Raising The Hood

September 25, 2013 by Roland Clarke

Shaw Alligator Wrench (Photo credit: Noel C. Hankamer)

If he had been given love when they raised him, the poor guy wouldn’t have turned to crime – even if I created him that way, a worthy antagonist.

Oh scrub that.

Or were they lifting a bonnet? Or was the bonnet in someone’s way?

A hat, you might ask, wondering why the fleeing hood hit the bonnet. Perhaps it was Easter. Who really knows? For that is the confusion that a British writer causes an American editor. Well I did just that and discovered that our common language can be so confusing.

It seems that we are ‘Two nations separated by a common language,’ as someone famous once said. Although at “QUOTE … UNQUOTE” it appears that it might have been both Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw, rather than Winston Churchill. “In The Canterville Ghost (1887), Wilde wrote: ‘We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language’. However, the 1951 Treasury of Humorous Quotations (Esar & Bentley) quotes Shaw as saying: ‘England and America are two countries separated by the same language’, but without giving a source. The quote had earlier been attributed to Shaw in Reader’s Digest (November 1942).”

Okay, I digress. Does it really matter who said it when there is some truth in the quote? No… but I get to show how clever I am by misquoting someone famous.

Back to the fleeing hood. An American reader, that my publisher provided to check ‘Spiral of Hooves’ for readability, felt that the use of the word “bonnet” might be confusing as people wear bonnets. An American would say “hood” in the intended context. But a British reader would misunderstand “hood” as that for us would also be a piece of headwear. In this case it was easily resolved by making the context clear:

“Their vehicle hit him full on, the impetus throwing his body over the roof, and onto the ground, where he squirmed clutching his stomach.”

All mention of a “bonnet” or “hood” removed. But there were harder points of misunderstanding to resolve than this, although I think that a resolution was found eventually.

However, it’s hard ensuring that British characters ring true to both American and British readers alike without resorting to stereotypical language. I hope that my English heroine, Carly Tanner still sounds like many of the riders that I used to interview when I was a journalist. The next step will be ensuring that her distinctive way of talking remains consistent in the sequel ‘Tortuous Terrain’.

Of course both novels have their non-British characters and that has presented another challenge, especially when their first language is not English. I have refrained from over-using foreign words, notably my protagonist’s patois, but the odd foreign curse has been useful where the context calls for expletives.

Technical jargon has also been a problem in the sense that a non-horsey reader might have found some of the expressions confusing. But again I have been careful to retain some of the flavour of the world in which the novel is set, while making the jargon clearer from the context. The proof will be in the readers. I fear that I will face a greater problem with my mysteries set against the gaming world.

But back to the Americans and not just my publishers or many of my intended readers. The characters. In ‘Spiral of Hooves’ there is a Chicana, who has tested my resources in many ways as her dialogue spans two languages, as does that of the French-Canadians. I have relied on my American wife and my editors to ensure that these characters’ language is realistic and they say “truck”, “fender” and “dumpster” as well as “hood”.

But they manage to drive on the left, except when they are in France.

In ‘Tortuous Terrain’ the characters will have to drive on the right and the majority language will be American. Hopefully my British readers will make the journey with me across the Pond, and the hood will behave having been correctly raised.

‘AL CAPONE’ Cadillac Sixty Special (Photo credit: skeggy)

Chicanas and their Language (enixon6.wordpress.com)
Learn 1,000 foreign words UK urged (bbc.co.uk)

Time Exchange

July 17, 2013 by Roland Clarke

English: timeline example (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Does your favourite book capture a sense of time? Does time play out slowly or race along? How does an experienced writer catch such an intangible element as time in words?

Pacing is a key element to crafting a novel and wiser people have addressed it much better than I can in this beginner’s blog. However, I can address the lessons that I have learnt in my sporadic journey.

When I first started writing my first novel ‘Spiral of Hooves’, I resorted to simply inserting the date at the beginning of each scene or chapter. But although that works if the writer builds more subtle temporal clues onto this, I think for me it became a crutch. Although I had an initial timeline to guide me, I made the mistake of straying too far from it in order to make incidents occur in sequence. So when I was asked recently by my editor to check my timeline, I realised it was hopelessly out of date. Fortunately the juggling needed to bring scenes and chapters into line with the correct timeline was not too complicated, and the novel benefited.

