Karin Beery's Blog Member of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors

The Fine Line Between Good & Great

Turning good manuscripts into great books.

My business motto sets a standard for my clients so they understand my editing style, including why I tend to be nit-picky about details many readers might not notice—my goal is to help create great books, not good ones.

There are a lot of good books out there. They have decent plots, characters, and conflicts, but they’re largely forgettable. People read them and rate them 3- or 4-stars, but they never talk about them again. Or worse, they confuse them with someone else’s book and talk about the wrong one!

So, what is it that boosts a book into greatness?

  • Attention to detail.
  • Honing the writing craft.
  • Doing what’s best when other writers do what’s easiest.
  • Time.

Here’s the hard truth: Well-established authors can get away with breaking the “rules” because they already have a fan base. Their fans will forgive them if their latest plot isn’t quite as engaging or the characters quite as unique. For new writers, however, the standard is higher—they need to develop that fan base, that tribe, first, and that means writing to that higher standard.

Unfortunately, meeting that standard almost always means years of writing, learning, and revising, and many authors aren’t interested in investing that much time. They want to get their books out as quickly as possible, so they publish a good book instead of waiting to make it a great one.

I’ve told many writers that their manuscripts are good, even admitting that I’ve read some published books at the same level as their manuscripts. But I don’t turn them away and wish them luck with a good book; I ask them if they want to work harder to produce a great one. It takes time and a lot of work, but the result is always a better book. It’s a book that sticks with people, that they share with others because it captured their hearts.

If you’d like to see if your good manuscript can be better, leave a comment or contact me at karin@writenowedits.com.

For more fiction-writing tips and advice, follow me on Facebook at Writing Now Editing, or sign up for my monthly newsletter and learn the easiest way to make a good impression with agents and publishers!

Effective Feedback: Get More From Your Beta Readers

One of the best ways to find issues in your manuscript is to ask for feedback from others. Once you have that information, you can use it to find and fix problem areas in your story. A lot of authors understand this concept, but the process doesn’t always work for them.

Why? They ask the wrong questions.

Too often, authors ask yes/no questions or questions that can be answered with 1-2 words.

Did you like this book?
Did it keep you engaged?
Who was your favorite character?

These questions don’t give us enough information to self-edit our manuscripts. Instead, we need to go deeper, and that includes asking more specific questions (or including follow-up questions).

In my book How to Edit Your Novel: Practical Tips for Strengthening Your Story, I include many questions to ask your readers, then tell you how to process and apply the information to your manuscript. I can’t give you all the details here, but I can share with you some of the questions I suggest asking to get the most from your early readers. 

General:

  1. Does the point of view flow well? If not, where did it stall for you?
  2. Does the point of view feel natural? If not, where did it feel unnatural to you?
  3. Were there any places where the point of view confused you? Where?

Characters:

  1. Who were your favorite characters? Why?
  2. Who were your least favorite characters? Why?
  3. Were there any characters you didn’t like? What didn’t you like about them?

Plot:

  1. Are there any places where the story dragged or was overexplained? Where?
  2. Did the action drag? Where?
  3. Were you bored with any scenes? Which ones?

Descriptions:

  1. Were there any places that felt choppy or confusing? Where?
  2. Were there any confusing places/descriptions? Where?
  3. Did anything about the story feel cliché or “done before”? Which parts?

Notice that each questions includes a follow-up. That follow-up is where you find the gold—get the specifics to help you find and fix those problem areas.

Still have questions? Let me know! karin@karinbeery.com

For more fiction-writing tips and advice, follow me on Facebook at Writing Now Editing, or sign up for my monthly newsletter and learn the easiest way to make a good impression with agents and publishers!

Research & Revising: Two Paths to Novel Writing

Most writers know that the first draft of their manuscript will never sell, but how many drafts does a writer have to write?

Honestly, the writing portion of a novel takes the shortest amount of time. The research and/or revising will likely (and should likely) take up 75% or more of the process. Depending on how you prefer to spend your time (research or revision), you’ll have different numbers of drafts (though the first draft will never be your final). And regardless of which method you prefer, you’ll have to invest time to create an engaging, readable story.

