#Editing - P.J. MacLayne

The Missing Info #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne January 15, 2023 January 16, 2023 Open Book

Jan 16, 2023

What is one thing that you wish you’d known about writing before you started?

Let’s specify: I started writing back in 1974-ish. Back then, I wrote poetry. I don’t think that counts for the purpose of this question. Instead, I’ll talk about the last ten years, when I started writing fiction, instead.

I thought I’d done my homework. I’d joined a writer’s group on-line and followed the discussions, even when I had nothing to contribute. It helped me make my decision to publish as an indie author. But it didn’t prepare me for everything that went along with that decision.

Writing to please yourself is one thing. Writing for potential publication is another. It’s a lot more work.

It’s hard enough getting words on paper and finishing a story. Whipping those words into shape for other people to read is a whole different challenge. I don’t think I understood how much work editing is until the first time I tackled it with an aim of publication, and I keep learning more about it every time I get another book ready to release. (And I’m on book eleven!)

It’s not just fixing spelling and grammar errors, it’s making those words sing. That’s the hard part. I won’t go into detail—there have been entire books written on the topic. Two of my pain points are using too many adverbs and overusing the word ‘was.’

If I had known how hard it was, I might have reconsidered my decision to publish my stories. It’s too late for that now. I’m having too much fun. Much to my surprise, I’m even enjoying the editing process for my work-in-progress. Seeing how the changes being made are making the story more suspenseful makes me eager to share it with readers. (The working title is The Rise of Jake Hennessey. The cover is coming soon. It’ll echo the cover of The Fall of Jake Hennessey and that’s as much as I know.)

What do the other authors on this hop wish they has known? You can find out by following the links below.

And, as always, until next time, please stay safe.

Jan 16, 2023

What is one thing that you wish you’d known about writing before you started?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

Telling It Softly With Your Words #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne November 13, 2022 November 13, 2022 Open Book

Nov 14, 2022

How do you deal with negative feedback? Do you have tips for critiquing other writers’ work?

We all love those positive reviews. You know, those 5 stars that sing our praises. The words of encouragement from a beta reader or early critique that tells us how wonderful our draft is. We also know that sometimes the words aren’t so kind.

I’m lucky because the high school I attended pushed us to write essays and introduced us to the art of making revisions. As they were schoolwork, not personal writing, I didn’t feel a huge sense of ownership, and the changes the instructors requested were part of a grade, not a reflection on my writing.

So, when I first joined a critique group, the idea of revisions didn’t upset me. It was all part of the learning process—I was a novice and ready to learn from those with more experience. Luckily, it was a supportive group, with everyone helping everyone.

It’s not always like that. I’ve been in a group with a person who seemed to get a certain level of satisfaction at tearing down other authors, including me. It took me several meetings to figure out what they were doing.

How do I deal with that kind of person? Once I figure them out, I treat them with courtesy, but don’t take their criticisms to heart. However, I search for a kernel of truth in the critiques I receive. But I also try to remember that you can’t please all the people all the time. Still, it’s not all sunshine and roses—I have received feedback that stung deeply and took some self-reflection to get past.

I also try to avoid being one of those people. How do I do that?

The most important thing I strive for in a critique is to point out the good as well as what needs improved. Does a particular phrase stand out? Does a plot point surprise me? A character seem to resonate? Let the author know. If I can’t find something good to say, I’d rather say nothing at all.

It’s the balance that’s important. When I’m critiquing, I make it my goal to encourage, and mentor, not criticize. Yes, I will note things that can be improved, but I try to do it in a way that it builds up the writer.

How do the other authors on this hop feel about negative feedback? find out by following the link below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

Nov 14, 2022

How do you deal with negative feedback? Do you have tips for critiquing other writers’ work?

Edit Until You’re Finished #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne August 21, 2022 August 22, 2022 Open Book

August 22, 2022

How do you know when you’ve done all the editing you can on your story? Or that you’ve gone too far?

Writing can be hard work. Editing is harder, but it’s necessary. There is punctuation to be checked, words that need replaced, plot holes to be closed, sentences and scenes deleted and more. A simple edit can take hours. A more in-depth one can take weeks. Then, a writer has to go back and do it all again. And again.

