Crafting a Novel

People often ask me how I get my ideas for books. I have to tell you there is no one way. For instance once I saw an unusual name on a boat and it brought to mind a fantasy story of moons linked together by the Moon Goddess. I enjoyed writing the book but immediately after it was released I found I'd misread the boat's name. The book was obviously meant to be written, hence my not reading the name properly.

 

Photos often play a part in my book ideas. Going through photos of my parents I suddenly thought - why not write their love story. I knew the basics of the story but had to fictionalise a lot of it. I also found if I called them by their real names I couldn't get the story to flow. Changing them to fictitious names made the work flow much faster.

 

Often a work in progress will stir the mind with ideas for a second, third or even fourth book, but there I have to be careful. I must finish the work in progress first and get it ready for release before I attempt the next volume. If I don't I end up with a lot of unfinished manuscripts.

 

Writers block can often still the writer's muse. The best way I find to get around this problem is to jump the hole in the story. Ignore it completely and go on to a part of the book where you know what happens. Often the filling for the part I've missed will pop into my mind before I go too far forward. Although I enjoy writing all my books, I also enjoy editing them. It's surprising how your brain fills in gaps with words you wouldn't normally dream of using. Plus there's the aspect of you mentioning something that hasn't actually happened. Quick backtrack to mention this in the appropriate part of the novel. 

 

If the novel is a first for you, remember the first attempt is only a draft. The hard work comes once you've finished the first draft. Now you have to put it all together and make sense of all those words. Good luck!

Friday Focus

This week's Friday Focus has Marva Dasef answering questions on her writing. Marva writes fantasy books and other young adult books. I'm afraid I can't put all of her many book covers up but I've put up the ones I've read. Here we go.



 Do you ever sit down with your baby (book) months after it's published, read it for pleasure and think, "I could have done that better"? What was it and what would you have done? OR... did you read it and think "Oh, this is great!" What was it you loved?
 I wouldn’t have published unless I thought the book was great. That said, there’s always room for improvement. I just don’t dwell on that. “What’s done cannot be undone.”—Lady McBeth
What I have done is rearrange and combine other stuff to create a new book, which I put out under a different title. For example, “Tales of Abu Nuwas – Setara’s Genie” started as a few short stories about a girl named Cadida. It occurred to me that these fantastical Arabian-set stories would work as a continuous story as narrated by an old story teller, Abu Nuwas.
This is a frame story similar to the “1001 Arabian Nights” concept. Scheherazade tells stories to her new (murderous) husband, stopping at a crucial point in the story to buy herself another day of life.
I did the same thing, with the framing subplot being Abu Nuwas telling a young woman about Setara’s adventures with her fantastic gang of magical beings. While telling the stories, he’s also asking the young woman a few questions. When he discovers she’s committed to marriage to man she doesn’t love in order to save her mother’s life, Abu works the arranged marriage idea into one of Setara’s tales. He also knows a doctor who could treat the woman’s mother, thus freeing her from the marriage.
That’s what I did better. I reworked a set of short stories into a continuous novel-length book using a centuries’ old framing technique.
Are you a full-out plotter? Are you a "let's see what happens" pantser? Or do you think you fall somewhere in between? Describe your process in coming up with and executing a story idea.
I’m a plotter. I have a complete outline of the book chapter by chapter. Then I proceed to writing and change the outline, add new chapters, take out ones that don’t work, shuffle everything around, tweak the ending, add some characters, remove some characters. Yup, everything is completed plotted before I start to write, at which point my pants take over.
How old were you when you finished your first novel? Is that novel published today?
Carry the 2, take away 6, add the number of ells are in a mile... Let’s just say I was finished with my mundane career before I wrote any novels. Matter of fact, I only have a couple of books long enough to be considered short novels. I started my fiction writing with short stories. As my bio brags, I’ve published over 40 short stories and written a bunch more.
It’s not too weird to not have the 70K plus novels. Most of my books are for a middle-grade audience, so tend to be shorter.
Do you work any reality from your own life into your novels? If so, do you change it to make it more or less dramatic? How and why?
Yes indeed. In some situations, you only have your own experience to make it realistic. I’ve written about drowning in cold water. Yup, did that, but survived. Most of what I write about animals are from my own experience. One of my cats has a minor, yet important role as a witch’s familiar. I used the real cat’s name and character for the fictional one. Cornelius the Siamese with a wicked sense of humor. Of all the characters you've created, who is your favorite and why? Yes, we know you aren't supposed to have favorite children, but it's okay to have a favorite character. Be sure to tell us what book they are in.
Without a doubt, I love Kat, my inept teenage witch from the Witches of Galdorheim series. I definitely wrote from real experience (not the ability to do magic part) on her frustrations, joys, loves, and sense of observing others. She’s a better person than I am because I can write her character and remove my less desirable features.
She’s no goody-two-shoes and can certainly have a temper, but when it comes down to it, she always finds sympathy for even the worst character she’s facing unless that meanie is threatening her family and friends. That includes her all of her animal friends. Since her special power as a witch is the ability to communicate with animals, she’s an enforced vegetarian (not vegan). You can’t eat somebody with whom you just had a nice conversation.
 

