My Kind of Research

Back in school, I hated the mention of research. Even now the word elicits nightmares of MLA, APA, in-text citations, and avoiding plagiarism at all costs. Yuck.
But as a writer, research is so much more fun. Trapped in the days of term papers, I had to research using "trusted, scientific" sources. As a writer? 
Keep reading, and you'll see.
Currently, I'm editing THE KILLING WISH, a YA mystery about genies, killings, and a boy who wants to be a lawyer. To get into this boy's head, I've been doing some legal research, yes. But I've also been doing much more entertaining research.
I've been watching Suits.
On top of being a great legal drama, it's given me great characteristics and vocabulary for my dear male MC to use.
Being a writer is so much fun!
I just need to be careful not to binge watch all six seasons...

You Don't Like This, But I Do

I love salt & vinegar chips, but my sister can't stand them.
I adore Rhett Butler, but my friend thinks he's deplorable (she's an Ashley fan).
I think kneeling during the national anthem is childish and disrespectful, but plenty of people support the "men" in football uniforms who do.
Suffice to say, we're all different. We have different opinions, tastes, and preferences. Especially when it comes to books.

Give your novel to three people and you might get three different responses, varying between:
"I LOVED it! Don't change a thing."
"You need to have more (insert genre) elements in your story."
"This just wasn't for me."
The writing industry is so subjective that it becomes impossible to know what opinion to trust (though if more than one person is telling you something about your story, you should definitely take their suggestion into consideration). When it comes down to it, there's only one person you can really trust.
Yourself.
All writers have a certain instinct that tells them when something they've written is worth keeping...or needs some tweaking.
I'm not talking about when you're in the euphoria of writing when everything is ahh-mazing (or horrendous). But when your brain is permanently fixed in editing mode.
So, if you get some feedback you're not sure about, sit back and think. Decide if, based on the opinion at hand, you believe a certain scene, dialog, sentence, etc.  needs to be fixed.
And then proceed from there.

Other Outlets

I've learned something horrible.
Something downright distressing.
Ladies and gentlemen, editing doesn't leave much room for the imagination.
Sorry, was that not what you were expecting?

But it's true. While, yes, there is some imagining involved in editing, there isn't much. It's mostly analytical, grammar-induced changes. Far cry from writing or plotting. Due to this lack of use, my imagination has found others ways of expressing itself.
Through poetry.
It all began with a poem I wrote for my dad upon his graduation. Since then, my mind has sparked random lines of poetry. Nothing long or epic, just short, pretty verses. The kind of things you'd see on Pinterest.

e.l.layne is me, in case you were wondering

Which is why I created a Pinterest board to keep track of my non-rhyming dalliances. Click here to check it out!
I've only written three poems so far. I don't force the words, instead allowing inspiration to strike when it dares. Which happens to be at rather inconvient times, might I add.
Poetry is certainly a nice change, but I'm looking forward to planning a trilogy that I've got lurking in the back of my mind. As soon as I finish editing WISHES, MAYBE, plotting can begin!

Waiting to Edit

If you wade through my 2016 posts, you'll find me declaring this year as "The Year of Edits."
Logic would suggest, if 2016 is The Year of Edits, 2015 was The Year of Writing.
Which is 100% true.
I spent 2015 writing three different novels and only went through them to proofread a handful of times. Now I'm returning to each and giving them the old-fashioned "spit and shine."
And, boy, do they need a lot of spit!

Now that SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS is in the capable hands of my beta readers, I've transitioned my attentions to WISHES, MAYBE, a book I haven't touched, read, or even thought about for over a year. 
With this break (as well as writing another novel while waiting), I've noticed three things so far:
1. A long break makes editing (and reading other's opinions) a lot easier. I understand that the book is far from perfect. And being aware that it needs work comes a lot easier. Though, I'm not going to lie, there's still a sting!
2. Plot points I would've considered "okay" are absolutely not. Being far removed from the world of WISHES MAYBE, I can look at things with a critical eye.
3. My muse has had time to recover. When I wrote WISHES, MAYBE, I was a soaked sponge that was wrung dry by the time I typed The End. But now I'm full of new ideas for the book. Ways I can make it better, more real, and un-put-downable!
So, what about you? What's your method to editing? How long do you wait to "dig in" to your edits?

