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Hi everyone!

I can’t believe we’re nearing the end of October already! Time sure flies when you’re having fun. Speaking of which, earlier this week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Scott King about his new book Learn How To Write A Novel By Reading Harry Potter, which he wrote together with Clark Chamberlain.

Before we get into the interview, let me tell you a little more about Scott.Read More →

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Once upon a time, there was a self-publishing podcast from which sprung the Facebook group The Smarter Artist. To create a platform where indie-writers could meet like-minded editors, a bunch of editors within this group of writers created the spin-off group The Smarter Artist Editors. Long story short, a dedicated few started a weekly thread sharing editing tips with the community, and we’re now ready to share these tips with the world.

Today, I’m sharing a tip from myself.

Hello Smarter Artists!

NaNoWriMo is around the corner, so how about we talk about outlining and plotting for a bit?

My clients often ask me what is the right way to outline their work. I know not every editor or writer will agree with me here, but I always tell them there are many ways to tackle your outline, and it’s about finding the approach that works best for you. Our brains are all wired differently, so what works for your best writing bud or Hemingway or JK Rowling might not work for you.

It also very much depend on whether you are a plotter, a pantser, or something in between. This article discusses 5 different ‘boxes’ in which a writer can fall depending on how they tackle their plots.

If you haven’t found a way that works best for you yet, feel free to experiment, try different methods, or even combine elements from different methods.

The way I go about it is I know where the story begins and where it ends, and then I trace back. First for my MC, then for the other important characters, then for the less important characters. What is it that they want and what obstacles will they have to overcome to get there? As I go through these layers, I look at how what different characters want conflicts or intertwines and how and where I can use that to help the plot along.

At this point, I will also look at the world in which my story is set and see how its elements (geography, customs, historical context, political atmosphere, underlying world views, and so on) could affect the characters and their development to create even more depth and conflict. After this exercise (which takes a long time for me), I am ready to distil the different chapters and the scenes they have to include, and that’s when I’m ready to actually start writing.

Do you have an outlining method that works for you? A handbook you swear by? Or are you still trying to figure out what works best for you?

For a little inspiration, this article discusses 7 different outlining methods.

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Once upon a time, there was a self-publishing podcast from which sprung the Facebook group The Smarter Artist. To create a platform where indie-writers could meet like-minded editors, a bunch of editors within this group of writers created the spin-off group The Smarter Artist Editors. Long story short, a dedicated few started a weekly thread sharing editing tips with the community, and we’re now ready to share these tips with the world.

Today, I’m sharing a tip from Emily Deady. Emily is a freelance editor who loves fantasy and historical fiction, especially if it involves a good romance.

Happy Friday from your friendly neighborhood editing group! Here’s a weekly tip to keep the editing juices alive and well all weekend! 

My current developmental editing obsession is refining the setup payoff moments to keep the reader turning pages.

J.K. Rowling is a master of this, both in her overall plots and in her granular scene development. In the first Harry Potter book, the most satisfactory payoff is when Gryffindor wins the house cup at the end. Thanks to her extensive setup, this emotional close is poignant.

What fascinates me even more, though, is applying this on a granular level. In the early chapters of Half Blood Prince, Harry arrives at the burrow, interrupting a conversation between Tonks and Mrs. Weasley. Tonks is upset about something, but immediately rushes away. This leaves an open question in the mind of the reader, who then pays rapt attention as Harry and Mrs. Weasley have an important conversation containing key exposition. After which, the question about Tonks is answered so the reader is rewarded for their attention. Soon after, Hermione and Ginny walk into the room making fun of an unnamed ‘her’. Again, the characters catch up with the news over the summer, revealing some key exposition. While Harry, in the back of his head is trying to figure out who they were making fun of, which is revealed a few pages later. This keeps the reader engaged because there is always something happening right now that needs to be uncovered.

I’ve been thinking about these tiny setup/payoff moments. It’s so much easier to focus on the big reveal at the end (which yes, should be compelling and setup etc.) but it’s the chapter to chapter moments that make the reader feel smart and engaged. How can we better apply this to our manuscripts?

Here’s a few places to start:

  •  Look for areas that have a direct ‘because’ explanation. “Mary shuddered because she was afraid of heights.” Can you set up the fear of heights in advance so the audience is already teetering with Mary as she looks over the edge? “Mary shuddered as the vertigo sank in.”
  • Comb through your exposition: Can you pull a J.K. Rowling and leave an unopened thread at the beginning of the scene to keep the reader engaged? Just don’t forget to tie it up shortly after. 
  • Comb through your exposition again. Can you withhold information and build it up with clues until the last possible moment? Say you have two characters sharing facts about the villain before a big showdown. “Don’t forget, he can read minds.” Instead, can you leave subtle clues so that the main character doesn’t discover it until the climactic moment of their battle. Then he (along with the reader) suddenly puts the pieces together and realizes he is in big trouble.
  • What is the emotional catharsis moment at the end? This is often not the same as the climax of the plot. Have you properly set up the emotional weight of that moment so that the audience feels it as keenly as the hero?

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