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Serena Lake – writer

~ where romance and history join together…

Serena Lake – writer

Monthly Archives: October 2015

Time to Rewrite…

30 Friday Oct 2015

Posted by serenalake-writer in romance, writing

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19th century, books, editing, history

Since my last post I’ve heard that I didn’t get through to the New Talent Award shortlist. I’m not as disappointed as I expected. I knew it needed something else, but couldn’t pin down what it was…

serena lace (1)

Fortunately a writer friend who is also an editor, and familiar with historical romances was able to point out the weak spots, and a few conversations later my brain was working on possible solutions for chapter one.

I’ll be locating my other notes and images to add to my storage box, where my first draft has been lurking. It’s been waiting while another first draft was being completed.

Over the weekend I’ll be putting my inspiration board together. It sits by my desk so even if I’m not working on the manuscript my characters are always in my mind.

So next week I’ll begin my second draft with chapter two, as I’m leaving chapter one as it is for the moment.

I’m looking forward to returning to H and S’s story; their individual issues have led to some interesting areas of research…

Now I know the method that works for me, courtesy of the five drafts chapter one went through, I know how much hard work I need to do before it gets to the beta readers stage.

That’s my winter sorted.

October Writing Update…

03 Saturday Oct 2015

Posted by serenalake-writer in Uncategorized

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Tags

19th century, books, dictionaries, editing, etymology, history, word histories

oldSince my last post I’ve been busy revising and editing the first chapter of my Nottinghamshire short novel to submit into the Love Stories New Talent Award.

Happily my opening chapter was submitted well before the deadline of midnight on the 1st October – about eight hours before.

The rest of the story is in first draft form, so taking chapter one from that stage to submission standard was hard work.

I learnt quite a bit as I did each version- the final one, was version five.

The structure of the opening changed quite a lot as it was clear to me that it did not have the necessary ‘grab the readers attention’ factor.

The first draft has had a long rest since it was completed, but I feel it has been beneficial. The distance allowed my characters to continue to develop, and I was able to make a few major cuts that I know I wouldn’t have done before.

Looking up the etymology of words was essential.

I have a 1999 edition of The Cassell Dictionary of Word Histories, and if I couldn’t find the word there were a number of reliable resources online I could search.

Ideal words to describe my hero, from the viewpoint of my heroine, was a particular issue.

Though we usually associate cupid-bow lips with females, there are men with the masculine version, and obviously the description is perfect. Except that the cupid’s bow lip idea was not used until several decades later than my 1802 setting.

It may seem fussy, but if that phrase was not used at the time the story is set, then I’m not going to use it. It’s like putting a wrist watch on a Regency gentleman, it doesn’t belong there.

The other issue is that many words have changed meaning between the 18th/19th century and the current day.

I did find a few, but can’t remember now which they were. I think I need to start a list and add these changed words to it every time I find one, with a brief reminder.

It’s also difficult to reconcile the formal language of the time with today’s preference for shorter paragraphs. Look at any book written in the 19th to early 20th century and big blocks of text stand out on the pages.

(I have to admit that unchecked I can get carried away with the length of my paragraphs, so breaking them down is a major editing point for me.)

This competition was via online submission- I admit to a few butterflies and minutes before I pressed the send button…

If my entry does not make the shortlist it is not the end, it is the beginning of a period of hard work.

I’ll let you know what happens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posts

  • Patience is a Virtue… September 16, 2019
  • It Has Been Some Time… May 5, 2019
  • Welcoming the New Year… December 31, 2018

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