Brush Up With These Writers

If your grammar or English is a little rusty, this post might be of some use to you. Come back! It's OK, I am not going to try and teach you to suck eggs. I am however going to be a showcase of links to other blogs that have been very useful for me this week.

I am ejukating miselph as best I can, and it's eesyer bcawse ov the peeple what rote the posts.
Seriously, I love reading reminder posts.

Nicola Morgan over at Help! I Need a Publisher!, guides us through the apostrophe.
I will never forget my tutor once wrote a note after I had written: blah...and my dog's dinner tonight. Mr Key wrote, well I am so glad I do not have an invitation to eat. Every time I use one of these ' little doophries, I cringe. I think is Mr Key watching and cringing with me, have I put it in the right place? I spend more time moving that little symbol around the s than I do procratinating!
Anyway, Nicola is an English teacher and has a lesson for us. If you have never met Nicola, I am sure she will not scare you away with her post, she explains it so well.

I am now reading through the work I have already edited. I am editing my edits. Why? Well, I came across Les Edgerton yesterday, and he has a great post on 'As and -ing' in our novels.

Foreshadowing was a great post written by The Plot Whisperer, it has now been followed up by The Opposite of Foreshadowing, an equally useful post.

Juggling Chapters: Correcting The Balance

During my edit session today, I came across two chapters that I enjoyed reading. I had forgotten I had written them if the truth be told. They were drafted at the start of my novel writing days, and I never found the correct place for them.

They both had dialogue between the same characters, and I felt that the conversation side of the chapter would be useful. I played around with both chapter x and y. I found character C, of no use at all, so sent him over to novel two waiting area.
Character D was a lively chap, so I decided he might enjoy the company of Character F, instead of E.
It worked! They got on so well, in fact she ended up pregnant and they married. They are only worker ants in the scheme of things, but their work is important.

Next I wondered where to put them. Were they in the right department? No, they were out of place, most definately out of their depth, so they moved house. Yeah! That worked wonders and gave me chance to introduce dialogue from y.

I then set about chapter y, it was too far along in the storyline and now stood out like a sore thumb, 'hey look at me, I make no sense at all now'. It needed to move back three or four chapters. So I decided to start at chapter one and move onwards, until I found its niche.

It stayed as part of chapter one, it balanced the whole scene and introduced dialogue.
I had not brought a conversation into the wip for a few chapters. Introducing it now, I realise how flat the novel was at the start, interesting yet devoid of life. The conversation brought my work alive for me.

DH brought coffee and informed me that a lunch was ready, (see how spoilt I am?). Refreshed I returned to the ms. I read the new pages through in one session, yes much better. So what about the others?

I printed them all off, laid them on the floor, then I sat and played. The chapter juggling process was worth it, my ms now has characters who belong together and can hold a conversation.
It just goes to show, just when you think you have completed your work, there is always a way to improve it.
The added bonus to this is that I have a character in waiting for Ripped Genes. I have put something I learned into practice and it worked. I have cut down editing time by days.
My critique friend is reading the old version at the moment, as soon as she hands over that, I will ask her to glance at the new version and await her opinion.
I have an idea that she might enjoy the second one a little better. I will let you know.

What a Week! ( Now I Have Won a Book)

Yesterday was a glass of wine on the porch day. If you read yesterday's post, I was listed on Top 100 Poetry Blog, and then I was gifted a blog award. The sun was a perfect Spring temperature and I was free from writing hurdles. Happy Day!

During the week I have been concentrating on a few authors with blogs, who have kindly given me a lot of encouragement. Emily Bryan is one of those authors. She held an interview with guest author, Miranda Neville. It was a great relaxed, interesting post and both ladies kept the flow going in the comment box. The comments then ventured into dream world of who would you cast as your lead man, should your book become a movie. Colin Firth was mentioned in my comment because I just love to have that 'lake' moment whenever I can.
Well, the great news is that, the lovely Miranda was giving away her book to one lucky person...yes, I won it, I was that person! What a day, hey?

So what about the book that is winging its way to Cyprus?

It is THE WILD MARQUIS (by Miranda Neville), and was released this month.


I pinched this snippet from Miranda's website, I am sure she won't mind me sharing:

The first book in the Burgundy Club series featuring Regency rare book collectors

The Marquis of Chase is not a reputable man.

