#and then give it reread and quick edit with the goal to publish it before i work my day job shifts at the end of this week

[izzy-b-hands]

Last lines of a fic my beloathed

[jrow]

Fic year in review

@calaisreno and @raina-at both tagged me (and Raina said some really nice stuff!) so I figure, why not do this? For the record, I’ve stolen Raina’s format ;):

I am pretty happy with my fic output this year. It’s been a busy, stressful one in the non-digital world, and I was very glad to have fandom to unwind in. Things are getting busier and far more stressful in my offline life (work, volunteering I’ve started, young kids, stuff) but keeping some time aside to write/edit is pretty important for my mental health. Sometimes it’s just a couple hundred words a week (with millions of imagined words in my mind) or betaing a few pages, but it’s still very needed.

Total number of completed stories: 5

Total word count: about 110k published, but I know I wrote about 20k of that in 2021. Plus there is probably 10k or so words in WIPs (that may or may not see the light of day)

Fandoms written in: BBC Sherlock

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expected?: Probably about what I expected. If I had put money on it, I would have said 100k. I’d make the same guess for 2023...

What’s your own favorite story of the year? Depends on the day....potentially Jam, because I’m pretty proud of the epilogue. But I suspect that The Man in the Cartier Frames is the one I’ll reread the most.

Did you take any writing risks this year?: I participated in FTH which was a little nerve-wracking, but it turned out really! I am not sure I would have overcome writer’s block if I didn’t have those pieces to work on. I like a bit of pressure sometimes. In terms of writing, I took fewer risks than I would have liked, but the alternating perspective in Jam certainly felt like a risk.

I also started beta’ing this year, which was a bit of a risk, I suppose. It also worked out really well though. It’s something I think I’m good at. It’s also easy when you are beta’ing for people whose stories you really, really like! And for the record, a co-worker of mine suggested earlier this year that I make an easy shortcut for em-dashes (I use them a lot in my work) and it’s honestly changed my life. It’s why I’m so quick to insert/correct them when beta’ing now! I do love an em-dash.

Do you have any fanfic or profic goals for the new year?: Post at least a part of an AU. So far, all of my posted works have been basically in canon. I have a handful of AUs sketched out or, in two cases, partly written. But, I have a lot more trouble sticking with them. I think it’s the world-building aspect (something both @calaisreno and @raina-at are amazing at!) and fear that what I develop won’t read true. I do a ton of research for all my fics, regardless of when/where they take place (I like to be accurate when I can), but world building is a step beyond researching. The reality is, that (at least some) of the AUs I want to write won’t be as popular as my regular stuff...I am fine with that most of the time, but sometimes there’s a worry you will be writing for no one but yourself (which shouldn’t matter, but some days does ;) )

Most popular story of the year?“ Hmmm...in terms of kudos and general love, it’s definitely The Man with the Cartier Frames. People love parentlock and I do think I write it well (it helps that my kids are good ages to model Rosie). But I got a lot of love and really amazing comments on Blue Plaques too.

Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: I’m not sure anything this year was under-appreciated. Possibly 5mm (a very short (and fluffy established relationship fic), but it’s the third in my That Time of Year series, so I expected small numbers.

Most fun story to write: Blue Plaques. Figuring out a ridiculous mystery that would give the ending I wanted (I knew the solution before I knew anything else), and researching about blue plaques and random spots in London was a ton of fun.

Most unintentionally telling story: Oooohhh. That’d probably be The Man With the Cartier Frames. There is lots of my daughter (M) in Rosie in this story. This includes a freak accident that made my partner (M’s father) an absolute mess at the hospital (that Sherlock sobbing scene was inspired by real life). M was totally fine (I still don’t know how but am so thankful) but that moment was the seed that led to this fic.

Biggest disappointment: Probably that I didn’t post an AU? But honestly, I am not really disappointed with this year’s writing or reception.

Biggest surprise: The engagement I got from some of my favourite authors (including art!!) this year. It’s a real honour when people whose writing you admire start commenting on your stuff. It’s worked the other way too, I have started reading people’s because they comment on my stuff and it ends up being amazing! I was going to tag people here, but I’m afraid of forgetting someone...if you’ve commented on my stuff and you write, I’m probably talking about you!

