Writers' Chasm

The punctuation of dialogue is something that I see a lot of new writers getting wrong. It's something that immediately turns me off, no matter how promising the rest of the story is. So, today, I'm going to do a quick crash course in how dialogue is formatted. Quotation marks go around the speech. Closing punctuation marks go inside the closing quotation marks at the end of the dialogue. If the dialogue is followed by a tag, you use a comma. If it's not, you use something else. The only exceptions are question marks and exclamation points, which are used as appropriate whether or not there is a dialogue tag. Actions are separate from dialogue. What not to do: "This is my favorite song." He said. "This is a good movie" she said.  "Do you want chili for dinner," she asked.  "I haven't read that book," she pointed at the book in question on the shelf. What to do: "I have a cat," they said. "I'm alle...

This post was originally made in August 2014. I felt like it was time for an update.  Representation is important and publishing is finally starting to embrace diversity. If you're thinking about writing queer characters, there are many things to consider, especially if you're writing about a sexuality that is not your own. The most important thing when writing queer characters is that being queer is not the only thing they have going for them. They have pasts, futures, hopes, dreams, motivations just like any other characters. They shouldn't be here to play the role of "Gay Best Friend #1." Coming out stories are not the only queer stories that matter. They're extremely important, don't get me wrong, but we also need stories about characters who just happen to be queer, just like we have thousands of stories about characters who just happen to be straight. Do your research. Don't rely on stereotypes or misconceptions. Not all gay men are intere...

If you're thinking about writing characters with other sexualities besides heterosexual, there are many things to consider. Representation is very important but it can go badly. The most important thing when writing LGBT characters is that they're just like all your other characters. They have pasts, futures, hopes, dreams, motivations. They're playing a part in this story. Start with doing your research. Don't rely on stereotypes or misconceptions. Not all gay men are interested in fashion. Lesbians do not hate men. Bisexuals are not incapable of having monogamous relationships. Don't perpetuate myths and remember that everyone is different. LGBT people also experience different environments depending on the area in which they live, their family, and their friends. Some are only out to certain people, some are out to everyone, and some aren't out at all. Your characters don't have to have a label. Sexuality can be fluid and not everyone wants to put a...

There's a saying in the horse world that sometimes comes up, especially among young riders. "You're not a real rider until you fall off a horse seven times." I hit that point several years ago and here are the lessons I learned that I also apply to writing. Fall #1:  I was up on an old, bombproof gelding responsible for giving me the "horse bug." I wasn't experienced enough to know how to do much more than hold the reins. There was only a thick blanket between me and the horse. My gelding was following his pasture mate and, of course, they both decided to trot. The blanket started to slip and I landed right on my tailbone. I was completely fine and while I don't remember getting back on the horse, I must have at some point.  Moral: The first fall is always the hardest. It'll be a shock to your system but get right back up there and you'll be fine. Fall #2 and #3:  By this time, I was under the instruction of a professional trainer (i...

When querying, you should read the submission guidelines for each agent carefully. While the basic process is typically the same, some agents do have some preferences on how queries should be sent and what they should include. 1. How? Some agencies use an online form for queries, so keep an eye out to see if this is the case. If it's not, then check to see how queries should be sent. Most agencies seem to accept e-queries these days, some of them exclusively. However there are still some agents that only accept snail mail. Whichever method you intend to use, make sure you're finding agents that accept it. 2. Agency policy on submitting to multiple agents There are some agencies that ask for a query to be submitted to only one agent at the agency. Therefore, a no from one is a no from all. Other agencies allow submissions to multiple agents, but not simultaneously. I keep notes on which agencies are "no one, no all" to make sure that I don't accidentally quer...

This is it. Your manuscript is done except for one last read to make sure that everything is clean. You've probably read it so many times that you're ready to just shove it out the door. Here are seven things to keep an eye out for in that last read. If you use track changes, you may want to turn it off at this stage just to make sure everything is in order. 1. Multiple punctuation Sometimes there are two periods at the end of the sentence, sometimes it's a period and a comma, or sometimes it's something else. It can be easy to skip over there so check carefully. 2. Missing punctuation On the other end of the spectrum is missing punctuation. Under this umbrella is missing quotation marks. Keep a close eye on the beginning and ending of dialogue.   3. Extra spaces It can be so easy to insert an extra space between words or sentences. Between words often gets caught by spell check, but sentences is easy to miss. 4. Missing words Sometimes, in editing, a word ...

When you're working on a WIP, sometimes it can be useful to keep track of how much you are progressing. This is especially true when setting word count goals. There are a number of different ways to track progress when drafting. The easiest is to write down what the word count on your document is before starting a period of drafting and then again at the end. This can be difficult to remember to do, however, especially if you're anxious to get started on a scene. When I used Word for writing, I would change the text color to red at the start of a writing session and then, to see what my word count for that day was, I would just select the red text. This works well if you remember to change text color before you start writing and then remember to change it back to black before you start another session. Some programs have functions that keep track of session word count on their own. Scrivener does this and allows you to set goals that it lets you know when they are met. ...

