Yikes! I see holes everywhere. Them thar things are throughout my FW (finished work).
I’ve been going back over ‘Secondhand Shoes’. Doing the tweak. OMG. Even though it’s in the hands of an agent I’ve gotta do repairs. Hope I didn’t embarrass myself too bad. Hope this agent person isn’t thinking what an idiot I am or, where did she get her writing skills from? What did she do? Slap a sticker on herself tagging herself a ‘Writer’?
Had an audition one time for a runway show. And the whatcha-ma-call-it person in charge asked me, “Where did you learn to walk?” She tapped her finger on her chin and gave me a look like I was a ghetto-girl. Will never forget that moment. I could’ve crawled under the stage.
Okay. So some of you might be asking, “What the hell are holes? What are you babbling about now, Shelly?”
Shelly’s babbles are about connecting the dots in your story. Let me explain the best way I can. I’ll be using a haircut for this example.
You go to the salon to get a haircut. When it’s finished you might see bald spots---and not because its in your DNA-bald-spots, or, you see chunks of hair that don’t blend with the rest or, the lines aren’t straight. Something like that.
In beauty school, I was taught if you cut the hair vertically, you must check the hair horizontally, and vise versa. This helps to even the hair out.
Guess this means I need to check my writing vertically and horizontally. Guess I need to ask myself what is the purpose of certain characters? What’s wrong with my transitions from chapter to chapter? How can I make them smoother? How do I make everything fit (characters and plot)?
Hope ya’ll know what I mean. If you do, let me know.
That’s all for now folks!
Happy blogging, reading, and writing!!!
Shelly
Great blog, Shelly....so often times we forget to check the 'holes' or the 'bald spots' in our work. (I know, I just read a short story that was obviously not long enough, because of the holes)...
ReplyDelete@ Beth: Thank you. Don't want any readers getting thier ankles broken reading one of my novels.
ReplyDeleteI just wish the hairstylists I've been to would listen to me when I tell them what I want. When I say, "Don't layer it" and they layer it anyway, it pisses me off.
ReplyDeleteNovels need layers. Hair, not always.
Yes. Our stories need layers. Smooth ones. No tripping through the pages.
ReplyDeleteHang in there Shelly, You will always see holes in your work, but what you are doing now will make it stronger. Don't beat yourself up over it! I am going through the same thing with mine. And as Norma told me on my blog, it's not bad to put something on the back burner for a bit.
ReplyDeleteYou come back with different eyes. And BTW, I love your analogies!
@ Erin: You're right. I know.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that always the case though, we notice the holes after the mani is in the hands of an agent or publisher.
ReplyDeleteNikki
I have so many holes, I might as well be a pin cushion! lol I know exactly what you mean.
ReplyDelete@ Nikki: I think so. Murphy's Law, Right?
ReplyDelete@Jen: We'll get 'em filled in.
I don't think it has to be that smooth. I've read many books where the reader is expected to put together the pieces in their mind.
ReplyDelete@Eve:
ReplyDeleteI'm not much for description. I like to get on with the story. What I mean is soemthing like when you make a good character, introduce them in a signiificant way and they disappear. Or, you give details about an event that needs to be somewhere in the middle or end like a stolen purse.
I’ve written three novels so far and the holes seem to get smaller with each new chapter that I write. But be careful, if you give to much attention to on particular part of your writing style you tend to slack off on another. It’s quite a balancing act that we must master.
ReplyDeleteGeorge: I know what you mean.
ReplyDeleteHoles in the book? May I suggest mothballs?
ReplyDelete@ William: Magig Mothballs...right?
ReplyDelete@ William: I meant magic mothballs.
ReplyDelete