I did at least five edits on my last book, as well as putting it through a critique group and a professional edit. (I lost count!) By the time I got to the final edit (listening to my book read by a computer voice) I still loved the story but was losing the ability to give it my full attention.

That’s when I knew I was done. If I kept going, I was in danger of breaking things instead of fixing them. Add to that the possibility of changing the plot so much that the story is turned into an entirely different book—which can be very good or very bad.

For fun, here’s a deleted scene from The Fall of Jake Hennessey. It was amusing, but took away from the tension I was building at that point.

“Anything exciting happen the last few days?” Jake asked Marco as they watched a group of young people gather across the street. He’d barely made it to town in time for his Friday night shift and was in need of a shower and coffee. At least he could get the coffee when things were slow.

“Not a thing. How many of those kids have fake IDs?” Marco jerked his chin their direction.

Jake grinned. “If I was a betting man, I’d say half of them. Mostly the girls.”

Marco groaned. “We’ve worked together too long. We’re starting to think alike. So, let’s make it interesting. How much are they going to offer as a bribe to let them go in?”

Jake checked the IDs of a young couple—they were authentic—and answered once they were inside. “The tall blonde is going to offer to show us her tits. The shorter one is going to giggle and blush. The two brunettes are going to roll their eyes and pout. The preppy-looking dude thinks he’s a big man and will offer us ten bucks. Not each, but to split between the two of us.”

Marco quirked one side of his mouth. “I don’t know how you do it, man. That’s as perfect as a prediction as any I’ve heard. I’d be a fool to bet against that. What’s your secret?”
“You’ll never get it out of me,” Jake joked. Only Harmony could do that. He longed to hold her. But he needed to break things off before she got mixed up in his secrets.

Marco’s fingers snapping in front of his face brought him back to the real world.

“Back to earth, Wonder Boy. We’re about to find out how good you are.” Marco chuckled. “Here they come.”

Have I ever gone too far in editing? When I debate changing the same word to another one that means the same thing and then switch it back again,, I know I’ve hit the limit or gone past it. That’s when you have to trust your instincts and let the words speak for themselves.

How do other authors know when they are done editing? Find out by following the links below. And, as always, please stay safe until the next time!

August 22, 2022

How do you know when you’ve done all the editing you can on your story? Or that you’ve gone to far?

On Your Mark, Get Set #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne August 1, 2022 August 1, 2022 Open Book

August 1, 2022

Do you have any tips on controlling pacing in your stories? How do you manage it?

I plead guilty. More than one reader has noted in a review that my story was slow at the start, but once they got into it, they couldn’t put it down. I’ve worked to correct that, but it’s hard to know if I’m been successful. I don’t consider myself a master of technique, but what have I done?

First, I’ve tried making my openings start with a bang. We’ve discussed that on this blog hop previously – getting the beginnings right. It’s hard to do. I’ve rewritten the beginning of my work in progress probably ten times, paring it down from 3000 words to about 250. (I’ll get back to writing the rest of the story soon!)

You’ve all heard the advice about “show, not tell.” No need for me to expand on it. Or about using dialogue when possible. There is truth in both statements, but sometimes a story will demand the rules be broken. Neither will resolve the issue of pacing; making sure the story doesn’t drag in spots.

When I think of pacing, I usually consider the overall ebb and flow. I like to give readers a “breather” after a major scene to allow them to take in what just happened. But how slow or fast an individual moment takes is what keeps the reader involved.

Pacing isn’t only the the way the action flows. I’m not a fan of long sentences and paragraphs. Just seeing a block of text that takes up an entire page can be daunting. It’s also an indicator of slow pacing, in most instances. (Depending on genre. Non-fiction plays by different rules.) But having a lot of short, one sentence paragraphs can also make a reader lose interest. As always, the trick is finding the right balance.

I’ve also worked to improve my word choices. (See show not tell.) This is the area I need to work on the most. A lot of those changes happen in editing, as I try not to let finding the exact word I need slow down my writing flow. I also try to get rid of ‘filler’ words in my editing. (So, but, and similar words.) They will slow down the pace of a scene.