I’ll nominate anyone who wants to reflect on the past year :).

[literaticat]

How should I handle self doubt in my writing? I'm too afraid to fail and its affecting the way I write. I love writing and I don't expect to become famous or anything, but I sometimes wonder if other people are just being nice. I want to get out of my own head, but I don't know how

Well. First of all, you should know that this is something that probably EVERY writer struggles with. So, maybe, it is the sign that you are really on the right track! I asked some author friends for advice and I got a lot of it – maybe you will find some helpful wisdom here:

COMMUNITY:  “Be in community with other writers to feel less alone. Classes also help get you out of your head, have deadlines and companionship.” “Doing something like NaNoWriMo is very helpful for this! It forces you to just push through and keep going and not give in to the anxiety.“ “If you’re able to, attend local workshops and conferences to meet other writers.” (And of course, there is community to be found online, too!)

FREEDOM TO SUCK: “Embrace the process. Let go of the idea of perfection and focus on doing the work.” “Just open the doc and write; the words don’t have to be good. Crappy first drafts! But get words on the page.” “Totally de-emphasize quality until you’ve finished a project. Then let it sit and come back to it weeks later. It’ll be better than you thought. In short: give yourself permission to suck.”

“I think there is a tendency amongst writers to feel like that first draft is the final draft. I struggle with it every time I sit down to write, especially now that I have a novel out there on the shelf. Therefore every word I write is compared to something polished and professionally edited. It’s impossible (for 99% of us anyway) to achieve that on an initial pass. It’s about getting the words on the page. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It may be dialogue heavy and action lite or the reverse and that is okay because revision is where you worry about making it right. I literally have to remind myself of this every single morning as I sit down at my computer because it is always what I am bucking against.“

(And I add: YOU CAN’T EDIT A BLANK PAGE. And SOMETHING is a heck of a lot better – and easier to fix – than NOTHING!)

ATTAINABLE GOALS: “Treat it like a job. Give yourself tasks and goals that are measurable in daily or weekly increments. Create muscle memory so that writing is something that you do despite the doubt.” “Get objective about goals. Celebrate word counts.“

WRITING FOR YOU: “Write for the joy of it, for your own entertainment, without concern for publishing. It’s very freeing to stop worrying about the "rules."” “I just remind myself that the time for second-guessing is during revisions. Drafting is for that pure, stream of consciousness gold that can only be spun when we’re not overthinking.“  “Indulge once a week in a "just for myself” writing project. It can be anything! A poem, a quick story, a picture book. Anything. But it’s only for YOU. Tell yourself you’ll never let it see the light of day. You’ll be freer with it–you’ll get back to the FUN of writing.”

NAME YOUR INNER CRITIC - AND TELL THEM TO STFU: “Libba Bray had an amazing workshop years ago where she had us name our internal editor, say three things our editor tells us, and what we’d like to say to him/her. To this day, I can still picture what my internal editor looks like…and can visualize her being gagged and tied to a chair so she can’t get in my way.“ 

“Say “Thank you for sharing” to that little voice inside your head and write. Write crap, write half-asleep, write unsure, write mad, but write and eventually your muse will get the idea that you mean @#$%^&* business.”

“I talk to my writing students (both young and old) about “The Inner Crazy Lady”.  I’ve learned to write my first drafts as fast as possible and whenever the ICL starts telling me the usual stuff about how this is the worst book I’ve ever written and all my previous books were flukes and I have no idea how to write and I’m a fraud and and and I’ve gotten better at saying “Shut up, bitch, that’s what revision is for."“

BOOKS THAT MIGHT HELP: “I highly recommend the audio version of Steven Pressfield’s bestseller, The War of Art. It’s freakin’ wonderful! Helped me get over my writing / illustrating blocks.“ “I’d recommend both On Writing (Stephen King) and Bird by Bird (Anne Lamott) if she hasn’t read them. Sometimes realizing that all writers have similar doubts and fears can inspire a person to push through them.”  (And a second for those picks!) “Read BIRD BY BIRD by Anne Lamott, ON WRITING by Stephen King, and STILL WRITING by Dani Shapiro. I reread one of these before I start a new project.”  “I’ve just started listening to Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic on audio - it’s pretty inspiring and talks a lot about fear and self-doubt.“

OR…. “Why would you want to get out of your head?  That’s where all the stories come from.  Hang a hammock in there, get comfy and wait for all the really good stuff to come out from the shadows. The self-doubt is what pushes you to keep doing better.  All part of the process!”

