Feeling Overwhelmed

June 1, 2018May 31, 2018 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 6 Comments

And, I thought writing the novel was a daunting task. It is more fun, for sure, but editing is tedious mind-numbing work. It can become overwhelming especially to those of us new to the craft of writing novels.

Thank God we have experts to help us along the way. Janice Hardy from Fiction University is one such expert. She is my number one go-to resource.

Janice understands the complexities of self-editing and offers some great advice in her article, How to Edit a Novel Without Feeling Overwhelmed.

The six main points:

Decide whether you want to edit or revise. The processes are not the same.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew, so to speak. Set a word count, a number of scenes to work on and stick to it – a must when you’re working with 70,000 words plus.
Don’t try to cover all the bases, focus on one thing at a time – setting, character, dialogue, and so on.
Set a time limit – Time management is a biggy for me. It’s easy to get lost in the process, or become impatient.
Leave the advice books on the shelf while you’re editing – love this one! It’s so easy to get caught up in the ‘how-tos’ or the ‘should’s,’ and not get a thing accomplished.
Make a plan and let it be your guide – Use a calendar, spreadsheet, or whatever planning tool helps you accomplish your goal.

For more information, check out, How to Edit a Novel Without Feeling Overwhelmed.

I’d love to hear your tips. Talk to me. Tell me your story. I’m all ears and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram. You can follow my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Advice – Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

April 1, 2016August 17, 2017 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 17 Comments

Day 1: #atozchallenge

Flickr

We love receiving good advice, especially from the experts. But, therein lies the rub.

Who are the experts? When we first step out into the web as either a writer or a blogger, we’re hungry for advice; I know I was. Cow Pasture Chronicles was my second blog. I began blogging after the death of my best friend as a way to deal with her loss. You can find that blog, mistakes and all at, Friendship of a Lifetime. Those entries are full of grammatical errors, but they were heartfelt and served a purpose. Later, I decided to pursue my love of writing, and the Cow Pasture Chronicles was born.

At the time, I didn’t have a clue what the rules for blogging were (whether there were rules) or how to get started. With research and the support of my sister, Jean at Jean’s Writing, I’ve managed to get an okay grasp on what I’m doing (most of the time). But with millions of bloggers, how do you tell which advice to follow and which to toss?

Like everything else, with experience comes wisdom. Here are my top five valuable and proven expert sites I go to for advice.

For Writers:

For Bloggers:

The more writers you connect with, find, and follow, the more we learn from each other. We develop lists of favorite blogs based on enjoyment and in many cases, for the author’s expertise. However, sometimes it pays to take a second look at the source.

Red Flags:

When the “expert” seems more concerned with selling than connecting, take a second look. I don’t begrudge a blogger for wanting to earn money, however, spamming me with constant sells pitches or emails offering high-dollar courses, is a red flag.
Bloggers who tout themselves as “experts.” No doubt, some have lots of expertise (see the lists above), but some are just good at marketing. Do your research and check out their experience, credentials, and accomplishments.
What do other bloggers say about the advice they received?

My journey as a blogger and writer has given me the opportunity to meet many people. I’ve come to respect a number of them as experts and rely heavily on their advice. As writers, we’re all at different levels. I treasure the collaboration of others and love to receive feedback from the blogging and writing community. I merely caution you to do your homework. When looking for expert advice, be mindful and separate the wheat from the chaff.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.

How to be an Effective Critique Partner

September 6, 2015October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 4 Comments

I’ve been bogged down this weekend with family and community events. So, I’m sharing an oldie but a goodie (1st published 2013), but with a few tweaks and additional information. Enjoy.

Critiques are a part of every writer‘s life. Whether it’s a one on one partner, or a group providing feedback. Having another set of eyes on your stories, essays, or novels is essential for growth and success.

Accomplished writers already understand the value of a good critique partner. For newer writers or those who have yet to take part in a group, I’d like to share my critique cheat sheet. I hope you’ll find the information provided here helpful.

A Few Things to Remember:

The format and function may differ from group to group.
Know the rules before joining to ensure the commitment is one you are willing to make.
If you don’t know the group’s process, ask before your first meeting.
Don’t rubber stamp each submission presented with, “I loved it,” without providing further constructive feedback. Doing so is unfair to the author. Those who submitted work want and deserve a genuine response and critique.
Critique groups are not about safeguarding a writer’s feelings. It’s about providing quality feedback.
If this is your first group, familiarize yourself with the terminology groups use. (genre, protagonist, antagonist, point of view (POV), voice, conflict, backstory, info dump, pacing, opening and resolution).

