The new year is traditionally a time to try something different, change old habits or get organised. So many times, I’ve made resolutions on New Year’s Eve and forgotten them a week later.
Age is a wise teacher. This year I will make one sound resolution. I will meticulously assess the challenge envisaged having learned to be circumspect, prudent and wary of unguarded and reckless promises.
I will become a wordsmith.
Changes to my writing must not be as fleeting as a summer day but soar like mountains; my tenacity only worn away by seasons of foul weather. (Well, maybe the odd earthquake too.)
Words are like rainbows; they need to contain pure colours and fascinating hues as the colours blend at the edges. Like rainbows they must conform to a set of rules in terms of the colour spectrum, but they can soar, be broken and finish or start in peculiar places. Words, like rainbows can be fleeting, lovely to behold but quickly forgotten as clouds cover the sun. But then some words achieve immortality and stand up to centuries of use and misuse.
“To be or not to be, that is the question.” ~ William Shakespeare, Hamlet, 1601.
What words will you craft in 2026?
I hope you find your own challenge for the forthcoming year. Enjoy writing, whatever it may be. Enjoy reading and have fun.
Well, I’ve got to the end of re-writing and structurally editing my third novel The Jamaican Heiress. It required two complete rewrites and a substantial structural edit which took me about eighteen months. It’s now a good story with a logical plot propelling stronger characters through a series of crises and culminates in a satisfying ending. I’m happy with the flow, time line, changing points of view and how it all hangs together. I’ve had feedback from two respected writing friends and made much needed changes to time lines, character arcs and motivations. Alpha readers are gold. Yay.
Big sigh. I’m feeling happy. But now it’s time to do the line/copy edits.
Should be a breeze. HA!
For my previous novels I used Pro Writing Aid to pick up overused words and phrases, (names and blushing references) repetitions, passive voice and my tendency to start every paragraph the same way. I then used a wonderful professional editor who tirelessly tidied up my prose and produced two readable books.
But having it done for you doesn’t help you to learn about the problems you have when you write. This novel I’ve decided to do the line/copy editing myself, as an exercise in strengthening my writing. This blog is about my process.
First step: Google search: What is the difference between line and copy editing?
There is heaps of information on Google and many useful videos on YouTube to check out. For a very quick rundown have a look at Alex Cattoni’s video “Copy Writing Tips: What’s the difference between Line and Copy Editing”. In short, she says: “Line editing crafts the story, Copy editing catches the errors.”
Second step: How many sweeps of the novel will I need to do and what do I look for in each sweep?
Again, I googled line editing and read several blogs and watched a few videos. I suggest spending a few hours combing through the plethora of information available and then come up with your own plan. I’m going for two, or possibly three sweeps (see step five)and then use Pro-writing Aid to pick up my remaining bad habits, then read it out aloud (or use the audio program on your computer) I will then re-read the entire manuscript and pass it on to my beta readers with trembling hands.
Step three: How do I do the line/copy edit?
The general consensus is to line edit a small piece of writing at a time. Could be a paragraph, a page or a scene but then go through your work looking for things like flow, word usage, passive voice, repetition, continuity, dialogue consistent to each character, adding/deleting description, telling and showing balance and point of view problems. The idea is to make every sentence clear to read, strong and efficient at conveying what you want to tell the readers without browbeating them.
Step four: Next sort out your process.
If you want to line edit on the computer, make sure you keep a copy of the first draft and line edit the new copy. I suggest you don’t name the copy the same as the original. I’ve got myself tied up in knots trying to find documents with similar sounding names, so put a date on your new file. You might want to try a program like Scrivener which helps sort multiple copies of a manuscript and allows colour coding too.
Other people like to print out the manuscript and edit on the printed page. Using different highlighters for different problems is something I’m going to give a try. So, red for errors, blue for word usage, pink for POV, purple for purple prose, green for continuity and yellow for “it’s just wrong”.
Step five: It makes sense that your first sweep looks at paragraphs and scenes and information to be added, deleted or changed completely. My first sweep will concentrate on:
Do I need to add/delete descriptions?
Have I used the senses?
Is the balance of show/tell good for pacing.