OR…. “Therapy!!! I went to therapy to survive my debut year and it was amazing and great. Like leveling up in life.“

The long and the short (ok, the long and the long) is: Being a writer can be totally fun… and frustrating… and demoralizing… and ALL of it. And that is actually all NORMAL. There is LOTS of advice out there - but you need to figure out what YOU need to do to get your mojo. And best of luck!

[creativeprompts]

How to Find and Fix Your Novel's Plot Holes

As an author, nothing is worse than discovering that the novel you have lovingly labored over for months–or even years–isn't going over well with readers.

It's a terrifying thought, but it is one that all writers must consider as plausible.

The root of readers' dislike can come in many forms:

Unlikable characters

Poor character or plot development

Offensive themes or remarks

Unoriginality

Poor writing

Among other causes, of course. But one of the most common elements that puts readers off of a novel are plot holes.

Chances are, you've probably heard of plot holes at some point in your writing life. But what exactly are they and why can they spell trouble for your novel? And how can you find and fix your own before your novel goes to print?

Don't remain in the dark, my friend! We'll go over all of this and more in today's post so that you can give your novel its best chance at success.

What are plot holes, you ask?

A plot hole is a missing element or obvious mistake that takes away from the plausibility and integrity of a plot. Examples of plot holes include:

Illogical Events. Example: The all-powerful villain is easily defeated.

Contradictions. Example: The hero is very loving in one scene, yet is unaccountably cruel in the next.

Dropped Plot Lines or Characters. Example: The sidekick goes off in search of something, leaving the hero behind, and is never heard from again.

Unexplained Changes in Character or Setting. Example: A character begins their day in the city and is inexplicably in the countryside by mid-morning.

Continuity errors. Example: A character is said to have brown eyes in one scene and blue in the next.

At the end of the day, any element that leaves readers scratching their heads can be considered a plot hole, though the ones listed above are certainly the most major. But are plot holes always a bad thing? Is there any case where they might be acceptable?

Read on, lovely writer!

When plot holes are okay...

Though no writer likes to admit that plot holes exist in their novels, plot holes can be unavoidable - and even acceptable - on rare occasions. If you happen to find an inescapable plot hole in your novel, don't immediately fling your manuscript out the window.

Sometimes, readers are willing to overlook plot holes for the sake of the story. After all, fiction is fiction, and while it is best based in reality, a little imagination is hardly a stretch. Under the right circumstances, your plot holes might not give readers much pause.

Here are a few examples of when that would be the case:

In Appropriate Genres. Within certain genres (e.g. fantasy, science fiction, horror, etc.) plot holes are quite common. And while some are major plot holes that leave readers rolling their eyes, others can be overlooked simply because they make the story possible.

With Unreliable Narrators. An unreliable narrator is a POV character who can't be trusted to tell the story with accuracy. As such, readers won't always take what this narrator tells them as fact, opening up the window for them to ignore smaller plot holes.

With A Novel Series. If you are writing a series of novels, you may find that you can explain a plot hole from one book in the next. Knowing that this is possible, readers may disregard plot holes in an early entry in the series in hopes that it will later be explained.

The simple fact is, readers have opened your novel to be taken on a journey. They want to be entertained or enlightened, to leave their own world behind for a few hours. If you've written a fantastic story, readers may recognize the implausibility of a plot hole but choose to overlook it.

This is otherwise known as suspension of disbelief. And while you hope that readers won't have to put it into practice it, there is no need to be ashamed if they do. It means that they love your story well enough to overlook its minor faults.

P.S. And yes, your story will have faults. No writer is perfect.

Finding Plot Holes in Your Manuscript

But suspension of disbelief certainly isn't a Get Out of Jail Free card. The more plot holes you can work out of your novel, the better! Finding and fixing plot holes is certainly a tough task, but there are a few things that you can do to worm them out.

