Writing 101: Backing Up and Rescuing Your Manuscript

Spend time on a computer regularly, and it's bound to happen to you: data loss. Power outages, viruses, various meltdowns, there are all sorts of reasons your computer might malfunction and cause you to lose something you'd rather keep. But when it happens to your manuscript, it's the deepest cut of all. Don't lose your work! There are ways to avoid the problem, and ways to fix it when you haven't been avoiding it arduously enough. 

 Saving Your Book

I'm a little on the obsessive side when it comes to saving my work, because I've agonized through more than one crash in the past. But I've learned others aren't quite so psychotic about hitting the "save" button repeatedly. In fact, the computer makes it pretty easy to get lazy. Any word processing program worth its hard drive space will have an auto-save feature that automatically saves your progress, pretty much every time you pause. Even online programs, like blogger and gmail, have this auto-save feature. It's all too easy to watch drafts of your book automatically save themselves.

It's all too easy to grow complacent. But the first time you lose an entire manuscript, an important chapter or even a pivotal scene, you'll start to step over to this side of save-craziness. Don't learn the lesson the hard way. Before you ever worry about backing up your book, make sure you're saving it in the first place. When you pause to think or stop to go get a drink, hit the "save" button. If moving the mouse is too much trouble, you can simply hit Crtl-S on the keyboard (PC users) and save the work that way.

It never hurts to save the book in two different files on the hard drive. After you're done working for the day and everything is nicely saved, go up to the File menu and hit "save as" to store a second copy in an entirely new folder. You're doing this for an important reason: viruses and other corruption. A file you're working on constantly is more likely to fall prey to an unsavory program or problem, and your extra file may be spared from whatever is compromising your system.

Backing Up Your Book

No matter how up-to-date or fancy your computer, it's always susceptible to problems.  All it takes to wipe out a hard drive is a single flash of lightning, and I know because I've been there (here's a free tip: turn your wired machines off during electrical storms). That's why you should back up your book, and all related files you want to keep, every single time you work on it. 

Get into the habit of slapping a flash drive or backup drive into place at the end of every day, when you're ready to shut down the computer. Just copy the files from your hard drive onto your backup drive. It will only take a few moments to complete the entire process. USB flash drives are very inexpensive, and as a matter of fact you can write the cost off on your taxes (because they are a self-employed expense, are they not?). Save the receipt in order to write off the cost. 

Recovering Your Book

Of course, it's not always easy to remember to back up work -- and it's not always easy to make time to do so. When you fail to back up your book, that is the moment when you will lose it, invariably. So if for some reason you find that you can no longer locate your book on your hard drive, and your backup files don't have the new progress you've made, you're going to have to try to recover your work. 

Sarah Marcus wrote a very detailed posted explaining the data recovery process for writers. You may have to access your word processing program's file folders in order to look for temp saved files if your computer is still functioning. Microsoft users can also use the program's Application Recovery tool to look for recently-opened files on the system. You should also check the program's temp files to see if one of them is your book, recently auto-saved to the system. 

But that's pretty much a best-case scenario in data recovery. If you believe your book might be lost due to a huge computer failure, it's most likely because of a serious problem that prevents the computer from functioning normally. 

First, get a new hard drive and install it in the computer with necessary operating system software. Next, re-connect the damaged drive and set it as a slave to the new, non-corrupt hard drive. This will allow you to access any remaining data on the damaged drive that you want to restore. It should go without saying that if you have no idea what I'm talking about here, solicit some sort of help from someone in-the-know when it comes to computer technical issues. If help is out of reach, you can always look for software programs such as GetItBack to aid you in the data recovery process. 

If all else fails, look for professional help before you give up on your book for ever. Paying for data recovery can be costly, but the time you've already put into your book is also valuable. Try to save yourself all of these headaches by backing up your work every single day, and none of it will become an issue.

Stop to See Me on Your Blog Tour

Dawn Smith Books, a blog dedicated to writers and writing, has kindly named me as their official blog tour stop for the week! Visit the site to get all the details on the first two books in the Deck of Lies Series, Justice and The Tower. You'll find the blurbs, the reviews, the trailers and more.

Writing 101: Is It Further, or Farther?

