It's versus Its - It is a quandary

Working on final edits for the editor - until she finds all the things I've missed (hopefully). As I comb through my checklist and read for continuity, etc., my SmartEdit program is kicking out those commonly misused words.

We all know that grammar nazi, the one who jumps up to point out we've used the wrong "they're/their/there," "affect/effect," "you're/your" etc. Generally speaking, I get all these words right (although I'm definitely not perfect). My biggest downfall is knowing when to use lie/lay, probably because lay is a verb tense of lie. With that being said, today's contemplation is its versus it's.

At the day job several years ago, I still remember someone completing a report, copying and binding it and then she stopped, because as she was flipping through the final product, she found "its" had been misused. It's/Its is commonly overlooked. Sharp eye, that woman. So she took the report apart, went back to correct the error and inserted the correction into her final copies. How do you know if you've got the right one?

While I'm writing, I often stop to ask myself "it is," or "belonging to it." This is one of those break-the-rule things, where possession does NOT include an apostrophe - "its". In its contraction form - it is/it has - "it's" gets the apostrophe to account for the missing letters. Easy enough, but also easy to confuse, since the rule for possession inserts an apostrophe. NOT THIS TIME.

As for my lie/lay, borrowing from Merriam Webster to show you why it continues to trip me up.

Here's lay in context in tenses that show its principal forms:

I was told to lay the book down. I laid it down as I have laid other books down. I am laying more books down now.

And here's lie:

I was told to lie down. I lay down. I have lain here since. I'm still lying here.

The English language in all its confusing glory!

Targeting a June release for the next EPITAPH installment! I'll be sending out a newsletter as soon as I have a firm date in case you want to pre-order, so make sure you're signed up!

  A | BN | iB | K   

  A | BN | iB | K  

  A | BN | iB | K   

  A | BN | iB | K  

Channeling Julia Childs? When to begin the editing process

When you finish cooking something, a roast for instance, quite often you'll let it "rest" after you've taken it out of the oven to finish cooking. Or sometimes with baking, the cooling period is part of the cooking process, giving the creation a chance to set. Or gel. Well, you get the idea.

While I'm always eager to present my work as a finished product, I'm in that "resting" period to give it a chance to breathe. Part of me wants to plunge ahead with the next project, part of me wants to jump into editing mode, and yet another part of me needs to take a mental breather. I'm still in deadline season at the day job, and these next two weeks are going to be mayhem, so the smart thing to do is step away from the story. The distance provides a fresh perspective. I will forget parts of the story in the time I spend away from it, and as I go back to edit, I'll be more likely to see things I need to fix. With the distractions of deadlines, it's too easy to overlook important details.

Stephen King advises taking a month after you've reached "the end" the first time. The time gives you perspective. You move out of the creative mode and into the critical mode which is so essential to the editing process. Questions like "does this move the story along?" "Can this sentence be tighter?" Not to mention the critical overused and filler words that pop up once you've had a chance to step away from the WIP. I've been told I've overused the word "and" in this particular story. I'm hoping the time apart will make those things more obvious to me when I go back at it. Every work seems to have it's own unique repetitions. Another word I felt I'd fixated on was "recriminations," even though it only appeared three times in the original draft. It is, however, a "highly visible" word in my mind, so I have gone back to address that one.

THE SELKIE - Epitaph 5, is slated for a June/July release. I should have the cover art in the next week or two, and I'm planning to share it over at Booklover's Bench next month. I'll keep you posted!

Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore"

When I was starting out with my writing, everything I read - everything I learned - preached "show, don't tell." They talked about using "stronger words" to present what was happening instead of using adverbs to support. As a person with a very large vocabulary, I had dozens of words at my disposal. I thought I was doing everything right. Until....