Let's break them down:

1. Know your story well. Last week, the wonderful Kaitlin of Ink and Quills wrote a guest post explaining the benefits of pre-writing, which you can check out right here. I loved this post because it highlighted the importance of getting to know your novel before you write.

As it is, the less you know about your story before you pick up the pen, the more likely you will be to write a first draft ridden with plot holes. And let me tell you (from personal experience, unfortunately) that it will indeed make for a hellish second draft.

Know your story well, and you'll identify plot holes before you make them.

2. Examine your plot. This may sound obvious, but take the time to look over your plot outline. Is it logical? Do the events line up? Does your hero play off of the villain's actions (and vice versa)?

Looking over your plot outline is a rather simple task, but it will help you catch plot holes before you begin to write, which in many cases is a massive time-saver.

If you'd like to really crack down on your plot, take the time to write out a full five to ten page plot summary. Examine every characters' actions from beginning to end, looking for any areas of your plot that seem implausible, inconsistent, or otherwise jumbled.

3. Keep character sketches. A simple way to avoid inconsistencies in your character appearances and actions is to write up thorough character sketches. Keep these sketches nearby as you write to use as a quick reference guide. With them on hand, your chances of including a silly mistake in your manuscript will decrease dramatically!

Related Note: There are six character sketch spaces built into the reference guide section of The Novel Planner. If you want to organize your novel, set writing goals, and plan out a novel year, you'll want to give this daily planner for authors a look.

4. Create a character checklist. To ensure that you avoid dropped characters and plot lines, keep a list of every character you introduce to readers. As you write an ending for each character, mark them off of your checklist. By doing so, you'll save yourself from a lifetime of disgruntled fan mail asking what happened to so-and-so.

5. Know the laws of your story world. Whether you're creating a fictional world or simply exploring a specific culture or lifestyle in our own, know the rules and parameters of that world.

If you are creating your own world, you will need to know its cultures, governments, laws, norms, and other social constructs. And if your novel has magic, make sure to lay out where it comes from and how it works. You can explore all this and more (and even create your own reference guide) in this post on worldbuilding.

If you are exploring a specific culture or sub-culture in our own world, or even dealing with characters that live a very unusual lifestyle (think royalty or secret organization or cult), you need to know your facts. What laws and expectations govern these people? What can and can't they do?

Take the time to research your novel thoroughly, and you'll be far less likely to write in plot holes that will aggravate readers.

6. Keep notes while editing. Once you've finished your first draft, you'll need to read it over before you edit. As you complete through this read-through, keep a list of any plot holes you uncover. You can use this list to plan out what you then must fix.

You should also keep a list of the changes you make while editing, as they may end up creating new plot holes for you to fix. Once you finish your second draft, a second read-through of your manuscript will reveal just what damage you might have done.

This is just one reason why doing at least two rounds of editing is so important.

7. Utilize beta-readers. Beta-readers are your critical eye. They read through your manuscript (most often free of charge) before it is published and then offer feedback on its content.

After hundreds of hours spent working on your novel, you know your story better than anyone, having reread every line so often that you practically have the entire book memorized. This intimacy can actually hurt your chances of finding mistakes, leaving you with a plot hole or two that keeps your novel from being its best self.

Sending your novel out to a few beta-readers should prove enormously helpful because they will catch the little mistakes that your mind is far too subjective to see. While it may be nerve-wracking to ask for feedback on your novel, remember that beta-readers aren't there to see it into the dumps. They want to help your novel reach its highest potential!

8. Trust your editor. If you land a book deal, your publishing house will assign your novel an editor. This wonderful human being will read through your manuscript and offer you professional advice, much like a beta-reader would but on a lengthier and more-experienced level.

If they make suggestions that leave you feeling uneasy, you are more than welcome to refuse to make changes. But keep an ear out for any recommendations your editor might make concerning your novel's plot. Chances are, they will noticed a plot hole or two that has escaped your own eyes.

If you are self-publishing your novel, I highly recommend seeking out the professional services of a freelance editor. You certainly can't trust yourself to catch every mistake, and while your friends and family may be willing to look your novel over, they simply aren't professionals.

Give your novel its best chance at success. Hire an editor before you self-publish it.