The English language doesn't always make a whole lot of sense. The word "subtle" has an inexplicable b in the middle of it, "knife" is spelled with a k...and a single letter can totally change the meaning of a word. So when you're writing, are you getting farther along in your book -- or are you getting further along in your work? Maybe you're doing both, and either way you'd better know the difference.

Farther vs. Further

It's an epic word battle, and one I personally struggle with every single time. No matter what I'm writing, the minute I want to use further or farther, I'm forced to stop what I'm doing and look up the differences between them. It's just one little vowel, but it makes a big difference if you end up using the wrong one. In fact, it changes what you're writing entirely.

Writing 101: Writing Reviews

In the indie community, writing reviews isn't a courtesy -- it's pretty much expected. Indies know how hard it is for other indies to get reviews (or readers at all), and there are lots of different groups, review swaps and deals happening all over the indie book community at any given time. Because of the helpful spirit, the tit-for-tat review deals and the strong desire among indies to get more and more reviews, writing reviews is something a great many indie writers have to face. So if you're going to do it, make sure you know what the hell you're doing. How much do you know about writing reviews?

 Reading, Writing

Many writers are also readers, because to practice the craft you've got to love it. Reading someone else's work is the only thing that keeps me sane at times...and other times, it's enough to drive me insane. That's because reading within the indie community isn't the same as dipping into the mainstream fiction pool. There are a lot of undiscovered gems to be found in the indie book community, but there are a lot of duds, too.

When one of those duds happens to be a book that you're committed to reviewing, things can get a little dicey. What if your review is part of a swap arrangement, and contingent upon getting a review for your own book? What if your review is for a friend's book? What if you've got to review it, and the book sucks?

Reviewing

It's enough to make anyone panic, but you don't have to. If you have a formula to follow and a certain set of reviewer morals to stick with, you will never go wrong. You may get sassed by an indie writer or two, but you won't be wrong -- and at the end of the review, you can smile to yourself and know you've done the right thing.

• Read the book. 

If you're committed to doing the review, you've got to finish it no matter how bad it is. And we've all been there. At some point, every voracious reader has pushed themselves to finish a book they didn't really want to finish. It's like exercising, or cleaning the house -- just get it done, and then it's done. But while you're reading, make sure you look for any and all strong points the author has displayed. This can be a real challenge, but if you read hard enough you're sure to find something likable in the work -- strong imagery, creative plot lines, interesting characters, setting. You may even find merit in an author's research skills alone. The worse a book is, the harder you have to look to find something redeeming. Trust me, you'll need it later.

• Decide objectively. 

Once you've gotten all the way to "The End," sit back and be objective. Forget about the fact that you've got to write a review for your blog, or Amazon, or wherever. Forget about the indie author behind the book you've just read. Think like a reader, be honest with yourself, and ask yourself how high you would honestly rate this book if no one else ever has to know. You can hardly tell other people what you think about a book if you haven't got it sorted in your own mind. 

• Review. 

You cannot, under any circumstances (swap or no swap) write a false review publicly for any book for any reason -- not even if you do it under a fictitious name that has nothing to do with your pen name -- and I'm going to tell you why: integrity. Even if you are writing those reviews under a false name, the person you're review-swapping with knows who you are. Other indies and other readers could easily begin to recognize the review name you use, and they're going to peg you for a liar the first time they read a book with very few redeeming qualities that you've rated at 4 or 5 stars. And what happens then?

Then, they sure as heck won't want to read the book you've written. If you're posting false or overly embellished reviews on your blog, the more discerning readers aren't going to be interested in any other post on your blog. 

What I'm taking a long time to write is that you've got to be honest -- both for your sake and for the sake of the author you are reviewing. Negative feedback is infinitely more helpful than positive reinforcement in the writing world. No writer can ever improve without knowing where they are weak, and a brave reviewer with an unvarnished, honest opinion is an incredibly powerful and useful motivational tool. I talked at length about the merits to be found in bad reviews in a previous post, and I'll stand by my opinions. 

But at the same time, there's a right way and a wrong way to offer criticism to an indie writer. If you know that you have many negative things to say about a book, and you honestly can't give it a four-star or five-star rating, the kindest course of action is to contact the author and tell them that. 