Third Time's the Charm

For me, 2016 has been the Year of Editing. If it was like the Chinese Calendar, for every month, instead of an animal, picture a dripping red pen.
Since we're almost to July (I can't believe it!), I'm considering myself a Seven-Month Expert when it comes to book editing. And I've decided to share my tips with you.

If you couldn't tell by the title, there's only three. I like to keep things short, simple, but effective.
1. Go traditional. Edit on your computer first. Do all the major rewrites, sentence tweaking, and flow-fixing.
2. Audiobook it. There are a bunch of programs online where you can transform your words into audio--yay for the digital age! My favorites are the ones that you can download the mp3's and put them on your phone, iPod, what have you. Listen to your words aloud with a notepad (or the word doc) handy so you jot down thoughts.
3. Hardcopy, for the win! Printing your book out, or putting it on your Kindle/tablet is a great way to pick up final typos that you missed by going through #1 and #2. A post I did earlier shows how to get your book formatted for kindle. Or, if you have a tablet, keep it simple and open the document in MS Word, reader mode!
Happy editing!

p.s. I have an exciting announcement coming next Tuesday. Prepare to be blown away!!!

Ideas, Where?

I'm still steadfastly working on THESE WICKED WATERS.

In the meantime, I'm prepping SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS for Ink & Insights 2016. As I've edited the first 10,000 words, I've been reminiscing.
For my almost all of my books, I can't tell you the exact moment the "idea" came to mind. With SHS, I can.
In fact, I have evidence of it. I was sitting at the library, using the Internet on my laptop. When the idea popped into my head, I grabbed my phone and saved it as a note--the bare skeleton of an idea. Inspiration that I had no idea how I would use. Yet.

That's right. I got the idea on July 10, 2014. If you followed my Idea to Pages series, you'd realize I didn't start planning SHS until July 9, 2015. A year later--almost to the day! This shows how important it is to write your ideas down! You never know what stories can come from them. 

Every book has a humble beginning. It all starts with one idea.

An Overall Blah

Clouds have invaded the east coast, and they appear too comfortable to leave. Every professor who comes into my office at work mentions the clouds. In fact, one said, "Now, Emily, it's your job to make sure the sun comes out tomorrow."
Unfortunately, I don't have any special contacts with mother nature.
Not only is the lack of sun depressing, but it drains the motivation too. While rainy days are awesome for writing, consecutive cloudy days?
...Not so much.
Which is why I'm coming clean. I haven't worked on THESE WICKED WATERS since my resolution post. 

I haven't been totally lazy. I've been hard at work prepping SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS for Ink & Insight's contest. (Anyone care to beta read 10,000 words???) But I know I need to get back on track, good weather or not.
Wish me luck. I've got a whole new chapter to write for TWW. You have no idea the massive editing that has been done on this book. I just hope it's worth it!

Stages of Editing a Book

I feel like I've been editing THESE WICKED WATERS for as long as the sirens in the book have been alive. (*hint*: it's centuries)
As I've been slogging through paragraph after paragraph, making some tweaks or huge overhauls, things have been interesting. There have been high points (where I'm moving through with lightning speed) and low points (where I flop on top of my sister who's trying to study and demand for her to pay attention to me).
Which is why I'm devoting this post to my editing adventure--in fun gif-form. Prepare yourself!
Finding typos you can't believe you missed.

Reading a scene where you didn't have to make any changes (so, so rare).

Stumbling upon a plot device that makes absolutely no sense.

Realizing halfway through that you tried to query this book.

When laziness strikes and all the words blur together into, "Blah, blah, blah..."

When you're convinced that this book stinks, and there's nothing you can do to salvage it. In fact, you're never going to be published. EVER. 

But then you remember that you love the characters.

And that this book is worth it.

Happy editing!

The Dreaded Typo

Typos are the last thing you want to see in your writing. Not only are they embarrassing, they make it look unprofessional and sloppy. Kind of like this horrendous typo I discovered in Anne of Avonlea. Twice! 

If you're a Anne of Green Gables fan you understand why this is such a big deal. It's Anne with an 'e.' The main character even says so herself! Sheesh. Typos, see what I mean? They're bad.
As a writer (or just someone in general), you should work hard to avoid typos at all costs. Which is why I'm going to offer a few worthwhile tips, young padawans.

