You’ve finished writing your manuscript, down
to the last word. Now is the time to begin anew with an eye toward what works
in the story and what is junk filler. Revision means to “see again” and the
purpose is to improve the writing, whether it’s small corrections or sweeping
changes. Here are six tips to consider:
1.
What happens in Chapter One?
Does the story open with a dream or a character staring out the
windows silently reminiscing? If so, no action is happening. We need to
establish a setting and offer background information, but that can come later.
Start with action. This is the point where we can grab the reader’s attention, so start
with the Ferris wheel stopping with the character sitting on the top of the
world and no idea how to get down, or the announcement of something the
character never expected and did not want, or… you get the idea. There’s time
later in the manuscript to weave in background information.
How does the character react to sitting on top of the Ferris
wheel? The reader will learn about the character through thoughts, words, and
actions.
2.
Info-dumping. Providing too much background story of the
character and his/her world weighs down the story, slows the pacing, and the
reader loses interest. Keep the story exciting. Write action scenes with
background information added in bits and pieces, rather than large amounts at
once.
3.
Show, Don’t Tell. Sometimes it difficult to know if I’m showing
or telling. Telling is fine if the scene needs the action to move quickly. But
showing is used most often in storytelling. Watch for the “feel.” If you write
how the character is feeling, the reader doesn’t experience the information
through action or context clues.
4.
Create distinctive voices for each character. If characters are
not distinguishable, they don’t stand out. Their physical features, mannerisms,
verbal speech patterns, and attitudes help readers know the characters’
individual traits and goals, giving a realistic lift to the story.
5.
Chapter endings. Leave each chapter with something that makes
the reader want to continue reading. Cliffhangers have an urgency that keeps us
turning the pages. A question or introducing a new problem has the same effect.
6.
If facts are woven into the storyline, check for accuracy. Use
reputable sources, first-person accounts, and a variety of written sources.
In my next blog, I’ll give tips on finding mistakes in a
completed manuscript.
Call for
Submissions for Adult Writers:
Root & Star
·
is wise and wild, strange and sweet.
·
cultivates happy, healthy, peaceful,
creative children.
- is dedicated to creating an artful, quality, ad-free magazine that inspires the poetry of childhood.
- takes children offline into the pleasure of pages they can touch, turn, share, and read in the grass.
Root & Star magazine
strives to bring quality art and literature to children in the ephemeral magazine
form. It hopes to inspire and be inspired by the whole child – the wise, the
wild, the strange, and the sweet. It is a place for creative people to play and
to share the complexities of their work and spirit with children.
Submission guidelines at https://rootandstar.com/pages/submit
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