He is notorious for his wretched morals and never received in respectable houses. The ladies of the ton would never allow him in their drawing rooms . . . though some of them have welcomed him into their bedchambers. Rejected from his father’s house at the age of sixteen, he now lives a life of wanton pleasure. So what could the Marquis of Chase possibly want with Juliana Merton, a lovely, perfectly upstanding shopkeeper with a mysterious past?
A moment’s indiscretion?
A night’s passion?
Or a lifetime of love?
Even the wildest rakes have their weaknesses . .

Again my thanks go to Emily & Miranda

Now in celebration...

Oh It Just Gets Better and Better!

As you are aware if you have read my last three posts, I am in very positive place at the moment. My writing and frame of mind have moved up more than a rung or two on the ladder of struggle. And now my ego has been given a little boost, yet again.

I was thrilled to be contacted by a fellow poet, Princess Haiku she told me she found me because she had been listed on the 100 Best Poetry Blogs by Accredited Online Colleges.Org. and I am number 43. Yes I am on a list, a good list...a wonderful list!

At this moment in my life my bubble is full of air and flying high. I do know it will get popped in the form of rejections later down the line, but for the moment I will live on the happy cloud.

You may think, so what? Is that an important thing? To me, yes as this is the sort of platform a writer needs to build nowadays. The P word is on the lips of many authors, it is the way to show you are established, confident and known in various places. It is part of the new marketing world that a writer has to learn to love.
By coincidence, Helen Ginger has written about platform building over at Blood-Red Pencil.

Talking of Helen: She has given me an award. I am not one for turning away an award, and usally always receive them with grace and decorum. Thanks Helen, curtsey, bow and trip.

Today, I confess... I snatched and grabbed it with both hands. Well, wouldn't you? Helen Ginger is not just a blogger, she is an editor, a published writer and a supporter of this crazy Brit. She is special and I am lucky she is in my cyberworld. Thank You Helen.
She claims her sister used to beat her up--how could that be? You do not beat up beautiful people!
I have to work for the award, but am willing to do so. These are the rules: I must link to the person who nominated me for this award (done), share seven interesting things about myself, and nominate seven other beautiful bloggers.

1. I did CPR on the trade union leader of the UK in the 70's and was photographed by the tabloid press. The ward sister smashed the camera and I never made the front page. He and his wife bought me roses and tickets to see Mardis Gras, but I went down with Chicken Pox two days before the show.
   
2. I have had many dreams that have come true. Over the years I have learned to record them or tell someone about them. I told three individuals about the Boxing Day Tsunami, a week before it happened. Not something I wish to remember.
   
3. My DH and Children have faith in me I am lucky.
4. I left night shifts in the UK and live in stress free Cyprus. Foolish? No I don't think so either.
   
5. I danced in the Royal Albert Hall in London and then exactly 20years later, to the EXACT day I watched my DH receive his degree from the Queen Mother there. Will I go there for a third time in my life?
6. I was the only Nuclear Medicine Nurse in my unit and had to get the hospital to change an emergency patient policy within one hour. The change meant I could inject an emergency patient, with nuclear isotopes for urgent diagnosis and treatment without extra training. The patient turned out to be my own mother!
7. I was one of the first nurses to assist on a child donor organ removal in the UK. I will never forget the little girl who gave so much.

I have to pass this onto 7 Beautiful Bloggers. I have others in my life but these have given me wind beneath my wings in the past few months.

1. Jody Heland
2. K M Weiland
   
3. Nadine Laman
4. Anita Burgh
   
5. Anne Lyken-Garner
   
6. Kathryn Magendie
7. Chris Stonecipher

Thanks to Valuable Blog Followers...I am Flying High

I have 128 followers on this blog, and I thank each and everyone of you. You visit on random days, and I love you all for giving up the time to visit. I do not teach here, nor do I write anything of great writing value and often wonder why you visit.
Politeness because I have visited blog yours is one reason I am sure. Another is because, as a writer you know how hard it is to reach the goal, and you want to support this aspiring writer.

All visitors are valuable, they boost my moral (and ego).
You teach me, make me laugh and sometimes, cry with your generous words.

I have been encouraged by recent support from aspiring and published writers, editors and an agent...yes I had a very supportive email from one outside of my genre, pushing me forward after he read my last post. This girl was flying high from words I can tell you!

The post would not have been written if it had not been for Emily Bryan. When it was read by Helen Ginger and she left a comment, I just had to publish the comment.

