Editing a Novel: Not Just About Copy-edits

When I started editing my first novel, I felt like an astronaut in free fall. Yes, my novel had problems. Some of them big, some of them small, but mostly workable. The problem was, approaching it with a list of fix-its wasn't always helpful, and was, at times, a back-fire, because it meant I only approached edits with my critical, logical mind rather than letting my writer's brain have a say.

Part of the reason it's so hard to convey how to edit a story is because 1) we all have our own process and 2) I don't think people care to put down the emotional aspect of how to look at a story. So when I found this article by David Farland about your character's feelings and how your book portrays them, I was thrilled.

It's another good way of looking at edits. Here's a small quote from it:

Ultimately, with every pass, every rewrite, you need to ask yourself, “Is this the right choice of words, images, and scenes to make the reader feel what I want? Have I selected the right details?”

"The Rules" of Writing - Lee Child's Advice

I read a really great article today which got me to thinking. In this article, Lee Child dispenses healthy, common sense advice about a publishing career.

Although I liked how he pointed out how to be a gracious professional, what stood out to me was his dismissal about the 'writing rules'. How many times have I, or my critiquers, used "show, don't tell" to explain something? Were we 'right', or were we trampling on the writer's story? Now it has me wondering.

And the bottom line:
“It’s a long game. It will look bad on plenty of days, but hang in there, keep showing up and see where you are in 10 years.”


This is something I've been meditating on for the past few weeks. There are so many writers I see lathering at the bit to make their stuff go-go-go in the fastest way possible - always reading a how-to book or needing a critique partner to evaluate their work. And yet, as this shows, sometimes that can backfire in the writing process.


I'm not saying either of these are useless, but they're tools which must be used with care. Care and a deeper understanding of how you as a writer write.

Two Really Great Blog Posts

I don't post a lot of link sharing on my blog because, frankly, when most people do it on theirs, I skip it unless there's one that REALLY stands out. It's to stop me from falling into the internet rabbit hole, and I'm sure you're the same.

Having said that, these two articles were so good, I just had to put them on here, for my reference, even if no one else cares.

In the first, Kameron Hurley, autho of God's War, discusses how SF/F genre is guilty of using the same unimaginative futures instead of thinking outside the box. And you know what? I love those genres, I read and write in them, and she's absolutely right. This is something I've been thinking about for awhile now, ever since I realized the boxes people put female lead characters into which irritates the heck outta me (either she needs to be masculine in her ways or have super snarkiness, 9/10 times) .

It gets feminist me really thinking even more. I'm not the only one who sees it.

And another one dear to my heart is this post from the Smart Bitches about people who shame readers about their genre reading choice. This happens, I know, to quite a few genre readers, but none nearly so much as romance readers. When discussing this with a fellow writer, she told me it was just as bad for romance writers.

"It's sadly common for them to get comments on how good they are in the sack, once people hear of their genre," she told me. "Funny how that sort of comparison doesn't happen to mystery writers."

New Article out and Some Chit-Chat

Business first: my article about long-distance relationships and figuring out how to close the distance came out on Sunday.

I've been getting good feedback, but here's hoping more people will keep reading and responding with enthusiasm or sending the articles on to people they know - this pleases my editor, who in turn is happy with me. We like a happy circle.

Second of all, I know I haven't been chatty much lately, and certainly not as much as I'd like to be. Ever since I landed here in Australia, it's been a whirlwind of setting up my life and making myself get into a writing routine - which has been a struggle, since everything is still a tad chaotic. In a good way, but still chaotic.

A good writer who wants to get published gets their bum in the seat and writes what will be sent off to agents. Writing also requires a good amount of reading - not just for the obvious assistance in writing, but also to check out the competition, and for fun and relaxation when you can get the writer mind to stop critiquing every sentence. Ha!

My big find this year is the Fever series by Karen Moning. It's an urban fantasy set in Dublin, and is all about a girl who goes through this amazing personal journey as she rises up to save the world from an evil Unseelie (read: fairy) artifact. I'm partway through the fifth and final book, and I just have to gush for a moment about how much I love this series.

When I read the first book, I almost put it down, which is the kiss of death for my reading. There was a lot of repetitive back and forth with the primary characters as they attempted to figure one another out, and it was - well, annoying. But I kept reading past those chapters because the world hooked me, and I'm so glad I did. The characters grew into people and breathed life into a complex, yet easily understandable world. There's so much going on here.

Suffice to say this is my series recommendation of the year for someone looking for an excellent urban fantasy to get sunk into, who likes a more thriller-esque, dark tension with fairies, strong sexuality (not softcore sex scenes, just plenty of tension), a story that's not all rainbows and kittens, and yet manages to give us the happiness amongst the horrific happenings.

I can't wait to finish the last book.

My first long-distance relationship article is out!

It's a good feeling, writing about a topic near and dear to my heart.

Here is the article link for anyone interested.

I would write more, but alas, I just came back from a lovely drive along Australia's Southern coast, and have nothing to show for it except a full tummy (the best cafe I've ever been to), a pile of chores and a happiness that winter includes many 70 F days.