| What do you do when things go wrong? Seriously, what? Do you have a plan? Some foolproof method of fixing the ambiguous things of which we speak? I'll tell you what I do. I freak out. I freak right the f**k out. Things can't go wrong. They just can't. Oh God. But they do.  In life, things go wrong all the time. We sleep through alarms, throw the red shirt in with the whites, wake up in strange beds with throbbing headaches and achy asses. Those aren't even the big mistakes. Imagine how bad you could mess up. Or remember that you have, and how desperately you'd like to go back and change those things, make different choices. Fix it.As a writer, if that's what you are (I'm kind of expecting you are, so if you're not, just pretend, or stand to the side quietly), you're in the unique position of being able to fix the stuff that goes horribly, in your manuscript, at least. Now, I don't need to go over all the myriad ways your manuscript can suck (writing as loose as baby diarrhea, plots thinner than a lace Doilie). You know where the spots are. They may even be your favorite parts. In fact, they often are. Some of the most beautiful strings of words can be cataclysmic to your story. Who said "kill your darlings?" I don't think anyone knows. But it's so often true. So... The first thing you can do when things go wrong with your manuscript: DELETE. Most first time writers tend to over do it describing from multiple angles, reiterating every detail through dialogue, action, exposition, just because they can. It's hard as hell to trim, and it hurts. But it'll hurt a whole lot less than when the rejection letter comes telling you, that you need to learn to edit (It's happened to me, yes), that you've done all the work for the reader, that your sh*t's boring as hell. Grab a great book on editing. Might I suggest, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself Into Print  by Renni Browne and Dave King.Another thing you can do: GET A SECOND OPINION. Oh please do. Don't ever ship off your manuscript without getting some reads on it. Unless you like to spend money on postage and aren't satisfied with simple personal rejection, you'd like to feel the sting of a professional rebuff. If that's the case, then go for it. But make sure you've got an honest reader, someone who knows your genre, and can articulate their difficulties with your manuscript. A writer's critique group is an awesome way to go, and easy enough to connect with (check with your library, local colleges, and bookstores). Of course, you're going to have to be open to a little suggestion here. What else? BE PATIENT Don't panic. We all take our characters down the wrong road from time to time, even down the wrong 200 page highway. The only reason they need to stay there, musty and, often, boxed up in our garages, is our own frustration and pride. Let's say you're not locked up in a Mexican jail, there is room for creative solutions. It's like real life with revisions. Finis.  A quick not to our pimps.We're extending the pimp contest another week, so if you haven't had a chance to hawk our asses, please do and then let us know. Please let us know. Don't assume we're tracking all the hits to the League, we're basing the entries on your comments, both here and on our personal ljs and blogs. Next week, you might be seeing your name on your new favorite blog! |
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Great advice. Although the loose stools imagery may stay with me a bit longer than I'd like.
I'm revising now. In fact I just received a note from my editor yesterday. You know the one that suggests you dump the first (fill in blank) pages of the manuscript you thought you had just about finished? Yeah, that note. Ah, happy days. But I've learned, I grimace and rip off the bandage. It really never's as bad as you thought it was going to be--and the book is always better. :)
Lori
Editing is evil. But a necessary evil for sure.
Oh, and I pimped you guys out over at my LJ (with a crazy, opinionated squirrel but that's not a problem, right? ;-p)
http://skarrah.livejournal.com/23148.html
tm - may your stools be firm and slip from your memory like an olestra greased colon.
Lori - thanks for the back up, sound advice.
skarrah - opinionated rodents are the opposite of a problem.
Mark- Where'd you get my picture, fool?? I told you never to show that to anyone! Oh you are so in trouble... Just wait til I get done with pimpin' you out today!
"wake up in strange beds with throbbing headaches and achy asses"
I can't say this has happened more than once in my life, but still cool images. Yeah, patience is the hard one, specially with the rest of things put together. I also felt that persistence is a rather important one also.
I second the second opinion bit. I'm lucky my first beta reader lives with me (thus subjected to the mandatory readings at night) and will be honest (like explaining that Mary Sue can happen to you too!).
http://mela-lyn.livejournal.com/41258.html
Out of love, Mark... just remember, it's all out of love.
"achy asses"
Haha. You do have a way with words, Sir Mark. Excellent post!
Ladies and Gentlemen, introducing YA zombie author, Carrie Ryan (that's her up there). Frequent her site, buy her book when it comes out.
Carrie: feel free to start some early promo, buzz is buzz!
Boy. You guys hung on to that achy asses reference. I'm glad my writing resonates.
I'm still reeling from the loose baby stools comment.
Hey there Mark, It's me from the conference, the one that just loves those death scenes!!!
I am soo happy to know I am not the only one that needs a swift kick in the butt to get motivated, Karli Clift has taken me under her wings and I am finally soaring out the words, chapters and revisions!!! Having someone that has no clue to who you are, and with the most awesome feedback is the best advise!!! I can't emphasize this point more, I waited too long for this type of advice(from Karli), but it is not too late, with a new prologue, and some more description, my book is soo close to being out, I can taste the blood!!! :} I have been down the red pen path, and I consider it a schooling experience, something to reflect on, something that eats at your brain!!!! But all in all, I would not have it any other way. SO bring on the blood red pen, and let me suck the living ink out of it-hehehehe. Have a great one, I hope I win something, I'm broke (until my book is in print and sells, that is.) Love to all in the group-I'll spread the zombie love, on myspace.com/bratcat13 and http://www.myyearbook.com/darkprophecy ^*^
Hi Lane! Thanks for swingin' by and making some bloody references. You're totally entered into the pimp sweepstakes!
I couldn't get past "wake up in strange beds with throbbing headaches and achy asses" Good god, man!
I'm not a writer so I'll just quietly stand to the side.
Thanks for subjecting yourself to my foulery Wendy. I appreciate your patronage.
Yet Another Pimp!
http://shay-writes.livejournal.com/12968.html
....achy asses and the pimp glasses
LOL! Had to pimp the page
http://nenscl.blogspot.com
Welcome To The Blogsphere
"writing as loose as baby diarrhea, plots thinner than a lace Doilie"
Thanks for the visual!
Pimped at http://tezmilleroz.livejournal.com http://blog.myspace.com/tezmilleroz http://tezmilleroz.blogspot.com
Have a lovely day! :-)
"Unless you like to spend money on postage and aren't satisfied with simple personal rejection, you'd like to feel the sting of a professional rebuff."
HA!
When I worked as an intern, wading through the slush pile, I was always amazed at the people who could write 400 pages, not realizing that their sentences were incoherent (among other sins). The cover letters almost always said, "My mother thinks this is the best book to be written in the last fifty years," or some variation thereof. Hint: Your mother is not an objective critic. The second opinion should come from somewhere else.
Mentioning this as great advice over on my livejournal (http://alanajoli.livejournal.com), which now gets syndicated something like six places. Does that count extra?