Tag: Writing Tips

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Writing Horror

I’ve always been drawn to the scary side of life. Weird and spooky things have always sung to my soul. The darkness calls to me on windy, moonlit nights. I can’t explain why or how, but it’s always been a feeling I’ve had for as long as I can remember. Yes, I was the gothy, witchy girl in elementary school. I was the freaky outcast in high school. I was the loner in college… all of it. But for me, it never was a fashion statement or a temporary phase. There’s always been something in the pit of my soul that growls. 

Fear is one of the most basic, primal emotions, yet it is so complex. Some people genuinely freeze when they are afraid, while others thrive off it. Fear can either repel or fuel us, and for those of us who are captivated by it, I whole-heartedly believe that we are just wired-differently than others. Whether it’s environmental, spiritual, or encoded in our DNA, horror fanatics look at the genre as a mirror of humanity reflecting back our greatest terrors or our darkest desires (or a little bit of both).  

My mother believes I was cursed by a witch. While that’s the opening line to my occult horror novel Witch of the Black Circle, there are far more realistic implications to the sentence, ‘cause I’m pretty sure she did. She kinda told me once or twice or thrice about the creepy kids she used to babysit and their creepy, witchy mom in their Satanic-like apartment when she was seven months pregnant with me (spoiler alert** Chapter 11 in the book tells that story). So, who knows if that somehow affected me in utero. I like to think so. Makes for an interesting life story, I suppose. 

And of course, there was the time when my mom brought me to the movies when I was about five years old. The film? Creepshow!  Mommy dearest thought I was sleeping the whole time, but as a child, I distinctly remember covering my eyes, but looking through my fingers so I could see what was happening! I was both horrified and enthralled at the same time (especially during the cockroach segment). But that film awakened me—opened my hiding eyes to a world of mystery and terror. And I knew I wanted more… so much more.

For me, writing horror is a journey into the dark corners of the mind, a dance with the unknown, and a deep dive into the emotions that make us who we are. Through horror, I find not just fear, but also but also understanding, and a connection with my readers. I enjoy pushing certain storytelling boundaries, making the familiar unfamiliar, making the comfortable unsettling, and most of all—making my readers feel the wide range of emotions associated with the genre in general. 

Writers write about what they know. So, it seemed only natural for me to express myself in horror.     

Follow Maria on all the things! 

Author Maria DeVivo | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree

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The Constant Finding of My Creative Voice

I’ve written a lot. Professionally and as a hobby. Easily over five hundred million words—though that’s a rough estimate. I have no idea how I’d even try to check that. The point is, you would think, after all of that, I would’ve found “my voice.” 

You know the concept of a writer’s voice, I assume. It’s a series of vocabulary choices, pacing choices, sentence length, and rhythm decisions that make your art feel like yours. 

But I never found it. The writing voice that comes out of me doesn’t feel innate. Perhaps it does for others. I have to assume it does for others. But, for me, even in this article you are now reading, I am deciding what my voice sounds like. 

There’s a way I like my writing to read. 

Part of this is rhythm. I like my writing a little fast-paced. Go back and look, and you’ll see that I put a lot of short sentences around long ones. 

This isn’t always uniform, though. In my fiction, I like for more otherworldly and cosmic horror events to be more descriptive. I use specific words in those scenes. I save them for when I need to make a big impact. 

But here’s where I flip this on its head. Because isn’t what I am doing still my writing voice? I’m honestly not sure. Voice is supposedly this innate thing. A way of writing that occurs without thinking. Does it still “count” if it’s chosen?

And yes, this is going to be a little existential. I do write existential horror, after all. 

Because, to go down this line of thinking, we are essentially talking about the version of me that is writing and the version of me that is editing. I do make that distinction. I almost think of them at war. Or perhaps in a begrudging working relationship. Is the tempering done by the part of me paying attention to sentence length more or less my “voice” than the raw creativity before that tempering? 

Perhaps the true question to determine this is consistency. If voice is the art we cannot help but produce, then—by the nature of me always wanting to edit my work to a certain style—this controlled version of my creativity, what you are reading, is what’ll always happen. The rough drafts could be argued to contain more of my voice, but I hate my rough drafts. That’s ultimately what inspired me to pay so much attention to composition. It could be argued to be the catalyst for defining a style for myself.

Now, as is the case for a lot of these sorts of questions, I don’t actually think there’s a true answer. I don’t have one at least. The term “writing voice” is a vague enough term that someone may have already disagreed with my initial definition. And I wouldn’t blame them.But, as some form of a conclusion, I do believe that there’s something that changes in you when you’ve written enough. Your connection to words and sentences and stories becomes both more mechanical and more like sorcery. That is likely true of all art though, no matter the medium. And, frankly, that’s kind of wonderful. Let the mystery of voice continue, if only so we can try to understand it even more.