Thank you all for your support. My confidence has returned, I know I can do this. I know that every step I take toward that goal, is given firmer ground because of you--my followers.

Writing My Synopsis: How I Reached My Goal

Writing the synopsis for my novel no longer frightens me. How wonderful is that news? OK, maybe you are not as excited by this news as I am, but Emily Bryan, a respected author is interested, so this post is written for her. Thank you Emily for your interest and support.

Prior to downloading yWriter, I had a fear of the dreaded S word. In fact my work was in a muddle, now it is a tidy muddle and I can shut the drawers.

I am not one to follow rules, I open a new electrical item and plug it in, wait an hour and then use it. I do not, as DH does, sit with the 'rule' book and then charge the item up for 24 hours. He gets more life from his batteries than I do, and still I never learn. I am impatient and impulsive, not good traits to have when trying to write for publication.

There are rules to follow...gulp!

Wise author blogs are a fantastic source of information and I glean what I can from them. I still cannot always put into practice what I have learned. I still have to bend it the Glynis way. *Sigh*

One morning I knew I needed to be focused, I needed to get more life out of my battery. I forced myself to consider my options if I didn't get this right. Putting a year of hard work (and education), in the waste basket was not an option I wanted to choose.

I opened yWriter and had a look around, followed a few rules so to speak. To my delight it dawned on me. Each chapter and scene has a descriptive section. This is where I had jotted briefly in Glynis code what each scene/chapter was about.

Although the novel is not complete, the storyline was staring me in the face as I had 90% of the chapters typed up. I set about a trial project.

I copied and pasted each sentence or description from the boxes and transferred them to my word program.
Because they went in sequence, I had a mini story. What is a synopsis? A mini story to attract the attention of an agent, editor or publisher. The blurb on the back of a book, the short story that makes you part with hard earned cash.

I am an ink and paper person when it comes to flow. Everything I do is long winded. So I printed off my mini story and played with it. I formed it into a synopsis that is not quite but nearly ready.

This is a mini taster of how I got to a mainframe of a synopsis, just by using my descriptions from the yWriter chapter intro pages.

• He watched women, he killed women (1 JTR) .
• She sews for a living (POV) Kitty Harper (2) .
• He is a journalist (3) Arthur Twigg.
• He is a Farmer's son (4) James Lockwood.
• Kitty meets 3. He becomes her tutor. 1873 (she is 15)
  
• Kitty meets 4. 1888 (she is 20)
  
• Who loves 2?
  
• Who is angry at 2?
  
• Who is JTR?
• Who does 2 love?
• Who is murdered? (check subplots for victims)
  
• When does the secret come out?
• POV = Kitty Harper, she wants to run her own business.
• 3 = Arthur Twigg =Journalist
• 4= James Lockwood = Farmer's son
• Place=Whitechapel=London, UK
• Year =1873 and 1888

This became:

Jack The Ripper is driven to murder, his life dictates why he kills.
POV is a young seamstress from Whitechapel, Kitty Harper. She wants to own her own business. She knows people who have been murdered.

Arthur Twigg the local journalist and friend of Miss Harper, met her in 1873 when she was 15 years old. He becomes her tutor. Arthur knows who Jack The Ripper is, but will he ever tell those who need to know and how did he find out? He also loves Kitty, he wants her as his wife, at any cost.

Murder and romance walk hand in hand through the streets of Whitechapel in 1888. Kitty moves house.

A Chance Meeting in 1888 =Ambition and love = jealousy and innocence.
James Lockwood visits London.

Whose hand has Kitty chosen to hold?

If she finds out the truth, would it be too late for the three of them?


I then broke it down to what I consider the blurb synopsis:

Jack The Ripper was driven to murder, his life dictates why he kills. It is 1888 and a young woman from Whitechapel falls in love. Kitty Harper is a seamstress with a dream to run her own business, she had not planned on love getting in the way.
Arthur Twigg is the local journalist, Kitty's friend and tutor. He loves Kitty, he wants her as his wife, at any cost. A chance meeting with a farmer's son, James Lockwood, changes everything for both Kitty and Arthur.

Love, lust, jealousy and murder walk hand in hand through the streets of London. This is their story: the story of how they met and journeyed toward the inevitable -the end of life.

Now over to you:

What did you think? Am I on the right track? It took me no more than an hour to do that mini project, I did not cry over it and I still have my hair.

