Monique DeVere's Secret to a Polished Manuscript #Novel #MFRWauthor #MFRWorg #EditTip

Last month I shared my secret to writing great dialogue. This month, I'm going to share my secret to a polished manuscript. This is my prized resource for catching mistakes, plot holes, story flow/pacing, clarity, and the dozen other errors we as authors miss because we're so close to our work.

I'm sure it comes as no surprise when I tell you that every author would be prudent to find a way to HEAR her/his story read aloud. You've heard this advice a thousand times before, right? So have I, and I've heard other authors say they print out their MS and read it aloud so they can hear it. Or they read it aloud while recording their voice so they can replay it. I don't know about you, but that seems so last century to me.

I can't imagine sitting around reading my MS for hours on end hoping to hear mistakes. Surely, it's almost impossible to read and listen so carefully as to pick out errors at the same time. Personally, I don't believe we can effectively catch mistakes this way since we're still too close to what we've written. Then we encounter the problem of wasted hours of reading aloud that we'll never get back.

My solution? My biggest helper--outside of my CP--is my beautiful Kindle Keyboard. I love that baby. All I need to do is email my word doc to my Kindle, turn on Text-to-Speech and I can easily listen while I do the school run or clean the house. When I hear something I wish to change, I pause the Kindle, bookmark the page and make a note of what I need to change. If this happens while I'm driving, I'll make a mental note and write it down as soon as I reach my destination. On occasion, I've been known to pull over to the side of the road and make notes. But I'm sure you guys do that too. :)

I've found that using Kindle to read my story while I listen is the best option for me. I've tried using read aloud in PDF but the voice is far too tinny and computer generated for my taste. It distracts and irritate me, and I end up missing mistakes. Plus I lose the on-the-go editing option that I love so much.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this is fool proof. I'm simply saying it's another wonderful editing resource to add to our creative arsenal. For instance, you won't notice homophones, but you'll certainly notice flow and pacing. You'll notice tone and characterization, plot problems or whether you spend too much time in your characters' heads, whether your dialogue sounds natural, and a host of other niggles you might've otherwise overlooked.

The Kindle Keyboard isn't the only Kindle that has the Text-to-Speech function. According to the Text-to-Speech: Enabled link in the Product details section of my books on Amazon, Text-to-Speech is available for Kindle Fire HDX, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle (2nd generation), and Kindle DX. That's a huge choice of read aloud choices I never knew existed until lately. I haven't researched it, so I can't say if the other devices also have a read aloud function. If you know of any other reader besides the ones I listed, please tell us about it in the comments section below.

What do you use to help you polish your MS? Do you listen to your WIP via your reading device? Have you any special, trusted and adored methods for polishing your MS? If so, please share, I'd love to hear your secrets. 

Do leave a comment in the comment section below. Even if you just want to say "Hi!", I'd be thrilled to know you stopped by.

Until next time, write with clarity and style!


Monique x 

Author/Screenwriter Monique DeVere currently resides in the UK with her amazing hero husband, four beautiful grown-up children, and three incredible granddaughters. 

Monique writes Romantic Comedy stories some call Smexy—Smart & Sexy—and others call fluff. Monique makes no apologies for writing fun, emotional feel-good romance! She also writes Christian Suspense with a more serious edge. 

Monique loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her by visiting her HERE to learn more about her and check out her other books.

Monique DeVere's Secret to Great Dialogue #MFRWauthor #MFRWorg #WriteTips #Authors

Over the years, one of the compliments I often receive is for my dialogue skills. While contemplating the subject for my column this month, I decided to share my "secret" for writing great dialogue. I would love to unveil some amazing trick that I alone have uncovered. 

Alas, it is not to be. 

My simple trick is to write the dialogue first. I write in scenes and chapters. I never view the book I'm writing as a whole until I reach the end. Therefore, each day I sit to write my scenes and sequels, I visualize only the scene/sequel I'm about to write. Like all authors, I see my characters in conversation, what they're talking about and whether it's what I need them to talk about in order to fulfil my requirements for that part of the story. At this stage, I'm not worried about what my character is thinking, feeling, smelling, eating, seeing or anything else.  I just need to know that they're involved in dialogue that excites me enough to make me want to write it.

I've found that writing dialogue first, so you have only dialogue nothing else to start, gives me a clear indication on whether what my characters are saying is worth listening to AKA reading. Then I can turn my attention to fleshing out the scene with introspection, emotion, the senses, internal conflict, traits and everything else I need in order to create a rounded and complete scene. 

I'm sure you know dialogue in romance has five main functions. When we write dialogue first we're able to see at a glance if we've achieved the objective. 