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Release Day: 10 Steps to Save your Editor’s Sanity

We are excited for the release of 10 Steps to Save Your Editors Sanity by Dr. Jenifer Paquette!

Dreading the moment when your manuscript comes back from the editor dripping in red lines?

You can save both of you time and energy with a few basic steps. Sending your work to an editor can be a nerve-wracking experience, but it is possible to make the moment worth celebrating if you have confidence in your writing quality and edit for the most common issues that plague manuscripts. Follow these 10 steps before hitting send and your editor will thank you!

Part One: Start with the Big Picture

  • Step One: Consider Point of View
  • Step Two: Fix Pesky Dialogue Formatting Stuff

Part Two: Zoom in to Examine the Nitty Gritty

  • Step Three: Up Your Verb Game
  • Step Four: Use Punctuation as Intended
  • Step Five: Track Your Bad Habits

Part Three: Come Over to the Deep End—you’ll be fine!

  • Step Six: Tweak Your Sentence Structure
  • Step Seven: Add Sentence Variety

Part Four: Before You Click “Send”…

  • Step Eight: Know What You Want
  • Step Nine: Create a Style Sheet
  • Step Ten: Just Breathe

You can order this book  in all formats directly from our 4HP Website and receive 10% OFF using coupon code 4HP10!

10 Steps to Save Your Editor’s Sanity
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Research and Writing

Any author knows that an important part of crafting a solid story involves a decent amount of research. Facts, figures, locations, language, environment, time… the devil is in the details. And having all your proverbial ducks in a row can give your audience a truly immersive experience whether you’re writing something realistic or in your own fantastical world. Well-researched content adds depth to a story and in a way, gives more credibility to the author as an expert on a certain topic (yes, even in works of fiction!) What’s the saying? Writers write about what they know? So, if you haven’t done your homework on a specific subject, why would you attempt to write about it? Even in the realms of fantasy, readers tend to feel more comfortable and connected when they are grounded in some tangible form of reality, so it’s important to have your world have logic and rules and consistency. A little bit of research can definitely go a long way.

My Dawn of the Blood Witch saga is purposefully crafted around events in history. I take my characters all over the map, and through many different eras of time, using real stories as the backdrops for my plots. The research can get intense because I don’t want to have any inconsistencies or have anything misrepresented (witches are very serious business, ya know). I include infamous serial killers, ancient Christian practices, the Salem Witch Trials, widely known kidnappings, cults and exorcists (to name a few things) throughout these books and the amount of hardcore research I’ve done to get things to fit ever-so-perfectly has been a daunting task. I often find myself going down rabbit hole after rabbit hole chasing ghosts and legends so that it not only makes sense for the reader, but also in my in my head, and within the context of the overarching story. There are a lot of moving parts in this series, so it’s important for me to be precise. 

While it’s another form of work—of the entire process—researching your topic can actually be fun. Yes, I said fun! All the little tidbits and additions to each book help to tie everything together. I love dropping Easter eggs and when readers reach out to me and say things like, “Oh my God! You said that in book 2, and then it like happened in book 4, but book 4 takes place before book 2!” Mind-blown moments like that make the tedious research so rewarding. Or when someone tells me they have a kinda-obsession-kinda-crush on Ricky Kasso, too… makes me feel like I’m not the only weirdo in the world. 

The bottom line is this: know your stuff. Know what you’re talking about. Present the information in your world in a well-prepared and logical way. Readers will pick up on it and have a stronger attachment to your characters and story. As the author, proper research can empower you to produce work that is meaningful, respectful to your readers and subject matter, and will make your audience want to dive into your entire catalog!

Follow Maria on all the things!

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From the Author’s Desk: Worldbuilding 101: Consider Your World’s Cultures

Thinking about the way different people behave is an integral part of worldbuilding. Often it impacts your story, but sometimes, it’s just background that gives readers the feeling that there is a lot more below the water’s surface–that the iceberg is indeed quite deep. One way to do that is to flesh out small details as well as the big picture ideas. 

