All questions are anonymous. If you know who is asking the question and wish to leave a comment, please respect their rights to remain anonymous.
Q: SD, I’ve been
told that it’s important to fully finish your book before you get started on a
sequel. Is this true?
A: Now that’s a good
question and only you know the actual, factual, and personal answer to that. I
list those three simply because those are the three questions that can only be
answered by you. 1. Actually: There is no actual rule on writing a book or
series of books. If your heart is set on making a series, then make a series.
2. Factually: If your book isn’t liked or garnish large sales, then the facts
is evident that a sequel will not be well received. And lastly 3. Personally:
The heart does what the heart wishes and there is nothing that can be done
about it. If your writing makes you
happy and you wish to share that happiness with others, than who to say if your
book is slow to sale today that it won’t catch fire tomorrow. Now you can see
why I said that only you know the correct answer to that. But be forward, (as
the old saying goes) be careful what you wish for, you might just get it. Remember
there is this author who manuscript was turned down over 300 times. After worldwide
acceptance of the series and several movies later, it wasn’t all those who
turned down her manuscript who counts, but the one who accepted. SD
Q: SD, A member of
my writers group say he was taught to write his story forward first and then
backwards to insure there is no gaps or leaps of faith. I was embarrassed to
ask what he meant. Can you tell me?
A: Before we get
started, you should never feel embarrassed asking a question, any question. I’m
sure you joined a writers’ group to help you improve skills. As you have said
yourself, the person who spoke on this new skill had in fact had learned it
from someone else. Here’s a little secret (between the two of us). When you
explain something to someone else, it helps you almost as much as it does them.
This is because, you will now have to make adjustments in your thinking so they
could understand what you are saying, which in turn cause you to sharpen your
own understanding on any given subject. Now on to your question.
Writing your
story forward is like driving from a
starting point to your destination. The reason for writing backwards is to
insure all the road markers line up so the person who is following your
directions (the reader) can make the same journey. Simple, right? Oh, but here
is the true meaning of writing backwards and removing those nasty gaps or
forcing your reader to have those leaps of faith he spoke about. If you are
writing a who done it (example) and you would like to have that OH WOW moment
at the end, you need to drop some Easter Eggs that are out in the open throughout
your story, but can easily be overlooked. Writing in reverse help this happens.
So, when your reader comes to the end of your story and yells Bull-Crap, after
they look through the story a second time and find your subtle hints (the size
of a mountain) they will praise you, curse you, and buy your next book. I hope
this helps. SD
Q: SD, I hired someone to edit my manuscript, and
they practically changed my story completely, what should I do?
A: Here we go again with three sides of the same story.
However, your side is the only one that matters because money changed hands. I do hope it was only a retainer and the full
payment is to be released once the task was completed and accepted by you. Now
onto the difficult part of the show. The your side and their side (Farscape TV
Show reference-Fan Man- too old to be a boy). Your Side: You’re not happy with
their work and have the right to complain. Suggest you make up a specific list
of how, what, and where they had disappointed you with your manuscript. Be fully
prepared to review with them the overall direction and heart of the story they
had failed to keep intact. Their side: Did you give them enough background
information that they could base their work on? Did you request periodic or
millstone updates (by chapters, quarter, or half completions) to insure they
remain on task and subject. Will you give them an opportunity to make
corrections? Like most relationships if given time, honest effort, and open
communication, the outcome is welcomed, appreciated, and joyful. Now onto that
nasty third side of the story. Reality: You get what you paid for. If you went bargain
basement, than you should not expect much. However, everyone had to start
somewhere and they may be more willing to work with you quicker than those who
would point out clauses in their contract. Like most businesses, no one wants a
bad review and hope for repeat customers and praise in writing and or word of
mouth. I hope this help. SD
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