Blog – Page 71 – Lyndsey Hall

Beautiful People – Author edition

Welcome to the latest edition of Beautiful People, hosted by the fabulous Sky at Further up and further in and Cait at Paper Fury! Beautiful People is a monthly link up for writers that helps us get into our character’s heads by answering ten different questions about them each month. This month’s questions are a little different, though. In July, we’re zooming in on the author with ten questions about our writing process.

Let’s get started, shall we?

How do you decide which project to work on?

So far I’ve written one novel and started another, and I keep my plot bunnies saved in OneNote for when I’m finished with the project I’m currently working on. I actually combined a few ideas from my notes to create the second MS, so I guess it was a case of choosing which plot bunny felt the most intriguing and trying to flesh it out by interweaving other ideas. Luckily, several of my plot bunnies could be combined, which made my choice so much easier!

My first novel is fantasy, and the second is a sort of contemporary with elements of magical realism/fantasy. I want to try a few different genres until I really find my niche. I might try horror next!

How long does it usually take you to finish a project?

As I’ve only written one novel so far, I’ll say about nine months, because that’s how long it’s taken me, but to be honest it isn’t finished yet. I’m submitting it to Pitch Wars in the hopes a mentor will work with me to edit and revise my MS until it’s near perfect, and that will take until November. Even then, an agent or publisher might require more edits. So a long time. But I’m hoping that with each project I’ll get faster and faster at drafting and revising.

Do you have any routines to put you in the writing mood?

I make a cup of tea, make sure I’m comfortable and have everything I need at arm’s length so I won’t have to get up for a while, and I’m one of the odd people who need background noise so I put something on Netflix. If I’m struggling with a scene or plot point I like to take the dog for a walk and think about it while I get some exercise and appreciate nature. Maybe that’s strange, I need silence to think about my story, and noise to create it.

What time of day do you write best?

I am such a night owl, I don’t even function early in the morning, and if I’ve had a bad night’s sleep forget it. I love long and quiet weekends to just sit at the laptop for hours on end (with breaks to walk the dog and eat, of course), but generally I don’t get into a groove until late afternoon, early evening, and then I can keep going until the early hours.

Are there any authors you think you have a similar style to?

I honestly couldn’t say! I’d love to be compared to a famous author, it would be the greatest compliment, but I’m not sure who I think my writing is similar to.

Why did you start writing, and why do you keep writing?

I’ve always written, whether short stories or poems as a kid, blogs and essays as an adult. Novels have always been one of my favourite things in the world, but I never imagined I could write one until about a year ago. I started to get an idea for a story, and the more I thought about it (while walking the dog, doing the dishes, waiting to fall asleep) the more I knew I needed to write it. I realised I can Google absolutely anything when I need an answer to a question or a tutorial for fixing something, so surely there must be blogs and articles about how to write a novel. I was right, the internet is full of amazing bloggers and writers sharing the craft. So I started to read everything I could, using it to outline and plot my novel, and eventually I stumbled upon the writing community on Twitter, discovered NaNoWriMo, and all the other online competitions for writers.

In a nutshell, I started writing because I got an idea for a story that nagged me every waking minute and wouldn’t go away, and I keep writing because I’ve fallen in love with the craft and found my tribe.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve written?

It would have to be something about myself, my Uni application personal statement or a job application, because I’m absolutely horrible at selling myself, I’m so shy and anxious. Writing fictional stories is easy in comparison to writing something true and honest about myself.

Is there a project you want to tackle someday but you don’t feel ready yet?

I’d absolutely love to write a multi book series, but it’s so daunting. The way authors like J.K. Rowling and Sarah J. Maas weave hints and foreshadowing through early books about what will happen much later into the series, it’s an art form and I’m nowhere near skilled enough to plan that far ahead and execute it well at the moment. One day, hopefully! At the moment, I’m thinking one book at a time, as debut authors almost never get multi book series deals, so my MS The Fair Queen is ‘a standalone with series potential’ and I’ve got a few ideas for the sequel(s) up my sleeve.

What writing goals did you make for 2017 and how are they going?

I only started writing this time last year, so my goals weren’t really conscious or set in stone, but I wanted to complete my first novel, revise it, and start querying by the end of 2017. I’m entering Pitch Wars next week (submission window opens in 3 days!!!) so I’m a good way to achieving my goals, as if I get in I’ll get to work with a mentor for two months and then pitch agents in November. If I don’t get in, I’ll work on my MS for a couple more months anyway and start querying before Christmas.

Describe your writing process in 3 words or a gif!

If you’re just starting out as a writer or looking for blogs to help you improve your craft, check out some of my favourite writer/bloggers and their amazing words of wisdom:

Faye @ Writerology
Kristen @ Well-Storied
Christine @ Better Novel Project

If it weren’t for these three awesome ladies I wouldn’t be anywhere near ready to enter Pitch Wars and I’d probably have given up writing after 10k words.