My Cheat Sheet for the Short Story Critique and Things to Consider:

Did you enjoy the story? If not, why.
Could you identify the story’s setting? Or, did you get lost in too much backstory?
Did the story engage you and draw you in? Did you want to keep reading?
What about the opening sentence or paragraph? Did they make you want to read further. If not, why? What made you hesitate?
Was the protagonist clear to you? Did you understand the goals?
Did you have enough information about the main character? Did you like the character or care about his/her situation (goals versus conflict).
Were the stakes facing the protagonist, high enough to make you care?
Did you find the dialog believable? Too much internal dialogue?
Were you able to identify the genre?
Did the story progress in a natural flow, or were there places that left you confused? Explain.
Was there a resolution? Did the ending make you happy or, leave too many unanswered questions?
Could you identify the theme?
Explain the things that gave you pause. Make notes in the margins of the submitted piece indicating pertinent information. It could be a wrong word choice, sentence length, credibility, pacing, or something else.

Articulating your impressions provide the author with specific feedback. They can then decide to use or not use the information to strengthen their story. Sometimes, we’re too close to our work to see the flaws. Another set of eyes helps point out the weaknesses or holes in our story.

Good critique partners are an invaluable resource and asset to writers of all levels and I encourage you to find one in your area or online.

Want more information on critique partners and groups? Ryan Lantz gives excellent pointers, in his post, Critique Partners 101: Everything You Need to Know Before Pairing Up.

Interested in starting a group? Janice Hardy, from Fiction University, provides the lowdown on how to start a group, Are You Looking for a Critique Group or Partner?

Here’s to wonderful critique partners.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story. And as always, you can follow me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter @cofcmom, and Contently.

Why to Critique Writing

How to be an Effective Critique Partner

June 30, 2015October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 3 Comments

I’ve been bogged down this weekend with family and community events. So, I’m sharing an oldie but goodie, with a few tweaks and additional information. Enjoy.

Critiques are a part of every writer’s life. Whether it’s a one on one partner, or a group providing feedback. Having another set of eyes on your stories, essays, or novels is essential for growth and success.

A Few Things to Remember:

The format and function may differ from group to group.
Know the rules before joining to ensure the commitment is one you are willing to make.
If you don’t know the group’s process, ask before your first meeting.
Don’t rubber stamp each submission presented with, “I loved it,” without providing further constructive feedback. Doing so is unfair to the author. Those who submitted work want and deserve a genuine response and critique.
Critique groups are not about safeguarding a writer’s feelings. It’s about providing quality feedback.
If this is your first group, familiarize yourself with the terminology groups use. (genre, protagonist, antagonist, point of view (POV), voice, conflict, backstory, info dump, pacing, opening and resolution).

My Cheat Sheet for the Short Story Critique and Things to Consider:

Did you enjoy the story? If not, why.
Could you identify the story’s setting? Or, did you get lost in too much backstory?
Did the story engage you and draw you in? Did you want to keep reading?
What about the opening sentence or paragraph? Did they make you want to read further. If not, why? What made you hesitate?
Was the protagonist clear to you? Did you understand the goals? Did you have enough information about the main character? Did you like the character or care about his/her situation (goals versus conflict).
Were the stakes facing the protagonist, high enough to make you care?
Did you find the dialog believable? Too much internal dialogue?
Were you able to identify the genre?
Did the story progress in a natural flow, or were there places that left you confused? Explain.
Was there a resolution? Did the ending make you happy or, leave too many unanswered questions?
Could you identify the theme?
Explain the things that gave you pause. Make notes in the margins of the submitted piece indicating pertinent information. It could be a wrong word choice, sentence length, credibility, pacing, or something else.

Articulating your impressions provides the author with specific feedback. They can then decide to use or not use the information to strengthen their story. Sometimes, we’re too close to our work to see the flaws. Another set of eyes helps point out the weaknesses or holes in our story.

Good critique partners are an invaluable resource and asset to writers of all levels and I encourage you to find one in your area or online.

Want more information on critique partners and groups? Ryan Lantz gives excellent pointers, in his post, Critique Partners 101: Everything You Need to Know Before Pairing Up.

Interested in starting a group? Janice Hardy, from Fiction University, provides the lowdown on how to start a group, Are You Looking for a Critique Group or Partner?

Here’s to wonderful critique partners.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story. And as always, you can follow me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter @cofcmom, and Contently.