A Change is as Good as a Rest

I am still writing! That's why I'm not blogging. I'm so busy getting this story down on paper again

that I'm not really doing much else. Then, I realised that I hadn't blogged since August! August! It's almost Christmas so that's remiss of me.

Here I am with my current WIP (work in progress). 

The title has changed. It's a much more dynamic title and it hopefully grabs people's attention.

I am also doing a complete rewrite. I'm about 10k words into it and just come to a bit of a stand still. I'm at the point where I think the whole thing is utter rubbish and I'll never finish it, but I've been through this enough times so I know I'll come out the other end with enthusiasm.

I have been using Lisa Cron's Story Genius to help me. When I've had feedback from rejections, I've been told that readers aren't connecting with my characters. From reading Lisa's book, I can see where I've been going wrong and what I can do to fix it. The book doesn't need a complete rewrite, it just needs a little tweak here and there.

I think that I was trying to show too much emotion through actions and not enough through inner monologue which made it difficult for readers to know my main character's motivation and why she was doing what she was doing.

I've also developed the back story I already had in mind.

One of the things I hadn't done, and I think this was a real draw back, was develop the back story of the minor characters. They were all there to support the story rather than have their own motivations. There were no subplots among the minor characters. I've just had to layer up the novel and give it depth. I think I focused on world building and forgot story building.

I feel as if the main plot is quite steady, I'm not really changing a lot there. What I really need to change is what happens in the middle of the novel with the subplots and the world building.

I have written a teaser scene but I'm not sure if that should just be taken out. The main characters could just go through the door, just go into the world and get on with it.

Word counts are precious things and I don't want to slow the pace of the story.

Seeing as I'm in a bit of a rut with the novel at the moment, I'm going to start typing it up. I was thinking of reading it to my own children, to see if the pace and the words are on point. My son enjoys listening to me read, although he's a little younger than the target audience.

This is where I am with my novel: a complete rewrite with a view to layer it up and to make it more relevant. It's about connecting my audience with my characters and adding depth to my minor characters. I need to only include characters who are relevant to the story. I need to consider what these characters contribute, why they're there and what they're doing.

The main thing is to not give up. It took JK Rowling three years to write Harry Potter and I am only one year in. I can do it!

Start Again

Not Giving Up

If I believe my beta readers, which I do (they're amazing), I have a good story here that needs to be told. If for nothing else than the speech in the third act, which I'm really proud of.

The trouble is, my queries are being rejected by every agent I've submitted to. It is nice to have a reply, and some replies are really supportive, but I can't help but think the trouble is my novel itself. So, I have torn it apart and I'm rebuilding it bit by bit.

I know I can write better than some of the scenes in this book. I know that some scenes aren't as strong as others. There isn't enough at stake. I think, you could even say that my book is quite dull in some places. No one has said that, but it's what I'm thinking. I need something to happen, something to be at stake in most of the scenes.

I think it helps that I'm reading more than I've read for a long time. I'm identifying the inciting

incidents, the key events, the midpoint, crisis, resolution points in the books I'm reading and it's giving me a better idea of where I'm going wrong.

In those dark moments, it also has me thinking that there is no way I can write this well. But we don't talk about crippling self doubt, not when revision is going well.

Things that have changed since the last beta read: 

• I have cut out a few surplus scenes that didn't add to the plot, pacing or story
• I've changed what happens at all in the first half of act two. World building information is going to be delivered to the reader in a much subtler way from now on. 
• The midpoint is going to be considerably different and the following scenes related to it will look much different. 
• The crisis point is staying the same, but I'm going to make it more obvious and more heartbreaking. 
• The end of the book is currently staying mostly the same. 

I have also made changes and then immediately deleted them. Such as, instead of moving house with her loving mum, Lexi, my main character was going to spend the summer with an evil Aunt Polly. However, this character didn't add to the plot so I replaced her back with Lexi's mum. Instead, I swapped her beautiful new house to a run down derelict that doesn't have wi-fi. Almost as bad as an evil aunt. 

I've also made the sidekick more cowardly so that his character arc has further to go. I've made Lexi more thoughtless so that her character arc moves a great deal.

