tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post7536105023934717704..comments2023-09-25T02:24:22.087-07:00Comments on Anne R. Allen's Blog: 8 Sure-Fire Ways to Improve Your Book—Tips from a New York Times Bestselling AuthorAnne R. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-25498422742041614882012-11-10T12:15:10.978-08:002012-11-10T12:15:10.978-08:00LK—Couldn't agree more. That's what copy e...LK—Couldn't agree more. That's what copy editors are for. Awareness of crutch words + the delete button can fix the problem too. If the author said it once & said it effectively, that's all that's needed.<br /><br />Easier said than done, tho. Ruth Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246050315747917109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-6181167911484459332012-11-10T10:42:41.105-08:002012-11-10T10:42:41.105-08:00Congratulations on the book, Anne.
I dislike usin...Congratulations on the book, Anne.<br /><br />I dislike using the same words repeatedly so I am annoyed when I read books by best selling authors who do the same thing. I'm not going to name and shame on here but once I read a chick lit book with the word 'incredulous' written six times on one page!Repeated words to me show a dull lack of imagination and laziness - so why should best selling authors be allowed to get away with it?LK Wattshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09366991733427612418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-24757763627457416462012-11-03T08:44:17.562-07:002012-11-03T08:44:17.562-07:00Meghan—Thanks for posting this! I'm glad to fi...Meghan—Thanks for posting this! I'm glad to find out I'm not the only one who has (at least) a second book of cuts, deletions & out takes for every book published.<br /><br />The delete button can be your best friend. It's amazing (& not that infrequent) that cutting an entire chapter/scene does amazing things for strengthening a book.Ruth Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246050315747917109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-48685719310327410262012-11-03T08:11:30.985-07:002012-11-03T08:11:30.985-07:00I think Number One is my favorite tip. When I'...I think Number One is my favorite tip. When I've had to pare a personal essay or excerpt of my memoir down for a 5-minute reading, it always improves the text. I have easily deleted as many chapters of my book as there are in my book. I have an entire second book of deleted text! And when I'm editing, I find that almost every author is guilty of using a particular word too many times. It's usually a big word that they've fallen in love with without realizing it. Most recently, I had a client who used "crucible" way too many times. Because it's not a common word, it stands out on the first use. By the third time, I'm screaming in comments "WORD CHOICE!"Meghan Wardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12773598501857799104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-33956897761370334502012-11-02T04:40:11.227-07:002012-11-02T04:40:11.227-07:00Sarah—Thanks! Really happy to hear the post was a ...Sarah—Thanks! Really happy to hear the post was a help.Ruth Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246050315747917109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-56870894841014664442012-11-01T17:18:57.437-07:002012-11-01T17:18:57.437-07:00Fabulous news on the book! And great post. Informa...Fabulous news on the book! And great post. Informative, generous, and helpful, as always.<br /><br /><a href="http://fromsarahwithjoy.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Sarah Allen<br />From Sarah, With Joy</a>Sarah Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01185278849400551014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-51554706161338363042012-11-01T11:10:52.004-07:002012-11-01T11:10:52.004-07:00Lori—Thanks! As you say, #3 matters. Drives me cra...Lori—Thanks! As you say, #3 matters. Drives me crazy when a writer doesn't pay attention to basics like making sure characters and their names are quickly & easily differentiated.<br /><br />Bottom line: confuse your reader at your own peril.Ruth Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246050315747917109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-79092588740426639212012-11-01T10:59:19.748-07:002012-11-01T10:59:19.748-07:00I wish all writers would read your #3. Screen writ...I wish all writers would read your #3. Screen writers, too. <br /><br />I learned from your list. Thank you.<br />Lori Lipskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17842257266551299922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-5564588716410325492012-10-30T10:13:34.737-07:002012-10-30T10:13:34.737-07:00Judith—Anne is right—I completely agree with your ...Judith—Anne is right—I completely agree with your excellent suggestion for #9. We all need to designate a "cooling off" period.<br /><br />Anne—Armageddon or Apocalypse: take your pick. The city is stunned. Eerie with few people & little traffic under hovering grey clouds.<br /><br />Stephsco—Editing while writing is in the same league as texting while driving: A Very Very Bad Idea.