From the Editor's Desk
Hi and
welcome once again to Fiction Factor! And, as always,
welcome to our new subscribers.
During the week, I received an email from a writer who
firmly believed that it was acceptable to submit a piece
of writing that was in need of some serious editing. This
writer also believed that it was the 'editor's job' to
edit the submitted piece. Admittedly, this seems to be a
common belief among many newer writers.
Perhaps in days long-gone this might have been the case,
but in this day and age, editors receive an abundance of
submissions from literally thousands of writers to choose
from, so why would an editor waste time editing
sub-standard work when there are more professional
submissions readily available?
So... why should the editor edit your work for you?
Let's face it, the only person who knows what's best for
your manuscript is you - the author - and it's basically
YOUR responsibility to get it as perfect as you can
before submitting.
This brings us to today's feature article about editing
your own work. You see, the quality of your own
submissions is 100% your own responsibility. This means
learning to self-edit your work before it's presented to
an editor.
Great news! I managed to arrange a discount especially
for Fiction Factor subscribers on the ebook "How to
Write a Children's Book in 14 Days". This discount
link isn't shown anywhere else on the websites, so if
you've thought about writing for children and you want to
take advantage of the $10 discount off the regular price,
then I suggest you read what the ebook has to offer you
here: http://tinyurl.com/write4kids
But don't buy from their link or you'll
pay full price! If you want to take advantage of the
discount, come back here and click this link: http://tinyurl.com/kidsdiscount - you'll get $10 off
the price.
Enough of that - let's get into the writing stuff.
This issue Lee Masterson looks at ways to edit your
manuscript so every word sparkles. Samantha Pearce
discusses the top 10 reasons to write children's books
and William Meikle looks at some fantasy fiction writing
cliches to avoid.
It's time now to grab a beverage of choice, sit back, and
enjoy this issue of Fiction Factor!
Lee Masterson
Editor-in-Chief
http://www.fictionfactor.com
Pop by and hi
to me on Facebook. I enjoy getting to know our readers! http://www.facebook.com/people/Lee-Masterson/1569278962
"A professional writer is an amateur who didn't
quit."
-- Richard Bach
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Clinic
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Holly Lisle can and she can show you how too!
Learn to bring all your characters to life with
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details: http://tinyurl.com/yqqawa
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- Learn to write a GREAT novel from start to
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Lee Masterson
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Editing
Made Easy
by Lee Masterson
So
you've finally done it. You've finished your prized
manuscript - the one you've spent months creating - and
the temptation to pop it into a postal package and ship
it off to a welcoming editor is tugging at you
mercilessly.
I urge you to resist that temptation. For now, anyway.
After spending so much of your time and effort in
producing what you have so far, it would seem a shame to
rush things at this crucial stage in your manuscript's
life. Once the first draft is done, almost every writer
realizes that an edit or partial rewrite is going to be a
necessary task.
There are almost as many different ways to edit and
rewrite as there are writers. Some prefer to edit as they
go. There are those who prefer to chop and change
storylines midway through the creation process. Others
seem to race through the first draft and spend time
polishing it up once they're done. I'm one of the latter.
It makes no difference which technique you prefer, as
long as it works for you. The point is to end up with a
professional manuscript which an editor will hopefully
buy.
So let's take a look at 12 polishing techniques that
could mean the difference between a sale and a rejection.
1 - Print it Out
Seeing your words paraded before you on a screen is one
thing. Reading your words in a different form means you
will see it in a different perspective. If you write in
long-hand, type it out. If you use a computer, print out
a paper copy.
I realize this method gets a little heavy on the pocket,
but seeing your work in a new light will highlight a lot
of little mistakes and inconsistencies that would not be
so obvious otherwise. Your work will benefit from the
exposure in a different format.
2 - Read it Aloud
Okay, so this might look a little silly to anyone peeking
through your window, but the chances are, no one is
looking anyway. The point of this exercise is to bring
out the natural flow (or lack thereof) in your writing.
For this step, a notepad and a plentiful supply of pens
are handy. As you read, don't be tempted to stop and
correct any redundancies, or awkward phrasings. Jot down
anything you notice in your notepad, but keep reading.
You will get to the fix-it stage later.
Nothing will benefit your writing more than hearing it
read aloud. You'll discover nuances of rhythm and
interpretation that the printed word will not show. You
may also discover odd-sounding cadences that interrupt
the flow. Whatever you discover, hearing what you've
written will give you a sense of distance.
3 - Spelling and grammar
When you read something you created yourself, the
tendency to anticipate words is common. Often you mind
will see the word you intended to write, rather than the
actual error. Your computer spell-checker will not pick
up these discrepancies.
Words like "then" and "than" are easy
to miss, and even easier to overlook. They are such
little words, after all.
Ask yourself how you would feel if you had picked up
another author's work and found trivial typing errors
sprinkled throughout the story. I'm sure you wouldn't be
too pleased, nor would the story seem so enjoyable for
this distraction. This is how a potential reader is going
to view your work. Take the time to read it through
carefully.
