SCHEDULE NOTE

Due to a major family emergency, I'm going on hiatus with this blog.  


If you haven't already, please join one of the various blog feeds this blog offers, or join my Yahoogroups.  All are available on the right side of this blog.  That way, you'll know when I return.  


Marilynn

Links of Interest

Note:  I'm dealing with a family medical emergency so the list is short this week.  The final link, however, is a goldmine of great articles.

Marilynn

RHYTHM IN WRITING:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/02/feel-rhythm-of-words.html

THE FOUR MOST COMMON MISTAKES EDITORS SEE:

http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com/2011/02/4-most-common-mistakes-fiction-editors.html

PROMOTION: PODCASTING 101

http://www.graspingforthewind.com/2011/02/05/podcasting-101-part-1/

PUBLISHING TERMS: SELL IN, SELL THROUGH, AND EARN OUT

http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2011/02/sell-in-sell-through-earn-out.html

CAUSE AND EFFECT IN WRITING:

http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com/2011/02/most-common-mistakes-series-are-you.html

GREAT LIST 'O LINKS:

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/02/twitterific.html

Paragraph Lengths

QUESTION: I have trouble trying to figure out when to begin and end paragraphs and when to have dialogue included in the paragraph and when to have it stand on its own as an independent paragraph. 

Unlike nonfiction, there are no hard and fast rules for paragraphing in fiction.  Much of this is the writer's choice which is informed by experience as well as their need to emphasize certain things or break between actions.

And, surprisingly, some choices are as much visual as mental.  Most readers, these days, don't like long paragraphs so many writers paragraph more frequently than did past writers.  

Here are some good rules of thumb, though.

When you start with narrative followed by dialogue, the narrative should be about the person who will speak.

Adam studied the book's page then glanced back up at his friend.  "Pete, we have a problem here."

If the narrative was about Pete, Adam's line would be in a new paragraph.

Pete watched his friend anxiously as he read the rule book.

"Pete, we have a problem here."

If you have a long bit of narrative, it's usually a good stylistic choice to paragraph before the character's lines.  This breaks up the lines visually, and it also emphasizes the dialogue.

When you are writing a long speech by a character, you paragraph to emphasize subject, changes in subject, and the rhythm of the scene.

If you aren't sure about any of the above, read the dialogue aloud as the character would speak it.  Notice when you have natural pauses.  That's a good place for a paragraph break.

Dialogue shouldn't be too long, though.  Break it up with a bit of narrative like 

Adam shook his head in disgust and continued,

Or have other characters react or comment.  

"I can't believe Pete said that.  It doesn't sound like him."

For straight narrative with no dialogue, you should paragraph when the action shifts to another character.

Pete tripped but caught himself before falling flat on his face.  

Behind him, the sound of Adam's running feet moved toward him, then his friend stopped at his side. 

On the whole issue of paragraphing, don't be too uptight about it. 

As long as the reader is clear about what is happening and the page isn't covered by long paragraphs, he won't even notice when you paragraph. 

Links of Interest

POLISHING THAT PROSE:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/01/re-write-wednesday-shine-on-taking-time.html

THIRTEEN WAYS TO BEGIN A NOVEL:

http://beyondthemargins.com/2011/01/thirteen-ways-of-beginning-a-novel/#more-8862

PUBLISHING TERMS:  RETURNS

http://pimpmynovel.blogspot.com/2011/01/terms-to-know-returns-rerun.html

SAVING ON WRITER EXPENSES:

http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/2011/01/ways-to-save-ten.html

ARE BLOG TOURS WORTH THE TROUBLE?

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/01/is-doing-blog-tour-really-worth-it.html

FOLLOWING UP ON THAT SUBMISSION:

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2011/01/protocol-for-following-up.html

WRITING A GOOD TRANSITION:

http://howtoplanwriteanddevelopabook.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-work-with-four-levels-of.html

LAYERING FICTION:

http://writerunboxed.com/2011/01/30/3-layers-of-layering-in-fiction/

THE SUBJECT OF A SENTENCE CAN BE MORE COMPLICATED AND TALENTED THAN YOU THINK:

http://talktoyouniverse.blogspot.com/2011/01/superpowers-of-grammatical-subject.html

HOW NOT TO WRITE THE FIRST SCENE:

http://killzoneauthors.blogspot.com/2011/01/opening-no-nos.html

STARTING A BOOK BLOG:

http://booklineandsinker.com/2011/01/20/so-you-want-to-start-a-book-blog-pre-blogging-advice/

EBOOK FORMAT AND READER PRIMER:

http://www.passwordincorrect.com/2011/01/23/a-handy-beginners-guide-to-e-book-formats-apps-and-devices-flowchart/

KNOW WHEN YOUR CRITIQUE GROUP DOESN'T FIT:

http://hopeclark.blogspot.com/2011/01/know-when-your-critique-group-doesnt.html

HORROR MARKET RESOURCE:

http://horrortree.com/

CLUES YOU WANT YOUR DETECTIVE TO MISS:

http://margotkinberg.blogspot.com/2011/01/dont-pass-me-by.html

DEALING WITH REJECTION AND THE BAD CRITIQUE:

http://www.andrewjackwriting.com/2011/01/five-strategies-for-writers-to-deal-with-rejection-and-critique/

WEBSITE STATS, HOW TO GET THEM AND WHAT THEY MEAN:

http://www.sellingbooks.com/website-stats-101-for-authors

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR ONLINE SITES WHEN YOU DIE:

http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-blogcodicil-what-happens-to-your.html

STAYING SAFE ONLINE AND PROTECTING YOUR SOCIAL NETWORK SITES:

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/218243/seven_hints_to_stay_safe_online.html?tk=nl_dnx_h_crawl

STEAMPUNK ANTHO:

http://oldcharliebrown.livejournal.com/347800.html

IS WRITING ANY EASIER AFTER THAT FIRST OR SECOND NOVEL?

http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com/2011/01/good-news-writing-never-gets-any-easier.html

WHAT IS FORENSIC LINGUISTICS?

http://clarissadraper.blogspot.com/2011/02/mystery-writers-guide-to-forensic.html

DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROMOTION:

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/2011/02/thoughts-on-different-types-of-promo.html

GIVING  YOUR CHARACTER MORE THAN ONE IMPORTANT CHOICE:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/02/decisions-decisions-character-choices.html

THE DREADED SYNOPSIS:

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2011/02/synopsis.html

THE AUTHOR AND AGENCY AGREEMENT:

http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2011/02/agency-agreements.html

ADJECTIVES, TOO MANY OR TOO LITTLE ARE BOTH BAD:

http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2011/02/agency-agreements.html

FIVE WRITING RULES YOU SHOULD BREAK:

http://victoriamixon.com/2011/02/02/5-writing-rules-you-should-break/

~*~

Marilynn's Workshop Schedule

Writing in the Moment, Cancelled

How to get your voice, viewpoint, and craft so perfect that you disappear and your story comes alive.  Lots of worksheets. 

~*~

The Blurb: Mother of All Promotions Cancelled

A blurb is the pithy description of your novel in a query letter, the short "elevator pitch" used at a writer's conference, the log line for online promotion, and the all important back cover copy for a published novel.  Without a great blurb, a novel won't be noticed by agents and editors.  

 Marilynn Byerly--creator of a blurb system used by university publishing courses, publishers, and many authors-- will show you how to create that perfect blurb for your novel.  The course will include a number of worksheets and in-class blurb analysis.