By Adele Annesi

Word for Words is by author Adele Annesi. For Adele's website, visit Adele Annesi.

Thursday, December 29, 2016

The Brilliance of “Rebecca”

If you’ve never read the novel Rebecca, or if you haven’t read it lately, you may want to pick it up this holiday season, as a study in the strength of a character the reader never sees except through the eyes of others.
Penned by English author Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca was published in 1938 and became a bestseller that still remains in print. Starting with the ominous, "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again,” du Maurier explores the chilling saga of the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter, whose name du Maurier never reveals. Yet, almost from the start we know de Winter’s first wife, Rebecca, for how can anyone, especially a second wife with no apparent self-identity, compete with the dead?
The story begins with the new Mrs. de Winter’s memory of that inaugural visit to the haunting estate of Manderley, a remote mansion on the windswept Cornish coast, and its equally haunted inhabitants. This is a first step also for the reader in understanding the power of a place and people remembered who are even more real because their significance reaches from the past into the present.
Thus, we find ourselves traveling with the second Mrs. de Winter, the husband she barely knows at the wheel, to an immense estate. There the new young bride is drawn into the life of her predecessor, the beautiful Rebecca, austere as the Cornish coast, dead but not forgotten, whose rooms remain untouched, whose clothes still hang ready. There also we find Rebecca's devoted servant—Mrs. Danvers—loyal and menacing.
Determined to make a place for herself in her new husband's world, the second Mrs. de Winter begins searching for the real fate of Rebecca amid the mysteries of Manderley, which reveals its secrets only at a great price. In Rebecca, the reader will find melodrama and drama at their finest, along with the potency of a story whose main character is seen through the eyes and enshrined memories of those who loved and hated her.

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Types of Editors and Tips for Selecting Them

Have you reached the stage in your writing project where you think it’s time to hire an editor?
 
If so, then it’s helpful to know that editors fall into three basic categories: proofreaders, line or content editors, and development editors:
  • Proofreaders check for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and punctuation, as well as sentence order and flow.
  • Line or content editors check these qualities and read for content—whether the writing flows well and makes sense, and whether any major element is obviously missing.
  • Development editors may do some proofreading and reading for content, but they focus mostly on the work as a whole and the major issues and subtleties therein—such as character development, plot, point of view and structure—with an eye toward positioning the work for publication.
To determine which type of editor is best for your project, ask yourself these questions:
  • What is my budget for polishing the manuscript?
  • Have I done as much as I can to complete the work?
  • Do I suspect something fundamental may be missing or underdeveloped?
If your budget is tight and you’ve done significant revising, a good proofreader may be sufficient. If you’ve revised and polished the work but want to make sure it shines, a line or content editor may work fine. If your work is complex and/or you suspect an important element may be missing or underdeveloped, you may need a development editor. This is especially important because unless you fill the gaps, you may get glowing rejections that are still rejections.
 
Whether you opt for agent representation, independent publishing or going directly to a book printer, be prepared for the same considerations. Literary agents still get involved in editing on occasion or if they like your work will request an R&R, revise and resubmit. But no one has time to do the work the writer should do. Independent publishing and book printers also have editors available, usually for a separate charge, so you’ll still need to know what kind of editor to work with.
 
Regardless of the scenario you’re considering, it’s helpful to do a cost analysis of each option before selecting one. A good source for more information is Preditors andEditors.

Friday, July 15, 2016

Raising the Right Stakes: Where Writers Go Awry

High stakes, more interest
In the 2001, literary agent and writing guru Donald Maass penned the must-have reference tool Writing the Breakout Novel. In Chapter 3, Maass begins:  “If there is one single principal that is central to making any story more powerful, it’s simply this: Raise the stakes.” But how does a writer know which stakes to raise? Raise the wrong ones, and you wander down the garden path not knowing how to return.

To know which stakes to raise take this example. Let’s say your protagonist’s dog dies. If you write mysteries, suspense or thrillers, or if you want to layer your work, the dog dies under mysterious circumstances. You can up the stakes by making the dog a onetime Westminster Kennel Club winner. Sounds great, right? Not necessarily. This route likely requires a protagonist of a certain socioeconomic class and for you to learn a lot about Westminster. Since it’s a big event with a big name, this plot option takes the reader toward a situation instead of the character, and character-driven plots resonate more with readers.

So what if the dog is a rescue whose owner is devastated because his beloved pet was saved from near certain doom only to meet her end under the pet owner’s roof, or in the yard, or up the street? In the Westminster scenario, the theme might be personal greed. In the second, any number of options could work, and the stakes are actually higher because they’re more personal than professional.

So if you’re wondering which stakes to raise journal the options to see where each would take you. That way you avoid good writerly intentions that could otherwise go awry.