The Snowflake Chronicles

December Letter from the Editor

Title 1

December: National Novel Editing Month

Title 2

Finishing, rewriting, and editing your speculative fiction novel.

Hook

Red ink was created for writers of speculative fiction.

About Newsletter

“I have rewritten — often several times — every word I have ever published. My pencils outlast their erasers.”
Vladimir Nabokov, Speak, Memory, 1966

"The difference between the right word and the nearly right word is the same as the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."
Mark Twain

Letter from the Editor

It is December, the traditional rewriting or editing month for the novel you wrote in November. If you finished the novel in November it is time to rewrite or edit. If, like me, you did not finish the novel then I encourage you to continue working on the novel in December because it is difficult to rewrite/edit an unfinished novel.

What is the difference between rewriting and editing? To answer this question I am giving my personal definitions of both rewriting and editing. Since these are my opinions please feel free to agree or disagree with them and let me know what you think in the comment section of this newsletter.

Rewriting is when I have to discard 90% of the contents of the novel. I refer to the rewritten novel as the second draft.
Editing is when I make spelling, typo, and grammar corrections. When I edit, I check to see if the descriptions of my characters and setting are valid in accordance with the plan of the novel.
          Am I showing the battle between the protagonist and the dragon?

What are the tools to use for editing and rewriting?
A red pen to mark out or correct the double spaced hard copy of the first draft.

Question for my readers:
Do you have any editing or rewriting suggestions geared specifically for speculative fiction?

Following are other newsletters I have written on this subject.
"Rewriting Fantasy and Science Fiction" 
"After NaNoWriMo the Work Begins" 
"Finish the Novel before Editing" 

The 2016 newsletter theme will be mythical creatures. I will attempt to describe some of the lesser know mythical creatures. Do you have a specific creature you would like me to research?

Editor's Picks

STATIC

SpaceWitches  (ASR) SpaceWitches are supposed to be good Witches. But are they all good ones. #2063798 by PureSciFi

Excerpt: “SpaceWitches are exactly what the title indicates. They are Witches that are born, and live, in Space. The SpaceWitch can live on planets, moons etc. And they do. But most of them prefer Space – because it makes their magic, good or bad, more powerful. Most SpaceWitches are bad. But there are a lot of them that aren’t. This is one of them”

Invalid Item  This item number is not valid. #2063912 by Not Available.

Excerpt: It had been a quarter century ago on an evening almost like last; in a city where everything appears different from tomorrow. Habitat nature spoke with back turned mouth on the shoulder. Ears feast on gourmet, nose and sensory to smell were toes on the feet, hair was teeth and teeth, hair. Eye of new beginnings has begun in a town where darkness is never-ending...

Chapter One - The beginning of a journey  (E) Wars of Eredhar : The Descendants is the first part of the Wars of Eredhar duology. #2065420 by eredhar

Excerpt: It was the 4th of September, of the 5th Era. The weather was rather unpredictable for that time of the year. Even though the sun was shining brightly in the sky, the heat that was coming from it could easily deceive even the most experienced of travelers. It could get from a warm and soothing temperature to a harsh cold in just a few minutes.

Invalid Item  This item number is not valid. #2066722 by Not Available.

Excerpt: The flight to the Brahman system had passed in a veritable heart beat for Kristen and James. Young and in love, each day of the five week flight was filled with study on their new congregation, the Vishnuvians, or with each other, in prayer. For them either activity seemed timeless and wonderful.

Creation Myth  (E) The creation myth of the Archos, the main three gods of Achion. Background work. #2066484 by Lorwell

Excerpt: In the beginning, there was not day nor night, as light must exist to counter darkness. There was merely an absence of anythingânot a nothing, for nothing needs something to beâan absence that stretched as indefinitely as the widest sea, a world without horizon. And yet, as this nothingness grew to know itself as nothingness, it created the First.

Submissions from readers

CHAPTER TWO- The Beasts Of The Forest  (13+) Robert journeys into the forest, where monsters await him. (word count: 2828) #2063972 by FruitSeller

Excerpt: Hunger woke me, I sniffed the air and lumbered into my forest. Scratching old wounds and scars I followed my nose, how fortunate must I have been to happen upon such a smell.

Feedback from
"Fantasy Newsletter (November 4, 2015)" 

GaelicQueen writes: What a cheery newsletter for Day 4 of NaNoWriMo. I am behind in word count due to an unexpected illness that tossed me off my feet for the first couple of days. However as soon as I feel I can sit in front of a computer monitor not feel like the white screen is burning my eyes, I'll make up the shortfall.