Apr
Making It Count!!
What can you do to make your WIP better?
Since I began work on my entry for RA (Royal Ascot), somewhere along the lines my editor kicked in. I don’t know how it happened but suddenly errors in the entries I’m judging and my own WIP are suddenly popping out like blooming roses!
Now just because I’m seeing these errors doesn’t mean I’m catching them all…hey small steps here.
However, it got me to thinking about how we can all improve our WIPs so when the editors/agents/judges view our work they are blown away.
So, a small bit of advice from me (take it for what it’s worth, truly!):
- When editing check for the spelling. Seriously, there are things you’ll over look because it’s not highlighted in your spell check. That instead of than..very simple stuff.
- Commas DO NOT end a sentence. I found this blunder in my own WIP. Very bad, very bad indeed. Can we say DUH moment?
- Make sure your H/H keep the same name, to the end! Another one of mine. I oopsed and made my heroine’s last name Preston, which is the bad guy’s last name, instead of Spencer. Not good.
- Don’t leave words out. I think this is a common problem. I’ve done it, published authors have done it..it’s all over the place.
- Just because one is good, doesn’t mean more is better. So you’ve given your character a personal issue, great, but don’t beat them about with so many you leave your readers wondering how they didn’t just shoot themselves to end the suffering.
- Never assume you know everything about your book! Trust me, you can plot everything and still the story will take on a life of it’s own and add something you never intended.
- Readers/Judges/Editors/Agents aren’t mind-readers. I thank Kathryn on this one. She pointed out that, just because the average person should know certain things about books, in my case historical stuff, doesn’t mean they will. So never assume they know anything!
- Now for the last one and I can promise you this is so TRUE! You will NEVER get a publishing contract unless you write the story. Shocker isn’t it?
This last one has been so true. I’ve twiddled my thumbs for over a year on my last WIP. Not really doing much of anything with it. Did I get any closer to being published. NOPE!
So my best advice: Make it count! No matter what ‘IT’ is, make it count.
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Now for some great fun!
Starting tomorrow you’ll get a full weeks worth of reviews! We will be reviewing each of Mary Reed McCall’s books, beginning with Mary’s Secret Vow and ending with The Templar’s Seduction, which will be out in May! And following Mary will be joining us for an entire week. So stick around and enjoy as we share with you the highlights of all Mary’s books.
Great blog, Haven! I’ve been popping in here at R.I. occasionally in the past few weeks - firstly, because I love to visit R.I.
and secondly, because I want to make sure I won’t be rehashing blog topics you’ve all discussed recently,when I come to guest blog in another week. You guys cover so many wonderful aspects of writing, that it’s going to be difficult to come up with some new stuff, LOL!
With that in mind, if anyone has any particular topic she’d like to see me blog about (and thanks, Andrea W for your suggestions earlier!) please email them to me at mary@maryreedmccall.com I’m still working out what I’ll blog about each day I’m visiting (and of course I’ll be visiting this coming week as well when you’re so kindly spotlighting my backlist and upcoming The Templar’s Seduction!) - but I’m always happy to try to address particular areas of writing/the business/creativity that will be most interesting or helpful if I can.
Looking forward to visiting a lot more in the next two weeks…
–MRM
April 14th, 2007 at 8:33 amGreat blog, Haven. Are you sure #8 is true? lol Okay, okay…I’ll get on it.
Mary, you’re so welcome for the suggestions! I’m really looking forward to the next two weeks with you!!
April 14th, 2007 at 9:06 amMary!!!
I’m so happy you’re coming back to this blog to spend time with us! Please on the look out for my email sometime this afternoon, I do have some suggestions for you. 
April 14th, 2007 at 10:28 amSpeaking of leaving out words…see #4
I meant to say, ” Please BE on the look out for my email…”
April 14th, 2007 at 10:33 amHaven, fabulous post!! I especially loved the last one. Isn’t it ironic how many people “talk” about writing instead of actually “writing”? Committing your words in black-n-white (or fuschia and lime green) takes a lot of courage. So long as the story is just in your head, you’re the best writer on Planet Earth. The minute it’s in front of you in a readable format, it’s complete drek, and you’re the worst hack since the Big Bang.
MRM: As a huge fan of medievals, having the Queen of the Middle Ages visiting us here is a huge honor and cause for extreme excitement. Hope you’re prepared for tons of gushing.
April 14th, 2007 at 2:54 pmI know for a *fact* my heroine’s last name is spelled wrong twice in my Royal Ascot entry! But I’d printed out 4 copies before Jacqueline pointed it out…Funny thing about that is, I knew there was a possibility her name would be spelled wrong and I even thought hey, I should probably Find and Replace. But nooooo. I read it 6 times and decided I’m perfect and never, ever make mistakes! Eck!
April 14th, 2007 at 8:09 pm*Hands Lacey a Margarita* Drink up, you’ll do fine! ((hugs))
April 14th, 2007 at 8:48 pmIsabel, that should be beer for Lacey. The margarita comes my way, unless you make a mean mai-tai.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:12 amI make a mean margarita, with homemade stuff, not that mix junk. So margaritas all around!!
Lacey, I did the same thing, not oops on my characters name, but found errors after I printed and sent. Ooops!! Suppose they’ll be pointed out to me, which is fine.
April 15th, 2007 at 2:24 am*Hands Keira a Mai Tai* How’s that?
Lacey, how about a mai tai, a margarita AND a beer?
lol
April 15th, 2007 at 10:36 amThanks for watching out for me, Keira! And Haven, glad I’m not the only one!
April 15th, 2007 at 12:23 pm