As for the actual time scale of the story, that went from two years in the initial draft to nine months in the final one, which tightened the pace considerably. Faster pacing seems to make sense for a mystery, although I was never aiming for a thriller-type race against time.

Of course pacing is more than just saying: ‘Next morning’ or ‘Two hours later’ and I have tried to vary what happens in scenes and the words I have used. For instance, over the drafts I made better use of the seasonal changes in weather, vegetation and animal life. Keeping dialogue leisurely or snappy depending on the mood has helped I hope, although that will be up to my readers to decide. Have I been too overt by resorting to characters mentioning how many days or hours before a specific event or deadline? Hopefully not and the readers will be caught up in the story.

Using beta readers, after about the third draft, has helped assess whether the timeline and pacing worked. Adding an editor into the mix has been invaluable – many thanks Yen, you’ve been great to work with. However, I have had to adapt a few things to an American readership, and explain some of the equestrian terminology. As ‘Spiral of Hooves’ enters the final furlong, I feel that the novel has evolved thanks to the input and the lessons learned. What occurs in the time before publication will be another blog tale.

Animated sequence of a horse pacing. Photos taken by Eadweard Muybridge (died 1904), first published in 1887 at Philadelphia (Animal Locomotion). Animation by Waugsberg, 2006-10-8. (The sequence is set to motion using frames of Human and Animal Locomotion, plate 591, “Pronto” pacing) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For other drafted novels, I have tried to keep a closer eye on the timeline as I work on the plot. However, when I get round to editing them I need to take care that I keep the timeline updated. I also need to evolve the date/day references into more subtle and clever ways of showing the passage of time that work with the pace of the plot.

I’ve just outlined the sequel to ‘Spiral of Hooves’, which has the working title of ‘Tortuous Terrain’. Its timeline was complicated to plot due its background against two different equestrian competitions in the USA. Hopefully, as I write the first draft I can find the right words to capture time as well as the setting and characters. There’s an historical mystery in the wings too, set in both 1812 and the present day – ‘Seeking A Knife’. That presents an interesting challenge, but sometime in the future.

As for the blog title ‘Time Exchange’ that was Inspiration Monday – http://bekindrewrite.com/2013/07/15/inspiration-monday-look-at-me-now/. Not the requirement, but the title seemed to fit this piece: an exchange of experiences from me to you.

Now it’s your turn: what do you find gives inspiring writing a sense of time?

The Pixar Theory Timeline (jonnegroni.com)
Getting all your ducks in a row – Focusing on timelines (lillianaanderson.wordpress.com)
Of Pacing & Description – Writing Strengths & Weaknesses (fictionalferrets.wordpress.com)

Disintegrating Characters

May 9, 2013 by Roland Clarke

How should a novel’s characters evolve? Should one create the characters before the plot or as the story unfolds? Do you do sketches before writing your novel?

My first novel, Spiral of Hooves, began life as a rough outline back in 2000, but went through various versions, with characters changing their names, motives, roles, and in some cases ceasing to exist. Other writers in my novel writing group tried to suggest improvements, which I attempted to integrate into my evolving patchwork of plot and counterplot. Thirteen years later and I am taking on board the comments from my US e-book publisher’s editors. And I need to check the voice of some of my characters and their motives.

Time to check my character sketches. Except the 2000 versions are sketchy, if they even exist; probably on dusty floppy discs. But it seems that they only evolved in my head, not as updated notes. Bad move.

English: Spiral made of Floppy discs (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So now I am producing new sketches and timelines as I check through the current manuscript. In most cases no old sketch exists so the page is blank, although I have an unfolding story to refer to, plus the scribbles in my head. Reminds me of writing character profiles in English Literature classes at school. Oh, and I need to create a timeline that matches the manuscript or at least shows where I have made errors.

Sounds like I’ve written my first novel in fits and starts, using multiple maps and asking the way from friendly faces that sent me via their favourite attractions. Just the basics to guide me so I must be a Pantser.

And here I am claiming to be a plotter. However I confess that almost all subsequent novels, now in various draft stages, have been plotted: detailed character sketches, timelines, scene by scene OR chapter by chapter outlines, and even research notes. But never set in stone, so when the first draft pours out, the unexpected and inspirational can happen. And my characters are often the ones driving the plots.

