Z is for a Zero Draft

The theme of my a to z challenge was macro editing. Hopefully, if you have popped by from time to time you would have realised that the difference between the professional and the amateur is the revision process. 

Fifteen years ago I thought editing was checking for spelling mistakes. In reality when we sit down to write it's with an idea. We jump in happy and excited. A few problems surface, maybe a few doubts. But we plough on. 

What we have at the end is not a first draft, it's a zero draft. It is all our thoughts and feeling poured onto the page.

Revision makes you a better writer. After each session you learn more. I hope I have given you a few tools to help with that progress. 

I am finishing this challenge with a quote from David Eddings,

"Keep working. Keep trying. Keep believing. You still might not make it, but at least you gave it your best shot. If you don't have calluses on your soul, this isn't for you. Take up knitting instead."

Y is for You!

What's going on in your own life will show up in your writing. It is a good idea to touch base with your own motivation occasionally.  What place are you coming from when you write?

Are you writing to:

Prove a point?

Express anger?

Because you are feeling insecure?

Wondering what your emotional state as to do with editing? Let's look at an example. 

A writer is unaware that deep down he is writing to prove his intelligence. If he was aware of his unconscious motivation when editing he would be able to see he has tried to overcompensate with high language, abundant references which could be off putting to the reader. Not that it is wrong to write that way! But you should be aware of your choices when putting words on the page. And be willing to cut them if they don't work!

Are you writing for revenge? Have you tried to control the reader so everyone feels the same way about a certain character? It may have helped you vent a few hurts, but if the scene lacks spontaneity or is too acidic you may need a rewrite.

Noah Lukeman points out that, 'a writers mind is a palette, and unfortunately your mind stores a lot of baggage. It is your job to clear the slate, to create a sacred space in your mind just for the writing, free from all your neuroses as a person...You must clear your mind of pride, defensiveness, the urge to control, to write with an agenda, or to hold anything back.'

So when reviewing your work have a little think about how you were feeling when you were writing the piece. Did it help or hinder your writing?

Writers Process Blog Tour

Thanks to Rosie Bird-Hawkins for tagging me into the chain for the writer's process blog tour. It's been fascinating reading writers' processes and seeing how people manage to articulate why they write and how they write.

For anyone who hasn't heard of it, the Writers Process Blog Tour is 'simply a weekly insight into and sharing of people's writing process.' So here goes...

 

What am I working on?

I'm currently studying for a MA in Creative Writing for Children at Winchester University and deadlines are looming... So my main focus at the moment is writing a picture book and an early reader. I must admit I've enjoyed this topic thoroughly. Our lecturers Sarah Grant and Andrew Weale have inspired me to look at this genre differently. I certainly understand that it's not the word count but a case of EVERY word counts at this age range. 

Although I'm looking forward to getting back to writing young adult and middle grade.

 

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

 For my early reader book, aimed at five to seven year olds I have tried to stay away from 'nice.' I like humour. One of my pet hates are stories that are sermons dressed as entertainment. What is the matter with just a really good story that's enjoyable to read? Mine may be a bit silly in parts. 

Why do I write what I do?

 I honestly don't know? 

I've never had the urge to write an adult novel. I think I prefer fantasy and excitement compared to adult issues I'm currently experiencing. One of my favourite young adult writers is Garth Nix, I adored his Abhorsen series 

•  Sabriel
•  Lirael
•  Abhorsen

And I'm so excited at the prospect of building my own fantasy world.

How does my writing process work?

I write everyday. A couple of years ago I started this blog 'aiming for a publishing deal,' every time I post it reminds me what my goal is. I always call my first draft a 'zero' draft, it's a useful mind game - you expect to make changes to a zero draft. While you are hopeful that a first draft will turn out alright! I just keep plugging away. I would say that my advantage is that I'm able to take rejections and criticism. Accepting praise is harder. If you want to write you have to develop a pretty thick skin.

For the next link in the chain I pass you on, appropriately enough, to an another MA writer Tamsin Goadby.

http://tamsingoadby.com

Twitter: @TamsinGoadby

And the wonderful adult writer Lane Swift.

http://laneswift.com

Twitter: @LaneSwift

W for editing with Word Clouds

Have you ever thought of using word clouds when editing?

Using word clouds can be a good way to help writers analyse their creative pieces. By copying the text of a document into a word cloud generator you can quickly see the words that appear most frequently in that document. Word clouds can also be used to help writers see which words that they have frequently used in their own works.

Have you fallen into the trap of overusing favourite phrases and adjectives?

Then ask yourself did you intentially use those words?

Who is the story about? Their name should be biggest. This is a great way to see if you are actually writing someone else's story.

Look out for 'ly' words in your word cloud.

If you have used the same word to often think about synonyms for the word you are unhappy with. 

 Here are some good tools writers can use to create word clouds.