Write type of writer are you? Here’s a quick quiz:

  • Would you rather:
  1. Plan every detail of your trip before you leave so you maximize the experience and don’t miss anything?
  2. Hop on the plane and see what happens, even if it means you miss a few things?
  • When buying clothes, do you:
  1. Try things on in the store to make sure you know how everything looks and feels, then buy only what you need?
  2. Buy arms full of things to try on at home and return what you don’t want later?
  • Before going to a new restaurant, do you:
  1. Find the restaurant and menu online so you know what to order when you get there?
  2. Maybe you’ll scan the menu online, but you don’t make any decisions until you’re in your seat and everyone else has ordered?

If you answered A to most of those, you’re probably a researcher. If you answered B, you’re probably a reviser.

Researcher

Researchers like to know all the details before they start writing their stories. They have notes on:

  • Characters, include goals, motivations, conflicts; appearance; character arc.
  • They know their stories transitional moments (inciting incident, breaking point, point of no return, etc.).
  • They’ve calculated where in the story each main plot point and reaction should occur.
  • They’ve tracked the setting, including building details, topographical information, and historical events (if needed).
  • They have binders or folders full of notes on all of these details.

By the time a researcher sits down to write, they know almost everything they need to know about the story. They’ve spent weeks (or months) writing things down and organizing them before they ever type the first word of their manuscripts.

Reviser

Revisers tend to start with a solid understanding of either their plot or characters, but most of the details have yet to be discovered. Sometimes called seat-of-the-pants writers, they do minimal prep work before writing (usually a few days or maybe a week or two). Their process is more trial-and-error: if something doesn’t work, edit out and try something different.

Revisers (as you might imagine) spend more time revising their manuscripts. It may take 1-2 (or three or four) big revisions before they’re ready to let anyone read or critique their manuscripts.

Neither of these paths is right or wrong. Neither one yields better results than the other. They’re just different. Don’t get discouraged if your best friend is a researcher and only needs to edit her story instead of revising it. That method works for her; your method works for you.

Not sure which type of writer you are? Email me at karin@writenowedits.com and we’ll figure it out!

For more fiction-writing tips and advice, follow me on Facebook at Writing Now Editing, or sign up for my monthly newsletter and learn the easiest way to make a good impression with agents and publishers!

Women’s Fiction and Family Fiction: What are they?

Fiction genres seem to be spawning. Contemporary and historical fiction are now too broad of descriptors for readers who know exactly what they want: historical romantic suspense or contemporary magical realism. This effort to provide more clarity has resulted in many new genres.

Two story types that have become quite popular are women’s and family fiction.

What exactly are they and what do they need to include?

Women’s Fiction

In its broadest sense, women’s fiction is any novel in which the main character is a woman. The novel can include elements of romance, suspense, history, science fiction, etc., as long as the main focus of the story is on the female lead.

It’s not enough to simply have a female main character (FMC), though. In women’s fiction, the story needs to revolve around the FMC’s story arc—how and why she moves from Point A to Point B. Those points can be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual.

Often (but not always), women’s fiction includes deeper topics or themes. The female detective isn’t just searching for a killer; she’s challenging her sobriety by tackling her first case since receiving her 90-day chip from Alcoholics Anonymous. The FMC is forced to confront her narcissistic brother, exposing wounds, then healing them as she learns the power of forgiveness. Or she overcomes crippling self-doubt through a serious of awkward events that teach her how to laugh at life and herself.

Women’s fiction can include one or several main characters. It can be written in first person or third person. Dramatic or humorous. Contemporary or historical. But the woman’s story arc must be the central story.

Family Fiction

You may have already guessed: family fiction focuses on the family, but it’s more than simply including a family in your novel. The story needs to include the family dynamics and different characters’ plot lines, which lends itself well to multiple point-of-view characters.

While women’s fiction focuses on the main character confronting her narcissistic brother, family fiction will focus on how the narcissistic brother affects the whole family. It could include points of view from the sister, brother, mother, and father. Instead of honing in on one specific event—when the sister confronts her brother—family fiction pulls back the lens to look at how all the characters interact over the years leading up to that confrontation (or perhaps after it).

Family fiction can include generations in one timeline or dual timelines (showing grandma in the 1940s, mom in the 1970s, and daughter in the 2000s). It can fit into one story (like the movie The Family Stone) or several (Karen Kingsbury’s Baxter family series). The most important element is the family perspective. Family fiction isn’t the story of one member of a family; it’s the story of them all.

Still have questions? Send them to me at karin@writenowedits.com.

For more fiction-writing tips and advice, follow me on Facebook at Writing Now Editing, or sign up for my monthly newsletter and learn the easiest way to make a good impression with agents and publishers!

