H is for Habit

As in getting into the habit of editing on a regular basis. Something I still need to work on since I haven't done any of the edit in the last week though trying to keep up with this challenge is proving a tad difficult. Check out the others making it through the alphabet over here at A to Z.

Today will be short as there is only so much one can say about creating a habit in editing or writing. It's helpful because you then get things done on a regular basis instead of random bits and pieces. Once used to doing something, having created the habit, it also seems easier each time expected to sit down and get stuff done. The last edit didn't feel so bad once I got into the rhythm because the small term habit was then created. This new edit, the type I hadn't done before, that is hard once again because I don't have that steady form to work on it on a regular basis, yet.

How to form  a habit?

Schedule -This is kind of a make it happen approach, also known as the fake it until you make it. Pick a specific time and specific days in order to work on the edit. Make it a priority and write it down. Then keep to your schedule. After a while, it should be a habit.

Just Do It- Even when you don't want to, just work on the edit. While you may not be happy at first, you will feel better later and may find you get even more done then you expected. Plus, if you keep just doing it then soon it will become something you do without having to put as much effort.

Google: https://www.google.com/#q=how+to+form+a+habit


Do you have a habit of editing? How do you make writing or editing a habit?

P is for Professional

Professional behavior is important even online and it's something we shouldn't forget. While it's easy to get carried away online, to think that what we write won't matter in the future, that is not the case.

Professional behavior has many facets. It's more than just posting personal attacks on Internet forums or lewd pictures on facebook. And it affects every social media site. Any page that can be found through a search could potentially be used against a person if they let too much get out of control online. Yet in the moment people seem to forget this fact.

Now, this doesn't mean you can't be yourself. You don't have to be rigid and bland in order to avoid an "unprofessional" presence online. It's more of a matter of being conscience of what you post will say about you to others and whether you want that image attached to you in the future.

It's okay to talk about your personal life to a degree. Talk about the pets. Because guess what: agents and editors often have pets too. When I was at my first conference, one of the main things a lot of the writers there (including the big name fantasy ones) talked about their cats.

So go ahead. Talk about little miss kitty. But maybe lay off on the bowel movements unless you're bringing up jokes about Sheldon from Big Bang Theory.

What I see the most and why I'm doing this post is the complaining. I've seen people complain in forums or blogs or on twitter about the industry. These vary from "oh the publisher/agent takes too long to respond" all the way to "these word count limits suck, why can't I write whatever length I want" types. Which we all understand, however, when you then go and submit, that message might pop up and it doesn't look good.

It also goes hand in hand with building your band. So every fight over a book review, every post about how bad others in the community are and every questionable picture may have an impact on the brand you are creating for yourself. But how professional you look is up to you.


What is professional behavior to you?
Do you watch the impression you leave online?

J is for Just and other overused words

Just is one of the words I not only use way too much but it's something I know I use too much. I try to limit it even in first draft, except that doesn't work all that well because in edits I end up deleting quite a few still. And just isn't the only one that I use way too much.

(image link)

Here are some overused words that I've found in my own writing and they might be something that others commonly overuse as well.

Just
Course have to start with the topic starter. Just as an adverb means exactly, very recently, simply or no more than, and only. Yep, it's a non-ly adverb. Bad me for using it so much. It just sneaks its way into my writing.

To
It's such a short word and yet using editminion really showed me how often I use the little 2 letter word. The meanings for the word include:  expressing motion in a particular direction, expressing a point reached at the end of a range or a point of time, expressing the result of an action, identifying the person being affected, identifying a relationship, indicating a rate of return, indicating that two things are attached, concerning or likely to concern, and much more... Chapters have like 100 or so "to" that I've noticed, which seems too much.

That
Another word that seems so simple with different meanings. Can be used to mean: to identify a person or thing observed by a speaker, referring to something mentioned previously, used to single out someone or something, (adverb) so, to such a degree, (conjunction) introducing a subordinate clause, expressing a reason or clause, and expressing a result.

Some
A general, weakish kind of word. Some often for me is put in when deleting makes for a stronger story. Meanings include: an unspecified amount or number, to refer to someone or something that is unknown, approximately, a considerable amount, at least a small amount or number of, and (adverb) to some extent.

