tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post3741451942145434026..comments2024-03-17T05:19:42.469-04:00Comments on Focused on Story: Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing: Author Marsha R. West with Tips on Dialogue, Setting, and Editing, GiveawayJ.Q. Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-38943735501761865312014-12-06T09:46:25.883-05:002014-12-06T09:46:25.883-05:00Hi Marsha, Here's the link to amazon to help y...Hi Marsha, Here's the link to amazon to help you figure out how to send the files to Kindle. Thanks, Kate, I'm going to find the bubble now!J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-76314009065602708472014-12-05T15:52:52.735-05:002014-12-05T15:52:52.735-05:00Hey Marsha. On my Word 2010, I have a little carto...Hey Marsha. On my Word 2010, I have a little cartoon talking bubble on the very top. If I hover on it, it says "speak selected text." If you don't have the bubble, go to Help and ask for text to speech. It will give you the instructions.<br /><br />It's easy to transfer files to your Kindle, but check first to see if it still has the text-to-speech function. My original Kindle Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-64591004230748758012014-12-05T15:06:44.711-05:002014-12-05T15:06:44.711-05:00JQ, how do you send the ms to your Kindle? That so...JQ, how do you send the ms to your Kindle? That sounds complicated. I can see the benefit of the computer/Kindle reading it, because it will say exactly what you've written. Even reading it outloud myself, sometimes I say what I know I meant rather than what's on the screen. :) <br />JQ. Thanks for having me. We've had some good conversation. Looking forward to hearing from Kathy nextMarshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010048187355215576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-73171856435288664582014-12-05T15:03:46.595-05:002014-12-05T15:03:46.595-05:00Hey, Kate. I didn't know that MSWord has the T...Hey, Kate. I didn't know that MSWord has the Text to speech capability. Is that the program with the Big W or the one with the Pen symbol? I know it's stupid, but I can't keep them separate. I've got both, but seldom type on the pen one, always the W one. Thanks for stopping and sharing. :)Marshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010048187355215576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-11183329671569428382014-12-05T14:56:10.322-05:002014-12-05T14:56:10.322-05:00Hi katewyland, I didn't know MS Word had that ...Hi katewyland, I didn't know MS Word had that program. I'm going to check it out! Thanks. I have also heard authors say they send their ms to their Kindle and then use the text to speech on that to listen to their story. Thanks for the info.J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-14782305364766787762014-12-05T14:54:24.208-05:002014-12-05T14:54:24.208-05:00Hi Joan, busted out loud laughing about preferring...Hi Joan, busted out loud laughing about preferring your cat listening rather than your hubby! Always a controversy about using said or not. Supposedly readers are so used to it, they read right across it so it doesn't stop them in their reading. But I like words like whimpered, screamed, etc, but I use them sparingly. Thanks for stopping in!J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-41858707584725205192014-12-05T02:33:06.196-05:002014-12-05T02:33:06.196-05:00Good advice Marsha.
Did you know that MS Word has...Good advice Marsha. <br />Did you know that MS Word has a text-to-speech function? You can have it read your work back to you. It's really quite sophisticated. <br /><br />Good luck with Truth Be Told.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-10595796127246707712014-12-04T15:05:04.135-05:002014-12-04T15:05:04.135-05:00Hey, Joan. I don't use italics unless the char...Hey, Joan. I don't use italics unless the character uses "I". Otherwise I put that thought statement in regular type. You're in deep point of view that way. Ex. "Maybe she'd get another chance." (No quotes in ms, I'm just using them now.)Leave out the she thought words altogether. I'd use italics if the character's internal thoughts were, I gotta get Marshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010048187355215576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-4055795763958132762014-12-04T14:26:35.901-05:002014-12-04T14:26:35.901-05:00It was almost as much fun to read the comments as ...It was almost as much fun to read the comments as the post. Reading out loud to your husband??? I much prefer my cat...<br /><br />One of my pet-peeves that (oops) I see a lot is the tag he/she thought. Why not put it in italic? Remove the he/she thought altogether? <br /><br />Another (I'm on a tag rampage) is tags that try to create mood. That's cheap writing. Instead show the mood JoanCurtishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16224850170022507851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-50880738105850747002014-12-04T13:33:36.216-05:002014-12-04T13:33:36.216-05:00Hey, Matthew. Yes, I swear by my list. It's pa...Hey, Matthew. Yes, I swear by my list. It's painfully tedious to go through the ms checking for those words. The process gives you many opportunities to see how you words work. That's a really good thing. Appreciate you stopping by. :)Marshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010048187355215576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-80181971771527264182014-12-04T13:31:25.653-05:002014-12-04T13:31:25.653-05:00Hey,Heather. My husband wouldn't stay awake fo...Hey,Heather. My husband wouldn't stay awake for me to read the book out loud to him. That's really cool you and Susan have that option. But I'm fortunate because he'll go over it usually twice before it goes in for the finally set up. It's been hard for him to accept the idea, we're all probably going to have an error or two or three get through despite all the