Twirl that Moustache: Your Favorite Villains

We love our heroes. But villains are worthy of our love, too, for so many reasons. These days, villains seem to have as many (or more?) fans than the heroes of our favorite SF/F stories. 

Here, our Leaguers share some of their favorite villains, and why!

Beth Revis:
My favorite villain is The Operative in the movie Serenity. He is absolutely evil, but he absolutely believes that what he is doing is the right thing. He's not a mustache-twirling bad guy (which, despite the helmet, Darth Vader totally is); he has explicit, specific--and even reasonable--logic for doing the horrible things he does. His reaction to everything that happens in the end of the novel is amazing, something very few villains do, and that makes him even more perfect.

The Operative, from Serenity. "Darth Vader is flat Stanley. Because Beth says so and I agree."

Mindy McGinnis:
My favorite SF/F villain is Black Jack Randall from the Outlander series. Every villain has a reason for what they're doing, and Gabaldon actually made me cry for him at one point. HOW!??! I don't know, but she did.

Black Jack Randall. A keen eye and a bloody good hat.
Source

Bethany Hagen:
Both Victor and Eli from V.E. Schwab's Vicious.  They are both so clever and original, plus I really dug the idea that they were battling each other, and it wasn't necessarily a hero vs. villain.  More like villains versus each other.

This is Victor, turning his back on you.

Lissa Price:
I will go with the Master from the David Tennant version of Dr Who. 

The Master, from Dr Who. Source
"This? Oh, it's just a fork. Trust me."

E.C. Myers:
I am going with General Zod, specifically from the film Superman II. He isn't the worst villain, but he's definitely evil and ambitious and a match for Supes. He's also inadvertently funny and entertaining. "Kneel before Zod" is classic, and there's this great moment in the film where he's being interviewed on TV and he ends it by using his own name as an exclamation: "Zod!"

General Zod. "Kneel before my superlative facial hair stylings."

Lydia Kang:
I would say Loki from Thor. He's so devilishly evil but with a squishy heart inside. And then there's Khan, from Star Trek into Darkness. I also had a major villain crush on Pitch, from Rise of the Guardians. That scratchy voice was too much. Who doesn't want to strive to just exist? I could go on...

Here's Loki looking SO evil. Um. Wait. Let me try another. 

Hmm. Evil looks too good. Let's try another.

"BOO!"
Source

That's better!

So do you have a favorite villain? Tell us who and why in the comments below!

Interview with THE FORBIDDEN FLATS author Peggy Eddleman

We are all excited for the release of the sequel to Sky Jumpers: SKY JUMPERS BOOK 2: THE FORBIDDEN FLATS which releases next Tuesday, September 23. If you missed my interview with Peggy for the release of book one, you can read it here.

Lissa: This cover has a timeless quality about it, almost classic. Tell us what it was like when you first saw the cover layout.

Peggy: I was so excited that Owen Richardson, the cover artist for Sky Jumpers, was available to create my second cover as well. He did such an incredible job with my first cover, and every single bit of his art is brilliant. I knew that whatever he came up with was going to be amazing. I had been keeping my fingers crossed that it would be a mostly orange cover, and was thrilled when I opened the email and saw that it was. I love the crack in the ground, and I love that we get to see one of the boys--- Brock-- a little more this time.

Lissa: How much time has passed since book one ended and this one begins?

Peggy: Four months.

Lissa: Since Sky Jumpers was your debut novel, (although not your first manuscript), how was your experience writing the sequel? Easier or harder?

Peggy: So. Much. Harder. I had heard that it was going to be more difficult, so I mentally prepared myself. I think I must've mostly figured that it would be tougher because of reviews, and knowing that people were going to be reading it, and neither of those things affected me much. But it is soooo much more than that. Sequels are a difficult beast all on their own, with nothing else entering into the mix. But it's not the only thing in the mix. After you've spent so many, many months making your first book all pretty and shiny and perfect, it's hard to remember that a first draft is every so.... ugly. It can make you feel like you've forgotten how to write! And when you add in the fact that your inner editor has become so much stronger in the process, and that you now have your editor's voice in your head, getting all the words on the page is like trudging uphill. Pushing a giant rock. Through tar. In a blizzard.

