Tag: tisha martin

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How to Edit the Scene

Copy of fiction 104_ editing the scene

As we continue this editing series how we can develop a great story, I hope you’re able to see that the elements of storytelling hinges on more than concept and characters. By having all the layers in place before actually writing, you can have a clearer idea of where your story is going. Or if you’ve already written your book, how to make sure all the layers are in place so that you give your readers a delightful reading experience.

The fourth layer in developing a great story is developing the scenes within your story, whether nonfiction or fiction.

The scenes within your story link the characters and plot together like a colorful construction paper chain link that can be as short or as long as you want them to be.

How to Edit the Scene

  • What does the character want or how does the character react in this scene?
  • What is the most important dominant impression in this scene?
  • How does the scene propel the plot forward?

What does the character want or how does the character react in this scene?

As you know, in storytelling, it’s really all about what’s at stake for the main character. And the best way to show that is to show the character interacting with the scene. We’re not going to talk about the character right now, but more how the elements in the scene help the character.

In my recent, unpublished (yet) work-in-progress about a woman who retrains retired cavalry horses, my character encounters an accident where one of the horses has gotten tangled up in barbed wire fencing. The horse has been there quite a while, has thrashed around, and is lying with its neck stretched out, as if struggling for the very breath of life.

Now, what kind of elements would this scene need to include for it to grip readers by the throat and pull them through this rescue?

We must ask ourselves the following potential questions (not exhaustive, by any means):

  • What is the end of this scene?
  • What does this scene tie back to?
  • Does the scene open closer to the middle of the scene, rather than setting up the scene and easing the reader into it?
  • What is the driving emotion and motivation for the character?
  • Are any of the five senses represented here, and how to incorporate them?
  • What character actions would enhance this scene?
  • What is the takeaway for your readers?

If it seems that every aspect of storytelling is comprised of asking lots of questions, you’re right. It is. As writers, we must don our analytical hats and comb every journalist-style question as we map out the story basics. For in asking those deeper questions, we will be able to craft a compelling scene that dazzles and engages readers.

Here’s a piece of my draft scene for the story I’m writing:

The tips of Laurie’s shoes caught under some overlain bumps of grass, and she landed facedown near a pile of manure. She pushed herself up and limped toward the mare’s cry.

Ebony writhed, struggling, next to the fence.

Laurie dropped to the ground. “Easy, girl,” she soothed in her calmest voice—or what she hoped sounded calm. “Let’s see what’s wrong.”

Barbed wire had wrapped several times around the mare’s right foreleg. The wire carved gashes in her leg; skin and blood mingled together.

“Oh, my girl, how did you get into this fix?” She found out where the wire started and began to unwrap it.

The mare kicked and struggled to rise, causing the barbs to sink into Laurie’s fingers.

Laurie winced, tears springing to her eyes. “Listen, Eb.” She stroked the mare’s sweaty neck. “You’ve got to stay still until I get this wire untangled. Just take it easy, girl. Relax.” She took a deep breath as the mare squinched her eyes in pain. “It’s okay,” she soothed, working the fencing wire around and around.

Ebony apparently sensed Laurie’s racing emotions and fought to get up. The wire dug deeper into her skin as well as scraping Laurie’s fingers again. As the mare’s sweat dripped onto her bloody cuts, her fingers burned. She blew short breaths, hoping the action would distract her from the pain.

“Ebony, easy, easy,” she commanded in a shaky voice. “Hold on.” She worked furiously despite the fire sensation in her fingers. “I almost got it.”

Ebony settled down, even if the constant twitching in her shoulder did not.

Like it? It’s not perfect, and will change, but it’s a start. Can you picture the scene as if you were right there? Do you notice words that invoke emotions such as fear, intensity, pain, anguish? Do you feel the rush and the patience that Laurie does as she works to free the horse? Do you feel the blood, smell the sweat, hear the rushing of your heart in your ears?

Think about your own story, and what your character wants. Got it? Now what kind of things would need to be in your scene for the character to act upon or react to what they want, or what is happening within the scene?

What is the most important dominant impression in this scene?

The dominant impression is what stands out most in the scene. The dominant impression is the wrinkles in grandpa’s face as he smiles at his grandchildren while he’s remembering the bittersweet moments from his own childhood. The dominant impression is the dank cellar filled with root vegetables during the Depression. The dominant impression is the quirky flying car in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

In my draft scene example, the dominant impression was the horse, and I used words and descriptions and motivations that described the animal, while bringing focus to what my character was feeling—and what she wanted.

In short, the dominant impression centers around the scene and helps bring focus and emotion to the scene and whatever happens in it.

How does the scene propel the plot forward?

Propelling the plot forward is tough. Not gonna lie. It’s that delicate balance between stop, listen to the birdsong, and go, race through the sun-splashed woods.

In making the scene move forward, whether slower paced or break-neck speed, it’s crucial to set certain actions, thoughts, motivations, descriptions in such a way that the scene builds to a crescendo. If you’ve ever listened to Handle’s Messiah, you know the rush of emotion you get when that last stanza is played. Same for your writing because readers will be able to experience all those emotions with your characters at those levels, and then when you raise the stakes, then that emotion only grows.