Continuity. Robert has blue eyes not brown!
Remove repetitions.
Is dialogue unique for each character? Think about tone as well as commonly used words or phrases.
Is each sentence clear and easy to read.
Is there any head hopping going on?
The second sweep will focus more on sentences and words and includes:
Over used words, descriptions or phrases.
Reduce filter words: she thought, he realized…
Change weak words to stronger words, he walked, to he paced/strode/shambled/limped.
Address passive voice in sentences.
Reduce adverbs.
Look at consistency of tense.
I’m new to this so I’m not sure this process will work. I will try it out for a few weeks, tweak it and experiment, then report back.
I have published two previous novels and have also had three short stories published. The feedback I’ve had from readers and editors has been positive so I will approach line/copy editing with some confidence. I do have faith that I can catch a lot of clangers, but I think it’s essential to have an editor or well-informed writing friend to catch what I miss. There are lots of problems that you as the writer don’t see.
I found the following articles helpful but there are many more on-line.
Our bushwalk included some city-slicker newchums. Crossing a wide plain between mountains, we noticed cows in the distance. They began wandering across to check us out. Newchums, trailing behind with heads down, slogging it out, were only half way across when we reached the fence.
Suddenly the newchums became aware of large creatures approaching. They walked faster; the cows came closer. Newchums trotted. So did the cows. Newchums ran. The cows, udders swinging, galloped alongside. We doubled up laughing.
Newchums, white faced and panicked, arrived safely, totally oblivious that your average dairy cows are peaceable animals. But curious as cats.
In March 2024 I wrote a blog about radically altering the plot for my novel, A Suitable Passion, so that it fit with history. I started the novel as a romance, but slavery and romance was not an easy pairing and a focus on relationships detracted from the serious theme of the novel. In a major revision, romance gave way to drama. I’m pleased to report that the book has been extensively re-written, given a new title, The Jamaican Heiress, and I’m in the process of doing editing sweeps. It should be out some time later this year.
Getting your plot to fit the history is just one small part of historical novel research. Everything was done differently two hundred years ago. They had distinctive values, governance, social rules and every small detail of life was unlike what we experience today.
An historical author has to constantly research small details. I described a scene where a maid was putting away clothes in a wardrobe in the year 1820. However, the wardrobe, as we know it, was not commonly in use then, even among the rich. It was more likely for upper class women to have gowns hung on pegs or draped over poles inside a dressing room. Clothes not in current use, were stored in boxes and chests to keep them safe from moths and insects. So, no wardrobe.
In my current work in progress the protagonists have to travel by coaches, horseback and sailing ships. I needed to know how long it took a fast-sailing ship to travel from London to Kingston Jamaica, (three – four weeks) so I could get my time lines correct. Similarly, I needed to know how long it took a horse and rider to travel fifty miles compared to a coach and four. I needed to research what people wore, the fabrics and fashion trends, how maids made up fires, newspapers, laws about slavery, who made the laws, how did they work… ad infinitum.
When I’m writing I am constantly going into Google asking questions. Aren’t we blessed these days that such information is at our fingertips instantaneously. Technology and AI have problems, but they are fabulous resources for quick information. But it pays to double check everything too. I usually look at several sources of information before accepting historical information as accurate. Not everything needs rigorous research, but it pays to have a written account of the searches I have conducted, the history books, podcasts, web-sites and other sources of information I have used to research my novel.
I also love visiting the places where I’ve set my books and in particular the museums that specialize in historical information. I’m lucky to have relatives living in London so when I visit, I usually go to the Victoria and Albert Museum. I also recently discovered the Museum of London Docklands. This museum is housed in an actual West Indies Dock warehouse. It gave me a splendid visual of how the docks operated two hundred years ago. That museum is full of replicas, original illustrations, newspaper articles and useful information. I spent several hours there and was able to buy a number of books about the West Indian slavery system. It was research gold.
Another valuable resource for my novel has been web sites. The Jamaican National Groups – Parish Histories of Jamaica (https://www.parishhistoriesofjamaica.org) is a fabulous website providing historical details, illustrations and photos of places where I have set my novel. I’m now very tempted to visit Jamaica in person it looks so interesting.