<br /><br />One of the (many) important things a writer needs to learn is to get out of his/her own way. Trust the work; trust yourself. Easier said than done but nevertheless vital.Ruth Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246050315747917109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-76996898192518922392012-10-30T09:53:14.739-07:002012-10-30T09:53:14.739-07:00Great post. I usually need to work on not stressin...Great post. I usually need to work on not stressing out over editing during a draft. I think with more experience, we make fewer mistakes in the initial drafts, but the point is to get the story down and not constantly edit as I go. It's tough. Stephscohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06328839483008086049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-65004027760344620602012-10-30T09:19:46.555-07:002012-10-30T09:19:46.555-07:00Ruth--I'm so glad to hear you're OK and th...Ruth--I'm so glad to hear you're OK and that you have power! So much of what we heard last night sounded like NYC Armageddon. <br /><br />Judith--Ruth will agree, I'm sure. Letting a book "rest" is one of the most important things you can do for your writing, especially for new writers. (More especially for all you NaNoWrimos!)Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-32469965892563063032012-10-30T08:52:33.960-07:002012-10-30T08:52:33.960-07:00I am a little late to comment on this wonderful po...I am a little late to comment on this wonderful post but here is one last thought. Rule Number 9 Let that book, ms,story, etc.sit all alone for an extended length of time--at least a month (three months in my case). I am currently struggling with an edit of my first book which took several years to write. I have learned so much in the meantime. I am appalled by my many greivous errors that now seem so apparent. My personal theory is while I am sleeping, reading,and absorbing information from other writers, my writing skills grew. Don't laugh! I can't think of any other explanation, but I know I will resist the impulse to send out something I have just written until some time passes. <br />Ruth, everything you mention is so true, but until a writer takes it to heart and actually does these things, it's just so many words that can sound like cliches (kill your darlings!) <br />I especially liked your suggestion to make a copy first as a sort of insurance policy. This might encourage the fearful to go ahead and cut, revise, etc leaving a back door out. <br />Thanks again.<br />Judith ScharaJudith Scharahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06629065670753694883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-59486901931732713882012-10-30T04:51:54.929-07:002012-10-30T04:51:54.929-07:00Anne—M & I both fine & very lucky indeed t...Anne—M & I both fine & very lucky indeed to have power but the city is undergoing extremely difficult days.<br /><br />Thanks for the ELeonard clarification.Ruth Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246050315747917109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-78229502498057692452012-10-29T18:39:28.326-07:002012-10-29T18:39:28.326-07:00Ruth--I sure hope you're OK. I just saw our CA...Ruth--I sure hope you're OK. I just saw our CA evening news and New York looks like something out of one of those "plague wipes out humanity" movies. Thanks for keeping up with us today in spite of having to batten down the hatches.<br /><br />And all of our friends in New England--the news people couldn't even tell us what's going on there. We're sending you good thoughts. Take care.<br /><br />Sandy--What Elmore Leonard said in his famous 10 Rules for Good Writing was "leave out the parts that readers tend to skip." A whole lot of writing advice since has echoed that, but I like the way he said it best. (I'm one of those readers who skip.)Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-6255438123612859402012-10-29T13:46:05.190-07:002012-10-29T13:46:05.190-07:00Carrie—Love the phrase "pantsing planner.&quo...Carrie—Love the phrase "pantsing planner." Yes, a sit down with plot points & an outline (if you roll that way) can be a big help. For me, I find that talking out the problem with my DH helps--sometimes he comes up with the perfect solution. Sometimes I do—it seems as if I've known it all along but didn't know I knew it. (if you can follow that)<br /><br />AA—OMG, a crutch word file! Now, that's professional. And also super smart. A perfect example of "Know thyself."<br /><br />You & I must be thinking along the same lines. Last week I wrote a post that emphasizes Writer over Editor: Hold Your Nose And Type—The Upside of Writing Fast. Here's the link: http://romanceuniversity.org/2012/10/22/hold-your-nose-and-type-the-upside-of-writing-fast-with-ruth-harris/<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Ruth Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246050315747917109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-7233459842975810322012-10-29T13:15:56.380-07:002012-10-29T13:15:56.380-07:00Great tips! I like the grouping, especially the ti...Great tips! I like the grouping, especially the tips on tightening the prose. I have a crutch word file that I religiously apply to all rough drafts.<br />I did post an article on self-editing on my blog a few days ago, and some of the tips echo your tips, Ruth, although I put more emphasis on the Writer vs. the Editor in the author's head.<br />Good post, one I hope will receive more reads and more comments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-28018017147855761072012-10-29T11:54:21.336-07:002012-10-29T11:54:21.336-07:00Oh, I love to repeat myself. It's a fear of no...Oh, I love to repeat myself. It's a fear of not having enough clarity for me. I try to catch as much as I can in the hopes my crit partner will find the rest.