Author Appleton

Writing. Fantasy. Sci-fi. Mystery

editing

The “boring” verbs?

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I am writing this article from my iPhone. Isn’t technology amazing? Only a decade ago I never would’ve dreamed of using one of these devices to accomplish my writing needs. You might think that I am off topic, if I am talking about verbs, but give me a second and I will get back around to the point.

One of my favorite Star Wars novels is titled Traitor and it was written by Mathew Stover. It was a fantastic read and I remember going back to it again and again to study the writing technique. Both the story and the dialogue felt exceedingly natural. Smooth as butter to read. Something that every writer strives to achieve, but does not always succeed in doing, when creating a novel.

I have seen interviews with some authors who no longer type out their stories, rather they will take a walk or a hike and dictate their books. Personally I find this fascinating. We can talk so much faster than we can type, but my fear is that going back and editing all of those pages of dictation will require too much work. But sitting here now, dictating to my iPhone for this article I am honestly astounded at where technology has come.

There is a learning curve to everything and I wonder where the next phase of writing will take us.

Most recently I have been finishing the rework of my first novel. It is turning out so well, and it is very satisfying to feel this way about it. But an odd thing has happened in the editing process. Odd to me anyway!

Over a decade ago when I first entered the book publishing world, I was instructed by several editors and a couple of respected writers to eliminate a lot of simple verbs in my stories. Verbs such as was, were, did, had, etc. The result was that I chose many substitutes for the simple verbs, opting for active verbs instead. Looking back now I am not so sure that was the right choice.

In the past few months I have read novels like Ender’s Game by Orson Scott card, and Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. Their use of verbs is far more similar to my first instincts on writing. I find this fascinating! And so in the reworking of Swords of the Six I have rewritten large portions, bringing it back to the more literary style that I have enjoyed in books I’ve read.

The truest form of storytelling is verbal narrative, And I feel that the best written stories read as if someone is telling you the story. Perhaps we have reached a point where the rules of writing are destroying the art of writing. And perhaps the technology that we now possess is capable of liberating us from the tyranny of what is acceptable to the gatekeepers. In part, at least, this is true.

 

A new writer’s biggest mistake

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First-time writers are fun. They are full of energy because they are crazy enthusiastic about the stories they are creating. I have found this particularly true of those who write fantasy. It is interesting what holds many of these writers back, and it is a problem they can overcome.

Some people think that the biggest problem with new writers is that they don’t edit their writing well, or that they don’t spend the time revising and changing things in the manuscript to craft a stronger story. But both of these things are symptoms of the bigger problem and the most common issue with writers who aspire to be published authors.

There are so many times that I have been approached by aspiring authors. They have many questions related to publishing, selling their work, and editing. I have been told that I am an approachable person and I do try to be. When someone has questions and enthusiasm for writing I want to help them. Writing and publishing are long, challenging processes filled with mystery to the outside observer. When possible I like to pull back the veil, revealing the ins and outs of the process so that others can more speedily learn what I struggled with.

Often, but not always, I run into an issue when this happens. The writer will ask for my advice and I will give it. But they are quick to dismiss what they don’t want to hear and zero in on what they want to hear. They have trouble accepting professional criticism.

A writer’s first work is going to lay the groundwork for their career. If you have taken professional criticism and polished your work it will make a good first impression on readers. But if you have not then you will lose readers’ trust, your work will barely sell, and your future writing career will prove even more difficult to build.

Professional criticism is the single biggest boon to an aspiring writer. If a writer is unwilling to humble themselves to accept criticism they will not grow, they will not improve their craft, and they will have little to no respect among their writing peers. Certainly they will hold no respect with publishing industry professionals.

I liken these writers to a vacationer making a mountain trek through the snow. Instead of following the footprints of their guide they choose to strike out on their own, seeking a better path.

It is foolish to neglect criticism and to listen only to what we want to hear. We only grow and improve when we are uncomfortable. It forces us to change things, it forces us to conform to a better way.

Certainly there is the challenge of retaining our own unique creativity, but ultimately writers are born not made and if we seek counsel from mentors accomplished in what we are endeavoring to do, we can succeed.

Find a guide who has gone before you and listen humble to their advice. If you want to be like them someday and succeed as they have you will need to listen to their advice.

Q: Do you look for mentors to help you grow in your life?

A good first draft?

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I cannot tell you how many times I have heard an editor, a writer, or an agent make this absolute statement: “There is no such thing as a good first draft!” While I understand the point they are trying to make, I disagree with this all-inclusive judgment on all manuscripts we writers write.

When I wrote my first novel Swords of the Six it was far different from the final draft. I wrote the first draft, polished it, sent it to my editor, chopped it in two and rewrote large sections, etc. The process was long and arduous. By the time I was done I had no desire to touch a page of it again. Then, when I wrote my second novel I worked only a few drafts before sending it to my editor.

But when I wrote Key of Living Fire it was my first draft. Ignoring the don’t-send-your-first-draft rule-of-thumb I sent in the manuscript. The edits that came back were simple, occupying a mere couple pages.

What made the difference? I did not rush the writing of that manuscript. I let my creative flow lead me. If an element of the story did not move me emotionally I did not write it. If a plot element did not fire my imagination I paused to consider how to exchange that idea for another. Also, when it came to basic elements such as grammar I did not ignore a correction.

Hammering out the first draft quickly can sound appealing. But writers are artists, stories are the masterpieces. Think of it like a painting and get those brush strokes right the first time! In practice this is not always possible. Often your first draft will not be your last. But by aiming for quality over quantity we improve our first efforts. Do not underestimate what you can create with your first draft.

Question: What do you think of a writer’s first draft?