For example, in my scene, the highest propeller is toward the end of that scene:

Ebony apparently sensed Laurie’s racing emotions and fought to get up. The wire dug deeper into her skin as well as scraping Laurie’s fingers again. As the mare’s sweat dripped onto her bloody cuts, her fingers burned. She blew short breaths, hoping the action would distract her from the pain.

“Ebony, easy, easy,” she commanded in a shaky voice. “Hold on.” She worked furiously despite the fire sensation in her fingers. “I almost got it.”

As if Laurie’s fingers are going to get pinched off, right?

Secret Sauce to the Best Scene. Ever.

Classic film director Alfred Hitchcock said,

“There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.”

And let that be true of your manuscript, however you choose to set up your scenes in your story, whether you choose to ease in, ramp up, create waves, let it ebb and flow—or go off the deep end. No. No. Don’t do that. But do make your readers anticipate every moment of every line of every scene.

Each writer and author benefits from exploring their characters inside and out, while asking “what if?” at every turn when crafting their novel’s scene because it’s really the secret sauce to writing a great story that captivates people, agents, editors, readers, marketers, and the person who wouldn’t necessarily pick up a book and read it.

Questions? Comments? I’d love to engage in the conversation with you! Drop your question or comment in the chat below, and I’ll look forward to responding!

Your Turn!

What is the dominant impression in your scene?

Which of the five senses will you use in your scene, and how?

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Five Things I Learned After Writing My First Chapter

typists

With my cursor at the beginning of Chapter 1 of my WWII historical fiction novel, I hit Ctrl+Enter and sighed.

Beginning a book all over again isn’t pleasant sometimes.

I loved this chapter. I mean, really liked it, even though I knew all along something wasn’t quite right about it.

For several months when I first started writing all those years ago, I struggled to figure out why chapter 1 didn’t work as the beginning for my novel.

And now, I needed to start over and create a new Chapter 1.

A few contests, a writing conference or ten, a plethora of writing craft books, and two agents later, my intuition had solidified into a clear direction of where this novel needed to go. The feedback was abundantly helpful, and most of the readers enjoyed the few chapters I had submitted.

But the first chapter lacked … heart. The first chapter was missing the GMC (goal, motivation, conflict).

My chapter lacked a clear, immediate action.

Who are these people and why do you want me to care for them?? 

I can honestly say I’ve always been a writer who struggled to write beginnings. I’m sure I’m not the only one, and there are writers who dislike middles and endings too.

Here are a few things I learned about my now-improved chapter (the Chapter 1 that everyone liked but couldn’t connect with):

  1. Always introduce your characters early enough in the first page that gives the reader reason to continue to the second page and the third page and eventually the last page in as few sittings as possible. Maybe your character is afraid to drive over a bridge or wants to capture a rattlesnake. You want that first page to pop! off the page.
  2. Give your characters interesting, lively dialogue . You want to make your readers laugh and relate to the story, even if in a small way.
  3. Engage your readers. Don’t make them ask the kind of questions that drive them to set your story down and go do something that they had been putting off (like washing laundry or bathing the dog).
  4. Don’t overwrite. Less is always more.
    (This was hard for me at first because I like to describe things. But too much actually hurts your writing and may frustrate your readers. Readers want a quick read they can still enjoy.)
  5. Choose your words well. Your words can endear your readers, or cause them to run. Mark Twain said it best. It’s the difference between lightening and the lightning bug.

Taking an honest look at my first chapter, and based on my family’s and friends’ and judges’/agents’ comments, I’m glad I’m starting over. Last week, I spent four days pounding out a new Chapter 1 — a rough draft right now, but hopefully in the near future it will be a well-rounded opening chapter!

Now, excuse me while I read over this post and check to see that I’ve engaged you, helped you relate to it, caused you to want to read it, and that I’ve used my words well.

Oh, if you want to learn more about engaging your readers with that first chapter, I’ll be speaking about The Felt Need and How to Work with an Editor at two different writer’s events in Summer 2023. Check my socials for details!

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Novel Research: Town History

It’s always fun to dig into the history of the town you’re writing about.

Many famous people grew up in small towns, which is really surprising. Ronald Reagan grew up in Dixon, Illinois, and Abraham Lincoln in New Salem, Illinois (and Kentucky). When I began researching the town I’m writing about, I learned a lot about the town’s native authors. Several authors who wrote famously about this small, Midwestern town grew up in the town and moved away after graduation, only to write about their towns later in life.

Reinhold Niebuhr

Renowned theologian and author Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr grew up in Lincoln, Illinois. Reinhold Niebuhr

