Ummmm.....I Heard You the First Time
As you all know, I just finished my line edits a few weeks ago. One thing that immediately jumped out at me was the same word scrawled on page after page.
Rep
As in, repetitive.
Now, this is a manuscript I finished the rough draft of in 2007. This thing has been through the ringer. I've edited and revised it a million times.
But I was still being repetitive.
Thank goodness for editors!
What a great reminder for me when I start my next story. I see repetitiveness in books already and sometimes it can be annoying. Repetition is not necessarily using the same words or repeating a sentence. For example, I read a book recently which was a good story with some sweet romance, but I felt like every chapter was reiterating the inner conflicts of the main characters.
The reader doesn't need to be told over and over why the hero and heroine can't be together. I find myself doing this in my own writing. Using the character's internal narrative to remind the reader what the conflicts are. I don't think it's effective. The reader will remember. Use external conflict to heighten the inner conflict, but repeating the inner conflict is not necessarily a hook.
Will I take my own advice? I'm trying!
Do you find yourself repeating the conflicts in your stories? What about telling the reader what you want them to know, rather than using scenes? Any advice for someone like me who feels like the queen of repetition at the moment?
Rep
As in, repetitive.
Now, this is a manuscript I finished the rough draft of in 2007. This thing has been through the ringer. I've edited and revised it a million times.
But I was still being repetitive.
Thank goodness for editors!
What a great reminder for me when I start my next story. I see repetitiveness in books already and sometimes it can be annoying. Repetition is not necessarily using the same words or repeating a sentence. For example, I read a book recently which was a good story with some sweet romance, but I felt like every chapter was reiterating the inner conflicts of the main characters.
The reader doesn't need to be told over and over why the hero and heroine can't be together. I find myself doing this in my own writing. Using the character's internal narrative to remind the reader what the conflicts are. I don't think it's effective. The reader will remember. Use external conflict to heighten the inner conflict, but repeating the inner conflict is not necessarily a hook.
Will I take my own advice? I'm trying!
Do you find yourself repeating the conflicts in your stories? What about telling the reader what you want them to know, rather than using scenes? Any advice for someone like me who feels like the queen of repetition at the moment?
Comments
I realized that because my twist was tricky that I thought I needed to repeat what was going on, a billion times. It bogged down my story, made it more confusing, and annoying.
Slash. Delete. Slash. Delete.
I'm now going to hand it off to critique partners/beta readers and see if I fixed the problem. LOL Funny your post comes at this time. It's nice to know I'm not the only one!
Katie, me too. :-) I'm thankful for editors too. And critters. And basically anyone who reads my book. lol
Good luck finding the repeats!
~ Wendy
Thanks, Linda. :-)
Terry, I think reiterating it is okay if it's done carefully. Overkill is a good word. I'm guilty of that, for sure! lol
I'm sure they will, Wendy. :-)
Last time it was the phrase 'light as thistledown.' :)
So... I've been noticing the outright reiteration (in thoughts) of why hero can't love again in a few LIHs lately. It drives me a little crazy, but I started wondering if that's what the editors want. So I'm encouraged by your editor's input. For me, as a reader, the fun is in figuring out the subtext, and "getting it" without being told, or before being told.
Erica, that's hilarious! One of our fellow bloggers caught my hero arching his brow about a million times! lol I'm so glad she caught it!
Sandra, yeah, I noticed it too. The editor I had was pointing out repetitiveness in dialogue and narration though. I think they do want us to state up front the romantic conflict. But we're writers. We can do it in a way that's not boring or repetitive...I think. lol It's hard, that's for sure.
Hey Nancy, I hope so! I hope every book is better and better. :-)
Patti, true. Good point!
Heehee.
I know I've been guilty of that myself. I think everyone is. That's why beta readers/editors come in so handy.
It's also why it takes months to get a book ready for the printing presses.
Great post!
Critiquers, betas, editors. They keep us in check. :-)
I think we can avoid rep if we read as much of our ms at one sitting as is possible. This way we get the feel for the story as a whole, more like a reader would view it.
Stacy, I know. I'm so thankful for my fellow writers/readers.
Robyn, you're very right. Recognition is a great stage to reach!
Joanne, isn't it? It's like our brain becomes blind after a while...or something.
I get hooked on certain words, mannerisms, etc. and have to weed them out during edits. My CPs catch some I miss, and I trust my editors will catch even more. I just hope there aren't too many left when my book reaches readers.
Yeah, Jess, you'll try to follow your own advice, but I find I always deep doing the same old stuff. Like you said, thank goodness for editors!!!
jeannie
the character therapist
Brandi, I love the phrase you just used about getting them out of their head. Nice!
Oh Cheryl, you know I probably keep doing the same things over and over too. That's called craziness you know. lol
Oooh, Jeannie, ouch!! But so true about treating the readers with respect.
"You already said that" or "I get it" will be scrawled on my MS.
Then I went the opposite direction. I had them wondering and questioning a few spots - "is this intentional?"
I'm trying to find the happy place.
We just keep trying to get it right.
I have to LOL on this. I drive my husband nuts, because I generally say the same thing three times in different ways. It's my way of processing.
Just have to watch out for where that carries over onto the written page. My readers aren't contractually obligated to love and cherish. ;)
Sigh. Something else I'll have to watch in my writing. :)
I think I do it because I see it so often in the published books I read that I think it's necessary. You're right, though, one repeat should be enough to make sure the reader didn't miss it the first time. Oh, man, now I have even more editing to do...
I'm guessing I don't notice it as much in my own writing. I'll try to be more aware.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
I know I'm thankful for my critters, Karen. I think Jessica had a good point too.
Thanks for popping by, Ali! ;-)
Sarah, yep, I definitely know. lol
Emily, I love your sense of humor. :-) You always make me smile!
Hey Susan, there are writing bombs everywhere, right? You'll do fine though. :-)
Eileen, I've been seeing it a lot lately too and am having to keep myself from doing the same thing. It's so easy but I really think it weakens the story.
Mel
And thanks for commenting on my blog! It's great to see you!