How do you choose the names of your characters?
Quite a few of my characters had name changes while a work was in progress, and a lot of them in my middle-eastern fantasy stories. I had made up silly, meaningless names for most of the characters. They weren’t bad names, but just didn’t resonate. I completely revamped the two books giving all the characters names suitable to their culture and situation. So, Cadida (made that up) became Setara – meaning star; Bascoda (made that up) the Djinn became Basit – meaning one who enlarges; Gravella and Poltrice the demons became Azizah and Petros. Every character was renamed to a more meaningful name.
As for my big series (Galdorheim), Kat changed her name a couple of times. Katya, Katrina, maybe another. Anyway, at a writers’ workshop, an “agent” read a couple of pages of the first chapter and said something like, “The main character has a dull name while her brother is named Rune. That doesn’t make sense.” My answer was only in my mind as I said, “Thank you.” In my head, I was saying, “Look, you stupid twat, of course her name is mundane. Didn’t you even get that she’s a klutzy witch with bullying problems at school and part of that is her heritage?” And so on. The point I made with the mundane name is that she was different from the other witches. Duh. I wouldn’t have wanted that agent even if she was interested. Anyway, I changed the Kat’s name again, then went back to Katrina, and mostly referred to as Kat. I might have selected something different, but the name Katrina fit. People can read the series to figure out why Rune has a cool name, but his sister does not.
How does it make you feel when people who have read your books talk to you about them? Are you self-conscious, or does it inspire you?
I’m essentially an introvert, so self-conscious doesn’t even begin to describe it. Besides, people never want to talk about my books unless they’re also involved in the creation process, such as my fabulous Alpha and Beta readers, volunteer nit-pickers, and enthusiastic idea suggesters. The ones who ask me about my books are mystified as to what the heck I’m writing about. A witch with an Orca friend, a smart-aleck, half-vampire brother, a frozen between life and death Sami father, an aunt in love with the Troll King, an old sorceress who’s not really a sorceress, but has secrets. Yeah, that’s just the first book. And don’t forget the cultural reference Easter eggs for the adult readers, and puns flying all over the place. Good times.
Did you ever write a novel with a message to the readers, or at least, a message you hope your readers garnered from it? What was the book, and what was the message. Why did you want to express it?
Every book I write has a message underlying the story. Sometimes people pick up on it, sometimes not. I hope to write an entertaining story in either case.
An Example:
“Eagle Quest” is pretty obviously about bullying and being the odd kid out in school. The book is about a half-Native American boy who wants to delve into his roots. He decides to go on a spirit quest to gain insight. He’s joined by three unlikely school friends who go along expecting to just be back up without actually interfering in the quest. That gets shunted aside when the kids discover eagle poachers. The setting is Bear Valley Wildlife Preserve in southern Oregon. It just happens to be an eagle breeding area, so finding an eagle isn’t hard to do.
Has being a writer affected how you read other books?
Absolutely. I’ve been beat over the head about the proper way of doing things like story arcs, consistent tense, keeping your character names straight! When I read a book by someone famous or not so famous, I’m editing along the way, writing notes and spelling corrections. If the flaws in the book are too numerous, sometimes I just can’t go on. Hey, Writer! I work hard at this stuff. You have no excuse not to do the same.
Did you write stories or make up stories as a child? Do you remember what any of them were about? Tell us...
Made up stories, but I didn’t write them down. Are you kidding? My parents would have put me in a mental ward. I had an on-going story where I was Sheena, Queen of the Jungle. She had all sorts of adventures, all in my head, of course.