Doing research behind the author of the famous poem, “The Serenity Prayer,” I discovered that Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr grew up in Lincoln, Illinois. His father was the administrator of the state-of-the-art Deaconess Hospital in Lincoln. One of his brothers, Walter, was managing editor of the Lincoln Daily News–Herald newspaper, until he passed away in 1946.
Niebuhr children
Siblings, Left to Right: H. Richard, Reinhold, Hulda, and Walter Niebuhr
A theologian, Reinhold was Dean and Professor of Applied Christianity at the Union Theological Seminary in New York City. His photo was featured on the cover of Time magazine in 1948. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, and was in the top 100 most influential people in the twentieth century (Life magazine, 1990).
While he did not write much about his hometown as did other authors who grew up there, Niebuhr wrote about thought-provoking and often controversial subjects. He wrote about the spirituality of man and direction of its society shortly after WWII. Several of his titles are Moral Man and Immoral Society, The Nature and Destiny of Man, The Irony of American History, Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic, among other titles that explored society, the human soul, and politics.
Incidentally, in my first (unpublished) manuscript set during WWII, my main character mentions “The Serenity Prayer,” which was published in the early 1940s.
William Maxwell
William-Keepers-Maxwell-Jr-local-author-tisha-martin-historical-fictionWilliam Maxwell was one of two locals who wrote extensively about their hometown. His stories and novels are often deep, exploring the social and psychological aspects of people living in a small town. According to online research, Maxwell was born in Lincoln, Illinois on August 16, 1908. His parents were William Keepers Maxwell and Eva Blossom (née Blinn) Maxwell. He attended Senn High School. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois in 1930 where he was class salutatorian, poetry editor of The Daily Illini, and a member of Sigma Pi fraternity. Maxwell earned a master’s degree at Harvard University. Maxwell taught English briefly at the University of Illinois before moving to New York. (Wikipedia.)
Maxwell wrote of tough but necessary topics, such as social and psychological strains of the small town and how various events affected him. Only three of his short stories held happier moments and included people from his childhood. For example Miss Vera Brown  was a popular fifth-grade teacher, whose death devastates her male students (“Love” in All the Days and Nights 245-248). Another example is Mr. Danforth, the venerable horse veterinarian whose advice is quietly sought by many townspeople (Time Will Darken It). A third example is Lincoln College biology Professor Chris Oglevee, who ably mentors the Cub Scout troop of the First Presbyterian Church (“With Reference to an Incident at a Bridge” [For Eudora Welty] in All the Days and Nights 265-269). (D. L. Henson, Finding Lincoln Illinois.)
But one incident happened in his life that he wrote searchingly but fondly of. During the Spanish Flu of 1918, young Maxwell and his mother became ill. Maxwell recovered but his mother did not. Her death devastated the family, and his father sent the boy to live with relatives in Bloomington, a town nearly an hour away, which would have been quite a trip in 1918. He later rejoined his father in Chicago. Maxwell’s story They Came Like Swallows depicts this event so vividly and shows how such a wide-spread epidemic (that spread all the way to Philadelphia) affected an eight-year-old boy from a small Midwestern town.
In my current WIP, I dive a bit into the social history of the townspeople that my journalist is writing about. The more she uncovers about one of the oldest buildings in town, the more prominent folks will stop at nothing to silence her.
So, the next time you’re writing historical fiction or reading historical fiction, appreciate the amount of research the author took to create even a small scene to “get the facts just right.” It really adds meaning to the depth of the novel.
What interesting towns have you read about?
Photos: Courtesy of D. L. Henson and Wikipedia
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Christmas on the Home Front

 

i'll be home for christmas poster wartime 1940s tisha martin author editorIn 1943, the war was two years old; however, across the U.S., many homes were torn apart as fathers, brothers, uncles, and sweethearts and friends were drafted. For the duration, homes would be empty of loved ones during the holidays. To boost morale, Bing Crosby’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” became the favorite Christmas song for the duration of the war. And for a handful of families who lived in Lincoln, Illinois, during World War Two, Bing’s song kept the home fires burning within the hearts of the small town of Lincoln’s wives and children.

Logan County Citizen Soldiers WWII newspaper photo tisha martin author editor

Logan County, Lincoln, Illinois, Citizen Soldiers in WWII.

In January 1944, a handful of men (“fathers and non-fathers,” Lincoln Illinois’ newspaper The Lincoln Courier put it) volunteered or were drafted. This group was the first citizen draft group to leave Lincoln and serve their country. Three men volunteered and seven fathers enlisted that bitter January, including Jim Adams, my main character Laurie’s father, from my WWII novel-in-progress.

wartime battle of bulge christmas 1944 tisha martin author editorSome of these men would experience landing on the beaches of Normandy in June 1944, or trudge through the harrowing Battle of the Bulge in Winter 1944.

While the men spent Christmas on the war front, the families celebrated a quiet Christmas on the home front, and even though there weren’t many presents under the tinsel tree, ration stamps had been saved up to purchase sweets and extra food for the holiday season.

santa_claus_christmas_overseas_gifts_poster-r59b50c844ae64cf3bc9ef70c0e7c1e07_aiqqc_8byvr_512Decorating for Christmas involved the idea of simplicity, mostly out of necessity because it gave families something to do together. Children would write Christmas cards to make Dad feel like part of the festivities. Mom and kids would send Dad large care packages, filled with cards, candies (M&Ms), cookies, pictures, and other treats.

Here are a few facts about the holidays on the home front during WWII:

  • Because all the men were off to war, there was no manpower to cut down the lush Christmas trees, and there was not room on the railroad cars to ship them to tree farms. Did that stop anyone from getting a tree? No. Americans rushed to buy American-made Visca artificial trees for seventy-five cents.
  • As if there wasn’t enough snow outside, Americans brought the snow inside. They mixed a box of Lux soap powder with two cups of water and brushed the concoction on the branches of their tree to give it a snow-covered appeal.
  • As soon as the war began, many Americans threw their German blown-glass ornaments and exotic Japanese ornaments in the trash. Soon, Corning Glass Company in New York produced Christmas tree balls using machines designed to produce light bulbs. Thus, came the Shiny Brite ornaments and other ornaments.
  • However, if Americans could not purchase new ornaments, the made do with what they had by making their own ornaments out of non-priority war items, such as paper, string, pine cones, or nuts. The shortage of materials—like aluminum and tin—used to produce ornaments led many people to make their own ornaments at home.
  • Electric bubble lights were created during the 1940s and are still popular.
  • July 1945, the film “Christmas in Connecticut” was released, and the song “Let It Snow” hit the charts.
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Novel Research: Town History

It’s always fun to dig into the history of the town you’re writing about.

