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Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

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Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Writing Craft » Page 48

Writing Craft

So You Finished Your Novel Before Deadline

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon October 15, 2015
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Are you one of those fabulous writers who finishes your books well before deadline? Are there weeks, maybe even months, left before you’re supposed to turn in the novel? Or maybe you’re just talking a week or two. That’s still great. Celebrate!

Should you send your novel to the editor today?

No.

At least, there probably isn’t anything to be gained by turning in your novel early. Most publishers won’t pay authors promptly for an early turn-in. That’s because in most cases, they have to approve your work before they’ll release the paperwork for the check to be cut.

Editors have a schedule. They might be appreciative of the fact that you are conscientious and finish your work early. Turning it in well before expected might earn you some brownie points. But that’s about it. Most editors I know already have their reading scheduled, and have their editors under them scheduled. Everyone is busy reading books that are in process now. The editor is unlikely to stop and read your book to give manuscript approval now to cut your check today. Sorry.

So since you won’t be paid early, why send your work right now when you can use your time wisely? Here’s what I recommend:

  • Let it mellow. Wait a few days or weeks. Forget the manuscript. Go do something else.
  • A couple weeks before it’s due, come back to it.
  • Read it aloud. Yes, that’s right. Read it aloud. I used to do this with my manuscripts. Sometimes I congratulated myself on my brilliance. (Ha!) At other times, I couldn’t believe how cheesy my characters sounded. I was able to eliminate a lot of cheese before the editor saw it. I recommend reading your manuscript aloud to yourself if at all possible before you send it to an editor.

That’s it! Now you have something to do with all that extra time. That, and go out to dinner to celebrate a job done well done, and early.

Your turn:

Do you read your manuscripts aloud? If so, how has this helped you?

How much time do you usually have between the time you finish a manuscript and the time you need to turn it in?

 

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Category: Editing, Writing CraftTag: Deadline, Editing, Writing Craft

Yippee Kay Yay Publishing

By Dan Balowon October 13, 2015
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There are so many metaphors we can use to describe what goes on in book publishing. Baseball, medicine, astronomy, physics, factory assembly lines, beavers gnawing on trees, hamsters on treadmills and many more each contain appropriate examples of various aspects of writing and publishing a book. I believe one of the strongest metaphors is that of target shooting. Ready. Aim. Fire. Three simple …

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Category: Book Business, Book Business, Book Proposals, Career, Marketing, The Publishing LifeTag: Book Business, The Publishing Life

Tools to Tackle Grammar Gaffes

By Karen Ballon October 7, 2015
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Oh my. We all have our peccadillos when it comes to English, don’t we? If I addressed them all, we’d be here til next year. So I’ll just give you the cheats…uh, tips I use most often. —Don’t be afraid of me. Poor ol’ me has been sorely maligned, as it should be when used incorrectly. Usage such as “Jim n’ me will be happy to talk with you” stirs images of uneducated, backward folk who …

Read moreTools to Tackle Grammar Gaffes
Category: Grammar, LanguageTag: Grammar, Language

When Trying to Sound Intelligent Backfires

By Karen Ballon September 30, 2015
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So, I’m at a writers’ conference—a professional setting, yes? With folks who are clearly well educated, especially about the use of words, yes?–and this is what I hear: “Just give Jim and I a call, and we’ll talk it over.” Cringe. Then came a recent commercial on TV, where a supposed doctor was saying, “This product has been tested by myself and others in the medical field.” Good grief. I …

Read moreWhen Trying to Sound Intelligent Backfires
Category: Craft, Grammar, LanguageTag: Grammar

“Close your eyes dear, I have a surprise for you.”

By Dan Balowon September 22, 2015
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One hundred years ago this week, Cecil Chubb of Great Britain decided to give his wife a really great gift. He bought her a bunch of big rocks at auction for £6,600 (equal to US$10,500 in 1915 and about US$250,000 today). Mrs. Chubb was certainly surprised with the thoughtful gift. But the rocks just weren’t her cup of tea. You see Mr. Chubb bought Stonehenge for his wife. Yes, that Stonehenge. …

Read more“Close your eyes dear, I have a surprise for you.”
Category: Book Business, Book Review, Career, Craft, The Publishing Life, TrendsTag: classics, The Publishing Life

Write from the Deep Places

By Karen Ballon September 16, 2015
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Far down, under the ground many of us walk on day in and day out, are roads and buildings and the remnants of long-ago lives and loves. Underground cities, they’re called. I’ve visited the one in Seattle. Peered down through the dark and dust and imagined people, horses, carriages…life. Under our feet. In the deep. I’ve been to other deep places, too, but these weren’t quick visits. Nor were they …

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Category: Book Business, Career, Communication, Craft, Creativity, Editing, Get Published, Inspiration, Marketing, Money, Platform, The Writing Life, Theology, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Encouragement, Inspiration, The Writing Life

A Novel Idea

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 20, 2015
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As followers of this blog know, I have just returned from a wonderful conference in Oregon. Many of the questions and my interactions there caused me to re-evaluate my way of approaching how and what I read during my personal time. Please note: I am in no way changing my philosophy regarding what I represent as an agent. I’m still focusing on all forms of Christian romance and representing …

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Category: Craft, Get Published, ReadingTag: Ideas, Reading Craft

Doing Dialect Well

By Karen Ballon August 19, 2015
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“Aym t’inkin’ ye tol’ me, didna ya, dat dere be tips ‘n’ tricks ta doin’ de dialect da wey ye shud in buks?” Just in case you haven’t figured it out, here’s the translation of this bit of brutal brogue: “I’m thinking you told me, didn’t you, that there are tips and tricks to doing dialect the way you should in books?” There are, indeed. And the first line of this blog is the perfect example of …

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Category: Craft, Writing CraftTag: Craft, dialect, Writing Craft

Are You Writing Out of Order?

By Dan Balowon August 18, 2015
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Generally speaking, if you want to write a book, sitting down at a computer, opening a Word document and starting to write it is not the first thing you should do. Certainly, every writer should write and keep writing. In the same vein, every runner should run, every person interested in being a chef should prepare food and so on. But writing a book is not the first thing you should do if you …

Read moreAre You Writing Out of Order?
Category: Book Proposals, Career, Get Published, Platform, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Get Published, Platform

Speaking of Dialect—Yea or Nay?

By Karen Ballon August 12, 2015
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I’ve had a number of people ask me lately about dialect in fiction. Next week we’ll talk about how to do dialect well, but for today, since I’m at the Oregon Christian Writers’ conference in Portland, Oregon, sitting in a hotel room with my roomie and buddy, Susan May Warren, writer par excellence and the mastermind behind My Book Therapy (pause to take a breath) I figured this was the perfect …

Read moreSpeaking of Dialect—Yea or Nay?
Category: Craft, Writing CraftTag: Craft, dialect, Writing Craft
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