How do you fix plot holes?

Now, I know what you're thinking: "So, Kristen. I know how to identify plot holes now, but how do I actually fix them?"

Well, some plot holes are easy to fix. Continuity errors can be patched up in editing, unexplained jumps in location can be explained with a few sentences of exposition, and dropped plot lines and characters can be given a satisfying ending.

But what about those tough plot holes? You know, the ones you just can't seem to solve? You need events to happen in a certain way or for a character to act in a particular manner, but those elements just don't seem in tune with the rest of your plot.

Unfortunately, there is no band-aid fix for this kind of plot hole. In order to smooth it out, you need to spend some time in heavy thinking. It may takes days or even weeks for you to sort these plot holes out, but it must be done if you want to write a believable plot.

My best tip for solving this type of plot hole is to ask yourself one simple question time and time again: "what if?".

What if your character did this instead of that, went here instead of there, or said something completely different? What if you set the scene in a different space or combined two characters? What if...well, you get the point.

"What if?" provides endless options. If you daydream long and hard enough, you will find a solution for your pesky plot holes. It's simply a matter of time and determination.

Don't make this plot hole mistake!

One final tip before I wrap it up: just because a fix is easy, does not mean that it is the right choice for your novel.

If a tough plot hole has a writer stumped, they may succumb to the simplicity of creating a deus ex machina. Latin for "god from the machine", a deus ex machina is an unexpected person or event that saves your characters from an apparently hopeless situation.

Using this technique to smooth over a plot hole is like patching up a rip instead of having it professionally mended. It's not a solid solution, and it won't hold up under heavy scrutiny.

Steer clear of the easy way out because readers will see right through your contrived plot device and wished they had simply skipped the entire novel.

Source: She’s Novel

[druwritesgreatness]

First of all HAPPY NEW YEAR… AGAIN! I don’t know if you follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter but this is completely unedited and 100% me. It’s been a thought to start a blog and was dropping a few topics like “Single is a living too” and “Fuck’em” to give you a little insight on what to expect from me. To know me is to love me so I put this together to serve y’all some transparency in my experiences, and we can link up in the comments, my email… it don’t matter to me. So, here goes…

NAME WOES: At first I didn’t like being called Dru. NOBODY KNEW IT and I absolutely don’t know why! But it irked the shit out of me. My family called me by my middle name which is Rena (most spell Renee). It didn’t start until I went to school, like elementary then high school and soon on jobs now into my career in being an publisher and author- all I hear is Dru. It finally grew on me like  2017, so I’m cool with it now though.

ANXIETY PLAYING TRICKS ON ME: Like Charlamagne’s book Shook One Anxiety playing tricks one me. I Have ANXIETY! It gets unbearable when I overthink about all my goals; personally and professionally. My vision so big it scares me and makes me anxious. Nonetheless, I’m doing a lot better managing it so that I can balance my life without it consuming me because I have shit to do. It’s not easy but ‘one day at a time’ has been the best advice that done it for me in 2018.

FEED MY MIND MORE: I love to read a lot… lately, I’ve been having readers block to urban fiction, urban romance, contemporary romance anything with characters and plots pretty much. I have to find authors to test read for us because it has gotten so bad (thank GOD for the readers). To cure this, I’m reading outside those genres and reading more books like biographies, self help and motivational. Maybe my taste in reading choices are changing, I don’t know. I would like to call it growth.

RESEARCH: videos, documentaries etc. about drug kingpins, underworld criminals, black panther party, FBI… I be on it. In my next life I would be a researcher and a New York Times Bestselling urban crime writer. Most times I’m on YouTube and Netflix watching videos of all the history from the 70’s to 90’s. I compare it to the times of now and man I be amazed. Just know when I write my books I put a lot of research into it.

I LOVE GOALS: Writing down my goals gives me something to look forward to both short and long term. Goals are attainable if you believe and work towards them if you want to see them come to fruition. I change my goals often because I find new talents within myself that can possibly change my life. I learned to write realistic goals so I don’t disappoint myself.

LOYAL

COMPASSIONATE

Trust me I have more facts.

