editor advice Archives

March 19, 2021 by Laura Resnick

Nink: Common Barriers Writers Face – and How to Overcome Them

This article by Joanne Grant is from the March 2021 edition of Nink, the monthly newsletter of Novelists, Inc. (NINC). Nink, which is packed each month with informative articles for career novelists, is a benefit of NINC membership.

I have worked with writers long enough to recognise that the key to success relies not only on skill and talent, but a strong self-belief and a mindset for growth. I have also noticed a number of common barriers that writers face that threaten to hold them back. In this article, I am going to focus on three of these barriers and offer some tips on how to identify them and overcome them.

Perfectionism
There is nothing wrong with an attention to detail when it comes to your writing. It shows care and professionalism, and your editor will thank you for it! However, perfectionism in its most extreme form is toxic, inhibiting, and can not only hold you back, but sap potential joy from your writing too.

When perfectionism becomes problematic
You may describe yourself as a perfectionist because you always try your best, or are striving to improve—these are pursuits to be encouraged. It becomes problematic when you’re torturing yourself with another proofread, or editing to such a degree that you can’t move forward and it becomes detrimental to you and/or your work.

At its worst, perfectionism can prevent work from being finished, but for the published perfectionist, it doles out a punishment of a different type.

If you’re always striving for perfection, feedback wounds deeply, and there is a nagging feeling that you could’ve done better. But no book will ever be “perfect” because nothing created is beyond criticism. As a result, these writers never feel satisfied with their achievements as they strive for the impossible: perfection.

Overcoming perfectionism
If you can relate to this, then don’t worry—you can make steps to wean yourself off this unhealthy habit whilst maintaining quality, because the likelihood is your perfectionist tendencies are contributing little, or any value to your work.

Step 1: Ask yourself, what is the worst thing that could happen if you were to dial back on your perfectionism a notch? Be honest about it.

Step 2: Commit to dialling back your perfectionism a step or two. For example, if you habitually proof your manuscript five times before submitting to your editor, reduce it to three times.

Step 3: Sit back and analyse the results of your experiment through the lens of your worst-case scenario. Has your editor actually sacked you because you only proofed your manuscript three times? No, didn’t think so!

Recognise that perfectionism can slow you down, cause you pain, and the amount of time you’re putting in is likely disproportionate to the outcome.

As with anything, the more you practise reducing your perfectionist tendencies, the easier and more natural it will become.

Inner critic

Whether you call it your inner critic, your inner editor or something else, that voice that crops up when you’re writing and makes you doubt yourself can be a real barrier to creativity. But how can you tell the difference between your own voice and the inner critic?

Identifying the inner critic
The inner critic is sneaky. It often sounds like your own voice, but it can sometimes take on the tone of someone you know such as a teacher, parent or editor. This can make it easier to identify. Either way, the inner critic is usually negative or downright mean, with its agitated or worried tone. It speaks in definite terms that welcome no discussion; there are no shades of grey and things are either good or bad.

Underneath it all, your inner critic is trying to keep you safe by holding you back from something you are fearful of. It taps into that fear, exploits it, and sadly, if you believe these negative statements, can become self-fulfilling.

The good news is once you’ve recognised your inner critic, you can tackle it!

Overcoming your inner critic
The key thing to remember about your inner critic is that it offers opinions, not facts. If you question these opinions, you’ll discover there is little or no evidence for them. Next time your inner critic shows up, try this exercise.

Step 1: Distance yourself from the inner critic by referring to it as “you” rather than “I.” For example, change:

“I’m the worst writer in the world!” to “You think I’m the worst writer in the world.”

Naming your inner critic can further help create this distance.

Step 2: Address your inner critic calmly by thanking them for their opinion, then ask them politely to leave. They’re less likely to argue back if you take this approach.

Step 3: Replace the negative statement with one that is more balanced, rational and realistic:

“I may not be the best writer in the world, but I can work to improve!”

Once you start to recognise the inner critic at work, you can unravel these negative statements by questioning the truth of them and replacing them with a realistic, proactive thought to keep you moving forward, rather than holding you back.

Comparison
Have you ever seen a post, blog or tweet from a writer sharing how quickly they’ve finished their first draft, or they’ve just landed (what seems like) another book deal and it’s made you feel bad? I don’t mean a pang of jealousy, that you soon forget, I’m talking about a reaction that lingers and negatively affects you and your writing.

