Do As I Say…Not As I’ve Done
It’s no secret, I’ve had some revisions in my day. Having just turned in Presents #8, patiently (ha) waiting the revisions that will come with them, I feel at peace. Revisions are part of the job. They aren’t an intrusion, or an extra, they’re the way a book truly reaches it’s full potential.
It’s like, I sent my book out into the world, but I forgot to give it its Wheaties. So my editor reminds me and sends it back so I can give its breakfast of champions, so it can really be all it can be!!
But here are some great things I’ve learned along the way, mistakes I’ve made that I hope to help you avoid!
1. Copycat. Nobody wants to be that!
Bring you into whatever you write. It’s not enough to simply imitate or analyze, you have to bring your own unique voice and take into your writing. It’s what makes you different, the thing that makes you stand out. Now, with category, you have to do that while keeping with the promise of the line, not so easy, but once you sort of find that marriage, it’s a really beautiful thing!
2. Big Secret, Big Reveal, What the What??
There are a few people this actually works for. (Desire Author Tessa Radley is one). And I’m sure there are quite a few instances it *does* work in, but there are times when The Big Secret can be a Big Bad for a few reasons. Number one, it can keep the reader from really knowing a character. I did this, and it resulted in a rewrite. Because while I had conflict to spare, I did not have a chance to explore it as I would have, because I was trying to save something for a big reveal, and while that secret certainly kept my editor reading, it made the whole thing lack depth.
The other reason The Big Secret can work against you is that it can seem like your characters didn’t really get to know each other. It can make it all feel very rushed and forced in the end.
So it’s always good to ask if you actually benefit more from pulling that secret out of the drawer early so you have time to really make it part of the conflict, and explore it with enough depth.
3. Cliche.
This is something I think I’m slowly beating out of myself. It’s a strange realization. I can honestly say I’ve added details to books simply because other writers I admired seem to use them a lot. (en suite bathrooms and strappy sandals) There is NOTHING wrong with these things if they need to be there. But I KNOW I’ve been guilty of adding them to try and make sure I was ‘fitting” the category.
This kind of goes back to number one. You have to be you.
4. Putting the Plot Before the Character
This is my big one. It’s caused me the most extensive revisions. Putting a theme and plot before characters. There are a limited number of plots in the world. That’s just a fact. There are a limited number of themes. But it’s the people that inhabit that plot that take it and make it something truly unique. And when that plot is dominating those characters, it can steal some of that. Now, I usually have a glimmer of plot/theme before character (usually being the key word…I don’t think any book has been quite like the one before it in terms of process for me) but, I try not to map out events before I have character conflict in mind, because I want the internal conflict of the characters to be the engine that’s driving the train.
Some tips from me. 🙂 Because these are mistakes I’ve made, and will make again. But it’s nice to write it all down. Now I need to do what I say too…
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Maisey, I’m stuggling with the when to reveal the “big secret” in my current WIP. Your comments have really made me consider letting the cat out of the bag sooner rather than later.
Oh, and cliches? check
And plot before character? check
Copycat? check
Struggling with all of these in the first few chapters as I try to get to know my characters and the story.
Anne, struggling doesn’t say you aren’t doing a good job, it says you’re aware. LOL. I struggle with these things, more at different times and on different MSs.
The secret issue is going to be very MS specific. I can only tell you that the one time I did it, I was keeping the reader, and my heroine from getting to know my hero, and while it was compelling in a way, it was better when I had the secret out from page one. But that was my personal experience with that MS.
Good luck!
Thanks loads for this post, Maisey. Love your blog. I’m waiting to hear on my second set of revisions (gulp) on my first submission, it’s been two and a half weeks and I can’t stop checking my inbox even though I know it could be months yet! Totally hear what you’re saying re cliche – my first draft descended into cliche about two thirds in, and I ended up having to totally rewrite that part. Wish I’d been more aware, would have saved me so much time. Now hoping what I’ve done is enough.
Charlotte, *sigh* been there. I did three sets of revs all told, and the last set involved a rewrite of the last two thirds…
fingers crossed your waits not long and it goes well! Sounds like you’ve really caught someone’s attention though. They don’t give out revisions like that just to be nice! 🙂
Thanks loads for telling me that!! That really belted Captain Doubt (currently sitting on my shoulder) across the chops. It’s only since I’ve been doing the revisions that I’ve started following some blogs and reading articles on the harlequin site. I’d just sent in a story I’d written a good while ago. I totally thought it would be rubbish, but at least it wouldn’t be rubbish sitting in the bottom of my wardrobe anymore. I really didn’t expect to hear back with anything positive, so it’s really exciting for me (but scary too). Even if this one is eventually rejected though, I’m well and truly bitten by the bug and will have another try. I’m in awe of the number and success of your stories, which I have been known to read in one go! And thanks for all the fab advice on the blog.