Lissa: For the journey across the Forbidden Flats, did you model the landscape on a particular area? Perhaps in Utah?

Peggy: Not Utah. It's actually the landscape between Cook, Nebraska, and somewhere around Fort Collins, Colorado. Even though technology was taken back quite a few years, the book actually takes place more than 50 years in the future. So I imagined how cities through that area would've been been built up before they were destroyed by the green bombs, and how the other parts of the landscape-- such as rivers-- would've changed. It was a lot of fun taking some artistic license and creating the cities they ran into along the way. My favorite was creating a city whose walls are made entirely of glass. The setting for the entire book was a blast to play in.

Lissa: You’ve worked as a tutor for fourth graders struggling with reading. Did any of your experience with them influence your writing style with this series?

Peggy: It did. For some kids, reading is SO HARD. And in order to get them to want to work hard at it, it really helps if they're reading something that they can relate to, and that they get excited about reading. I think those years really helped me to get a better grasp on the kinds of stories and the kinds of characters that make kids want to work hard to read.

Lissa: Any chance of another book in this series or too early to know? What’s next for author Peggy Eddleman?

For right now, this is the final book. The main conflict is addressed, and comes to a satisfying conclusion, and I am very happy with it. There are a lot of threads-- some very exciting ones-- that I left open, so that kids can dream about what goes on beyond the story. And who knows? One day I might decide to come back to it. But right now, I'm very excited to have the conclusion available! I've turned my focus to writing a new story-- another action / adventure, of course.

If you missed the first Sky Jumpers book, it is out in paperback the same day that The Forbidden Flats releases-- one week from today!

Want to connect with Peggy online? 

 Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Goodreads | Newsletter

The First One is Free (On Chapter Samplers and More)

The concept of a sample is simple: give the potential customer a small taste of the product. The idea is that you trust the product is delicious enough (food sample) or good enough (beauty product) that samplers will become purchasing customers. And it works! (At least it does on me.) There is many a food item at Trader Joe's that I have bought on the spot and tons of beauty products at Sephora that have hooked me into wanting more (Boscia's Luminizing Black Mask, I'm looking esp. at you).  

Publishers often create chapter samplers and give them away. It's a great way for readers see if the story is one they want to get invested in. If I'm on the fence about buying a book, or have heard great things but want to see if the book gels with me personally, chapter samplers are a godsend. I've read chapter samplers on Facebook (where there is, in fact, a sampler of the first 50 pages of my novel The Memory of After) as well as downloaded them from Netgalley and ebookstores to read on my Nook. If I yell in frustration when the sampler ends and I want more immediately, then it's time to buy the book. 

I'll give you a recent example. I happened upon fellow league member Lissa Price's ENDERS sample (the first two chapters) and after reading that, I am itching to get my hands on the hardcover I preordered. But maybe I need to order the eBook too?! What are you doing to me, publishers?

Just a word of warning on that last link - if you haven't read STARTERS yet, you should start there, and until Feb. 1, you can get the whole STARTERS novel for just $2.99. 

Which samples have you wanting more? 

The release of ENDERS-- the best SF gets in your head

The best SF books get in your head and won't get out. Since I read Starters back in the galley stages, it's been one of those books. As the mother of two young children, I spend a lot of time updating their vaccinations, and every time they get a shot I think of Starters. And that's what makes this duology so fantastic: the captivating premise. Lissa Price took a mundane fact of life—something we've all been faced with—and created an entire world from it. If the goal of science fiction is to raise questions about our lives then the best science fiction books fully explore the implications of the here and now.

So you can imagine my distress at having to wait soooo long for the sequel Enders, but my friends, the wait is over, and I for one am not disappointed. Starters was one of the most twisted and exciting books I've read in recent memory, and I've been dying to get my hands on Enders, especially after the gorgeous new covers were revealed. (Side note: seriously, how amazing are these covers? I saw them at Comic Con and squealed.)

Enders is perhaps even more cinematic than Starters, and I hardly thought that was possible. In fact, I really hope a film adaptation is on the horizon because it would kick serious butt. But back to the actual story, telling you about the plot of Enders would be a travesty. You must read it yourself and enjoy the wild ride, so instead I'm going to tell you why this book stands out amongst dystopian science fiction.

