The Official Website of Fantasy Author Scot R. Stone

Scot's Tips for New Writers

Don’t Get Defensive -- 2/29/2008

It just makes you, like our fellow pictured above, ugly. There’s no sense in lashing back at the editor, agent or publisher picking apart your work. This is the time to reflect and see what you can become as an author. Will you listen to sound advice (in most cases it should be sound), or will you take it as an insult and tell them, “You don’t know what you’re talking about. My friends liked it! You don’t know what you’ll be missing.” Does this sound familiar? All new writers have this voice inside their head. It takes a lot of guts to stick your toe in the water, only to find out that it’s not welcome there. You must eventually, however, listen to the voice of reason, which is not easy to do. I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to have someone say, “Your work is not what we’re looking for right now.” Or, “My client list is full.” Whatever the excuse is to turn you down, you can’t take it to heart, so let it make you stronger.

How can you do that? Well, first off, you can hire a professional editor that has a good reputation in the business and has, most importantly, worked with good publishers. The editor, then, can steer your work in a direction that will make the publishing houses look at you harder. If you can land a reputable agent, they also can do the same. Or, lastly, you can go to writing groups and conferences to learn what you need to know to survive in the marketplace. Chew on this: some writers have seen hundreds of rejection letters before they were picked up and published. Does that sound daunting? Does it sound like too much effort or pain to go through? It probably does. But it’s an large obstacle you may face. Just because one publisher or agent doesn’t like your work, that doesn’t mean another won’t, though. So keep trying and keep improving, no matter what.

So everything then, you must realize, starts with the pitch, your query letter. If it sounds desperate, why even bother sending it out? No one cares about what troubles you’ve had in the past with other agents or publishers. It’s an immediate turn-off. They want to hear what story you have to tell, and see how well you have written it. They also don’t want to see gimmicks with your package. Stick to the writing and you’ll be much better off. You don’t want to end up on any black lists. No one wants to work with someone who isn’t a professional. The reality is, there isn’t much glamour in writing. It’s hard work, and few get to the heights Rowling or Paolini have achieved recently. Granted, some get more recognition than they rightly deserve, but there’s no use complaining about it. Be happy for those individuals and try to make a name for YOURSELF.

And, I must ask you, please not to go on website forums and bash other writers. This is way too easy to do in this day and age and it could come back to haunt you later on the down the road in your career. It’s only going to make you look like a jerk in the process. I see a lot of writers doing this, and it just makes me shake my head as to why they would say such things. The business is difficult enough to survive in. Why make it harder for others—just because you haven’t had success? Legitimate writing forums should inform, not discriminate or perpetuate bad comments. They should be regularly monitored for content and reject those who go on rants just to make themselves feel better. All the time bashers waste on websites could be put to better use—like getting stories written! I see this outlet as an act of procrastination, rather than being anything of any use.

So, with these thoughts in mind, what would you rather be doing? Perfecting your craft, or worrying about others who are trying to do the same? Worry about the ones you really have to impress, the ones who really matter, and you’ll have a better shot at achieving your goals quicker.

Gather the Right Tools for the Job --8/17/2007

No author should begin their quest to complete a novel without first considering what they’re going to need to get the job done correctly. I’ve created a comprehensive list of items you might want to consider buying, or websites you should check out before you start your brainstorming sessions for that golden nugget that could buy your way into the promised land. Some you will use more than others, and some are great sources for generating ideas. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it should give you enough support to get by as you get started. And remember, you may not need EVERYTHING on this list, it’s only here as, well, a reference. Only acquire what you know you’ll use.

Merriam-Webster’s Guide to Punctuation and Style
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Chambers Super-Mini Book of Facts
The New American Desk Encyclopedia
The Complete Rhyming Dictionary
Ultimate Visual Dictionary
The World Fact Book
Roget’s Thesauri
The Columbia World of Quotations
The Columbia Guide to Standard American English.
The Laurel Instant Synonyms and Antonyms
The Elements of Style, by William Strunk
Anatomy of the Human Body, by Henry Gray
Body Trauma, by David W. Page
The Columbia Gazetteer of North America
The Encyclopedia of World History
www.yourdictionary.com
www.encyclopedia.com
www.quotationspage.com
www.plagarism.org
www.biography.com
www.glossary-tech.com
www.techdictionary.com
www.bartleby.com

Make a List of Your Worst Tendencies—4/21/2007

Let’s face it. No one wants to admit they have faults. Why? Because faults bring criticism, and that may be hard to stomach at times. This is especially true in the world of writing. Everyone, especially new writers, want to believe they’ve just turned out the next great masterpiece, but more times than not, things couldn’t be farther from the truth. Completing a book is only the first phase of the journey. The next step is the harder one newbies have trouble with.

Those who are cut out for writing will take those special comments they’ve gotten back from an editor with grace and incorporate them into their style. Those who don’t, usually end up writing an insulting letter back to the editor, telling them, “You don’t know what you’re talking about. If you would only give it a real chance…”

Right. Do you think for one instant that an editor has never heard that line before? Do you think they got the job of being an editor by luck? Hardly. Insulting or arguing with an editor will get you nowhere. I repeat, nowhere. You will not win a battle with them, nor will you feel any better by doing it. And, on top of it, you’ll only close a door on yourself if you do. Editors are looking for the writers who are willing to listen to advice, and go the extra mile to create a quality product. Think of them as a coach, if you want to. There’s too much competition out there, so don’t limit yourself by making enemies.