Books are another valuable reference for the historical writer. Some of these books are of general interest but others are PhD. theses that delve into the nitty gritty of a topic. I read the following books prior to starting to write my novel so I had a good overview of the actual historical period and specific information relating to slavery.
Christer Petley – White Fury – A Jamaican Slaveholder and the Age of Revolution – Oxford University Press 2018
Colleen A. Vasconcellos – Slavery, Childhood and Abolition in Jamaica 1788 – 1838 – The University of Geogia Press 2015
Mary Prince – The History of Mary Prince – A West Indian Slave – Edited by Sara Salih – Penguin Books 1831
Peter Fryer – Black People in the British Empire – Pluto Books 1988
Getting your facts and background information right is essential. But how much of it do you use when you are writing the novel? I was so captivated by the information about slavery in 1830’s it became difficult to leave the research aside. My first draft was full of historical facts, historical conversations about these facts, descriptions of conditions for slaves etc. but it swamped the story. I culled a lot in subsequent drafts realising that the reader wants a good story not a history lesson. I would estimate that I used about 10-20% of my research in the novel.
My advice based on experience is to read extensively to get the essentials of the historical era, focus on the conflicts and the settings. Then when writing your first draft research the details as you are writing. ‘Oh, I wonder how that worked?’ and look it up. But do keep a list of sources you have used.
Of course, all authors have to do research. Crime writers have to know a lot about police techniques, law, forensic procedures to name a few. Science fiction depends on a knowledge of science and astronomy. Fantasy authors may use mythology to build their worlds, and even contemporary writers do extensive research regarding locations and the numerous everyday details that have to be accurate. Family historians in particular engage into in depth, very obscure archives in order to put their research into print. It’s certainly not an area for the faint-hearted.
So, I suggest if you are a writer you will need to do research. Finding the right balance of skimming and delving deep takes time. What to leave in and what needs to give way to the storyline is a balancing act.
Photos:
Feature: 1. Hogsheads of Sugar, Antigua, 1823, by William Clark – a painting displayed at the Museum of London Docklands.
2. The Valley of the Rocks, near Lynton Devon. Original photo by L.C. Wong 2024 – This location featured in my novel A Suitable Heir.
Why is it there? What was the meaning? Who raised the stones? Why? All of these questions foster ideas for a story, poem, an opening scene or a theme for a novel.
Then practice painting this picture with words. Describe the colours, the view, the atmosphere created by the clouds and light. Put a character in there and give them a dilemma.
Add a suitable quote from William Shakespeare:
“And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Find tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
“Life is too short to stuff a mushroom.” Shirley Conran.
I want to welcome Berenice to Indie Scriptorium and congratulate her on her wonderful blog about procrastination. The problem of procrastination is something I don’t struggle with very often. My nemesis is overcommitment and that can have the same consequences as procrastination.
I am currently writing my fourth novel, editing my third novel, have provided manuscript feedback for several fellow writers and foolishly decided to go back to university to complete a Bachelor of Letters in Creative Writing. I can cope, it is doable, I can study and write.
I tried for five weeks and realised it was definitely not doable. The university course was exciting and stimulating but I’ve discovered a novel length work requires a singular commitment.
Writing a novel for me requires both writing and time to let your conscious and sub-conscious brain work out plot holes, motivations and what your characters will do and say next. It is as complex as drawing up roses and then getting all the petals formed, coloured and shaded to complete a satisfying painting. The university topics were fabulous distractions and something had to go.
Feature Photo: Minor bird versus Sulphur-crested cockatoo (c) L.M. Kling 2019
Recently, our Indie Scriptorium group was invited to speak at a memoir group led by our new member, Berenice. A challenge facing writers of real life, people and experiences is how to tackle situations that are not perfect and may bring embarrassment to those mentioned in their life-stories.
So for this week, we are revisiting a post by Mary McDee who gives some advice on how to tackle those thorny issues.
The team at Indie Scriptorium is excited to introduce our newest member, Berenice who joined us at the end of 2024. We hope you enjoy her insights into what challenges us as writers from time to time.
Procrastination
What it is, and what it isn’t.
