Wait? You're a Writer? by Betsy Ashton

All of us who write get a series of questions, most of which are asked out of curiosity, a few out of envy, and even fewer to debase us.

• How long does it take to write a book?
• What's your "real" job?
• How long do you write every day?
• How much money do you make?
• Are you a best-selling author?
• I've never heard of you. You must not be very good.

The list goes on and on, like the road leading out of the Shire. Let's dig into these and see if I can clarify my answers:

• How long does it take to write a book? As long as it takes. Use "How long is a piece of string?" to give the questioner a sense of just how silly this question seems to those of us who write all the time
• What's your "real" job? Writing is my real job. Between my family, writing my allotted number of pages, interacting with readers, Skyping with book clubs, and promoting my materials through social media, it's a "real" job. It's even what I list on my IRS returns where the forms ask for occupation. I answer, "Author."
• How long do you write every day? I put in a good four or five hours each day in creating new material and editing older material. New material begins with a blank screen. On a terrific day, I fill up that screen and many more with words. On the next day, I look at those words and see how many I can keep. Sometimes it's most of the new work; other times most is designated "what the heck was I thinking?" and moved to the parking lot, a graveyard for what seemed good ideas at the time.
• How much money do you make? Best answered politely with "I never discuss money," when you really want to say, "How often do you have sex?" Same degree of "none of your damned business" questioning. Some people think it's fine to be snoops. They usually end up dead in a subsequent novel.
• Are you a best-selling author? If I was, you'd know it.
• I've never heard of you. You must not be very good. Well, that is a matter of opinion. My readers think I'm pretty good. As I add more with each book, I rise in the ranks of authors. So, if you haven't heard of me, shame on you. You're not paying attention.

It's hard sometimes to paste that smile on your face, but you have to do it. These people are future readers, most likely. They may not remember what you write but they will remember that you dissed them. Don't diss them. Honor the comment with a polite one of your own. No matter that we don't like being in public, the first time that pesky novel hits print, you are now a public figure. Enjoy it.

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Betsy Ashton is the author of the Mad Max mystery series, Unintended Consequences, Uncharted Territory, and Unsafe Haven. She also wrote a dark psychological suspense novel, Eyes Without A Face, about a female serial killer, who unpacks her life and career in first person.

The Power of "We"

It's such a tiny word. We. W and E. And yet, it's such a powerful concept. It's the power of more than one doing something together.

For a writer, "we" is the writer and her characters. They don't exist in a vacuum. Writers need to listen to their characters to be certain she represents them the way they should be represented, the way they want to be represented. When I try to force a character to act not in accordance with the way it thinks, nothing works. Descriptions become stilted; dialogue becomes unnatural; characters become cranky.

And none of us want a cranky character.

For a writer, "we" is also our agent, publisher, and editor. I've talked to many of my fellow writers, most of whom think their agents are god. The agent works for the writer and sells the work to a publisher, who assigns an editor to polish it. I cannot tell you how many writers have told me they hate their editors. They hate having their ideas challenged, their words changed. I've seen posts on Facebook by new writers who think an editor/publisher should take what they write and publish it without a single question. That's what self-publishing is all about. And that's why so many self-published works show a lack of discipline that "we" bring.

Let me give you an example. In Uncharted Territory, the second Mad Max mystery, my editor questioned a technique I used to signal the presence of a certain character. This character tapped the main character on the cheek with an invisible feather. I thought I'd explained how this clairvoyant manifested his thoughts through the feather. I guess I didn't, because by the fourth time the feather appeared, my editor wrote, "What's with the f***ing feather?" Well, now. I guess I didn't explain it.
I hadn't seen the problem. I was too close to the story. So, when my editor pointed out the flaw, the story became stronger, clearer and more exciting when I explained it the first time it appeared.

"We" works in our personal lives as well. "We" is our family. "We" is our close friends. "We" is our country. When "we" all work together, "we" get great things done. And now, it's time to listen to my latest character, Toad, who is my current "we." He has a lot to say right this minute.

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Betsy Ashton is the author of the Mad Max mystery series, Unintended Consequences, Uncharted Territory, and Unsafe Haven. She also wrote a dark psychological suspense novel, Eyes Without A Face, about a female serial killer, who unpacks her life and career in first person.

