H.I.S Archivist

So I have recently decided to move over to the website Royal Road, as my main place for posting works. It appears to me to be a bit more engaged as a community and their analytics and posting systems are a set up from Inkitt. If you want to see the most up to date version of my book you can visit my page there on this link:

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/86811/heavens-truth

Additionally, you can support me on Patreon here:

https://patreon.com/HisArch?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

Thanks to everyone who has taken time to read my works on this site, I hope to see you over on Royal Road.  

Okay, so lets use this as a starting point, looks like there should be 4 or 5 of you looking to join up this group. Before I get some formal organizing done, why don't we start with everyone responding to this post the title of the book the are writing, a bit of info about the book (just a line or two) and a bit about themselves and the type of help and feedback they are looking for. If everyone could like any post they don't comment on so the poster knows it had been read that would also be really good. Keep an eye on the wall while I formulate a schedule and stuff.

Hey👋
I've noticed that you give really detailed and sophisticated reviews so I was wondering if you'd be willing to read and rate my story with an honest review?
I'd really appreciate it.

Hello. Would you be interested in reading my book “The Blood Medallions”? And if you like it feel free to leave a review or a comment. It would be much appreciated😊https://www.inkitt.com/stories/fantasy/1112631.

Editing Tips from HIS

"If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter."

This favourite quote of mine is a vital mantra for all authors, especially during the editing process. It beautifully underscores the significance and difficulty of achieving succinctness in writing.

This principle is relevant to anyone engaged in writing, whether it's crafting emails at work or composing a novel. Readers invest their valuable time in what we write, and they will quickly set aside any piece that doesn't respect this. Thus, it's crucial to be as concise as possible while conveying your intended message.

Always question your writing choices: Are all these adverbs necessary? Can I express this more succinctly? Does the reader truly need this information? Even a single instance of verbosity can alienate your reader. However, striving for brevity doesn't mean sacrificing descriptiveness or poetic flair. It's about being as descriptive or poetic as necessary, but no more than what's needed to convey your intended meaning.

Achieving this balance is a formidable challenge and demands a significant portion of your editing time. If time were abundant, perhaps we would all write shorter, more impactful works.

Another aspect I believe many on this site would benefit from is understanding the 'wall of text' phenomenon, a crucial concept in writing. Imagine the pages of your book as walls that readers must climb. Your sentence structure and paragraphing should act as 'handholds,' aiding readers in scaling this wall. Without these handholds, the wall becomes daunting, and readers may be discouraged from attempting the climb. A book opened to a solid block of text, lacking gaps or the white space of the paper to break it up, presents an insurmountable wall of text. This unbroken wall suggests to the reader that your writing is dense and challenging to digest quickly. Furthermore, it lacks the typical appearance of a novel or storybook, characterized by quick, sprawling paragraphs. Instead, it resembles an educational textbook - often perceived as boring and rigid, unlikely to spark excitement in the reader. Therefore, especially in their openings, authors should strive for short, punchy paragraphs, creating ample climbing points on their textual wall.

I intentionally crafted the above paragraph as a wall of text to demonstrate my point. Notice how challenging it is to engage with and how horrible it looks.

The reasoning behind avoiding a blocky wall of text is psychological. When text is broken into smaller paragraphs, it can be read more quickly. Despite having the same number of words, the reader physically moves through the page at a faster rate.

When the reader progress quickly down the page, it creates a sensation of 'eating' through your book, climbing through the pages, and devouring the content. It's a psychological effect that makes the reader feel they are enjoying the book more because they are progressing through it quickly.

The consequence of this is significant. As readers breeze through paragraphs, they turn pages faster, leading them to describe your book as 'a real page-turner.' It's vital to start your story by presenting a surmountable wall of text, offering your readers an enjoyable and engaging experience right from the beginning.

You see how much easier and quicker it was to read those last few paragraphs, with that nice white space between them for you stop and rest as you climbed your way through my post? That is what you’re aiming for when writing. Keep it in mind.

Editing Tips from H.I.S: Understanding and Avoiding Pleonasm

When reading through this site, I've noticed that many people, quite normally, struggle with pleonasm. Several authors here seem blissfully unaware of the extent of pleonasm present in their writing. Removing pleonasm is one of the first bits of advice an editor will give you and its good practice to start doing even at these humble beginnings.

