Published Means Perfect, Right?: Dialogue Failure

Recently while reading one of Lillian Jackson Braun's great books, The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare, I stumbled upon an error that I believe can be a very instructive example. Read this short piece of dialogue between the two characters and see if you recognize the the odd error.

"Jody thinks it would help if I grew a beard." [Junior]
"Not a bad idea! Your girl comes up with some good ones." [Qwilleran]
"My grandmother says I'd look like one of the Seven Dwarfs."
"Your grandmother sounds like a sweet person, Junior."
"Grandma Gage is a character! My mother's mother, you know. You must have seen her around town. She drives a Mercedes and honks the horn at every intersection."

Analysis
I am not talking about the the use of two exclamation points, though that is somewhat of a problem.

I am talking about the line where Qwilleran says, "Your grandmother sounds like a sweet person, Junior." That makes no sense in the context of what Junior said. It also does not logically lead to the next line where Junior says his grandmother is a character.
Qwilleran should've said that the grandmother sounds like an interesting, funny or astute person, but sweet does not fit here.

I know the error is small, but it distracts. It distracted me enough that I stopped reading and re-parsed the sentence.

Authors who've published 20 novels can afford errors like these, but those of us who are looking to get published cannot. Yes, that's how closely we have to edit our stuff.
It's crazy, but it's the writer's life.
What do you think about it?

~Newton Saber

Why Have You Stopped Writing?

No one has ever become perfect by doing nothing.
~Anonymous

1. Have you stopped, because you don't believe in yourself?
Start with belief. If you don't believe you can achieve a task, then you'll never even begin the first steps of the task. For example, I don't really believe I can paint a beautiful painting, so I do not even attempt it.

However, there is no way to ever know if you are good without actually doing the thing. If I never gather the materials and make an attempt at painting, it is obvious I'll never succeed as an artist.

If I don't believe I'll never take the actual steps.
Do you believe in your writing? Is there anything there that is good enough to begin to believe in? I'm sure there is. Even if there is not much, then you can begin to grow by doing a few exercises each day.

2. Have you stopped because you no longer believe in your project?
Is your project boring you? Did you think you liked the project and now you've lost interest?
That can happen for two reasons:
i.) It's not a subject your heart finds interesting. You thought it was great, but now you really don't like the story or the subject. It happens.
If that is the case then make a decision. Either leave the story behind or write the story and fin

ii.) Now that you've researched it more the subject / angle wasn't really strong enough to follow.
If this is true, drop the project and start the next one on your list. Move forward. Allow yourself to drop the dead weight and move on.

There is another reason you may have stopped writing.

3. You're afraid to finish because if you do, it will be obvious that you are not a great writer.
I think most beginning writers fear this. What if you spend a year on a novel and then it is trash? What if no one likes your story? If you finish and learn that you are no good, then it'll be obvious you are not a writer. If you learn you are not a writer, then your dreams will be gone. So by not writing, you believe you are protecting your dream.

Change The Point Of Your Writing
If you're going through this, you need to change the point of your writing. Reframe your work.
Instead of thinking, "I must complete my novel so that I am discovered this year",

decide that your point is, "To mentor myself in writing."

The only way to learn is: write. So, write the novel. Give yourself permission to write terribly. Then, go back and read it again.

If you can't read your novel a few times, then no on else is going to want to read it even once. It's your baby.

Anyway, go back and rip the writing apart as if someone else wrote it, then change it.

Examine Yourself: Learn About Yourself
Learn from the good parts. Examine yourself when you wrote poorly. How did you feel about yourself and your story. Examine how you felt, what the conditions were when you wrote brilliantly. This redirects your focus and gets you out of evil critique mode. Give yourself the compassion you would give someone else.

Do a little at a time and you'll begin to see success. Grab on to those successes and encourage yourself. Now, it's not about being perfect. It's about finishing and writing better than you did before.

Take A Moment and Consider These Thoughts
Really think about what I've said here. Do you feel encouraged? Then know and believe that with that kind of encouragement you will see a series of successes.
It is possible.

Now, go and write and complete and feel the peace of finishing. It is possible, but it will never be perfect. That is normal.

Keep on learning, keep on writing.
~Newton Saber

Making a Fortune or Making Art: Neither or Both

"A writer in America can make a fortune, however, he cannot make a living."
~James Michener (best-selling author of Alaska and numerous other novels)

There are two extreme attitudes that a writer can fall into that may destroy his writing career.

1. Writing exclusively for money. This occurs when the writer shuts down his unique voice and instead tries to create some generic spew that 100% of the people will love in order to get them to buy it.
Sell out!