Emily Layne's Tips for Typo-less Texts:

1. Read your book in a different format. Print it out. Stick it on your tablet/Kindle (how to here). Seeing the words in a changed venue will make things pop out that wouldn't before. I'm noticing tons reading THESE WICKED WATERS on my tablet!
2. Listen to your book aloud. Not only does this guard against typos, it helps you pinpoint awkward phrasing. Of course you can read aloud to yourself, but the voicebox wears out after awhile. A bunch of free text-to-speech options exist. I use NaturalReader and have it downloaded to my computer. The basic version is free. Which makes using it even sweeter. If you don't mind clicking "close" every five-ten minutes.
3. Get a beta reader. Confession time. Sometimes, we're just too close to our work. We need an outsider to read it and point out things we miss. Which is why beta readers are so valuable! Get yourself one (I even beta read; you can ask me!) ASAP!

Book to Kindle Reading: A New Way to Edit

♫ "I've got a new way to walk... Walk! Walk!" ♫

If you don't recognize that snippet of song you either didn't watch Sesame Street as a kid or you weren't born in the 90's.

Regardless, if you're a writer, I've got an exciting and new editing strategy for you! 

Hold onto your hats. Find a sturdy chair. Take off those socks before you lose them!

Kindle Editing, Your Book in e-Print

Instead of sitting in front of a computer or printing out your book for a different perspective, consider downloading it to your Kindle app. (DISCLAIMER: I use this method for plot and typo editing, not in-depth line editing). This way you can read wherever you like without fear of flyaway pages!

A lot of blog posts say how great Kindle-editing is, but they don't explain HOW to get your book into Kindle format. Follow the steps below and you'll be reading on your Kindle (or tablet) in no time!

1. Make sure you have an Amazon account. Don't worry, it can be one of the free ones.

2. Format your Manuscript. I advise saving a different version of your book for this step. For example: These Wicked Waters.Kindle. You'll want to make this version very simple. Get rid of page numbers and any unnecessary spacing (shame on you who use "enter" instead of "page break!").

3. Go to ToePub. You should see this page:

Make sure "Mobi" is selected. Then press upload. Attach your book. When it's finished, download the converted version. Keep it somewhere you'll be able to find it again.

4. Remember that Amazon Account you made in step one? This is where you'll need it. To get your newly converted book onto your Kindle/Kindle App, you need to email it it your Kindle App. Here's how you get it: 

Log into Amazon ➡ Click "Your Account ➡ Under "Orders" click "View Your Kindle Orders" ➡ Select the "Your Devices" tab" ➡ There you'll see three optional Kindle accounts with their corresponding emails. Make sure you select the one with the device name correlating to your App ➡ Open your email, paste your Kindle's address in the "to" field ➡ Attach your Mobi formatted book ➡ Send ➡ Refresh your Kindle App an in a few minutes you should see your almost perfectly formatted book sitting on your shelf!

5. Congratulations! You're finished. Now you can edit anywhere, anytime, and however you like!

Editing Reaction, LOTR Style

Last week I finished editing one of my books, Wishes, Maybe. Also last week I binge-watched the entire LOTR series (not The Hobbit, sorry. I'm pretending that was never filmed). Now the two activities will be forever merged in my mind. The last seven days went sort of like this:

1. Opening up Wishes, Maybe to start editing.

I really missed my characters. It was a wonderful reunion

2. Reading the first few paragraphs.

Reading/editing makes me hungry. Don't ask why.

3. Finding that first awkward phrase/typo.

Bring. It. On.

4. Realizing my writing sucks.

I've wasted my life writing this book!!

5. Admitting that my book isn't that bad.

I'm so over-dramatic. This is actually pretty good!

6. Reading that scene I don't remember writing.

Where did you come from?

7. Finishing my edits, at long last.

Let's do it again!

And this gif, just because.

                                     

Ouch, That Hurt

Finishing your book is awesome.  The feeling of euphoria when writing that last line? Ah! Just thinking about it makes me shiver.

And editing. Editing's pretty cool. Tweaking here, adjusting there. Pounding that lump of clay until it actually looks like a young adult twist on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Or whatever your book happens to be about.

Then the beta readers swoop down with their red pens and opinions.