When it’s time to build the cultural practices of the people in your world, consider the following questions: 

  1. What are the cultural practices of the people in your world? How are the cultural guidelines unique? Are they specific to different groups? In what way? (Do they brush their teeth with their toes? Do they leave their babies with strangers? Do they shave their heads before childbirth? Do they use distilled human remains to lengthen their lives like in Jupiter Ascending?)
  2. How do different groups of people view one another and why? What is the power dynamic between different groups (gender, race, country, etc.)? Are men in charge of women or vice versa or are they equal? Are certain races or nationalities seen in specific ways? (Women are subservient, Vikings are wild men, orcs are evil, Native Americans are noble savages, etc.).
  3. What religions exist in your world? How do they function and who follows them? How important is religion in this world—enough to fight wars over? 
  4. Does slavery exist in your world? How does it work? Which group enslaves what other group? How do people become slaves and how can they be freed? How do other cultures view those who practice slavery?
  5. What is considered a family unit in this world? How does the average person define “family”? What determines who runs a family unit? Is it the breadwinner, the oldest, the one born under a good sign?
  6. Are small or big families common in your world? At what point has one reached a “big” family? Is this a social status thing—do lower classes have fewer children while higher classes have many?
  7. What is the general attitude toward birth control in your world? Is it available? Is it encouraged or frowned upon? Does abortion exist as a medical procedure or a concoction of plants? How do people view single parents?
  8. At what age is an inhabitant considered an adult? What is the average life expectancy for your people? How does social status affect that projection? Do wealthier people live longer?
  9. How is adulthood different from childhood? Is “childhood” a thing in your world or are children expected to behave like little adults from the time they can walk and communicate?
  10. What are common child rearing practices among inhabitants? How are children treated in your world? How do parents discipline their children? Are children expected to work right away or can they wait until they are older?
  11. What kind of stories are told to the children of your world? Is there a boogeyman? What are children taught to fear? To respect? Why?
  12. What kind of games do children play? Where do those games come from?
  13. What are some of the sports in your world? How are they played?
  14. What is considered art in your world? Is it the traditional Humanities (painting, sculpture, music, literature, etc.) or is there more to it? Do people argue about what is “art”? Is art valued in this world or seen as a waste of time and energy? Is reading stories or listening to music a treasured moment or a lazy indulgence?
  15.   Can the average person in this world read? Are fiction/non-fiction books a thing, or are they oral stories, or both? How many books does the typical person in the world have at home? What kind of books would a person read—fiction, history, science?
  16. How do people relax in your world? What are some common hobbies? What activities would the average person do at home after the “major” work of the day is over—needlecraft, painting, sculpting, cooking, watching television?
  17. Is the schedule of the average person set by sunlight and everyone goes to sleep at sunset, or do people stay up after dark to do things? Is non-natural light available? How is the average day divided into work and play? 
  18. Are there major holidays in your world? What are they? Where did they come from?  How do inhabitants celebrate important days throughout the year? Do people celebrate equinoxes/solstices? Are certain days more important than others? 
  19. How do inhabitants keep track of birthdays? Are they celebrated? Do birthdays involve cake and presents or something else? (Hobbits give away presents on their birthday.)
  20. What are common hygiene practices for the people? Do they bathe every day, wear perfume, wash their clothes often? Is there an industry of products around hygiene (hair, body wash, soap, make-up, etc.)?
  21. How much food does the average person have in their home? Is it common for people to make dinner at home, or do they grab food elsewhere? Is food delivery a thing in this world (Doordash, Uber eats, etc.)?
  22. What are some popular foods that are unique to your world? What is considered a lavish meal, an afternoon snack, a poor-man’s-breakfast?
  23. Is food preserved in some way, or is it all fresh? Do people store food for the winter because they must supply it themselves, or is it always available?
  24. What do the inhabitants of your world celebrate (birth, graduation, new cars)?
  25. What do they grieve (war, famine, death of a loved one)? What do they fear (spiders, zombies, pandemic)?
  26. What do they love (other people, satisfying pens, great advice)?
  27. Do people have pets? What is considered a normal pet in your world? Where is the line between a pet and a food source?
  28. What do people value? What is considered beautiful or handsome? What facial/body features are prized right now?
  29. Are certain traditions prized more than others? What practices are looked down on by most people?
  30. How much does the average person know about the cultural practices of other people?

Considering the answers to some of these questions when you aren’t writing will allow you to continue writing when you reach the moment when you need to insert a detail about one of these beliefs or behaviors or practices. Like thinking this way? Check out The General Worldbuilding Guide for more questions and fun activities!

The General Worldbuilding Guide (The World Building Guide Book 1)
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From the Editor’s Desk: Little Things That Make a Big Difference

I am both an author and an editor, and it’s important to know the difference when the time comes to switch roles. I can write my own work. I can edit other people’s work. I can kinda sorta maybe start to edit my own work. But ultimately, I’m never going to see all of my mistakes, so I need another pair of eyes on it if I want it to head into typeset error-free (or as error-free as any other book can possibly be!). That said, there are definitely things I can do to my own work to help the editorial process along. 