2. Writing purely for self. These crazy artists are holed up at the opposite end of the spectrum. These are the geniuses who cannot listen to the unwashed public. "You people don't understand, because you can't see true art."

To which, the people respond, "Dude, it sucks!"

It's a tough thing, because:
1. Even mediocre writers need to eat.
2. Being true to yourself is important and the only way to create your art.

Balance?
Is it possible to find a balance between these two philosophies?
If so, what is the key?

What Is the Key?
I'm glad I made you ask that question. Focus on giving. Give your craft to people. Not because you want their money, but because you honestly feel like it will help or inspire them.

Focus on giving the best. That means you need to focus on your craft. Make sure you are great at your craft, so people want it.

Steps To Making Your Craft The Best It Can Be
1. Read. Learn everything you can about writing. Read tons. Stay open. Copy the masters.

2. Learn. Be open to feedback. Ask your friends to read your pieces and evaluate them. Explain to them that since you don't want to take up a lot of their time you've created a worksheet they can fill out and return to you. Be happy no matter what they say, because you are learning, which means moving toward the goal of being a better writer.

3. Write. But, don't just write. What? Produce specific pieces that you give to people. That's right. Make sure you write something that is important enough that someone (hopefully many someones) will want to read.
How do you produce something that others want to read? You write for them, not yourself.

Kumquat Gardening Extraordinairre
If you are a kumquat gardener and you are determined to write articles on kumquat gardening, then go where the kumquat gardeners are. Just don't expect that all your neighbors are going to be interested in kumquat gardening and don't get upset when they aren't.

4. Give your writing away. I know. I know. You're all worried about someone stealing your stuff. Look, if no on reads your writing, then it is no better than the tree that falls in the forest when no one is around: it makes no noise.

Make Some Noise
You've got to get people to read your stuff, so write it great and write it to a specific audience and then beg them to read it.

5. Love. Love writing. Become saturated in the nuances of writing. Love the people who read your pieces. Even if they annoy you at times. Love the fact that they are at least trying you out. Love creates generosity. Generosity creates love.

No one can guarantee that you'll become a great writer or that you'll become rich, but if you follow all these steps, there's a much better chance that either or both will happen.

Read. Learn. Write. Give. Love. It is the best way. It is the only way.

Do these things and you'll never be trapped by money or (false) art. Instead, your life will become art that will inspire people who may in turn support you.

Start with giving and it will change everything.

Keep on learning, keep on writing.
~Newton Saber

10 Steps To Becoming a Published Author - Pt. 2 (last 5 steps)

6. Submit to editors and agents. Feel the rejection. Own it. Seth Godin, author of my favorite book of the year, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?, was rejected over 800 times in one year for a number of books. Can you imagine that level of rejection? He knew the truth; eventually someone is bound to like it and publish it. In the mean time he learned a ton.
Are you willing to be rejected in order to learn?

7. Read 3 Pages of 20 Books
Now that you've felt the rejection and you believe all agents and editors are idiots, go to the library and pick up 20 random books -- yes, even best-sellers -- and read the first 3 pages of those books. Sound boring. Sound time consuming? Well, just wait til you start reading. It'll be even worse. Now, multiply that horror by 1,000 and you'll see why editors and agents are so jaded. How does this help? Go back and examine your writing. Imagine truly reading the first page for the first time. Is it brilliant? Why not? And, if it isn't, why would any jaded editor or agent want to read your book?

7. Self Publish Your Book
Now that you understand that it is going to be more than difficult to get any editor's or agent's attention, you need to self publish your book. Why? So you can put it in the hands of every person you meet. If you think your book is so great, you are surely willing to expend the cost (time and money) to do this, right?
If you don't believe it is worth the time and money, why would you think anyone else would be convinced of that truth? Are excuses already beginning to form in your mind?
How do I get it printed? How much will that cost? How do I create a cover?
Come on. This is your baby and you're not even committed? Seriously. Why would any agent or editor be interested?
I am writing a book for you right now, called Publish Your Book, The Lightning Guide.
Why would you self publish? To get your book into the readers' hands who _can_ become raving fans.
You do believe that once they read your book, they'll become raving fans, don't you?

8. Create Review Sheet / Distribute Book- Ask For Brutal Honesty
Create a review sheet for the people who will read your book. Give them your book and a copy of the review sheet.
Get your book into every person's hands. Beg them to read your book and fill out the sheet. Two days later, they have forgotten about your book. Beg them again. Bribe them. Threaten them. Whatever it takes. Get them to read and review your book. I've created a generic review sheet that you can use if you like. (review sheet will be forthcoming).