Many famous people grew up in small towns, which is really surprising. Ronald Reagan grew up in Dixon, Illinois, and Abraham Lincoln in New Salem, Illinois (and Kentucky). However, several authors who wrote famously about this small, Midwestern town grew up in the town and moved away after graduation, only to write about their towns later in life.

Reinhold Niebuhr

Renowned theologian and author Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr grew up in Lincoln, Illinois. Reinhold Niebuhr

Doing a bit of research behind the author of the famous poem, “The Serenity Prayer,” I discovered that Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr grew up in Lincoln, Illinois. His father was the administrator of the state-of-the-art Deaconess Hospital in Lincoln. One of his brothers, Walter, was managing editor of the Lincoln Daily News–Herald newspaper, until he passed away in 1946.
Niebuhr children
Siblings, Left to Right: H. Richard, Reinhold, Hulda, and Walter Niebuhr
A theologian, Reinhold was Dean and Professor of Applied Christianity at the Union Theological Seminary in New York City. His photo was featured on the cover of Time magazine in 1948. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, and was in the top 100 most influential people in the twentieth century (Life magazine, 1990).
While he did not write much about his hometown as other authors who grew up there did, Niebuhr wrote about thought-provoking and often controversial subjects. He wrote about the spirituality of man and direction of its society shortly after WWII. Several of his titles are Moral Man and Immoral Society, The Nature and Destiny of Man, The Irony of American History, Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic, among other titles that explored society, the human soul, and politics.
Incidentally, in my first (unpublished) novel set during WWII, my main character mentions “The Serenity Prayer,” even though the poem wasn’t published until the early 1950s.
William Maxwell
William-Keepers-Maxwell-Jr-local-author-tisha-martin-historical-fictionWilliam Maxwell was one of two locals who wrote extensively about their hometown. His stories and novels are often deep, exploring the social and psychological aspects of people living in a small town. According to online research, Maxwell was born in Lincoln, Illinois on August 16, 1908. His parents were William Keepers Maxwell and Eva Blossom (née Blinn) Maxwell. He attended Senn High School. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois in 1930 where he was class salutatorian, poetry editor of The Daily Illini, and a member of Sigma Pi fraternity. Maxwell earned a master’s degree at Harvard University. Maxwell taught English briefly at the University of Illinois before moving to New York. (Wikipedia.)
Maxwell wrote of tough but necessary topics, such as social and psychological strains of the small town and how various events affected him. Only three of his short stories held happier moments and included people from his childhood. For example Miss Vera Brown  was a popular fifth-grade teacher, whose death devastates her male students (“Love” in All the Days and Nights 245-248). Another example is Mr. Danforth, the venerable horse veterinarian whose advice is quietly sought by many townspeople (Time Will Darken It). A third example is Lincoln College biology Professor Chris Oglevee, who ably mentors the Cub Scout troop of the First Presbyterian Church (“With Reference to an Incident at a Bridge” [For Eudora Welty] in All the Days and Nights 265-269). (D. L. Henson, Finding Lincoln Illinois.)
But one incident happened in his life that he wrote searchingly but fondly of. During the Spanish Flu of 1918, young Maxwell and his mother became ill. Maxwell recovered but his mother did not. Her death devastated the family, and his father sent the boy to live with relatives in Bloomington, a town nearly an hour away, which would have been quite a trip in 1918. He later rejoined his father in Chicago. Maxwell’s story They Came Like Swallows depicts this event so vividly and shows how such a wide-spread epidemic (that spread all the way to Philadelphia) affected an eight-year-old boy from a small Midwestern town.
In my current WIP, I dive a bit into the social history of the townspeople that my journalist is writing about. The more juice she uncovers about one of the oldest buildings in town, the more prominent folks will stop at nothing to silence her.
So, the next time you’re writing historical fiction or reading historical fiction, appreciate the amount of research the author took to create even a small scene to “get the facts just right.” It really adds meaning to the depth of the novel.
What interesting town research have you read about or uncovered?
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Punctuation Series: How to Edit Hyphens

Punctuation-Series-How-to-edit-hyphens-tisha-martin-author-editor

This is the last segment on exploring how to edit punctuation in the Dash Family. Next month, I will have yet another easy, effective article for how to edit other useful punctuation so that your manuscript shines like a brand new car. That should wow the agent or editor, right? So without further ado, let’s dive in!

In the world of grammar and punctuation, there are three types of dash (hyphen, en dash, and em dash). “So what?” you say. “Ah,” but I say, “presentation is everything, especially when it comes to the publishing world. And your presentation of such a small thing as a dash is crucial to your book’s success.” It’s one of the ways that separates a professional book from an amateur book. Editors—and readers—know when the punctuation is off, which *could throw your story off too. And we wouldn’t want that!

Working with the dash can be tricky, boring, and downright distressing at times. As a writer and an editor, I completely understand your frustration with grammar and punctuation altogether.