With A Little Help From My Friends...One Last Time by Margo Hoornstra

Writing, especially fiction writing, is basically a pretty lonely business. Hours upon hours and days upon days of solitude.

Derriere in the chair, fingers on the keyboard and/or pen and paper in hand, solitude. With our only company the characters who inadvertently pop into our head where they remain until we convert the particulars of their existence to the printed word.

Once that printed word is created, it’s time to bring in the troops.

In this case, my colleagues here at The Roses of Prose.

For the third, and I promise final time on these pages, I’m seeking input on the opening paragraphs of On The Make, Book 3 in my series, Brothers In Blue.

Hope you can stand it. Here goes.

On The Make - Chapter One

“Let us pray.”

Madison Clark dutifully lowered her head, along with scores of others in the huge, impersonal auditorium. In her case, more for show than reverence. Who held a funeral at a place like this? The Greater Metro Conference and Convention Center. Then again, nothing about her marriage to Joe, short as it was, could be construed as normal. Why should anything change now that he was gone?

“Dear Lord, we now commit Joseph Eugene Edward Ralls, this once earthly soul to your able and compassionate care.”

Dear Lord, please don’t let Joe run across Dave in the hereafter. Her two husbands meeting face to face, Dave would probably deck him.

“All mighty God, we ask that you grant those of us left behind the guidance to understand and the patience to accept Your decision.”

Pastor Gregg’s voice invaded her thoughts. Keeping her head down, she shifted her hips more snuggly into the plush, stadium style chair and sat straighter. Hard to believe it was only three short years ago when she’d buried one husband, the love of her life and soulmate, with their young sons, heart-broken and bewildered, on either side of her.

A mere thirty six months later, front and center in the jam-packed amphitheater, she prepared to bury spouse number two. Both sons on either side of her again.

“Bleep! Blip!”

Flashes of light to the left caught her attention. Cameron had his cell on his lap. Typical teen, both thumbs moved helter-skelter over the keyboard.

Irritation sparked her third nerve to its absolute limit. She touched his arm and squeezed, fully prepared with a stern look of reproach for when he glanced over at her. Which, of course, he didn’t.

About ready to scream, she squeezed harder.

Pushing one last icon with his thumb, he slid the device into his pants pocket.

“In Your name we pray. Amen.”

“Amen.”

Madison’s murmured response joined the rest of the chorus as all heads lifted as one.

Slight of build and balding, Pastor Gregg leaned into the dais for support. “Joe was a great man of many aspects.” He may have been done praying. He wasn’t done speaking. “Real estate mogul by profession. Community leader and philanthropist by choice.”

An ill-concealed sigh whooshed out of younger brother Dak. Madison angled a discreet glance to her right. Flounced back in his seat, he sighed again. Giving him a gentle elbow nudge, she followed up with a slight head shake when he immediately looked over.

“A man of many aspects in his personal life as well.” As the good reverend went on, she made sure all three of them paid close attention. “To Madison, a devoted husband. To Cameron and Dak, a loving and benevolent father.”

“Beussst!” Beside her, fourteen year old Cameron coughed into his elbow.

Keeping her gaze focused ahead, Madison could have sworn the word bullshit had been thinly disguised by his action.

“Bless you, son.” Pastor Gregg didn’t miss a beat. Apparently he wasn’t quite as perceptive as Cameron’s mother.

Her son coughed softly a second time in response.

Their pastor extended his arms, palms upward. “Our sincerest and most heartfelt condolences go now to the grieving little family before us.”

If you’re in to comparisons, here are the links to Attempt One and Attempt Two.

Thanks in advance for what I know will be some very insightful and valuable advice.

My days to blog here are the 11^th and 23^rd. For more about me and the stories I write, please visit my website

If Writing Is An Art by Betsy Ashton

then editing is a craft. For me, writing the initial draft of any work brings me a freedom to put anything, and I do mean anything, down on paper. I love getting out of my characters' way and let them have free rein. That first draft may be full of purple prose, misnamed characters, characters whose physical features change from sentence to sentence. I don't worry.

Once I've finished the first draft, I sit back and think about the characters first. What do they look like? How do they speak? What do they carry in their pockets or purses? I make a list of all these things, so that when I begin crafting a story, I have a reference point. Notice I do this AFTER I've written the first draft. Nothing can restrain the initial gush of story.