Marva is offering a free book of her Galdhoreim series to go with this article. For Friday 5th and Saturday 6th only. Get it now before it's too late!

BLOOD TIES TESTED FREE ON AMAZON JANUARY 5TH-6TH
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BKRVFHC




BIO:
Marva was born in Eugene, Oregon and after a few years wandering, has return to her hometown. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Technical Communications. She spent the next umpteen years working as a technical writer and programmer/analyst. In 2005, she gave up all that glamour for the solitary life of a fiction writer.
She has published more than forty stories in a number of on-line and print magazines, with several included in Best of anthologies. She has several already published print and ebooks, and has produced seven audio books.
See descriptions of her published work at http://tinyurl.com/DasefAuthor/

Books in Ebook, Print, and Audio

Tales of a Texas Boy  :  Missing, Assumed Dead

The Witches of Galdorheim Series

Spellslinger :Bad Spelling

Midnight Oil : Scotch Broom

Blood Ties Tested

Books in Ebook and Print

Eagle Quest

First Duty : Ultimate Duty

Mixed Bag : Mixed Bag II: Supersized

Tales of Abu Nuwas 1 - Setara’s Genie

Tales of Abu Nuwas 2 - Faizah’s Destiny

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Friday Focus

Today's Friday Focus is about self publishing and editing. Our thanks go to Wendy Scott, an award winning author from New Zealand, who has a lot of experience in this sphere. I know I'm going to read this post and see what tips I can pick up. Thanks Wendy.

Tips for Self-Publishing Authors - Get Your Book Professionally Edited

My number one piece of advice for all indie-authors is - do not skimp on the editing.

Do not add to the mountainous slush pile of poorly edited indie books that litter the literary horizon, and sully the indie brand.

Please don’t insult your readers by offering a sub-standard read. The excuse ‘I couldn’t afford an editor’ isn’t good enough. If you can’t afford to get it edited, then don’t release it into the public arena.

Editing is more than a quick computer spellcheck or a quick read-over by a friend. Friends and family members are unlikely to want to upset you by pointing out oddities within your manuscript. Many authors aren’t open to criticism, no matter how constructive, and become extremely defensive. 

A structural edit by a skilled editor will add polish and cohesiveness to your story. Their review should cover: consistency, logical story flow, pacing, characterisation, POV (point of view), passive sections, dialogue, repetition, and any genre-specific elements. The punctuation and spellchecking comes last.

Here’s the process I follow for a full length novel.

1.     Outline - so I know how the story starts and ends (although any ideas are fluid and can change as the story develops).

2.     First ‘crappy’ draft (I don’t censor myself at all – basically I regurgitate words onto the page). Within the first draft I keep moving forward and jot down notes for any gaps I need to fill in later.

3.     I may do 10-20 passes before I’m satisfied that I have a good enough “first draft” to send to a structural editor. Sometimes I leave the manuscript to sit for a while so that I can review it with a fresher prospective.

4.     It’s important to connect with an editor who is familiar with the genre you are writing in, and has a proven track record. Their job is to enhance your author voice and coax the best story out of you – not rewrite it in their voice.

5.     After a structural edit your once pristine manuscript is likely to be covered in so much red ink it looks like a CSI lab prop. Entire sections may require a significant rewrite. Don’t despair, but work your way through the issues, and try to learn from them so you can make your next manuscript cleaner.

6.     Depending on how much rewriting is involved, there will be some passes back and forth between you the editor. Make sure you are crystal clear on the terms and conditions you’ve negotiated with the editor as you don’t want editing costs to spiral out of control if you are paying by the hour (strongly suggest you get a fixed quote based on word count).

7.     The last edit is for spelling and grammar. There’s no point doing this earlier as entire sections may end up being culled from the story. My skill set does not include being an ‘editor’ so I’m reliant on the editors I choose. Luckily, I’ve connected with some awesomely talented editors. Note: there are different schools of style, and editors may not agree with each other. The key within your book is be consistent with whichever editing style is applied.

