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Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024

11:27pm EST

Members: 822

Guests: 2,452

Total Online: 3,274

Writing Blog Number 2

by Santeven Quokklaus

Rated: 18+ · Book · Personal · #2311764

This is a continuation of my blogging here at WdC

This will be a blog for my writing, maybe with (too much) personal thrown in. I am hoping it will be a little more interactive, with me answering questions, helping out and whatnot. If it falls this year (2024), then I may stop the whole blogging thing, but that's all a "wait and see" scenario.

An index of topics can be found here: "Writing Blog No.2 Index"

Feel free to comment and interact.

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 21, 2024 at 12:34am
In response to "20241221 Kudzu Plotting"

IMO Anne McCaffrey does this well with the parallel Dragonriders of Pern and Harper Hall trilogies. Adults-with-dragons; youth with fire-dragons. Memorable world building. Wonderful characters.

Kudzu the plant... only a curse for those who don't know its uses: forage, food, fiber.

Santeven Quokklaus

Dec 19, 2024 at 7:09pm
In response to "20241219 'Misogyny' In Writing"

🐕GeminiGem🎁 - I chose Grease because it is so egregious and goes against everything Sandy had demonstrated up to that point. Dirty Dancing was set a few years later (early 60s), and, though Baby changes, it is gradual and is more a change of growing up, being true to herself. So, I think the time period can be used effectively without being so demeaning. As I see it.

🐕GeminiGem🎁

Dec 19, 2024 at 6:58pm
In response to "20241219 'Misogyny' In Writing"

I agree that when a woman changes herself to attract a man shows misogyny and is annoying...but...using the movie Grease as an example it an interesting choice. Yes, the lead female changes her appearance to appeal to the male. I think it was more because of peer pressure, but the peer pressure happened because of the pervasive misogyny of the peers. Interestingly, the male character does the exact same thing for the same reasons.

The movie is set in the 1950's, a time where the misogyny we see now is even waaaay worse. So, here is a thought. If you are writing about a time period like that and are showing social interactions of the characters, something like the pervasive misogyny is going to be true to the time and place the story takes place. Does that excuse it? No, of course not, but having present-day sensibilities in an era like that would make the story seem really off.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 19, 2024 at 3:57am
In response to "20241219 'Misogyny' In Writing"

In my travels I try to connect with most everyone. I wonder what my stats would be... but many contacts have names whether human or not, whether the boss or 'servant' or guest.

In my writings...

thinking.

I do have characters without names.

SAD Holiday Potato

Dec 18, 2024 at 3:54pm
In response to "20241218 Children Characters"

As someone who is an Aunt to two children who have an age difference of four years, I can definitely tell you that they act completely different. Even though one of them is neurodivergent, the older one definitely acts more mature than the younger one.(also the older one has never tried to lick my feet.)

With very few exceptions, I've never had to tell an adult "stop eating my dress," "please don't lick me" or "stop pulling my hair," to anyone over the age of six. Yet within the last year or so I've had to tell my five year old niece these things repeatedly. She thinks this is hilarious.

Anyways, thanks for pointing out that kids aren't just miniature adults! I'll try to keep that in mind while writing.

Santeven Quokklaus

Dec 18, 2024 at 6:44am
In response to "20241218 Children Characters"

Elisa: Snowman Stik - Writing about those who are neurodivergent is not something I feel I can talk about comfortably. I am trained as a teacher of those on the spectrum, and so I would not write a character in that regard because I do not feel it is my story to tell. But, yes, that last point may not apply to a child with developmental issues.

1 Like

Elisa: Snowman Stik

Dec 18, 2024 at 6:28am
In response to "20241218 Children Characters"

I am curious if there is wiggle room for the last point for child characters with developmental disabilities. (I do recognize this kind of character presents its own set of development pitfalls in terms of depicting the disability without stereotyping. That said, I think this can be a reasonable exception to the rule when done with care.)

