Two Key Resources for Writers

by Tim Suddeth @TimSuddeth

Once you have your novel written, all you need to do is write The End and you’re done, right? I wish. Wouldn’t it be great if that was the case? Unfortunately, that is usually when the real work begins. You have your story on paper (or the screen), now you have to make sure that other readers understand it. Thinking ‘they’ll figure it out’ is not the way to get readers. It’s the writer’s job to make sure the story is clear and to guide the readers through the action.

So how do you do this? Where can you go when you need to polish your story?

Two Resources for Novelists

1. The Chicago Manual of Style

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) is the standard for US style in book publishing. I’ve found that when I use a comma, I often get a line from Microsoft to take it out. When I do, ProWritingAid will give me a line saying to put it back in. (Has that ever happened to you?) How can I know what to do? Call my third grade English Teacher?

That is when you can go to CMOS to find the rules for when to use or not use a comma. (And yes, they recommend using the Oxford comma in a series. And the Grammar nerds go wild.) Grammar, punctuation, spelling, names, and titles of works, numbers, abbreviations, they are all covered. 

I’ve heard about the CMOS ever since I started writing and I’ve mentioned it here before. But I must admit, I never opened it up and looked at it. I mean, it’s over 1100 pages without pictures. To say it’s a little intimidating is an understatement.

So, I was surprised, after I opened its pages, by how easy it is to read. You don’t have to be a university professor or spend hours deciphering a section. It’s written in clear English. (American English, that is. England English, of course, has its own style and spellings. We can’t make things that simple.)

The CMOS has been in print since 1906 and it’s in its 18th edition. Traditionally, it comes out about every seven years or so. An editor friend of mine (Yes, editors can be friendly, in spurts.) said she has both the online copy and the hardcover. She uses the online edition so she can use the search engine. And she uses a hardcover edition to underline and bookmark the pages she refers to often.

2. The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction 

While all types of writers use the CMOS, it's primary concern is nonfiction. The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction by Amy J. Schneider, is a companion editing guide geared to the needs of fiction writers and copyeditors. It offers advice on how to use dialogue, voice, grammar, and other decisions that are unique to fiction.

In Part I, she looks at the mindset and processes of editing a work of fiction and the various drafts that may be required. Part III looks at editorial issues specific to fiction. And as beneficial as these are, it’s Part II that I really like where she describes building a style sheet for each of your works. (We’ll look at this in more detail next month.)

At writer conferences and in writer groups, after we hear about how much work goes into rewriting, editing, and proofreading a story or book, we often have someone ask, “Is all this work really necessary? Can’t I just hire someone to do all this for me?” (And they really shake their head when they learn that after they think they are done, they still need to hire someone else to go over it.)

I understand. This is a lot to take in. It’s why many, if not most, authors work and study for years before their books are ready to be published. And there are few, if any, shortcuts. You may send your manuscript to an editor before you’ve invested in learning the craft, but then you’re paying the editor to teach you what all writers have to learn.

If they have the time to teach you. Many agents are so swamped that they only take submissions that are 95% ready. They can polish, but they don’t have the time to invest if a lot of reconstructing is required. And editors charge by how much time they think the work will take. They often turn down jobs where they think they can’t help you write a quality book. By learning the craft of writing, you make the editor’s job easier so they can focus on those things that will make your story pop.

And isn’t that what you want? Your name is going to be plastered under the title on the front. You don’t want to spend so much effort and time writing a book that the reader puts down before they get to Chapter Two. You want a book that, when a non-relative reader finishes it, they ask when will you write the next book? Isn’t what we all want to hear about our work?

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Two Key Resources for Writers from @TimSuddeth on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Tim Suddeth is a stay-at-home dad and butler for his wonderful, adult son with autism. He has written numerous blogs posts, short stories, and three novels waiting for publication. He is a frequent attendee at writers conferences, including the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and a member of Word Weavers and ACFW. He lives near Greenville, SC where he shares a house with a bossy Shorky and three too-curious Persians. You can find him on Facebook and Twitter, as well as at www.timingreenville.com and www.openingamystery.com.