What do the other authors have say about pacing? You can find out by following the links below. As always, please stay safe until next time.

August 1, 2022

Do you have any tips on controlling pacing in your stories? How do you manage it?

When The Going Gets Tough-June #IWSG

By P.J. MacLayne May 31, 2022 May 31, 2022 IWSG

Welcome to another month of the Insecure Writers’ Support Group Blog Hop.

Thank you to the awesome co-hosts for the June 1 posting of the IWSG: SE White, Cathrina Constantine, Natalie Aguire, Joylene Nowell Butler, and Jacqui Murray!

June 1 question – When the going gets tough writing the story, how do you keep yourself writing to the end? If have not started the writing yet, why do you think that is and what do you think could help you find your groove and start?

I’m a pantser – that means I don’t plan my stories out before I start writing. I may have a sketchy idea of what I want to say, but I ‘discover’ what happens as I write.

Most of the time. That also means that sometimes I get stuck along the way. Who am I kidding? I get stuck lots! How do I keep myself writing towards the end?

There are two techniques I use. The first one is to go back and read what I’ve already written. Just read. That frequently puts me back in touch with my characters and shows me where the story wants to head next. But it isn’t perfect. Sometimes I have to take it an additional step and start editing.

That puts me in touch with the deep core of the story as I prune and cut words and sentences I don’t need. Even whole scenes may disappear. What I’m left with is stronger, hopefully more compelling, and clears the path to move on in my story.

As far as not getting started writing? My problem is finding the ‘right’ place to start. I think it took me six attempts to find the beginning of my WIP. What started out as a full chapter is less than a page of a prologue. I’ve got a few other stories waiting in the wings that I’ve written and re-written the first few paragraphs but don’t feel as if I have a good grasp on the story yet.

And don’t forget – that ‘rule’ about writing every day is only a suggestion. It can be good to put your pen down for a day or two and allow your story and you to have a break. Life can interfere with the creative process, and it’s okay to acknowledge that.

At least that’s how I see it. Check out the suggestions of some other authors. Just follow the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe!

Writing Tools – What’s Your Favorite? #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne February 13, 2022 February 13, 2022 Open Book

Feb 14, 2022

We talked about the tools we use for our blogs awhile back. How about for your writing in general? What are your favorite tools?

The list keeps growing as new tools come on the market and more people discover that they can make money helping authors achieve their goals. But my forever favorites are what I started with—the simple paper and pen, but I don’t use them often.

I wrote the first draft of The Ranger’s Dog tags entirely by hand, a luxury I rarely allow myself. It took fifteen tablets, single-sided, and five or six pens. I took the picture when I was about two-thirds of the way through the rough manuscript.

But as much as I love it, writing by hand is more time-consuming. Did I name that character six chapters ago Derik or Daryll? Finding the right tablet, let alone the right page to confirm, is problematic. And everything has to be typed before I can begin editing. Seeing the words on the screen provides a different perspective.

Before I get into the computer process, I want to mention two other tools—a dictionary and a thesaurus. Sure, I know they are available on-line, but the act of turning pages in a paper thesaurus helps me track down words in a way that a computer can’t. I use the computer more for spelling and definitions, but the paper dictionary is kept close.

Moving on to the computer—let’s start with basic word processing programs. I use LibreOffice, a free program similar to Microsoft Office. It’s fine for basic writing, although it doesn’t mimic some of the profession tool of MS Office. I don’t use them anyway, so it doesn’t matter. The one thing I haven’t mastered in LibreOffice is paragraph indents throughout a whole document. I have instructions, but I can’t make them work.

Another often-overlooked tool is Notepad. I use it for quick research notes, and to copy things that have annoying formatting attached that won’t go away. It’s fast and easy and comes with no strings attached.

I’m a big fan of ProWritingAid. I received a lifetime subscription to it for Christmas a few years ago. After having used the free version, I can testify how much easier it is to use the full program. No word limits! Sure, there are things it gets wrong, but I love how it helps me track down repeated words and phrases.