And it may seem like the dash is not important, but they are, especially if you use a lot of extra information in your prose or poetry. And that’s nearly every piece of writing, so I invite you to stay for this little journey. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but merely to give you a tool to use in your self-editing journey, should you choose to do so.

Why Paying Attention to the Dash Is Important

  • Appearance is everything, appearance is everything, appearance . . . yeah
  • The difference is subtle, like missing the road sign on the highway
  • Using the dash correctly shows you care about your story, your editor, and your readers

In this blog post, let’s look at one of the dashes, the hyphen. The plain and simple hyphen. And my text for today is The Chicago Manual of Style, chapter six.

The hyphen is part of the Dash Family, which you can read about em dashes and en dashes here.

Let’s differentiate the hyphen and the dashes, as I’m sure it gets confusing. I know you’d rather not focus on them at all, but it’s super easy once you have the tools! (Chicago Manual of Style 6.75).

  • Hyphen is one little tic: –
  • En dash is two little tics –
  • Em dash is three little tics —
  • *But you can find the dashes in the Symbols box in the Home ribbon (for PC users).
    Don’t make the mistake and insert two hyphens (–) for the en dash and three hyphens for the em dash (—). It. Does. Not. Work. That. Way. 😊 If you want to know how, then finish reading this blog post and head on over the other two articles that talk about how to find and insert the en and em dashes . . . you’ll be glad you did!

Use hyphens with compound words. (Chicago Manual of Style 6.76).

  • Chicago 5.92 uses these hyphenated compound words and calls them phrasal adjectives.
  • Yep, this is where grammar tips collide with other grammar tips! So that means
  • Two hyphenated adjectives before a noun to describe it.
  • Like, yellow-bellied toads, slick-sliver rats, purple-tongued snakes. . .

A few rules about using phrasal adjectives . . .

  1. If the phrase comes before the noun, then hyphenate the words to avoid misreading or misunderstanding. Clarity is key!
  2. If the phrase is connected to a compound noun, then the entire phrase is hyphenated, such as chocolate-coffee-infused writers. This makes the relationship between the words clear, not to mention that commas would not work between the words at all.
  3. If there are more than one phrasal adjectives that describes the noun, then each phrasal adjective needs to be hyphenated because each element is super important: twentieth-century historical-element writing; state-inspected assisted-living home.
  4. For two phrasal adjectives that share the same noun, each phrase needs a hyphen between, showing that both phrases are related to the same noun. For instance, middle- and upper-classmen students (middle-classmen and upper-classmen); lower- and upper-elementary readers (lower-elementary and upper-elementary).
  5. If the phrasal adjective includes reference to amount or duration, then don’t use the plural. For example, toddler stage is about two years, but for the phrasal adjective, two-year toddler stage. Or a bookstore that is open 24 hours a day would have a 24-hour-day schedule.
  6. Have a confusing phrasal adjective? Don’t fret—just rewrite the sentence! There’s no pressure or misunderstanding or going round the Merry-Go-Round when you simply rewrite the sentence. And it might even sound better too!

Exceptions, exceptions, exceptions! (Chicago Manual of Style 5.93).

If the phrasal adjective is after a linking verb, then the phrase is *not hyphenated because then that phrasal adjective is acting as a noun.

  • The athlete is well trained.
  • My writers’ group is a mix and match of genres and skills.

If the phrasal adjective begins with a Proper adjective, do not hyphenate!

  • Glouster Beach goers.
  • Clinton Anderson horse trainers.

If the two-word phrasal adjective includes an adverb, don’t use a hyphen.

  • A timely appointed meeting.
  • A roughly made coffee table.

Use Hyphens as Separators (Chicago Manual of Style 6.77).

  • Separate numbers that are not inclusive. Telephone numbers, social security numbers, or ISBNs.
  • Separate words and spelling out words.

    This is also helpful when your character is dictating over the phone. Or with spelling out words if a character uses American Sign Language.

    For example,

  • Your number is 123-555-4321
  • Tomorrow we hike Mountain R-a-n-i-e-r. (American Sign Language fingerspelling.)
  • My name is Tisha, that’s Tisha with an i, no r. Spelled T-i-s-h-a.

How’s that for a very brief introductory into using the hyphen that’s widely used but so often tricky to use?

Using the well-placed hyphen is important because your overall presentation makes a world of difference to your editor, agent, publisher, and readers. That may seem counterintuitive because the writing is equally important, but it’s the presentation that tends to enhance your credibility as a writer. (Especially if you self-publish and are doing your own first-draft editing.)

Pro Tip : I’m creating a few cheat sheets and a video series on some of the topics I’ve covered so far, and if you’d like to be in the loop for when they’ll be ready, just go to my website and email me, letting me know you’d like to be added to my Grammar List!! I look forward to seeing you!

Please take a minute and join in the discussion! I’d love to hear from you!

Conversation Time!!

Of the three Dash articles, which has been your favorite, and why? Let me know in the Comments!

(If you haven’t read the other two articles, go read them!! You might find them useful. Click here.)

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Punctuation Series: How to Edit Em Dashes

Punctuation-Series-How-to-Edit-Em-Dashes-tisha-martin-author-editor

Continuing from last month’s instalment on editing the dash. . .

