Hemingway & Editing

I’m editing weekends, probably through the end of April. I’m 14k words into the 3rd draft. Work, work, work. Then on to beta readers, hopefully. 🙂

Also, I found a cool new (to me) website.

http://hemingwayapp.com/

Simple editor that will show you reading level, number of adverbs, passive use and complexity of your sentences. You simply paste in some text to the “Write” pane and click “Edit”. Simple!

I typically use Grammarly, which is powerful. However, Hemingwayapp is web based, FREE, and simple. Check it out!

99 Scenes to Edit on the Wall, 99…

 

http://desperatelyseekingseersucker.blogspot.com/2010/03/99-bottles-of-beer-on-wall.html

Take one down, chop it around, 98 scenes to edit on the wall.

And so it goes. I’m heads down on the third draft of my first book.

I spent the last few days of December and all of January working on the second book. I got in nearly 30k words. And I like the story so far. Good thing.

But now, back to editing. The third draft “should” be good. I’ve gotten two scenes done this Valentines weekend. I took a four-day writing holiday, President’s day and all.

The goal here is to be done with the third draft before the PNWA writers conference in July. I do well when I have measurable items to accomplish. Just looking at the manuscript as a whole is impossibly daunting. But, looking at it as a collection of scenes to be editing, expanded or deleted makes the effort possible.

Here goes!

 

On to the Second Draft

The majority of first draft content is copied over into the new scene structure. There was much rejoicing. Now I can get back to the fun part of actual writing. There are plenty of scenes with little to no content. Onward.

Writing again

I was able to do some writing over the weekend. Finally did a fun section where the protag and antag meet for the first time and work out the deal that drives the remainder of the book.

Most importantly I redid the outline for the book. I feel much better about the beginning of the book. It starts slower but lays important groundwork without a bunch of backstory. I was asking too much of my reader in the previous version. The trick will be to establish a good pace early.

That’s about it.
Hope everyone is being productive and happy.

World Building

One piece of editorial advice I got from my, well, editor of course, was that my world was not described enough nor built. So, I’m spending time dreaming the details of my world. I know some of the information, but I need to get it out of my head and onto the page.

I flew down to Fresno yesterday to watch of friend of mine and his band play at an outdoor festival today. He was the lead singer in our band back in the 70’s. Life got in the way of our fame. >.< :D. What in tarnation does that have to do with world building, Ty? Well, I want the heat and dust of Fresno, and the coastlands of Santa Cruz. Fresa Cruz? Santa Fres? Fresean? Oceano? Hmm. Naming will have to come later.

What's important about this world? Maybe the stuffs that relate to the plot? One place on the world will be desolate, dusty, and, gasp, weedy. One will be lush and stroked by ocean breezes. One will be orderly, structured, prosperous and somehow enticing. A world building here I go!

Like a Horse at the Gate

I’m on vacation.
It’s in the 80’s in Seattle.
My mom’s visiting. (we get along, even my wife gets along with her, she’s a peach).
I’m anxious to get started on my second draft.
But, it’s soooo beautiful outside.
There’s like bright stuff and warmth and junk.
I’m struggling to get to my reader.
I’m gonna go sit outside. We don’t get much of this kinda weather.
Please forgive me. I’ll be back.

Back to the book!

This has been a good break. I’ve read three books, reviewed them, and am finishing up a fourth (Cory Doctorow – Little Brother). Hoping to finish this book by Saturday night so I can pick back up the editing process on Sunday.

Here’s hoping!

Hot Topic/Cold Prose

I recently sent off the first three chapters of my book to my editor Barbara Varanka. I had no illusion that the chapters were close to final. Rather, I was hoping they at least conveyed good information about the characters, a sense of the story, and the mood. I was also interested in learning about my bad habits and how to correct them.

Barbara sent back a marked up and commented copy of the first three chapters, and we reviewed it together over Google+ hangout today. Something I’ve learned from my early days in creative writing class, oh, about a hundred years ago, is that feedback is feedback. It is like ideas, ideas are not good or bad, they are ideas. It’s what you do with them that make them helpful or useless. Today I really appreciated the honest feedback I received. I feel like I can move forward with completing a second draft. The best feedback was to use “cold prose” because of the “hot topic”. The story is dystopian and opens with a tense scene. That was huge feedback. Another one of my friends had commented that I used too much poetic forms in the early chapters. Basically the same feedback. I know what to do now because of this feedback intersection.

I can move forward with more confidence because of my editor’s markup, and comments, and because of my friend’s feedback. So vital. It wasn’t necessary to send my whole first draft, because most of my problems repeat. Feedback is like having a guide to a good fishing hole. I know how to fish, but I don’t know the best bait for the best holes.

I’m also having some “aha” moments reading “Invisible Ink”. Great book on the art of crafting a story. I’m going to finish my current two books, then read a Cory Doctorow book before I end this break from writing.

Also, I recommend Barbara’s editing services. I will likely go back to her for more editing once I get further in my drafting.

Still on a writing/editing break

Breaks are great. I have found that I eventually float up over the tree tops and can look down to see a good path for the next bit of the journey. I recommend taking a break regularly. I find that I slowly get less “hungry” to write or edit over some trail of weeks. When that happens I get off the trail, heat up second breakfast and start reading or thinking. Certainly never both at the same time. ;). Eventually the rabbit stew gets cooked and the fragrance fills my nose, and whoa is that a rabbit in the front yard…

Wrestling…one issue resolved

I have decided about my controversial topic. I’m keeping it in. This is not a light thing for me. Once the book is published (self-published), I may lose some of my current friends. Not my goal, but I need to be true to the story. Phew. It’s still scary for me.