  Let me run it real quick

 Most people can remember when they started writing but not me. I do remember I was young in my teens writing stories for my cousin to read. She thought they were pretty good. My imagination was wild and it showed in my writing style. I lost all of that work.

Before all that my mom always bought me journals and I would jot about my day, a boy I liked, random thoughts or even write a scene between characters. She obliviously encouraged me as well in writing because those journals meant a lot to me which is why I have about a hundred plus.

It wasn’t until I started working at a chemical plant that I stepped out on faith about submitting my book for publication. All the ladies at the job were in love with the chapters I was writing while I was on the night shift. It gave me the extra push to go ahead and submit to the Bayou Soul Writer’s Conference in New Orleans where Ashley and JaQuavis were having a writing contest. It was already pass the deadline, but I decided to submit it anyway, since I was already a big fan. Worth a try, right? YEP! I won the contest in 2011.

    Drusilla Mars winner of Ashley JaQuavis Writer’s Contest 2011

  After winning this plaque, I felt like I could do anything and my writing was going to take me right to the top of the literary industry with them. At the time, I was measuring my expectations off the success they were having with The Cartel and Murderville series. They’re the NYT Bestselling authors doing the damn thing. Unfortunately, the promises of winning the contest didn’t go through and its no hard feelings. I was a little discouraged but it showed me how the industry is and that I needed to research more before getting back into it. Maybe my writing wasn’t all the way up to par… All I could do was write and keep it pushing. I had all kinds of issues going on so life goes on- regardless. At least I know I tried and I got their attention which means I’m still in the game.

One night at work, I was on Amazon and came across books you can read on your phone. Blew my mind and I noticed the prices were like .99 cents to read. NO WAY?! So, I browsed and bought books all night. Real life! I had about twenty books on my kindle. I started with Bawss by Best selling Author David Weaver and it was intriguing; on a level you could understand black history then and why things are the way they are now. Anyway, I finished the book and went to Amazon and found The Bankroll Squad series. After reading part one, I instantly get on social media to find him and found dude on Twitter. I hit his DM and told him how much I love his book. He was a real genuine and thorough businessman to the tee. Even gave me the option to help me self publish if I wanted to pursue it that way. Long story short he signed me to his company in 2012. He introduced me to a group The Bankroll Squad (TBRS) where so much unity, creative and goal oriented minded members were apart of.

December 12, 2012 Black Fire was birthed to the world.

I honestly with my whole heart appreciate everyone who purchased this copy. It was definitely not the best edited book but a damn good book. There were a lot of grammatical errors that irked me when I reread it, finally and in its entirety. There was a lot I didn’t know about being an author besides writing the books, editing and promoting six years ago. Between 2012-2013 I was consistent with releasing books until the drastic changes in the industry and honestly I couldn’t keep up and was getting overwhelmed with a lot; losing my job, my step dad passing and starting a new publishing company. I took a step back from releasing but not writing because I always practice to ‘never stop writing’. In 2018, I decided to start releasing again. But I wanted to start fresh and the right way like I was showing my authors through our author development.

In 2018, I decided to give my first baby a complete makeover; cover, editing and formatting. It was a pleasure working with my pen sister/editor Leondra on my baby. The pain wasn’t bad at all she knew exactly what Black Fire mean to me and I believe she understood my goal. I read and reread it so I know it’s official. Check it out here on Kindle or paperback Black Fire

This year I wanted to show that same consistency as I did when I started and I believe I did good with following up with excellent content. No matter what obstacle I was faced with I managed to be consistent in a twelve month period. My goal was to publish only the books I believe were 100% ready and I did that. The time I’ve taken away from publishing my own work I used to write more and research, and based on my readers I have grown a lot in my writing. I appreciate those who really been down for me because it’s been a ride to get to this point.

My first release of 2019

February is the estimated release month for this one due to the plot changing I had to take a step back from it. Its still coming out. To take a break from these crazy ass characters I started something else until I get motivated to go back in on it.

This year my goal is to write at least four full length books, build my blog and publishing company. If you’re not already familiar hit the link where you can find me.

Publishing: Kindred Soul Publications

Never Stop Writing First of all HAPPY NEW YEAR... AGAIN! I don't know if you follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter but this is completely unedited and 100% me.