Acronyms: Part 2

Today I’d like to share some of the editing acronyms that have been used on me or by me. I love to edit as much as I love to write and drink coffee. “I was born with a red pen in my hands.” Growing up, my idea of a great time was to print off my stories so I could make them better with my magic red pen…yeah, I was kinda a weird, loner child…(and, not much has changed in that area) But starting the editing early has been great for my writing life…editors have nothing on MY red pen!

Again, all you editors (and writers) out there…if I’ve missed any, please comment below. THANKS.

ED = Editor! 🙂

RUE = Resist the Urge to Explain

FBP = Floating Body Part (example: “My eyes landed on her.”…that would require them to pop out of your head, fly across the room, and land on her…)

RO = Run-on sentence

STET = Let it Stand

WW = Wrong Word

ROFL = Rolling on Floor Laughing

OTT = Over the Top

SNI = Shiny New Idea

OMNI = Omniscient

IM = Internal Monologue

BS = Backstory

CRIT = Critique

GMC = Goals, Motivation, Conflict (yeah, these are important to have in fiction)

IMHO = In My Humble Opinion

AWK = Awkward sentence

SP = Spelling…check it…and like Messy Mondays says: “Some people think that the red squiggly line underneath the words is the computers way of saying ‘Oh yes, keep it up!'”

CMS = Chicago Manual of Style (this is a HUGE book with all the editing rules…)

TBR = To Be Read (Pile of books)…this can also mean, To Be released

ISBN = International Standard Book Number. (You get one of these when you’re book gets published)

TMI/TNCA = Too Much Information / That Nobody Cares About

TLD = Time Line Discrepancy (this one was created by my editor Vie)

DW? = Do What?? (Also created by my editor)

**And of course, my very own self editing acronyms:

TWS = That Was Stupid

TMNSW = That Made No Sense Whatsoever!

NCTS = Need Coffee in This Scene

GW = Great Writing

ARGH = All right, gonna holler!

RME = Rolled My Eyes (yes, I committed a FBP there…)

**Forgot these last week: LI = Love Interest  &  AFK = Away From Keyboard

My Distraction

I should be writing, but I find myself distracted by Messy Mondays on Youtube.
Although, today is Monday, so I guess it’s okay to watch a bunch of these in a row…right??
If you’ve never watched these and you NEED to be writing, BEWARE! STAY AWAY!

*These are very blunt, but very profound.
ENJOY

*HEY…my favorite word made the list COFFEE….aw man… 🙂

Shameless self-promotion (this time for my dear friend!)

This is a great post by my friend, Olivia Stocum, about our mutual author friend Elaine Miller! Check out this book. It’s great! (Just LOVE the title!)

Olivia Stocum Romance Fiction

I’ve found these ‘canned’ posts often don’t get a lot of traffic, but I encourage anyone who is in a relationship with an idiot (by this I mean anyone in any relationship) to check out Elaine and her awesome book. I know her personally, and she’s a great lady, with an awesome message.

I will step out of the way here . . .  

 

 

Author on a Mission to Strengthen Marriages Everywhere!

August 3, 2012 — There is an old saying that goes “dating is hard, but marriage is harder!” And if you ask any married couple on the planet, they will no doubt agree with you. Whether it is trying to work together on how to raise the children or balance the household budget, couples will sometimes not see eye to eye.

But now there is a new book with lots of great advice for every…

View original post 541 more words

Not perfect? Pffft…. you don’t deserve grace.

Check out this great blog! I love the Messy Monday videos…If you’ve never seen one, check them out…They are kinda addictive though… 🙂

Olivia Stocum Romance Fiction

So, you’re a Christian. Well, I’m a Christian too. (snark) How come I heard you swear when that 32 ounce boiling-hot gas station coffee spilled all over you? Or what about the time I caught you crying when your dog died? I thought you were supposed to be happy, ALL OF THE TIME? I understand you haven’t slept in weeks and your BFF has cancer, but seriously, you asked your doctor about going on anti-depressants? WHAT is wrong with you?

Special thanks to Janelle at  https://janelleleonard.wordpress.com, who introduced me to these videos.

View original post

Acronyms: Part I

People keep asking me about the acronyms I use, and what they stand for. Apparently there are people out there that aren’t involved in the writing world at all. (GASP!) 🙂 So, for all of you who live in the “normal” world, here is a list of common acronyms used by writers. (If there are any I missed, please comment below).

WIP = Work in Progress

ARC = Advanced Reader’s Copy

POV = Point of view (If there is a 1st, 3rd . . . just means which POV…first person, third person)

SASE = self addressed stamped envelope

CP = Critique Partner

WM = Writer’s Market

MS = Manuscript

MSS = Manuscripts

MC = Main Character

SS = Simultaneous Submission

HEA = Happily Ever After

WB = Writer’s Block

BIC = Butt in chair 

For Genres (G): (This is where you’ll find a certain book on the shelves)

YA = Young Adult  = (this is what I write!)

