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5 Editors Tackle the 12 Fatal Flaw of Fiction Writing by C.S. Lakin (book review)

January 19, 2021 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Fiction writers often struggle to improve their craft, and the biggest challenge comes from the inability to see what isn’t working. The prose feels off. The scene isn’t gelling. The dialogue sounds stilted or clunky. But they don’t know why or how to fix it. This book lays it all out.

5 Editors Tackle the Twelve Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing demonstrates the deadly dozen pitfalls on the road to a strong story, along with revisions that show writers exactly how to avoid novel failure.

No other writing craft book offers such detailed instruction in how to spot and remedy the major flaws of fiction writing. What makes this book an important addition to a writer’s bookshelf?

This in-depth guide to self-editing is an invaluable resource for any writer of any genre. It shows, not just tells, how to write better fiction. Using it, you’ll be armed with the tools and skills you need to conquer the twelve fatal flaws of fiction writing.


As an editor, I work with a lot of new novelists, and most of them make the same mistakes. I’m always looking for good books to recommend to help them learn how to identify and correct those mistakes — this book is going at the top of my list.

I’ll be honest — it’s not a great cover and the title is a bit tedious. I know three of the contributing editors, though, so I picked up a copy. Still, it took me a couple of years before I decided to read this.

If you’re a new writer struggling to understand and master the basics of fiction writing, you need a copy of this book. It approaches each “fatal flaw” from five different angles, increasing the odds that the reader will connect with and understand one of the explanations. On top of that, the book is full of before and after sections, so even if the reader doesn’t completely understand what the author is saying, all you need to do is compare the before and after examples to see how something was edited.

I’ll be adding this to my list of must-haves for new authors, next to Jeff Gerke’s The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction, Brown and Kings Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, and Kathy Tyers Writing in Deep Viewpoint.

G rated. Get your copy here!

Filed Under: book reviews Tagged With: book review, C.S. Lakin, Christy Distler, Linda S. Clare, Rachel Starr Thomson, Robin Patchen, writing books, writing fiction, writing resources, writing tips

How I Write: AnnaLee Conti

January 11, 2021 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Many people dream of writing books, but not many succeed. There are a dozen different excuses, but AnnaLee Conti hasn’t let any of them stop her. This former Alaskan started her journey with a typewriter and celebrates another book release this month.

Thank you for being here! Let’s start with what you write. How did you pick your genre?

After writing short stories, articles, and church school curriculum on assignment for Gospel Publishing House for 25 years, I published my first book in 2002.  Frontiers of Faith is the story of my grandparents, who went to Alaska as pioneer missionaries in 1917, and their adventurous 65-year faith journey. As I researched that book, I discovered stories of people they ministered to in Alaska that triggered my imagination to write my Alaska Waters Trilogy of historical Christian fiction (Till the Storm Passes By, A Star to Steer By, and Beside Still Waters). The trilogy is the life and death saga of a fictitious Norwegian immigrant family who battle the beautiful but often treacherous waters of early twentieth century Southeast Alaska to find love and happiness in the midst of tragedies.

My current project, which will release this month, is Footsteps of Faith, a sequel to Frontiers of Faith. It is the faith-building true story of God’s direction, provision, and protection in the lives of my parents and my husband and I as we followed in the ministry footsteps of my grandparents.

What’s the most difficult part of writing your genre? How do you work through those challenges?

To me, the most challenging part of writing historical fiction, as well as biography, is making sure it is historically accurate. I did family interviews and research online, in books, and in magazines. Since I grew up in Alaska, I knew the settings and much of the history firsthand.

How long does it take you to write the book? Edit it? Finalize it?

In 1982, my mother-in-law invited me to her home to write the first draft of my first book in one week, weaving together the short accounts my grandmother had written about their experiences and filling the spaces in between. I holed up in a bedroom in her house and wrote, using an electric typewriter, stopping only for meals, which she prepared. Due to the downturn in the economy, though, I was unable to find a publisher. In the next few years, I retyped the manuscript into a Smith-Corona word processor. In 2002, I discovered a print-on-demand publisher, First Books, now called Author House. I was able to get the word processor disc converted to Word, and my uncle paid to have it published. I reimbursed him from book sales.