Maybe it triggers your inner critic on all the reasons why you’ll never be like those other writers. Or the green-eyed monster is in full flow commenting that some writers get all the luck.

Whatever the reaction, it sucks away your motivation, confidence and creativity. You know logically there is no malicious intent directed at you, and that what is posted on social media isn’t always the truth or the full picture, but the damage is done all the same.

So, what can you do to address this?

Overcoming the comparison trap
You now have some tips to quieten down the inner critic, but if this is something that really affects you, next time something sets you off, try this exercise.

Step 1: Ask yourself, why does it make me feel this way, what is really going on? This may be uncomfortable because you’re taking the focus internally, rather than blaming your feelings externally on the post or the person, for the way you feel.

Step 2: Take whatever it is at the root of what affects you and decide what you can do about it.

For example, if those posts about high word counts make you feel inferior before you’ve even started writing for the day, then explore ways to increase your productivity. Avoid social media first thing and set your own realistic goals for success.

Step 3: You’ve identified what it is you can do, now make it happen! Put a plan in place to achieve your goals so next time you see a post about word counts, you can think: “That’s great—they’re hitting their word count goals and so am I!” Goodbye inner critic and green-eyed monster!

❄︎

The truth is, what underlies these common barriers is fear and self-doubt.

Recognising how they show up in your writing is the first step to learning how to overcome them followed by putting into practise techniques to help.

The other big truth here is: often the biggest thing holding you back is yourself. Lean in to your fear and choose to do something about it in a proactive, meaningful way because you can take back control of your writing journey.

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Joanne Grant is an Editorial Coach with over 16 years of expertise working for the global publisher Harlequin. Joanne has edited hundreds of romance novels over the years and understands how to coach authors of all genres to deliver their best work. If you’re interested in finding out how she can help you achieve your writing goals, get in touch – Joanne loves to chat! For inspiration, tips and offers why not sign up to her newsletter, join her Facebook group Motivation for Writers! or connect on Twitter @JoanneMGrant.

February 19, 2021 by Laura Resnick

Nink: Writing Flashbacks

This article by Joanne Grant is from the February 2021 edition of Nink, the monthly newsletter of Novelists, Inc. (NINC). Nink, which is packed each month with informative articles for career novelists, is a benefit of NINC membership.

One of the many magical qualities about fiction is the ability to step back and show the reader an exact moment that had a great significance to characters, or the plot, in the present. It’s the literary equivalent of a time machine! However, there is some debate about the use of flashbacks. Some feel it is a clumsy way of telling backstory, when this could be shown in the present, while others feel a well-placed flashback can provide much needed context for where the characters are in their current lives as to their conflicts and motivation

As with so much about writing, I would argue that flashbacks are all in the execution. A badly placed or obsolete flashback can frustrate the reader – which is a crime indeed – whereas an effective flashback can enrich the front story, create tension, and compel the reader forward.

Here are some practical tips to avoid being found guilty of some of the most common of flashback crimes.

Crime #1: Flashbacks kill the pace!

If you are going to interrupt the forward momentum of the story by including a flashback—it better be for a good reason. Otherwise you are essentially killing that all-important pace. Here are some practical points to consider when it comes to pacing.

When to include them?
Ideally, do not include a flashback until you have established a brisk pace, ensuring your reader has had time become invested in your story and characters before they are transported back in time. Insert a flashback too soon and you may stop that pace before it’s really gotten going.

How long should they be?
The length of a flashback will affect pace—too long and the reader may become impatient, flicking forward to get back to the main story, or too short and they may question whether it was even needed. To keep it just right, ask yourself, is it advancing the plot? Is this necessary to be revealed here? Question whether there is a way to share the same information with the same impact in the front story—if there is, you probably shouldn’t be adding it into a flashback. And is it actually engaging to read? You may be using a flashback to convey information but you still need to keep you reader entertained!

How to transition in/out of them?
To keep the pace flowing and smooth, how you transition in and then out of your flashbacks is important—nothings disrupts pace like a clumsy transition between scenes! It is convention to use italics for flashbacks, but this alone is not enough to orientate your reader so ease into scenes as you usually would for scene transitions. You could explicitly spell out how far back the flashback is with time markers such as “six years earlier,” or orientate the reader in a specific period in time such as “it was the Summer of ’95.”

