August 2018: Writing Advice
~ Denise Jaden ~
~ Denise Jaden ~
CTR asked:
QUESTION: What is the one piece of writing advice that has stuck with you and why? (Something other than ‘write what you know.’)
Denise Jaden said:
There is a lot of common writing advice out there, such as reading a lot in your chosen genre, or writing what you know (I prefer “write what you WANT to know.”) But I wanted to come up with something a little different, so I searched my mind for a couple of keys that have been most helpful to me.
It sounds counter-productive, but one of the best ways I’ve found to get clarity on what’s working and what is not working in my writing is simply to put it aside for a while. It can be difficult, especially when I’m wrapped up in a particular character or story, but after finishing a draft, even if I THINK I know what to do on the next draft, I put it away and work on something else for a minimum of two weeks (usually longer). Then, when I come back and read it over, I can see it with fresh eyes, and often the fixes I thought I’d have to make are only the tip of the iceberg. I can suddenly so many other ways I can improve my manuscript!
Another key to this next read-through, though, is that I don’t read it with my eyes. I set my book up to listen to it through text-to-speech. Not only is this fun—almost like an audiobook, once you get used to it—but it really allows me to see my writing in a different way than I do when I scour it again and again with my eyes. (A bonus is that I catch lots of spelling and grammar errors, and find lots of missing words.)
There have been many times when I have approached one of my own books this way—putting it aside and then listening to it audibly—and have actually said to myself, “Ooh, I wonder what happens next!” About my own book!
If you’re looking for a way to listen to your writing via text-to speech, it can be done on Microsoft Word (although I find this a little clunky. For me, it’s easiest and most convenient to email myself an Epub of my book and open it in Google Play Books, as I have an Android phone that I always take with me, but I suspect there is an easy way to do this on an iPhone as well. I highlight and make notes on my writing while I’m at the gym or waiting for my son at classes, or even while I’m making dinner.
Give it a try. I think you’ll enjoy seeing your writing through new and fresh eyes (and ears!)
– Website – http://www.denisejaden.com
– Twitter – @denisejaden
Groupie
[Young Adult Contemporary]
Kass, never in a million years, would have pictured herself as someone’s groupie, but when Eli and his band score a spot on the hot new reality TV show, Hold That Note, she decides to surprise him in L.A… and hopefully win back his heart.
But Eli’s gun shy after losing his mom, not to mention his heartache with Taylor and his past trust issues with Kass.
As if that’s not enough to overcome, Kass finds it impossible to fit into “the perfect girlfriend” image in the shadows of T.V. Land. Maybe their relationship isn’t made for the limelight.
But what if Eli truly is?
If you haven’t read the first five books…
Start here with Book Six, Groupie, a second entry point to the series. Perfect for fans of Rainbow Rowell and Gayle Forman. Download Groupie today!
Available in Ebook:
– Kindle – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CYC9ZMW
More Authors Dish about their writing advice.
Day One: https://coffeethoughts.coffeetimeromance.com/ad2018-aug1-advice/
Day Two: https://coffeethoughts.coffeetimeromance.com/ad2018-aug2-advice/
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