But which is best for characters sake? Pantser or Plotter? Will my plotted novels suffer the same fate as my first novel and spiral out of control, character sketches disintegrating as the timeline fractures?

Perhaps I need to upgrade my sketches more often, as the story evolves and the characters mature – like wine rather than cheese, I hope.

What do you do? What are your words of wisdom?

Creative Chinese Character Art (Photo credit: sinosplice)

How to Write a 3 Dimensional Character (dreammirrors.org)
The transition from pantser to plotter (writeaubreywrite.wordpress.com)
One Write Way: Plotting versus Pantsing (genelempp.wordpress.com)
Plotter vs Pantser (krgreen.wordpress.com)

Beyond the Monotony

May 1, 2013 by Roland Clarke

A foggy evening 01 (Photo credit: AnneCN)

What would you do after three months of editing?

Variety is the spice of life they say, but how do you achieve it? Stop editing and write? Switch projects? What happens if you have five draft novels all needing editing and two new plots pounding at your mind?

Most sensible writers seem to blend the editing and writing successfully, judging by their Blogs and their Facebook posts. But living with MS makes that hard. If I work at the revision then I no longer have the energy to do anything more than chill out. Which is why it has just taken me three months to complete the third revision of my 97k novel Wyrm Bait. Yesterday I sent it off to my editor for detailed analysis; also sent it to four beta readers for their thoughts.

Some time ago, I would have switched into writing mode and produced another draft novel, which is why there are so many lurking around, waiting to be edited. Heading the queue is that blast from my past, my first novel Spiral of Hooves. It’s been with the editors for the US ebook publishers – one English, one American – and is due back any day.

Decision made, therefore: I have to revise that next, addressing their input = another month or so of editing.

You Want Me To Go Down Where?! (Photo credit: tobym)

Do I scream? It’s a change of setting, characters, plot and of problems to be addressed. But it’s still editing – NOT writing.

But editing is part of the writing process, the experts tell us. I need to learn to love the revision stage. The short cut of editing as I write is a gag on my creative flow. I prefer to plot carefully, write freely, and edit gradually. Except three times five novels = 15 months of editing. But total revision for each novel is far longer, which cuts out the creation. Doesn’t it?

However no new novels won’t work, not if I want to satisfy my urge to create and my potential readers urge for new words. When Spiral of Hooves sells, the readers should want the sequel, but it’s not written.

One source of new material has been NaNoWriMo in November and I have heard rumours of a June challenge as well. Is that the solution? NaNoWriMo has produced two first drafts: The Last Leaf (2011) and Wyrm Blood (2012). One took a month but the other was almost three to first draft completion. Even have two ideas in plotting process; if I can decide which one comes first in the penning order. Probably Tortuous Terrain the sequel to Spiral of Hooves. However Seeking A Knife is more alive in my mind. Decisions, decisions.

Image representing Facebook as depicted in Cru...

Image via CrunchBase

Need more time. Maths not looking good. Something needs to give. But what? Social media? Emails? Gaming? All cut to a minimum and part of my survival plan, whether to maintain contact or to chill and reward myself.

One solution is to blog rather than create new novels. Still writing and far faster, requiring quick editing. Revert to short stories and simplify my inspiration. Even novellas not novels. All ideas to be swept along in the tide of editing. And high tide is approaching. With MS lurking to dash the plans with exhaustion and pain.

So what do you do? What advise can you give the Silver Scribbler?

Rebel NaNoWriMo (talynmarie.wordpress.com)
Is the Change as Good as the Rest? (davidjhiggins.wordpress.com)

Do you struggle with Word Selection?

February 12, 2013 by Roland Clarke

Words have a power all their own (Photo credit: Lynne Hand)

The word is on the tip of my tongue, or is it in my fingers poised above the keyboard. Wherever it is I need to find that dang word but I can’t. As I work through the current draft of Wyrm Bait, or in a few months some other novel, there are words that don’t read right. When nothing comes out of my addled head, I spend time delving for a better one in the Flip Dictionary, a really useful aid created by Barbara Ann Kipfer for The Writer’s Digest, which I prefer over a conventional thesaurus.

However hard I attempt to find dozens of phrases and words to change on every page of my manuscript, failure dogs my endeavours. Why? Conventional wisdom suggests that at the detailed editing stage I should be honing each word or phrase, since previous drafts only tackled the broader brush-strokes. In fact the number of edits should be nearer six if not more. What am I missing? Am I rushing? I’ve given myself two months at the rate of 8 pages per day. Or am I still too involved with my creation and unwilling to address its failings?