I've got to remember, being an author isn't about being nice to your characters. It's about giving them a goal and doing everything you can to keep it from them and generally be completely awful to your characters.

I think one of my problems is, I don't know what Lexi wants. Tim wants to go home, forget aliens exist and play computer games with his friends.

Lexi wants to spend time with the aliens, be involved in their world and learn  everything she can about them. That doesn't seem a tangible want, however. I can put obstacles in her way, such as she's not allowed in the alien Hub and the alien police will kick her out. She doesn't know alien customs so stands out as human and also, not allowed in there. That just doesn't seem enough.

After the midpoint, she has a real, tangible obstacle of the antagonist to contend with. Perhaps if I had more antagonists, aliens who want to make Lexi's life difficult. Something to think about.

Where Am I?

If you're asking about Book 2, I have absolutely no idea. It all depends on if Book 1 gets representation and if it doesn't, Book 2 will look very different.

I've got back into reading again, now I've found another author I really enjoy reading. I've just finished Red Sister by Mark Lawrence. While I obviously enjoyed the book, I was also looking at how it was written. I found it really difficult to put Red Sister down, and when the book finished I was absolutely gutted there wasn't more to read!

This is the type of book I want to write! Red Sister and Earth Rising (working title) are very different, one set now about aliens, one set on a different planet with 1600's style technology and magic but both are about young girls on a journey of discovery.

Reading Red Sister really made me step back and have another look at my own writing. Now, every time I start to write Book 2, I stop and hate everything.

I'm not saying I want to write in the style of another author. I'm saying I want to have the same effect as another author, the same impact on the reader. When Nona, the main character in Red Sister, was in danger, the world around me melted away and I was there with her. I was drawn in.

When I look at my own writing, I don't feel as if the reader is drawn in. I don't feel as if there is enough at stake. I'm finding it so difficult to start Book 2, I have 5 open documents each with a different opening. Three actually have the same opening but written from different perspectives.

In the end, I gave up writing the opening and instead went to write the antagonists story. She's called Eris, a young adult from a dying planet. In order to win favour with the ruling Gorgons and hopefully secure aid for her planet, she agrees to do untold awful things to help the evil Gorgons achieve their goals.

Her planet had a history of legends. Fierce warriors who fought in the Great Alliance War. It hurts Eris deeper than she can express to see her people on their knees, begging for help from those who once feared her species.

It is that rage she takes with her as she leaves her planet and begins the mission the Gorgons set out for her. She doesn't question the why's or the reasons behind her instructions, all she knows is that on completion of her mission, millions of her people will be saved.

That led to me writing some notes for the outline for Book 2. However, that doesn't help me open the story. I was going to write it with Tim waking up from a nightmare, but I read advice which said not to do that.

The tips I found for writing an opening were from Jericho Writers. The author of the article, was harsh and picky, but that's exactly what I need for my writing. Kindness won't make me any better, it won't make me think. I couldn't find an author, but (s)he says

• it has to make sense
• it has to launch questions about the following story
• it must be confident

I also found these tips from How to Write a Captivating First Sentence by Lana Adler.

1. Mystify your reader. Make the first sentence intriguing or somewhat open-ended. Think of it as your mini masterpiece complete in itself, a tantalizing first taste of your literary treat.
2. Don't use deception to "lure" your reader. Like false advertisement, a false premise is disappointing and maddening. The first sentence should hint on what your story's going to be about without giving it all away.
3. Be bold. Get to the point. Avoid any "fluff" in your opening line. Make sure it includes some essential information that establishes the parameters of your story.
4. Be creative. Surprise. Rattle. Catch off guard. As Graham Greene had said, a story's beginning or ending is arbitrary. It can begin anywhere because it's just "that moment of experience from which to look back or from which to look ahead."
5. Use humor. There's nothing better than humor to break the ice, whether it's an opening line of a speech or the first sentence of a book.

But with all these tips in my head, my opening line isn't doing any of that and each time I write it, it's not

good enough. 

This basically means that Book 2 is going nowhere! I thought maybe I could skip the opening and just write the strong ideas for scenes that I have in my head. That way I'm still writing, I'll have plenty of time for reading and I can put the story together in a chronological order when I've got more of the pieces. 