4 - Plot inconsistencies
During this initial read through, you should discover
that there are points in your story that did not unravel
the way you thought they would. You may also learn that
you began several threads that vanished into thin air.
It happens. You know all the material in your story
backwards. From your perspective, all the information is
already there. But the reader's perspective is what
counts here. Just because the conclusions seem logical to
you does not mean your writing clarified your intentions.
You might have been caught up in the push of the story or
the lure of the characters and the plot braid you began
got lost in the moment. This is the time to pick up all
the loose threads and tie them into a neat, satisfying
conclusion.
5 - Characters
Is your point of view consistent? Do you have characters
who wander into play, and then fizzle out, contributing
nothing to the story? Are your character traits
consistent?
If you've introduced a character in Chapter One who is
five feet five and brunette, describing her as five feet
eight with blonde hair in Chapter Six is not going to sit
well with readers, much less an editor.
Similarly, bringing a character into play simply to
deliver a line, or specific piece of information, is
awkward. Find a way to utilize an existing character for
this, or better still, flesh out your 'extra' so that he
contributes more to the storyline than just a messenger
service.
Sometimes, though, minor characters are important. The
nameless man serving behind the counter, the woman at the
ticket booth, the girlfriend of the next door neighbor's
son. Showing the extras is fine, but ask yourself how
much relevance they have to your story before you jump
into their life history, or worse, their point of view.
6 - Propel the Story...
You can read the
online version of this article here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/articles/editing.html
 Outside the Square Fiction
Workshop
Written by award-winning author, Cheryl Wright,
this excellent workshop will show you how to
boost your fiction writing so that editors will
beg you for more.
Click here for more details: Fiction Workshop
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Top 10 Reasons to Write
Children's Books
By Samantha Pearce
Writing
for children can be the most rewarding of the literary
arts and for those who have never considered such an
adventure, here are the top 10 reasons for releasing your
imagination!
1.
Fun - The number one reason for writing for
children should be because it is fun! Writing for
children can be inspiration, limitless and beautiful, and
challenges the author to reach their creative potential.
2.
Endless opportunity - The opportunities in
writing for children are literally endless. Because of
the vast readership age range, subject matter can be
incredibly flexible. The same topic will demand a variety
of differing styles and of course nonfiction gives the
potential for further exploration into educational
material.
3.
Limitless potential - Writing for the child mind
means limitless potential. Creating such diversity as
fantastical landscapes, to subtle storylines, to the most
colourful of characters, anything is possible. The
author's creativity and imagination can go wild.
4.
Artwork - In writing for children, the author
may often have the opportunity to compliment their work
with pictures. Illustrations go hand in hand with
children's books, and can help to create worlds that are
all the more engaging to the reader.
5.
Teaching - Writing for children also gives the
opportunity to teach. In early years, children's books
are one of the main modes of learning for the child.
Whether teaching to count, first words or rhyme, reading
and learning to read are favoured activities. Children's
story books also often contain important lessons for
life, and can subtly introduce important moral ideas.
6.
Inspirational ...
You can
read the rest of this article here: http://children.fictionfactor.com/articles/tenreasons.html
 Create A Plot
Clinic
Have you ever lost interest in your story only 20
pages from the start and not know how to get it
going again?
Best Selling Author of more than 30 novels, Holly
Lisle, can show you exactly how to structure your
story for maximum effect. Learn to fix problem
plotting while you write!
Jump Start your novel today: http://tinyurl.com/2z3ant
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 How
to Write a Children's Book
in 14 Days or Less!
Learn
the system that can show you how to write your
own kid's books in just two weeks.
From basic idea to publisher-ready manuscript,
learn how to write children's books that kids
will love.
http://tinyurl.com/write4kids
(don't forget your $10 discount if
you come back and purchase through this link: http://tinyurl.com/kidsdiscount ) |
Writer's Announcements
Writers need
all the encouragement they can get, and we're happy to
help keep you motivated as well as offer a little bit of
promotion for you. If you have an announcement you'd like
to share about your writing successes or publications,
then let us know about it and we'll be happy to shout out
a big 'Woo Hoo' to our subscribers for you. You can
either leave us a message on the forum or you can send me a message on Facebook.
This week's Woo Hoo Announcement:
=> A special Congratulations goes to Terry W.
Ervin II on having his fantasy novel "Flank
Hawk" accepted for publication through Gryphonwood
Press. Terry is the Fiction Factor
Forum's Moderator,
so pop into the forum and congratulate him on his novel's
acceptance.
=> Congratulations to David Tocher,
who has had his short story 'Letters from a Dead World'
accepted into the Dreamspell Nightmares anthology with
L&L DreamSpell: http://www.lldreamspell.com/DreamspellNightmares.htm
=>
Congratulations to Alice Wisler, who is
pleased to announce that her newest novel "How Sweet
It Is" has been picked up by a Dutch publisher to be
translated into Dutch from English! You can visit Alice's
site here: http://www.alicewisler.com/
Fantasy Fiction Writing - Six
Cliches to Avoid
by William Meikle
Fantasy
fiction is doing good business at the moment, but there
are certain situations that have been overplayed. So much
so, that they have become genre clichés, and everybody
knows what to expect next. If you're a writer in the
fantasy genre, here are 6 clichés you should try to
avoid in your stories.
