Writing Tip of the Day-Prologues

A prologue should have a distinct purpose pertaining to the accompanying story’s plot, background, or character conflict. It should not be included in an attempt to create excitement for a story that otherwise lacks it.

Writing Tip of the Day-Prologues

Prologues can be useful literary devices. They engage the interest of the reader by presenting story insight, information or background detail which cannot be provided in any other way.

Writing Tip of the Day-Manuscript Formatting

It can be satisfying to add 'The End' to the conclusion of your novel, but is not necessary. The choice belongs to the author. To include this finale, drop down two double spaces below the last line of text, and then type and center the words.

Writing Tip of the Day-Manuscript Formatting

An Author’s Note may be included with a novel if there is information of interest to readers which could not be included in the book text. This note should have a separate page or pages of its own, and its text should be double-spaced. Center “Author’s Note” approximately a third of the way down the page, double space and begin.

Writing Tip of the Day-Manuscript Formatting

The acknowledgements page is where you express your gratitude for those who have helped or influenced the production of your novel. It's submitted as a separate page with double-spaced text. Center the word “Acknowledgements” approximately a third of the way down the page, double space, then type whatever you are inspired to say on the subject.

Writing Tip of the Day-Manuscript Formatting

The dedication for a novel should be placed on a separate page. Center the word “Dedication” approximately one-third of the way down the page. Double space, then type your dedication as concisely as possible. Center this text on the page.

Writing Tip of the Day-Manuscript Formatting

Traditional subjects for creating transition narrative passages include, but are not limited to: time, weather, and character reaction to events; character thoughts, beliefs or understanding of events; atmospheric descriptions of the setting, and the insertion of background or research information pertinent to the story.

Writing Tip of the Day-Manuscript Formatting

A space transition is created by dropping down two double spaces (one more than usual) before beginning the next scene. To insure that the transition is not ignored by the printer, a symbol such as a pound sign (#) or three asterisks (***) is usually centered in the extra double space.

Writing Tip of the Day-Manuscript Formatting

The change from one scene to the next is known as a transition. These transitions may be accomplished with one or two words or a useful phrase, as in “Meanwhile,” “Moments later,” or “On the following morning”. They may also cover one or more paragraphs of narrative. However, the simplest indication of a scene change is the space transition, or blank space left on the page.

Writing Tip of the Day-Manuscript Formatting

Books are written in scenes in order to avoid the inclusion of tedious details or the awkwardness of moving characters from one setting to another. Skill in choosing and developing pertinent scenes is the mark of a professional writer.

Writing Tip of the Day-Manuscript Formatting

Every scene should display one or more story points. If a scene has no definite point to make—if it doesn’t carry the plot forward or illustrate some useful aspect of character, setting or situation—then it has no place in the book.

Writing Tip of the Day-Manuscript Formatting

Chapters need not always end with the conclusion of a scene. A chapter break may be inserted in the middle of a scene if it will illustrate a point, add dramatic emphasis, or allow a change of point-of-view character.

Writing Tip of the Day-Manuscript Formatting

Traditional story form in commercial fiction follows a norm of two or three scenes per chapter, each being 7 – 10 pages long. This creates an average of 14 - 20 pages per chapter, and 20 – 25 chapters per book.

The Jennifer Blake Newsletter - June 2011

Greetings:

What a month. Tornado warnings were issued for our area three different times. We had high winds, lost a tree or two, but dodged the real bullet each time. My husband and I traveled to two high school graduation ceremonies, one in Louisiana and one in Mississippi, with the valedictorians in both cases being our grandchildren. I also flew to New York for BEA, otherwise known as Book Expo America. This is the annual convention for the biggest association of booksellers and librarians in the country. For it, publishers set up booths on the convention floor to display upcoming titles, and authors are brought in to sign ARCs, or advance reading copies, of their books. These ARCs are free to member-attendees willing to stand in line for them. I was there to sign Book 1 of my Three Graces trilogy, BY HIS MAJESTY’S GRACE. Among those in line was a nice gentleman who wanted a book autographed to his wife who is a fan. An email thank you from her, next day, revealed the identity of this hero: Tom Wilson, creator of the Ziggy cartoons. How great is that?

My companion on this New York trip was my daughter, Delinda Corbin. Being a super-organized type, she found special express tickets to the Empire State Building online, a huge timesaver as we were waved past all the long lines and whisked on and off elevators. She also got third row center seats for us for “Mamma Mia!”, so we were practically on stage with the cast of this long-running show. It was a fantastic production, and I enjoyed every minute, still have “Dancing Queen” running through my head. Other than this, we walked all over the city, visited the Metropolitan Museum, took the ferry out to see the lady in the harbor, and had a lovely lunch with my agent at a French restaurant on the corner of Lexington and 75th. It was a special trip—but gave me no urge whatever to live in New York City.

What I’ve been doing since my return is reading and correcting the AAs, or page proofs, for Book 3 of the Three Graces trilogy, SEDUCED BY GRACE. Its release date is listed as October, but copies will show up on shelves at the end of September. Page proofs for Book 1 were corrected at the end of January, a rush job so copies of this August title would be available for BEA, while those for Book 2, BY GRACE POSSESSED, were done last month. With these tasks behind me, I’ll be able to concentrate on promotional activities for the books. That is, after I get back from a week in Ft. Myers, FL, where I’ll be attending the graduation of another granddaughter. Oh, yes, three grandchildren born in the same special year—and it seems only yesterday that they were all crawling babes. Where does the time go?

The summer is heating up here, with a temps hovering at or above 100 degrees this week. That’s hot for June, even in Louisiana! Such sultry weather makes me start thinking of Colorado and our summer place in the mountains—cool breezes, distant blue vistas, white-water rafting, wildflowers and hummingbirds. Plans are in the works for a family gathering there in a few weeks. I think I’ll be ready.

With warmest wishes for special events in your summer and your life,

Jennifer