                                  

That dialog you thought was so clever?

Ah-ah. Sorry, it doesn't make sense or jive with the character's personality. 

The grammatical errors you thought you suffocated with spell check?

Sorry, again. "Passed" and "past" are not the same thing.

Okay, so your beta readers probably aren't so blunt and annoying. But their job is still the same: critique/tear into your manuscript. And it hurts. A LOT.

I've entered this stage of the writing process. Let me tell you: ouch! Last night I passed out my Draft 1 Version of Underland to my sisters. Minutes later they found a missing word. Then an hour later a grammatical error.

Yes, they're being incredibly helpful by telling me.

YES, IT MAKES ME WANT TO RIP MY HAIR OUT EVERY TIME THEY DO!!!! Internally, of course, because I like my hair. Instead I kind of just sit and glare.

                                  

Then  I snap out of it and realize what they're saying is much needed criticism. My problem is that I take it so personally. Even something as simple as a typo.

Which is why every time I receive a comment I don't like I do the following:

1. Take a deep breath
2. Take another deep breath
3. Let it all out
4. Smile and say "Thanks so much, please just write that down for me"

Honestly, it's easier said then done, but I'm working on it.

A writer has to be humble and willing to accept criticism if he wants to improve. So that's what I'm doing.

A. Little. At. A. Time.

                 

Rome wasn't built in a day, you know.

My Plan of Attack

According to Pat Benatar, "love is a battlefield."

                                    

Which, I suppose, in some way it is. Especially in the paranormal YA books. Except I think there is a much more difficult, frustrating battle: The Editing Wars.

Why not just "War," you might ask? Well, there are lots and lots of battles involved. Like the Battle of Plot Points and Skirmish At Adverb Ridge. Toward the end of the Wars you might find you have at least 15 different drafts of your novel saved somewhere on your computer. Right now I have 8. And I just started editing.

                                      

Yuck.

When editing, it's incredibly important to step away from your manuscript. For at least a month. Seems like a horribly long time, doesn't it? The urge to finish your book and throw it out there for publication is so strong. Resist, resist! The time away allows you to come back with fresh eyes. It makes a huge difference.

So, here's my plan of attack in chronological order because I am a fan of organization:

09/08/2014 -- Finish Draft 1, send to beta readers
BEGIN PLOTTING SEQUEL & WRITING QUERY LETTERS
11/01/2014 -- Receive feedback from betas, start editing like mad
11/15/2014 -- Finish Draft 2, review
12/ 01/2014 -- Final check for any formatting errors
12/02/2014 -- Send out query letters

                                      

Pretty simple and to the point. This process and its length varies from author to author. But the one constant should always be a beta reader. Their input is invaluable. If you don't have someone you can trust to honestly critique your work, consider joining an online writing community like Critique Circle. It's amazing what another pair of eyes can pick up.

Updates

Remember me? I know it's been awhile.

Which is why this post is reserved for updates. Okay, okay. It's really a selfish post where I tell you all the amazing things I'm doing. Fun, right? Don't worry; there are only two updates so it shouldn't take long.

Let's get started.

Update Numero Uno... I finished my book!

Hold on, let me say that again with more textual excitement.
I. FINISHED. MY. BOOK!!!!!!!!!!

                                    

The stats came in as follows:

82,428 Words
29 Chapters + an Epilogue
1 Character Death

Now I'm traversing the dangerous pathways of editing. It takes such a different mindset to edit a book than it does to write one. Luckily I've found a few tricks to this perilous journey. They're all on my Writer Resources page. Make sure you check it out. Plus, Thursday I'll be doing a post all about editing and my plan of attacking the monster with my red pen.

 Update Numero Dos... I'm starting a vlog!

For those of you who don't know, a vlog is a blog in video form. Pretty simple. Every Friday, starting September 19th, I'll post a video on here and on my YouTube Channel. (Yeah, I put the hyperlink there so you'll subscribe!) The vlogs will only be 1-2 minutes in length and will focus on pretty much anything, but mostly writing/reading related stuff. I'm pretty excited to branch out to a new platform of social media.

                                           

And because I'm so excited, there is totally going to be a contest! So visit often to check out the status on that too.

Hmm. I suppose that was more like three updates.

You didn't mind, right?