For more fiction-writing tips, check out:

Omniscient Point of View
Why Novels Need Structure

The Omniscient Point of View

Once the go-to point of view for novels, the omniscient POV isn’t as popular as it once was, but it’s making a reappearance in modern fiction. Many authors assume omniscient is easier to write because of its broad range—you can jump into any character’s head at a time—but that’s actually what makes it so difficult.

What is Omniscient POV?

The omniscient perspective is the eye-in-the-sky, all knowing perspective that allows the reader to see any character at any time in any location. Even though it’s written using third person pronouns (he, she, they), it’s a shallow perspective. It doesn’t show the characters’ emotions or thoughts at a deep level because, even though the narrator knows what each character feels and thinks, the narrator doesn’t experience those feelings or emotions.

The difference between third person and omniscient POVs can be seen in the difference between listening to an explorer tell about his adventures and listening to a reporter tell about an explorer’s adventures. When using third person, authors live inside the point-of-view character, so they show everything as if they’re experiencing it. When using omniscient, authors observe the characters, so they show everything as if they’ve observed it.

How is Omniscient Different from Head Hopping?

The difference between omniscient and head hopping lies in the details. In the omniscient perspective, each scene shows what the narrator observes, which can include observing characters in different places in the house, city, or state at the same time. Head hopping, however, uses the third person perspective, showing each character’s emotions and thoughts, without including scene breaks to distinguish a POV change.

Why Does the Narrator Matter?

What truly sets third person and omniscient POVs apart is the narrator voice. In third person, each scene is shown from one character’s perspective, and each of those characters has a unique voice. Their upbringing, education, and life experiences determine their vocabulary, tone, and rhythm. Chapters in a male POV will sound different from chapters in a female POV. Scenes in a homeless dropout’s POV will sound different from scenes in a trust fund kid’s POV. In third person, each POV character has a unique voice.

In omniscient POV, there’s one voice—the narrator’s voice. It doesn’t matter if the narrator is describing male or female, young or old, rich or poor. The words and style used by the narrator to show each scene will sound the same. This isn’t a diverse perspective that shows how different races and genders view the same situation. It’s one perspective for all things.

When Would You Use Omniscient POV?

The omniscient perspective works well in stories where the focus is on the big picture and not on individual characters. Romance focuses intensely on the emotions and thoughts of a few specific characters; it’s the perfect genre for third person. Any type of coming-of-age or personal growth drama should consider third (or first) person. Mysteries and suspense—when the reader wants to see and feel exactly what the protagonist and antagonist feel—should stick with third. These all focus on the characters.

Omniscient works well in books that focus more on setting or theme. I don’t mean setting in the sense of the house a character lives in, but the whole setting—time and location. You see these frequently in historical and speculative genres. For theme, look to literary fiction.

For example, consider a novel that shows the lives of fifteen soldiers serving in Operation Desert Storm; the emphasis isn’t specifically on one character but on what this group of characters experienced during the early 2000s in the Middle East (time and location). Omniscient also works well when introducing a cast of characters in a made-up world (location). If a is story less concerned with how a character changes in a book and more interested in how that character observes and experiences forgiveness throughout her life (theme), omniscient can work.

This does not mean you can never use omniscient in a women’s fiction novel and you can never use third person in speculative fiction. These are merely examples of genres that work well with the omniscient POV. I’m seeing it more often now in modern fiction, so understanding its strengths and weaknesses can help you decide if it’s the right POV for you.

If you have questions about omniscient or any points of view, leave a comment or contact me at karin@writenowedits.com.

For more fiction-writing tips and advice, follow me on Facebook at Writing Now Editing, or sign up for my monthly newsletter and learn the easiest way to make a good impression with agents and publishers!

For more information on point of view:

First or Third Person Point of View by Karin Beery
Writing Deep Viewpoint by Kathy Tyers

First or Third Person Point of View: When and Why?

When it comes to captivating your audience, point of view (POV) matters. While there are no right or wrong places to use different POVs, there are absolutely genres and styles that work well with specific POVs. Before we jump into that, let’s look at the different POVs often used in fiction.

First, Third, and Omniscient POVs

For the sake of this post, we’ll refer to the three main POVs as First Person, Third Person, and Omniscient. Kathy Tyers, author of Writing Deep Viewpoint, defines them as:

  • First Person: Narrator uses the “I” voice.
  • Third Person: Narrator is present as a named character, using the “he” or “she” voice.
  • Omniscient: Still “he” or “she,” the narrator’s consciousness is godlike in knowledge.