  1. Take a break. 

Yes, I said it. Walk away from the manuscript. Yes, I wrote it. Yes, I love it. Yes, I wrote it because it’s exactly the kind of book I like to read, but if I want an objective view as I tangle with my sentence structure and word use, I need to have some space (preferably in time, but also in distance, I suppose) between me and when I wrote the book. I’m not saying you need to hide it in a drawer for years, but give yourself a few days to let it settle before approaching it with your prepping-for-editor eyes. If you go directly from composing something to reading it, your eyes will see what you wanted to say, not necessarily what is on the page. Anyone who has written what they considered a semi-passable paper at 4am, printed it out, and then sat in that 8am class staring at a first line that is missing half the words knows what I am talking about. Give your brain a break to see what is actually there. 

  1. Prepare to re-read your book at LEAST twice. 

The first time you re-read your book, settle in somewhere comfortable, preferably soft, with a beverage of choice nearby. Your goal during this read-through is to read the book as a reader would. Immerse yourself in the world you created. Meet the characters anew. Make sure that the story goes where you wanted it to go (and tweak all those little annoying story details that no longer make sense now that the story is finished). Don’t stress out about grammar during this read-through. Focus on the story and the details. Gauge the plot, the pacing, the character development, and the dialogue. Appreciate your work as a whole. 

The second time you re-read your book, sit somewhere serious that you associate with work, like a desk or kitchen table. It’s time to read for grammar. That means doublechecking spelling and capitalization. Look for incomplete sentences or phrases that don’t make sense. Check your punctuation, especially around dialogue. Have your reference guides handy during this process (or use google if in doubt). Please do not rely on Word’s editor and even Grammarly. They try heard and mean well, but they are programs that do not know what you are trying to say. They may fix it correctly, but they may make it much worse. Trust your own voice first. And if you aren’t sure, like I said, google it. I guarantee you there is a blog or video about the exact thing you are wondering. If you have an editor friend, ask them (but don’t bombard them unless you plan to pay them for their time–wordsmithing is their job, and unless they spend all weekend asking you questions about your day job, don’t assume their knowledge is free unless they offer it). 

  1. Send it to an editor (or a very helpful beta reader).

I know I already said it, but this is the time to send your book to the editor. You’ve fixed as much as you possibly can, and the rest is for another pair of eyes. That’s fair. Beta readers and proofreaders are your friends at this point if you can’t use an editor. If it’s all on you this time, consult some references. I always recommend Woe is I by Patricia T. O’Conner for grammar questions and Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss for punctuation issues. I can now also recommend 10 Steps to Save Your Editor’s Sanity (available for pre-order from Accomplsihing Innovation Press). 

  1. Read it one more time. 

Oh, come on. You’re not sick of it. You love it. Enjoy it one more time and see if anything awkward or weird jumps out at you. Take a moment to appreciate this moment. You created a new story and are ready to release it into the world. You rock.

  1. Now, start over with a new story!
https://accomplishinginnovationpress.com/product/10-steps-to-save-your-editors-sanity/
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Trigger Warnings: Why they are important!

As a publisher I get this question a lot: Do you agree with trigger warnings on books?

There was a fantastic article written by Jamie Beck on Writers Unboxed you can find here:

To Warn or not to Warn: The Controversy around Trigger Warnings in Literature

I agree 100% with Jamie that this is a complicated question. However, having looked at what so many are saying I have a way I look at this topic.

One of my first realizations of how this can be important to readers was my discovery of websites such as https://www.doesthedogdie.com/ where it lists any books, tv or movies where a dog is injured or dies. Some people may laugh at this notion, however, for so many this is an issue to the point where a website like this needs to be created and maintained.

In the article by Jamie it was brought up that TV and Movies are including these warnings now as a standard. Some might wonder why these were introduced? Or even the warning system of G, PG, R, etc for movies?

The truth is that there is an audience for any type of TV, Movie or Book. Most would not want a four-year-old to watch a graphic horror movie, so yes, letting a parent know that “Red Riding Hood” (a 2003 horror movie) has an R rating is potentially important. 

But with books, should you let the audience know what they are potentially in for? This is where this debate comes in. If giving these warnings are you doing spoilers or potentially alienating an audience? The answer is Yes and No.

