Good morning friends and writers,
I just returned from a long week in Pittsburgh on business. The conferences went well, and the nights were lovely. I was able to devote a lot of time to editing the fourth book I wrote, which will probably be the sixth book published. Confusing, I know! Anyway, I'm halfway through FIRESONG: AN UNHOLY GRAVE, trying to tighten it up since I've learned so many more "writerly" skills since I wrote it years ago. Here's the cover design I came up with. Hope my publisher likes it. ;o)
It's harder for me to edit old work than to write fresh. How about you? Do you find yourself mired in the scenes and sentences of old work? I almost decided to write it all over again, but then a few good writer pals agreed to help me hack it up and freshen it. (Thanks, Marta, SW, and Pat!) I love the story - it's just those sections of pedantic prose in a few places where I have Oscar Stone deliver bits of the town's history that got really longggggg and boring. See this wonderful article by my critique partner, Marta Stephens, with more tips on writing. Marta has graciously agreed to take over the reins for the next two Saturdays when I'll be on my annual vacation at Honeoye Lake with the family.
Anyway, FIRESONG is coming along and I hope to finish it by the end of my July 4th week vacation, so I can get back to my newest work. At the conference, I picked up some wonderful "beat" material that I'm going to use for my new character, Joe, who's a bit OCD. One of my good friends at the conference is a little on the edge of OCD, and we laughed every time I found a good "beat" in his actions.
Now, I didn't know what a "beat" was until recently. Sure, I used them all the time, but it wasn't until Marta Stephens gave it a name that I realized what it was called. It's the things your characters do between dialogue. That's a simplisist definition, but it's how I see it. Typical and more boring examples might be "he nodded," "she frowned," etc.
Here's are a few examples.
"What do you mean Ruby's missing?" Joe whacked his head on the birdcage when he spun around. "Where is she?" He sank to the floor, holding his head.
Marta's the queen of beats, I think. See what you think with her debut crime mystery, Silenced Cry.
Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful fourth of July vacation. When I come back, let's do some writing about childhood summer memories. Sound good? Maybe we could do it as a flash fiction piece, giving ourselves a short time to release some of those carefree, sun-infused memories!
Thanks for stopping by, and remember, if you love to write... write like the wind!
- Aaron
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Aaron Paul Lazar writes to soothe his soul. The author of LeGarde Mysteries and Moore Mysteries enjoys the Genesee Valley countryside in upstate New York, where his characters embrace life, play with their dogs and grandkids, grow sumptuous gardens, and chase bad guys. Visit his websites at http://www.legardemysteries.com/ and http://www.mooremysteries.com/ and watch for his upcoming release, MAZURKA, coming in 2008.
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Comments: 23
And by the way, folks. Firesong is coming along great!!! ;)
As for editing...I hate that part of writing yet I know in the end that's what separates a good writer from the herd. I just don't have the patience. Good luck with your editing. Like thetitle "Firesong".
I didn't know it was called a "beat", either.
As for editing/revising old work, I am currently embarked on taking apart a 10 year old novella and making it into a novel that might possibly, maybe, in the right market and if the moon is properly aligned with Sirius, sell. I don't envy you one single bit. It's hard to keep writing while simultaneously slapping one's self in the forehead and shrieking "What was I THINKING?" After a while, I get dizzy.
I do a much better job of it when I can leave it a good long while between writing and editing.
I do love rewriting and editing..
Aaron's Firesong IS amazing and I, like Kathryn, can't believe how quickly he creates. I believe that he has a secret room where time stands still.
Oh well, can't wait to get writing! The beat goes on....
Yes, Marta's so right. Beats are essential tools. They lend an image without the reader having to work for it. I love when that happens. I was writing a scene once where a cold calculating b.... sucked so hard on her cigarette it turned her face into a skeleton. I used the beat and it freaked out my little protagonist. Which is exactly what should have happened. Only I didn't realize it would at the time. Her facial attribute popped into my head, & I wisely wrote down what I saw.
But those treats are far and few btw, I'm afraid. Generally, revising is my favourite part. I'd rather rework an old scene than create a new one. It's like hitting the replay button on a video and then recording what I see. In fact, all my books come to me that way: flashing scenes from a movie inside my head. If I can put the dots together it's more fun than anything else in the world.
Loved SILENCED CRY. I've bragged on numerous occasions that I work with the author. "You know Marta Stephens?" I give them a modest nod. I've even got my copy on the coffee table so that when a friend asks to borrow it, I'm able to be gracious and say, "Get your own!"
Jennifer, that picture of your baby is adorable! Thanks for stopping by. ;o)
Hey, Bob! (ElizabethE, for those who don't know yet.) The original title was AND NATURE SINGS, because, oh boy, does nature go WILD in this book. But then a friend mentioned that the last line in "Joy to the World" is not AND NATURE SINGS, but AND NATURE SING. And that didn't sound so spiffy. So - after days and days of putting together words and phrases that represented the main themes of the book, I chose Firesong. There is a fire. A big one. There are songs. Many. And eerie ones, at that. And the the subtitle, "an unholy grave" is appropriate too. Wait til you see who is buried where. You won't believe it!
Hi, Greg! Yeah, good point! There are a few interpretations of this word in the arts, huh?
Sherri - loved your comment. ;o) We ought to talk more often. Good luck turning that novella into the novel that hopefully WILL be "the one!"
Flit - I know what you mean. It's not nearly as exciting as that first time 'round. And yes - waiting, even up to a year or more - really helps. Because then I forget what I wrote! LOL.
Hi, Kathryn! Sounds like you and Beryl both love the rewriting part. I could learn from you two!
Hi, Joylene! My books come to me like movie clips in my mind, too. Cool, huh? Thanks for coming over for a visit. ;o)
Thank you, Kim. Glad you liked the cover!
Beryl, you made me laugh. I love hearing about your writing processes. ;o)
Renda! You're so sweet. If you go to www.legardemysteries.com, you'll see links to all the books (three available now, three more coming out in the next year), with excerpts and ISBNs, etc. You can get them online or order them at any store. ;o)