I then return to each chapter. Is it necessary? Does it move the story along? Does it have or need conflict? What happens in it? If I can't see the chapter moving the story forward, I cut it out of the longer manuscript and copy it into a file called [Working Book Title] Parking Lot. I may need it again. I may not, but at least it's not lost.

That done, the fun begins. I mean it. Editing is fun, painful at times, but fun, because that's when I shape the story. Think of a potter at her wheel. She slaps a blob of wet clay in the center and begins spinning the wheel. Gradually, through a deft touch and no small amount of luck, she shapes the clay into a vase or bowl or whatever the clay wants to become. Words are like clay. Story is like the wheel. My hands are merely a means to revealing a story, much like the hands of the potter pulling a shape from the blob.

Editing is plain hard work. Early drafts are, for me, broad brush strokes to see where the story falls apart. It will, because it hasn't been finessed at all. Secondary drafts are where I look at every word in every sentence. Is it the right word to convey what I want? Is it a cliche that has to die a rapid death by Delete key? Is it trite, original, fresh, stale? Sometimes, it takes several drafts before I can set a chapter aside. After a few weeks, after I've finished all the other chapters, I sit back and reread from page one to "the end."

Oh what was I thinking? What drivel? No one will ever want to read this. It sucks. Oh, wait, what? That chapter is really pretty good. So is the next one. I think about what makes each chapter sing. I try to replicate it.

And then I ask my loyal beta readers to dive in. Usually, this leads to more revelations about what needs to be fixed. Some are such good readers they can suggest what they expected to read. After a few more edits, I'm finally ready. I put the book out into the world. I cross my fingers in hopes people like it. I read reviews, even the one-star reviews. I engage with readers on social media or old school by phone, in person, or email. Each interaction, each engagement, helps me become a better writer.

I'm in the midst of the secondary draft stage of a book called Out of the Desert, a novel in stories. So far, one chapter of fourteen sings on key. The others are still slightly off key. More work to be done. Bye for now.

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My Mad Max series is on sale throughout May. Ebooks are $.99 each. Please try one--or three. I think you'll enjoy them. https://amzn.to/2kiuDBf

My Self-Editing Checklist by Alison Henderson

Today is my self-imposed deadline for finishing the first draft of UNDERCOVER NANNY. I don't think I'm going to make it, but I'll be close. The wrap-up is a little more involved than I'd expected, but I don't want to cheat readers out of out of a fully satisfying ending. 

As I've approached the end, I've been jotting down notes to myself about things I need to fix, change, amplify, etc. during my first editing pass. Some of these are plot points that have evolved as the story unfolded. Some are characters that have changed as I've gotten to know them better. You know the kind of stuff I mean. 

I've always considered myself to have a very orderly mind. This is the first time I've felt the need to write down a self-editing checklist, but 2017 was an ugly year for me, and I don't trust my memory. Looking over my list, I realize I'm much more scatter-brained than I give myself credit for. Just for laughs, I thought I'd share this part of my "process" with you. We might as well laugh together.

Here it is, in no particular order:

1. Cut info dump in Chap. 1 and weave it into the rest of the chapter.
2. Have Casey (heroine) tell Alec (hero) about Peter (former fiance) early on.
3. Have Carolyn Chiang (mother of Alec's niece's best friend) tell Casey about Alec's financial success with book and TV appearances.
4. Have Casey put on slippers or shoes when she goes downstairs to confront the villain.
5. Reminder: she's a psychologist and tends to overthink things. Use it!
6. Include ALL senses.
7. Beef up details re: clothes and settings. It's cold out there. These people are not all naked all the time!
8. Add emotion everywhere!
9. Replace cliched body language descriptions with something more creative.
10. Reconsider Fermin's comments and behaviors. (This is necessary because I didn't decide that he was going to be the ultimate villain until I was at least 2/3 of the way through the book.)
11. Ditto for Maria. (See note above. I knew she was a part of the villain's plan, but not whether she was an actual co-conspirator, until quite late.)
12. Increase the humor! (As I said, 2017 was not a funny year for me, so this book is lacking some of my trademark humor.)
13. Copy and save good quotes to use later. (I hate going back through a manuscript, hunting for quotes to use in ads, etc.)

Does this garbled mess look familiar to anyone? It's okay to say no. I wouldn't claim it, either, if I didn't have to.

Alison

www.alisonhenderson.com