ABCya! offers a beautiful word cloud generator. Like all word cloud generators you simply copy and paste chunks of text into the text box to have a word cloud created. Common words like "the" are automatically excluded from your word clouds. You can edit the font style, adjust color schemes, and flip the layout of your word clouds on the ABCya! Word Cloud Generator. The one shortcoming of the tool is that it doesn't provide embed codes. You can download and or print your word clouds. ABCya recently released an iPad app for creating word clouds too.

Tagul is a free word cloud generator that offers the option to link every word in your word cloud to a Google search. Click on any word in your word cloud to be taken directly to a Google search results page for that word. Tagul creates a word cloud from text you copy into your Tagul account. Tagul will also generate a word cloud from any url you specify. Just as you can with other word cloud generators, Tagul allows you to specify words to ignore in creating your word clouds. Once your word cloud is created Tagul provides you with an embed code to put your cloud on your blog or website.

Word It Out creates word clouds out of any text that you paste into the word cloud generator. Once the word cloud is created you can customize the size and color scheme of the cloud. You can also customize the font used in your word cloud. The feature of Word It Out that I like the best is that you can choose to have Word It Out ignore any word or words you choose. Ignoring words keeps them out of the word cloud.

Tagxedo makes it very easy to customize the design of your word clouds. You can select from a variety of shapes in which to display words or you can design your shape for your word cloud. You can enter text into the word cloud generator manually or simply enter a url from which Tagxedo will generate a word cloud. As with other word cloud generators you also have options for excluding words from your word clouds.

Wordle is regarded by some as the "original" online word cloud generator. Wordle provides many options for color, shapes, and fonts for displaying your word clouds.

Using a word cloud before you post your blog

Next time you write a blog and you are wondering if you have used your keywords enough for your message to stand out consider using a word cloud. Worditout.com is the site that I used to create this word cloud. It is great because you don’t have to use a URL. You can actually just paste the text content of your blogs into their site and it will generate your cloud. You also have the options to change the number of words displayed, colors, font, and more, which are all great if you want to use your cloud as an image in your blog.

X is for X-Rated

IWhy is it that — as a rule — erotica is seldom taken seriously, either by writers or readers?

The following are some questions to ask if you are macro editing your  erotic fiction:

Did you bring the same attention and regard to writing about sex as you would to anything else you’d write? Did you assume the reader wants — and is capable of appreciating — something beyond a quick fix. 

Have you used too many blow-by-blow descriptions of sex acts? The mechanics aren’t what’s intriguing. The emotional dynamics between people are intriguing.

Did you use 'throbbing rod?' And other coy euphemisms for body parts? Don’t use the hero’s member, or manhood, or hard hot tool or battering ram. Don’t say that he pounded her like a jackhammer, or that she lay back, spent. 

Have you kept it real or do you have two flawlessly beautiful people having ecstatic sex?  The key to any fictional scene is tension and conflict. It’s okay for characters to feel awkward or angry or afraid within a sex scene. We are drawn to each other’s darkness, strangeness, sadness, and vulnerability.

Have you drawn on all five senses when you write a sex scene? The curve of a breast. The scent of leather. The taste of sweat. The sound of rain against the window. The texture of the grass in a secluded field. A compelling fantasy demands a certain immediacy. Put the reader where your characters are. 

 What is the fantasy these lovers are enacting? What is the power dynamic between them? What secrets, longings, grudges, insecurities, memories are in play here?

I hope today's list helped any x rated writers out there. What are your thoughts on erotica?

V is for Villian

V is for Villian

Love her or hate her, J K Rowling can write a villain.  Imagine the teacher who always had it in for you, the one who was quickest to point out how stupid you were and slowest to see the faults of others. Now put that teacher in a greasy black wig and a long black dress and give him the power to do black magic and you have Professor Snape! But some people struggle making the villain believable.

So how can you write in a way to make sure your reader dislikes a character?

• Make your character do something nasty, for younger children it could be something as simple as being unkind to an animal.
• Let your character get caught doing something untrustworthy. He could be unreliable.
• Hopefully your reader already likes your main character. So let you villain speak harshly to your hero.
• If you don't want your villain to be sarcastic, give them no humour at all.
• Most people hate hypocrites.
• Is he a backstabber? Should he be?
• Other negative characteristics include; know it alls, smart-alec's, and thugs.

It may be a good idea to do a bit of research. Which characters did you dislike? Go back to those books and see how the writer breathed life into them.

Good luck - Wa Ha Ha (evil laugh)

W is for Warning

I'm currently studying for a MA in Creative Writing for Children. I have been doing a lot of background reading, and I have discovered what seems to be a pet hate with readers.

Authors who write with an agenda.

If you are writing a morality tale be up front about it. Ok you may have a message you want to pass on. It may be something you believe in and feel passionality about. But it is my belief that writers are artists not moralists. 

Your idea should grow with the story organically. I dislike work in which the writer has imposed their doctrine, even if it's something as simple as eating vegetables in a children's book. I don't like characters to be used to prove the writers point. 

Checklist

Have you successfully dramatised your point?

Have you stated too many facts?

Does your work read like proganda? 

Does the work feel stale?

Do the characters seem flat, can't you hero be at least tempted to go against their beliefs?