1.
Receiving tutoring from the old wise man.
The
'Merlin' gambit, as used in Lord of the Rings, Star Wars,
Dragonslayer and innumerable King Arthur clones. A stable
boy or other similar seemingly low-born type is taken
under the wing of the local eccentric. There's usually a
beard involved, and a pair of blue eyes piercing from
beneath some spectacularly bushy eyebrows. He'll say
things like: 'All of nature is one', 'Use the force' and
'You have a great destiny, my boy.' Try not to give him a
grey cloak and an elven sword. Maybe you could try having
the youth tutoring the old man for a change? Or, more
radical, how about having the teacher as an old woman?
2.
Learning to fight.
The
'Galahad' gambit. The stable boy gets secret training in
weaponry, allowing him to beat a seasoned warrior in his
first fight. People say: 'I've never seen the like
before' and 'He is the best swordsman I have ever seen'.
Now how realistic is that? A radical idea would be to
have the stable boy being completely useless at weapons.
How is he going to fulfil his destiny then?
3.
The parting from everything you ever knew.
The 'Dick
Whittington' gambit. The stable-hand, being under a geas
to complete a great quest, must say goodbye to hearth and
home. People say: 'I must go and fulfil my destiny' and
'I will return when I have avenged my father'. This is
usually done with a great deal of schmaltz and emotion.
Sometimes it is done violently, the hero being parted
from family by the villain of the piece, who he is
destined to kill at the end of the story. Either way, it
has been done so often that any tears you are expecting
to provoke could well be due to laughter. Try to do
something different. Why does the hero have to leave his
family? What would happen if he took them with him?
4.
Being abducted from earth to a different world...
You can see
the rest of this article here: http://fantasy.fictionfactor.com/articles/cliches.html
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~ "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug
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Writing Courses
You can see the full list
of available courses here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/courses.html
Fantasy
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Factor)
Writing
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Join this excellent course and learn what it takes to
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Romance Writing Course
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~ "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best
friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." ~
~ Groucho Marx ~
Paying Market Listings
You can find the complete
Market Index here: http://www.fictionfactor.com/markets.html
Happy Market Hunting!
(Disclaimer: Mention of a market/ contest in Fiction
Factor is not necessarily an endorsement. Check all
guidelines in full before submitting)
The Way of the Wizard
http://www.johnjosephadams.com/?p=1760
One-time print anthology by Prime Books. Your story
should be about a wizard, witch, sorcerer, sorceress or
any user of magic. Stories should be no longer than 5,000
words
Pay: 5 cents per word plus 50% of earnings plus
contributor copy.
Deadline: 31st March 2010
Submission Guidelines: http://www.johnjosephadams.com/?p=1760
Warrior Wisewoman 3
http://www.norilana.com/norilana-ww-guidelines.htm
Annual anthology series published by Norilana Books of
science fiction stories featuring remarkable and powerful
women characters. Stories should be under 10,000 words.
Payment is 2 cents per word, one contributor's copy and
shared royalties
Deadline: 15th January 2010
Submission Guidelines: http://www.norilana.com/norilana-ww-guidelines.htm
Clockwork Phoenix 3
http://www.clockworkphoenix.com
Annual print anthology published by Norilana Books
seeking fantasy/sci-fi/horror/cross-genre/unclassifiable
fiction to 10,000 words. Stories should contain elements
of the fantastic. Pays 2 cents per word plus shared
royalties. Reading period opens 1st October 2009.
Deadline: 15 November 2009
Submission Guidelines: http://www.clockworkphoenix.com/#guidelines
Best Horror of the Year, Vol. 2
http://www.ralan.com/antho/listings/besthorror09.htm
Annual print anthology is seeking reprints of horror
that were published throughout 2009. All branches of
horror will be considered, from traditional-supernatural
to the borderline, including high-tech sf horror,
supernatural, psychological horror, dark thrillers.
Guidelines are quite specific. Please read guidelines in
full prior to submitting.
Deadline: 15th December 2009
Submission Guidelines: http://www.ralan.com/antho/listings/besthorror09.htm
Brio
Magazine
http://www.briomag.com/
Seeking
short fiction up to 2,000 words to suit teenaged girls.
Romance stories, sibling rivalry and situations faced
daily by teen girls are especially welcomed. Brio’s
target audience is teenaged girls from 12-15 and Brio
& Beyond’s target audience is older teenaged
girls from 16-19.
Both Brio and Brio & Beyond pay between 15 and 35
cents per word on acceptance.
Submission Guidelines: (downloadable) http://www.family.org/sharedassets/correspondence/pdfs/GeneralInformation/Brio_Writers_Guidelines.pdf
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