Author: Lisa

Honesty with Editing

/ Lisa / 3 Comments

Most writers know editing a story can be difficult. It isn’t simply a matter of having a great idea, writing it down, and making millions without doing any work.

In the past, the editing I’ve had to do has been a lot of work, but nothing like what I’m doing right now. I’ve been trying to figure out why this one is so hard and have decided it’s time for some honesty.

First off is the discouragement. The beta readers came back with very positive comments, and they loved the story. They had good, constructive criticisms. The editor, however, immediately caught all the things I’d subconsciously known were there, that I believe I’d been hoping would just slide by unnoticed.

Second is the fear. The characters are wanting to go into a darker place than I am comfortable writing about. But no matter how I try to twist the plot where I want it to go, their past keeps intruding. I believe I need to look at why I find this uncomfortable and why I don’t want to free the characters to face their true story.

All of this means I  feel at the moment that the whole story needs to be simply thrown away. I haven’t felt this low about writing since I was undergoing radiation and my screwed up brain chemistry told me I’d never write again.

However there is this. I am not so stupid that I don’t recognize this as a hole that can be edited out of. And I was smart enough to send off all my angst to the editor who keeps prodding me. And here below is part of her response.

“Ghost Roads is a very good story. You need to make it a great story. You’ve got the characters, you’ve got the inciting incident, you’ve got the action moving from plot point to plot point, you’ve got it breathing life — now you have to add the passion. That comes from the characters having goals. And making sure they pursue those goals. That’s why I keep harping on the back story for Harlow, Leigh and Bonnie. Their collective past is influencing their present and driving the plot. I think if you look at each scene that way, you’ll find that you have not as much to do as you think — adding the undercurrent isn’t nearly as heavy a job as fixing a wandering plot.  In the piece between Bonnie and Harlow that you sent this past weekend, that’s what needs to be added to give it weight. And that piece is very important. It tells the reader the reason Harlow came home and why she isn’t packing up her backpack and dog and heading out when that’s what she’d really like to have happen. It shows us that she’s taking responsibility and facing down pain for the sake of someone else — and that struggle makes us want her to succeed. And, it’s not so much the words that grab the reader, but what the struggle of having that conversation tells the reader about the two women. Go for it.
Words of wisdom: sometimes this writing thing isn’t fun – – it’s hate-every-minute-of-it work.
Hugs. Pick up your sword and go back to the battle. You’ll win. I saw it in my crystal ball.”
Isn’t it amazing what a support system can do, especially when they are honest and won’t let you get away with taking the easy way out? I’m still feeling far from qualified to do Ghost Roads justice. But I just might be able to face the scene my editor references above. After that, well, we’ll see.

Editing Yourself

/ Lisa / 2 Comments

Okay, let’s break down, honestly, the editing process when you are getting your stuff ready for the real world. Others have said similar things before, but I’m saying it again as I am right at step #7.

1. The first draft is finally finished after lots of angst and hard work. I think it stinks, the plot sucks, the characters are even worse, and it’s time to go back to the day job.

2. I leave it alone for a few weeks, then sneak back very tentatively and peak at the first page. It doesn’t suck as bad as I thought so I read on and realize, well it’s okay at least.

3. I revise and get it to the point where I think, hey, this is actually the best one I’ve written so far.

4. It gets sent off to the beta readers with high hopes that comments will flood in on how perfect and wonderful the story is.

5. Days pass. Doubts creep in.

6. Comments come back. In this case, one of my favorites included this: 2, 4, 13, 26, 53, etc. for a long list of numbers which translate to pages with typos I somehow missed. Some comments ask basic plot questions that I can’t answer because I never thought of that – why does the protagonist come home? A lot of comments show structure issues.

7. I regress to step #1, with the added drama that it’s going to take so much work to revise I might as well toss the whole thing, give up, and move on to something else. (this is where I’m at today)

8. Eventually I laugh at myself (this always happens so these following steps are listed as coming from past experience), take the easiest comments to deal with first (probably will be the list of page numbers) and start editing.

9. The realization sinks in that, wow, these changes are making the story much stronger.

10. The edits are done, there’s a final beta reader review, and hey, this is the best one I’ve written yet!

11. The book goes out to the world and I start on the next one, and then…

12. I find typos after publication.

I imagine there are a few of you out there that can relate.

The Art of Storytelling

/ Lisa / 2 Comments

Not too long ago I edited a children’s story called Tallulah’s Flying Adventure, written by Gloria Two-Feathers. I was impressed enough that I asked if I could interview her. I have no doubt that this story will be published and will be the beginning of great things for this author. She says below that she has no musical ability. I don’t believe her. I could hear the singing and the drumming as I read the story.

And after reading her answers below, I do believe she must be a kindred spirit of one of my sisters. Please read the interview and make Gloria welcome in our writing world.

1. Can you give me the background how you came to write Tallulah’s Flying Adventure?

About twenty-five years ago I was visiting a friend in Oregon. She lived in a rural area outside of a small town. I was setting on her front porch steps that faced an open meadow. I noticed several very small spider webs floating on the air. Each one had a little spider clinging to it. As each floating web would twist and turn in the sunlight it would become visible then invisible. As I watched this amazing sight I realized there were hundreds of these tiny webs traveling across this large open meadow. It looked like each little spider was navigating its web.

