The Motivational Editor

Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published

9 Aspects of Dialog, from Author Cecil Murphey

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When I heard New York Times best-selling author Cecil Murphey (90 Minutes in Heaven) was doing a workshop for the writers group I belong to, I wasted no time in signing up.

How better to learn about writing than to be taught by a multiple, best-selling author? During the day, he taught on dialog. Here’s part of what he shared.

In all novels, dialog must accomplish 1 or more of the following tasks.

Dialog:

  1. Must have a purpose.
  2. Advances the story, furthers the action.
  3. Develops/shows the character.
  4. Shows emotional state of speaker.
  5. Conveys needed info succinctly.
  6. Brings immediacy to prose. Makes readers feel they are part of the scene. They “hear” the dialog with the character.
  7. Builds suspense and intensifies plot.
  8. Controls the pace of your story. It’s a speed control device.
  9. Can sum up: a character can explain in a few sentences to another person who wasn’t present during the action.

Thank you, Cec Murphey, for your permission to share these 9 aspects about dialog! 

In the coming days, I’ll be diving deeper into writing dialog. In the meantime, how do you feel about dialog? Love it, hate it, dread it? Leave your comments below.

 

Get Rid of Superfluous Characters

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boxing knock out, get rid of superfluous characters

In his book The Art of War for Writers, James Scott Bell says,

[E]very character in every scene must have an objective, otherwise he shouldn’t be there. Replace him with a chair.

Review your WIP. If you find a character(s) who is superfluous? Do as Bell suggests, rewrite the scene and cut the character.

Now reread the scene. Is it stronger, weaker, mediocre? Revise until you are satisfied. It may mean putting the character back in, but do that only after you’ve determined his/her objective.

The Benefits of Belonging to a Writer’s Organization

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writingThe benefits of membership in a writer’s organization are numerous. The benefits vary from organization to organization, but here are just a few:

  • Submission call-outs (markets accepting stories such as Chicken Soup for the Soul)
  • Networking with other writers
  • Print or e-newsletters of industry news and writing techniques
  • Discounts on organizational contests and conferences
  • Webinars, free or at discounted rates

I presently belong to two writer’s groups. The free webinars I get from Christian Writer’s Guild far outweigh the $99/yearly membership fee. The networking and camaraderie I receive from fellow writers in Heart of America Christian Writers Network keeps me encouraged and connected to the writing world, and I get regular notifications of markets wanting stories.

A Google search on “writers organizations” will yield a plethora of pages that offer a listing of organizations. While the listings aren’t exhaustive, they are worth the visit. You can dig deeper by searching on specific genres. Both the Writer’s Digest Market Guide and The Christian Writer’s Market Guide give information on writer’s organizations.

Here are a few direct links:

Being connected to an organization within your field/genre will yield marketing opportunities and allow you to develop relationships that will both encourage you as a writer and push you forward in your writing career.

What value have you found from the writers’ group you belong to?

Debra L. Butterfield © 2013

Database of Writer’s Guidelines

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Formatting your submissions according to a publication’s writer’s guidelines is essential. Finding those guidelines isn’t always easy, and even in this day of digital everything you often have to request guidelines via email.

For easy reference, FreelanceWriting.com provides a database of 836 writer’s guidelines, by category. http://www.freelancewriting.com/guidelines/pages/

 

Point of View Defined, Part 2

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Point of view. Think about those words and it will help you.

From whose perspective are you viewing your scene? Whose feelings and thoughts are being expressed in the scene?

Example from my present WIP:
Chase stared at Karl with what he hoped was a questioning, please-continue look in his blue eyes, but Karl just sat there like a dog refusing to fetch. He took a deep breath, clearly concerned and struggling for words.

Explanation:
We are in Chase’s POV. He is describing what he does (stared at Karl), and because he can’t see his own face describes what he hopes he’s trying to convey (a questioning, please-continue look). Chase goes on to describe Karl’s behavior (doesn’t respond, takes a deep breath, Chase sees concern on Karl’s face and discerns that Karl is struggling to find his words).