Also, think about what your trigger is that logically leads back in time, and similarly the trigger to return back to the present day. If your flashback is directly from a character’s point of view, you may want to use a “Proustian moment”—where a physical sensation such as taste or smell triggers a memory—which makes sense of why the character is having this flashback. You can use a similar technique to move the character out of their reminiscence and back to the present.

How many?
Flashbacks can be a great literary device but be mindful about chopping and changing between past and present too frequently, unless this is the convention of your chosen genre. This could cause a start/start feel to your pace. While there is no fixed rule as to how many, what is the purpose of each flashback?

Crime #2: Flashbacks are boring!

Your reader runs the risk of being bored by your flashback if you get the timing, length and frequency wrong, but what about content? The main accusation thrown at flashbacks is that they do nothing more than tell backstory which isn’t interesting to read, especially when it can be shown in the front story in a more engaging way.

So how can you avoid this? First of all, recognize that your flashback scene has to be as engaging as your front story, but it must also serve a specific purpose, one that cannot be achieved any other way. Here are some of the key purposes of flashbacks which are by no means boring!

Character motivation and empathy
A scene that shows character motivation adds a deeper understanding to why characters are behaving how they are in the front story. By showing it in real time, the flashback can also help to create reader empathy towards a character that may not have otherwise been felt. This can be especially impactful if the character has been significantly changed by a past event. It allows the reader the rare insight into who the characters were before their life took them on a different track. Learning this information can be enjoyable as well as illuminating to the reader.

Create tension and foreshadowing
Secrets and foreshadowing in flashbacks create tension that, as a result, can spur the reader forward. There can be delicious tension added to the front story by revealing something significant from the past. For example, providing information to the reader that isn’t yet known to a key character or other characters puts the reader in-the-know and compels them eagerly forward to the point of reveal in the front story. Everything you write should propel the reader forward—even if you are going back in time!

Crime #3: Flashbacks don’t add anything!

Like everything in your story, flashbacks must add something. If the information conveyed can be included in the front story without disrupting the linear narrative, then why would you add a flashback?

It’s all about the emotional core!
There is certainly room for added drama, tension and character development, as already highlighted, but for me, flashbacks pack the biggest punch when they tap into emotion. A well-executed flashback will speak to the emotional core of the story and will link into the character’s internal and external conflicts. Flashbacks also can provide an immediacy of emotion that isn’t possible any other way.

Ironically, one of the accusations against flashbacks is that they lack immediacy because by definition, the events have happened in the past. However, when done well, you can overcome this. For example, a character can explain how they felt when something happened to them, but show the scene from the past in real-time and the reader then can witness the characters experiencing it first-hand.

This can have true power and impact, especially when what happens is an event that is a key turning point for the character. Seeing this scene can help a reader deepen their empathy and understanding of a motivation and therefore return the reader to the front story with a new and reinvigorated perspective on a character.

* * *

So, did you find yourself guilty or not guilty when it came to the flashback crimes? Hopefully you will have thought of new ways to address writing flashbacks, or maybe you are still very much firmly in the ‘say no to flashback’ camp. Either way, it is a good reminder that when you are utilizing any literary device, especially one with magical powers—approach it with respect, understand its purpose and wield its magic sparingly!

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January 20, 2021 by Laura Resnick

Nink: Dialogue Tags

This article by Joanne Grant is from the January 2021 edition of Nink, the monthly newsletter of Novelists, Inc. (NINC). Nink, which is packed each month with informative articles for career novelists, is a benefit of NINC membership.

“What’s the fuss all about?” she asked, quizzically.

There are lots of “rules” in writing and with them a hive of opinions and debates. In this article I am going to bravely wade in with some thoughts on the dialogue tag “rule,” which is this: only use the verb “said” unless absolutely necessary. Now the chances are, you will have strong feelings about this use of said, and are firmly in the “for” or “against” camp. However, if you’ve never given it much thought until now, then I want to say “I’m sorry!” Because it seems that when it comes to the humble verb “said” there is actually a lot to be “said” about it!

So what is the fuss all about? I am here to put your mind at rest, offer up some tips and suggestions, and I promise, there won’t be a “rule” in sight. Let’s start by looking into the basic arguments between using “said” versus more descriptive verbs in dialogue tags.

Put simply, a dialogue tag serves to show the reader who is speaking. It is a tool to orientate the reader and smooth their passage through the story.