It's like a puzzle. I'd normally start with the edges and maybe a bit of sky, but with Book 2 and the way I'm feeling at the moment, I think it'll have to be connecting the bits together that I find first and just seeing if the edges fit. 

That is where I am at the moment, with Book 2. Book 1, working title, Earth Rising is out with agents as I am querying. I sent out to agents back in April and I've now sent out again today. I've had two rejections so far as I wasn't right for the list. But the aim is to never give up. 

I think it's really easy to think about giving up when you receive a rejection. But one day, you will be someone's favourite author. If you give up, that will never happen. If you keep trying, then it will. 

Beta Readers!

Phew! I survived the Beta Reader process! I have come through the process feeling rather chuffed about my novel. There is still a lot to work on. For example, before the Beta read, my novel was 58,000 words. Now it is 47,000 so it clearly did need work. There is still probably more scenes that could be snipped with conversations added elsewhere.

[Just this second thought of how I could an entire scene and replace it with a sentence! Now it's 46k.]

The feedback I had from the Beta readers has been great. My dad, my first ever beta reader, says this draft is better than all the others he's read. Yay! Another beta reader said that she loved the book and that she hoped it would be available to the wider public. Yay! One beta reader said that she couldn't connect emotionally with the characters so I have had to look into that as it was also feedback from a rejection I'd recieved.

Moving forward, what I need to do now is act on the amazing advice I've been given and make this novel the great novel it has the potential to be.

"I was genuinely sad when I finished the book. So many great things in this book."

I may need to put the positive feedback up on my wall because I have that crippling self-doubt all writers have when I think my novel is just ok. I've got to let this feedback buoy me up a bit and not sit back on my laurels or dwell in my self-doubt.

Since having beta feedback, I have been working hard. I will soon begin the process of querying, which means more people will be reading my manuscript. I hope they enjoy it, even if they don't choose to represent me.

It's Finished!

I almost can't believe it's finished! I've worked on this novel for so long now,

through the doubts and the rewrites, the character changes and the editing. It's all led to this point: the novel is completed.

Well, I say completed. I've given it to people to read and get feedback. I've already had some feed back that my descriptions are too detailed and don't leave enough to the imagination, which is brilliant as that gives me a focus should I go through it and edit it again.

I was worried that my dialogue was a bit, the same. The characters tend to have my voice and all sound the same. Two of my characters have distinctly different voices, but the rest? I wasn't sure.

Beta Readers

It's always scary giving your work to someone to read. I've given people snippets, but really, I'm the only person who has lived in this story. I've had a few people volunteer to read my novel. I'm so grateful that there are so many kind people willing to give up their valuable time to help me with my book. I aim to pay it forward.

The beta readers have the novel at the moment and I will be making changes depending on the feedback I get from them. I'm excited and nervous at the same time, wondering what they're going to say.

Part of me wants to have negative feedback so that I can act on it and improve my writing accordingly, but on the other hand, I want the readers to enjoy the story, find it page-turner-y and to connect with my characters. I want them to find the story immersive, entertaining and care about what's going to happen. But, that's only if my writing is good enough.

What's Next?

I'm going to spend a little time catching up on writing I've not been able to do because of this novel. I'm going to take a break from the novel for a week or so. It'll help me come back to it with fresh eyes after the beta readers have given me their feedback.

After that, I'm going to be researching agents to query. Once I have the feedback from the beta readers, I'll make changes accordingly and start querying.

Wish me luck?

Update: How it's Going So Far

It has been quite a while since I've posted. Obviously, I've been writing. Of course. I've also had two bouts of illness and we've had a little holiday with the kids.

Now it is back to writing. To make up for being ill, I wrote 2500 words yesterday, which is probably a personal best if I'm not sat alone in the kitchen fiercely writing.

Where am I now?

I am currently writing up my second draft of my second rewrite of the book.

I like the direction it's gone in much more this time and the development of the characters. It is far from perfect but I think we are getting somewhere. I have, for example, decided to cut out a scene and it's build up and repercussions completely. It doesn't add to the plot enough to warrant its existence in the book.

Chop chop.

