Advice?

[TheRedQueen]

Hello. I have no idea where this thread should actually go, so please forgive me.

In the past, I think I've mentioned how I'm working on a book. I can't remember how much I've said on the topic, but basically this book has been brewing in my head since I was twelve...I'll be twenty-nine next week, and I am finally getting to the point where I feel good about this story. Like maybe it's getting written the right way.

But I'm scared green. What if it's no good? High school English was many long years ago, and I'm writing with a kind of seat-of-the-pants instinct when it comes to grammar, punctuation and structure. The story seems so thin right now, like there's a bunch of stuff I should be saying to make it richer, but I can't seem to get out of this quick, concise, style. I get to the point and move on, and what editor will deal with that? Or is that what editors do? Help you polish your story?

I'm lousy with short stories, so going the magazine route to "get my hand in" doesn't seem like the best idea. I need to get this story written and published, or I'll never get past it to write anything else. (I have tried. And tried. And tried...) I guess I just need encouragement. And any advice you might have for a freaking-out newbie.

 

[DiO'Bolic]

Nancy Peske
7 Common Myths About Hiring a Freelance Editor for Your Book

 

[GNTLGNT]

Hello. I have no idea where this thread should actually go, so please forgive me.

In the past, I think I've mentioned how I'm working on a book. I can't remember how much I've said on the topic, but basically this book has been brewing in my head since I was twelve...I'll be twenty-nine next week, and I am finally getting to the point where I feel good about this story. Like maybe it's getting written the right way.

But I'm scared green. What if it's no good? High school English was many long years ago, and I'm writing with a kind of seat-of-the-pants instinct when it comes to grammar, punctuation and structure. The story seems so thin right now, like there's a bunch of stuff I should be saying to make it richer, but I can't seem to get out of this quick, concise, style. I get to the point and move on, and what editor will deal with that? Or is that what editors do? Help you polish your story?

I'm lousy with short stories, so going the magazine route to "get my hand in" doesn't seem like the best idea. I need to get this story written and published, or I'll never get past it to write anything else. (I have tried. And tried. And tried...) I guess I just need encouragement. And any advice you might have for a freaking-out newbie.

....yep, it's past time for you to make your move....plenty of writers about here that can guide you past pitfalls they've encountered with editors, and yes-that's what a good editor will do.....encourage, guide and criticize(in a good way)to make your dream happen.....

 

[mal]

Howdy RedQueen, If it is a good story then it should transcend grammatical rules. Look at Kerouac. If you had an editor he/she should be able to 'pretty it up' some but final decision should be yours. If you change the grammar or punctuation to be correct you might lose the syncopation or feel of what you are trying to say. Mainly, have fun. Whether it's good or not shouldn't matter, unless you are trying to make a living off of it. All the best, mal.

 

[DiO'Bolic]

Good luck Red Queen. Wishing you success.

I wrote the “The Ultimate Do-It-Yourself Book – A Guide Towards Personal Fulfillment”

It was a book filled with blank pages... and came with a pencil, duct tape, vice grips and a Dremel tool. $99. Strangely, it didn’t sell well.

Maybe I should have hired an editor.

 

[Alexandra M]

Good for you doing this, what an accomplishment! That's what editors are for, they will let you know and advise you
if they think there are any problems. Did they offer a Creative Writing course when you were in school? That was a great
course to teach one how to expand on their thoughts... just an idea

 

[TheRedQueen]

Nancy Peske
7 Common Myths About Hiring a Freelance Editor for Your Book

This was great. A "book doctor" is exactly what I need! I've always written best when I can bounce ideas and problems off another person. Ever since I lost my writing buddy, I've been dead in the water. My husband is helping a lot, but he is a reader; his input is valuable from that aspect, because he can tell me if the story is wandering off topic, or just doesn't feel right. But a writer is more able to look at a paragraph and go, "We need to know more about x. And waaaaaay less about z."

I'm glad to know there's people out there that can help. That's a big sigh of relief!

 

[TheRedQueen]

Good for you doing this, what an accomplishment! That's what editors are for, they will let you know and advise you
if they think there are any problems. Did they offer a Creative Writing course when you were in school? That was a great
course to teach one how to expand on their thoughts... just an idea

I was homeschooled by a pair of neurotic, psychotic old people. I've taught myself a great deal, but I can't help feeling inadequate still. Thank god for books or I really would be a complete moron.

 

[GNTLGNT]

This was great. A "book doctor" is exactly what I need! I've always written best when I can bounce ideas and problems off another person. Ever since I lost my writing buddy, I've been dead in the water. My husband is helping a lot, but he is a reader; his input is valuable from that aspect, because he can tell me if the story is wandering off topic, or just doesn't feel right. But a writer is more able to look at a paragraph and go, "We need to know more about x. And waaaaaay less about z."

I'm glad to know there's people out there that can help. That's a big sigh of relief!

 

[Out of Order]

Take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice. ~ Sidney Freedman

 

[mal]

I was homeschooled by a pair of neurotic, psychotic old people. I've taught myself a great deal, but I can't help feeling inadequate still. Thank god for books or I really would be a complete moron.

I've read lots of books and I still identify as a moron!

 

[carrie's younger brother]

High school English was many long years ago, and I'm writing with a kind of seat-of-the-pants instinct when it comes to grammar, punctuation and structure.

I would take a refresher course. There are so many short stories on the Internet and self-published books out there with bad grammar and it is appalling. I understand there are certain writing styles that may seem to go against the rules, but they are well-thought out, creative and lyrical (well, most of the time). An unstructured and poorly written story is nothing but that.

 

[TheRedQueen]

I would take a refresher course. There are so many short stories on the Internet and self-published books out there with bad grammar and it is appalling. I understand there are certain writing styles that may seem to go against the rules, but they are well-thought out, creative and lyrical (well, most of the time). An unstructured and poorly written story is nothing but that.

Exactly! I've read enough fiction to know what's good and what's bad. The good stories are the ones that get under your skin, the ones that make you forget all about the world around you for a while. The ones that make you dream.
Bad stories are the ones that you put down and look at as if they have personally offended you. They're the books that are thinly veiled plagiarisms of other, better authors. They're the writers that have maybe one good book to their name, but don't know when to quit and wind up repeating themselves over and over.

But knowing a thing and actually applying that knowledge can be two vastly different things. And if I'm not careful to eat a slice of humble pie, I could very easily fall into the "bad writer" category...

 

[muskrat]

My advice? Find a good author, get to know him/her personally, intimately...follow em around and listen to em..stalk them. And one day, when they ain't lookin, crack open their skull and devour its brain. Once digested, their knowledge will yours.

Too Hannibal Lecter? Well, I dunno. Just keep reading a lot, and writing a lot. I think, if you truly love what you're doing, eventually it'll show in your writing.