I have a feeling that the above is enough for a whole synopsis as it outlines everything. I have left out the ending and a few major pieces of the story, but when I submit to an agent I will include them. It is important to find out what each individual agent wants from your submission.

There are rules...gulp!

******************************
This was a comment left for me after I had written this. It is useful and flattering. It certainly boosted my drive onward button!

Never heard of yWriter. It must be a great tool for you to get that done so quickly.

The editor in me feels compelled to point out that that's not a synopsis, though. It's a back cover blurb.

And a really good one. It would intrigue me if I picked up the book in the store and read it.

Helen
Straight From Hel
****************************
So that is the back cover blurb in the bag, LOL. Thanks Helen for your comment.

Evolved, Developed and Positives

Thank you for the feedback on critiquing. I have made a plan of how I am going to deal with my ms, and who gets to see it prior to submission.
Something has happened to me this week. I feel so in control of my writing. I have stopped small time writing on the Internet and dedicating my time to my novel (s).

I have even noticed I have not written a poem for months, this is something that has never happened to me before. I will not be updating my poetry blog anymore, I will blog here as and when in the week. My coffee break blog will remain updated, as the small income from that has paid for so many books I cannot give it up. My personal library is growing again. I have *Fire in The Fiction by Donald Maass and Stephen King's book, On Writing; winging their way to Cyprus.
Susan R Mills over at A Walk In My Shoes is a fan of * and has written posts related to the book and its teachings. I came across several authors declaring it a must read, so I just had to buy the book and see for myself.

I have been blog browsing this week, my new organsiational skills are working so well for me. IGoogle page is so useful, yWriter is wonderful and my new ink pen is flowing. In fact I do not consider it as blog browsing, but as a mobile lesson in the art of writing. There is some amazing help in the blogs I have bookmarked.

I have ripped the ms apart again, I am now evolving. I have been able to remove a few of the rocks that were holding me back. I was particularly thrilled to read various articles and posts, explaining different aspects that are required in a book. Why so thrilled? I had achieved those things. I recognised the fact I had completed those tasks. My novel is moving in the right direction, after a year of working on it, I know it is something I can submit. I will not hide it away, if anything it deserves to sit in a pile of hopefuls. Even if it never gets read, it deserves to leave my home and try.
A few agents have caught my eye, they will be approached in the future. I just need to tighten the genre I need to slot Ripper My Love into.

Historical Romantic Crime
Historical Romance Suspense
Historical Romance with a twist
Hysterical For An Agent To Read

Do I come across as inspired?

Do I sound positive?

I feel it, not just because the weather is Spring outside, but because a new bud on my branch of my writing tree has burst forth and blossomed.

How are your trees growing?

Critique Buddies Does My Butt Look Big In This ?

I have been reading blogs of writer friends, and finding out about critiquing. Author Emily Bryan has offered up some great advice about the subject on her blog. I have a mentor Louie Jerome, she is an online friend who has pushed me up the writing ladder, she has read the first few pages of Ripper My Love. Her positive response has kept me going and she will regret it when the MS lands in her inbox for critiquing.

When I am ready I will put out a plea for a couple of online buddies who will be happy to read it through, and give their honest opinion. There will be no reward other than a good laugh at my effort. Knowing the writing friends I have made, I am positive I will get at least one offer. Now, what will I want from them?

Honesty?

You betcha...If my butt looks big, DH can be the one who says no dear it is okay. I will need honest opinions from my critique buddies, I will have to accept that my butt is HUGE if they say it is.

Will I cope with what they say?

I will have to, I want to be taken seriously as a writer. I realise this now, I am not just dabbling and playing with words. I want them to notice the mistakes, I knead...need them to be write...right and I need the flow of the scenes to blend. I am not writing poetry or short stories, this is a biggie, 80,000 words of mine sit on file. Will they be worth sending out to an agent? I will need to tweak and tease before I do. If only DH and the dogs are my only audience before submission, I will not have truthful opinions, I will have loving responses.

I cannot afford editors and proofreaders. I have read where if I want to be taken seriously I should pay. I would love to but the euro and sterling are just not doing it for me, so I have to beg. My bowl will be out there with hope.

I have questions...

Do you critique in only one genre? Is it best to do so or is variety a good way to go?

Do you critique for another? Do you think they take on board what you say?

Do you listen to your critique partner or get upset with their response?

Do you think a critique partner is a good idea, or are you a go it alone writer?