Practice: Whose POV is this in?
The breath Chase had been holding escaped violently, involuntarily. Abby’s mouthful of coffee came sputtering out all over her lap and across the corner of Karl’s desk. Karl pulled a handkerchief from his suit coat breast pocket and handed it to Abby. She wiped her mouth and then swiped away the coffee from Karl’s desk. (Leave your answer in the comments section.)

Review several pages of your work in progress. Are you showing the observations and feelings of more than one character in one paragraph, one page, one scene? Rework accordingly.

Would you like some feedback or help? Copy a paragraph from your WIP into the comments section and we’ll discuss.

Related articles:
Point of View Defined

Debra L. Butterfield © 2013

Do You Really Understand Point of View?

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I regularly notice that writers incorrectly shift from one character’s point of view (POV) to another. That is, they give us more than one POV in the same paragraph. I know I did when I first began writing fiction, and I continued to struggle until I got my brain wrapped around what POV is.

Nancy Kress in her book Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint defines it thus: “whose eyes we view the action through, whose head we’re inside of, whose feelings we experience as that character feels them.”

Let me show you how it works with something from my book Claiming Her Inheritance.

POV done incorrectly:
Leslie sat directly across from Chase, her head down, elbows on the table, face in her hands. Her silky brunette locks fell forward, brushing the table. Chase could see the slow rise and fall of her shoulders and hear the deep breaths she took in, held, and then released.

Explanation:
Because Leslie’s name comes first the reader falls into Leslie’s point of view without even thinking about it and sees Chase sitting across from her. The reader may even imagine herself in Leslie’s face-in-her-hands position, her silky hair softly brushing against her face, and feel Leslie’s emotional discomfort. But in the third sentence the POV shifts to Chase because now we are seeing what he is seeing, hearing what he is hearing.

POV done correctly:
Chase watched Leslie directly across from him, her head down, elbows on the table, face in her hands. Her silky brunette locks fell forward, brushing the table. He could see the slow rise and fall of her shoulders and hear the deep breaths she took in, held, and then released.

Explanation:
The difference is minor in actual words, but where point of view is concerned it now all comes from Chase’s POV. We are seeing and hearing what he does.

It’s best to keep each scene in one character’s POV. When shifting it is best to do it at the beginning of a chapter. If you shift within the chapter, you’ll want to add a line space with a few asterisks centered on the line to help the reader know there is a shift coming.

Do you have a question about POV? Leave your questions and comments below.

Related articles:

Point of View Defined, Part 2

Debra L. Butterfield © 2013

Destiny Defied, An Interview with Author J.A. Marx

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Today is the first in a new series I call Friday Feature. I thought it would be fun to interview authors and find out what their publication journey was like and wanted to offer them a free tool for marketing their debut book. Friday Feature will appear every third Friday of the month and will be a much longer post than I normally publish. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the read.

This month I’ve interviewed J.A. Marx, author of Destiny Defied, volume one of The Destiny Series, which released April 18, 2013 from Write Integrity Press.

Welcome to the blog, J.A., where passion and purpose meet. Congratulations on the publication of your first book! Let’s dive right in.

Debra: How long did it take to write your book?

J.A. Marx, author of Destiny Defied
J.A. Marx, author of Destiny Defied

J.A.: The original version took 9 months (2001). And then I learned how to write. The basic story stayed the same, but it went through a mega amount of editing. Plus I was homeschooling and that took precedence.

Debra: I love your honesty and humor! Much of what I wrote before I learned the craft is packed away in a box never to see the red of an editing pen. At what point in writing your book did you begin to look for publishers?

J.A.: I sought publishers from the very beginning. But once I learned a thing or two about writing—and realized my work was not publishable—I backed off for a while. Once Destiny actually met industry standards, I altered the angle of my pitch and the first editor to read it bought it. All aspects of the craft needed to be aligned, and that lesson took a decade for me to learn.