For years, I’d been writing fiction in my head. In 2007, I joined a writer’s critique group at the local library to begin fulfilling my lifelong goal of writing novels. I learned a lot from that group that included published authors, and began writing a minimum of one chapter a week. My first novel took me about four to five years to write, edit, and finalize. The next two I completed in two years each.

During those years, I started a blog, “Nuggets of Faith,” including many stories from my life. When I read the book, How to Blog a Book, by Nina Amir, I decided to develop those stories into a memoir that is soon to be released as Footsteps of Faith.

What’s your favorite book on writing? What do you like about it?

I have four shelves of books on writing. They have all been helpful, but Writing Deep Scenes, by Martha Alderson and Jordan Rosenfeld, was the best, especially the section on writing emotion from a deep POV.

How do you prepare to write your books: pantser, plotter, both, something completely different? Describe your strategy.

Before I begin a book, I usually have a general idea of the beginning, middle, and end. I don’t make an outline per se, but I do develop a timeline since my stories have a historical setting with certain fixed dates. When I sit down to write, I reread the previous chapter to get me back into the flow of the story.

What advice do you have for new authors?

For a number of years, I adjudicated creative writing for fine arts festivals for teens in our denomination. The one recommendation I gave repeatedly is to study the art and craft of writing. Schools today do only a superficial job of teaching grammar, spelling, sentence construction, etc., so new writers must devote themselves to study on their own.

Then I tell them to read lots of good books and write a lot. Thirdly, I tell them to never give up. A quote by Raymond Obstfeld encouraged me: “The main difference between successful writers and wannabe writers is not talent but perseverance.”

I would add that “I am a failure” is different than “I failed.” We can learn from our failures if we don’t give up. Only when we quit trying are we truly a failure.

How do you self-edit your manuscripts? What does your revision process look like?

Even though no one recommends it, I tend to do a lot of editing as I write. My writing group gives me good feedback on content editing and revision. I worked in editorial at Gospel Publishing House for four years and learned how to do technical editing, copyediting, and proofreading, so I do that myself. I always print out my books and edit from hardcopy. My husband also reads my manuscripts and tags needed changes with sticky notes. My editors at my publishers rarely make changes.


An ordained minister, author, and teacher, AnnaLee Conti grew up in a missionary family in Alaska in the fifties and sixties. She earned a B.A. in music and elementary education at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and an M.A. in Bible at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. For 25 years, AnnaLee wrote many articles, stories, devotionals, and curriculum for Gospel Publishing House and has published five books.

For more than 35 years, AnnaLee served as Minister of Christian Education and Music in the churches she and her husband pastored in New York State. In addition, she served on leadership teams in Christian Education and Women’s Ministries at the state level, conducting seminars and organizing conventions. She has taught grade school, GED classes, Berean School of the Bible (an extension of Global University, Springfield, Missouri), and continues to teach classes in the New York School of Ministry, which trains pastors and teachers for ministry in local churches. AnnaLee and her husband, Bob, are now retired and reside in the Mid-Hudson River Valley. They have one son, who lives nearby, and five adult grandchildren, who give them much joy.

Website: www.AnnaLeeConti.com
Email: FrontiersofFaith@AnnaLeeConti.com
Blog: “Nuggets of Faith” at https://www.AnnaLeeConti.blogspot.com
Facebook.com/AnnaLeeConti.Author
Twitter: @AnnaLeeConti
www.goodreads.com/author/show/2562235.AnnaLee_Conti
amazon.com/author/annaleeconti

Filed Under: interview Tagged With: Alaska fiction, AnnaLee Conti, author interview, biography, historical fiction, How I Write, indie publishing, interview, writing process, writing tips

2020: Forgive and forget? I don’t think so…

December 31, 2020 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

NOTICE: I’m doing something different today — I’m sharing my newsletter on my blog. I don’t often do this (after all, I want you to sign up for my newsletter!), but I felt like this needs a wider audience. If you like what you see here, please consider signing up for more encouraging content like this (as well as blog posts sent directly to your in box)!

Raise your hand if you enjoyed 2020.

(looks around; slowly raises hand)

It’s been hard to admit this, but I didn’t hate 2020. I know it was hard for a lot of people—I had my own bouts of tears and frustrations. Overall, however, it was a pretty good year. Different, but good.