I’m hoping to have more time to post once my Pitch Wars submission has gone, but if I get in I might be a bit AWOL for most of September and October too (plus I’m going to Asia for ten days in September! So excited :-D)

Lyndsey

The Sunshine Blogger Award

Thank you to the lovely Katie @ Read with Katie for tagging me in the Sunshine Blogger Award! I can’t seem to find out who created this award, so if anyone knows, please leave a comment so I can credit them!

THE RULES:

Thank the person who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.
Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

What made you start a book blog? Now that you’re a book blogger, is it different to what you thought it would be?

I’ve had a couple of blogs in the past, a personal one and another when I sold crafts on Etsy, so I’ve always loved blogging and the community, but the book blog community is like no other! I’m entering Pitch Wars next month with my first novel and I really wanted somewhere I could share my writing journey, as well as my love of books. Honestly, it’s completely different than I expected it to be! I didn’t think anyone would read my posts and I’d be sitting here in a lonely corner of the interwebs writing my posts and sending them into the void. But, I’ve made so many blogging friends in the last ten months, I’ve got over 250 followers (how did that happen??!) and my favourite posts are tags and memes, and reading everyone’s different answers. It’s been better than I ever imagined.

Do you read eBooks and listen to audiobooks?

I’m obsessed with audiobooks, but I haven’t read any ebooks yet. I have downloaded a few from NetGalley, so I really need to get to those after I finish my library books.

Are you participating in any other yearly reading challenges apart from the Goodreads challenge?

No, just the Goodreads challenge, mine’s set at 36 and I’m slightly ahead at the moment. I’m taking part in a few buddy reads with my Goodreads groups too, to keep me on track as life is really busy at the moment!

Do you participate in readathons?

No, I wish I had the time for readathons! The only time I get chance to read several books in a week is on holiday.

Where do you purchase the majority of your books?

Sadly, Amazon. We live in a rural area without any nearby bookshops, although I do occasionally also buy from the supermarket. Is that worse? Either way, I’ve started using the local library more to save money and it’s a brilliant resource. I’d rather borrow books I want to read but probably not reread or keep.

Do you unhaul books?

I do! I’ve had a few major clear outs recently as we’ve moved house, and a couple of years ago I started a Book Exchange at work, so I take any books I don’t want anymore to work, and every six months I take the books no one wants to the charity shop.

Do you have a book buying budget/rules for book buying?

Not really, I tend to buy a few at a time to save on postage, usually when I’m about to go on holiday. I only really buy paperbacks, unless I’m desperate for a new release, as they’re cheaper. I try to ban myself from buying any more books if I still have several unread books on my shelf, but I never can resist a new release by my favourite author or a long-awaited sequel.

How long, on average, does it take for you to finish one book?

I am such a slow reader! It takes me a couple of weeks of reading for an hour a night to finish a book. I wish I had more time to read, but with work, writing and my dog and husband I’m kept pretty busy! When I’m on holiday I can read a book in a couple of days (I’ve never finished a book in one day). If I’m honest, I like to savour and enjoy books rather than rush through them, I try to put off finishing the really good ones.

Do you underline and mark-up your books?

I don’t write or highlight or anything like that inside my books, but I am a page dog-earer. Bookmarks just slip out too easily…

Do you create TBR’s? If you do, are you good at sticking with them?

I do, but I’m pretty terrible at sticking to them. I’ll borrow books I come across at the library and prioritise them because they need to go back, I’ll receive a new Illumicrate (check out my unboxings here and here) and immediately add those books to my pile. Basically, my TBR is a hot mess and I have so many unread books languishing on the bookcase waiting to be loved.

What are your favourite blog posts to write?

These kinds of posts, awards, tags, memes etc. have become my absolute favourite to read and write. Book reviews are harder than I expected! And coming up with other types of content can be time consuming, but getting tagged feels like an enormous compliment and gives me a pre formatted post to share, as well as letting me discover other bloggers and make new friends.

I nominate…

I’m just going to nominate a few people and anyone else is welcome to nab this award and tag me in your post!

My questions for you are…

Which book or series sums up your childhood?
What song takes you back to a book you were reading at the time, or reminds you of a specific scene?
Which ship reminds you of yourself and your partner or BFF?
What’s your favourite book to movie/TV adaptation? (Even if you haven’t read the book)
Which Hogwarts house are you in? (Hufflepuff fo life!)
Do you consider yourself more of a leading man/lady, quirky best friend or villain? Why?
Tell us a joke!
Bookish candles or literary tote bags?
If you have siblings, which fictional characters are they like? If not, which characters would you love to have family dinners with?
Your favourite book is out of print and you have one of the only copies. Your crush wants to borrow it, do you let them?
If you were stranded on a desert island, which one book would you want to have with you and which one author would you want for company? (No e-readers, you cheats!)

Have fun, folks!

Lyndsey

Killing your darlings

This month, as I’m working on polishing my manuscript in preparation for Pitch Wars, I wanted to talk about something all writers struggle with, and that’s being ruthless in the editing process.