Against
Purists who argue for the use of “she/he/they said” only, do so because they believe anything else detracts away from the dialogue, action and intrudes on the story. Dialogue tags are functional and therefore should be “invisible” to the reader. There is also an additional argument that the use of alternative verbs, or heaven forbid, an adverb (see article tagline!) is at the best amateurish, or at the worse, just plain wrong.

For
On the flip side, those in the for camp could argue that relying on plain old “she/he/they said” is well, boring! It is creatively limiting when there is a wealth of verbs just longing to be whispered, muttered or shouted—why wouldn’t you want to pepper your prose with a little more flavour?

But which side am I on?
This argument made me think back to my school days where we were encouraged to find creative alternatives to “said” to expand our vocabulary and pep up our creative writing. I am sure the results were indeed “amateurish” and I can’t help but wonder whether the cringeworthy results of this language exercise have left a scar on some writers!

But as an editor, what do I think about dialogue tags? To be honest, I have never felt that strongly about them. That is because when they’re handled well, I hardly notice them—if they don’t bother me, I don’t bother them! I completely agree that their role is functional and can be near on invisible to the reader, but when I do notice them it’s usually because:

There is a lack of them and I have lost track of who is speaking—very annoying!
or
They jump out at me by being ill placed, irrelevant, or just plain bizarre!—and ruin the flow of the story.

Now, my research shows that not all editors will feel as neutral as I do about dialogue tags. This suggests that it is rather a question of personal taste, which is why rules simply cannot exist—it is subjective. As a writer, therefore, how do you navigate this potentially divisive terrain?

Research
I always advise that you research the conventions of the genre you are targeting to give you a flavour of not only content, but also details such as verb usage in dialogue tags. Notice how they are executed, how frequently and whether it is a quirk of the writer, or if there is a convention across the genre. And if you find yourself reading for research but forgetting to notice dialogue tags, it’s likely because they have been handled beautifully. Go back and read with more detail to spot them!

Purpose and techniques
Once you’ve identified the preferred usage of dialogue tags it’s time to apply your learnings. Whether you’re in the “for” or “against” camp, it is still important to communicate clearly what your character is saying. The following examples can help you execute your chosen dialogue tag in an effective way.

Redundant tags
If you’re thinking of using a more descriptive verb or adverb, question whether they add information or meaning that isn’t obvious through dialogue and action. If nothing is added, it is likely redundant and you are in the dangerous territory of telling what you have already shown. Here is an example:

She slammed the door and glared at him. “How dare you talk to me like that?” she asked angrily.

The addition of the dialogue tag in this instance is redundant: “asked” due to the punctuation and “angrily” because it is clear from her actions that she is angry. As a result, the dialogue tag just adds words and potentially slows the pace of whatever the response will be. Using this type of action, followed by the dialogue can help eliminate the need for a dialogue tag entirely.

Aural tags
Whereas, if you want the reader to hear the dialogue and appreciate the volume of what is being said, for example, an aural tag such as “whispered,” “muttered,” or “shouted” can help. Not only can this bring dialogue to life in a way that isn’t obviously communicated through dialogue or action, it alters the meaning too.

There is a big difference between:

“I hate you!” she shouted.

“I hate you!” she whispered.

Obviously, the action around the dialogue will help to fill in the blanks, but If you were a purist, and simply went with “she said” then the action would have to do most of the talking. After all, the meaning of the words can be changed entirely depending on how they are delivered.

As you can see, there isn’t a right or wrong way! And plumping for “she/he/they said” only is actually more difficult that it may appear! Whatever side you end up on, and let’s be honest, there is a hybrid option available, it is all about finding what’s right to your author voice as well as the genre of fiction you are writing, and then finding a match with an editor who feels the same.

I appreciate it takes skill from the writer to execute tags in such a way that they fulfill their function and play an unobtrusive role and seamlessly bring the dialogue alive, but I can honestly say that I have never passed on a submission because dialogue tags—and you can quote me on that!

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December 5, 2020 by Laura Resnick

Nink ~ World Building for the 21st Century Reader: The death of lyrical prose?

This article by Joanne Grant is from the December 2020 edition of Nink, the monthly newsletter of Novelists, Inc. (NINC). Nink, which is packed each month with informative articles for career novelists, is a benefit of NINC membership.