1 Like

Once in Ryan David's City

Dec 16, 2024 at 1:26am
In response to "20241216 Poor Characterisation"

There was once a variation of "compressed vice" in an original episode of Star Trek ("Who Mourns for Adonais?"), where a landing party of the usual suspects + one random never-seen-before-or-since female crew member are captured by the god Apollo and they turn the usually gruff Scotty into a simpering, love-struck puppy to try to introduce some conflict when Apollo puts the moves on her. Why they didn't just have Kirk horndogging it as usual I do not know - at least then everybody would have remained consistently in character. It looks like Scotty, it sounds like Scotty, but WTF?

1 Like

SAD Holiday Potato

Dec 14, 2024 at 3:41pm
In response to "20241214 Punk Genres"

This is interesting yet confusing. So basically it's like world building but with the word "punk" in there to make it sound cooler.
Maybe I misunderstand.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 7, 2024 at 2:55am
In response to "20241207 Problems With Using Reality"

That or "to-ell-wit-it" and suffer the consequences.

Every society draws the lines differently. A traveler needs to be aware. Even words matter. The British and Thais are strict when it comes to slander.

June 3, 2024 at 12:04am

#1072074

20240603 Hiring An Editor

Hiring An Editor

Next WdC question: To hire an editor or not.
What to do if you disagree with your editor.
When to stop editing and submit.

Okay… here’s my thing. Hiring an editor or not is up to you. BUT I feel having an external editor is vital for success in traditional publishing, and to be taken seriously as a self-published writer.

So, here’s my deal. I started by using a friend who edited my work until I came to realise he was not that good. I used another friend for a while, but when she got married, her husband didn’t like our close friendship. Then myself and a fellow writer decided to do swaps. It was slightly unfair as I would write 2 or 3 long works a year, she would write one every eighteen months, and yet she was quite happy to go along with it, and that lasted for over 20 years. Then she had a stroke, and could no longer do it. So I used a student studying editing and professional writing at TAFE for a couple of years, then she wanted to charge me too much, so I found a local retired writer who does it for me in return for me doing some computer stuff for her.

Using an editor has been vital to me being published. And I will state here and now: an editor who relies on Grammarly or the like is a waste of your money and time.

Now, when you submit, the publishers will also do an in-house edit. Especially coming from Australia and submitting to US and UK markets, there are differences in style, and not just spelling. So traditionally published will see your work edited twice. And that is not a bad thing.

So, what happens if you disagree? Well, with the editors you pay for or use personally, if you disagree with a suggestion they make, then ignore them. They won’t know. However, if you think they are wrong, look it up to make sure. Not online – use Strunk & White or something else decent.

If, on the other hand, you disagree with the in-house publisher, you had better have a good reason. You can negotiate – I’ve done it to keep my stories “Australian” – but if you argue every point, you will get quite the negative reputation. As I’ve said before, many publishers talk; this will not go well for you. But if you really do disagree, explain yourself.

The final question above I think is more about personal editing, going over works again and again, though it could well be hiring editor after editor – when to stop.
This is not easy. Once I’ve given it to an editor or a beta reader, then I stop. But some people use self-editing as a crutch to avoid submitting. It’s a mental thing. If you are going to use an external editor, then rely on them and stop.
Way too many will edit over and over again. If you find yourself going back and forth between two phrases in the same spot, if you find yourself just adding words and deleting them, if you find yourself moving sections only to return them, then it’s time to pass it on to an external person.
While over-editing is often an avoidance tactic, it can also be an indication of genuine fear. While it’s easy for me to say, you need to trust yourself and at some point let go.

And that’s working with an editor.

NOTE: I am not going to go into the different types of editor. There are three reasons for this:
1) the different types of editing has different names to different people (Wikipedia and Google are rubbish);
2) too often people do not agree with what various types of editors actually do; &
3) having people look for spelling, grammar, punctuation, context, etc., is what an editor should be doing; story beats can also be done, but that is also what a beta reader is for.
IN MY OPINION!

2 Like • Comment

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