How being an intern helps your writing

I did a piece on YAtopia about How to become an Intern and I'm inspired to share with you why I believe being an intern improves your writing.

I've been interning for a publisher, which means I provide them with reader reports on submissions they give me. While I can't talk about the submissions, I can talk about my personal process for this.

Basically I jot down notes chapter by chapter looking for the naughty no-nos, like:

• Telling
• Info dumping
• Poor punctuation and grammar
• Plot issues
• Wayward characterization.

Then I do a little summary about my overall thoughts.

I'm not a good editor of my own work naturally, but I love editing other people's work. But I don't get to do it as often as I'd like. However with my internship there has been a steady flow of work for me to read and I've found my mind stays in reader report mode now.

I was looking for five pages of sample writing to send off to someone and was horrified as I looked through a draft manuscript that I thought was some of my best work. Yikes! I found so much telling and info dumps where the MC is continuing explaining the world building. Yes it's a very complicated world building I've created, but I was about as subtle as a sledge hammer.

But it doesn't upset me as I know that when I get back into that manuscript I will weed out all the naughties with my new found report report mode.

So, for those of you who are interns - what are some of the things you love about it? (I love the fact I get to read amazing books before they're published and FOR FREE!)

And those of you thinking about interning, what would you like to get out of it?

One Lovely Blog Award

My Pitch Wars pal, Stacey Lee, nominated me for One Lovely Blog Award. It's so pretty I could refuse!

 

Part of the blog post for this is to share seven interesting facts about me (I might have to think very hard to find seven things):

1. I'm an obsessive compulsive collector and horder.
2. I've never broken a bone.
3. I once dated a student teacher at my school (I'm a good girl, really!)
4. I have been stalked by women on separate occasions wanted to know where I bought my shoes from.
5. As a teenager I was seronaded by three guys in the middle of the street because they thought I looked like Mariah Carey. They sung me a Whitney Housten song *palms face*
6. I married my highschool sweetheart.
7. Giggle too much.

And now for my own One Lovely Blog award nominees:

Stacey Nash - My amazing Alpha Reader and fellow Aussie Owned and Read blogger
Katie Teller's Stories - My Aussie Owned and Read pal
Lauren's Written Word - My Aussie Owned and Read pal
K.A.Last - My Aussie Owned and Read pal

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Stacey Lee, Kittens and Me

My friend Stacey Lee has started a new blog series called WHEN I'M NOT WRITING and the first post features me!

So it's filled with tid bits about me when I'm not writing. Here's a video hint for your enjoyment.