And now it’s time to move on.

Regardless of what happened in 2020—if your book was published or rejected; if you had your best sales year or your worst—2021 is a clean slate. If you messed up this past year, or if someone misused or hurt you in some way, now’s your chance to forgive and forget.

I’ve never actually liked that phrase. I prefer forgive and learn.

Did you self-publish a book and have menial sales? Look at what you did wrong and learn from it. Don’t make the same mistake next year.

Did you send out query letters and get zero responses? Find someone (or hire someone!) to review it for you and apply their advice to your next query. Improve your pitch.

It doesn’t matter if someone wronged you or if you’re your own worst enemy. The new year gives you the chance to start fresh, so take advantage of it!

What do you want to do differently this year? How can I help you with that?

Filed Under: goals Tagged With: encouragement, inspiration, New Year's Resolutions, newsletters, writer's life

Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass (book review)

December 28, 2020 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Take your fiction to the next level!

Maybe you’re a first-time novelist looking for practical guidance. Maybe you’ve already been published, but your latest effort is stuck in mid-list limbo. Whatever the case may be, author and literary agent Donald Maass can show you how to take your prose to the next level and write a breakout novel – one that rises out of obscurity and hits the best-seller lists.

Maass details the elements that all breakout novels share – regardless of genre – then shows you writing techniques that can make your own books stand out and succeed in a crowded marketplace.

You’ll learn to:

– establish a powerful and sweeping sense of time and place
– weave subplots into the main action for a complex, engrossing story
– create larger-than-life characters that step right off the page
– explore universal themes that will interest a broad audience of readers
– sustain a high degree of narrative tension from start to finish
– develop an inspired premise that sets your novel apart from the competition

Then, using examples from the recent works of several best-selling authors – including novelist Anne Perry – Maass illustrates methods for upping the ante in every aspect of your novel writing. You’ll capture the eye of an agent, generate publisher interest and lay the foundation for a promising career.


This was a re-read for me, as I’d read this book several years ago and wanted to revisit it after I had a few more years of writing experience. My opinion about the books hasn’t changed:

It’s a great book full of good information, but it’s NOT for new writers.

You really can’t write a breakout novel until you can successfully write a novel. As an editor, I see too many manuscripts from authors wanting to breakout, but they haven’t yet mastered the basics.

I also think it’s important to realize that breakout novels aren’t for everyone. Do they sell well? Absolutely (that’s why they’re breakouts)! But out of all of the examples he used, not many of them are contemporary, and not many of them are in the style/genre that I like to read.

Takeaway?

There’s some great info in the book and it can definitely help you improve your writing, but first you need to learn the basics. Then you need to figure out if this type of breaking out is what you really want to do.

I absolutely recommend reading this book, but not at the beginning of your writing career. Get your copy here!

Filed Under: book reviews Tagged With: book review, Donald Maass, writing fiction, writing tips, writing tools

Christmas Sale: 25% off!

December 16, 2020 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

We’re well past Black Friday, but the sale continues through the end of the year. Reserve your spot now for 2021 and get 25% off your edit. Contact me at karin@karinbeery.com to get on the calendar!

Filed Under: editing Tagged With: Black Friday, editing, editing sale, novel critique, substantive editing

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ABOUT ME

Editor. Teacher. Novelist.
A passionate lover of fiction, Karin doesn't just write novels, she helps others write their best stories! A certified substantive editor with the Christian Editor Connection, her goal is to help authors to put her out of business by equipping them with the tools they need to become better writers.

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Karin understood my advertising and marketing writing needs and accomplished the project in record time. She asked all the right questions up front to equip herself with enough … [more]

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Substantive Fiction Editing: A substantive edit looks at the big picture. Start here to tackle the big issues before moving on to the nit-picky details. Substantive edits not only point out … [more]

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Lover of all things fiction, I also love University of Michigan football, the Detroit Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings, kayaking, gluten-free cupcakes, and my husband.

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Press Release Tool Kit Stop waiting and hoping for people to notice you and your organization! With this Press Release Tool Kit, you’ll learn to apply the step-by-step process I use to … [more]

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