Maybe my writing process has eliminated the need to do repeated revisions. I plot my novels in detail and each day, before I write anything, I think through the next scene in my head. When I type, I don’t always churn out words as they come to mind. I craft my phrases a little but not at the expense of the flow. I also glance through my work at the end of each day or the following morning. Am I editing as I write?

I fear there is another answer. Word selection fails when I talk and I can ascribe that to my MS. Gradually the stress and the exhaustion has robbed me of my ability to remember even simple words. Sometimes I talk rubbish and I only pray that my writing isn’t close behind. Admittedly I can use the wrong word or hit the wrong keys but I call that a co-ordination relapse. When I was an equestrian journalist, remembering names of horses and riders’ faces was straightforward and essential. Now I forget friends’ names and the titles of song that I love by ?*&%$£?)(

Picture of Hollywood sign (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If only I hadn’t blown my money on Hollywood dreams, I might have the savings now to employ an editor with a better brain; or at least one without lesions.

Talk to you all next week. Good writing from The Silver Scribbler.

A sequel of questions or opportunities?

January 8, 2013 by Roland Clarke

Well I’ve finished my 2012 NaNoWriMo novel, or rather the first draft of another outpouring of words – Wyrm Blood. Hopefully it makes more than a bit of sense as I had a detailed outline to work to, although I made a few changes as I got further into the story and discovered extra sub plots. Some of those will require a new draft, which will perhaps be Draft 1.5 rather than Draft 2.

Wyrm Blood is the sequel to Wyrm Bait and as such the central characters are the same, other than the antagonists. However that throws up a question:

Cover of Darkspell

How does a writer ensure a new reader learns about the characters from Volume 1?

I realised that I needed to supply some indications and I have attempted to build it into dialogue as much as possible. I have also tried to reference Volume 1 in passing but not as info dump type exposition. At the moment I am reading Darkspell, Volume II of Katherine Kerr’s Deverry epic fantasy series. I read Volume 1 in the summer so I know where she is referring to events in that book but I am grateful for the reminders and realise how well she blends them in.

Obviously this doesn’t just apply to characters but to events, although they should arise from well-crafted characters. However there is a danger in erring on writing less and leaving new readers with unanswered questions – loose strings in a way. That is something that I will have to address in editing Wyrm Blood.

Star Wars: The Old Republic (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is it possible to foreshadow the sequel in any way?

Once I started working on the outline for Wyrm Blood there were elements that were ripe for inclusion in the opening novel Wyrm Bait, so these were worked into the draft at that point and I will ensure that both novels are linked in this way. However once the opening novel is committed for publication that will stop. Whenever Volume III becomes a reality the option will not be there, although I will be able to amend Volume II, Wyrm Blood.

As I am playing Star Wars: The Old Republic, an online MMORPG, with my wife at the moment, the Star Wars universe and story development has lessons in terms of sequels, not least that prequels can undermine the freshness and the novelty of the original. In many ways those writers and film-makers that have re-visited the setting of their initial product successfully, have done so be creating a new tale, albeit set against the same background. Terry Pratchett is a prime example in my mind and an inspiration to us all in so many ways.

How should a writer tackle a sequel to a first published novel?

I am in the process of having my first novel Spiral of Hooves published as an e-book and my contract allows for them to publish other books in the Chasseur series. As I was writing Spiral of Hooves there were elements that I felt could be developed and there are places where these were added so future events could occur. I have a rough outline for Tortuous Terrain which shifts the setting from Europe to North America but still involves two of the central characters. How the novel pans out may depend on the success of Spiral of Hooves, which does create a slight deterrent to writing the story. Yet there is a part of me that wants to revisit my created equine world where I started, especially as there has been time to let everything marinade.

Talking of marinading there are other novels either in my bottom drawer – The Last Leaf and Fates Maelstrom – or in some sort of outline – Eighth Passenger, a novel about love across boundaries and war, that began life as the idea for a TV series. Where I go in 2013 will have a bearing on which WIP receives the necessary input of energy required to move it ahead of the queue.

Until next time the Silver Scribbler wishes you all Good Writing.