A Debut Novelist on Revision @KeziahFrost #amwriting

LUCY BURDETTE: Back in May, I received an email from someone I didn't know. It read like this: 

I am a therapist, too. I have my debut novel coming out with Park Row Books in March of 2018. I was trying to think of a pen name, and the name that came to me was Lucy Green Burnette. Of course, I searched to make sure there wasn't already an author by that name, and I found Lucy Burdette. I am so impressed with how much you have written and how joyful your books look.

Who could resist such an email? Now I've read Keziah's book, and so enjoyed it--you'll be hearing more about it this winter. But meanwhile, she has some very wise words about editing that I thought you'd enjoy...

KEZIAH FROST: Gratitude and amazement are what I am feeling about the March 2018 publication of my debut novel, The Reluctant Fortune-Teller. I’ve wanted to write novels ever since I was in the fifth grade, and that was fifty years ago. I got a little side-tracked. My hope is that this book will cheer and encourage you, and even make you laugh. Meanwhile, here are some of things I've learned about writing and editing.

1. I have a “positive encourager.” First of all, before even my agent sees the manuscript, I share it with my “positive encourager,” as I like to call her. In my case, this would be my daughter, Claire. She will enthusiastically point out what is good, and honestly point out what doesn’t work for her. Not every writer has someone who could play this role, but if you do, it can go a long way in developing confidence in the good bits and discarding the weaker bits before the manuscript ever goes any farther.

2. I slow my roll. When my manuscript comes back from my agent, and later on, from my editor… I’m not gonna lie: seeing lots of “suggestions for improvement” on my work inspires many (ahem) feelings. I now read those suggestions, put them away, do other things, and come back to the work in 24 hours, rather than respond immediately. Okay, maybe 48 hours. Considered overnight, most suggestions have turned out to be spot-on, but I couldn’t see that at first glance. The suggestions that still don’t seem right simply become points for discussion.

3. I try to keep a light heart. Revision can be an expanding part of the creative process. With the right editorial people, revision can bring out the best in a story. All of us working on the manuscript have the same goal: to produce a satisfying novel that people will love.

4. I revise keeping in mind that each scene has a purpose, even beyond entertaining. True confession: despite having a master’s degree in English and reading voraciously for decades, I did not know that every scene in a novel is supposed to move the story forward. I really did not ever grasp that fact! After working on revisions for my first novel, where I was asked “What’s the point?” about a couple of scenes, I learned that “It’s funny!” is not enough justification for a scene to exist. This has been a game-changer for me! Now, when I edit my own work before sending it in, I ruthlessly slash every scene that does not advance the story. Or, if I love the scene too much to cut it, I add what that scene needs to make it an integral part of the story.

5. I read differently now. I can’t read anything without seeing where tighter editing might have improved a work—not only my own, but everyone’s!

6. Gratitude. I am grateful for everyone who takes the time to study what I have written and make suggestions which I may or may not follow. Every writer wants to be carefully read.

What about you, writers? How do you feel when you are asked—by beta readers, editors, or your “positive encourager” to change your manuscript? How do you decide whether the requests for changes are valid, or when you need to hold firm?

(Lucy says, Keziah's suggestions work for readers too, don't you think?)

Keziah Frost is the pseudonym of a psychotherapist in the Chicago area. She has masters degrees in English and in Counseling. She loves writing funny stories. One of her daughters presented her with a t-shirt that reads: “I just want to write books, drink tea, and rescue Chihuahuas.” She shares her life with five little dogs, one audacious cat, and her encouraging human family. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, and at her website.

Twinkle, her Chihuahua mix, practices gratitude every day.

Traveling to Another World: the Galapagos Islands

 LUCY BURDETTE: John and I decided to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary with a trip to the Galapagos Islands, sponsored by Princeton Alumni Travel. Our good friend Steve joined us. It was an amazing expedition, though somewhat overshadowed by the arrival of unwanted guest hurricane Irma, bearing down on the Florida keys beginning the middle of our week. Aside from refraining from travel during the hurricane season, I did take away some important lessons from this bucket list trip.

Lucy with tortoise

1.  There is a job in the world for everyone. Our expedition leader, Lynn Fowler, arrived in the Galapagos in 1978. She fell in love with the islands and has been working as a naturalist guide ever since. Her first research was observing giant tortoise behavior. She did this alone in the mountains, hiking miles for water, living in a tent for over a year with no amenities. None. She is utterly intrepid, and was extremely patient with visitors, devoted to sharing her love for these remote islands. This life suited her perfectly--I could never have done it. (About an hour and a half watching these guys was enough for me!)



2. Leave the fashion to the animals. September is the beginning of the cool season in the Galapagos, but since the islands are located near the equator, the sun can still wreak havoc on unprepared tourists. So we wore sun shirts and goofy hats. 

And we wore them over and over.

