Editing

I've spent the last two weeks working on an editing project for a new writer.

I am not a professional editor and there are clearly some editing and writing rules that I blatantly disregard in my own work. But, I read an awful lot, I have worked and reworked my own little babies for years, and I have seen what my editors (both soft and professional) have helped point out in my work that was helpful to me. So, I gave it the old college try.

I loved it. I found myself looking up AP Style rules on the internet. (I gave away my hard copy years ago - thinking I would never need it. Ha!) I, at first, was only going to comment on the content, but I was soon correcting spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. I gave suggestions on scenes I wanted to see enhanced or created to help make the story smoother and gave praise when a scene or paragraph was particularly well done.

The writer was grateful and excited. But for me, I was able to get a broader perspective of the writing process which is particularly helpful for the revision process that I am currently in with my latest novel.

I often feel like I try to make a good sketch on the first pass through as I write. The revisions that follow add color and depth to my sketch, making it tangible and accessible to the reader.

Now that the editing project is complete, it is time for me to go back to my own story and revise, revise, revise. I'm excited and ready to tackle the problems, add detail to the scenes, and work it until it works.

A Little Twist

There has been a little surprise with regard to the contest I entered.

I was a finalist in the contest...but when I checked the postings they didn't print Rosaline - they printed Doris's Letter.

They emailed me back about Rosaline so I am not sure what happened. I am still happy...just a little surprised.

To see all the finalist entries and the winner you can go here. There is a booklet you can download. I am on page 22 and my little bio is at the end of the booklet.

Writing Contest Extras

In honor of Valetine's Day I decided to post my other two contest submissions.

Petunia's View is a letter from Petunia to her love, Chase. I was going for subtle.

Doris's letter is the opposite. Doris is, perhaps, the least subtle character I've written. She likes to tell it like it is.

Both of these were meant to be a little off-key and more light-hearted than the heart-breaking and dramatic Rosaline.

Petunia's View

Dear Chase,

I remember the day that I first saw you. It was a clear, crisp autumn day. I was bundled up like the Michelin man in my great white coat and you, man that you are, wore a light gray fleece that matched your sea gray eyes.

I know you didn’t immediately feel for me all that I did for you. You’re shy; a little reticent to open up. See? I know the man that I love.

You were shy when I called you and asked you to dinner but your heart was clear to me when you accepted my proposal. Later at dinner, you were a little introverted as we ate, unsure of yourself. Never mind that dear. I certainly don’t mind it. Whatever you may think, I feel that you are perfect just as you were made.

Your extreme bashfulness prevented you from asking me out again but I didn’t mind. I can do that work for the both of us. It doesn’t bother me in the least.

And just in case you were worried, I should tell you that I didn’t mind it when you had to change your phone number. I found your new number easily enough on anywho.

I am quite good with schedules. It is one of my finest qualities and is a quality I am sure you will come to appreciate in time. I took the liberty, my sweet reserved one, to match our class schedules up almost exactly. The vast university campus is now but a few feet at any given time of the day that you and I are there.

Your tremendous affection for me is enough of a surety that I was not troubled in the least when I saw you ask Marcie Simmons out to dinner on that special February night. Your kindness to a girl like Marcie only endears you to me more, my love.

What is one night, albeit a night usually reserved for sweethearts, when I can see you every other night of the month?

Yes, my darling, even though you are a bit inhibited, I still take the time to see you every night, as you pull into your driveway. I sit outside and watch you to make sure you make it inside safely. Sometimes, I stay for a few minutes and I play our song to myself in my car as I watch you walk through your home, turning on lights and closing the blinds.

Don’t worry dear. Your timid ways only spur me on; caring for our love for the both of us. And, please, do not concern yourself with me when you are out with Marcie. I will happily eat my heart-shaped pancakes alone. I could never replace you, my sweet. And when your time with her is through, never fear, I will be waiting and watching as always.

Love,
Petunia

Doris's Letter

Dear Gerald,

You’re not as handsome as the man I married. Yes, I know you are the same man, but today you are not as handsome as yesterday. And yesterday you were not as handsome as the day before. Add up all the yesterdays of the last thirty years and you will see what I saw this morning.