Using the example above, yes, you might alienate part of your audience if you indicate that a dog dies in your book. With that said, the truth is that for some people this is a topic that they simply cannot handle and can cause them to have serious issues if they are suddenly presented with a dog dying in a book they are reading. When someone is “triggered” by something they read or watch, they are the ONLY ones who can determine how that will or did affect them. This is a topic of the individual’s mental health. 

Now, if we are talking about the fact that the dog dying is the end of the book, like in Where the Red Fern Grows, one of my childhood favorite stories. Then yes, I could also see how you might be having a spoiler. However, as with any book or movie, a person is going to decide to read or watch regardless of letting them know a topic may be featured in the story. You are not saying a dog dies at the end of this book. They have no idea where this features in the story or what effect it has on the plotline.

I think letting people know that the book contains potentially triggering scenes does not actually spoil the book. When people read it, they are doing so to get engrossed in the story. You have a book that has potentially one-hundred-thousand words, how does one to five words letting people know something might trigger them derail your story?

Would you rather have a reader walk away from one of your books having been triggered and dealing with that? They are not going to recommend your book to others. They are also not going to leave you a good review. They will also not follow your or buy other books you have written. So what did  the sale cost you versus the royalties from that one book? Heck, they may even post poor reviews announcing critical plot points because they are so upset by being triggered. 

Every person needs the option of caring for their own mental health. How they do this is up to them and if a trigger warning makes them choose not to read your book. This is not a lost reader. This is someone who was not one of your audience to begin with. If a reader sees a trigger and thinks it gives away the story, they are also not your audience. 

A person once told me you could walk into a room of 100 people and all of them could love your book, some could love your book or none could love your book. It does not make your book any less amazing, it just means they are not your audience. There are millions of people out there who will be. Find them!

Ultimately this is a personal decision for the author in the way that many of how you present your books to the world should be. But when looking at the choices such as your genre (BISAC codes), key words and other metadata, remember the reason behind the triggers and if you feel you want to communicate these to your potential readers.

If you do, I recommend putting them under the blurb or in the forward of your book. You can also put them on your website for reference and let readers know where to find them. This way it is making it their choice. 

Yes, this is a hard topic and I might now have the “right” answer, but I hope this helps you look at this from another perspective.

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From the Author’s Desk: Worldbuilding 101: Let’s Talk about the Weather

An often overlooked element in worldbuilding, the weather is more than just background noise. Tiny details here and there–along with a reliable and consistent system–can bridge the gap between a fun read in an interesting world and a fascinating read in a richly developed world that lingers long after the last page is completed. 

Here are some questions to consider when planning the weather for your world (and story): 

  • What is the typical weather in your world? Are there seasonal changes? Describe these shifts.
  • Is your world big enough to have different seasons at the same time (winter in North and summer in South)?
  • What are some typical weather patterns in your world? Is it the stuff we know: snowstorms, rain, humidity, sunshine, and clouds?
  • Do you have weather phenomena unique to your world? Does it occasionally rain shells in the mountains, or does sand show up over the ocean?
  • How do people respond to the weather in your world? Can they affect it at all (weather machines, magic, or just wear a warmer coat)?
  • What kind of natural disasters are a result of the weather in your world? Do people freeze to death in blizzards, drown in tsunamis, suffocate in mudslides?
  • Do people study the weather in this world? Is there an understanding of weather patterns, or is it just angry gods playing in the sky? Is meteorology a thing in this world or do people guess (“My hip aches—snow’s coming”)? How trusted are meteorologists?
  • Is the weather changing, or has it always been this way? Are the inhabitants of the world affecting the weather patterns (climate change)?
  • Do people have special names for different seasons in your world? What are they?
  • How much does the average person know about the weather in your world?

Bonus questions to ponder:

  • What weather events from our world will you incorporate in your world? Why those and not others?
  • Describing the weather in our world is easy enough based on the location of the situation: it’s colder in the North and warmer in the South. Does your world have such distinctions?
  • In our world, science explains natural phenomena (thunderstorms, hurricanes, blizzards, etc.). How do the inhabitants of your world explain why natural events happen?
  • In our world, we are often at the mercy of the weather. How much agency do the inhabitants of your world have when it comes to the weather? Can they make it rain?
  • How much personal experience do you have with certain weather phenomena and what will you have to research?

When worldbuilding, a good habit is to create a weather tracker for your world (or at least one location in your world—pick the dominant one in your story). You should know the answers to the following questions without interrupting the writing process: What are the seasons of the year? What is the weather like during those seasons? How will the weather impact your story? 
For more Worldbuilding Questions, check out The General Worldbuilding Guide!