Debra: That’s a journey worthy of another post, J.A. I hope you’ll consider doing a guest post for me about industry standards. How did you choose the publishers you queried?

J.A.: Research. Finding agents and editors who had an interest in supernatural suspense was like digging for gold in a fishbowl. My wonderful critique group leader, author Lena Nelson-Dooley, actually connected me with Write Integrity.

Debra: How wonderful to have a published author such as Lena Nelson-Dooley in your critique group. Her work is on my bookshelf. Did you meet with acquisition editors via writer’s conferences? If so, how did that go?

J.A.: Yes. That is the best way to meet the right people. Speaking in person to editors and agents helps you realize they are real people. They make a living off good books, and they truly want you to be the author they’re seeking. Showing professionalism and courtesy goes a long way. They will remember you.

Debra: When the publisher asked for a book proposal, what did they want the proposal to include? Was it difficult to write?

J.A.: Best advice: read the submission guidelines on their website. For Destiny Defied, since I had an inside connection (recommendation from a published author), I skipped the usual query letter and sent a full proposal with a cover letter, synopsis, and the first three chapters.

The Christian Writers Guild’s elite Craftsman course prepared me to pitch my novel with competence and put together a winning proposal that included a marketing plan. My Craftsman mentor, DiAnn Mills, offered a lot of input on the proposal I sent to Write Integrity.

Debra: DiAnn Mills, another successful author. You’re very fortunate to have such strong authors supporting you. Give us a general run down on the process once your book was accepted.

J.A.: October 2012, contract signed.
January 2013, publisher began the editing process. (My editor also sent a To Do list, otherwise I would’ve been lost: set up blog tours; create a press release; prepare promotional announcement, etc.)
February – I received the edited version and made the minor changes they requested.
Mid-February – I received the final product for one last review (by then I was sick of the story. LOL).
April 18, release.

Debra: Time between acceptance and publication varies widely between publishers. Yours was quick, but I’m sure the waiting process was just as grueling. When you received your contract did you have it reviewed by a lawyer or was it straight forward and easy to understand?

J.A.: Thankfully, the contract was straight forward. I had only one question that was easily clarified via email.

Debra: What specifics did the contract cover?

J.A.:

  • Exclusive rights to the first three books in the series.
  • First Right of Refusal on the second trilogy in the series.
  • Delivery dates and pub dates for each book.
  • Copyright info.
  • Royalty info.
  • Other minor legal stuff.

Debra: Do you have any advice for other writers concerning contracts?

J.A.: Read it thoroughly. If it’s not straight forward and you’re not agented, find a lawyer. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You have rights.

Debra: Did you work with an editor from the publishing house during the publishing process? If so, how did that go?

J.A.: I want an editor that loves my story as much as I do, and I found her. We’re on the same page. We had one or two areas of disagreement regarding the actual edits, but those were easily resolved. I love my editor, and I consider Tracy a friend.

Debra: There was a day when the publisher handled all the marketing of their books. Today, authors do a lot of their own marketing. How much of the marketing of your book are you expected to handle?

J.A.: I work with a small pub house, so she expects a lot of me. And that’s fine. I took her advice and did everything I possibly could and learned a ton along the way. It’s Tracy’s hope that all her authors cross-promote, which is awesome. But I think we need to work on that, organize better perhaps.

Debra: What did you find was the worst thing to deal with in the publishing process? What was the best?

J.A.: The worst: Stepping into the Great Unknown of marketing was very unsettling. I didn’t feel equipped to promote Destiny Defied. I needed lots of encouragement from my editor and from a couple of other authors who’ve been around the block already; their confidence rubbed off.

The best: Editing (which I love) and the Facebook party promo were highlights.

Debra: What advice do you have for writers concerning finding and gaining a publisher?