In the world of grammar and punctuation, there are three types of dash (hyphen, en dash, and em dash). “So what?” you say. “Ah,” but I say, “presentation is everything, especially when it comes to the publishing world. And your presentation of such a small thing as a dash is crucial to your book’s success.”

Working with the dash can be tricky, boring, and downright distressing at times. As a writer and an editor, I completely understand your frustration with grammar and punctuation altogether.

You’d rather write, right? Right! So let’s continue our focus on a simple, easy-to-understand punctuation series that I hope will be a help and encouragement to you—allowing you more time to write well.

If you feel like you’re back in grammar school, please take heart—and know that this isn’t going to be a boring, stuffy ‘nother grammar lesson.

It may seem like the dash is not important, but they are, especially if you use a lot of extra information in your prose or poetry. And that’s nearly every piece of writing, so I invite you to stay for this little journey. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but merely to give you a tool to use in your self-editing journey, should you choose to do so.

Why Paying Attention to the Dash Is Important

  • Appearance is everything, appearance is everything, appearance . . . yeah
  • The difference is subtle, like missing the road sign on the highway
  • Using the dash correctly shows you care about your story, your editor, and your readers

In this blog post, let’s look at one of the dashes, the em dash. And my text for today is The Chicago Manual of Style, chapter six.

Using the em dash instead of using commas, parenthesis, and colons (Chicago Manual of Style 6.85).

If you ever hear just the word “dash,” the speaker most likely will be referring to the standard em dash, so please don’t be confused. Em dashes can be used for abrupt insertions of information in a sentence, or important side elements that an author wants the reader to notice something.

Em dashes set off or amplify an element in a sentence, or function in place of parenthesis, comma, or a colon. Please notice examples one, two, and three below, respectively:

  • Parenthesis. Tim Shoemaker’s keynotes at the Write-to-Publish conference in June, 2019, centered on several biblical characters—Nehemiah, King David, and David’s mighty men—and encouraged writers to produce great content that fills readers with hope in a fresh and exciting way.
  • Comma. The encouragement of three people in my life who were an inspiration to me in different stages of my writing journey—a journey that, much to my surprise, spanned twenty years, include my mother, my grandfather, and my writing mentor.
  • Colon. Even though I had many people who inspired me to write, it was a novel written by a British author that set my pen on fire—pure bliss.

*Avoiding confusion. (Chicago 6.85.)

  • Don’t use two sets of em dashes in the same sentence because it causes confusion for your reader, not to mention makes the sentence really clunky. In this case, you would use parenthesis or commas instead.
    (I have bolded the parenthesis and commas, as they add extra, extra information. Notice where the em dash is placed in relation to the other punctuation as well.)
    A few examples:
  • The Write-to-Publish conference—which met for four days in June near Chicago (and is a perfect balance of emerging and skilled writers)—featured in-house publishing editors and excellent subsidy publishers for writers of all levels and genres.
  • The Write-to-Publish conference—which met for four days in June near Chicago, and is a perfect balance of emerging and skilled writers—featured in-house publishing editors and excellent subsidy publishers for writers of all levels and genres.

Use the em dash for sudden breaks or interruptions (Chicago Manual of Style 6.87).

You may use an em dash if your sentence decides to go on a jaunt or a jolt, or entertain an interruption in dialogue or thought. Hey, no worries—that’s okay! Just plug in the em dash and you’re all good.

Here are some examples:

  • My friend jiggled the car keys still in the ignition, the steering wheel, the H-emblemed car horn, the door locks, anything to silence the deafening screech. “I—I can’t seem to deactivate this—this alarm.”
  • A woodpecker rap made me jump. The man shot two fingers in my direction on the other side of the passenger window. “If you don’t stop messing around with that alarm,” he shouted over the blaring sound, “I’m gonna call the cops—I mean it! People are tryin’ to sleep!”

The em dash is used instead of quotation marks

(Chicago Manual of Style 6.80). *This is mainly for European manuscripts. If you have read any international works or are getting your books published with foreign rights, you might have seen the em dash.

Okay, so this is a fun one, and I might add, an interesting rule to keep in mind. I’ll make it as simple as possible for you. 😊 Don’t use any quotation marks or spaces after the em dash. Ask your agent or editor or publisher if this method is still used in today’s books, because. . .

I’ve seen the em dash used in older novels, but haven’t seen them in recent novels. Have you? I’d sure love to know! So—please leave a comment on the blog, telling me where you have seen this rule used.

For example,

  • —Oh Henry, isn’t this a lovely party?
  • —Yes, Louise, and it’s lovelier with you here.

How’s that for a very brief introductory into using the em dash that’s widely used but so often misused?

Pro Tip for Finding the Em Dash

  1. Make sure your cursor is at the place where you want the en dash to be placed.
  2. In Microsoft Word (version 2016), go to the Insert tab.
  3. At the very end of the icon list, you’ll see Symbols.
  4. Click the drop-down menu, and you’ll choose the Symbol option.
  5. Mouse over the symbols, until you find the Em dash.  
  6. Click, and insert into the place where your cursor is located.

Using the well-placed en dash is important because your overall presentation makes a world of difference to your editor, agent, publisher, and readers. That may seem counterintuitive because the writing is equally important, but it’s the presentation that tends to enhance your credibility as a writer. (Especially if you self-publish and are doing your own first-draft editing.)