1. A fully fleshed-out science fiction concept. Personally I tend to think most dystopians fall under the science fiction category, but in Enders we get to really see the technology and also the implications of it. At times I was reminded of reading some of my favorite Philip K. Dick novels, and that is a high compliment.

2. A fearless heroine. Callie has a lot of tough decisions to face (what YA heroine doesn't?) but she doesn't sit around waiting for someone to make them for her. She takes action even though her situation is terrifying.

3. Truly creepy villains. I read Starters at my gym, and I remember looking up and realizing there were a lot of older people there. My mind immediately labeled them Enders. Sure, the entire population of Enders aren't evil, but there's something about Old Man that gets under your skin. Is there anything more distressing than the idea of your grandpa being a super villain? Yeah, I didn't think so.

In short, the wait is over and now you can read the whole story back to back. In fact, you can even grab Starters on Kindle right now for $2.99, so there's no excuse not to, and trust me, you want to.

Go get Enders at:

Your local bookstore

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

Indiebound

Book Depository

Add it to:

Riffle

Goodreads

For more information about Starters, Enders, and the author behind them, visit www.lissaprice.com

Lissa has taught workshops at SCBWI and the La Jolla Writer’s Conference, and spoken on panels at ComicCon, WonderCon, WorldCon, Workstock, The LA Times Festival of Books and many more. She’s a member of SCBWI, SFWA, ITW, as well as one of the Apocalypsies, a group of 2012 debut YA authors. She also blogs at The League of Extraordinary Writers . She has lived in India and Japan, and once traveled completely around the globe over two years. Now she resides in Southern California with her husband, coyotes and the occasional deer.

Gennifer Albin holds a Masters degree in English Literature from the University of Missouri. A recovering academic, she turned to writing her own books. In her free time she sits on the National Novel Writing Month Advisory Board, laughs (and cries) with her mom writers group, and watches too much Doctor Who (if that's possible). Gennifer lives in Poulsbo Washington with her family. You can find Genn online at www.genniferalbin.com/

Launching Lissa Price's ENDERS

I am thrilled that Lissa Price's amazing sci-fi Enders is released tomorrow! I jumped at the chance to read an ARC of Enders. It was even more amazing than Starters, which is saying something.

(Haven't read Starters yet? A little recap: in the Spore War, virtually everyone between the ages of 20 & 60 was killed off, leaving Starters (under age 20) and Enders (over 60).
An evil company recruits poor street Starters, and puts a chip in their heads so they can be controlled by an Ender who rents their body to be able to do the things they used to do when they were young. Fascinating yet creepy, no? You should definitely pick it up if you haven't already!)

Both of these books kept me reading far into the night. Why? I'll tell you. :)

Top 5 Reasons to Buy Enders

1.The insanely high stakes
The stakes in Starters were high. The stakes in Enders blows them away. For one, the Old Man's voice is IN HER HEAD. And it has it's own special kind of creepy vibe. Plus, she finds out that the chips are much more dangerous than she thought, and it puts her bff and her brother in a lot of danger (not to mention her). AND, there is a much more sinister plan in place that threatens the lives of every single "Metal" (the Starters who have chips in their heads) if Callie doesn't save them.

2. The characters
The characters in Enders are incredible and engaging. Callie is smart, has a boat load of inner strength, steps well into her leadership role, is loyal like crazy, and is willing to risk big-time to protect not only those she loves, but others she doesn't even know at all. Hyden is a fascinating, smart, complex, rootable character full of conflict and problems and secrecy. One of the funnest parts is that you don't know if you should be rooting for him or not. Her bff Michael and her brother Tyler are, as always, enjoyable, and add a lot of chances for caring and conflict.

3. The action
There are explosions and car chases and being found when you thought you were safe, and enough other heart-pounding action to keep you on your toes, worrying about all the things that can happen.

4. The twists
From the new reveals in the way the chips work, to more details about the Metals and how they work, to how people can control others, to new characters introduced, to what happens to the characters you love, the twists in this book will keep surprising you over and over.