Each of these POVs provides s different depth of perspective.

First Person is the deepest, putting the reader directly into the mind and body of the narrator and allowing the reader to experience the story life as real life—only knowing, feeling, and sensing situations from one perspective.

Third Person can keep the reader close (Deep Third) or at a distance (Shallow Third). In today’s market, Deep Third is preferred. Similar to First Person, Deep Third pulls the reader into the mind and body of the narrator (again only showing what the character knows, feels, and senses), but the use of “he” and “she” pronouns adds a bit of space between the character and reader. Shallow Third adds even more space, as it doesn’t rely as heavily on the POV character’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions and often focuses more on external descriptions and plot points.

Omniscient is a third-person POV (as it uses “he” and “she”). Its perspective creates the most space between the characters and the reader as it doesn’t ever allow the reader to get into the main character’s head or heart. The narrator can describe what a character does (and possibly even the motivations) but can’t convey the feelings and emotions of each character because the narrator is, in fact, its own godlike, all-knowing character.

When and Why to Use Each POV

Technically, authors can use any POV in any novel or genre, but there are certain POVs that work better in different genres. Here are a few examples and why they do/don’t work.

First Person—Yes: This intimate perspective is excellent for books with one main character, such as young adult or women’s fiction novels that follow the growth and character arc of one person. There may be best friends, enemies, and love interests, but their main purpose in the story is to motivate the main character to change (or to highlight how the main character changes).

First Person—No: Most romance novel readers want to see the story from both the hero’s and the heroine’s perspectives. Because of this, the majority of romance novels are written in Third Person, so readers expect (and even demand) that perspective. While you technically can write a romance novel in First Person, there are readers who simply will not read it because of the POV. Since it’s possible to create a similar POV depth by writing Deep Third, that’s usually recommended for romance novels.

Third Person—Yes: Any book with multiple main characters is the perfect book for Third Person POV. I already mentioned romance novels, but it also works well in speculative fiction, historical, suspense, thriller. Anytime you have two or more main characters (characters with goals/motivations/conflicts and character arcs), it’s a good story for Third Person.

Third Person—No: I honestly can’t think of a time when I would encourage an author to avoid this POV. Because it’s so widely accepted, it can be used in just about any genre.

Omniscient—Yes: Omniscient works well in literary fiction, where the emphasis in on the theme instead of the plot and characters. It can also work well in epic novels, where the story takes place over large periods of time or space, again taking the focus off of a few specific characters and instead putting it on several people throughout time or across the world. (Think Hawaii by Jame Michener.)

Omniscient—No: Aside from one specific genre to avoid, it’s really a specific type of story that doesn’t work well with Omniscient: stories about or that highlight deep emotional connections. For that reason, romance novels are out. For all other genres … it depends. If you want to tell the story of six soldiers in the Civil War, omniscient might not be the best fit, but it could work perfectly for the story of a regimen of soldiers and their impact on the war.

I’ll say it one more time because it can’t be said enough—there are no right or wrong ways to use POV in your books. But there are ways to use POV to improve your chances of getting noticed, getting published, and developing a fan base.

Still have questions? Let me know! karin@karinbeery.com

For more fiction-writing tips and advice, follow me on Facebook at Writing Now Editing, or sign up for my monthly newsletter and learn the easiest way to make a good impression with agents and publishers!

For more fiction writing tips, try these:

Backstory: The Right and Wrong Ways to Use Dialogue
Why Novels Need Structure

Backstory: The Right and Wrong Ways to Use Dialogue

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Every main character in every book has a backstory, but the readers don’t need to see or understand it all. There are times, however, when it’s necessary to include backstory in your manuscript to either fill in plot holes or show character development. One of the best ways to do that is by using dialogue, but only if you do it the right way.

Here’s a look at the wrong way to show backstory using dialogue:

“I think one of my friends stole my watch,” Ben said.
“Why would you say that?” his mom asked.
“Do you remember my twenty-first birthday party last week? It rained all day and we had to move the activities inside? The house wasn’t big enough, so people filled the living room, dining room, and hallway?”
“Of course.”
“Well, my bedroom is at the top of the stairs. Anyone could have gone up there without us noticing.”

