by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
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| Photo by AcrylicArtist |
Sometimes it takes other people to point out something special.
My daughter recently had a friend over, and I was making the girls some snacks. Our kitchen adjoins an eating area with a bay window that overlooks our backyard.
We have six bird feeders that we keep filled. One, a hummingbird feeder, attaches to the bay window and provides endless entertainment for our cats. The hummingbirds are fun to watch–feisty, fast, voracious. The cats forget the screens are in and try to catch them, leaping at the screens with paws outstretched. We see the birds from early April through October before they fly off to Mexico for the winter.
Much as they entertain us, after a while, they do fade to the background…just like the rest of the backyard. Basically, they become just an attractive wallpaper.
They weren’t wallpaper for my daughter’s friend.
I was shaking popcorn into bowls when the little girl gasped. “Mrs. Craig! Mrs. Craig!” she ran over to me, wide-eyed with excitement. She grabbed my arm. “Look!”
I figured there must be a large snake outside, so I didn’t even glance in the direction of the feeder. “No, look!” she said, pointing to the hummingbirds.
Through her eyes, I saw the wonder of the amazing little creatures again.
Of course I told her how glad I was she thought they were special. I explained what they were and gave a little information about hummingbirds. She avidly watched them for a long while.
Sometimes we lose perspective with our stories, too. The plot and the characters become wallpaper to us. We know we need an extra set of eyes to find the problems with our book–the plot holes, the echoes of repeated words, the loose ends we forget to tie up.
But it’s just as important to have that extra set of eyes to find what’s right with our story–what’s special. A turn of phrase, a genuine character, a well-drawn villain. The hours of editing can make us lose perspective on the good parts, too. We need to know what works so that we can provide more of it.
What are the hummingbirds in your story?
Elizabeth – As I read your post I thought of the value of other perspectives such as those we can get from critique groups, beta readers and even friends and family. They can often see those hummingbirds and that just puts a whole new light on our writing. My hummingbirds? I’m thinking of a couple of scenes in the novel I’m working on where people who knew the victim (I write crime fiction) react to the news story about the discovery of the victim’s body. I wrote them, laid the ms aside for a bit and then looked at it again. Hummingbirds!
My dad always had hummingbird feeders out. I think I’ll have to get one next year!
Love this analogy – it all does become wallpaper. I need to put a story aside for a bit and work on a different one sometimes to gain that perspective.
Being able to read with fresh eyes is SO difficult. When I’m doing my final read-through before sending the manuscript to my editor, it’s from a printed copy, and when I find myself smiling at a scene, I figure readers might like it, too–especially since they haven’t read the book 396 times already.
When I’m reading, it can be something totally trivial–Lee Child described Jack Reacher finding a new travel toothbrush, and it’s the same kind I use when I travel…now I think of Reacher ever time I use it.
Terry
Terry’s Place
This very thing happened to me a few years ago with my grandkids. I was once again seeing the world through the eyes of little people who were at a different height and were seeing things for the first time.
I often re-read and edit until I too overlook the beauty of the birds. It’s always a good idea to set aside the stories until we won’t take them for granted.
We read it so many times it all becomes a blur after a while.
Margot–Those beta readers are so valuable to us!
Oh, cool way to introduce the suspects–with a reaction to news of the victim’s death! Hummingbirds for sure. :)
Jemi–I think you’ll enjoy the feeder! Hummingbirds are a lot of fun.
Putting a manuscript aside for a while is a great idea.
Diane–It sure does.
Terry–Oh, we get sick of our books, don’t we? Printing it out is a good way to see it with fresh eyes.
Good example of how details can really grab a reader.
That’s fantastic! We do lose touch with special things all too easily when we grow used to them.
I saw the first advance review of my novel last week and it blew me away to see my work through another person’s eyes like that.
Such a great question, Elizabeth!
I’m working on a suspense right now. I started it years ago, then it got set aside. When I got it out and started to re-read it, it was like it was new to me. I found some things to cut and found some things that surprised me.
As I’ll be sending my latest manuscript to my critique partners this week, I hope to find out!
Teresa–Isn’t that fun? One of the most fun parts of having children/grandchildren. :)
Such a good point to set them aside and look at them with fresh eyes later!
Paul–Must have been a great review! Congratulations! Yes, it offers a totally different perspective on the book, doesn’t it?
Helen–Isn’t it great to re-read an old manuscript? I usually expect them to be awful (sometimes they are), but then there are these unexpected little gems. I’d love to read a Helen Ginger suspense!
Alex–Congrats on finishing the manuscript!
Great thoughts here. Beta readers and critique partners are invaluable… If only I could keep them… Lol
I have four questions I ask myself when considering my options for a scene; one is the usual “What’s the worst thing that could happen here?” The others involve the most satisfying or most unexpected thing…
But I think one of the most important of those questions is “What’s COOLEST thing that could happen here?”
For that you’ve got to tap into your inner little kid. Look for that opportunity for the Wow moment — the bridge blows up, the villain gets a pie in the face, there’s an unexpected bit of sentimental romance.
I LOVE this. Hummingbirds in the story are actually the reasons I fall in love with books. The mangy cat and the flowers on the body in THE HUNGER GAMES, the circus in THE NIGHT CIRCUS, the black madonna in THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES . . . The unexpected small touches of magic. One of my favorite things is getting emails as people are reading a story about what they love. It makes your day, doesn’t it? :)
Have a great week!
Martina
Interesting analogy.
Perspective can be tricky especially when dealing with something that we created.
It’s good (when possible) to get feedback from many different persons, different in age, education, background, nation, even gender. They will all contribute a different aspect to what they see.
Bring a childlike exuberance to one’s editing seems like a good takeaway for every writer. I think my latest hummingbird is that I have finally finished writing the book. Good or bad, we have to celebrate the small victories.
These are such great thoughts. I enjoyed reading this.
http://www.modernworld4.blogspot.com
Michelle–I think that’s very true about betas, unfortunately! I’ve been in several different crit groups–and they all ended up disbanding!
Adventures in YA Publishing–Oh you’ve pointed out some fantastic hummingbirds. It’s those small things that add texture to a book and make it fun to read. Yes, reader emails are amazing–I’m frequently surprised at what they enjoyed in a book.
The Daring Novelist–Do you often choose the worst thing? I always wince for my characters when I do that, but I so frequently choose to stick them in hot water…or kill them.
I love it! Yes, the COOLEST thing that could happen. What would give the biggest ‘wow’ factor?
I.J.Vern–Oh, that’s so true. I’ve got a new editor for one of my series and it’s amazing how different editors can see characters, plot, and series trajectory.
Gina–Thanks for coming by. :)
Peter–Congratulations! That’s no small victory–it’s a huge one!