Now
Not sure why I use it often but see it on a regular basis. Meanings: at the present time or moment, under present circumstances, to draw attention to a particular statement, used in or as a request or question, as a consequence of the fact, or (informal) fashionable.

Feel
All variations of the word. Too often my character feels something instead of it being shown. The many meanings I've used include: be aware of through touching or being touched, aware through physical sensations, find ones way by touch rather than sight, experience (a sensation or emotion), have the strength or energy to do or deal with, have a specified reaction, have compassion for, a sensation given by, and such.


Do you use "just" too often?
What words do you overuse?

Pronouns

(image link: tx.english-ch.com)

Pronouns are important when it comes to writing. No matter if it's first person or third person (even the dreaded second) a writer needs to know when to use which and how to make due with what is allowed while still managing enough variety to not bore or confuse the reader.

First Person - I don't do this often but I know what to use for the most part. As you probably know, "I" is the common term in first person, along with "me," "my" and "mine". We is a reference to a group that includes the main character, along with other terms like "us" and "our". Wow, this is quickly becoming a grammar lesson but I have more than grammar to discuss here.

One thing that is important in first person to me, as a reader, is names. I need to know the main character's name in first person novels and it needs to happen more than once in the first 5 chapters. I have stopped reading a book because I couldn't remember the main character's name because it was mentioned once maybe in one chapter out of the first 5. Some other readers may not have a problem with this, as it is my personal taste, but i like to know names.


Second Person - The dreaded point of view in fiction writing. It works in newspaper columns/viewpoints and in pick-your-own adventures but in general, not a good idea for a full novel. This is basically the "you" pronoun, which isn't even in the picture I posted for this blog entry. Sometimes it will be seen in first person, the main character has something that has "you" and it stands out to me as odd because the speaker is talking directly to the reader. The reason readers don't like it is: 1. It takes them out of the story when the character talks directly to them. 2. It makes assumptions about the reader. I hate when I'm reading a story and it assumes I'm anti-homosexuals (there is a sci-fi story like that and I hated it) because I am not what the character was saying and that is very off-putting.


Third person - This is the pov I prefer but it has drawbacks. This contains a number of pronouns, such as: he, she, "it" (probably won't use that one often for a character), they, Names, etc. It's easy to do a scene between a male and a female using he and she because supposedly readers don't pay much attention to the "said" while the "he" and "she" easily distinguish which character is speaking. But sometimes it doesn't feel like the reader is really into any character, from their point of view, which can make it tough unless going with omniscient.

This has other issues. I struggle because this is my go to set of pronouns but it's hard to find balance. Also, it's not easy making sure the conversations are distinguishable without overusing pronouns because I have many scenes where the characters are the same gender. Writing m/m can make it a little difficult because "he" could mean either character and using the names too often can be problematic as well.


Other:
A problem most won't face that I've mentioned on twitter is what to do when there isn't a gender. Either the gender of the character isn't known (easier with secondary characters) or the main character doesn't know which they feel is the right gender/sex for them. If someone is born both and they are the main character in a novel, and they haven't picked male or female, this is an issue.

Normally, if I have a transgender character it will depend on where they are in figuring themselves out as to which gender I will use. Most often, I go with what gender they feel they are and not necessarily what the biology shows at that moment. But I have a main character who is intersex; born both male/female and at that point in the story hasn't made a decision on gender. In fact, that is the main conflict in the story.

So, I posted that I didn't know what pronoun to use because I can't use the character's name all the time without it becoming redundant. Someone mentioned "shim" (which is a combination of she and him) and I'd never heard the term before despite volunteering with glbtq teens and knowing someone who was intersex. I did look it up and the dictionary on my computer basically refers to it as a "derogatory slur" and while some people may now be okay with the term (like some of the younger generations are okay with queer), I'm a little uncomfortable using it in a novel on a regular basis to reference the main character. Plus, my readers would have to know what it means and if I didn't know it, something tells me others won't either.  Easy solution is go with first person, but it's still a little vexing. I'm not very good at writing first person but I may have to toughen up and just do it.



What pronouns do you use?
Enjoy this English lesson? ;-)