And while we are on the topic, may I remark that you are not as thin, except on top of your head. Speaking of your hair, it has migrated everywhere but where it ought to be.

Your once taut tummy has been replaced with a bowl of raspberry jello; the surface puckled from years of good eating. And what isn’t fatter, since the day we married, is now horribly wrinkled.

Gone are the days when you felt it necessary to open the door for me when we were out. Vague memories exist of you offering to pick up your own clothes or heat up soup for me when I was sick. I am not even truly sure of the memories as they are of such a fuzzy and indeterminate nature as to be unreliable.

But, this morning when I awoke to find a tender little lily on my bedside table, a new memory was formed; clear and wonderful in its innocence.

I love you Gerald and I want to wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day.

Love, your longtime sweetheart,
Doris

Happy Valentine's Day!

Red Heart :: Black Heart Writing Contest

There were 650 submissions and 46 finalists. My love letter, Rosaline, was chosen as a finalist in the contest.

Click here if you want to see the complete list of finalists. My entry is listed as unititled.

The following is my letter to Romeo from Rosaline. Rosaline is the girl that Romeo is absolutely in love with at the beginning of Romeo and Juliet. He completely forgets all about his love for her when he sees Juliet. I've always felt bad about the way that Romeo treated her and so I wanted to give Rosaline her say.

I took a little bit of literary license but I had a ton of fun. My other two entries were more fun and light-hearted...and less dramatic than Rosaline. I may post them here as well.

My dearest Romeo,

From the very first, you were as beautiful as a God in Heaven; with features shaped from noble granite, eyes as black and fiery as smoldering coal. How could a girl, with a soul as pure as mine and a heart as willing as mine have resisted?

You kissed me and wept like an innocent baby in my embrace. The beauty of our union appeared flawlessly clear to me as I gazed in your burning wet eyes.

A dinner invitation for Mercutio brought you nearer to me at the home of Signior Capulet and when I felt you arrive, my ruby heart rejoiced, flooded with eagerness by your constancy.

Benvolio was the first to work against me. But you, my dear Romeo, stayed true; a claim of pure devout adoring worship dripping from your lovely red lips.

I saw you there across the room. You were looking for me through the wily dancers and gossiping mothers. I wanted to run to you; to have you seize me in your arms again. But your eyes were troubled. They looked elsewhere; they looked naught for me. And then I saw her. I saw your eyes lighting their fire toward her. Your religion showed to me a sham; your words false, your heart now endlessly barren toward me.

I wanted to kill you. I wished to push you in front of a stampeding cart or shoot you with my arrow as you climbed to her window to profess your heavenly love to your angel.

Even my revenge was stolen from me as your own murders and suicides have bound you together with her for eternity.

I loathe your memory and I loathe you for throwing my heart away at your first glance of her. Did my lips not welcome you? Did my body not satisfy?

My bright eyes and scarlet lips are dull and cracked now, Romeo. My heart is blistered and broken. Your son, your only child in all the worlds, now suckles at my empty soul.

Oh, Romeo…Romeo, how could your soul trespass so against mine?

With all the pieces of my broken heart,

Rosaline

Practice

I've never entered a writing contest before.

The other day I saw a contest that sounded like fun. I had seen others before on this particular site but the deadline is usually really quick and as this writer knows, I need to have time revise and rewrite many times before I can bring myself to allow others to see the piece.

Regardless of the short time frame and feeling inspired, I sat down and created three short possibilities for the Valentine's Day Contest (entries are accepted until Feb 6th in time for a final showdown on the 14th). The truth of it is that I don't care to win the contest. The prize isn't all that interesting to me and the odds will be long.

But writing little stories for contests gives me a great reason to practice. So I am revising and rewriting my little miniature babies and I hope to see one of them shape up enough to ship out. One of the themes is a letter from Rosaline's point of view. Rosaline is, of course, the girl that Romeo drops like a hot potato once he sees Juliet. So just for kicks, I put The Killers version of Romeo and Juliet up on the side.

After I choose which entry to make I will post any of my babies that are fit to be seen here.