The General Worldbuilding Guide (The World Building Guide Book 1)
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Stop Giving Condolences on Revisions

A woman with brown and blonde hair smirks at the camera.

Though the novel has now moved onto the Editor’s Desk, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing from my fellow authors when I had told them I was in revisions for The Assassin’s Saint under my pen name V.C. Willis. It confused me. I was met with many “I’m so sorry” and “Oof! That’s rough” instead of the expected response of excitement that I felt. Feeling something had to be said, I took to social media and posted my thoughts and reactions to this whilst giving some proper advice, and support for those of you who feel condolences are needed.

Revisions VS Self-Editing

Editing is the final step before it hits the actual editor’s desk. Trust me, it’s impossible to see everything without a second pair of eyes. Revisions however is what happens between emptying the initial draft (rough and/or first draft) onto the notebook or word document. What follows is the tribulation and excitement that seems to either haunt most writers, or worse, send them into a spiraling black hole of grief that is on par with someone dying.

It’s ok. I can easily see why that happens. You would think after painstakingly prying the story from the depths of your mind and imagination, that you would be able to move on, but you can’t. In this way, yea, condolences may feel very on point. Moving on when you suddenly lose someone is very similar to the sensation of: 

“I finished, but I’m not, and I just want to move on to the next story but can’t because [insert muppets hands waving about] emotional distress is still happening with this story!”

Just remember this is not the time to be the grammar king/queen nor aim to polish your work. I know, that feels … wrong … but I assure you, this will make sense in the next few paragraphs!

It’s Not a One-and-Done Process

First mistake I am noticing is that many authors are thinking or forcing the concept that a revision is a one-and-done process. No. Please don’t do this to yourself. Revision is like combing tangles out of a wily little girl’s hair. Prepare for a long process that may even threaten to time spent getting that draft written. You will be combing through this one section or focal point at a time, and you might have to call for help or research or gather additional tools. I know, that sounds frightening, and it shouldn’t. 

This is meant for you to take the time to decide on several factors. Now that you can see all of your story, the first sweeps of the comb should be checking that writing style or voice you developed at the end of the draft. For example, your first few sweeps should do the following:

  1. Go back, make that voice stronger and more consistent from start to finish based on the voice and writing style created by the end of the draft. Make that prose pretty! With everything in place, you can take the time now to adjust the way you are telling the story to really bring out strong prose or create some where none resided.
  2. Make sure what crazy-sauce that was in your head really did make it on the page for the reader. I can’t tell you how often we are unaware we left vital information unwritten because “I knew it off the top of my head” thanks to yammering from imaginary friends.
  3. Summarized paragraphs that may be best as fleshed out scenes and chapter(s). This is probably the most important thing to be doing in those first several comb throughs. I know this is one of my biggest issues that comes up time and time again. Honestly, after recently revising The Assassin’s Saint I realized how much stronger my writing has gotten and that it’s nice to first empty the story out, see what writing style/voice I have, then flesh out these moments more accurately. Who cares I had to have six new chapters between Chapter 2 and 3! The story benefited from the readers experiencing things and I didn’t struggle to write it now that I know what’s happening!

How to Break It Down

Now, how do you get the revision ready for self-edits and eventually the editor’s desk at the very least. BREAK IT DOWN. We are now on the rounds of revisions that tighten our craft. We’ve expanded, deleted, and strengthened the bones and added the muscles. These comb-throughs are intended to build up the muscles, put the skin on the beast we’ve written. Maybe even add some tattoos or piercings. Whatever you want, it’s your story. Here’s some ways I like to polish off revisions before diving into grammar and commas and things I am not so strong at mastering.

  1. Foreshadowing – I talk a lot about foreshadowing and this is a great focal point for a revision round. Now that the plot is clear, there’s plenty of hints and winks you can add in to really build the reader’s immersion and anticipation.
  2. Dialogue – This can be very telling. Some authors go as far as only reading the dialogue to see if they can still grasp what is happening in the story from that much. It’s a great way to check for meaningful and story-provoking dialogue content.
  3. Character – Pick your main character, secondary, love interest, or villain and start a comb through only paying special attention to their actions, dialogue, and narrative meant for them. It’s amazing how often this simple routine has helped me catch holes even in my plot! Try it out!
  4. Story Beats or Plot Points – Make sure you got it all in there and that the order of events makes sense. Sometimes recapping these can let you know if you’re missing something or need to adjust the story in some way. In fact, I realized between this and character revision I was missing an entire subplot and had to write that into the story. These comb-throughs aren’t always an easy fix, but they are often necessary.
  5. Narrative and Setting – Much like the dialogue check, start reviewing just this section of the story. Are you establishing a change of room, scene, and location? Does the narrative support what is unfolding, match the emotions of what is happening while instilling that tone into your readers? Are you leading the reader into the scene and to the next scene with strong enough transitions? These are all important factors that should be one of the many rounds of revisions you perform.
  6. Reader Immersion VS Character State – This is one I do, and I don’t know how many authors really dig their fingers into this. It’s not something I see written or talked about often but I fret frequently over this concept. My last few rounds are often making sure that the emotional states of my characters and readers are where I want them to be chapter by chapter. I find myself tweaking the length of sentences, changing out word choice, and even adding/deleting anything that might damage/improve the pacing. Delivery of those tense moments mean everything in my own work where broody, angsty characters roam and dark fantasy vibes tend to prove PTSD worthy. Ask yourself often if you feel what was written invokes the emotional state the reader should have before the next chapter, and if not, time to massage content.

