Category Archives: A blog about the topics of writing

A blog about the topics of writing, Writing topics

A tip to help you edit your manuscript

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As you grow in your writing, you learn tricks of the trade. These are invaluable because they help save you time and improve your manuscript. Then there are the tips you might hear about from other writers when they share what they have heard used.

When someone said that they read their works backup, my head immediately looked up to turn to look at her. I was surprised. I was even more surprised when I saw some of the other members nod their heads.

What the heck, read your manuscript backward? According to them, when you read your manuscript, your mind tricks you into believing you have read every word. The mind skims over words, especially if you have read your WIP to heck and back. Your brain is unable to do this as readily. Because who reads a book backward? By doing so, you catch errors missed and errors that were big that could have made your manuscript tank.

It turned out it was an actual thing once I read it online about this shortly after the meeting,

Yes, I have read a page or two but nothing significant. I keep telling myself I will do it. If it is another tool to make your work pop, I need to make an honest effort to try it for myself. Thank goodness my children’s series are not so long. But oh man, when I work on my manuscripts in the 50K, it will take me convincing myself a lot to give this a go.

A blog about the topics of writing, Writing tips and ideas

Do you stand outside the fire as an author?

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Standing outside the fire is one of my favorite songs from Garth Brooks. After I heard the lyrics for the first time, they spoke to me. But then I had a different take on it.

Do we stand outside the fire when it comes to our writing? Do we only peak now and then when we have a free moment or when the mood hits us? Do you let it sit in front of you? Can it churn itself alone while you stand outside waiting for the next step to appear? If we fail to make an effort, will the fire grow or burn to ashes?

Sitting outside is safe, and if that is all you want from your book, awesome. But if you want more, you have to tend to it repeatedly, letting it grow in its flame growing and growing until it has a life of its own.

It is hard to write a book. Many parts will include dialogue, plotting, character development, research, and more. These are all things I was naive about before writing. Those who don’t write can be clueless like I was. Perhaps more so.

Many steps can make you slow down or quit. Standing outside the fire of your writing, wanting to continue but letting things stop you. I get that life, health issues, and family issues in some ways. But do you let it get in your head, and you are putting yourself outside the circle?

And even if you finish and get it published, however, the route you go, you have to promote and market.

While I have a publisher that markets my work, I still need to do my part.

Promotion is not easy or very fun, and it takes a lot of time and effort from each of us. And any little thing can derail us from doing it while we logic it away. But where we end up with our book depends on where we are on this journey.

We can get railed in so many ways, some of them produced by us. After writing this post, I can see why some of us stand outside the fire.

A blog about the topics of writing, Writers helping writers

It’s complicated: Is it really?

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How many times have you heard in a movie or TV the phrase, “It’s complicated,” or read it in a book? If you are like me, then too many to count. It has gotten old. It has been for a while now.

How about you write out the scene? It does not have to be a full-blown back story but just a bit to explain it. I often scream at the TV when I hear the phrase. Take some time, do a little work and explain why it is, in your view, complicated.

Your job as a writer for a show or a movie is to write. The cheap way out, and sadly it works for the most part, is frustrating. But another sad part is that people hear it, accept it and move on, not putting the writers against the wall and holding them accountable.

How about saying what is it? We are too lazy to get into it right now. We don’t want to bother you. We know you will accept the word even if we never explain it. Why does it even happen?

Our readers and viewers deserve better, don’t they? If you paid good money for a book or a movie, and let’s face those are getting pricier as the years go by, you should receive your bang for the money. We deserve better if we are writers producing such books and movies.

I don’t see this changing anytime soon, if ever, but I had to let this out. Why? I guess it’s not so complicated for me.