Pleonasm Definition: This is the use of more words than are necessary to convey meaning, essentially when an author uses redundant wording.

Redundant wording, or pleonasm, makes sentences unnecessarily long and complex, causing the core meaning to become obscured. It also results in a monotonous rhythm in reading, reducing reader engagement. While some pleonasm can be stylistic, especially in dialogue or poetic descriptions, excessive use can deter readers. Concise writing, on the other hand, allows your reader to consume your narrative more quickly, keeping them engaged and moving forward, instead of getting bogged down in overly wordy paragraphs that require constant rereading for clarity.

Here are some examples of Pleonasm and their concise counterparts:

Pleonasm: She nodded her head in agreement.
Concise: She nodded in agreement.
Explanation: "Her head" is redundant since nodding implies using the head.

Pleonasm: The tiny little kitten meowed softly.
Concise: The kitten meowed softly.
Explanation: "Tiny little" is redundant; "kitten" already suggests small size.

Pleonasm: He unexpectedly surprised me by suddenly appearing without any warning.
Concise: He surprised me by suddenly appearing.
Explanation: "Unexpectedly" and "without any warning" are redundant as surprises are inherently unexpected.

Pleonasm: During the course of the long and drawn-out meeting, they repeatedly emphasized the same points over and over again.
Concise: During the long meeting, they repeatedly emphasized the same points.

Pleonasm: In the middle of the hot summer season, the scorching sun blazed down fiercely, making the already sweltering heat even more intensely unbearable.
Concise: In midsummer, the scorching sun intensified the sweltering heat.

As demonstrated, sentences can often contain excessive pleonasm. Watch out for this when editing your work to produce smoother, more engaging prose.

Reading Group Rules
Purpose of the Post:
This post outlines the formal rules for our reading group. All participants are expected to adhere to these guidelines. Please refrain from commenting on this post; I will provide updates in the comments section as necessary.

Group Size:
To ensure manageability, the group will be limited to 5 members. This means each member will only need to read up to 4 chapters and provide no more than 1200 words of feedback per week.

Feedback Requirements:

The goal is to balance feedback obligations with writing time. Feedback should be substantial but not overwhelming.
A minimum of 300 words per feedback is required to ensure everyone receives meaningful commentary without overburdening the group. This is a minimum, not a limit; members are welcome to provide more detailed feedback if they wish.
Feedback should be posted directly onto the individual chapter's page.
All feedback must be constructive and critical, yet respectful. Abusive or harassing comments are not acceptable.
Feedback is due weekly by Friday, starting from 15th December 2023.
Flexibility and Notice:

We recognize that sometimes reading and providing feedback within a week may not be feasible due to real-life commitments.
If a member cannot meet the weekly deadline, they are required to inform the group and the affected members before the expected Friday.
We all agree to be considerate of each other's time and circumstances.
By participating in this group, each member agrees to these rules and commits to upholding them to ensure a productive and respectful environment for all.

Considering the sense of isolation often felt on this site, I propose forming a small, dedicated group for exchanging detailed and consistent feedback. I'm seeking about three individuals committed to their writing, open to and capable of providing critical feedback. Within this group, we would each read and provide detailed feedback on one chapter per week from each member's story, ensuring at least three comprehensive reviews per chapter. My interest is in finding people who are focusing on long-form adult fiction, specifically in the thriller or fantasy genres, excluding erotic content. If you're interested in this collaborative effort, please express your interest.

Will you be making a sequel to Heaven's Truth once you finish your novel?

Hello there! Hi!=D I've come here to greet and say hi to you first. Also, I want to express my sincere gratitude for writing such a fantastic feedback and supporting my story! I've never received such great feedback before, and it's exactly what I've been looking for. I'll definitely reply to you in great detail later. However, I just wanted to thank you directly for your kind words.

I apologize for not getting around to giving you feedback or reading your story yet. I have several review swaps lined up, but I'm on it, and I will check out yours too. Thanks as well for following me! I'm looking for active writers here to build a community and talk about stories. I truly appreciate your time and effort, and I'm looking forward to reading your story and engaging with you as well =D Have a great day!^^

Golden