Next month, we’ll look at the final way to edit the dash in your manuscript, but for now. . . just remember, There may be three types of dash, and one of them is not Dasher.

Please take a minute and join in the discussion! I’d love to hear from you!

Choose between the questions to engage in the conversation:

1. Why do you use em dashes?

2. Have you seen any em dashes in place of quotation marks in dialogue? Which title/author uses them?

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Interview with Cynthia Roemer and Under Moonlit Skies Characters

 

I’m thrilled to have back to the blog my dear friend, Cynthia Roemer, author of historical prairie romances. Cynthia’s third book in the Prairie Skies series is coming out soon! And she’d love to share her book hero and heroine with you . . . interview style.

Here’s the blurb to get you started:

UNDER MOONLIT SKIES (Prairie Sky Series ~ Book 3)

Her life was planned out ~ until he rode in ~

Illinois prairie ~ 1859

After four long years away, Esther Stanton returns to the prairie to care for her sister Charlotte’s family following the birth of her second child. The month-long stay seems much too short as Esther becomes acquainted with her brother-in-law’s new ranch hand, Stewart Brant. When obligations compel her to return to Cincinnati and to the man her overbearing mother intends her to wed, she loses hope of ever knowing true happiness.

Still reeling from a hurtful relationship, Stew is reluctant to open his heart to Esther. But when he faces a life-threatening injury with Esther tending him, their bond deepens. Heartbroken when she leaves, he sets out after her and inadvertently stumbles across an illegal slave-trade operation, the knowledge of which puts him, as well as Esther and her family, in jeopardy.

I love that! I know you did some fun research for this book. What’s your favorite historical place you’ve researched, and why?

I truly enjoyed my trip to the First National Road Museum in Vandalia, IL.  I live only an hour and a half away from it and never knew it existed until I started researching. My heroine in Under Moonlit Skies lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, and I needed a route from there to Illinois that existed when the novel is set in 1859. The First National Road, also known as the Cumberland Road, made the perfect route for my characters to travel.

What is the heroine’s greatest asset, and why?

Esther Stanton’s greatest asset would likely be her kind heart. She is caring and nurturing in nature, so unlike her older sister, Charlotte, who readers met in the first two books in the series. Unfortunately, Esther’s thoughtfulness toward others is also her biggest impairment as readers of Under Moonlit Skies will soon discover.

That’s an interesting twist! Looking forward to reading about Esther. What is her greatest fear, and why?

Esther’s greatest fear is missing out on the happy life she hoped to have marrying for love and living on the prairie. As the “obedient” daughter, she feels duty-bound to look after her overbearing mother, sacrificing her wants to please her mother.

How do both Esther’s asset and greatest fear tie into what you hope the reader comes away with?

Well, without giving away any spoilers, Esther eventually does find her voice and embraces what the Lord has in store for her future and her happiness. Through Esther, I want readers to see how the Lord longs to shower us with blessings, if we will only entrust our lives to Him.

What is the hero’s greatest quality, and why?

Stewart Brant is such a good-natured, easy-going guy. As Esther put it, “He’s the type of guy who would give the shirt off his back to help someone.” The name Stewart (Stew) is derived from one of my favorite actors Jimmy Stewart. Stew is also tall and lanky and has much of the same laidback personality as Jimmy. I just love them both! LOL!

Great actor-character inspiration! Jimmy Stewart is one of my favorite actors too. What is the hero’s greatest weakness, and why?

Due to past hurts, lack of funds and schooling, Stew feels inferior, like he’ll never measure up or be good enough. He struggles with comparing himself to others and always finds himself on the short end of the stick.

I can understand Stew’s feelings. I’m looking forward to seeing how Esther brings out the best in him! How do both Stew’s quality and weakness tie into what you hope the reader comes away with?

In the end, Stew discovers his true worth comes not from outward appearances or abilities, but from having a heart for the Lord. Through Stew, I want readers to experience how God views us—as His beloved children made in His image.

Thanks for telling us about your hero and heroine, Cynthia! And it’s been a pleasure having you on the blog today.

The Book Info — aren’t these covers stunning??

 

Under Moonlit Skies is the third book in the Prairie Skies series. Preorders going on now…

You can click on any of the pre-order link below to find out more information about Under Moonlit Skies or any of the other links to check out previous books, if Cynthia is a new-to-you author!

About Cynthia Roemer

Newspaper photo Book 2 - Copy (2)Cynthia Roemer is an award-winning inspirational author with a heart for scattering seeds of hope into the lives of readers. Raised in the cornfields of rural Illinois, Cynthia enjoys spinning tales set in the backdrop of the 1800s prairie. Her Prairie Sky Series consists of Amazon Best-Seller Under This Same Sky, Under Prairie Skies, and Under Moonlit Skies, due to release September 10, 2019. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and writes from her family farm in central Illinois where she resides with her husband of twenty-five years and two college-aged sons. Visit Cynthia online at: www.cynthiaroemer.com.

Cynthia Roemer can be contacted at:

Website:  https://cynthiaroemer.com/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com@cynthiaroemer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCynthiaRoemer/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16785237.Cynthia_Roemer
Author Newsletter Sign-up: http://cynthiaroemer.com/

Cynthia’s Books on Amazon:

Under Moonlit Skies, click here.

Under This Same Sky, click here.

Under Prairie Skies, click here.