8.     When my manuscript is at the stage where all the fiddling is around where the commas go – it is time to move on.

9.     Beta readers are invaluable for finding oddities like missing words, extra words, wrong words, typos (pesky little varmints!!!), inconsistencies, stray speech marks, or how a character’s eye colour has changed between page twenty and eighty. An author is too close to their work and can miss the mistakes. It’s amazing how several different beta readers will pick up different mistakes. They may pick up on some bigger issues which may require a substantial rewrite and re-edit. Remember, be true to your unique author voice, there may be some suggestions, which you make a conscious choice not to include.

10.  Format into a novel (eBook and/or print).

11.  Next step is the proof-readers (I recommend) at least two before you publish. The more scrutiny the better.

12.  Seek reviews (independent honest reviews). There are many genre-specific book blogging sites (some are paid). Independent validations of your work is crucial to help convince readers to take a chance on your book.

13.  Readers’ Favorite offer a review service – if your book scores a 5* review, it’s awarded a Readers’ Favorite digital seal for your website and a high resolution version for your book cover.

https://readersfavorite.com/book-reviews.htm

Readers’ Favorite also runs an annual International Book Award Contest.

https://readersfavorite.com/annual-book-award-contest.htm

14.  The annual Wishing Shelf Awards UK offers feedback from the readers (invaluable!!!).

The children’s books I’ve entered have been read and reviewed by students from several UK schools and their teachers. They mark and judge on the cover, plot, and editing, and if you take the option you can receive a summary of their comments, plus the Wishing Shelf will post a review on Amazon and Goodreads.

http://www.thewsa.co.uk/

15.  BooksGoSocial offer a paid service for Quality Marks (Gold, Silver, Bronze) – dependent on your books’ score, and are individually numbered. Your book is analysed by an editing software programme and by a human assessor. You also receive an in-depth report on the strengths and weaknesses within your manuscript.

A poorly edited book is unlikely to win awards or receive great independent reviews or editorials that will encourage new readers to buy your book. Take the time and fully edit so your finished book is a delight to read, and of such high quality that readers will recommend it to others.

About the author

Wendy Scott has a New Zealand Certificate in Science (Chemistry), which allows her to dabble with fuming potions and strange substances, satisfying her inner witch.

Wendy writes fantasy and children’s novels.

One of the creeds she lives by is to always – Live a life less ordinary!

Gold Medal Winner: The Wishing Shelf Book Awards UK 2015

Silver Medal Winner: International Readers’ Favorite Book Awards 2016

Blue Treat Award: RRBC KCT International Literary Book Awards 2017 & 2018

Finalist: The Wishing Shelf Book Awards UK 2016 & 2017

Gold Quality Marks: BooksGoSocial 2017

Finalist: Book Excellence Awards 2018

Please visit www.wendyjscott.com to learn more, read Wendy’s blog, sign up for her newsletter, or to leave her a message. She loves hearing from readers.

Pen Names

Fantasy ~ Wendy Scott https://www.amazon.com/Wendy-Scott/e/B009B1N8NA/

Children’s ~ WJ Scott https://www.amazon.com/WJ-Scott/e/B00MGDXQ8C

Other (Romance/Paranormal) ~ Wendy Jayne https://www.amazon.com/Wendy-Jayne/e/B07F3M3KF2

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Friday Focus

Pantser or Plotter?

New creative writers may not recognise the question pantser or plotter but I’m sure they will have heard the phrase – by the seat of your pants. Some authors prefer to plot their stories, either working out every scene from start to finish, or as a brief description to give their muse a nudge when they sit down to write.

Others – myself included – prefer to write – by the seat of their pants – or get the idea for the story, but when the author starts writing they have no true idea how the story is going to pan out. I like the uncertainty of what will happen next and find the story guides me the way it wants to go. Friends who are plotters prefer to be in control of most aspects of their story.

 Ready to write? Don’t know what to write? It’s Halloween next week, how about a ghost, horror or vampire story? Or a romance that starts with trick or treat? The choice is yours.





So which way is right? Both. It depends on the individual. What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another. This is the same when it comes to work schedules. Some authors prefer to sit down at a certain time each day and work for a number of hours, while others prefer to write whenever the mood takes them. Again, it’s really up to the individual.

One of the most important things to do when you get ready to write is to find somewhere comfortable, preferably where you won’t be disturbed. Try and decide what you want to write several hours before the actual deed and always leave off when you know what’s going to happen next. This way you won’t sit staring at the computer screen for minutes or hours before you carry on writing.


Happy Writing.