Someone came into my first critique group, before I'd been published, someone who HAD been published. She critiqued one of my chapters and pointed out all the flowery dialog tags I used. Here I thought I was showing mood and personality by choosing something other than said, which, to my "learning the craft level" brain was stronger. She taught me that "said" is an invisible dialog tag. While I found it repetitive and unimaginative, she pointed out the more descriptive tags I was using were 1) not necessarily referential to speech, and 2) called attention to themselves. As a newbie, I was stunned. Her comments went against everything I'd been taught. Everything I'd learned. Except she had something I didn't. A book contract. A professional editor. So while my initial response was "who are you, and where do you come off telling me blah blah blah..." I stepped back and considered my position compared to hers. I was still learning the craft. She'd learned enough to get a book contract. So I calmed down, remembered that critique groups are there to help you get better and that constructive criticism helps you grow. Asked her some pointed questions. Funny, she quickly realized she'd aligned herself with a bunch of neophytes and left the group in short order. She needed a group with more experience that would see beyond the things we were still learning.

She was right, of course. I still find myself wanting to slip into more colorful dialog tags from time to time, and my more experienced critique group lets me know every time I use one. Those dialog tags do have a place in the prose sometimes, but for the most part, they should be limited to "said" or "asked" or a similar form of speech. These words are, in fact, invisible, where as something like "she avowed" tends to stand out. It draws attention to itself.

Touched by the Sun

I've learned much in the sixteen years that I've been writing. If you've read my first novel (TOUCHED BY THE SUN) you might still run across many rookie mistakes. In attempting to convey a foreign accent, some readers have found my Italian hero's speech stilted. I was going for "realism," but sometimes realism is better portrayed with impressions from the person on the other side of the conversation than by "stilted" conversation. I did go back to update the original book (THE TREASURE OF ST. PAUL) on its tenth anniversary to correct some of those rookie mistakes, and my hope is that the book is at least easier to read than it was in its original form. It might still have its warts, but it also gives my fans an opportunity to see how much I've learned, how my writing has improved along my journey. I still love the story, warts and all.

So writing lesson for the day. If said or asked isn't strong enough to portray feeling or emotion, use an action beat instead.

He spun on a heel to face her, pointing an accusing finger. "Why are you stalking me?"

 instead of

 "Why are you stalking me?" he bellowed.

Animal Stories ... K.C. and Poo-Pooh

When Cat #1 crossed the rainbow bridge, we got Cat #2, K.C., to keep doggie darling company. It wasn't long before doggie darling joined Cat #1 over the rainbow bridge, and I was determined to slow down the flow of pets through my home after the divorce. Unfortunately, Ex had other ideas. He brought me Poo-Pooh, a six-week old kitten who'd been abandoned in a dumpster, to keep K.C. company.

K.C.

K.C. was not happy to have a little sister. He was four or five at the time, and she was a dirty, sick, kitten impinging on his turf. They were separated until Pooh was healthy, and he quickly established himself in the role of Alpha Cat. The good part of that was that he, being a very well-behaved cat, taught Pooh the ropes. While she was still very kittenish, she was better behaved than many kittens I've had the pleasure to know. He also taught her how to be afraid of strangers, even while he basked in the company of said strangers and invited them to pet him.

Pooh, semi-hiding, ready to run if she has to

K.C. had a habit of stalking her, hiding on the other side of a corner as she came around, and then stepping out in front of her and scaring the living daylights out of her. Sometimes they'd chase each other until she conceded and ran to hide. Like a big brother, he'd wait at the bottom of the stairs when she came down to eat, just out of sight, and as she hit the last step, he'd pounce out and give her the equivalent of a "boo!" which would send her vertical, and into hiding for hours or days at a time. Pooh quickly became "the invisible cat" when guests were in the house, or after K.C. had tormented her. Nevertheless, she loved him, and when cuddle time came around, she would sneak up beside him and lay her head on his side to sleep with him. The two of them were very entertaining to watch, their love-hate relationship like many siblings.

K.C. was more of a birder. He liked to chase things in the air - a dangling feather or a fly in the house. Pooh has always been more of a mouser, chasing things that moved across the floor. Once she'd gained her health, the kids often played fetch with her - yes, she'd chase her favorite toy and bring it back for them to throw for her again.

K.C. took his turn walking over the rainbow bridge several years ago, and Pooh is now a senior citizen. She doesn't play anymore, but she does keep me company acting as my writing assistant. For a cat I was sure I didn't want to take on, she wormed her way into all our hearts.

  A | BN | iB | K   

  A | BN | iB | K  

  A | BN | iB | K   

  A | BN | iB | K