Here’s the problem with that section: Ben’s mom already knows the details of the party, her son’s age, and the layout of the house. There’s no reason for him to give her that information. Doing so makes it look like this conversation is a set-up to give information to the readers (which it is). There are two ways to solve this problem.

#1: Make the dialogue more realistic:

“I think one of my friends stole my watch,” Ben said.
“Why would you say that?” his mom asked.
“Do you remember how crowded the house was during my birthday party? Anyone could have gone up to my bedroom without us noticing.”

#2: Use the Dumb Puppet:

“I think one of my friends stole my watch,” Ben said.
“Why would you say that?” his mom asked.
“Do you remember how crowded the house was during my birthday party?  Anyone could have gone up to my bedroom without us noticing.”
“How could you not notice someone in your bedroom?” Brian asked.
“The party was supposed to be outside, but it rained all day,” his mom said. “We had to move the activities inside. The house wasn’t big enough, so people filled the living room, dining room, and hallway. Ben’s bedroom is upstairs. Anyone could have gone up without us noticing.”

Do you see the difference between options?In the first version, the dialogue is unnatural. Yes, it gives necessary information, but it also makes the characters seems awkward. The latter options create a smoother flowing story. If the details of the party aren’t important, cut them (example one) and keep the story moving. If they are important, include a character who doesn’t know what’s going on (in this case, Brian is the Dumb Puppet) so the other characters can explain it without sounding awkward.

Are you struggling to include backstory in a more natural way? Let me know, and let’s see how we can figure it out together.

AVAILABLE NOW–get your copy here!

If you’re looking to strengthen your writing and self-editing skills, here’s what you can expect in How to Edit Your Novel:

Take your self-editing skills to the next level.

• Have you eliminated all the telling?
• Are the characters complex?
• Is every scene necessary?

Most authors will answer ‘yes!’ to these questions. But then editors and readers tell them the descriptions don’t engage them, the characters are stereotypical, and the story dragged.

How do you fix it?

Self-editing can only take you so far. But if you know the right questions to ask and you know how to interpret the answers, you’ll not only strengthen your self-editing skills, you’ll strengthen your writing.

HOW TO EDIT YOUR NOVEL doesn’t simply rehash the fiction-writing basics that create good stories-it provides examples, context, and questions that will help authors identify and strengthen their weaknesses the same way a professional editor tackles a manuscript. By combining mini writing lessons with practical self-editing tips, everything a writer needs to become a better self-editor is practically presented.

Whether you’re a new writer or an experienced author, HOW TO EDIT YOUR NOVEL can help you polish your story into a gem agents, publishers, and readers will want to keep reading.

” … bound to be a book you keep right next to your keyboard …. ”
–Cristel Phelps, Managing Editor for Fiction, Elk Lake Publishing, Inc

Why Novels Need Story Structure

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

Have you ever walked into your regular grocery store and cringed because they rearranged the store? You find dog food in the bread aisle and paper plates where the cereal used to be. Everything you need is still in the store, but it’s hard to find, which can be frustrating.

Something similar happens when authors write books without structure—readers “walk in” to the story expecting to find three acts or mirroring plot points, but instead they find vignettes or backstory. If it’s a favorite author—like your regular grocery store—they might stick around and try to find their way through the mess, but if it’s someone new to them, chances are good that they’ll walk out and find a story that’s less frustrating.

In his book Just Write, James Scott Bell says structure is important for the reader, not the writer. Whether or not they realize it, readers have specific expectations for novels. They expect the boy and girl to live happily ever after in a romance. They detective must find the criminal in a mystery. Historical events need to impact the characters in historical romance.

All of those elements are part of a novel’s structure. Recognizing and understanding different story structures will help you create a solid foundation on which to build your novel.

As with most things in fiction writing, there’s no one-way to do things. There are different types of story structure you can use, and they all work. A good place to start is the traditional three-act story.

A three-act story actually includes at least six main points, but the three most obvious are the acts.

Act I: The introduction—this is where you introduce the setting and main characters.
Act II: The body—where the story happens (and conflict reigns).
Act III: The conclusion—the climax of the story where everything resolves.

But you also need some transitional elements.

Inciting Incident: Something out of the ordinary that forces the main character into the story.
First Door: A situation requiring a decision that pushes the MC from Act I into Act II.
Second Door: A life-changing decision that forces the MC into Act III (it doesn’t matter what the MC chooses, life will be different; it’s his choice as to how it will be different).