F = Fantasy (can also be just plain Fiction)

NF = Non fiction

SF = Science Fiction

HF = Historical Fiction

HR = Historical Romance (HR can also stand for Highland Romance. i.e. http://theclaymoreandsurcoat.com/)

CF = Christian Fiction

MG = Middle Grade

B =  Biography

M = Memoir

AB = Autobiography

PB = Picture Book

My Acronyms:

BO = Bouncer (This is someone that you bounce ideas off of, someone who helps you get unstuck, get over those roadblocks. I have several BO’s in my life!)

CT =  Coffee Time

ODS = Odd Duck Society 🙂 (this is for all my odd duck writer friends out there!)

 

**Stay tuned. Part II will be on all the wonderful editing Acronyms out there.

 

My Sponsor

I just wanted to take a minute (I could go on for days…) out of my writing day to say a HUGE thank you to my unofficial sponsor.

COFFEE!!!

It’s my drug/drink of choice…every writer has something that gets them motivated to put pen to page, or fingers to keys…

I’d especially like to thank DINER COFFEE. My novels are powered by coffee, and I’ve found that diner coffee fuels my writing the most. There’s nothing like walking into a diner and having the waitress hand me a cup of coffee. I go sit in my corner booth. Open my laptop. Sip my coffee…and magically my cup is NEVER empty! (Thank you to all the wonderful waitresses who plug in my coffee IV).

So, again, thank you COFFEE for powering my novels!

 

The Vesatile Blogger

Just wanted to thank one of my writing Besties, Olivia Stocum, for thinking of me and sending me this award. Check out her blog: http://theclaymoreandsurcoat.com/

If you’re on the list of nominated blogs below, then this is what you do next:

1) Add The Versatile Blogger award photo on a blog post

2) Thank the person who presented you with the award and link back to him or her in your post
3) Share seven things about yourself
4) Pass the award along to 15 bloggers you’ve recently discovered. Contact the chosen bloggers to let them know about the award.

7 random things about myself:

1. I’ve been writing since before Kindergarten (reading since before then, too). I loved to write stories, print them off, and edit them with my red pen…I still love this…born with a red pen in my hand! 

2. I love music and baking. I sing (love to harmonize) and dabble at piano. One of my dreams is to be a part of band…(maybe sing on stage with The Band Perry or Dierks Bentley…) Baking: cookies fix everything. It’s a way for me to unwind and to bring joy to everyone around me by passing out goodies.

3. I’ve been playing volleyball since the womb. 🙂 My mom was pregnant for me while she was coaching college volleyball. I love to play (setter), and tend to get annoyed when the rules aren’t followed…Bump, set, spike! Oh, and I can’t stand watching volleyball because I’d rather be playing!

4. I got married 2 weeks after I graduated from high school…(18 years old). My wonderful husband was 22. So blessed to be married to a man who takes his vows seriously!

5. I love hanging out with teenagers! I never really was a teen when I was a teen. I enjoy being goofy and also being there to encourage and help teens as they struggle through the teen years.

6. I’m a coffee-drinking, countrified PD (that’s not Police Department)–Pastor’s Daughter…

7. I’m more afraid of success than failure…I’m wiling to be used…how far will God take me??

 

And now on to other people. Here are 15 of my favorite blogs. You should definitely these check out:

-Olivia Stocum http://theclaymoreandsurcoat.com/

-Juliana Cobb  http://confessionsofaschoolnurse.wordpress.com/

-Michelle http://randomwritingrants.com/

-September http://www.septembermccarthy.com/

-Leslee http://leslee-clapp.blogspot.com/

-Elaine http://www.splashesofserenity.com/

-Sarah Ladd http://www.sarahladd.com/

-Amy Emily http://www.amyemilyphotography.com/

-Hartline Agency http://hartlineliteraryagency.blogspot.com/

–http://www.heartlandeditorial.com/BLOG.html

-Brenda http://www.brendakhendricks.com/

–http://shrinkingvioletpromotions.blogspot.com/

–http://www.brodiashton.blogspot.com/

–http://sarahbethdurst.blogspot.com/

–http://www.angelahuntbooks.com/blog/

–http://mrs.lenflack.com/

 

 

I Hate Blogging

I must admit that I hate blogging. Then “why do you have a blog?” Yeah, I wonder the same thing. But as a writer, I know I need to get myself out there, open doors, do things that I don’t normally do…boldly go where Janelle Leonard hasn’t gone before!