5. The mystery
I love how a mystery can pull you through a book, dying to solve it. And there are plenty of mysteries to solve in Enders. The two most notable is Hyden and Callie's dad. Hyden, because there are so many unknowns about his past and his motivations, and Callie's dad because we don't know nearly enough about what happened before he was exposed to the deadly virus. Both will pull you along and keep you guessing.

And the best thing is-- the wait is almost over! Enders releases TOMORROW. If you pick up a lucky penny, cross your fingers, and rub your rabbit's foot, you might just be able to find it in your local bookstore today! (And I highly recommend you do.)

Here's some other places you can buy it:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Indiebound

Book Depository

Your local bookstore

Lissa has taught workshops at SCBWI and the La Jolla Writer’s Conference, and spoken on panels at ComicCon, WonderCon, WorldCon, Workstock, The LA Times Festival of Books and many more. She’s a member of SCBWI, SFWA, ITW, as well as one of the Apocalypsies, a group of 2012 debut YA authors. She also blogs at The League of Extraordinary Writers . She has lived in India and Japan, and once traveled completely around the globe over two years. Now she resides in Southern California with her husband, coyotes and the occasional deer.

Interview with the authors of THESE BROKEN STARS

I'm so excited to have you meet Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman via this interview today. It's rare when authors collaborate on a YA book, but these two do it from across the universe (yes, League joke). I think you'll find their process as fascinating as I do. - Lissa



         Meagan Spooner                                                                                           Amie Kaufman


Whose idea was it to write as a team and who came up with the idea?

We'd been writing together, a series of collaborative story-telling games, for years before it ever occurred to us to write a novel together. The idea for THESE BROKEN STARS came when we were ready to start one such new game, and Amie wanted to make the setting a shipwreck, and Meg wanted to make the setting space. We came up with the idea of a shipwreck in space and intended to write a bunch of little vignettes to entertain each other, all about the little groups of survivors. But we got completely carried away by the very first such group we made: Lilac and Tarver. We never got to writing any other survivors, and ended up playing with the characters for over a year before we started to wonder if maybe other people might have fun reading about them too.

What is your writing process together?

We often play out conversations and events together via instant messenger long before we start drafting the book, just to make sure the characters are well-established, and we have a vague idea of the events to come. Once we feel we've got a good handle on our characters, we then alternate writing chapters; Amie writes the boys, and Meg writes the girls. In revision, however, all bets are off, and we both rewrite stuff from each other's chapters. There are actually significant chunks of THESE BROKEN STARS where we honestly can't remember who wrote what.

Is it faster or slower writing as a team?

It's usually faster to write together, because we can literally work around the clock--due to the time zone difference, Amie's going to sleep in Australia around the time Meg's waking up in America. We usually do a little hand-off, recapping what we did and where we're up to, and then the other one takes over. That said, it's much slower to revise as a team. With revision we're much more careful to discuss everything, and make sure we're not making unwanted changes. That requires us to find more time to be online at the same time, and a LOT more working around the time difference, so it often requires more time than it would if there was only one person making decisions.

Any advice to writers considering writing as teams?

Communicate! The number one thing we see that tears collaborations apart is a lack of communication ahead of time. You have to make sure your goals are the same (do you want to get published? are you just writing for fun?). You have to make sure your expectations are out in the open (how fast do you expect your partner to work? how much of the book does each person write?). You have to make sure you agree on where the story is going--and if you don't agree, you have to know exactly how to work out that dispute. We've known each other for so long that we already had that communication in place, but it can be frustrating to work with someone whose expectations don't match your own.

Anything else you'd like to tell the League readers?

Thanks so much for reading, guys! If you want to know more about THESE BROKEN STARS, we put up all our news, along with contests and sneak peeks of upcoming projects, on our newsletter. You can sign up for that here. You can also find Amie and Meg on Twitter at @amiekaufman and @meaganspooner. And finally, if you've got questions, we're both on Tumblr: meaganspooner.tumblr.com + amiekaufman.tumblr.com. Isn't social media awesome? Authors and readers, a click away from each other.