What else? I use the website Canva for quick graphics. I don’t claim to be good at it, but I can throw together something easy, even if it takes me too long. Two websites I use for free pictures and graphics are Pixabay and Pexals. I use Inlinkz for this hop. (They provide the script that links our websites together. Sadly, it isn’t free.)

CritiqueCircle is my go-to site for on-line critiques. The quality may vary, but I have received some excellent help on there from other writers.

Which leads me to my final ‘tool.’ Perhaps a better word would be ‘resource.’ Here’s to all the wonderful people I’ve met along the way who have helped to support me, especially other writers. They’ve help me find the confidence to try my hand at this whole writing thing.

That’s why I’m looking forward to everyone else’s post this week and finding what treasure they may share. You can too, by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

Feb 14, 2022

We talked about the tools we use for our blogs awhile back. How about for your writing in general? What are your favorite tools?

I’ll Wait For You Forever #IWSG

By P.J. MacLayne June 1, 2021 June 1, 2021 Uncategorized

It’s the first Wednesday of the month, and time for another Insecure Writers support Group post.

You ready?
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

June 2 question – For how long do you shelve your first draft, before reading it and re-drafting? Is this dependent on your writing experience and the number of stories/books under your belt?
The awesome co-hosts for the June 2 posting of the IWSG are J Lenni Dorner,Sarah Foster,Natalie Aguirre,Lee Lowery, and Rachna Chhabria!

The collective wisdom that is passed around is that a writer should wait several weeks after finishing a first draft to begin editing. Time enough for the words to sit and to let the author come back to it with fresh eyes. Sounds good, but I’m bad at following good advice. Even before I’ve written The End, I’m finding words and paragraphs that need changed. Or added. Or deleted. If I can wait a day or two to start editing, I’m doing good.

Except there are other stories that I’ve written, leaned back, and said “That’ll never work.” And it goes into archives without doing any additional work on it at all. Then there are the stories I wrote over five years ago, that I keep coming back to, trying to figure out how I can make them marketable.

That’s part of the dilemma I’m facing with my current WIP. I think I’ve got a solid basis for the story, but it’s a different style and genre than I’ve ever written, and I’m unsure if I can whip it into shape. Still, I can’t put it away and I keep pecking at it, fixing a word here, deleting a phrase there. I’ve been unable to ignore it and give myself the space I need to look at it objectively.

I’m worried I’m more in love with the character than the story, and that’s bad. Then I read a line and think “That’s really good!” What I need to do is throw a chapter out to a critique group and let them tear it apart.

But it’s hard to make the story (and me) wait. I want to get it out of my system one way or the other so I can move along to my next adventure.

Let’s find out if other authors struggle with waiting to edit by following the links below.

And, until next time, please stay safe!

Falling In Love with My Own Writing #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne September 14, 2020 September 14, 2020 Open Book

September 14, 2020

Tell us what you love the most about your work in progress.

I wrote The End today (Sunday). It felt really good to finish this first draft of The Ranger’s Dogtags.

I started way back in March and I didn’t expect it to take this long. I also didn’t anticipate that the story would be as many words as it is. I’ve been writing it by hand, and I’m guessing it has ended up in the 90,000 word range. That’s about 20,000 words more than any of the other books in The Harmony Duprie stories.

It’s the last book in the series. What do I love about it the most?

I love how elements from other books in the series became part of this story. Things I hadn’t planned on including reached out and said “use me.” I can’t give you major examples because they would be spoilers. But if you’ve read the series, you know Harmony hates the idea of shooting at center mass. That plays into the climatic scene. And here’s a quick (unedited) snippet of another reference.

Once upon a time and far away, we practiced yelling in the self-defense course. I drew on that memory now. Filled my lungs. And screamed.

My shout echoed in the night. His throw faltered. The light arched through the darkness. Bounced against the house. Landed in the juniper bushes that lined the front. He bolted towards the neighbor’s yard and beyond.

I had two choices. Chase after the arsonist. Put out the fire. The bushes were expendable.

Do you recognize the reference?