Killing your darlings Lyndsey's Book Blog

What does it mean to kill your darlings?

We’ve all heard the phrase “kill your darlings”, whether you came across it while reading Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, or you’ve seen it used in the online writing community. There’s even a film with Daniel Radcliffe as poet Allen Ginsberg, who has been attributed (amongst many others) with inventing the saying, called (of course) Kill Your Darlings.

The basic message is that, during the editing process, writers should cut their favourite and most self-indulgent passages for the betterment of their manuscript. It’s a tough and painful lesson all writers learn when they come to revision time. First drafts are almost never good enough for publication, and even the most famous authors rewrote their works several times before sharing them with the world. Take a look at this post, How many drafts does it take to finish a novel? to see how many times some authors rewrite!

A bit of background…

For those of you who might not know, I finished my first novel recently and plan to submit it to Pitch Wars next month. I wrote most of the first draft during NaNoWriMo 2016, and finished draft two in May. Since then, it’s been out with several beta readers who all really liked the story and gave me a few comments and suggestions which I’ve worked on incorporating into the text. (Check out my previous Author Toolbox post on the ABCs of beta readers).

My beta readers, however, are not fellow writers. They’re friends who love reading and who I trust to give me their honest opinion, but they aren’t familiar with the craft of writing.

Preparing for Pitch Wars

In the run up to Pitch Wars, a raffle was hosted by last year’s mentees – writers who got picked by the 2016 mentors – offering to work with this year’s hopefuls on their competition entry, which comprises the first ten pages of your manuscript and a query letter. I entered the raffle and was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the winners, meaning the amazing Kristen Clouthier would take a look at my pages and query and give me her expert opinion on what I could do to improve them, and therefore increase my chances of getting chosen by a mentor next month.

I pinged off my pages and waited patiently (lies, I was so nervous and anxious!) for Kristen’s reply and her suggested edits. She replied really quickly with a few questions to give her a better idea of my MS and a couple of thoughts she’d had whilst reading. Her advice was to cut the opening scenes and start the story later, as I had started it too early and the inciting incident was several chapters in. She was absolutely right and I think I’d known that all along, having worried my beta readers would find the start boring (it’s a fantasy novel with no fantastical elements for several chapters, what was I thinking?).

Kristen recommended I cut everything up until the action really starts, and then send her my new first ten pages so she could critique those instead. I set about chopping a good 8k words off the beginning of my book, and do you know what? It didn’t even hurt. If that isn’t a sign that Kristen was completely right and my story started way too soon, then I don’t know what is. I polished up those opening pages, readding some of the important information from the cut segment, and sent them off. Kristen loved the new opening, and even though it still needs work and lots of spit and polish, we both agreed it was definitely the right place to start the story.

My dead darling

OK, I lied, one part did hurt, but I knew it was the right thing to do. Kristen said that she wouldn’t be surprised if someone down the road – a Pitch Wars mentor, or future agent – would ask me to cut the prologue. I wrote about my prologue here on my blog, you can even read the original, first draft version when you subscribe to my email list, and I discussed the pros and cons of prologues and reasons why they’re so controversial amongst writers and editors. That didn’t stop me writing it and including it in my manuscript. But, as Kristen said, it was really just a huge spoiler for everything that happens later in the book, so I knew that, with the new beginning being more action packed and gripping, it had to go.

The five stages of loss

So, I killed my darling, I cut my prologue. I saved a copy of my original MS so I can keep it for posterity, and to see how far it has come by the time it gets published, and maybe that took the sting out of removing the prologue and first three chapters. I didn’t delete them and send them into the void, I can still refer to them and use snippets here and there throughout the rest of my MS.

If your manuscript is finished and you’re ready to start the revision process, here are five steps to killing your darlings:

Give your writing to beta readers. You can reread your work yourself, but the bits that need to go tend to be the writer’s favourites. When your betas tell you something didn’t work for them, or it felt clunky and unclear, believe them.
Cut the word/phrase/passage and paste it into a new document, or wherever you keep snippets for yourself. Don’t just hit delete and erase it forever, you never know when you might be able to reuse at least some part of your cut segment.
You now need to fill the gaping hole you’ve created. This will probably either be with a completely reworded version of the original, or a sentence or two that smoothly transitions the reader into the next part of the story. Read the couple of pages before your MS’s new hole to immerse yourself in that part of the story.
Write. Don’t worry that you might not be able to come up with something as brilliant as your dead darling, all of your words come out of the same person, good or bad, and you will write wonderful words again.
Go back to step 1, give the new version to your beta readers and see if they prefer it. If they’re happy, you’re good to go.

Writing is a very personal experience, but ultimately your writing needs to be aimed at your readers and not just an exercise in self-indulgence. That’s what diaries are for. Be brave and ruthless in your editing, and try not to take it personally when readers don’t connect with your favourite passages. Kill all your darlings, and your novel will be the better for it, I promise.

Lyndsey