After you've written your story, polished it and think it's "ready to go," that is the time to have your work critiqued.
Find at least two, better yet, three people who have experience in the same area of writing, be it picture books for the very young or non-fiction for the most serious adult readers. You might find these people in person or online, through writing groups, word-of-mouth or online searches. They might be other writers (aspiring or published) with whom you can do a manuscript exchange.
Or you can find a former editor or agent or author who does professional critiques. You'll have to pay for these, maybe as little as $30, maybe more than $300. Again, check with friends, writing groups and/or online searches.
Be open to the criticism, but remember that it is feedback and the story is yours. If everyone says your main character is weak, you'll really need to consider that. If you get three widely different opinions, you need to decide which, if any, resonate with you and your story.
It takes courage to ask for criticism, but it will help improve your writing.
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Monday, October 24, 2011
Plot Strategies, Part III: The Fulfilling-a-Wish Story
In this type of story the main character's wish must be something that seems almost impossible to achieve. The main character may try once or twice to fulfill his wish, but he must fail so miserably that the reader sees just how truly difficult it would be. The main character also may simply wish without making the effort because she thinks her dream is unattainable.
There are two types of Wish stories. In one the person gets what she wants because of who she is. The poor girl wants to marry the gallant prince and when she has a chance to meet him he is so impressed with her good qualities (which the rich women he has met lack) that he wants her to be his bride.
In other wish stories, the main character gets what he wants because of what he does, but it must be unrelated to his original goal. He may loves sports and therefore wants a summer job at the local minor-league baseball stadium. He knows it's a longshot to get a job there, because he is under eighteen, but he did set up an interview.
On his way to the interview, the boy may stop to help someone change a tire. As he gets dirty and sweaty and late for his job interview, he talks to the driver. The driver is opening a sporting good store, but he is worried no one will show up for his grand opening. The main character misses his job interview, because he is late after helping change the tire and talking so long to the store owner because the main character is so interested in what the store owner has to say. The main character finds out that someone else, much more qualified, got the job with the minor-league team.
The next day the main character goes to the grand opening of the sporting goods store. There are few people stopping by. The main character suggests to the store owner, who remembers him from the day before, that he could help the store owner by dressing in various pieces of sports clothes, going outside and carrying the Grand Opening sign that is just sitting in the window. The owner agrees. The Grand Opening is a success. The store owner offers the main character a job as a sales clerk at the sporting goods store and the main character happily accepts. Though it's not with the minor-league baseball team, he has a sports-related job.
The wish in this type of story must not be filled until the very end. It must be a suitable one for the main character. The main character must be one the reader likes and will root for.
There are two types of Wish stories. In one the person gets what she wants because of who she is. The poor girl wants to marry the gallant prince and when she has a chance to meet him he is so impressed with her good qualities (which the rich women he has met lack) that he wants her to be his bride.
In other wish stories, the main character gets what he wants because of what he does, but it must be unrelated to his original goal. He may loves sports and therefore wants a summer job at the local minor-league baseball stadium. He knows it's a longshot to get a job there, because he is under eighteen, but he did set up an interview.
On his way to the interview, the boy may stop to help someone change a tire. As he gets dirty and sweaty and late for his job interview, he talks to the driver. The driver is opening a sporting good store, but he is worried no one will show up for his grand opening. The main character misses his job interview, because he is late after helping change the tire and talking so long to the store owner because the main character is so interested in what the store owner has to say. The main character finds out that someone else, much more qualified, got the job with the minor-league team.
The next day the main character goes to the grand opening of the sporting goods store. There are few people stopping by. The main character suggests to the store owner, who remembers him from the day before, that he could help the store owner by dressing in various pieces of sports clothes, going outside and carrying the Grand Opening sign that is just sitting in the window. The owner agrees. The Grand Opening is a success. The store owner offers the main character a job as a sales clerk at the sporting goods store and the main character happily accepts. Though it's not with the minor-league baseball team, he has a sports-related job.
The wish in this type of story must not be filled until the very end. It must be a suitable one for the main character. The main character must be one the reader likes and will root for.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Plot Strategies, Part II - Story of Problem Solved/Objective Accomplished
In this type of story the main character has, as the title suggests, a problem he needs to solve or an objective he wants to achieve. He has to struggle to solve the problem or achieve his purpose. He will gain ground, but then lose it. He must keep struggling before forging ahead and in the end accomplishing his goal. While others can help or advise, he must do things on his own.
Any abilities the main character needs to solve his problem must be revealed to the reader before he needs to use them. If he can start a fire by rubbing sticks together, for example, he should be seen doing that, maybe demonstrating it to a younger sibling.
Plan the story carefully. Don't let things just "happen" to the main characters. Readers like to read about a character with whom they can identify who solves a realistic problem that they too might face and have to solve.
