Typos

Finished 11; 21,153 word count

Writing Tip: My particular goof ups saw the light of day in today's writing. The thing with typos is that each writer has his/her own list of frequent foul-ups. Mine are our for out, and for an, and of for off or off for of. And you know spell checker doesn't catch that kind of error. But if you know your particular foibles, you are more likely to catch them on the re-read. And if you read a scene several days later, you are even more likely to see them.

Learning Opp

Check out his website: http://www.jamesscottbell.com/

Author of legal suspense and How-to books on the craft of writing. Jim is one of my favorite speakers. I have learned so much from his lectures. And now there is a chance for you to benefit from his teaching, too.

James Scott Bell will be doing a series of
webinars for Writer's Digest this month. The first is on structure:

http://www.writersdigestshop.com/product/wgf-build-solid-story-structure-webinar/r=wdjfbl062710%5BY0351%5D-%5Btweets%5Dersdigestshop.com/product/wgf-build-solid-story-structure-webinar/r=wdjfbl062710%5BY0351%5D-%5Btweets%5D

Ellipsis or Emdash

finished chapter 10; 19,279 word count

Writing tip: Ellipsis are those three little periods that take he place of words. To make them space out when you are using word, you must type space period space period space period, or the dots scrunch up when you hit the space bar after the last period. I don't like mine scrunched up.
Emdash is a dash that is as wide as the letter m. Endash is the one that is as wide as the letter n.
Endashes are also called hyphens. And Emdash is used in dialogue when the person speaking is cut off. And abrupt ending in other words.
Ellipsis are used when the person's speech trails off.
I didn't use any emdashes today, but I did use ellipses.

Examples:


“Is she . . .?’

She nodded. “Did you know they have . . .accidents?”

Stuck!

Finally finished Ch 9; 17,160 word count

Writing Tip: I don't really believe in writer's block. I get stuck, but I tend to think it is because of character flaws. Not the characters in my book, but flaws in me. Procrastination, laziness, distractibility, aversion to work. Anyway, when I do find myself wasting time and not "getting on with it," I close my eyes and watch the scene in my mind as if it were a movie. That usually gets me revved up again.

Just Talking

Finished Chapter 9; 16,140 word count

Writing Tip: In Donald Maass's book Fire in Fiction, he talks abou clean, precise dialog that is stripped of attributes and action tags. Sometimes this is a very effective way to deliver conversation between two characters.
Example from Dragons of the Watch:

Bealomondore shook his head, agreeing.
“How old are they?” asked Effie. “Do you know?”
“They are all six, every last one of them.”
“Six?”
“Six.”
“So someone has been feeding them for six years.”
“No.”
“No?”
“I have found documents in the library, written by hand, probably by Old One. Rumbard City is under some kind of wizardry.

Point of View

Started chapter 8; 14,053

Writing tip: POV is Point of View. This means that everything in the scene is presented by the POV character and anything the POV C cannot see or experience cannot be used. If another character is hidden, perhaps eavesdropping on the conversation, the POV C does not point him out. Unless, of course, he discovers him.
Here is a POV adjustment in editing today's work.
Example:
He reached to open the lid and laughed again when Efficinderpart peered over the tumanhofer's shoulder while the goat tried to push between him and the box.

He reached to open the lid and laughed again when Efficinderpart peered over his shoulder while the goat tried to push between him and the box.

Bealomondore (the "he" in this sentence and also the POV C) would not think about his shoulder as the tumanhofer's shoulder. He would think of it as his shoulder.

Action Tags

finished Ch. 7; 12,875 word count

Writing Tip: We use action tags to give rhythm to dialogue. The tags can slow the rhythm or speed it up. In the original writing, I used asked and said, which are almost invisible to the reader. The brain registers the word and the meaning, but doesn't conjure up an image like another word, say, "hollyhocks." (he said, she said, he asked, she asked are called dialog tags or attributions)

Effie asked, “Is it safe?”
“Yes, they’ve gone for noonmeal," said Bealomondore. "Hand me the goat."

But when the author wants the reader to visualize, some cues are needed. These cues or action tags also help creat the pace and rhythm. The best way to catch this and pinpoint a need is to read aloud. I read everything aloud or have it read to me.

Revised lines: Effie grabbed his coat sleeve. “Is it safe?”
“Yes, they’ve gone for noonmeal.” He went over the edge and disappeared. She heard a thud and this his voice. “Hand me the goat.