That leaves me continuing to type up the hand written copy of my novel and begin to edit as I go. I am changing great swathes as I type it up. I've changed the pub to a tourist information point, for example.

My Hopes and Aspirations 

I go through periods of thinking this book is utter tosh and why on Earth would anyone want to read it, to thinking it might actually be good and I might do well with it.

I am hoping first that my Beta readers enjoy it. If no one else, at least they have enjoyed reading it.

If that goes well and the feedback I get doesn't tell me to give up writing and focus on my cross stitching, then I will make any changes and start to query.

That's months away, I still have a lot of first stage editing to do. I need to check the characters' character arcs and that the plot flows. I think I have a plot hole and that needs to be closes. I want to check the foreshadowing and the conflict in each scene. I want to ensure that each of my characters has a unique voice that is special to them. All my characters seem to have my voice at the moment and it's getting samey. I'm going to read through just looking at dialogue in one of my edits.

Should I hire an editor?

I wish I could! I don't think that is an option for me but I would love to have a professional glance their eye over my work. If I end up self publishing, then I think this is a route I will need to invest in but until then, I will just wish.

What will be next?

My current work in progress is a first book of a series. These books chronicle the lives of two ordinary human children who go on an extra ordinary adventure. They are the children of firsts: the first humans to meet an alien, the first humans to be in an alien spaceship and the first children to walk on the Moon. And, in book 2, they will experience more firsts.

Book 2 keeps popping into my mind as I'm gazing out the window on the bus. I think I may have a rough plan of where I want that to go and the character arc I want to show there. I have the final part of the series in my head where good and evil face off but it's nothing like we expect, because really no one is completely evil and no one is completely good.

My Apologies 

I am sorry that my blog posts seem to be few and far between. This is because I am working so hard on this book and trying to get it finished to the highest quality that I can. I will try to post more and maybe give you a sneaky peek at what I'm editing or writing that day!

So remember to check back for updates and thank you for reading.

Finding the Time to Write

I'm sure other authors, who haven't yet taken up writing full time, are having a similar problem to myself: I'm struggling to find time to write.

I am lucky. I have a particularly patient husband who gives me the time and space to write in the evenings, when the children have gone to bed. If I manage my time well, that way I have roughly 2 hours to write each night.

These two hours also consist of time spent with my husband, time keeping a personal diary, time where I do my day job (yup, in the evenings #teacherlife) and times where I go out to see my friends and generally be a grown up.

There are literally not enough hours in the day!

I am able to write most nights, even if it's just a few hundred words but I find my writing is disjointed and sometimes doesn't make sense if I have to stop-start writing in the middle of a scene.

So, with being a mum and having a full time job and having a husband and a social life, how do I fit everything in?

Here are my 3 tips:

1. Be kind to yourself

As much as you want to be, you're not actually superhuman. There is genuinely only so much that we

can do and fit into one day, so accept that you are not going to be able to do all the things all the time. When I go out with friends, I have to accept that this evening isn't going to be a writing evening. It's been difficult, but I've had to learn to let it go. I've had to learn to relax.

2. Write when you're not writing

As most writers do, I carry a notebook and pen with me everywhere, and I also commute to work. Sometimes, I sketch down some notes when I'm on the bus. It's not proper writing or sitting down quietly in a room alone, but it is getting the writing out my head.

If I'm not writing on the bus, I'm thinking about my story. What's going to happen next? Where is the story going? Yesterday, I was taking down the Christmas tree and a whole speech from my book came into my head. It's not the finished article but it will go in the book in some form.

3. Carve out a few minutes.

If you are truly swamped and unable to find time, this may be difficult. Are there a few minutes here and there where you could write quickly? I will try to use my time as best I can (not always easy) and jot down some notes while tea is in the oven or review my outline while I'm waiting for the bus. Little snippets like this aren't ideal, especially if you're like me and find your writing is disjointed when you keep coming back to it but if you're really struggling for time, this could be an idea for you.

Never Enough Time

Writing this blog post has taken time out of my writing this evening, but sometimes I need a break from my story to come back to it fresh. While I was on the bus this morning, I was planning out the scene I'm about to start writing so I have a good foundation to use going forward.

I hope these few times will help, especially the first one, and I wish you all the luck with your writing!