Libby Drew

Thank you both so much. Fishie, you flatter me way too much.

Thanks, everyone. Glad you enjoyed the aritcle. Writers are advantaged editors in that they (tend to) have a working grasp of storytelling and grammar. They can be a fantastic help. But it's that experience with storytelling that can have them unintentionally crossing the line from editor to co-author. It's probably the trickiest part of the entire process. It's a difficult job, one in which ego can be a large, and sometimes impeding, factor. Thanks again for reading.

Thank you, everyone. Dolores, I'm so pleased you found it helpful. Great advice, Fishie, but easier said than done, especially in the age of Instant Gratification. In this, the Internet is both blessing and curse. Serialized fiction used to be the rule rather than the exception. Uncle Tom's Cabin was published over the span of a year (Sorry, can't recall in what periodical.) The Sherlock Holmes stories. The Pickwick Papers. In the 19th century, serialization was reserved for the "great" writers. "Volume" publishing was for everyone else. Funny how things change, yes? At any rate, it can be a successful model. Very successful. But planning, plotting, and direction can't be ignored. Thanks for reading and commenting.

I'm so honored to have a story chosen for the CSR Book Club. I've made a post here http://www.gayauthors.org/forums/topic/36581-free-ebook-copies-of-state-of-mind/ if anyone is interested in the slightly expanded PDF version of the story. There are no major plot differences, just a few expanded scenes. Thanks again! I hope you enjoy the book.

Yes, especially with horror. The unknown is always terrifying. Thanks! Glad you found the post helpful. Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Any tool that brings a reader closer to the story is valuable. Sometimes the best tool is the reader himself. Take care!

It's great to see Sara enjoying the success she deserves. I remember how much I enjoyed Social Skills when I first read it. Hopefully this is only the beginning for Sara, and she has many stories left to tell us.

You're welcome. Thanks for reading.

It's a skill that takes time to learn. If I'm writing a scene with a lot of dialog, and I think that pausing to insert sense impressions will slow me down creatively (in regards to keeping that dialog flowing), then I'll skip them altogether in the initial draft. Actually, I've found that waiting to add these details later, when I'm not so rushed, makes my characters' emotions and motivations feel more robust. Glad you found it useful. Thanks for commenting.

Thanks, andy. Glad it was helpful. A fresh set of eyes is absolutely priceless. Most of the time, we're just too close to our work to be objective and clear-sighted. Thanks for the comment!

Hi Andy. It does get easier with practice, but I don't believe it ever stops being a struggle. It's especially hard with subjects that are close to our heart. Wouldn't it be nice if there were a formuma to follow? But each story demands a different level of detail, just as various scenes inside those stories need to be handled differently. Trial and error and an objective editor definitely help. Thanks for reading and for the comment.

Thank you for reading, Andy. I hope it was helpful. These posts have been great for me too. Writing them has reminded me of the many ways I could improve my craft. I have a particular horrible habit of beginning scenes with people waking up. I'm still actively working on fixing that one. Writing is definitely not a skill that's perfected overnight. Take care!

Thanks. A lot of people are jumping into editing right about now, since NaNoWriMo ended a few days ago. Good luck!

Ha! Thanks, Sharon.

If only were as easy to write as it is to write about how to write. I am guilty of all of the things I say not to do... and more. If there was ever a task made for the saying "practice makes perfect" than it must be writing.

This is so, so true. And that's a great routine you have there. The hardest part of writing is properly following whatever narrative arc you've chosen. It truly is a step that should be placed before this one, because once we begin to mico-edit, we've mentally moved beyond the larger picture... sometimes before the story is ready. Case in point: I've recently had a story acquired, and the editor's notes went something like this... "Nicely written, but it's missing an obstacle. A dark point, where we think everything is lost." She's right. I went directly from "fall in love" to (very nearly) "live happily ever after". So it'll need a major re-write in that respect. It's something I should've caught, but I was so focused on the minutiae of sentence structure I missed it. Now I get to tackle a major edit (where much will be added instead of taken away) on a strict deadline. Not optimal. But also completely my fault.

You're not alone! I get the same urge all the time. Don't do it. Even if you did have the time and energy, your writings are your journey. They tell a story too... about you as an author. How you've changed and grown, and how you continue to grow. Thanks for the comment. Have a great day!

Absolutely. The terms "gerund" and "participial phrase" are often used interchangably, but, as you've explained, they're quite different. Gerunds have their place, but stronger verbs are almost always better. Thanks for the comment.

Thank you very much. I'm glad it was helpful. Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Birthday, hon.

I'm excited for this year. Especially since my NaNo project from last year will be released this November. That's some serious inspiration. And the community experience is vital. NaNo isn't just online. There are regular meet-ups all over the world--in bookstores, coffee houses, libraries... all through the month of November. And since everyone who shows up shares the same crazy goal, it's great fun. Read a blog today from another writer and really liked her advice. Thought I'd pass some of it on here: So for those of you who have leaped into NaNo 2012, I give you two bits of advice. 1) Always ask "What happens next?" It will keep your story moving forward, and you just might be shocked what happens next in real life. 2) This is supposed to be fun. Really. While it's hard, hard work being a writer, it's also full of win. Looking back at those early days, there is so much more on my plate now that occupies my time than the sheer joy of putting words down and telling the story. But I'm determined to hang onto the fun. It's a part of every day, even if I have to force it to happen. For those of you who are readers and wonder why on earth someone would do such a thing to themselves? Or you who are married to writers who have taken the NaNo pledge, and are about to disappear from sight for the next 30 days, or worse, shuffle into sight looking like escapees from The Walking Dead … We do it because it's worth it. Making the attempt, or reaching the goal. We learn, and we keep moving. Because we want to know what comes next

Excellent, straight-forward explanation of how easy it is to get burned by copyright infringement. Thanks for sharing your experience.

The Wrathful * Sometimes, indeed, when the exhausted gale, In search of rest, beneath the waves would flee, Like some poor wretch who, when his strength doth fail, Sinks in the smooth and unsupporting sea: Then would the Brothers draw from memory’s store Some chapter of life’s misery or bliss, Some trial that some saintly spirit bore, Or else some tale of passion, such as this: * The cab coasted to a stop in front of his building, and Brendan stole a final breath of artif

After six months away, Brendan returns to Ft. Myers to find that his lover has vanished into thin air. Strangely, nobody seems very concerned.

Patience IS key. Writing is as much building as it is crafting. It takes time. Thanks for reading!

The Modern Writer as Performance Artist It’s been said (by whom, I’ve yet to ascertain, but it’s a cool quote so I’m using it) the Internet is a mixed bag of enlightenment and oppression. Well however it revolutionized society, it certainly changed the writing community. In fact, “community” may be an optimistic term if we’re referring to the thousands of people who a handful of years ago were penning stories in their spare time, alone at their kitchen tables (in their jammies, let’s not sug