STYLE

EDITOR’S REFLECTION ON FIRST-TIMER’S MISTAKES

Everyone makes mistakes. Here are some of the ones that editors see all the time, especially in the submissions of first-time writers.
                                                                                                                       

1. Overwriting—too many words and the excessive use of adverbs and adjectives. In addition, the use of strange dialogue tags when “says” or “said” would suffice.
2. Inconsistency—grammar, punctuation, names, name spellings, details, etc. must be the same throughout.
3. Depending too much on your editor—editors are busy and do not want to have to re-write your whole piece. That’s your job—get it mostly right before you submit. The editor cannot be burdened with endless corrections to your grammar, spelling, etc. when he needs to address plot problems, character arc, etc.
4. Writing just one draft—you need to correct issues by writing a second, third, or as many drafts that it takes to get it as near perfect as possible before you submit.
5. Putting all your faith in Spellcheck—Spellcheck can catch misspellings, obvious grammatical glitches, and punctuation problems but it cannot catch all the various nuances of the written word.
6. Jumping from writing straight to publishing—put it down and let it percolate. Then re-read it with fresh eyes as if you weren’t the author.
7. Taking too long to get to the point—you have to grab your reader’s (editor’s) attention somewhere before halfway through your story. Get started in the first chapter (first paragraph, first line.)
8. So much passive voice—passive voice is acceptable in many instances (that’s the way we speak), but overuse takes away the power of active verbs.
9. Leaning on a language crutch—a great word or a cute turn of a phrase is great but don’t use it all the time, once, maybe even twice. Repetitive use of the same words (adverbs, adjectives, etc.) should be weeded out.

WRITING FICTION: A GOOD STORY MUST BE DISTURBING

For a story to be engaging to the reader, it must center on human conflict and disturbance. Without chaos, there is very little story to tell. Five moral dilemmas that make characters and stories better:

Give your characters dueling desires. He must have beliefs that matter. Giving him two equally strong convictions, which can be placed to each other, will provide tension.

Put your character’s convictions to the test. Challenge your character with difficult situations, such as facing a bribe or extortion. Try to create two equal avenues of behavior that will test his convictions. (To do this?-To do that?)

Force your character into a corner. Don’t give him an easy way to get out of the conflict. Force him to make a choice, to act, and it has to be difficult. It has to be something that matters. His choice should deepen the tension and propel the story along. He must live with the consequences of his decisions and actions. The more imminent the choice and the higher the stakes sharpen the tension—the more your reader will become engaged. Your character must be forced to re-evaluate his beliefs, question his assumptions, and justify his choices.

Let your dilemmas grow from your genre. Your chosen genre will often dictate the kinds of moral dilemmas your character will encounter. Readers of crime, romance, fantasy, etc. expect certain dilemmas tied to that genre.

Look for the third way. Your reader might see the dilemma as having only an either/or solution that seems unavoidable. Come up with a third way out of the dilemma that seems reasonable and inevitable. It must be consistent with his attitude, beliefs, and priorities, while also being logical and surprising.

HUMOR IN YOUR WRITING

Humor is an integral part of everyday life. There is a place for humor in almost all writing projects. Sociologists think that humor has two functions: to bond with members of our “tribe” and to relieve tension and anxiety.

Some rules for comedy in writing:

1. The “K” rule—words with the “k” sound are perceived as the funniest with the hard “g” sound right behind. The “k” rule is particularly powerful when naming things, places, and persons. Titles and chapter headings are good places to use the “k” and “g” sounds.
2. The rule of three—setting a pattern and then adding misdirection. List three things, the first two being like items and then add a third that is incongruent. This is good doing article ledes, catchy titles, and chapter headings.
3. The comparison joke—this is akin to a standard metaphor but one that is exaggerated for comedic effect. You might make a list about your topic and then choose comparisons that make you laugh.
4. The cliché joke—taking a cliché, a well-known saying, catch phrase, title, or lyric and then turning it on its head by changing a word or meaning can be very humorous.
5. Funny anecdotes and stories—these can be a good way to show humor in everyday life.

When trying to add humor, you should try to keep it organic to the piece without going overboard. Five ways to effectively apply humor:

1. Be strategic in when and where to add humor. Do not do it willy-nilly.
2. Use it sparingly. You probably are not trying to write a comical piece so the humor should be used selectively.
3. Keep your focus in mind. Don’t let your humor overshadow the true reason you are writing.
4. Let your readers know that you’re laughing. If you are dealing with a difficult subject, you must give your readers subtle hints that you are giving them permission to laugh.
5. Steer clear of sarcasm. Usually sarcasm is hurtful and mean. Sarcasm often puts off readers because of its tone. Putting others down is not good for most writing.