It has been said that procrastination is ‘the thief of time’, and indeed it is, but it is very often misunderstood. How many times have we heard people describe themselves as a procrastinators when they turn up late for appointments, fail to meet deadlines or admit to having piles of unfinished projects that they meant to tackle when they had more free time? Procrastination can even be a common problem with writers of all genres.
In my personal experience, I have found that procrastination is more than a lack of time management skills, being disorganised or lacking motivation. In conversation with other writers who speak about their ambition to create significant works, they find that the end goal may feel daunting, causing them to avoid their projects and become distracted. I’ve heard of a description called ‘Imposter Syndrome’ where writers feel that their work is not good enough, that they are deluding themselves and may even experience the fear that their work may not achieve the desired outcomes, such as the approval of others, especially that of their more successful peers. I have realised that I often set high expectations of myself and in reviewing my work, question my ability, leading to hesitation, frustration and avoidance.
In the Shakespearian play of Richard 111, the king says, ‘I wasted time and now Time doth waste me,’ which is for me an apt description about how I feel about the many times I have put off doing writing tasks which have been waiting to be completed. I believe my issue is in aiming for perfection in my writing and spending endless hours editing, rewriting and revising my work, while anxiously aware that I am not progressing further than several reworked drafts. This causes self-doubt and stress as I worry that I might never finish the project which I started with so many ideas and enthusiasm.
The danger for people, like me, who know that they have a tendency to procrastinate, is that they are often inclined to ‘multi-task’ and get distracted by a whole range of disconnected activities instead of focussing on the one, single writing activity that requires their full attention. External distractions like social media, domestic duties, the telephone and television or personal hobbies can divert their attention away from writing. I may instinctively know that this is counterproductive and feel guilty about wasting precious time but may justify this by convincing myself that I will do better the next day, week or month, until often it all congeals into a familiar procrastinating blur…again. This may form a habit, creating a vicious cycle from which it seems virtually impossible to escape. When that happens to me, I feel embarrassed, stressed and vulnerable, avoiding the emotional task required to continue the work at hand.
I have spent many years trying to understand why, when I seemingly have no valid reason to put off performing some writing tasks, I often am caught at the last minute frantically working under stress to produce work of a high standard. Even if I micro-manage my time to avoid this occurring, it still happens. Even identifying as a procrastinator is tantamount to assuming that there is a controlling mechanism in my brain holding me ransom to a habit I am struggling to break. It has not always been so. As a studious child and student, I found the creative experience of writing my joy and pleasure, a circumstance that ironically carries on to this day as a mature person.
Ask yourself, ‘What have I as a so-called procrastinator done to help overcome the feelings of being overwhelmed, fear of failure, self-doubt, burn-out and disappointment?’
These are some of the strategies that I have employed that might prove helpful.
First of all, recognise that you might be having a problem and that you can do something to minimise the situation.
Set smaller tasks in your writing project. These may be a certain number of words, or a manageable amount of writing time, with a timer to help you stay on task. (I have a cute little kitchen chook timer.)
Don’t include detailed editing for every session of writing, other than the obvious small spelling and punctuation errors as they arise. (I use the Review function in Windows.)
The review function Read Aloud may help to pick up minor errors.
Join a writing group such as “Shut Up and Write’ where the focus is on actually writing for a set time, not talking, critiquing or sharing during the writing session.
Positive SELF-TALK. I Am, not I’m Not…….
Avoid multi-tasking instead of writing. Do the necessary distracting activities first, then stop and concentrate on writing. Focus on that. If the phone rings, ignore it. You can check your messages later.
Don’t stress if you can’t spend time writing because of family obligations, appointments and other social activities. Enjoy a healthy, happy, active lifestyle as far as possible.
Writing can be hard. But that’s okay. Choose your own way of managing the demands on your time but give your writing the attention and enthusiasm it deserves.
Procrastination can also be a coping mechanism when you are working too long on a project, allowing you time to rest and recover. If you are not being overworked by writing too much, for too many hours…this does not apply to you. Hint Wink!
Find a supportive friend, fellow writer, mentor who will offer constructive criticism and encouragement. That includes YOURSELF.
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