So what can you do to protect yourself? What can you do to make your writing really stand out and avoid landing in a house’s slush pile? Make a list of your worst writing tendencies. If you attend regular writing workshops, and visit online message boards, you’ll see writers and editors discussing the most common problems they encounter in the business. Take note, and see if those problems are present in your writing. If they are, correct the problem areas and put them on your list as something to watch out for in the future.

What are some common errors that could be on your list? Here’s an example.

- Using apostrophes to show the plural of a noun
- Point of view switches
- Overusing adverbs
- Using an active voice for a past event
- The misuse of they’re/their/there (your spell checker won’t catch these)
- Using I versus me (eliminate the other person from the sentence and see what you have
   left)
- A lot is two words
- Underline or italicize titles of books, plays, pamphlets, magazines, movies, television
   shows, paintings, major musical works such as operas or symphonies, and collections
   of poetry
- Misusing who, which and that –
Use who to refer to persons.
Which refers to nonliving objects or to animals, NEVER to people.
Though generally used to refer to things, that may be used to refer to a group.
- Make pronouns and nouns agree
       Example: In this class everyone performs at his or her (not THEIR) reading level.

As you can see, your list is only as effective as you make it. However you set it up, make sure it’s short and to the point. Eventually, you will become so conscious of your tendencies that you will avoid doing them altogether on the first round. When you get to the point where you’ve eliminated them completely from your writing, you can remove them from your list. It’s a good way to train yourself to write well and avoid the common pitfalls that plague so many others. It also might give you a better chance of getting a foot in that door you so strongly covet.

Write from Your Head, Not Your Heart -- 12/1/06

     Some of you are probably already saying, “That’s not what I was told!” Well, I happen to disagree with many authors on this point, but I will state my opinion as to why. First, let me start by saying there is only one instance that is the exception to this rule: when a character is spilling their lovesick emotions to their significant other. Besides that, you should never employ your heartfelt emotions into the rest of your writing. Here’s why: writers tend to fall in love with their manuscript too easily if they put more emotion than thought into it. This is not good ground to be walking on. If you are the type who thinks that everything you write is perfect because you invested yourself in every single word, then you won't be open to taking criticism when the editor gets a hold of your manuscript. And let me tell you, I have heard enough horror stories of authors who were unable to “handle the truth” because they thought their work was too good to be changed.
     If you shut yourself down to criticism, then your career is as good as dead. You can write well, and with feeling, but you must be smart about it. Don't overdo your writing. What do I mean when I say this? Don't make your characters carry out acts that essentially take them out of character. This can happen when you get too wrapped up in the moment. Some of you are probably saying, “But, Scot, I can't write a scene unless I put my soul into it.” Trust me, you already are doing that anyway, it’s just coming from a different source.
     After you've written a particularly intense scene, step back and ask yourself if that character would really react to that degree of emotion in that scenario. You certainly know what you would do (the author) if you were put into that situation, and that is where the lines can become crossed. Remember who is speaking or acting out during that moment—is it your character, or you?
     I know of a writer who had this problem. They invested too much of their own emotions in their writing. Do you know what happened as a result? All their characters sounded the same. There was no variance from once character’s personality to the next, making their story a very dull read. Once I realized what was wrong with it, I knew the writer had put herself in every one of her characters’ shoes. Imagine carrying on a conversation with yourself for four hundred pages. That’s what it felt like when I read that story. If your character is shy, they probably won't be the first one to speak in a roomful of yapping fools. If they are brave, they won't allow others to fall to harm without having their say first.
     One of the best ways to help your audience notice the difference between characters is to base them on people you know, or characters from your favorite movies or television programs. Study those programs and watch how a person reacts from one scene to the next. Side characters normally remain consistent throughout a story. It’s the main ones you need to pay the closest attention to. Keep this also in mind – a traumatic event can cause a character to completely change. Does it change their life forever? Or do they eventually revert back to their old ways after some time has passed? Or do they in some small way make an adjustment in their life to cope with the event’s significance?
      Let’s face it, there will be scenes where some people will react the same in, no matter what their personality is. If a car crashes through a living room window, chances are, everybody in the room will go running and screaming to get out of the way. I'm not talking about these types of scenes. But how would you react if you just watched a complete stranger get shot across the street? Would your character freeze up and go into shock? Would they run to the phone and call 9-1-1? Would they call their roommate over to the window and hurriedly explain what happened first? Would they faint? Would they throw up? Analyze your characters’ emotions closely. It will make your story that much more engrossing and believable. Just make sure they're not your own.

Tip Number One: Write What You Read -- 9/1/06

The best way to become an author is to write in the genre you love to read in. Why? Passion. Passion drives every author to sit and dedicate himself at a computer for hours on end until "The End" has been written. Passion is built by something you believe in, something you can easily familiarize yourself with. There are so many distractions an author must face on a daily basis that impedes his or her ability to write, it's mind-numbing, making it very easy to procrastinating. Why jump into a cold lake when you know what the results will be?
I say this because there's so much more to writing that just writing. There's editing, there's editors, there's publishers, there's agents, there's marketing,there's workshops, there's conferences and the list goes on and on. You'll will have a better chance of surviving in the literary world if you give yourself a good chance by not overwhelming yourself with a project that's too big for you.
       Stick to what you know and focus. The best place to start is on solid ground, and that means having some kind of experience to stand upon when you first set out. The only way to get the experience of what a good novel should be is to read what you love, and a lot of it. Study the plots, how the book unfolds, what the characters are like and how many different settings each encounters. Read, read, read and never stop. You get ideas from what you read, and can spin them off into totally new story lines that have never been done before. Decide who your favorite author is and why they have inspired you, or at least entertained you. If you're going to choose this career, why not have fun at it? Only when you have gained enough experience under your belt to know where you are should you then venture into new waters.