Repeat after me:

“I am not grieving! 
No one has died (besides [insert character(s) names here])! 
I don’t need condolences and certainly shouldn’t be giving them!
Revision rounds are where my prose turns pretty!”

Good! Do you feel better? It’s not a race, it’s revisions. You will have to comb these tangles out a few times before it’s ready for you to work grammar magic. That’s ok. Take it one step at a time, break it down, and watch how strong your story becomes.

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Like the advice and information you see here? Follow me on social media where I often post videos talking about and discussing my own tribulations as well as encouraging others to excel. From advice about writing, book design, to insight on my own work and creations that may prove inspiring. Stay connected here at WillisAuthor.com OR https://linktr.ee/WillisAuthor

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How to Use Your Manuscript to Guide the Book Formatter

It can’t be said enough times of how important it is as a writer and author, to be aware of how you are using your craft. Every space, placement, and the overall format you give your manuscript can impact how the editor, formatter, and reader interact and perceive the content on the page. As with anything else, consistency is key and being aware of what you can do to strengthen your formatting to carry through to the book formatter for optimal results in the overall print design. Here’s some great tips that can be huge game changers in your writing, editing, and publishing. Let’s take a look at what matters the most when formatting your manuscript to hand to editors and formatters alike.

Margins and Page Size

Stick with standard 8.5 x 11 or Letter sized pages. Don’t try to shrink the page size or mimic the print size of the book. Instead, focus on standardizing this so it’s easier to see any key changes in the overall content. On that same note, normal margins or 1 inch margins on all sides are just uniform for preparing a document. Leave book trim or size and the math for proper margins to the book formatter so that the print house has to correct parameters.

Line Spacing and Font Choices

Double spacing a manuscript is pretty well known whether it’s a class essay to a manuscript for a literary agent. The reason for this is that they can print and have space to leave marks and corrective notes. Same goes for most editors where this is also standard. As for the formatter, they will be basing line spacing on the font choice since these all have different natural spacing.

Fonts should be standard or common choices such as New Times Roman or Times, Arial, Garamond, Helvetica, and similar. Courier, Comic Sans, Papyrus, and other fonts should be avoided in case there are special letterings or accented characters that could be lost completely when importing into other programs for book formatting. These are also common fonts for eBook readers and are a great way to make sure the content you are writing is completely compatible for ebook devices and formats. 

Double Return versus Line Break

Be sure to either make a paragraph style that adds a space after or utilize a double return between flashbacks and similar slight content changes. As for a line break or scene change within a chapter, pick a means of communicating this by adding a line with asterisks (***) or hashtags (#). This should be consistent so that a simple find and replace can be done to identify where line break artwork or ornaments will go in the book design. 

Never hold SHIFT+ENTER since this creates a manual line break, not a hard return. These can cause weird spacing and awkward forced breaks in the middle of content, sentences, and more. Most designers may clean them out as they see them, while others simply assume they are intended to be there. 

Don’t force things to land on the next page unless it’s intended to do so like a new chapter start. You can even set the heading style or chapter header style to page break before or start on the next page. These make life easier as you start to write and prep your manuscript for editors and formatters. If you do need a manual page break, you can use the insert break options or use CTRL+NUMPAD ENTER to create one. Never use multiple hard returns to force content to the next page as it can cause confusion when the content is placed within the book trim and layout. 

Styles and Headers

Many word processors now have means of labeling paragraph styles, styles, or heading styles to content. Use them! These not only add vital programming, but makes it much easier for your formatter to understand the hierarchy of the content without guessing or making an attempt to read the content. Be mindful of how you are labeling chapters and subheads with these styles to make sure they will be designed with the same intent in the print version. 