Was the work lacking in description? Did you feel that you had no idea who the characters were? Was the book filled with inaccuracies and/or errors? It should be very easy for you to explain flaws like these to the author gently. Remember how hard you looked for strengths in the book? Mention those first! Always preface negative comments by telling the author what you did like about the book. It is also a kindness to offer not to post any reviews of the book publicly, but if you do go forward with the review always stress those strong points in the writer's work and always keep the review honest -- honest, but not necessarily harsh. As a reviewer, your biggest asset is the kind euphemism and a diplomatic attitude. Remember how hard it is to write a book, how boring it is to edit, and keep your comments as kind as you can. 

Writing a Review

When you go to write a review, it pays to be succinct. It's not always easy to know how to start, what to say and how to finish a review. You can always come up with your own formula and review style, but you can always borrow mine, too, if you need it: 

• How'd you get the book? Many reviewers like to mention how they found the book, by way of introducing it and the review. It's a good place to start, especially if you don't know where to start in a review. 
• What's it about? Is the book a romance, a mystery, a thriller? Give the readers a few basic lines about the book in general, so they have a context for all your comments. 
• What'd you think? Now's the time to mention the good and the bad, the things you liked and didn't like. What stuck out the most to you? Write the review the way you'd tell it to a friend. Be casual, be approachable, and use plain, forthright language that I can understand. 
• No spoilers! Don't spoil a book for another reader, or make an author grimace with pain at your words. Always re-read your review to make sure you're not giving away the book's ending or any surprise plot twists. You can always touch on these elements of a story without giving too much away (example: "The twist in the middle with Girl's backpack caught me completely off guard;" "When everything came together at the end, I felt very satisfied"). 
• In summation. Close the review neatly by re-stating your overall opinion of the work ("I loved it!" "I enjoyed the plot, but the characters could use a little more development;" "I enjoyed it despite all the errors") and, if applicable, stating who you'd recommend the book to and/or if you will be reading more from this author. Remember to keep your comments constructive, kind and honest. 

Reviews should be written in the first person and in a casual tone, but you should also conduct yourself professionally with every single review you write. If you plan to do a lot of reviewing, you will begin to gain a reputation. Make sure it's a good one. Yes, some indie authors will take exception to your opinions of their work, but you will find that most of them are open to comments and criticism and truly want to improve upon their craft. Once readers know that you are an honest and thoughtful reviewer, you will attract more authors with open minds who truly want to improve.

Book 3 Sneak Peek!

Yes, the rumors are true: I've finished the first draft of Death, Book 3 in the Deck of Lies series. I still have some serious editing to do, but a few very brief passages are suitable for public viewing and I'm going to share one of them!

(image from the official trailer, yet to be released)

Excerpt from Chapter ?

    I was striding across the grass with a smile frozen onto my lips. I was wearing a bit less eye makeup, and my mascara had been re-applied with a shaking hand, but no one looked at me oddly as I moved toward the milling party guests -- so I guess I did a good enough job of repairing my appearance.

    Things were in full swing, now. All of the Japanese lanterns were lit, their colorful shades creating a haze of light that made it difficult to see the stars above. Voices were louder now that the beautifully-garbed people had been here long enough to enjoy more than one of the complimentary drinks that were being doled out by the truckload. There were a dozen or so servers milling among the glittering guests with bubbling glasses of champagne, and the bartenders were in a frenzy of activity to lubricate the crowd gathered near the dance floor.

    Carsyn was laughing with a group of her friends from Sloane Academy, the school we both attended. I stepped past a portrait of myself to reach the raised dance floor, built just that day to accommodate the guests. Everywhere I looked, I saw pink. Special rose-colored lights were aimed at the ice sculptures that dotted the buffet tales, which were all decorated with clear pink decorations that looked like diamonds. Each one of the round tables held a display of pink tea roses and more of those silly diamonds. I’d wanted red, but Violet thought the color was too violent.

    What a joke.

    I went straight to the nearest server, the smile firmly in place, nodding to the few people who greeted me as I passed. The party was supposed to be in my honor, to re-introduce me to the von Shelton’s friends. I was meeting all the “important people” in and around our community of Silverwood, California. I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I only nodded a thanks to the server when I plucked a frothy glass from his tray.

    I’d barely brought it to my lips when I heard the voice at my right side. “Are you old enough to be drinking, young lady?”