Most readers cand identify these elements, but the subconsciously look for them, and including them in your book helps them more easily navigate new settings, new characters, and a new author voice.

The are many variations of the three-act plot, and they all work. The key is to find the structure model that works best for you and your story. I’ve listed some of my favorite resources for structure below—what’s your go-to book for plot structure?

AVAILABLE NOW! Get your copy here!

If you’re looking to strengthen your writing and self-editing skills, here’s what you can expect in How to Edit Your Novel:

Take your self-editing skills to the next level.

• Have you eliminated all the telling?
• Are the characters complex?
• Is every scene necessary?

Most authors will answer ‘yes!’ to these questions. But then editors and readers tell them the descriptions don’t engage them, the characters are stereotypical, and the story dragged.

How do you fix it?

Self-editing can only take you so far. But if you know the right questions to ask and you know how to interpret the answers, you’ll not only strengthen your self-editing skills, you’ll strengthen your writing.

HOW TO EDIT YOUR NOVEL doesn’t simply rehash the fiction-writing basics that create good stories-it provides examples, context, and questions that will help authors identify and strengthen their weaknesses the same way a professional editor tackles a manuscript. By combining mini writing lessons with practical self-editing tips, everything a writer needs to become a better self-editor is practically presented.

Whether you’re a new writer or an experienced author, HOW TO EDIT YOUR NOVEL can help you polish your story into a gem agents, publishers, and readers will want to keep reading.

” … bound to be a book you keep right next to your keyboard …. ”
–Cristel Phelps, Managing Editor for Fiction, Elk Lake Publishing, Inc

Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson

AI and Novel Editing

Confession: I use Grammarly. I know other writing professional who also use it. But Grammarly, ProWriting Aid, and PefectIt will never replace an editor. Despite the unlimited capacity of AI, there are a few reasons to proceed cautiously in the automated sphere.

More than Punctuation

Editing includes more than correct punctuation and grammar. There are actually several round of editing before you focus on those things. A comprehensive editing experience includes:

  • Developmental/Substantive: reviewing the big picture issues, including characterization, plot structure, pacing, and fiction-writing strategies.
  • Line: tightening each page, paragraph, and line to improve the flow, strengthen author voice, and create the most vivid and engaging descriptions.
  • Copy: grammar and punctuation, but also syntax, consistency, spelling, and more.
  • Proofread: typo check; it’s less of an edit than a review for stray errors.

Authors need all of these edits to create engaging, relatable stories. Grammarly and other programs skip developmental and line editing in favor of copyediting. (But just because they’re automated doesn’t mean they’re always right—you should never accept all of their suggested changes without double checking each to make sure it’s correct.)

Grammarly and other programs are a great tool you can use to clean up the technical issues of your manuscript but they can’t evaluate your story or writing skills.

Not All Feedback is the Same

Several years ago I received harsh criticism of one of my romance novels. At the end of the comments the reviewer said, “I don’t really like or read romance novels though.” The reviewer’s opinions were valid, but they didn’t accurately reflect the quality of my writing or its appeal to my audience because the reviewer didn’t honestly know the difference between good and bad romance writing.

I’m starting to see authors using AI to review their stories instead of hiring editors or finding beta readers. These authors hope computer programs can evaluate their stories’ strengthens and weaknesses. But it doesn’t matter how many stories a company feeds into AI, it will never give authors what they really need—a reader’s perspective.

AI can only tell you what it thinks people will say or feel about a particular type or writing, but the feedback will be as useful as asking a non-romance reader to read and review romance—some of the comments might be helpful, but you’ll never really know how your audience feels about the story because you’re not asking them.

Context Matters

AI learns from analyzing any books it reads, but it doesn’t consider when the books were written or for whom. Yes, Pride and Prejudice and Moby Dick are well-known and often beloved books, but their style of writing would never be published today.

Reading tastes change. What was once popular isn’t anymore, but those styles are influencing AI because they’re being fed to the program.

Unless you can guarantee that the AI program you use has only analyzed manuscripts from the past two decades, it will compare your style (and suggest changes) based on outdated, once-popular styles that will turn off today’s readers, agents, and publishers.

Tools are Tools

I’m not against AI. In fact, I’m looking forward to learning more about it and using it in my work—as a tool. It won’t replace editors, designers, beta readers, or others because it can’t. But refusing to learn how to use it effectively could be as useful as insisting on using a typewriter instead of a computer.