You can also use styles or make custom styles to identify quotes, pull quotes, letters, references, and similar aspects. Be sure to make the formatter aware to expect these extra components. Using one or more character styles should help make these stand out via formatting choices such as italics, bold, or underline. Combine these with paragraph justification for further visual impact such as indent left, indent right, space before, space after, and center alignment.

Using style and heading systems can help you see your sections in navigation panes as you write and make it easier to jump to sections you want to work on or edit. It also utilizes and opens up doors for automation for ebook creation or even utilizing the Create a Table of Contents options so you can make sure you have assigned and layered your styles in the intended way. Most formatters will utilize TOC systems in their programs in the same manner, but with a wider range of styling and formatting options.

Tabs versus Indents

If you are utilizing styles for even the Normal or Body text, setting these paragraph styles to have a First Line Indent of 0.25 inches is pretty standard for a manuscript with no space after or before the paragraph. You can make a “no indent” variety which is often applied to the first paragraph of a chapter start, after a line break, after a subheading, or similar divided space designed to show a jump in content or major change.

Tabs can be a great way to make a chart in your content without having to insert a spreadsheet. Many folks have been taught to use the tab key to add their first line indent. It is highly recommended to utilize the paragraph style settings for this since this is becoming more of a tool for spreadsheet programming and can cause some weird results when multiple tabs have been used. If you need something aligned to the left, then use the paragraph alignment menu to do so. There should be a ruler and tab system to customize those settings for each tab dropped. Most of the new word processors, if fully updated, now convert a single tab to paragraph style. In short, it’s one less keystroke and thing to worry about as you work on your manuscript.

Track Changes and Comments

Track changes are a great tool for you and your editor, but if left in place when a manuscript is sent to a formatter it can cause weird import issues that include content going missing in places, words broken apart, and stopping the placement or import system short of completing its task. Even more so, it inserts hidden programming in the XML coding that can bug out ebooks unbeknownst to author and designer in most cases.

Avoid this by clearing all comments out and accepting all track changes. There should be none left open or active, and all deleted before sending the file to the formatter or designer. If you wish to provide a copy with comments that identify formatting remarks, it should be sent as a guide copy or remind the formatter they were left as indication for them (and they should be able to delete them out). Granted, these apply mainly to Word and Google documents in particular.

On occasion with Word documents, “Content Panel” of altered content shows up. Whether this is caused by opening the document in third party applications or converting from one program to another, I can’t say, but these can bug out importing the content for a formatter. In Word, identify one such section, select all (so it highlights the whole document for other instances), and use the left click to open the Content Panel options and Delete!

Check Your Hidden Characters

Not sure about the returns, the tabs, or the accidental line breaks? No problem. Most programs have a Paragraph Icon that toggles between show or hide “Hidden Characters” that looks like a backwards P. Sometimes these are also labeled non-printing characters and these options are commonly found in the view section of programs. If you have tabs or manual line breaks, they are often shown as arrow type symbols unlike the common dot for a space or backwards P for a hard return. 

File Formats to Use

Lastly, most design programs utilize Word Documents (DOC, DOCX) for the sheer reason that much like eBooks, these files are written in XML and are easily convertible. Most programs, including Google Docs and Apple Pages have the option to EXPORT or SAVE AS – Filetype dropdown, to select this option. If you are unsure of the default save format front eh program you are writing in or don’t have this option, there is a solution! SAVE AS RTF RICH TEXT FORMAT. This is an older text file that is tried-and-true to what it does. The underbelly programming stripes XML coding to the basics and should maintain your character and paragraph styles just fine. In fact, it’s not uncommon for designers who have import failures on submitted files to convert them to RTF and import them with no issue afterwards.

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If you haven’t discovered Writer’s Bane: Formatting 101, you’ve been missing out on a lot of answers to questions and even a stronger understanding of how impactful formatting is on a book. This includes what goes inside your book, how to prepare a manuscript for a typeset, and how to design the interior of your book. 

Like the advice and information you see here? 
Check out the Formatting 101 textbook here at: https://4horsemenpublications.com/product/writers-bane-formatting-101/ . This book holds a variety of answers for those seeking to become typesetters, looking to self-publish their book, or simply want to learn how to communicate and prepare their manuscripts to get the most out of their designers. The Writer’s Bane is a curse and passion, both a want and need to tell a story. In this volume, you will learn the importance of preparing a book for layout as well as laying it out in a way that appeals to your readers of any genre including picture books, chapter books, fiction, memoirs, textbooks, workbooks, and everything in-between.