Now what?

It’s over. The annual November writing marathon is a thing of the past. We’re done. 

Almost, at least for me. 

I hit 50K words but I’m not yet done. It was more of a Na3/4NoWriMo thing for me, with a quarter more to go. The final few chapters are done. To muddle through the murky middle melancholy, I jumped ahead, knowing how it was to end, and wrote the ending. Then I doubled back, filling in the story with short summary chapters that helped march the story toward the end. Once the general direction had been established, I went back and expanded on the individual chapter summaries. I’ve still got about ten or so chapters to flesh out.

The question is what to do with it now, other than to finish it? Once it’s complete, then what? 

I suppose there are varying strategies. These imaginary characters have been a major part of my life for the last five weeks. They and their issues are on the brain and I’m very aware of what kind of things need to be resolved. I’m in a groove, the keyboard is tapping, the story is flowing and I’m not sure I want to let that go. Plus, I want to workshop it this summer at WIFYR and it’s not ready for that.

On the other hand, forgetting about the whole thing for a few months is not a bad option, either. Hide it away on a flash drive and let it stew in the subconscious and view it later with fresh eyes and a refreshed head.

I’ve ignored the story somewhat this week. I was steady with it and dedicated up through November 30. Once December hit, the urge to keep up with it wasn’t as strong, and other obligations have been ignored for a while. I’ve been more sociable with loved ones this last week. And reading. I didn’t get much of that done in November and have been enjoying that again. 

So, what is your strategy? Make December NaNoRevMo - National Novel Revision Month, or give yourself a break?

(This article also posted at http://writetimeluck.blogspot.com)

Those nasty adverbs

I’m probably not the one to talk about this.

I use them a lot. Religiously, in fact. They just inadvertently slip in. I write away and Miss Anti-ly Lady - she’s an awesome critiquers - finds them. Inevitably. What’s wrong with a few adverbs here and there? How do you do without them? I mean really?

Some of them I can do without. When Anti-ly sees them, and she sees them all, a good most of them don’t need to be there. I pull them out. But others I like.

I have been studying the idea and pulled ideas from the sites listed below. There are a few reasons not to use adverbs. They weaken your writing. It shows the author somehow needs to choose another way to express an idea. And lastly, a while ago as they were compiling a book of rules for writers, someone said don’t use –ly words. Everybody went along with it and now it’s the law.

In terms of weakened writing, I understand and I agree. It’s a show, don’t tell thing. The following, for example, presents one sentence stronger than the other.

-“Why did you do that?” she asked angrily.

-“Why did you do that?” she hissed.

It does show a physical cliché that Julie Daines referred to in a February post. But without the adverb, it is stronger.  

There are adverbs that are unnecessary.

-Jack stealthily hid behind the door. He quickly pulled out a knife. He finally decided to confront his assailant.

None of the sentences need the adverbs. June Casgrande blogs that they are stronger without them. And packed in a tight space the wording doesn’t sound comfortable.

The Emert site gives great examples of superfluous adverbs. The adverb is unnecessary in the radio blared loudly or totally flabbergasted as blared infers loud and flabbergasted implies astonishment that is total.

I get that. But adverbs must exist for a reason. A health nut would want to know if her food is organically grown. When a person smiles, they could smile mischievously but if they did so shyly, wickedly, or joyfully, it paints a different picture. Sometimes messages must be spoken emphatically. You can’t have your characters give up –ly words just to fall back to physical clichés. I like adverbs.

What is wrong with adverbs in dialogue? My middle grade MC is still working on figuring out his place in the world and he uses adverbs. Seriously. It is how kids and people speak. If I want my dialogue to sound kid-like, seems an adverb here or there wouldn’t hurt.

The most persuasive site I found in objection to adverbs is Erik Emert’s 2001site.

This is a compilation of the rules, the ones writers are supposed to adhere to. Emert sites some big names in writing, Browne and King, and others, so you have to listen. Perhaps I am too much of an amateur to fully understand. And please pardon my adverb. It just slipped in. But it clarifies my meaning.

So, “they” say you shouldn’t use –ly words. Others justify their existence if used judiciously. For Anti-ly Lady, they stick out. I don’t know about you, but I’ll still slip a few in once in a while.

Carol Williams shared a story at an SCBWI event this year. She had laid down the law on adverbs. A student dutifully obeyed but had a heck of a time avoiding referring to her family. And they couldn’t fly anywhere. I say let’s lighten up on –ly words.

Seriously.

WYFIR reminder. Don't be too late to sign up for this wonderful conference. Discount for SCBWI members.

References

http://www.grammarunderground.com/thoughts-on-the-old-avoid-adverbs-advice.html

http://www.users.qwest.net/~yarnspnr/writing/adverbs/adverbs.htm

https://iovere.wordpress.com/tag/why-writers-should-avoid-adverbs/

http://mattmoorewrites.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/the-avoid-adverbs-rule-is-very-wrong/

http://www.marklanden.com/2012/04/18/3-reasons-not-rules-to-avoid-adverbs/

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=389989

Writig resolutions

In his post yesterday, Scott asked who does resolutions.

Maybe I’m an old fashioned kind of guy, but I like making New Year’s resolutions. The start of a new year is a time to reflect on what has been accomplished the last twelve months and how things could be improved. It’s a new beginning on the same old life. A fresh start is a chance to break old habits and establish new ones.

Not that I stick to them.  Sometimes they are out of here as fast as the Christmas tree waiting on the pick-up curb. A stroke of genius on December 31 can become a hazy memory on New Year’s Day. Some may make it a few weeks out. That new gym membership gets used for a couple of weeks but by March is a waste of money. Good intentions. Lousy follow-through.

After failing consistently for the last umpteen New Years, I’m becoming an expert at making resolutions. General, overall goals seem better than specific, time-dated ones. For example, if I resolve to exercise daily, then I give up on it after the first day I miss, usually around Jan. 3^rd or 5^th. When I tell myself to walk three or four times a week and fit in a yoga class here and there, I am more successful.

A few years back I took stock of things and resolved to write that book that had been on the brain for twenty years. Look where I am now. I thought I had talent and could write and made a rough draft. A friend suggested WYFIR. I learned there’s a difference between talent and writing skill. Six years later and I’m still learning the craft.

So, be it resolved:
-of course the usual: end to world hunger, lose twenty pounds, fast car, etc., etc.
-and the more doable goals: garage cleaned by 2018, think about what I'm eating once in a while, and what-not.

My Writing Resolutions for 2013

1. Finish revising project A by the end January.

2. Research agents and editors, find the best fit for my manuscript, create a killer query, and turn off writer mode and switch to salesperson.

3. Get Project A signed on with an agent or publisher. (Out of my hands. I know. Had to throw it in.)

4. Figure out project B. That is my new NaNoWriMo story and it is far from finished.

5. Attend a writing conference. I’m going to WIFYR again this year; that is a given. I’ll make it two conferences then. I did Cheryl Klein’s plot class in November. Nothing better to inspire writing than a workshop on the craft.

6. Stay connected with my critiquers. You guys are great.
7. Write daily. I do best with a 60-minute a day goal. Some days it doesn’t happen, but the goal itself keeps me there even on those days when you can’t squeeze in an hour.

8. Read daily. Someone once said that reading counts as writing time. Though most people my age read adult fiction, we children’s writers tend to go for something aimed at younger audiences. There are a lot of excellent children’s stories out there and reading them makes your own better.

9. Establish an online presence. Publishers want to know the writer is doing what they can to promote their book.

All this and yet balance it out with the rest of my life. Oh, and one more. I resolve to have my Saturday posts finished by Friday evenings.