The Book of Proverbs & Self-Editing for Fiction Writers

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Proverbs are short sentences drawn from long experience. —Miguel de Cervantes

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Note: This blog post was taken from one I posted on my own blog in 2019.

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Every morning I sit down with my bowl of oatmeal and cup of coffee and read a chapter in the Book of Proverbs. I’ve been doing this for a very long time — so long, I can’t remember when I started or where I got the idea.

Now, I’m all about doing things the easy way, so since there are thirty-one chapters in Proverbs, I read the chapter whose number corresponds with the date. Therefore, I go through the entire book each month. (Okay, chapter 31 doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves, but it’s still a pretty good system.)

The thing about the Book of Proverbs that interests me is the wealth of wisdom found in its pages. Practical wisdom. A soul-searching, character-changing experience in less than five minutes every morning.

 “Good sense makes one slow to anger,
    and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” – Proverbs 19:11

 “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches” – Proverbs 22:1a

 “Pride goes before destruction,
    and a haughty spirit before a fall.” – Proverbs 16:18

 “A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.” – Proverbs 16:28

I could go on, but you get the idea. The Book of Proverbs is surely self-editing for the soul.

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I may not remember exactly when I started reading the Proverbs every morning, but I remember precisely where I was when I first heard about Self-editing for Fiction Writers. I was attending a panel discussion for new authors at my first writers conference (Killer Nashville 2017.) The subject was how to improve your writing, and one of the speakers said the book Self-editing for Fiction Writers was an essential addition to any writer’s library. So I bought a copy and started reading.

Talk about practical wisdom!

“To write exposition at length … is to engage your readers’ intellects. What you want to do is to engage their emotions.” – Chapter One, “Show and Tell”

“When you make the point of view clear at the beginning of a scene, you get your readers involved right away and let them get used to inhabiting your viewpoint character’s head.” – Chapter Three, “Point of View”

“Don’t open a paragraph of dialogue with the speaker attribution. Instead, start a paragraph with dialogue and place the speaker attribution at the first natural break in the first sentence.” — Chapter Five, “Dialogue Mechanics”

“The greatest advantage of self-editing … is the kind of attention you have to pay to your own work while you’re doing the self-editing. It demands that you revise again and again until what you’ve written rings true. Until you can believe it.” – Chapter Twelve, “Voice”

This was the kind of advice I needed to self-edit my manuscript before I sent it off to a professional editor.

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So TKZers: What proverb about writing has helped you? What books do you turn to in order to study the craft? What writing conferences have influenced you the most?

 

Reen Penterson is determined to find a treasure hidden by the mysterious Mr. Shadow so she’ll become rich and famous and won’t have to go to school anymore. Her father wisely advises her to think about Proverbs 30:8.

EBOOK ON SALE NOW: 99¢ on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and Apple Books.

 

22 thoughts on “The Book of Proverbs & Self-Editing for Fiction Writers”

  1. “Proverbs are short sentences drawn from long experience.” What a great quote, Kay.

    Your post brought to mind a long-winded writer friend from the south who says, “Why say in two words what you can say in twenty?” Maybe I should give her a copy of the Book of Proverbs?

    Jim Bell’s craft books are wonderfully succinct studies of complex subjects. Strunk and White’s Elements of Style is another fave. That skinny little book contains answers to 99% of my grammar questions w/o slogging through that doorstop Chicago Manual of Style.

    The Flathead River Writers Conference, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and Pikes Peak Writing Conference have all been career turning points.

    Thanks for a good start to the week.

    • Good morning, Debbie!

      Cervantes was onto something with that quote. Expressing an important idea in a few words is a talent.

      Good point about the craft books. I mentioned JSB’s books and Self-editing for Fiction Writers in panel discussions at Killer Nashville. Also pointed out another work entitled The Villain’s Journey when I was on a Mystery panel. 🙂

      Btw, I actually used The Chicago Manual of Style as a doorstop once. Very effective.