And I love how Harmony adapted and changed after I took her out of her familiar surroundings and still managed to retain her character. I was worried about it.

Oh, and I got to kill off a character that’s been in the entire series. I didn’t plan on it, but it turned out to be the right thing to do. No hints. Just don’t hate me.

What don’t I like? I’m worried that I have too many characters and that \readers will get lost. I haven’t figured out who I can cut yet. Too many last names begin with the letter ‘s.’ That’s an easy fix. I need to make the villain more villainous. That should be fun.

Normally editing comes next. Not for this book. Since I wrote it by hand, I still have several paper tablets that I have to transcribe. I’d like to get them off my desk. Once that’s done, I’ll probably take a couple of weeks off to catch up on reading. I have let too many books pile up. Chances are I won’t have it edited before next year. There’s a lot of tweaks I’m already planning.

I wonder how the rest of our authors are doing. You can find out by following the links below.

Until next time, stay safe!

September 14, 2020

Tell us what you love the most about your work in progress.

Stuck in the Corner #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne July 12, 2020 July 12, 2020 Open Book

July 13, 2020

Have you ever let a story write you into a surprise corner? Do you backtrack or shift gears?

Have any of you ever seen the old movie, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World? It’s a comedy from 1963 about a bunch of strangers trying to get their hands on a large stack of cash. I started writing a scene once that had all the elements to become a miniature version of that. Not in a comedic sense, but the same kind of general chaos. It included Harmony, my main character, throwing her stiletto heels at a car. And the FBI, Sheriff’s Department, and Highway Patrol all showing up to the scene. Along with three bad guys and one person of questionable intent. With Eli, Harmony’s boyfriend, along for the fun. And another car with potential bad guys—or were they just curious bystanders?

It was a fun scene to write. But it came too soon in the story. The rest of the book couldn’t match it. It had to go.

Well, not entirely. I cut it way back. The original is too long to include here, as it was an entire chapter and more. The final version only included Harmony, Eli, three bad guys, and the one person of questionable intent. Harmony still got to throw her stiletto heel at a bad guy. It promptly got lost in a drainage ditch. (If anyone is interested, the revised scene is part of The Baron’s Cufflinks.)

That’s not the first time my characters have steered me in a different direction than I planned to go. When I wrote Wolves’ Knight, I had a love interest all planned out for Tasha. Big, burly, good looking, the perfect match. I even wrote the beginnings of a love scene. That’s when Tasha rebelled.

See, she didn’t want to be with this guy and made it clear to me. It took her a little longer to reveal who she wanted to end up with. Then let me figure out how to make it happen. I got lucky. I only had to go back and add a few minimal sentences to set up for the revelation later in the book. Looking back, I realized what a wise decision that was on Tasha’s part.

I’m a pantser. For those of you who don’t know, that means I don’t plot out my stories before I start writing. I know the beginning, and have a good idea of the end, but the middle has to be discovered. As a result, sometimes I end up where I don’t need to be. Last week, I ripped out two days’ worth of writing because it was leading nowhere in the story line.

To answer the question—yes, I’ve written myself into a corner, probably in every story I’ve written. I’ve both backtracked and shifted gears, depending upon what the book needed. Sometimes both. But that’s okay, because those corners often contain the essence of where the book really needs to go. I just have to dig it out from all the unnecessary words.

Now I’m off to discover the hidden corners of the other authors on this hop. Join me by following the links below.

Until next time, stay safe, everyone.

July 13, 2020

Have you ever let a story write you into a surprise corner? Do you backtrack or shift gears?

Tag: #Editing

The Missing Info #OpenBook Blog Hop

Telling It Softly With Your Words #OpenBook Blog Hop

Edit Until You’re Finished #OpenBook Blog Hop

On Your Mark, Get Set #OpenBook Blog Hop

When The Going Gets Tough-June #IWSG

Writing Tools – What’s Your Favorite? #OpenBook Blog Hop

I’ll Wait For You Forever #IWSG

Falling In Love with My Own Writing #OpenBook Blog Hop

Stuck in the Corner #OpenBook Blog Hop

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