Jason Evans over at a newly discovered blog The Clarity of Night (new for me - you've probably known it for ages) is hosting a contest with a photo - you have to write something about it. So I did. When could I ever resist a contest? I'm entry number 8, and here is the link to the blog (not my entry) There are lots of other really great entries there. One is about a were-wolf-wife, another is about a college dorm - all are great. Go read and have fun!
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Pre-editing, you ask? I'm not an editor. Someone called me 'agent Sam' on another blog - but I'm not an agent. I do write and I read a lot. I've been reading the submissions and sending them on to our editor if I like them. One submission needed a little trimming in the beginning to make it move faster. The story moves like a freight train once it gets going, but it was bogging down in the beginning. That is, by the way, not hard to fix at all. Cut, snip, trim! Take out everything that is not essential to the story and that does not advance the story. It's an easy thing to remember, but it's hard to do when you've written a novel that's 250 pages long and you're so involved in the story that you can't sort out what's essential information for the reader and what's not. The information is there, in your head, and it's part of the character or house. Fine. It can help the writer to know as much about his or her character as possible. But some things are not essential for the reader to know.
Here is some good advice:
Let the Reader Use His Imagination!
This is also where a good beta reader comes in handy. "Take this out, I don't need to know this. Explain what that means. You don't have to keep saying that, you said it already before. Trust me, readers remember things."
I cut and trim (nothing is done without the author's consent!), and send the book to the editor for the final polish.
Golf: Played golf again. My elbow (the one I broke) is not happy with golf. It makes strange noises, cracks, hurts, and complains. So I'm complaining too. But there's no way I'm giving up my golf.
Sun-burn: It's still summer weather here. We are covered with sun block. My nose is pink already.
A dog's tail tale: Auguste sprained his tail. It looks funny, but hurts (the poor chap), and will get better in about five or six days. Until then he has doggy aspirin and lots of hugs. He's milking it for all it's worth - sitting at my feet and moaning every once in a while, so I'll hug him.
how does a dog sprain it's tail?
golf elbow sounds painful.
i could almost hear the sound effects...shudder. tummy lurching - gotta run....