Fiction

Spread Sheets and Novels

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 5 Comments

#writetip I don’t know how anyone writes a novel without spread sheet. The more I write, the more columns my spread sheet contains.

What I’ve discovered writing my third novel, Burnt, is that I needed to add two new columns. These columns are helpful if you are writing a mystery novel.

One column is used for clues to solving the crime. This means the reader knows the clues, but the main protagonist might not. This is especially helpful if you write from multiple points of view. If not, you probably don’t need this one.

The second column keeps track of clues the main protagonist knows. This ensures the character doesn’t mysteriously know something at the wrong time.

For a more detailed description of my complete spread sheet and how I use it, please see:

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A Story Worthy Problem

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

#writetip How do you know if you have a story worthy problem and why do you want one?

I guess it depends on whether you are writing short stories or novels. I write novels, but love to read short stories. Let’s say a novel is somewhere between 70,000 and 100,000 words. Some can be more and some less.

For a reader to want to spend their time reading 70,000 words, there has to be a problem they are interested in and it has to be big enough to write that many words about.

Your main character needs to strive for something of they are just sitting around being boring. They need to come up against obstacles.

My idea is that you know you have a story worthy problem if you find yourself at 70,000 words (ish) and are still writing about it. If you run out of things to say, it might not be the story worthy.

Descriptions That Engage The Reader

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 1 Comment

#writetip When you create the world your novel exists in, there are an infinite number of “things” you can describe. A daunting task! How do you choose what to write about and what to leave out?

One technique is to describe what the character cares about. Chances are if the character is interested in the “thing” being described then the reader will be to.

The character might be interested in something if it is relevant to their goal, if it is a danger to them, or if it shows something about their personality.

To show the reader your character cares about this “thing” you can have the character give their opinion in either speech or thought. You can have the character go to extreme to save this “thing.”

If their house was burning down, what would they save? Maybe that’s the “thing” you should be describing.

For everything you describe, ask yourself how what it means to your character. That should get you on way to deciding what in your new world to write about.

As usual, this is what works for me. If you have other methods, I love to hear about them.

Switching POVs

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

#writetip. I find reading novels with multiple POVs entertaining and enjoyable. So what’s the trick to writing multiple POVs. As usual, this is only my opinion, so here’s what I think.

If you’re going to have multiple POVs in your novel, it’s important to let your reader know this early on in the story.

I could be jarring for a reader to get half way through a novel, and the POV is ripped from underneath their feet and a new character steps in.

Changing POVs in the first few chapters will warn the reader this is your style and hopefully they’ll enjoy your book more. They’ll expect different characters to have their say, to drive the novel, and to provide surprises. They won’t get so attached to one POV that they can’t bear the change and toss the novel aside.

Italics for Thoughts?

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

#writetip Garry Ryan, author of the Detective Lane Mysteries is kindly donating his time to be my mentor. This is part of the CWC mentorship program. We’re working through my third novel, Burnt, and in my humble opinion, the novel getting better.

One thing we’ve discussed is using italics for a characters thoughts. This is something I hadn’t done before. Garry’s advice is that it makes it easier for the reader to jump from narrative to thought.

I’ve been trying this technique, and I have to say it’s rather fun. It’s putting me more into the character’s head. I guess it reduces the distance between author and character, and then hopefully, between reader and character.

Now, we’ll see what kind of feedback I get on this new style (new for me, I mean).

Narrative: It’s all in the details

~ Kristina Stanley ~ Leave a comment

Do you have too much detail? #writetip I received a very insightful comment on my second novel from an acquiring editor. Here’s what I got out of it.

When describing “something” in a novel, that “something” should be related to the story. For instance, it is the murder weapon? Then perhaps it deserves a lot of attention.

It is “something” used during the novel, but not key to the plot? Then perhaps a little less detail.

It is “something” not related to the story? Then perhaps remove it.

There is so much to remember when editing a novel. Maybe it’s time I started another spreadsheet.

Scenes and Sequels

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 5 Comments

How do you intermix them? #writetip I don’t think about scenes or sequels when I’m writing my first draft. But when it’s done, I sure do.

After a fast paced scene, sometimes the reader needs a break. This is a good time for a sequel. You can get into your characters heads, share a little about them, and give the reader time to catch their breath.

Too many scenes and the reader loses touch with the character.

Too many sequels and the reader gets bored.

Somewhere in there is a balance, and I guess that’s where the artistic talent comes in.

Today is a big day for us. We are staging to cross the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. It feels like a scene/sequel scenario. We’ve spent the last month in a fast paced life, getting ready to go. Now we get to hoist the sails and do some sailing. The sequel.

Copyeditor or Proofreader

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

Have you ever been confused about responsibilities? #writetip I think I’ve figured out the difference between a copyeditor and a proofreader, but if I’m wrong, please let me know.

So here is my understanding.

Copyeditors should find typographical errors. This means checking grammar, diction and usage. They should point out structural problems or inconsistencies, awkward sentences or paragraphs (but not rewrite them), but are not responsible for decision-making.

Proofreaders should find errors in the final manuscript. They look for formatting errors. (extra spaces, missing spaces, incorrect tabs, etc.) and point out errors not caught in the copyediting phase. These are the people who look at every character on the page to make sure it’s correct.

I’d love to get feedback on this one.

Animals as characters?

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 1 Comment
Chica - The Diving Dog

The great part about having an animal in your novel is you don’t have to worry that you will insult them. #writetip. I became interested in including a dog in my novels when I read a Dean Koontz novel. I think it was Tick Tock. A scary novel where the dog provided comic relief. I thought is was a good way to break tension in a scene when it was needed.

Dogs can provide an infinite source of distractions and difficulties for any of your characters. If you need a situation to be unpredictable, add a dog to the scene.

Chica – my yellow lab – has a place in my first novel Fracture Line. Chica is no longer with us, but she still provides me with story ideas.

Farley – my wheaten terrier, has a place in my third novel (yet to be named).

Chapter Headings

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 3 Comments

There are many formats for chapter headings, but one thing that can’t be wrong is the numbering. #writetip If you’re self editing, and I would guess lots of authors are, at least before submitting to an agent or publisher, check your numbers carefully.

By the time an author completes a novel, I suspect scenes, if not whole chapters, have been reorganized. You might move a scene to an earlier spot in your novel. You might remove a chapter. Infinite changes are possible.

In the end, don’t forget to check the chapter numbers are in right. It’s easy to re-use a chapter number or skip one all together. I print my manuscript and spread is chapter by chapter across the floor.

Other small things I check:

– Are the headings a consistent font and character size?

– Are the headings positioned at the same spot on the page? By this I mean, check the number of lines before  and after the chapter heading. Are all the heading centred, left aligned, or right aligned?

– Do the headings start on a new page?

This many seem small, but it will enhance the professionalism of your submission.