<br /><br />I'm a pantsing planner. I like to write my story as it comes, but if I'm stuck, a good sit down with the plot points and an outline help get past it.Carrie Sorensenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10458547954843396305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-87485342190607581362012-10-29T11:38:57.862-07:002012-10-29T11:38:57.862-07:00Keri—Thanks for commenting. I totally agree about ...Keri—Thanks for commenting. I totally agree about editing. IME editing/revising/rewriting make ALL the difference & the time spent on them is never wasted.Ruth Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246050315747917109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-54516804048198037482012-10-29T11:22:49.806-07:002012-10-29T11:22:49.806-07:00I admit it: I'm a pantser. When I started to w...I admit it: I'm a pantser. When I started to write my first novel, I had nothing more than a vague idea of a war between two different kinds of vampires and an opening scene involving a girl's coming-of-age ceremony involving the vampire she's had a crush on forever. <br /><br />That somehow evolved into a trilogy. <br /><br />I tend to think in scenes. I get an idea rolling through my head like a movie clip, and I write it down. I make a bunch of these, then start stitching them together and filling in the gaps until I have a book.<br /><br />I probably spend more time on editing than a person who snowflakes, though, and I certainly couldn't write a whodunnit or something with a plot twist without pre-plotting. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-90880804252207165682012-10-29T11:04:27.217-07:002012-10-29T11:04:27.217-07:00Ryan—Thanks for the flattering words &, yes, c...Ryan—Thanks for the flattering words &, yes, character names are crucial. In addition to what I said above, the names also have to be easily pronounced so the reader doesn't stumble & try to guess every time a "foreign" name is mentioned.Ruth Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246050315747917109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-12951504344838831402012-10-29T09:40:03.922-07:002012-10-29T09:40:03.922-07:00Great tips and thank you for taking the time to po...Great tips and thank you for taking the time to post them! I've struggled with many of these from repeating myself to adverbs ... and I love what you said about character names.<br /><br />Names can confuse, slow down or stop a story.<br /><br />Thank you again for sharing!Robyn Heirtzlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145359191918162139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-82383417263061226662012-10-29T05:01:29.120-07:002012-10-29T05:01:29.120-07:00Elysabeth—Thank you for bringing up the instance o...Elysabeth—Thank you for bringing up the instance of writing for children. Both your points are excellent...it's all about finding the balance.<br /><br />Patti—So glad you found my post helpful! Thanks for the kind words.<br /><br />Sandy—Thanks! It's about having confidence in your manuscript &, as your prof said, trusting your words. I have a feeling that particular kind of confidence is something that develops with time & experience.<br /><br />You may well be right about the source of that quote. I suspect it might be a case of success having a thousand fathers. ;-)<br /><br />Kelly—You & me, too. Viva the delete button! I always work on a duplicate doc so if I get too carried away, I can just go back, reduplicate & start again.<br /><br />Fiona—Thank *you*. Glad the points here are a help.Ruth Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246050315747917109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-75766434366348176892012-10-28T22:57:48.224-07:002012-10-28T22:57:48.224-07:00All these points are good - thanks for the post!All these points are good - thanks for the post!Fiona Ingramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12858421058191075567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-86156851161644707052012-10-28T18:00:32.531-07:002012-10-28T18:00:32.531-07:00Great article! Thanks for the info. I actually hav...Great article! Thanks for the info. I actually have a strange love for the delete button, and sometimes have gone a little delete-happy. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04927773490770794304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-61548144124427483202012-10-28T15:28:49.549-07:002012-10-28T15:28:49.549-07:00Great post, Ruth. My bugaboo is also point number ...Great post, Ruth. My bugaboo is also point number 8, "Don't repeat yourself." I find that I'm sure of what I want to say, but don't trust my words to communicate themselves to others. So I'll restate the point, and restate it again. It's a kind of cowardice with words. I remember the professor who led one of the writing groups I was in saying, "Say it once. Trust your words to communicate."<br /><br />Re: "I think it was Elmore Leonard who advised taking out all the unnecessary words." I recall Stephen King saying those words in his book about writing. He cited the Chicago Manual of Style as the source.<br /><br />Have a good week, all.Sandy Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00278726452044155395noreply@blogger.com