J.A.: After you’ve learned the craft and your work has gone through the gauntlet with a critique group (or critique partner): attend a conference. Sign up for an appointment with an editor you’ve researched. Smile. Tell them something wonderful about their website or blog. Then passionately pitch your well-rehearsed, 1-minute, blurb. Say ‘thank you’ at the end. Then follow through with whatever they ask you to do.

Debra: What advice do you have for writers for during the process between acceptance and release?

J.A.: Before the chaos hits, write articles/blogs related to your theme so they’re ready to release as the time draws near. Also put together some character interviews for your own blog and for others. Create a press release. Set up blog tours. Practice whatever you learned in the marketing class/book. (Randy Ingermanson has helpful information, as does Chip McGregor’s blog).

Debra: Do you have a second book in the works? A publisher already lined up?

J.A.: Yes, the suspense continues. Write Integrity is releasing Destiny Delivered, volume two of The Destiny Series. September 19, 2013. I’m psyched!

Debra: Thank you so much, J.A., for being with me and my readers today. I’ve enjoyed our time together (and learned too!). I want to again extend my invitation to do a guest post here about industry standards. I know I’m interested in hearing more and I’m sure my readers are as well. I wish you God’s best for your work as you journey forward and much success for The Destiny series. Keep us posted!

J.A.: Thank you for having me on your blog, Debra. I feel very honored.

Readers leave your comments for J.A. below. She’ll be responding today only (July 19). If you’ve published your first book this year or are slated for publication next year and would like to be considered for a Friday Feature, contact me at Deb [at] DebraLButterfield [dot] com. 

Interested in purchasing Destiny Defied? Put the title into my affiliate Amazon search box in the right sidebar and you’ll help support my work in bringing you this blog. Thanks for your support!

ABOUT J.A. MARX: J.A. Marx, author/editor, resides in Texas. She has written various articles, and edits for a national healthcare e-zine. When she’s not writing, she’s working out at the gym, cooking up healthy meals, or hanging with her husband, the love of her life.

“Destiny Defied,” volume 1 in her supernatural suspense series released in April. http://amzn.to/Zh2VBZ   Volume 2 “Destiny Delivered” will release in September 2013. Check out J.A.’s website www.jamarx.net Or email her at Embattledspirit@jamarx.net

ABOUT DESTINY DEFIED:

Destiny Defied
Destiny Defied

Trapped on a mysterious island, eighteen-year-old Riki finds refuge with four odd college boys. Isaac, the rugged EMT, insists no one else is around, but Riki cannot ignore her fear that someone is stalking her. Unless she finds a power truly great enough to overthrow Darkness, Riki will choose death over returning to captivity.

Lord Vétis, high priest of a cultic underground, will stop at nothing to reclaim the chosen one, but he must do so before her introduction to the real world ruins her royal destiny. Using black magic, he manipulates Riki and her self-assigned bodyguards, triggering a battle that consumes the entire island. The underground will never allow Riki to live out her dreams of a normal life…something she has never known.

 

 

 

5 Questions for Character Growth

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Readers want to see character growth and change through the course of the story. This is the character arc of your story. Character growth can be as simple as having your heroine realize she doesn’t need a man in her life to be happy, or as complex as overcoming the childhood trauma of abuse.

Here are 5 questions to ask yourself either before you begin to write or during.

  • What is my protagonist’s/antagonist’s overall goal in the story?
  • What change in my characters do I want to make happen as she/he journeys toward the goal?
  • What obstacles can I throw in the way to help my character grow? These can be internal or external.
  • What is the character’s goal in this scene?
  • How does the conflict in this scene affect change in my character?

As in life, it usually isn’t any one thing, but a combination of happenings that bring about change/growth in our lives. So it is with your story characters. These five questions will get you on your way to creating characters readers can connect with.

I highly recommend Nancy Kress’s book Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint. Check the link to the right for more information (affiliate link).

Debra L. Butterfield © 2013