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I’ve been working on editing my “Mik Murdoch” manuscript and it has proven to be an interesting exercise. I’m already seeing where I have rushed things too much and I have a better understanding about focusing my story. It will be interesting to see what my editor thinks about the changes I’m making.
In today’s show, I have some questions from an up-and-coming author I met during the “When Words Collide” convention. She asks about building a website and blogging.
I also had the chance to listen to Allison Duncan talk about Search Engine Optimization during the DragonCant virtual convention. I quickly realized how much I had to learn and how important SEO can be to a new author. I knew I had to get Allison on the show to talk about platform building and SEO. To my delight, she agreed and you will hear the resulting conversation in this episode.
I hope you enjoy the show.
Show Notes
00:00 — Opening – Get Published Episode 66 – SEO and Self-Promotion with Allison Duncan
- Everything has to start somewhere and this is the start of “Get Published”
00:14 — Introduction – Get Published Episode 66 – SEO and Self-Promotion with Allison Duncan
Welcome to the show.
01:14 —Promo – WhatTheCast
02:14 — Tips and Typos – Get Published Episode 66 – SEO and Self-Promotion with Allison Duncan (continued)
- Michell answers Kelsey‘s questions about building websites and self-promotion.
- Email feedback at getpublishedpodcast dot com with your comments
05:53 – Promo – Flying Island Press
06:37 — Get Published Episode 66 – SEO and Self-Promotion with Allison Duncan (continued)
Allison Duncan talks about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and how to direct people to your important online assets.
45:59 – Promo – Podcast Allie
46:32 — Closing
Thank you for listening.
Websites mentioned in this episode:
Allison Duncan – http://allisondduncan.com/
Whatthecast Podcast – http://www.whatthecast.com/
Flying Island Press – http://flyingislandpress.com/
Podcast Allie – http://blogallie.bloginteract.com/
Author Outbreak – http://authoroutbreak.com/
What was your editing process prior to getting Mik Murdock accepted by Three Rivers? Are there areas of your style that they’ve shown you need fixing? Any tough advice that you’ve struggled with taking, maybe relating to stylistic choices? Are you taking a stand on any points/style preferences, or is it pretty much accepting their advice and going with it?
This question grew as I wrote it out. Maybe you could answer at the beginning of one of your shows.
Great questions, Tim. I would say my editing process was more on the actual physical aspects of the story (grammer, tone, tense, etc.) than on the actual plot elements, how the characters behaved and so on. Essentially, the developmental things that Robert Runte’ spoke about in episode 65.
I think the biggest thing pointed out to me was that I get lazy sometimes. I want to get a piece of the story finished quickly so I rush it too much. I suspected it and, where they have pointed it out, it immediately became obvious.
I haven’t yet come across anything I want to fight over. There was one scene that Robert had some hard questions about, but I answered them and we moved forward. I will definitely have to use your question(s) on Get Published.
Interesting. I have some follow-up questions, if you don’t mind. You could just elaborate on Get Published (I’ll listen). Are there some grammar, tone, style, lessons that you learned which you could share? When you talk about lazy scenes, I’m wondering if there is a way to help people identify lazy scenes while they’re writing (not just if they wrote something telling like “And then he kicked all there butts and moved on”). What were the tell tale signs of your lazy scenes, and do you catch yourself now before they are finished? Do you have a new method, like editing the chapter prior to moving forward?
I don’t mind at all. In fact, I’m beginning to think I need to have someone interview me for the show so I can answer your questions properly. 😉
The biggest lesson I’ve learned (up to this point any way) is to ensure that my character talks using language of the right age. In this particular book, he is nine-years-old and, while I try to portray him as smart, he sometimes speaks like too much of an adult. I’ve had to young it down a little.
I’m starting to recognize lazy scenes. Whenever the resolution happens in a single iteration or my scene cuts are too sudden without any supporting information, I know I’m going too fast. I’m still revising this one (the heat has been turned up – a few interesting developments have meant I need to get the manuscript ready that much sooner) so I can’t quite answer your last question yet. I don’t think I will be editing prior to writing new though. I’ve tried that in the past and it has only meant a VERY long, drawn out writing process for me. Better for me to get the words down first, and then edit them.
I’d interview you, sure! Would you rather wait till the book is done being edited?