Here’s a few reasons why I would rather be doing something else (like laundry or potty training my toddler):

1. Blogging makes me feel like I’m back in school, back to being forced. I did love school. Loved learning, loved reading and writing…But in school, I was forced to write, forced to think up something clever, forced to write that 10 page paper on a topic that I really didn’t care about… Blogging makes me feel like that, forced. I get ready to post, and I lose all thoughts on what to write. My love of talking about writing takes a coffee break. No creative thoughts. No idea what will help me “pass” this test.

2. I like building personal relationships. I love talking to others about writing, but I feel that on a blog, I’m just another typer. I’d rather do all this sharing face-to-face. The computer screen keeps getting in the way.

3. Not Another blog!! I have a hard time reading blogs. I’d rather sink my teeth into novels. I make a point to read my friends blogs, but other than that, I don’t go in search of blogs if I can help it. 

4. Who wants to read my rants? *Cue pity-party music. I struggle with putting all this thought into writing a short nothing and knowing no one’s gonna read it anyway… (If you are reading this, thanks!) 🙂 Randomness seems to be a gift of mine, but does anyone else get my randomness? Does anyone really care?

But, in light of all these reasons (excuses, stalling), I will press on. Writers write. This is good for me. Good for me to stretch myself, and learn how to write when forced.

… And maybe, just maybe, at the end, I might actually enjoy blogging!

What are your thoughts on blogging?  

 

Timeout Tuesday

Well, I planned on writing a blog yesterday, but I got a little distracted. The mail lady (kinda funny if you think about that) brought me my advanced reader’s copy of The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah Ladd.

There went my day. And night…

Here’s my review:

As a lover of everything Jane Austen and of novels set in the early 1800s, I jumped at the chance to read The Heiress of Winterwood. Author Sarah Ladd didn’t disappoint! I’m also a writer and an editor, and I have to say, this is one of the best (well-written, thought out, didn’t make me roll my eyes once) novels I’ve read in awhile. I’m definitely adding it to my list of NOVELS THAT MADE ME STAY UP ALL NIGHT BECAUSE I COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN.

 

The Heiress of Winterwood held all the elements that, to me, make up a must-read/gotta-recommend-to-everyone novel.

 

1. PLOT-DRIVEN STORY: Before Katherine Sterling dies, Amelia Barrett promises her two things. She promises to give a letter to Katherine’s husband, Captain Graham Sterling, and promises that she will take care of, and never leave, Katherine’s newborn baby, Lucy. When Captain Sterling arrives from sea nine months later, Amelia fears he will take his daughter from her forever. Amelia can’t let that happen. She grew up without a mother and refuses to let that happen to Lucy—and, she’s not willing to lose another person she loves. There’s only one solution: Amelia must marry Graham Sterling so that she can keep her promise to her dead friend and take care of Lucy. But things, of course, don’t go as smoothly as Amelia plans. Graham Sterling has no intention of marrying again. And Amelia is already engaged to Edward Littleton, a handsome, but not-what-he-seems man. Throughout the novel, Amelia and Graham must learn to accept God’s sovereignty and relinquish control so they can grasp the future He has planned for them.

 

2. CHARACTERS: All the characters were believable. I felt for them, cried with them, was frustrated with them, laughed with them, understood them—even the characters I wasn’t sure which side they would take at the end . . .

 

3. SCENE: The Heiress of Winterwood is set in the early 1800’s. Sarah Ladd does an amazing job sprinkling in relevant facts without making it read like a textbook.

 

4. MYSTERY: Who really kidnapped the captain’s daughter and her nurse? Usually I can figure out who did it right away, but I wasn’t too sure… I had my guesses, but Sarah Ladd made me doubt my assumptions and a few characters along the way.

 

5. SPIRITUAL ASPECT: The Heiress of Winterwood didn’t preach at me. The characters all struggled with issues that are relevant even today. Doubt. Fear. Guilt. Surrendering control. And as it is in real life, it wasn’t a next page realization. It took the characters a whole book full of experiences (first impressions, tragedy/loss, joy, testing) to learn the lesson that God has a purpose for everything and is in control.

 

6. ROMANCE: The romance was very well done!! People reacted to touches, looks, and words (Some that were, at times, not appropriate for a gentleman to say to a lady), proving they weren’t dead or immune to normal human reactions/feelings.

 

7. SNAPPY DIALOGUE & ACTION: The action was non-stop. The prologue grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go to sleep until I’d read the last page. Every chapter was a necessity, no fluffy or just ‘cuz chapters. The sentences were short and choppy at times, but it helped moved the story along without stopping and parking in a scene—usually I skip whole sections of books…I didn’t skip any of The Heiress of Winterwood.

And THE MEN TALKED LIKE MEN! (Thanks Sarah Ladd!!)I

 

8. A SATISFYING ENDING: The ending wasn’t contrived, or tied up in a neat little bow. There are still things that need to happen . . . I eagerly await the sequel!!

 Much thanks to Sarah Ladd for a GREAT read!