edits and Marshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010048187355215576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-727395528712825552014-12-04T13:27:12.345-05:002014-12-04T13:27:12.345-05:00Hey, Kathy. I've sent the list of words. Yes, ...Hey, Kathy. I've sent the list of words. Yes, I really credit Margie for getting my first book to the point it could be published. She's awesome! <br />I haven't heard of the software you mention. I tend to be a bit tech challenged. :)I hope it sounds better than the voice on my phone when it tells me who's calling. Marshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010048187355215576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-70681608905613111782014-12-04T13:03:54.479-05:002014-12-04T13:03:54.479-05:00Hi Matthew, chopping out those words sounds so cru...Hi Matthew, chopping out those words sounds so cruel, but one has to be ruthless if one wants to be a writer! Thanks for stopping in.J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-50266336654438257412014-12-04T13:02:27.235-05:002014-12-04T13:02:27.235-05:00Heather, my hubby would be glossy-eyed before me i...Heather, my hubby would be glossy-eyed before me if I read to him. Is that snoring I hear? LOL. J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-49254049006288002382014-12-04T13:00:33.628-05:002014-12-04T13:00:33.628-05:00Hi Kathy, Thanks for stopping by today. We'll ...Hi Kathy, Thanks for stopping by today. We'll be visiting with you next week too when you guest here. J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-68132135161303231032014-12-04T12:28:11.585-05:002014-12-04T12:28:11.585-05:00Thanks for this interview, Marsha and JQ. I really...Thanks for this interview, Marsha and JQ. I really like what you said about having a list of key words that you can go and chop from the manuscript. I wish you the best in your literary endeavors. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16001130426012612881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-13202953583008738502014-12-04T12:20:54.735-05:002014-12-04T12:20:54.735-05:00Excellent advice, Marsha! Like Susan, I read my bo...Excellent advice, Marsha! Like Susan, I read my books aloud to my husband. It helps me find mistakes that my eye glosses over when I read silently.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09379282124092389960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-71838969455716237012014-12-04T12:02:48.967-05:002014-12-04T12:02:48.967-05:00Great information. I've already asked for your...Great information. I've already asked for your list of overused words. Isn't Margie Lawson terrific? <br />Have you tried the software that reads your work back to you? I'm considering it but haven't yet tried it out. Kathy McIntoshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06899118869240481737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-19973112196342631582014-12-04T11:29:14.939-05:002014-12-04T11:29:14.939-05:00JQ. Not to worry. Easy to get all our books mixed ...JQ. Not to worry. Easy to get all our books mixed up. LOL Doesn't that sound good to say "all our books"?<br />"It" makes me nuts. Not ending the sentence with it is easier than all the places we use "it" in the middle. At some point, the wording becomes too convoluted and better to use the "it" word! LOL Maybe folks who are readers and not also writersMarshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010048187355215576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-71315565368814733882014-12-04T11:26:23.988-05:002014-12-04T11:26:23.988-05:00Hey, Helena. Yes, tighter is the key.Hope you'...Hey, Helena. Yes, tighter is the key.Hope you'll enjoy TBT. Nice perks of the holidays getting to catch up on reading. :) Marshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010048187355215576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-30212640456621715762014-12-04T11:23:23.015-05:002014-12-04T11:23:23.015-05:00Helena, write tight seems to be a mantra we all ne...Helena, write tight seems to be a mantra we all need to repeat. Thanks for hopping over the ocean to visit!J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-39691778855490828402014-12-04T11:21:35.072-05:002014-12-04T11:21:35.072-05:00Joylene, I know about THAT. Now I'm so paranoi...Joylene, I know about THAT. Now I'm so paranoid I don't ever put it in and sometimes I think that [that] you really need it. sigh...Thanks for stopping in.J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-5500575516059128432014-12-04T11:20:10.799-05:002014-12-04T11:20:10.799-05:00Oh Marsha, I got ahead of myself thinking about y...Oh Marsha, I got ahead of myself thinking about your third book coming out. I deleted my error in the first paragraph. Sorry.J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-79345986693590704582014-12-04T09:45:47.881-05:002014-12-04T09:45:47.881-05:00What excellent advice, Marsha. I enjoyed reading y...What excellent advice, Marsha. I enjoyed reading your post. I also have the self-editing book you mention, and I found it invaluable. Like you, my writing has got tighter, but I still have a lot of room for improvement.<br />Vermont Escape was a great read. I have Truth Be Told on my Kindle, and I'm looking forward to catching up with a lot of reading over the holidays.<br />Thanks for the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-76463659008902864092014-12-04T09:40:10.480-05:002014-12-04T09:40:10.480-05:00Hey, Joylene. What a pretty name. :) Yes the ever ...Hey, Joylene. What a pretty name. :) Yes the ever present "that." Of course, if you know your grammar, you know "that" many of those "that's" "that" we leave out would be there in forma; writing. For genre writing in the sentence just before, we'd leave out the "that" before and after "that's." Wow! Too much analysis. LOL Marshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010048187355215576noreply@blogger.com