 

 

 

 

GRAVITY, the film, and why it’s so important – (SPOILER FREE)

I’m curious how many of you have seen the new, number-one film GRAVITY, starring Sandra Bullock? I had heard good buzz so I went in with high expectations but it moved me beyond expectations. I’ll forgo discussing the plot because this film is best experienced as purely as possible.

First, lets get the accuracy issues out of the way. Mark Uhran, who was a director of NASA’s International Space Station (ISS) division said, "My first reaction was that the cinematography was of spectacular realism. I've never seen that done before."

Buzz Aldrin and others have commented on this and many agree it is the most realistic fictional space film to date. Of course, that doesn’t mean it is 100 percent accurate. Sandra’s hair doesn’t float around and she doesn’t wear an adult diaper, I get it. I won’t go into any inaccuracies that would reveal plot points but you can read about those after you’ve seen the movie. Obviously, the director, Alfonso Cuaron, (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men) had to make some artistic choices for the sake of the story. And I’m glad he did.

I am very happy to set aside some inaccuracies to be able to feel the emotions and wonder I felt while watching this film. To be able to go to space, in effect, and see the beauty of it inside a thriller that puts me on the edge of my seat, that’s what I want. The script is tight – there’s just enough backstory to enable you to bond with the characters – and the direction is elegant. Cuaron is not afraid of long, silent, lyrical moments. The 3D, which I hate most of the time, works here because it’s essential to making you feel completely immersed, as if you are wearing her helmet, often seeing space the way the character is seeing it.

And it is that identification, the roller-coaster ride of emotions that make this so good. When it was over, I was drained but wanted to see it again. And I’m sure I will.

Why is this movie so important? Buzz Aldrin said it best:

“We're in a very precarious position of losing all the advancements we've made in space that we did 40 years ago, 50 years ago. From my perspective, this movie couldn't have come at a better time to really stimulate the public.”

Amazing fact: Bullock is afraid of flying

So the parabolic airplane flights that were used for Apollo 13 were not an option. The 30 second limit would have been too short anyway for the long takes seen in Gravity. Instead, they used a 12-wire suspension system, and then filmed with robotic cameras while puppeteers pulled their strings. Other scenes were shot with Bullock on a variety of rigs set up on a turntable. And a special Light Box was invented to handle the close-ups. All this meant that Bullock had to be a Cirque-du-Soleil acrobat while she was acting. The entire film is head-shakingly amazing.

What it might have been:

Robert Downey Jr. backed out of the Clooney role due to scheduling conflicts. The first actors approached for Bullock’s part were Natalie Portman, Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson, and Blake Lively.

Did you see it? Can you imagine any of those actors in the roles?

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Need an Agent? Look at Publisher’s Marketplace

Have you met a nice agent at a conference but have no clue about their professional history? What have they sold, when and for how much? Choosing the agent to represent you is key to your career. You’ve spent months or years writing the manuscript, so it’s well worth the time spent on research to find the perfect agent for you.

When you are ready, one of the best things you can do is to sign up for Publisher’s Marketplace. This is a source that is used by just about everyone in publishing. It costs around $20 a month, but is worth every penny when you need agent information. It lists the current sales of manuscripts, shows which editor acquired the property, which agent sold it, and often mentions a rough estimate of the price.

The search function in the deals category is extremely powerful. You can find how many sales an agent has reported in the last year or two or more. I’ve heard agents say that not all sales are reported, but why withhold this publicity opportunity for you, them and the book? You can also search for a category or a specific keyword. Say you are thinking of writing a book about puffins. You can see if anyone has sold a manuscript recently about puffins. It doesn’t mean you won’t still write your concept, it just gives you more information. You can also search more broadly, say for a category like middle grade or a genre like fantasy, to see how many of those have sold in the last week or month.

You can create your own page there if you like. This is particularly helpful to writers who also have a side business like editing.

A great timesaver function is the ability to set up alerts to track certain editors or agents (that sounds dangerously like stalking, but it’s not). If you’re considering five agents, you can put them on your tracking list so whenever they report deals, it will automatically show in your tracking area. There will be days when you’re too busy to read all the deals, and this is a perfect shortcut. But every so often, scan all the deals to give you a sense of what is now selling – and what is not.

