Monday's Links to Writing & Marketing Blog Posts

7 WAYS TO TIGHTEN YOUR PROSE

By: Dan Koboldt

One of the most common critiques that I’ve given to and received from other writers could be described in a single word: cut. Cut this backstory, cut that redundant phrase, cut the laundry-list description. For my part, I admit that I’m a discovery writer. Some of the prose that goes down onto the page will serve the sole purpose of helping me better define characters in my own head. Some of it might be world-building that I can do better elsewhere.

One of the most striking characteristics of professional-grade, publication-ready writing is that it’s very tight. Leanmight be an even better word, because it implies that the author has trimmed the fat. Only the meat of the story remains, which usually makes it easier to read because no words are wasted. So where can writers do such trimming? Here are some common areas.

1. Backstory

The arch-enemy of the fantasy/sci-fi author. We’re building entirely new worlds, and with that comes the powerful urge to dump a huge amount of information on the reader. This applies to other genres as well: every character and setting in the story will have a history. Some of that history might be crucial to the plot. The challenge is to weave this information into the manuscript so that readers don’t feel like they’re getting a history lesson. Because backstory, no matter how interesting, takes us out of the current action and slows the pace.

2. Red Herrings

You’ve probably heard the adage that every word/sentence/paragraph should contribute to the characterization, setting, or plot . . .

Read the full article HERE!

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If you missed my writing & marketing tweets and retweets yesterday, here they are again:

1. Elizabeth Lowell on Romance & the Evolution of Self-Publishing - GalleyCat http://ow.ly/z5WKM
2. Smashwords: 2014 Smashwords Survey Reveals New Opportunities for Indie Authors http://ow.ly/z5X3R
3. Writing Under The Influence (of Music) http://ow.ly/z5X5m
4. The Backstory Battle - Writers Write http://ow.ly/z5X6f
5. 7 Ways to Tighten Your Prose - Dan Koboldt http://ow.ly/z5X6V
6. How many characters are too many? The Authors Collection. - Venture Galleries http://ow.ly/z5Xht
7. Negative, Continuous, and Passive Forms of Subjunctive Mood | Live Write Thrive http://ow.ly/z5Xje
8. The Building of a Setting http://ow.ly/z5XkY
9. Let Me Explain to You a Thing http://ow.ly/z5Xr3 Describing the physical attributes of your characters
10. 3 Twitter Basics You Probably Don't Know About http://ow.ly/z5XUJ
11. Infographic: John August's 11-Step Guide to Writing a Scene « No Film School http://ow.ly/z5XXA
12. Write a Sizzling Modern Adaptation of a Classic Story http://ow.ly/z5XYo
13. Novel Rocket: Estimating Kindle Sales From Amazon Rankings http://ow.ly/z5XZn
14. Good-bye Confusing Subplot, Hello Book Contract http://ow.ly/z5Yft
15. How to Fit Writing Into Your Life: 6 Tips Based on My Writing Process http://ow.ly/z5Yg6
16. Writing yourself a pen name | Books | theguardian.com http://ow.ly/z5Yib
17. Linda Clare's Writer's Tips: Know Your Novel's Characters: 3 EZ Strategies http://ow.ly/z5Yj1
18. How to Tell if Your Protagonist Needs a Better Goal - Helping Writers Become Authors http://ow.ly/z5YjP
19. How to Use Layers to Show Intense Emotions | Jami Gold, Paranormal Author http://ow.ly/z5Yks
20. Cliffhangers Part 2: How to Keep Your Reader Reading | Wise Ink's Blog for Indie Authors about Self-Publishing http://ow.ly/z5Ynu
21. The Kill Zone: 12 Essential Steps from Story Idea to Publish-Ready Novel http://ow.ly/z5Yon
22. Why Readers, Scientifically, Are The Best People To Fall In Love With http://ow.ly/z6BJ8
23. SHOW vs TELL – What the he … heck? by Author Carol Malone - Writer's Fun Zone http://ow.ly/z6C2S

Happy writing and running, Kathy