Any abilities the main character needs to solve his problem must be revealed to the reader before he needs to use them. If he can start a fire by rubbing sticks together, for example, he should be seen doing that, maybe demonstrating it to a younger sibling.
Plan the story carefully. Don't let things just "happen" to the main characters. Readers like to read about a character with whom they can identify who solves a realistic problem that they too might face and have to solve.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Don't Die Waiting to Write that First Word!
“A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word to paper." -E.B. White
I know too many would-be authors who are waiting for the "perfect time" to start writing. It might be when they finish college or when the kids are grown or when they retire. Others are a little less specific. They say they'll write when they aren't so busy, or have a little more time. Or…when the muse strikes.
Sorry, people! There are no ideal conditions or perfect circumstances, so stop waiting for them before you start writing (I'm saying this with an encouraging smile). :)
The time to start writing is now. You can carve out an hour a day--or even an hour a week. You can do that hour all at once or you can divide it up into 15-30 minute segments. Really, you can put in at least an hour a week, and you'll be surprised at how even with that minimal amount of time your word count will add up at the end of a month. Get up a little earlier in the morning and write. Or announce (even if it's only to yourself) that Friday evenings from 9-10 is your time for writing, and that's that!
Don't put too much pressure on yourself, though, if you've set "only" an hour a week as your writing time. Tell yourself you have to write only two sentences. 99% of the time you will end up writing much more than that. But on those occasions when two sentences are "it," don't feel bad. That's two more sentences than if you hadn't written anything at all!
You really do have only one life, so the time to start writing is immediately.
For information about me, my books and my kitties, visit: http://annherrickauthor.com/
I know too many would-be authors who are waiting for the "perfect time" to start writing. It might be when they finish college or when the kids are grown or when they retire. Others are a little less specific. They say they'll write when they aren't so busy, or have a little more time. Or…when the muse strikes.
Sorry, people! There are no ideal conditions or perfect circumstances, so stop waiting for them before you start writing (I'm saying this with an encouraging smile). :)
The time to start writing is now. You can carve out an hour a day--or even an hour a week. You can do that hour all at once or you can divide it up into 15-30 minute segments. Really, you can put in at least an hour a week, and you'll be surprised at how even with that minimal amount of time your word count will add up at the end of a month. Get up a little earlier in the morning and write. Or announce (even if it's only to yourself) that Friday evenings from 9-10 is your time for writing, and that's that!
Don't put too much pressure on yourself, though, if you've set "only" an hour a week as your writing time. Tell yourself you have to write only two sentences. 99% of the time you will end up writing much more than that. But on those occasions when two sentences are "it," don't feel bad. That's two more sentences than if you hadn't written anything at all!
You really do have only one life, so the time to start writing is immediately.
For information about me, my books and my kitties, visit: http://annherrickauthor.com/
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Where Do You Get Your Ideas?
Authors often get that question.
Ideas come at all times of day and night. I've had ideas come when I'm in the shower, when I'm driving to the dentist's office, and, often, just as my head hits the pillow when I go to bed. I might see someone at the grocery store whose appearance is something I want to remember, maybe for use as a character.
I've found the only way to remember ideas is to write them down. I have a small notebook with me at all times, and I have them scattered around the house. My dh is now used to me turning the light on right after we've gone to bed so that I can jot down some plot idea, bit of dialogue or description for a setting.
I've rushed a lot of showers so that I can get out in time to write down an idea before I forget it! (Good for water conservation, too.)
Some ideas come from looking at something familiar in a new way, or really looking at my surroundings when I'm at the grocery store, post office or out for a walk in the neighborhood. I have to write down these ideas, or, no matter how good I think they are at the time, they will vanish!
I clip articles from newspapers and magazines (my own!). I sometimes "borrow" from my own life, or lives of others, with a new twist, of course.
Ideas are everywhere, but they must be "captured" before they disappear!
Please visit my web site: http://annherrickauthor.com/
Ideas come at all times of day and night. I've had ideas come when I'm in the shower, when I'm driving to the dentist's office, and, often, just as my head hits the pillow when I go to bed. I might see someone at the grocery store whose appearance is something I want to remember, maybe for use as a character.
I've found the only way to remember ideas is to write them down. I have a small notebook with me at all times, and I have them scattered around the house. My dh is now used to me turning the light on right after we've gone to bed so that I can jot down some plot idea, bit of dialogue or description for a setting.
I've rushed a lot of showers so that I can get out in time to write down an idea before I forget it! (Good for water conservation, too.)
Some ideas come from looking at something familiar in a new way, or really looking at my surroundings when I'm at the grocery store, post office or out for a walk in the neighborhood. I have to write down these ideas, or, no matter how good I think they are at the time, they will vanish!
I clip articles from newspapers and magazines (my own!). I sometimes "borrow" from my own life, or lives of others, with a new twist, of course.
Ideas are everywhere, but they must be "captured" before they disappear!
Please visit my web site: http://annherrickauthor.com/
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