Tag: writing tips

Posted in Methods, Writing

Rewrite- How to?

Posted on by Kassandra Carrillo

Finishing a manuscript is one of the greatest accomplishments you can achieve. It’s tough work starting from scratch and typing up the last word but the rewards are great. However, sometimes, well, most of the times, it doesn’t end there. Next, comes editing and for the most part, this also includes rewriting some scenes, entire chapters, or maybe even the entire story.

There are many ways to edit a manuscript and there are many different ways it can be done depending on the writer. However, the most important part is to let the manuscript sit for a while before actually starting to edit it. If the story is still ‘fresh’ in your mind then you won’t be able to notice anything wrong with it. The time away from the manuscript depends on the person.

I liked to find a few close friends/beta readers and ask them to read my manuscript. Not only do I take some time off but it also gives me something to wait on e.g. critiques/comments. It’s also during this time that I like to look over my characters and notes. I’m not looking to change anything but I do think about the ways in which I wrote my characters and if I brought them to life on the page. I also tend to replay key scenes in my head and re-imagine them. What would happen if I change this particular line of dialogue? Or what if I make my character do this instead?

Although I keep repeating myself I will always say that no one method of editing is wrong or right. One way may work better for one person than another.

It’s also a good idea, I found, to convert your manuscript into a .pdf file and read it like a book. You can’t edit and it forces you to read your story without being able to change anything. I typically do this during my waiting time, looking specifically for sentences that don’t really make sense or could use improvement and for small typos. Usually when I read my manuscript I can get a hint of what is missing but they aren’t set in stone until I get back some comments. Usually, my suspicions are correct and some comments point out things that need improvements.

Taking critiques comes with a grain of salt. Some people might respond differently to your writing and that’s okay. Ultimately, it’s your choice as a writer that counts. If the plot is lacking, you usually have to rewrite the entire story but even then that’s nothing to feel dishearten about. I have rewritten one manuscript five times, from scratch, and though it has taken over five years to make it feel right,  it’s the best possible version that it could be. Scenes can be written and so can dialogue.

As long as you’re willing to make changes and abandon some things then rewriting will be easier. Accept the fact that it won’t be easy to begin with and go from there.

Posted in Methods, Writing

Tick Tock

Posted on by Kassandra Carrillo

Recently, I have been reading a lot of short stories by my peers for my creative writing classes. While some have been great with their ups and downs, others are a bit lacking. As per one of my previous posts, I like to sit back and think about what I can steal and what I can avoid. The conclusion that I came to was very simple.

The stories that were a bit lacking had one thing in common: there was no clock. By this I mean that there was no urgency in the story. There was no deadline and the characters didn’t really have a motivation to do anything. So, this got me thinking about my own writing and without realizing, my novel already had a clock. Subconsciously, I must have made this decision knowing that my characters needed a deadline. Of course, the situation that I presented in the first chapter called for a deadline.

However, I looked at my other ideas I plan to write into novels and I noticed that they didn’t have a clock yet. Usually, I’m able to create a bare skeleton plot for my ideas and sometimes I am good at having it all planned out.Yet, I found a few that I was stuck on. I didn’t know what was going to happen or what was at stake. This is where the deadline came in.

The deadline gave the plot(s) a sense of urgency. Not only that but it prompted my characters to move forward. This only helped my character’s motivation appear on the page because readers want to know why someone is doing something. There’s always a reason.

The clock can be metaphorically or physically, like a bomb about to go off on a plane. Either way, it shows that something has to happen. This event will propel readers to turn to the next page eager to find out what happens. So, if you’re struggling with your writing, sit back and think for a moment. Is there a deadline? What is at stake? Would the story stay the same if the deadline isn’t met?

Thanks for joining me this week.

Until next time,

Kassandra C.

Posted in Methods, Writing

Media Muse

Posted on by Kassandra Carrillo

Recently, I have been doing research . . . of watching television shows. While everyone has different view on shows and different opinions of them, we can’t deny that there is something about a particular show that draws you in. As a writer, I wanted to explore that and to used it in my writing. Writing scripts, I believe, is just as difficult as writing anything else.

There’s less room to explain and each scene and piece of dialogue have to contribute to the story. It’s the same as writing but there’s the time frame to think about. Saying that, I recently watched MTV’s The Shannara Chronicles and I was in awe. Usually with fantasy, it can be difficult to picture how the world looks and the characters. I have a lot of respect for fantasy authors because I know how difficult it can be to write for the genre. I’m trying to work on my own fantasy novel and I’m stuck in the planning phase.

This show, like films, nudged my brain into thinking visual again. I started to play out scenes in my head instead of concentrating on all the details. Sure the details are important but I let myself become overwhelmed and the planning made my muse give up. So, watching the first episode I started to twist up the scenes and molding them to fit my characters. Not only that but I wanted my idea and story to compete with the show. How could I get my characters to jump off the screen (pages in this case)? What made this show so interesting to watch? Of course, they have Terry Brooks books to go off of but in its own right, I liked what I was seeing.

It’s not only shows that put a fire in me that makes me pick up a pen and start writing. Films, novels and video games all put a spark in me when they’re well written, made, etc.
So, next time you’re watching your favorite show, watching a movie, reading, playing a gsme, stop and think about why you like it. What makes you go back to it time and time again?

What shows get your creative minds going? What do you steal from them? Until next time, Kassandra.