Showing posts with label author advice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label author advice. Show all posts
On Depictions of Abuse in Fiction
Labels:
abuse,
author advice,
book authors,
child abuse,
creative writing,
emotional abuse,
fiction,
opinion,
physical abuse,
sexual abuse
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This disturbed me for a number of reasons, but first and foremost, the astounding number of people (including people who knew abuse survivors) stating that they would never read such a thing, that the subject matter was appalling, and even that it shouldn't be written. This type of attitude, this silence about such a horrific yet important issue, only makes the problem worse.
Child abuse is a subject commonly depicted in my works, because I feel the greatest sorrow in my very soul for human beings who have had to go through such deep pain. I have been fortunate to never have it happen to me, but I know several people who have. It is an issue that is dear to my heart and I truly want to gain support and understanding for victims by depicting abuse and its life-destroying consequences in my fiction.
So when people act as if this kind of subject matter shouldn't even be brought up, I get a little upset. Fiction is meant to challenge us, and no, it's not always rosy or easy to read. But without it, we're never going to grow as a society and rally together against all of the horrible things that happen behind closed doors. People in abusive relationships sometimes don't even recognize the abuse for what it is, and instead of remaining silent about it, we need to scream loud and clear, though our fiction and otherwise, that these things are not okay. And sometimes, yes, this involves details you probably don't want to know. If making our readers feel and see the pain of these fictional characters helps even one real life person, and we have to share descriptions not everyone wants to read, so be it. After all, for real victims, there are no scene changes or time jumps.
Now obviously, I am not referring to any abuse written in an obviously salacious way (that's beyond disgusting), or if the abuse is simply used for shock value. While it is never a good idea to make an abusive experience practically the sole trait of a character (because, hello, it's not), keep in mind that this might be the result of an inexperienced or mediocre writer with good intentions even if the execution fell short. Also, while I'm not the biggest fan of trigger warnings, if your book contains scenes of detailed abuse or its aftermath, you owe it to your readers to slap a warning label on it.
What do you all think? Speak in the comments!
On the Editorial Process
After finishing the first draft, the first thing I do is absolutely nothing. You heard right. Nothing. I sit on the piece for as long as I can - ideally at least a month. If I can't do that, I still give it as much time as I can.
I then read through it again, start to finish, in Word, making changes and notes. Here are some simple things I look for that all writers should at this stage:
- Remove as many occurrences of "that" as possible.
- Check for long, wordy, stringy sentences.
- Also check for short, choppy sentences (especially if they're close together).
- If need be, read dialogue aloud to make sure it sounds natural.
- Check for incomplete sentences and run-ons.
- Revise passive writing if at all possible.
- Try and notice repeated words/phrases and awkward/clunky sentences or phrasing.
- Watch for any inserted exposition that could grind the narrative to a halt.
Bonus Tip: If you have to stop and reread a sentence, it likely needs to be revised.
It's exceptionally hard for authors to notice potential issues with characterization or logical fallacies in their own stories because we're so close to our writing, so while I keep an eye out for those, I also address them in the next step.
I then send the story to both my editor and a close friend. My editor checks the story with a professional eye and my close friend reads the book and tells me what she thinks as a casual reader. Both viewpoints, in my opinion, are of equal value. Their edits are considered and implemented or not.
(As an aside, I also offer editing services, if anyone is interested.)
The last step is the final read. To do this, I convert and load the story onto my ereader. I then read through and highlight words, phrases, or even scenes I still think might need edits. Once done, I then get back into the main document and make those edits.
After that, I begin the formatting process for the ebook and print versions of the piece, and release them on the date they're due out.
So that's my process. Is yours different? Discuss in the comments!
Why I Raised the Prices On My Ebooks
Here's the problem: it didn't work for me, and I'm starting to think it's not an approach that will work well for other authors either, in the long run.
A quick story, and raise your hand if you've had a similar experience: When I got my new NOOK, I started looking at the free ebooks on Smashwords to buff up my library. I also purchased a few books by traditionally published authors as well. Can you guess which ones I actually got around to reading?
I think readers are running into this problem more and more these days, because there is such a glut of low-cost ebooks available that by pricing our books low or free, we are having to fight harder and harder to gain an audience and, more importantly, keep their attention. I think we, as authors, would do better to price our books more as if they were released by a traditional publisher (that being said, I wouldn't ever exceed $10 for an ebook). This is especially important for self-published authors who do view themselves as professionals and desire their peers and their audience to do so as well.
The major advantage of this pricing method (besides more money per sale, obviously) is the fact that it doesn't scream self-published author. I love self-publishing and I think it is one of the best things to happen to the publishing industry, but the negative stigma is still very visible and very much there. A higher price tag sends your readers a message: that you are a professional, that you expect them to spend this kind of money on your product because it is worth it. It also makes your book look as though it was professionally published, which might help it catch the attention of readers who avoid self-published books for the aforementioned reasons. And, readers are more likely to invest the time to read your book after they have spent money on it.
The jury is still out on whether or not this new pricing model will work for my books, but I personally feel a lot better about it. I feel more professional, and I think my books seem that way too. What better message can you send to your readers to help them gain trust in how serious you are about your craft?
Agree? Disagree? Where has your "sweet spot" price been for ebooks, as both a reader and a writer? I look forward to hearing from you!
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