Tuesday, January 29, 2013

How being an intern helps your writing


I did a piece on YAtopia about How to become an Intern and I'm inspired to share with you why I believe being an intern improves your writing.

I've been interning for a publisher, which means I provide them with reader reports on submissions they give me. While I can't talk about the submissions, I can talk about my personal process for this.

Basically I jot down notes chapter by chapter looking for the naughty no-nos, like:

  • Telling
  • Info dumping
  • Poor punctuation and grammar
  • Plot issues
  • Wayward characterization.
Then I do a little summary about my overall thoughts.

I'm not a good editor of my own work naturally, but I love editing other people's work. But I don't get to do it as often as I'd like. However with my internship there has been a steady flow of work for me to read and I've found my mind stays in reader report mode now.

I was looking for five pages of sample writing to send off to someone and was horrified as I looked through a draft manuscript that I thought was some of my best work. Yikes! I found so much telling and info dumps where the MC is continuing explaining the world building. Yes it's a very complicated world building I've created, but I was about as subtle as a sledge hammer.

But it doesn't upset me as I know that when I get back into that manuscript I will weed out all the naughties with my new found report report mode.

So, for those of you who are interns - what are some of the things you love about it? (I love the fact I get to read amazing books before they're published and FOR FREE!)

And those of you thinking about interning, what would you like to get out of it?


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Sunday, January 20, 2013

One Lovely Blog Award




My Pitch Wars pal, Stacey Lee, nominated me for One Lovely Blog Award. It's so pretty I could refuse!
 
Part of the blog post for this is to share seven interesting facts about me (I might have to think very hard to find seven things):

1. I'm an obsessive compulsive collector and horder.
2. I've never broken a bone.
3. I once dated a student teacher at my school (I'm a good girl, really!)
4. I have been stalked by women on separate occasions wanted to know where I bought my shoes from.
5. As a teenager I was seronaded by three guys in the middle of the street because they thought I looked like Mariah Carey. They sung me a Whitney Housten song *palms face*
6. I married my highschool sweetheart.
7. Giggle too much.

And now for my own One Lovely Blog award nominees:

Stacey Nash - My amazing Alpha Reader and fellow Aussie Owned and Read blogger
Katie Teller's Stories - My Aussie Owned and Read pal
Lauren's Written Word - My Aussie Owned and Read pal
K.A.Last - My Aussie Owned and Read pal

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Monday, January 7, 2013

Stacey Lee, Kittens and Me


My friend Stacey Lee has started a new blog series called WHEN I'M NOT WRITING and the first post features me!

So it's filled with tid bits about me when I'm not writing. Here's a video hint for your enjoyment.


 


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