I remember thinking, “That’s how spiders travel great distances. They don’t crawl they fly!” My second thought was, “that would make a great story book.”

It took me a few years but at last, Tallulah’s Flying Adventure came to life.

2. How did you choose to write children’s stories?

I actually was interested in being a better storyteller. I had the opportunity to study with Nancy Mellon in CA. Nancy is not only a master storyteller she also instructs teachers at the Waldorf School the craft of storytelling, which is a part of the school’s curriculum. Several Waldorf kindergarten teachers were taking this course also. There was always a lot of conversations and study around children’s stories. For our final project of this yearlong course we had to write a story. I remembered all those little spiders floating across the meadow and Tallulah’s Flying Adventure was created.

3. When did you realize you were a storyteller?

I came from a family of story-tellers, who used analogies, oral history and jokes to teach me and my six siblings. From hunting, to canning, to the history of our family’s South Dakota homestead, each topic came alive in the telling. We lived in the Black Hills which is rich in Native American culture, Western history and stories – lots of stories. The beauty of living in such a special place is, I could read a story and actually drive to the area they were telling about. Such as the book Black Elk Speaks, a reference to Harney Peak, and of course Deadwood and the gold mine. Having a huge impact on my life path, Lakota Elder Buck Ghost Horse instructed me over a 20-year period about spirituality, ritual, ceremony, and culture — eventually giving me my name. This connection to Native American culture resonated strongly with me, reinforcing my sense that everything is alive. I try to bring this sensibility to the stories that to flow through me.

Not South Dakota but in the neighborhood.

Not South Dakota but in the neighborhood.

4. Your stories are very lyrical and beg to be read out loud, or even sung. Do you have music in your mind as you write?

I wish I could say yes. But no I don’t. Actually I’m not very musical. It’s just the way the story flows through me.

5. What brings joy for you?

I’m a fairly simple person and I love nature. I receive a lot of joy watching a beautiful sunrise or sunset. The smell of fresh air, and I need a lot of quiet. I live out where I’m surrounded by trees and watching the path the wind takes as it blows through the trees. How it shapes the way trees grow. I receive a lot of pleasure observing the hidden communication of all living things.

My husband Jim is my life long friend. Our dogs Charlie and Isabella are my constant companions and bring me a lot of joy and happiness and just make life more interesting.

Tree growing with granite

Tree growing with granite

6. What brings sadness?

Cruelty in the world, especially to the helpless beings. Such as, I have observed many people killing helpless spiders just because they are a spider. Not because of anything the spider is doing or has harmed them. There are other choices to make, they could put it outside or just leave it alone. I see this kind of senseless cruelty being done to many living creatures, plants, trees, human beings and the Earth herself; it always bring sorrow to my heart.

Tallulah?

Tallulah?

7. What story do you remember from your own childhood?

The first story I can remember has always enchanted me. When I was about three years old my father brought home a book with a story of a Persian Prince who was sent on a quest so he could win the Princess’s hand in marriage. His companion was a magnificent horse that had magical powers: he could talk and fly. To be able to marry the Princess the Prince had to return with a feather taken from the Phoenix, a fire bird that was the color of flames. The pictures in the book were black and white. But the description bought the color alive and real in my mind. I was always asking someone to read that story to me over and over. I must have heard it a hundred times.

8. Why do you think that story has stayed with you all these years?

As a child I believed in a world where we have animal companions who have magical powers and could communicate with us. And they would help us accomplish what seems like impossible tasks. All Native American stories and beliefs are based on everything the Creator created is related. Which means everything is in communication. In Shamanic Journey work this world is referred to as non-ordinary reality.

In ordinary reality I also grew up in a time of Roy Rogers, his horse Trigger and his dog Bullet, The Lone Ranger and his horse Silver, Lassie and Rin Tin Tin. And Strong Heart who was not just an animal movie star but a decorated war hero. Watching these shows had a great influence on me. I decided if they could do it, I could do it and I developed my own animal communication skills. Once you enter that world all of nature is ready to communicate, trees, plants, wind, water, moon, sun and stars the Earth herself. There are no limits only the ones you put on yourself.

Today this is a part of every day life. We have police, military and rescue dogs, service animals of all kinds, as well as horses who are used in therapeutic health care. All of whom have extraordinary powers and high levels of communication. The animals do this because they love us and they remember we are all related.

The internet and television are full of videos of people capturing inner species communication and friendships. The ancient ones always knew this and left the message in stories. As man advanced he forgot and thought it was just myth. But the animals always remembered and waited for human beings to raise their consciousness to a level of awareness of what our ancestors knew. Now I find myself living in a world that I always believed was real when I was a child.

Puppy communication

Puppy communication

9. Can you share something about your daily life, who you are outside of writing?

I enjoy working with women who wants to develop their Spirituality. Those who are asking the archetypal question, “Is this all there is to life? What is this calling and stirring inside of me”? I do this by teaching Energy Healing as well as personal transformation and development programs. I teach these programs in small schools, colleges and at my home.

10. What would you want readers to know about you?

I love to laugh. I have friends and family members that are so humorous we keep each other laughing all the time. I mean that full belly laugh that brings tears to your eyes and takes your breath away. I believe we are supposed to experience that sweet indulgence as often as we possibly can.