  2. “Writers write” was the mantra from the 1988 film “Throw Mama From the Train”. Another from my first writing mentor, “There’s only one rule of writing, affect the reader emotionally.”

    Like you, Kay, JSB’s books made a huge difference in my understanding of story structure and writing craft. “Scene and Structure” by Jack Bickham is another.

    Willamette Writers Conference started me on the path of fiction writing craft in 2008 and 2009.

    Hope you have a wonderful week.

    • Good morning, Dale!

      There is great wisdom in those mantras you mention. Sometimes it only takes a few words to convey a big concept.

      Have a good week.

  3. My A average in high school English didn’t cut it my frosh year at oregon State. To get into honors English I had to take grammar Fall quarter first. The textbook, the Perrin-Smith “Handbook of Current English,” 1955, lives with me to this day. Why? Because I learned so much from that little book.

    I just pulled it down from the shelf and found as a book marker an article from Smithsonian magazine, 2013. Said Winston Churchill about a pedant who pointed out the great man had ended a sentence with a preposition: “This is the sort of English up with which I will not put.”

    Editors beware!

    • Morning, Dan!

      Isn’t it amazing how much information can be found in very small books? Works like the “Handbook of Current English” are golden.

      Love that fabulous retort from Churchill.

  4. Proverb (of sorts): “Carpe typem!”

    Craft Books: I like JSB’s craft books, plus “On Writing” by King. There are others, but that would require me to go get another cuppa joe… 🙂

    Conferences: I really enjoyed ACFW, but can’t travel much anymore. And a couple over in the Seattle area. The more local ones are fun because I know a lot of the attendees.

    Have a great week!

    • Love JSB’s “Carpe typem” proverb!

      I think the ACFW conference is going to be held in Memphis in 2026 and 2027. Hope you can make it down here. We’d love to meet you in person and share a meal or two.

  5. My favorite bible quote is a psalm, not a proverb. My home has a view of he ocean, and I think of this psalm at least once a day: “This is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be happy.”
    My favorite advice came from Harlen Coben, who spoke about editing at a conference: “When you find yourself changing ‘a’ to ‘the’ it’s time to stop.”

    • Great quote from Harlen Coben, Elaine. I’ve been there a time or two.

      Thanks for pointing out Psalm 118. It’s one of my favorites. Every day is a gift.

      Hope all is well with Don.

  6. “Self Editing for Fiction Writers” was on the ‘recommended reading/must have/reference lists of almost every author doing presentations when I was a newbie. You can bet I glommed onto it and still use it. For grammar, my kids’ elementary school gifted programs used “Scholastic’s A+ Guide to Grammar” which I still use when I’m not sure of something. The section on “Lay vs Lie” is invaluable (and my blog post on it is still the most searched for term on my website.

    • I understand why so many authors recommend “Self-editing.” It’s a small book and full of good writing advice.

      “Lay vs Lie” is always tricky. I had it drilled into me at some point in school. Lie, Lay, Lain. Lay, Laid, Laid.

  7. My favorite craft books are Donald Maass’ The Emotional Craft of Fiction and Story Trumps Structure by Steven James. I’ve done bible studies on many, many books of the bible, but never Proverbs. Kelly Minter and a few other authors have a new study called The Way of Wisdom – A Study of the Book of Proverbs that released on Aug. 1. It’s next on my list.

  8. “Write in a way that scares you a little.” —Holley Gerth

    The quote can be interpreted in various ways and still holds true. One of many interpretations could be to let go and allow your emotions to spill on the page. Vulnerability isn’t easy for new writers, but that’s how we connect and touch lives. It’s one of the most important skills to learn.

    • To answer your question, Kay, any craft book written by Larry Brooks or JSB. I’ve read and loved them all. Don’t think I could pick a favorite, though I had my first Ah-ha! moment when I read Story Engineering. I devoured craft books by the dozen after that. 😊

  9. Ditto on all the books mentioned here. I’d like to add K. M Weiland’s and Jane Friedman’s blogs. I’ve learned so much from them and usually bookmark them to go back and reread.

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