And of course the site lists job opportunities and publishing insider news. You can start with the free Publisher’s Lunch, and get the news sent to your email. It’s a shortened version of the one sent to subscribers, but it’s free.

If you want to be a published author, the key is writing the great book. But it also helps to know what those in the business know. It’s all just waiting for you.

Subscribe to Publisher's Marketplace
Publisher's Marketplace Twitter
Publisher's Marketplace Facebook

Paperback Release for Lissa Price's Starters + Portrait of a Spore

After a hugely successful run in hardcover (7 printings!), STARTERS is finally coming out in paperback today. And as a thank you to fans, Lissa wrote a special short story just for the paperback: Portrait of a Spore.

So what's Portait of a Spore about?  PoaS is told from two points of view - one gives us insight into the "mind" of a Spore, bioengineered to wipe out everyone in North America without the vaccine (mostly those from 18-65) leaving only children and teens (Starters) and the elderly (Enders).  The other point of view is Callie's mother.

The story covers the morning and afternoon of the spores arrival in Callie's hometown. It fleshes out Callie's backstory and gives us some really great mother/daughter moments. Definitely worth the read!

Also, EW.com had an exclusive reveal yesterday of the Enders cover, with an excerpt as well - leave a comment on that post and you could win a copy of the paperback or a gift card. (International entries accepted).

Find out more about Lissa Price and Starters at her website and Facebook.  Follow her on twitter.

See Lissa and Genn at Comic Con International 2013!

Hi Leaguers! Gennifer Albin and Lissa Price will soon be at the craziness that is Comic-Con to talk about YA novels. Signings will take place immediately after the talks, in the autograph area in the Sails Pavilion on this same upper level. Mysterious Galaxy will be handling book sales right there at the signing tables and they will have the new Starters paperback with the exclusive 25p short story, “Portrait of a Spore,” before it will be available for everyone else on July 23rd.

Lissa will also give out brand new postcards, sign with unique artwork and do a special giveaway for people in her signing line.

Gennifer will be signing at the Macmillan booth (1220) at 11 am on Sunday.  The first 20 people in line will receive ARCs of ALTERED.

Saturday, July 20 • 11:00am - 12:00pm

When Grrls Fall in Love

From The Hunger Games' Katniss to Divergent's Tris, no one knows how to give a solid ass-kicking like a YA novel heroine. But when these young ladies aren't saving the world, overthrowing powerful regimes, or slaying everything from zombies to dragons, they still find time for romance. Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments), Ally Condie (Matched), Veronica Roth (Divergent), Holly Black (The Coldest Girl in Coldtown), Marissa Meyer (Scarlet), Lissa Price (Starters), and Veronica Wolff (The Watchers) discuss the delicate balance between killing and kissing, and what it takes to properly woo a YA heroine. Moderated by Sherri Smith (Orleans).

Saturday July 20, 2013 11:00am - 12:00pm

Room 23ABC

  1: Programs, Horror and Suspense, Mysteries & Crime Dramas, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Writers & Writing

Sunday, July 21 • 2:30pm - 3:30pm

Safety Not Guaranteed

Dystopian societies, postapocalyptic scenarios, enhanced (and deadly) abilities, and mysterious government branches make the future a not-so-safe place to be. Moderator Anna Jarzab (Tandem) joins authors Marie Lu (the Legend series), Genn Albin (Crewel), Brandon Sanderson (Steelheart), Margaret Stohl (Icons), Amy Tintera (Reboot), and Michael Johnston (Frozen) as they discuss what it takes to survive in the future worlds they've created.

Sunday July 21, 2013 2:30pm - 3:30pm

Room 23ABC

  1: Programs, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Writers & Writing

Geeky Fun - Visiting Uncle Forry

Forrest J Ackerman in 2006, about two years before I met him. Photo by A. Light

One of the best geeky fun days I had was visiting Forrest J Ackerman’s home. Dear Forry left us five years ago, but he was a key figure of science fiction and fantasy for many decades as an editor, a collector, a writer and speaker. He’s credited for coining the term “sci-fi” in the 60s but in response many authors (including Harlan Ellison) made a point of rejecting that term as degrading and instead promoted “speculative fiction.” Uncle Forry was once the agent for Ed Wood and he embraced the glorious schlock of the sff B-movies. Talk about geek heaven, his home was more of a museum, filled with movie props and treasures. Models and masks of monsters and spaceships occupied every corner. My favorite was a framed short story submission by Stephen King when he was so young he didn’t call himself “Stephen.”