As an acquiring editor, I’ll be honest and say nothing would have me skim-reading over a submission quicker than lengthy descriptions of setting – especially in the very first paragraph of novel. However, passages of lyrical scene-setting prose were once the stalwart of classic novels which are still revered and taught in schools and universities today. So, what has changed, and is it really a complete no-no to include lyrical passages of setting at any point in your novel?

Creating a world in which your reader feels they can step into can make the difference from an okay read to a fantastic read—whereas not enough setting can disorientate the reader and leave them frustrated. It’s a hard balance to make but an important one!

In this article, I will discuss ways to identify how to handle world-building in your novel in a way that will appeal to your reader, as well tips to execute this well.

The 21st Century reader

Recent studies have shown that in the last 20 years, attention spans have dropped significantly. This is in direct correlation to the amount of information that is readily available and always vying for our attention (whether we want it or not!), through our smart phones, for example. It is perhaps of no surprise that this would have an impact on reading habits, trends, and in the way stories are told.

But does this mean readers no longer have the patience for description and world-building in novels? Not entirely, as it all depends on who your target reader is and what reading experience they are looking for – how do they want to feel? Being mindful of who your reader is when crafting your story can help you to world-build in a way they will enjoy. But how can you do this when you are second-guessing the whims of individuals?

Establish the role of setting in your genre

When looking to target your reader, first hone in on the type of book you are writing. There is so much variety in storytelling that thankfully, books are curated for us. Genres, sub-genres, and even broader categories are broken down into themes, tone, etc., all with the view to help readers navigate the bookshelves to select a story and reading experience they are in the mood for.

Read voraciously in the genre you are writing and pay specific attention to the conventions of that genre when it comes to world-building. The way world-building is handled in a category romance will differ from a post-apocalyptic sci-fi or from that in a literary family saga, for example, so notice the style, length and word choice when it comes to creating setting. Also notice:

Is it mainly told through narrative description or through character point of view?
Is the convention to use backdrop setting (more common in charcter-driven stories) or integral settings?
How do the descriptions of setting effect pace?
Pay particular attention to how setting is handled in the opening chapter – this is where you will win or lose your reader!

Trends change, so it is important to research current examples of the genre you are writing in – not just the authors who are considered masters in the genre, even if they are still publishing today. Why? Because they are likely selling books based on their unique storytelling style and have a loyal fanbase; they have earned the right to flaunt conventions! Instead, turn your attention to the new and rising stars coming through in your genre of choice.

Now that you have established the current convention and readers’ expectations of how setting is executed in your genre, how do you successfully execute your setting?

Using your setting with purpose

Everything you write (or at least what makes it into your final draft!) must have purpose: by serving the characters, conflicts, plot, and by revealing something new, interesting, and integral to the story. To avoid slipping into descriptive passages your reader skims over, consider the purpose of setting at that point in your novel. Here are some examples where setting can be used to serve a specific purpose beyond simple scene-setting:

Giving context and boundaries for your characters and their actions
Creating atmosphere and mood, which in turn can influence or reflect character mood
Providing foreshadowing of events
Creating a theme through symbolism

Whatever the conventions of your genre, it is unlikely that your setting will be “told” entirely through passages of narrative prose which means – yes, you guessed it – the way to execute this in an engaging way is to “show” setting through character action, dialogue and interaction!

As an editor – do I think the art of lyrical prose has gone completely out of fashion? No, not at all. I have read some fantastically engaging books published in recent years that used world-building in a poetic way to amplify or contrast with the themes of the story, or to slow the pace, or to make a wider point on a theme.

But why was I more forgiving of these stories as reader compared to my impatient skim-reading as an acquiring editor? It all comes down to reader expectations. I had the specific conventions of the genre I was acquiring for front of mind, and I knew that lengthy setting descriptions were not what the reader would be looking for.

So, if you find yourself writing a beautiful passage of evocative mood-setting, heavy with symbolism, ask yourself: based on your research is this what your reader wants…or is it exactly what turns them off? And this will help world-build successfully for the 21st Century reader.

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Joanne Grant is an Editorial Coach with over 16 years of editorial expertise working for the global bestselling publisher Harlequin. Joanne has edited hundreds of romance novels over the years and understands how to coach authors of all genres to deliver their best work. If you’re interested in finding out how she can help you achieve your writing goals, get in touch – Joanne loves to chat! For inspiration, tips and offers why not sign up to her newsletter, join her Facebook group Motivation for Writers! or connect on Twitter @JoanneMGrant.

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