Answer the question in the comments:

Who is your favorite actor?

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Punctuation Series: How to Edit En Dashes

 

Punctuation-Series-How-to-Edit-En-Dashes-tisha-martin-author-editor

In the world of grammar and punctuation, there are three types of dash (hyphen, en dash, and em dash). “So what?” you say. “Ah,” but I say, “presentation is everything, especially when it comes to the publishing world. And your presentation of such a small thing as a dash is crucial to your book’s success.”

Working with the dash can be tricky, boring, and downright distressing at times. As a writer and an editor, I completely understand your frustration with grammar and punctuation altogether.

You’d rather write, right? Right! So let’s continue our focus on a simple, easy-to-understand punctuation series that I hope will be a help and encouragement to you—allowing you more time to write well.

If you feel like you’re back in grammar school, please take heart—and know that this isn’t going to be a boring, stuffy ‘nother grammar lesson.

It may seem like the dash is not important, but they are, especially if you use a lot of numbers and dates and prose. And that’s nearly every piece of writing, so I invite you to stay for this little journey. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but merely to give you a tool to use in your self-editing journey, should you choose to do so.

Why Paying Attention to the Dash Is Important

  • Appearance is everything, appearance is everything, appearance . . . yeah
  • The difference is subtle, like missing the road sign on the highway
  • Using the dash correctly shows you care about your story, your editor, and your readers

In this blog post, let’s look at one of the dashes, the en dash. And my text for today is The Chicago Manual of Style, chapter six.

Using the dash to mean “to.” (Chicago Manual of Style 6.78)

Many times the dash is a stand-in for “to,” just like “to be” is an understood for a sentence like “We elected Jane [to be] president.” Nonfiction and Bible study / devotional writers, take a look here, as this will apply to you because you use a lot of Scripture verses.

“To” simply means “up through” or “including up through.” And to write all that is really truly wordy. So we use the en dash to simplify. The point? The en dash connects numbers together (words, not as much).

Here are a few examples:

  • Scripture reference. In John 3:15–17 we learn about God’s love for us.
  • Chapters. Let’s continue our study of Lessons from To Kill a Mockingbird. See chapters 3–4.
  • With scores and directions. Congress voted 100–1 on the new bill.

*Two exceptions. As always, there are exceptions.

  • If your sentence uses from before the number or date element, then do not use the en dash. You would say, “from July to November.”
  • If your sentence uses between, do not use an en dash. For example, “The baby sleeps between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.”

Use the en dash with unfinished number ranges (Chicago Manual of Style 6.79)

If the number range in your sentence is ongoing, then an en dash is appropriate. This would include things like serial publications or the birth date of a living person. No spaces required.

Here are some examples:

  • Scriptmag (especially 2019–) is an excellent magazine for anyone wanting to dig into writing screenplays.
  • Jude’s grandfather (1927–) served in the Korean Conflict.

Use the en dash with compound adjectives (Chicago Manual of Style 6.80)

Okay, so this is a fun one, and I might add, a very important rule to keep in mind. I’ll make it as simple as possible for you. 😊

When the compound adjective has one element that is an open compound or when both elements are hyphenated, then use an en dash in its place.

It might be more helpful if explained this way as an example:

A regular hyphen joins two words (smoke-filled room), but an en dash joins a collection of hyphenated (a multi-published–multi-genre author); see the en dash between “published and multi”).

(Examples to follow so you are not confused.)

  • I write mostly about WWII and the post–WWII era.
    (The distinction here is a proper compound.)
  • We are headed toward Nashville, the music–influenced city of the US.
    (This distinction here is, The city influenced by music.)
  • The singer had an Elvis Presley–style voice.
    (The distinction here is a proper compound.)

How’s that for a very brief introductory into using the en dash?

Pro Tip for Finding the En Dash

  1. Make sure your cursor is at the place where you want the en dash to be placed.
  2. In Microsoft Word (version 2016), go to the Insert tab.
  3. At the very end of the icon list, you’ll see Symbols.
  4. Click the drop-down menu, and you’ll choose the Symbol option.
  5. Mouse over the symbols, until you find the En dash.
  6. Click, and insert into the place where your cursor is located.

Using the well-placed en dash is important because your overall presentation makes a world of difference to your editor, agent, publisher, and readers. That may seem counterintuitive because the writing is equally important, but it’s the presentation that tends to enhance your credibility as a writer. (Especially if you self-publish and are doing your own first-draft editing.)

Next month, we’ll look at some more ways to edit the dash in your manuscript, but for now. . . just remember, There may be three types of dash, and one of them is not Dasher.

appearance cred: first appears as part of a series on Almostanauthor.com, June 22, 2019;
photo cred: canva

Please take a minute and join in the discussion! I’d love to hear from you!

Do you use en dashes? If you haven’t before now, what do you think about using them?

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ACFW: June 2019 Indiana Meeting

acfw, indiana chapter, june 2019

First pages are challenging. Wouldn’t you rather not have to go it alone? The June 2019 Indiana Chapter ACFW meeting is here to help guide and shape the first chapter of your manuscript.

Writers, if you’re near Kokomo, IN, you’ll not want to miss getting your first page evaluated by professional editors in the industry. Kind, gentle, but honest professional advice here. Oh, and lunch beforehand is available too! Click the link below for more details . . .

ACFW IN June 2019 event announcement