionist artwork, but I don’t want every piece on my wall to be a Monet.

3. Realize that writing  a (great) novel is hard. If I had a nickel for every time someone told me he had the BEST idea for a bestseller but just couldn’t find time to write it, well, you know. It is easy to imagine a story in movie format, the high tension scenes and scintillating dialogue, but the challenge is not in the concept, but in stitching it together and getting thousands and thousands of words on paper while you avoid clichés, catch numerous typos, and make sure characters evoke the right emotion. That’s what we authors spend sleepless nights pondering, so remember, we’re working hard to give you the best story ever. If you doubt that, start your own novel, and it will grow an amazing amount of respect for your favorite writers.

Then read on…:)

New book alert! The Recruit has arrived!

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The Recruit will mark my fourth novel with independent press, Bluewood Publishing. But even though I’m no stranger to receiving that first proof copy, every time I see one of my stories in print, I can’t help the giddy rush that overtakes me. Each book represents so many hours of thinking, planning, writing, revising, editing, proofing, emailing, and coordinating. In fact, with my perfectionism, I’m lucky the publisher lets me review the final proof at all, as I’m always itching to make more changes. But once I have that proof copy, I breathe a sigh of relief and smile, fighting the urge to be a little sacrilegious and breathe, “It is finished.”

Each book of the Teen Mobster trilogy, my first series, represents so much inspiration and work, but I have to admit, I am exceptionally thrilled about what The Recruit–and it’s sequels, The Mark and The Condemned–has to offer. If you’re a fan of paranormal, this book will have everything you want…supernatural heroes and enemies, jaw dropping action, and forbidden romance (and, okay, some of the humor I can’ help but write into any story). In books two and three, I dive into the world of Nephilim, and these books also expose hidden layers in the first novel. So, as I said, I’m pretty excited to share it all with you.

Coming in at under 300 pages, The Recruit isn’t going to take you weeks to finish. So give it a try, and if you’re hankering for a little more of what I have to offer as you wait for the second and third installments, I promise the Teen Mobster Series offers quite a bit of fun (especially if you’ve ever found yourself enjoying an episode of the Sopranos).

And don’t forget, I’m now answering questions on Goodreads, so if you have any questions about my series or my writing process, give me a shout. I’m ready for anything you throw my way:)

Recruitcover

When reality meets fantasy…

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On my way to the library every week or so, I pass a beautiful 1960-something red Ford Mustang that is in desperate need of some TLC. I always give it a longing look, thinking if I had the resources, I’d go up to the door and make the person an offer on that baby.

Why?

Only because I’ve got an apple red 1968 Mustang that stars in my Teen Mobster Series. Sigh.

I’ve been a pretty big Mustang fan since the moment I put a car in drive. In fact, at my wedding over a decade ago, my husband and I drove away from the church in a friend’s orange and black one. So when I started writing Accidental Mobster, I knew I wanted the main character’s car to be something near and dear to my heart.

Enter the 1968 red Mustang in book one of the series, and a second Mustang (same year) in book two. The trifecta is perfected in book three with an addition of a black one.

But my real-life experience with this particular year of classic Mustang was limited to vast Internet research until just last week. At the ice cream festival in my husband’s hometown, we stumbled upon the festival’s car show. The first time through, the only Mustang in the show was a souped-up version only a year or two old. Still cool, but not quite what this girl was looking for.

Well, in order to get to the parade, we took another trek through the show about an hour later. The result?

Paydirt.

DSCN4607    DSCN4609

Okay, so not my dream color, but hey, any day I get an appointment up close and personal with a 1968 Ford Mustang is a good day, people! And if this car is getting your engine revved, pick up the Teen Mobster Series, because you’ll get to spend some quality time with this car!

Critique groups – Three rules for “keeping it real”

/ AuthorMeganCox / 3 Comments

For a long time, I was adamantly opposed to having anyone but family members and prospective agents read my books.  Eventually, when I signed a contract for two series with a small press publisher, I had to get used to having people (editors, in particular) go over my stuff with a fine-toothed comb. The process taught me two important things: stand up for my writing when absolutely necessary, and the rest of the time, practice humility. Because you know, I’ve learned that suggestions that frustrate me at first sometimes do make the book way, way better.

One thing I’ve learned through the process of gaining a literary agent is that my writing can always get better. I’ve also realized that what I think is good doesn’t always make sense, and a collection of opinions can be really helpful in appealing to a wider audience (science of statistics, really, although I won’t get into that.)

Enter my critique group. We don’t always agree. We don’t always get along. But what we do have are these necessary items: 1) Trust, 2) A willingness to listen and grow, and 3) Respect for one another’s work. And from reading the acknowledgments from many writers, I know how vital these groups can be to any author’s success.

How did my critique group get to a place of trust and respect? Well, maybe because we’re swell people, but even swell people get stinky sometimes, so let me tell you three things that have really helped.

– We all participate. Even if a member doesn’t submit work for the month, he or she is expected to read the submissions if he or she attends the meeting. From the onset, the other group administrator and I were very straightforward that everyone must contribute to the discussion. It’s non-negotiable. The benefit is that the author can sort through the feedback, and if a bunch of people are saying the same thing, then a certain point may be worth addressing. Everything else? A person can take it or leave it.

