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Archive for the ‘Message to Writers’ Category

Are All Aspiring Authors Like This, Or Is It Just Me?

Monday, August 30th, 2010

The fast answer is: “It’s not just you.  Virtually all aspiring authors make lots of mistakes in their manuscripts.”

Last week, an author who used WritAnon’s editing service sent me this (paraphrased) question:  Do all aspiring authors see this much red on their edited manuscripts?

This isn’t the first time I’ve gotten this question.  However, this is the first time I’m writing a public message about it.

The short answer is yes.  And it’s not limited to aspiring authors.  First drafts from established authors will often have the same amount of “red” markups–changes, suggestions, or problems within the manuscript.

Theoretically, there could be someone who wrote a manuscript that was perfect in every way before they send it off to a publisher.

I’ve never seen one.  If I did happen to come across a perfect submission, I’d happily tell the author that there was nothing I could do to help improve it.  I’d then wish them the best of luck as they either seek another editor or choose to start querying agents or publishers.

For most writers, though, getting an experienced set of eyes is a must.  Some people can get this from a talented writing group, but there are many who don’t have access to the right level of feedback.  For these writers, editing services like WritAnon’s can be a valuable tool to get the right feedback they need.

What mistakes do aspiring authors make?  Here’s a short list in no particular order (I’ll expand on these in an upcoming post):

  • Grammar, spelling, and sentence fragments
  • Inconsistent characters
  • Plot holes or inconsistencies
  • Dialogue that doesn’t sound like something the characters would say
  • Run-on sentences
  • Overly complex sentences (using 10 words to say what could be done in 5).
  • Overuse of adjectives and adverbs (not everything needs to be described in intense detail–you’ll fatigue the reader)

No manuscript of any significant length (more than a page or two) comes out of a writer’s mind perfect to unleash upon the world.  Personally, I go through at least three drafts before I let anyone else read my stories.  Even then, my critique group generally gets it first.  Once it passes their approval, then I feel more comfortable with sharing it with the rest of the world.

Writers should not find this discouraging.  The person who first said this has likely been lost to antiquity, but it still remains true:  “The art of writing is rewriting.”  Persevering through this challenge (and, when appropriate, seeking editing help) is what separates the aspiring author from the published author.

Take your time and work through any critiques you receive.  You may not change everything that’s recommended, but you’ll often end up with a much stronger manuscript.

We’re all in this together.  Keep writing!

When Should You Use “It”?

Monday, November 9th, 2009

Last week, I was a bit surprised at the attention received by one of my posts from the middle of October, Get Rid of “It” (and other vague words).  The post was submitted to Reddit, and received a somewhat controversial rating.  The ratings were mostly positive, but the comments were somewhat less so, indicating that (perhaps) my message hadn’t gotten completely across.

On the positive side, I think that article received the most comments any of my articles has received.  Thanks to all the Reddit commenters who took the time to say why they agreed or disagreed with me!

I’m not writing this post directly to those commenters, but I do think it is important to respond to the flaw pointed out by the comments.  As one commenter pointed out, general rules may hurt writers if the writer doesn’t understand when to break the rule.  I felt I should clarify my message to help all writers who read this blog.

I think the major reason that the Reddit commenters disagreed with my post was that I went a bit too far with the selection of my title.  When I said, “Get Rid of ‘It’,” I was referring (mostly) to the overuse of “it” in many new writers’ work.  As a few Reddit commenters (correctly) pointed out, “it” is a perfectly good word, if used carefully.

My intention is not to eliminate the word “it” from the English language. However, writers need to be careful to balance the convenience of “it” with the vagueness “it” introduces.  New writers tend to use “it” too often in their work, which makes understanding their intended meaning difficult.

Many writers use “it” as a crutch. Instead of thinking about the concept a writer desires to convey, many beginning writers throw in the word “it” to shorten their writing, but this puts the burden of figuring out the message on the reader.  Taking a bit more effort to clarify your message can save your readers a lot of time.

Speaking of saving time, let’s get to the main event.  When should you use “it”?

Use “it” to refer to an object that has no gender:

The bookcase was lovely, its oaken shelves a beautiful shade of brown.

The water bottle let out a sharp hiss as I squeezed its trigger, water spraying out in a narrow stream.

Use “it” to refer to an event (in the examples, “It” refers to the weather):

It was a blustery day in the Hundred Acre Woods.

It was a dark and stormy night.

Use “it” when you can substitute any number of things and still make the sentence true:

Forget about it, it will never happen.

It will be a cold day in Hell when that happens.

Use “it” when the surrounding context makes the meaning clear:

We loved that restaurant.  Its food was delicious, its atmosphere was pleasant, and its waiters were always prompt.

Can we continue this conversation later?  I’d really love for Janice to hear it.

Also, while we’re talking about “it,” let’s also get one commonly confused thing straight:

Its color was green.  It’s standing still.

In other words, “its” implies ownership or a characteristic of something.  “It’s” is used only to refer to “It is” or “It has.”

Writing is an art, and the use of “it” is no different. Deciding to use “it” in a particular case depends on your goals as a writer–you’re making a choice between clarity and vagueness, or wordiness and brevity.  The right place to use “it” is (unfortunately) often a judgment call.  “It” is a perfectly good word, when a writer carefully considers when to use “it”.

Happy writing!

Related Post: Get Rid of “It” (and other vague words)


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