9. Rewrite Your Book
Now you can be brutally honest with yourself. It really isn't that good. Look at the review sheets. You do have more than two of them, right? Everyone has two (one from mother, and one from spouse) so if you don't have more than two you need to question everything. Your book. Your committment. Your desire. Everything.

Review Sheets
Let's imagine you have 10 review sheets, which is weak but realistic.
What is repeated on the sheets? Focus on that. Question everything in your book. Why didn't they like your main character? What didn't they like about your plot? Did they finish the book? Why not? Did they stop caring about your character? Did your pacing slow?
Consider everything and do a line by line edit to make the changes.

How Long: Are You Crazy?
How long did all of this take? Did it take you 3 years? Well, that is still less time than it takes to get a Bachelor of Arts degree at a state school. If you want to, you could make this happen in a year, even if you had a full-time job. You just need to focus on the plan.

There are three steps to doing anything:
1. Decide what you want.
2. Make a plan
3. Follow the plan (no matter what)

With this plan you have the first two steps.
Will you now take the 3rd and most crucial step? I hope so. I'm going to.

Keep on learning, keep on writing.
~Newton Saber

10 Steps To Becoming a Published Author - Pt. 1 ( first 5 steps)

Notes About This Article and Love
This article is definitely 100% for amateurs. The word amateur comes from the the Latin amare, to love. An amateur writer is one who writes, because she loves it, not because she is being paid. (Thank you Bobby Jones.) These readers will enjoy this article. Even if they are professionals.
The weak of heart or mind, however, who are looking for quick success will not find what they are looking for in this article.

Publish Guarantee?
What if there were exact steps that guaranteed you would become a published author? Would you take them?

What If It Was Difficult?
What if it meant you had to write a 100,000 words or that the process would take 3 years? Your answer to that question may indicate your level of seriousness about your writing.

I cannot guarantee these steps will make you a published author, but if you truly follow all of them, it is very likely you'll be published by the time you complete them all.

Sharpen The Saw
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (by Stephen Covey) says that you must prepare yourself for success.

Abraham Lincoln said,

"If I had 5 hours to cut down a tree I'd take 2 hours to sharpen the ax."

With that in mind, consider these first two steps:

1. Read Make Your Words Work: Proven Techniques for Effective Writing-For Fiction and Nonfiction, by Gary Provost. This is my number-one all-time favorite writing book. If I know how to write at all, it is because of this book. It touches on everything and explains writing as a whole in such a way that you'll understand what you're really trying to do.

2. Read Elements of Fiction Writing - Scene & Structure, by Jack Bickham. This book explains the basics of story-telling so you will understand what a story really is and what a reader wants. This book explains stimulus/response writing. If you understand s/r writing it will dramatically change your fiction writing. You will move from novice to advanced writer. You will finally understand _what_ to show in your story and _how_ to show those story elements and _why_ you would or would not show them.

3. Write your book or story. With all of that in mind, sit down and write your story. Don't look back or even up from the desk before you complete. Don't let anyone read it. It's rough and they don't understand yet. Write. Love the words. Write. Love your story. You do love the story you're writing, don't you?

4. Read The First Five Pages: A Writer'S Guide To Staying Out of the Rejection Pile, by Noah Lukeman. This book will help you _honestly_ evaluate your finished work to prepare it for the editor's or agent's eyes. If you can honestly answer all of Lukeman's questions about your story/book, then you are ready for publication.

5. Do a complete edit, with the things you learned from The First Five Pages in mind.

Are you still with me? There is a lot of tough work here, but that's what it takes to be a great writer. Just wait until you see the last five steps. :-)

Keep on learning, keep on writing.
~Newton Saber

Writing: Wasting Time Or Learning?

Wasting Time or Learning
How can a novice know if they are wasting time or learning?
Most beginning writers are unsure if their writing is good or not. They may believe their writing is great, since all their friends and relatives tell them they are great (to their face). However, if your work isn't being published, then it is probably lacking something. I say probably, because it is possible that you are a fantastic writer who simply hasn't been recognized for your greatness, yet.
Let's resolve that issue first.

Unrecognized?
Let's assume you are a great writer and you simply haven't been recognized yet.
If you want to find out if that is true, then be brave enough to invest in yourself and get your book self-published and start handing it out (for free). Ask people to read your book. If you know that your writing is great, then surely once someone reads your book they will tell others and before you know it you will have a best seller on your hands.

That happened with The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans. He tried to sell the book for over a year to a vast number of publishers before being strongly impressed by his readers (friends, family, acquaintances) to self-publish. He did and the story of the book is one of the most often quoted stories in the self-publishing industry.
My point: If your writing is truly great, it will find its market.