Beta reading a manuscript a few chapters at a time is a little different than reading an entire manuscript at once. It can take longer, for instance, because of the wait for the next set of chapters. Also there will be a more severe focus on each set, rather than on the MS as a whole. Here are some tips for beta readers and writers that want to take the chapter-by-chapter route when it comes to beta reading. Beta reader 1. Keep a document of all of your comments. When I email my comments to the writer, I copy-paste them into a document along with the chapter numbers that those comments refer to. It helps me to keep track of what I've said and see if there are any reoccurring problems.   2. Consider keeping a second list of private notes that you wait until after you've finished the MS to send. Some problems won't become evident until you can look at the MS as a whole, such as character development or the overall plot arc. Also take note of any questions that you have ...

You can tell a lot about a person from their home. Whenever I think about the perfect reveal of a character's house, I think of NCIS and Tony. It wasn't until recently that the inside of his apartment was shown on the show. It wasn't when I imagined but, for him, it was perfect and that really helped to deepen his character.  When it comes to houses, I'm not the most imaginative writer in the world. My characters' typically get a two-story house with a kitchen, living room, and enough bedrooms/bathrooms for the family. When it comes to wall colors, flooring, and furniture, things get even trickier. Here are some ideas on how I find inspiration to help me with my characters' homes. Use real places for inspiration. In terms of exterior, look around on long drives and pick out houses you like. Certain details that you like on various houses could come together to make the perfect home for your character. Consider subscribing to a magazine or two for ideas as we...

When it comes to bringing a story to life, the smallest details can help. In life, sometimes it's the small things that we notice first. The way the cotton falling from the trees looks like snow even though it's the first week of June. The smell of charcoal smoke on the air. The feel of velvet. The crash of a deer running through the woods. The sweet and sour taste of a fresh pineapple. Use all the senses. Focus on what the character would be experiencing and focus on the details based on what they would see. One character might choke on the heavy smell of bonfire smoke, but another might remember a summer at camp sitting around a fire and singing songs. If it's not something a character would notice, then leave it out and focus on something else instead. Choosing which details to include and which to leave out can tell as much about the character as it does about the setting. For example, I love the sound of sirens. If I hear a siren coming down my road, I'll r...

And...I'm back. Finals week was exhausting but now it's over and I'm home. The Red Wings made the play-offs for the twenty-second year in a row and Orb won the Kentucky Derby. So things are good. (I apologize for the random mentions of sports over the next few weeks, I look forward to Triple Crown and Stanley Cup season year-round.) Past and present tense. They're both perfectly acceptable tenses to use in a novel, but sometimes one is better used than the other. Past tense is the narrator telling a story that has already happened. It's probably the most commonly used tense and works well for most stories. Example: "You're the only one for me," he said just before he kissed her.  It was used to Harry Potter, the Inheritance Cycle, the Mortal Instruments series, and many other novels.  Present tense is the narrator telling a story as it happens. It's grown in popularity in reason years in young adult novels. It's a tricky tense to ...

Dialogue is a tricky thing to get right, but it often takes up a good-sized portion of every book. Dialogue can bring two characters closer together, drive them further apart, reveal important information, and display any number of things. Use double quotation marks to open and close each line of dialogue. If there's a dialogue tag (said, asked, responded, quipped), use a comma, unless the dialogue requires an exclamation or question mark. If there isn't a dialogue tag, then there should be a period, unless it needs an exclamation or question mark. Beware of using an excessive amount of exclamation marks. If there's a lot of tension in a scene, the dialogue and actions of the characters should exhibit that. Also, there should be a new paragraph for each new speaker. When writing dialogue, keep the character in mind. Take their age, schooling, background, and who they are talking to into consideration. People talk differently to their friends than they do to their pare...

When it comes to writing, stepping outside of your comfort zone can be a good thing. It will make you a better writer by stretching your writing muscles. Sometimes those stories that we feel least able to write will be our best works. In the beginning, it's best to try all types of writing styles, points of view, tenses, characters, and genres. You'll never know what you like best and what you're the best at if you don't try a lot of different things. This is especially true because different stories require different things. Some stories are best written in third person, others are better in first. Some stories are better in present tense, others in past. Multiple points of view. If you get an idea for something new, don't be afraid to give it a try. Write a short story to give a new idea a test run. NaNoWriMo is also a great time to try new things, as well. Use prompts to stretch yourself and experiments with things.

