Okay everyone, now I can breathe a sigh of relief. The second book in my Sam Harper Crime Mystery series is now, as of a few hours ago, in the capable hands of my publisher. Yippee! My photographer has the synopsis and brainstorming the cover and my graphic designer friend is on standby. What more could a girl ask for? Look for THE BLACK PEARL (if we don't change the title) sometime in the fall of 2008!
Getting the manuscript to this point was no easy task though. Anyone who has read my first novel, 
SILENCED CRY, will attest that I don't write linear plot lines. The writing is heavy on the dialogue, nothing cozy about it, and all the reviewers agree; it's
a fast read. The second book is a bit more complicated; two killers after the same relic, driven by different desires, and will kill anyone who stands in their way.
As I worked on my edits, one of the things I focused on was the flow of the dialogue. My protag is a city homicide detective. He and his partner don't always see things eye to eye so it is important that I present each side of their argument and come to a logical conclusion. As I read through the dialogue, I asked myself, "Is that a logical question for him to ask?" or "Is 'this' really important for him to bring up/reveal/discuss?" Often it was a matter of changing a line or two. At other times, sentences or entire chapter sections required a swift cut and paste in order to place them in the right sequence, while still other sections just got the ax. I'm a ruthless self-editor; never afraid to cut something out entirely because given time, something better is always waiting to fill in the gap.
What are your strengths, weakness, and challenges as a writer? What are you most conscious of when you edit your work?
For more information about Silenced Cry or an autographed copy of the book, visist www.martastephens-author.com.
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Comments: 19
Tom, you know what? I loved your response. I'd be so proud to say I had completed six novels, published or not. I have one that is not completed. I also loved that you wrote it was time to listen to others. I am oh so willing to listen, but can't seem to understand well and implement what I have been told. At this point my greatest challenge is making myself start again.
Lori
I'm also concerned that my readers will not be satisfied with the "payoff" after having spent so much time on my long novel.
Except for my book (Mazurka) that deals with current day neo Nazis and the history of Chopin, I don't do much research. There. I said it. That's one of my downfalls. I just make stuff up and use my own life experiences. I think I should probably research more!
My biggest challenge is writing tight. I also am trying to grow into a writer who can develop more elaborate plots. I think I tend to be relatively straightforward yet I greatly admire writers with plots that you never quite figure out until they decide it's time for you to do so.
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Two Birds, One Stone 2
I think most people take up the pen as a result of some life changing event. It becomes a release for their souls. And because the work comes from deep inside them, it reflects some aspect of life, not just of the author, but of their readers who can connect with their work. Sometimes it is an actual event, sometimes it is just the need for release from the real world.
As to editing, you should be able to tell from my comments, I never edit. What goes on the paper, or now days, the screen, stays there. I never know what the ending will be in advance, it just flows out.
I guess spelling is my greatest weakness. Hello, spell check.
Pat
"Nobody reads a mystery to get to the middle. They read it to get to the end. If it's a letdown, they won't buy anymore. The first page sells that book. The last page sells your next book."
I'm told I'm good at descriptions and dialog. My weakness, espceially in my earlier books, is probably the external plot. (I've completed seven manuscripts.)
I'm in an online writing workshop that originally included Jennifer Cruise and still features many wise authors, both published and unpublished. I have learned much from the Cherry Writers, and from the programs Romance Writers of America offers. When I look back at my earlier work, I can see how far I'm come on the road to publication. Hopefully, one day soon...
I love to just let my ideas flow. I never now what I'm going to write about until I finish the first paragraph, and even then I never know the ending until it ends. I edit after I get my thoughts out, I find that if I edit sooner it interrupts my thoughts. (spell-check is my lifesaver, I even use it on posts..)
I also do little or no research, which I'm looking to change.
If you'd like to, I'd love for you to come check me out, I have a few short stories posted as well as a poem and the prologue of a fantasy novel I started a while ago. (and I'm not sure if it's worth the effort to continue, I may end up abandoning it in favor of a new book I'm working on.) I love getting feedback, but most of all, I just love being read.
Dialogue, for me, is probably the easiest part - I just listen to the voices in my head and write what they say! However, during editing, I find myself second-guessing my dialogue, and sometimes going backward in the process.
Congrats on finishing your second novel! I'm now working on editing my first, and looking forward (said with tongue in cheek) to looking for an agent and publisher. Wish me luck! If you get a chance, I hope you'll take a moment to check out the first to chapters of my novel, Killing Shadows
Thanks,
Kenna