But for someone so enamored of dramatic displays, it’s hard to live to be 92 without drama in your own life. Forry had more than his share. His wife died from an injury sustained in a mugging on a European vacation. He had endless financial problems that appeared to be solved when he won a large six-figure business lawsuit. But then the judgment was never paid, as he explained to me. He ended up losing his mansion and downsizing into a Hollywood cottage, cramming in as much of his memorabilia as possible, floor to ceiling. He had a few books and magazines and buttons for sale and I bought what I could at the time to help support him. He was much thinner a year or two after the photo by A. Light above, but he continued to love meeting people and sharing his delight in his wonderfully geeky world.

Editing Tips & Tricks

This week’s topic is “Editing Tips and Tricks,” so see if there's anything here that can help you in your next edit.

TIP

Start your edit at the big picture. If it’s not clear what the main character wants, what the problem is and who opposes her or him, then no amount of line editing is going to help. Work on the spine of the story first. Is the structure solid? One book I like is Elizabeth Lyon’s Manuscript Makeover. She raises great questions that can help to get to the next draft. Also very helpful before or after you write your draft is Donald Maass' The Breakout Novelist.

 


TRICK

Let some time pass between your first rough draft and the first edit. This allows your brain to look at the draft with fresher eyes. The amount of time you wait is a personal choice. The longer you let it sit, the more you’ll gain the perspective to read it like your readers would. But wait too long, and you’ll be a different person. Some people wait two weeks; some wait a year.

TIP

Find a writer’s group, preferably an in-person group of supportive writers who are close to your level. They will become your beta readers and they can often shortcut the rewrite process by their honest feedback.

TRICK

If you live in a remote area, then maybe it's impossible to have an in-person writing group. You might have to make your connections via the computer. Or maybe you’ll first find these writers by meeting them at a conference or convention. Afterward, you can carry on by using email and maybe plan your own once-a-year retreats.

TIP

If you live near a University, see if they have extension program classes. Not only will you learn while taking the class, but you’ll meet other writers in your area.

TIP

After you’ve let your manuscript sit, when you’re ready to read it, try to go through it the first time without marking the pages. Allow yourself to be a reader and feel the story. If you must, make notes on a separate pad but no line notes. One of the most common weaknesses in a first draft by a beginning writer is simply this: not saying what you mean.

TIP

Once you’ve finished reading it through, this is the time to make notes to yourself about how far it is from what you first intended. Don’t worry, you won’t be alone – every artist goes through this process.

TIP

Some writers don’t want to show anyone their first rough draft and that’s fine. If you’re the type who is confident you can see what’s wrong and correct it on the next draft, do that. But most beginning writers benefit from the feedback. When you get it, listen to it. Take notes without questioning or defending, go home and type them up so they’re legible. Let the notes sit a few days or a week before you reread them. This process will take the emotional sting out of the criticism. The comments won’t seem so personal and you’ll be able to accept them more easily. Decide which notes resonate with you (especially ones that were repeated by more than one person). Learn to separate the suggested fixes from the problems with the draft. Often the fix isn’t right but the beta reader found a problem that should be addressed.

TRICK

The office supply store is your friend. Arm yourself with Post-it ™ notes and 3x5 cards because you want to be able to get down and dirty. You have to be willing to tear apart your structure to come up with something better and stronger. You might chop off the first chapter; move chapter five to become chapter one; write a whole new ending. Be brave.

TIP

Never forget that your manuscript is fluid.

TRICK

Once you have the structure the way you want it and the story seems to be working for you, get a fresh read from a couple of new readers. Repeat the process of revision until you are satisfied and your writing buddies are begging you to take it out on submission.

Don’t worry, you will be going through this process again… once you sell your project to an editor.