There’s still a lot to learn about AI and how it can help authors and editors. It’s okay to explore those options, but please don’t try to replace trained professionals with it. The results might not live up to your (or your reader’s) expectations.

Still have questions? Let me know! karin@karinbeery.com

For more fiction-writing tips and advice, follow me on Facebook at Writing Now Editing, or sign up for my monthly newsletter and learn the easiest way to make a good impression with agents and publishers!

How to Write a Novel: Book Recommendations for All Writers

With 15+ years of experience writing and editing fiction, I can teach you a lot about plot, characters, style, pacing, and more, but I didn’t invent most of the techniques that I teach. To be completely honest, I’m still honing many of those skills myself. To do that, I continue to read books on writing, and I regularly recommend them to my clients.

Even if you hire me to edit your manuscript or coach you through the process, having these books on hand is a good idea for your own continual education and growth. These are the books that have helped me and countless others develop their fiction-writing skills.

General Fiction Writing

The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction by Jeff Gerke

“There is skill involved in writing excellent … fiction. There is craftsmanship to be learned. And there are the long hours pounding away on a manuscript that, by the time you’re done with it, has you convinced it’s the worst piece of garbage ever penned by man.”

 

The Story Equation by Susan May Warren

“You can plot your entire book by asking one powerful question, and then plugging it into an “equation” that makes your plot and characters come to life. You’ll learn how to create compelling characters, build the external and internal journey of your characters, create a theme, create story and scene tension, plot your novel organically, and even pitch and market your bestseller. All with one amazing question.”

5 Editors Tackle the 12 Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing by C.S. Lakin

“5 Editors Tackle the Twelve Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing demonstrates the deadly dozen pitfalls on the road to a strong story, along with revisions that show writers exactly how to avoid novel failure. No other writing craft book offers such detailed instruction in how to spot and remedy the major flaws of fiction writing.”

 

Writing Deep Viewpoint by Kathy Tyers

“Deep viewpoint can convince your readers that they have become your characters. This powerful writing-craft skill set includes showing instead of telling, maintaining story flow, attributing dialogue effectively, and showing characters interact with convincing antagonists and believable settings. Writing coach, editor, and New York Times best-selling author Kathy Tyers presents a short powerful set of writing-craft tools in Writing Deep Viewpoint.”

Plot/Structure

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

“[A] comprehensive story-structure guide for novelists that applies the famed Save the Cat! screenwriting methodology to the world of novel writing. Revealing the 15 “beats” (plot points) that comprise a successful story–from the opening image to the finale–this book lays out the Ten Story Genres (Monster in the House; Whydunit; Dude with a Problem) alongside quirky, original insights (Save the Cat; Shard of Glass) to help novelists craft a plot that will captivate–and a novel that will sell.”

How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson

“How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method is a “business parable”—a how-to guide written in story form. It’s zany. It’s over the top. It’s just plain fun. Most important, it’s effective, because it shows you, rather than telling you.”

 

Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell

“How does plot influence story structure? What’s the difference between plotting for commercial and literary fiction? How do you revise a plot or structure that’s gone off course? With Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure, you’ll discover the answers to these questions and more.”

 

Characterization

Getting Into Character by Brandilyn Collins

“Want to bring characters to life on the page as vividly as fine actors do on the stage or screen? Getting Into Character will give you a whole new way of thinking about your writing. Drawing on the Method Acting theory that theater professionals have used for decades, this in-depth guide explains seven characterization techniques and adapts them for the novelist’s use.”

Plot Versus Character by Jeff Gerke

“What’s more important to a story: a gripping plot or compelling characters? Literary-minded novelists argue in favor of character-based novels while commercial novelists argue in favor of plot-based stories, but the truth of the matter is this: The best fiction is rich in both. Enter Plot Versus Character. This hands-on guide to creating a well-rounded novel embraces both of these crucial story components.”

What are your favorite fiction-writing resources?

For more fiction-writing tips and advice, follow me on Facebook at Writing Now Editing, or sign up for my monthly newsletter and learn the easiest way to make a good impression with agents and publishers!

Latest Posts

The Fine Line Between Good & Great

December 20, 2024

Writing Descriptions: The Envelope Method

November 22, 2024

What is Character Voice?

October 22, 2024

What is Author Voice?

September 23, 2024

Dialogue: More than Talking

August 20, 2024

Effective Feedback: Get More From Your Beta Readers

July 22, 2024

Contact Us

Facebook Instagram Linkedin