It's best to query one project at a time, but if you just can't help but query two projects simultaneously, then here are a few tips. 1. Best with diverse projects Querying multiple manuscripts at once is best if they are all very different. Perhaps you have one non-fiction proposal and one YA novel. Or perhaps one is adult and the other is middle grade. This way your agent pool for each project is more likely to be segregated. 2. Write individual queries for each project There should be one manuscript per query. Don't try to save time by putting summaries for all your projects into the same query. 3. Don't query the same agent with both projects simultaneously  If you're querying the same agents with both manuscripts, it's best to choose the manuscript that you think would be their best fit. If you have a YA fantasy and a YA contemporary, and the agent is looking for all types of YA and specifically mentions fantasy in their wish list, don't send...

I know I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but I'm going to say it anyway. We need to talk about the correct use of apostrophes. Recently I've picked up on a lot of misuse of apostrophes. I have a Game of Thrones poster that I've found no less than three mistakes in so far and I also went to a craft show over the weekend where I picked out two things that misused apostrophes. So, here we go. Apostrophes have two uses: 1. To indicate possession  Amy's husband's name is Rory. [There are two apostrophes in this one. The first indicates that the husband is Amy's. The second one indicates that the name "Rory" is the husband's.] I need to borrow six doctors' white lab coats. [In this case, "doctor" is plural so the apostrophe goes after the "s."] 2. Contractions Let's = Let us Can't = Can not Won't = Will not Next up, some situations in which apostrophes are NOT appropriate, but somehow g...

November is only a few days away and that means it's almost NaNoWriMo time! I might be insane but I'm going to really go for it this year. My name on the site is Horserider if anyone would like to add me. I'll also be blogging my progress and NaNo tips every Monday from now until the end of November. To kick off the posts, here are some tips on things to get done before November 1st rolls around. 1. Figure out the idea  There's nothing worse than scrambling for an idea on November 1st. Figure out what you're going to write about and get a rough plot worked out in your head at least. Last year I started with a sweet contemporary love story that morphed into urban fantasy 5k in because I decided that it "wasn't exciting enough." This is the same NaNo when I didn't even hit 5k. That's why this year I have the basic plot already worked out. 2. Prepare the documents Open a document on your computer and do any preparations required so you won...

I know I have that handy little list of sites for writing over there on the sidebar *points* but today I wanted to do a more in-depth post on great resources for writers. Absolute Write Water Cooler AW is a forum for writers that is a goldmine of information. There are subforums for every genre and format of writing as well as a place to ask questions for story research and a subforum for finding beta readers. Perhaps the greatest resource is the subforum on publishers and agents for background checks. There's also a section for sharing your work and critiquing the work of others. Emotion Thesaurus This is a thesaurus of signs of emotions. There are also thesauruses for settings, character traits, weather, colors, textures, and shapes, and symbolism. Character Therapist The character therapist takes questions from characters and answers them from a therapist's standpoint. Baby Names There are lots of baby name sites and books, but this one is my favorite. You can se...

We all have those days. Those days when anything is more appealing than writing. Those days when hitting the 1k mark or even writing a single paragraph is like pulling all four of your wisdom teeth. If you ever find yourself saying the words "I'd like to be writing right now, but it's like pulling teeth" then there might be a problem. Trying to write an out of character scene  One of the biggest road blocks for me comes when I'm trying to force my character to do something that they wouldn't normally do. For example, in an unnamed novel some time ago, I was trying to write a scene in which the MC apologized to her best friend. No matter how hard I tried to write the scene, it just wouldn't work. Then another idea popped into my head where, instead of the MC apologizing, she blew off her best friend. I battled against the idea for awhile and then finally gave in. The moment I did, the words started to flow again. If you're having a lot of trouble ...

Note: Sadly, I'm discontinuing Week in Short, at least for now, to give myself free time to work on revisions or write. At WriteOnCon, Liesa Abrams quoted Eileen Cook as having said "In MG, the characters are learning how they fit into the world. In YA, they're learning how they stand out."  That quote has really stuck with me and I've realized exactly how true it is. One of the major problems with New Adult is that, so far, the only distinction between it and any other category is the ages of the characters.I don't think that's the only difference between YA and NA, just like age isn't the only difference between high school and college. Middle grade = learn where we fit in High school = learn how to stand out College = learn who we really are In middle school and high school, there's a lot of pressure to fit in. There's quite a bit of identity searching but at the same time, you're still under someone else's control. When co...

I started going through all my threads that I started on AW since I joined all the way back in 2008. I was fresh off the finish of my very first novel ever and convinced that I was going to take the publishing world by storm with my fifteen-year-old self and my 100k YA fantasy. In the four years since then, I've learned a lot. The questions that I asked back then make me hang my head and want to smack my younger self. I thought it might be fun to take a look at my questions -- commonly asked by many other new writers -- and answer them. Last Monday I answered the writing-related questions, so today I'm going to do the publishing ones. Should teenagers put their age in the query? How can minors publish a book? Can minors hire agents? No. Teenagers should let their work speak for itself without the effect of their age, positive or negative. If the agent shows interest in representation, that's when it's time for age to come into play. Minors' contrac...