Where's Your Product?
However, to bring the above idea into reality, it requires that you've already written, or are just about to complete a work of signficance. In other words, you have to have a product to hand to people.

Imagine the following interaction with one of your close friends.
You: I'm a writer.
Friend: What do you write?
You: I write (insert genre name) novels.F
Friend: I don't normally read (genre) novels, but I would love to read your book and let you know if I like it.
You: Uh...I've only written 5 pages.
Friend: Oh, I thought you'd been doing this for a while. How long have you been writing?
You: Uh... About two years.
Friend: Well, I would like to read your novel. If you write it I will.

Make The Decision
You see the point? If you don't have a product, if you haven't done the work, then you will never know what someone else thinks of your writing. So, decide right now, that you will LBD (learn by doing) and that you will complete a 250 page novel in one year or six months... or less.

Got Product, No Audience
Okay, so the other possibility is that you've completed one or more novels, but you have no audience.

First of all, let's understand something. You may want to sit down for this. If you're giving your novel away, but everyone who reads it is telling you they haven't gotten around to reading it yet, then most likely your novel is not great. It is probably not even good.

Must Have Completed Work
That could be a painful thing to accept after spending so many hours on a work and pouring so much of yourself into it. But, you are infinitely further along than someone who has not written at all. There is no possibility of editing something that doesn't exist.


Also, even if you end up throwing the novel away, you have the experience of sitting and writing for a long period of time and that is extremely important. You know you are a writer, because you have been writing. You don't have a problem of production, you simply have a problem of technique, which can be quickly resolved simply by learning writing techniques. However, you must be open to learning the techniques, even if it alters the hard work you've already completed.

Keep on learning, keep on writing.
~Newton Saber

State the Obvious, Even If You're a Mystery Writer

Mystery, Not Confusion
I have noticed that we writers often like to create an air of mystery by not providing the reader with the character's name. (note: this article came about because of a great discussion going on at the Writer's Digest web site community (new window / tab).

It's generally done very poorly though. Most often the only thing it does is annoy the reader as she wonders who the action is happening to.

Check out my analysis of Catherine Coulter's novel Tailspin on my 100 Begins blog. It is the worst case of Mysterious-POV-Character error, you will probably ever come across.

It's a hokey trick in an attempt to get our readers to listen to us. It doesn't work.
Instead, if you want to get your readers to listen to you, just try:
1.) telling them the exact details
2.) showing them the action.

Because you know, readers really just want three things:
1.) action
2.) action
3.) action

However, I'm not talking about Rambo here. I just mean readers want to _see_ the action play out before their eyes.
As they watch the action, they will see character. They will absorb character, by seeing the actions that the character takes. As they absorb the character they'll be drawn head-long into your story.
I really believe in this, because this is the way we learn about our own world.
Right. This is the old Show Don't Tell.

Here's a sample I've created that breaks the Mystery-POV-Character Error by stating the POV character's as the first three words. Check it out and see if the piece is effective. I think you'll find that it is, because there is detailed action.

My Sample

Colonel Jeb Armstrong stood at one end of the street and stared at the next fugitive he'd kill. He looked down at the paper in his hand, then up at the ugly stranger.

"Your name is Adam Harfaw, right," Jeb asked

"Mebbe it is or ain't, stranger. What's it to you?"

Jeb tapped the wanted poster and said, "Well, these pictures aren't always real clear and this looks a whole lot like you. Since I'm going to kill you, I'd prefer to get it right. But, it don't make me no never mind. You look like you're up to no good anway."

The man at the other end of the street spat a long line of tobacco juice but much of it landed on his shirt anyway. "I don't like you," he said and reached for his gun.

The barrel didn't even clear his holster when a bullet went through the middle of his chest. Then another through his head.

Jeb holstered his gun and laughed. "I reckon it'll be a whole lot easier identifying you now that you aren't squirming around so much. Well, if we can still make out your face."

So in analysis of my piece I say:
1. provide character name immediately
2. tell exactly what he is doing
3. notice that subtleties come out from stating directly -- "started at next fugitive he'd kill" sounds cold-blooded --ie characterization.
4. make sure characters are doing stuff readers can see... tapped poster, spat juice, reached for his gun

All of this is really inspired by the book, Make Your Words Work, by the late great author, Gary Provost. If I could read only one book on writing, it would be this one.

Keep on learning, keep on writing.
~Newton Saber
100 Beginnings for Fiction Writers analysis of 100 novels and how we (as writers) learn from them.
The Writer's Invisible Mentor My writing project about writing and learning to write
Saber Slice: More on Creativity and Writing