Five Functions of Dialogue

1. To move the plot forward. 
2. Create conflict. 
3. To inform or reveal something pertinent to the plot.
4. Reveal character.
5. Create tension--sexual/emotional.

I have found that by writing dialogue first--think talking heads--it allows me to see if I've left questions unanswered, taken a side road in the conversation or have fallen into the trap of writing pointless conversation--think boring bits when people talk about nothing. The sort of yakety-yak that goes nowhere.

"Hi, how are you?"
"I'm fine. How are you?"

That sort of thing.

Dialogue is my absolute favourite part of a book. I just love the way we can create situations that pit two characters against each other in wit and banter. The way the characters can argue even while we let the tension simmer underneath. The way we can let them just say whatever they're thinking and see how it creates fireworks. Even letting the characters dodge questions is pretty fun to write. I love cheeky heroes who say the most scandalous things, and sassy heroines who gives him back just as good.

Dialogue is the heart of the novel. Without good dialogue, the most thoroughly planned out and executed story can become a drag to read.

So the next time you sit down to write, take a good hard look at your dialogue. Picture or write only the dialogue and see if it makes a difference to your end result. Then take a look at your character's introspection and see whether you're hiding some of your best dialogue in your character's thoughts. Why not let her/him say what s/he's thinking and see if you can't up the conflict a little.

Do you have any secrets on writing great dialogue? I'd love to hear them. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. I look forward to reading and learning new dialogue tricks.


Until next time, write with clarity and style!
Monique 

Author/Screenwriter Monique DeVere currently resides in the UK with her amazing hero husband, four beautiful grown-up children, and three incredible granddaughters. 

Monique writes Romantic Comedy stories some call Smexy—Smart & Sexy—and others call fluff. Monique makes no apologies for writing fun, emotional feel-good romance! She also writes Christian Suspense with a more serious edge.  

Monique loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her by visiting her http://moniquedevere.blogspot.co.uk to learn more about her and check out her other books.

On The Nose Dialogue & How Fiction Writers Can Avoid It #MFRWauthor #WriteTip #MFRWorg #Writers #Authors

Today I’m looking at On-The-Nose dialogue (OTN). 

This isn't a problem for Scriptwriters alone. Fiction writers need to avoid this trap as well. 

On-the-nose dialogue will ensure readers drop your book faster than a red-hot ember. 

You and I both know that nobody wants to read dialogue that isn’t close to the way people really talk. Otherwise it’s boring, tedious and not worth reading. 

Yet, writers are still falling into the trap, not realising that the ability to avoid writing on-the-nose-dialogue sets great writers apart from so-so writers. It shows editors, agents, readers, reviewers and the like that you have the skill, understand and know-how to implement the numerous other fine distinctions of the craft of writing and storytelling.

So what is on-the-nose dialogue, and how can we avoid this hazard?

What is On The Nose Dialogue?

OTN dialogue is obvious dialogue. It’s bland, boring to read, and tells the reader exactly what the author needs the reader to know, or requires the scene to convey. Plus it’s nothing beyond filler. 

An example of on-the-nose dialogue would be...

“Hi, Jim, it’s really hot today.” Pete tugged at his tie. 

“Yes, Pete, but they say it’s going to rain later.”

Pete glanced out the window they were passing. “I can see some rain clouds coming in overhead.” His tie was still choking him and his loosened it. “So I saw you with Carol, your wife. Are you two getting back together?”

“Maybe... I think so... We’re working on it. Why do you ask?”   

“I was wondering because she cheated on you with your brother and all.”

“I really shouldn’t take her back, but I still love her.”

Okay enough! I can’t take anymore, and I’m sure you’re ready to stop reading by now. 

Do you see how utterly uninspiring and dead boring OTN dialogue is? Did you notice anything else? Not only did I show you OTN dialogue, I also threw in some OTN action as well—just as a treat :). 

Pete tugged at his tie. Why is Pete tugging his tie? Not because he’s nervous, but because it’s a hot day. 

Pete glanced out the window they were passing. Why? Just so he can see the rain clouds closing in.

This is all obvious action to go along with his obvious dialogue, and that’s what makes it OTN action. 

Another obvious statement coming from old Pete is: “So I saw you with Carol, your wife." 

I'm pretty sure Jim already knows who his wife is! And that she cheated with his brother.

Rule of Thumb: anything that is obvious is On-The-Nose, whether it’s dialogue or action. Think subtle. Think show don’t tell. Think mystery (not of the whodunit, but of the I-wonder-what’s-really-being-said-here variety). 