I would love to read your comments and tips on this topic.

Blog Award

I have been bestowed this award by Elizabeth McKenzie over at 'Hey, I'm Trying to Write Here'.
A Superior Scribbler Award, what a lovely title for an award, thanks Elizabeth.
I have to pass it on so here goes:

Megan @ Megan Rebekah Blogs...and Writes


Louie Jerome @ Louie Jerome Author Blog


Jen @ Woolgatherings

I enjoy visiting their blogs, I am sure you will too.

Query Letter About My Writing Career

I have to start considering the dreaded Query letter. I think this and the synopsis, are the most written about topics on blogs I read. They are not looked upon as friends of writers either. They are almost the enemy.
I did start jotting down a few words, playing with styles and voices. Trying to come across as an interesting person, a writer with a scraping of intelligence and one who has humour.

Dear Agenttoobee
Thank you for taking the time to read this query letter. It left the village on a donkey, hence the strange perfume...As you can see I have now lost the plot. I have run out of ideas of what to say. Milk, bread, fish, insoles ar...

Dear Agentoobee
I submit my manuscript with the hope it has managed to climb from the slush pile onto your desk. It took four weeks for me to think of what to say to you with regard to my writing career. I am not sure why it took so long, maybe it is because I do not have a writing career, and I was hoping to have achieved one within those four weeks. I wrote a poem when I was twelve for a school contest. It won. I wrote a short story for a health contest, it was a runner up, (the prize was a first aid box...I owned two pharmacies.So as you can see, I did not enter for the prize but for the challenge. I rang up and challenged a well known nursing magazine editor. I told her she should write something more positive about returning to nursing practice. She told me to write it myself and send it it in. I did and they published both articles, and paid me off at the third, it was fun working with the photographer. I wrote on a couple of Internet writing sites. I have blogs. I have entered a few poetry competitions and won three.I self published two poetry books. I have had articles published in two lifestyle magazines on the island of Cyprus. They were in English not Greek by the way. I have just realised(UK English, not a mispelt word),yes, I have realised I have a writing career, I have followers, I have a portfolio and platform. Gosh when did that happen?

Dear Agentwhoislaughingherheadoff
Was it really that bad?

Dear AgentIwanttoreadyournovel
I have been writing since the age of twelve, I have an established platform and a portfolio of work.

DearAgentwhoisreallyborednow
How the heck do I write a query letter and what does procrastination mean?

Yours in a muddle
Glynis with a near completed novel.

For those of you who got this far in the post, please leave me links to any query letter advice posts you have written or come across, thanks.

Text To Voice Software

I have been listening to my WIP via yWriter's text to voice software. It was fun to hear my work being read out loud. I certainly found it great for proofreading and editing. However, I didn't like the echo, so investigated the Internet for further information about free trials. I came across this video and thought I would share it with you. I have downloaded the free trial and will use it to a complete sweep through my MS and use it as edit two. That way my novel will get an extra edit from me this week.
I did not add my personal details in the box when it opened, I noticed it was optional in small print on the right of the box. I was still able to open the programme.
Another editing tool is always useful.

Book Abuser

I have taken some of my blogging time to read more books. Reading is a vital part of the art of writing, it helps us develop and move forward. I have learned new methods of writing from a variety of books by both male and female authors. I used to buy only female authors, who wrote historical romance. The extremely high price of books in English, here in Cyprus made me look for secondhand books. Gradually I have built a small library of books that I would never have looked at twice in the UK. In a previous post, I mentioned a selection of books I was going to read as a challenge, even if I did not enjoy them.
I read them, and did not enjoy all of them. I did learn from them though. I made notes of dialogue patterns, I found new words and used the books as a learning tool.

I am now in the habit of buying one book a month for a few cents. The book has to be out of my comfort zone, tatty and have a cover that would not normally capture my attention.
I allow myself to write in the book, highlight sentences and cut out paragraphs to pin on a board if I find them useful. I could copy the words onto paper and not cut up the book, but I find if they are straight from the book, I read them more than once. I would never, never have treated a book like this before. I did feel guilty at first, how would I feel if I found out someone had done that to my novel? All my hard work cut out, scribbled upon and abused.

To those authors I apologise, but I also thank you. Thank you for the information, the valuable lessons and for the chance to write a little better than I did before I abused your book. Even though your story might not have been one I enjoyed, your book has helped this writer more than you will ever know.