– We focus on the good first. Whenever we begin the discussion on an author’s work, we always, always start with what we loved. This helps ease the author into the water before voicing concerns, questions, or missed opportunities (we never, ever call it the “bad”). A spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?

– We keep a time limit. And finally, this isn’t “talk about me and all my talent time.” Early on, we realized that to keep things fair and on schedule, we were going to need to set a time limit for each critique. Now, each work gets ten to fifteen minutes (depending on attendance), and when the clock stops, it stops. This means there is time at the end for writers to ask one another questions and discuss things, but at the end of the night, everyone is treated equally. And that makes our group a group worth coming to.

But, as always, I’d love to hear what type of things work or don’t work for other groups. So feel free to share. I’ll be fair-minded:)

 

How many words to write…a creative person’s lesson in time management

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I am a writer. That means that while I do many things, my mind is in Never Never Land, working out the stories in my head. If it sounds a little crazy, that’s because…well…it is.

I discuss my writing habits with many people, and because I have small children and several endeavors in development, the fact that I have completed no less than seven novels in two and half years may sound impressive (twelve overall, with six under contract with Bluewood Publishing and the rest of my work now represented by Dee Mura Literary). But the thing is, anyone can accomplish certain word counts. The tough job is ensuring that what’s coming through the tips of my fingers is quality. This doesn’t always happen on the first go around, and usually the editing process hones the story and makes it sing.

However, even though I’m a creative writer, I am organized. That doesn’t mean my house is filled with perfectly stacked, labeled storage bins. If only. But it does mean that I make lists, and plenty of them. And generally, except for the grocery list that disappears to its own version of Never Never Land right before I reach the store, these lists help me organize my wild and crazy life.

But whether you’re the OCD poster child or more of a “What? It’s midnight already and I just got out of my pajamas!” type , managing time, especially time for writing, can be achieved. Here’s a few methods for fitting that book into your life–no matter how busy.

Review your free time – Think of it this way: the time of day you’d be watching your favorite shows or surfing social media is free time. Try to calculate how much time you spend doing it. This is time that can go directly to your writing. Now, I’ll caution that you should definitely set time aside to read, especially in the genre you’re writing. And, if you absolutely must watch the finale of the Bachelorette, just DVR it. Those commercials are stealing your life away.

Organize your story – From my experience, if I know where I’m going, I’ll get there faster. You don’t have to possess a comprehensive outline, and actually, spending too much time outlining can distract from what really needs to be done–yeah, writing. But when I know what big scenes are coming and a good idea of how I want to reach them, the words flow faster. This also pertains to research–taking time to get it done (visiting locales, interviewing specialists, reading nonfiction material) will only speed up the storytelling process.

Take a break; strengthen relationships. I could always be writing. It’s a hard switch to turn off. In fact, I carry a notebook everywhere to jot down ideas as they come to me. But I need to turn off the brain faucet from time to time–and I do. My family and friends, my health, and my other odd-but-awesome jobs (Edmond Sun‘s Mom Around Town and Metropolitan Library System writing classes) are priorities that can’t be shirked. Developing strong relationships as a writer sits at the top of my list, because not only can writing be a lonely profession, but I write better people when I spend time with people. I also write more hopeful stories from living a full and positive life (despite the setbacks, heartbreak, and tragedy that are inherent in life), and at the end of the day, that’s the kind of thing I want to put out there.

So don’t worry. Be happy, and write on:)

My new love – The Emotion Thesaurus

/ AuthorMeganCox / 3 Comments

I have discovered a very cool writing resource. The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression, is pretty awesome. I love it. I mean, I touch it a lot, give it yearning looks, and glow when I gaze on it.

Okay, so that may be a little over the top as far as showing my emotion for it, but I think you get the picture.  In a world where editors pound the pulpit with the words “Show Don’t Tell,” we writers must consider each and every sentence we pen. Did I write that someone was frustrated? Buzz! Wrong answer. Instead, that person might show frustration by crossing their arms, clenching the jaw, or tapping a foot or fingers. Oh yeah. Now I’m feeling it.

Of course, too much of a good thing is, well, still a good thing, and I’ve found this book inspires some of my own ideas of what physical signs I give off that betray my emotions. As a former communication major, the critical nature of nonverbal communication was pounded into my head, so that’s a good thing to remember. If your character says, “That’s great,” after an impatient snort, well, that’s better than writing “he said sarcastically.” Editors hate adverby dialogue tags too. FYI.

Of course, I’m not the adverb hater that so many are. Stephen King killed this part of speech with his famous: “The road to hell is paved with adverbs.” Sometimes, my character says something softly. It’s not a whisper, it’s not a hiss. He says it softly. End of story.

But adverb wars aside, I think  the best way to approach the “Show Don’t Tell” is to think of your novel like a movie script. In script writing, you tell the director and actors what the character is doing while they speak. Obviously there’s some room for interpretation, but the concept is that actions speak louder (or at least, as loud) as words. When I write a scene, I picture the people interacting in my head, and if the behaviors are hard to grasp, I close my eyes and think of myself either doing the motion or saying the words. Having a thesaurus for common emotions, of course, is icing on the cake. And I really, really like icing.

So check out The Emotion Thesaurus if you’re serious about improving your style and characterizations. And if it makes you happy, don’t forget to smile and step lightly:)

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression
By Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

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