The next part of the above scene, which leaves the reader cold, is the lack of any real point of view character. Through whose eyes are we viewing the story? These are all hazards of the OTN dialogue. 

How Do We Avoid This Hazard?

The trick, my friends, is to use subtext and deep POV. We say things all the time that we don’t know we’re saying. As authors, we can use this to great advantage. I spoke about subtext in my Pull Up a Chair With Mon series over on my blog a while ago, so I won’t delve into it again too deeply here. 

What I’d like to do is try and see if we can make the above scene any better. Let’s hang out in Pete’s head to see what's going on...

“Hey, Jim, wait up.” Pete jogged the few paces to catch up with his buddy. Even at this early hour in the day, sweat trickled down his back. Snagged his dress shirt and plastered it to his back.

“Just leave it, Pete, I’m warning you.” Jim’s dark, narrowed gaze sliced into him. But what sort of buddy would Pete be if he didn’t make his friend realise he was heading down the same road to destruction as before?

“You know I can’t do that, bud. Just hear me out, and if you still want to take Carol back, I'd be first to raise a toast to your happy future.”

Jim skidded to a halt. Spun on Pete like he had murder on his mind. “What is your problem with my wife?” 

The clenched fists and steam shooting from Jim’s nostrils let Pete know his friend of ten years was close to outing his lights. Pete loosened his tie. Maybe the god-awful heat had gone to his head, but Pete was ready to duke it out with Jim right here is the hallway of TTNT—in front of all their work colleagues—if it meant Jim would finally listen to what he had to say.

“The only problem I have is that she’s a liar and a cheat, and she doesn’t deserve all the chances you keep giving her. What second chance are you on now? Fifth?”

Fist balled tight, Jim drew his arm back. 

Pete knew what was coming and he welcomed it. What he didn’t expect was the force of the punch that connected with his jaw, and knocked half a day’s memory out of his brain.

This is a rough example. It needs more subtleties added. The senses, for starters, and a deeper understanding of who Pete and Jim really are, but I’m not writing a story here, just giving you a quick example. 

With any luck, you see the difference between the two scenes. The first is out and out OTN. The second is a little more subtle. Giving the reader info while keeping her/him wanting to know what’s going on by dripping in the relevant facts. I achieved this by letting the reader see what’s happening inside my POV character through action, internal narrative and emotion. 

Have you ever been snared by the dreaded on-the-nose dialogue trap? Do you have any neat tricks or ways to avoid it? I'd love to hear what you think. 

Until next time... let's avoid the nose.


Monique

Author/Screenwriter Monique DeVere currently resides in the UK with her amazing hero husband, four beautiful grown-up children, and three incredible granddaughters. 

Monique writes Romantic Comedy stories some call Smexy—Smart & Sexy—and others call fluff. Monique makes no apologies for writing fun, emotional feel-good romance! She also writes Christian Suspense with a more serious edge.  

Monique loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her by visiting her http://moniquedevere.blogspot.co.uk to learn more about her and check out her other books.

Author-to-Author Tip: SAID IS DEAD @MSKosciuszko

"Said" is Dead

I recently saw a Facebook post that claimed “said is dead.” It went on to list all the other “better” options to use, along with the emotion that correlates to each word.

I do agree that sometimes yelled, demanded, or murmured are the best words for the job, showing how the dialogue is being said, especially if it’s difficult to show the emotion through the particular dialogue. However, most of the time, “said” is exactly what I want.

Said is dead, huh? Of course it is. That’s the whole point!

Readers barely even notice it. It serves its purpose of clarifying the speaker and then shuts up and stands in the corner like it’s supposed to. Dialogue tags remind the reader of the author’s presence, so when you have to use a tag, why not use the one that’s almost invisible?

Originally posted on Katya Armock's blog.

Author-to-Author Tip from Author M.S. Kaye

M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband, Corey, in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Pinterest  |  Google+

M.S. Kaye most recently released Kindling the Past, a romantic suspense, with Liquid Silver Books.

         

Kindle is fighting to survive on her own, to break free from her possessive and violent ex-

boyfriend, not to let her best friend Anna know she’s in love with her husband. Most of all, she fights the visions she sees of the past—she doesn’t believe in that kind of stuff.

Then Anna is shot and killed.

In their grief, Kindle and Ty, Anna’s husband and Kindle’s Taekwondo instructor, grow closer. Although Kindle is careful never to let him too close, he helps her learn to accept her visions are real. Eventually, the truth about Anna’s death breaks through into Kindle’s visions, and she must find a way not to let it destroy her.

BUY LINKS

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