Snorkeling in 66° water is not for the faint of heart. Although we brought snorkeling skins and footies and wore the half wet suits they provided us, I was a popsicle within 15 minutes. The next time out, John and I both took staff suggestions to wear a second wetsuit on top of the first. And no, I am not sharing a photo of that look. This guy is much more attractive:

Blue footed booby

3.  This trip is really all about the animals. This is the very spot where Charles Darwin began to develop his theories about evolution, based on his observations of Galapagos finches, among other creatures. We saw firsthand the results of the giant tortoise restoration project, and heard stories about how species introduced by humans had threatened the  original denizens of the islands. Since the animals and birds are now strictly protected, they have no fear as they don’t consider humans to be predators. We had close-up interactions with such amazing creatures as great frigate birds, blue footed boobies, sea lions, Galapagos fur seals, giant tortoises, and Galapagos iguanas.

Blue footed booby with baby

land iguana

snoozing sea lion

pelican

oyster catcher

Giant tortoise cooling off

more snoozing

sea turtles

4. Go with the flow, both literally and figuratively. (This is so hard for me!) Our expedition leader, ship captain, and guides were prepared to change course on a moment's notice. Because of that, we were able to view amazing things like a dolphin and sea bird feeding frenzy, the Galapagos hawk dancing with one of the visitors, and the eruption of a shield volcano on Fernandina Island. We watched a ribbon of lava snake down the mountain side toward the sea with drinks in our hands. Wow!

5. Be open to shifts in your perspective, such as... sea lions instead of dogs or cats at the fish market... 



What lessons has traveling taught you?

His Name was Chad by Pat Kennedy

LUCY BURDETTE: Our good friend Pat Kennedy contacted me a few months ago, suggesting she had a good blog topic. She did and I'm going to let her tell the story...  Welcome Pat!

PAT KENNEDY: His name was Chad. A good solid guy name.  He wasn’t especially handsome or tall. His suits often needed a good pressing.  And sometimes I thought he could use a bit of a wash since he seemed to sweat an awful lot. But there was something so engaging about his smile and voice when he told me about his adventurous life as a teenager and very young man.  I’ve always been a sucker for voices.  I fell for him.

Chad was my day-to-day contact on a client project.  We spoke (that voice!) every day and chuckled about the foibles of his boss (mine too – as she was the project leader on the website we were producing). We were, as we used to say back in the 50s when I was a girl, in cahoots. 

Have I mentioned that he was 28 and I was more than twice his age?  No matter, we began to hang out a bit – for coffee or lunch.  It wasn’t a romantic relationship at all.  He loved telling stories and I loved listening.  I was enchanted by his rough Western-ranch upbringing – the days and nights he and his brother spent camping and foraging for themselves when miles from home. (His parents owned a 100,000 acre spread in Wyoming.) No cell phones, no fast food outlets, no comfy beds – just Chad, his brother Ben, their pickup truck, a tent and a couple of bedrolls. 

Rocky Mountain Horse by Rennett Stowe

Chad was also an internationally known – and reigning USA champion – ski-mobile racer.  He held the all-time record for a long distance race. Because he was in such demand to appear at ski-mobile shows across the country, he was often not available for meetings if they were on Monday mornings or Friday afternoons.  I reported on our collaborative work to the larger team, happy to help him out.

On occasion he’d cut out of a group meeting to get to Logan Airport where a private plane was waiting to whisk him off to yet another ski mobile event.

Snowmobile Racing by Joe Ross

His father-in-law was a New York City banker.  The father-in-law owned the private plane and sponsored Chad’s ski-mobile team.

Are you beginning to be suspicious?  I wasn’t.

It wasn’t until almost a year later when he was abruptly fired that I found out that he was actually from Bettendorf, Iowa, had probably never been on a ski mobile or in a private airplane and….. was the father of three children (he told me once that his wife couldn’t have children and that had broken his heart!  Imagine denying your children’s existence!).  There’s more but I’m too embarrassed to tell you how much nonsense that I believed.

I’ve always been fascinated by con artists like Clark Rockefeller or Bernard Madoff– consummate story-tellers who so easily fool the gullible with increasingly complicated and unlikely tales. 

I have a theory that once one of these scoundrels engages your attention, he/she builds your trust bit by bit seeing if you will fall for yet another fanciful story or request.  Like a good suspense novel is developed.  If truly criminal, like Madoff, they use your gullible trust to fleece/rape/maybe-even murder you.  Maybe that’s why Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley is so gripping as a suspense novel.  Tom Ripley is compelling and believable whether he is plain Tom or dashing Dickie.  And then he murders without conscience or regret -- and continues on telling his stories to his next victims.

Characters like Talented Tommy or Charming Chad are out there just waiting to start talking.  They’re fascinating story tellers if you’re willing to listen. And they make great characters in novels.

And so, my Jungle Red friends, will you admit to having been conned?  Did it cost you?  Could you turn your experience into a character in a novel?  Would you dare?

Patricia Kennedy is a marketing consultant for healthcare organizations. She lives in Boston with her husband Joe, and visits Key West during the winter.  For more information on Pat, click here.