    I sputtered and nearly spit the first sip back into my glass, but I tossed the contents down my throat instead. It was a little too much; I nearly choked when the bubbles began to tickle my nose and mouth. I smeared my lipstick when I rubbed the back of my hand across my mouth, but I didn’t care. “Owen.”

    “Sorry. Didn’t mean to surprise you.” He had an odd sort of expression on his face, as if he wanted to smile but wasn’t quite sure if he should.

    “No, it’s okay,” I answered, and I was still trying to keep that idiotic smile plastered to my face. “I’m glad you came.”

....

If you've read Justice or The Tower, you'll recognize all these names. The excerpt above is taken from a scene between Owen and Rain. Will there be a confrontation? What's the deal with this party? You'll find out in Death, which is the longest book in the series to date. And I promise, Tower fans, the scene you've been waiting for takes place very, very early in the book so the wait is almost over!

My Other Job is Fashion Writer

If you've read any books in the Deck of Lies series, you've probably noticed that I'm into fashion. I label-drop constantly, and I've tried to create a distinct style for Rain and many of her supporting characters (I've even blogged about those styles). But I don't get to write about fashion in my books as much as I'd like, so I've started writing for VAR magazine to get my fashion fix. 

I write about vintage fashions and current vintage trends in Issue 1 of VAR, which was just released this month. VAR is packed with fashion-centric photos and articles. It's based in New York, and even though I'm not I'll be contributing articles on a freelance basis to the magazine from time to time (when I'm not writing about murder plots and family intrigue). You have to buy the issue to see it all, but various snippets and articles will be available on the VAR site soon. Issue 1 features Alysha Nett, Bai Ling, Bernadette Macias, Dave Navarro, Davey Havok, Jenny Mollen, Miles Devin, Olga Maliouk and me! ...Plus many other very talented writers, photographers and personalities, of course.

Writing 101: Pricing Your Books

You were careful to choose great words for your book. You sweated it out through the editing process. You went through the formatting line by line to make certain every page is perfect. If you don't price your books the right way, you're going to watch that hard work go to waste. If you want readers, you've got to take a hard look at your book pricing.

How Much is Your Writing Worth?

A lot of factors are at play when writers are pricing their books. For any given book, whether it's a short story of a full-length novel, every page represents hours of work in formatting, writing, editing and reading. If authors charged by the hour, every book would cost hundred of dollars.

But that's not really feasible for the readers, is it? As a writer, you're expected to love your book. You've poured soul into it; sweat, blood, tears, heartache. And, if you're like many writers, you probably want to do nothing but write full-time. It's easy to get lost in the math. Charge five bucks, sell a million copies -- just imagine those numbers for a little while. Your book is a huge piece of your life, your heart and your skill. And you've got to forget all that. The price of your book isn't a reflection of your skill or how much you put into your work. It's a reflection of the market. 

Writing 101: Be Very Wary of Using Very

 How many times does the word very appear in your book? You really ought to find out, because really, the word is very, very unnecessary. In fact, some writers have made it a point never to use the word at all.

Very in Literature

"Substitute 'damn' every time you're inclined to write 'very'; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be." This was Mark Twain's opinion of very...and most anyone will agree that Twain was, and remains, a very successful writer. Very hasn't got much of a place in literature because it is a very empty word. 

Most of the time, the word very has very little meaning when it's used in writing. It's a word that exists almost solely for emphasis alone, except for when it's used in a very specific circumstance. Very can also denote something precise or exact (those were her very words), but most of the time it's used as a word of emphasis rather than as a synonym for exactness. 

And if the best you can come up with to emphasize a point is using the word very a bunch, you've got deeper problems than this one word.

Very Good Writing

Sometimes, a writer has to infuse a description or dialogue with a little drama -- and that's where very comes in very handy. But it's a plain word, it's an over-used word, and you can do better. Very isn't the only word in the English language that's used to emphasize a point. Replace occurrences of very in your book with much prettier words like profoundly, extremely, greatly and a bunch of other adverbs that sound way better. Replacing ho-hum, ugly words like very with something better -- or getting rid of them entirely -- will make your writing flow better and read more smoothly and professionally to your readers...and isn't that a very good reason for avoiding it?