A poster over on the AW blog started a February blog chain (of course I missed out on "signing up" for it, lol). So, instead, I'll be doing that on my own - although the OP did say that "Bloggers, you are welcome to join in as we progress."
And I'll get my chance...whenever the chain gets to me (could be a while).
So here's my take on it all.
Antagonists - Part 1
Describe your antagnoist in 50 words or less.
Well, since I have two current WIPs, I'll do it for both.
Background for Personal Demons: The Home Front, World War II, Los Angeles. The federal government has enacted a law where all people of Japanese descent are to be rounded up and put in internment centers. (historical fantasy)
First, for Personal Demons, wherein the antagonist, a Japanese American, is masquerading as a Chinese, calling himself Charlie Lee:
Born to first generation Japanese (issei), Charlie Lee isn’t his real name, but he needed to stay out of the internment camps to kill his impure sister and unborn child. Physically he’s skinney and slight, but he doesn’t need a human body in order to accomplish his ends.
Background for Changing Faces: A woman in a small New Jersey town has magical powers that lead her to believe a landlord in an old house might know about or is the focus of evil invading that town. (paranormal suspense)
With most of his face disfigured in the Vietnam War, Mr. Underhill feels lucky his stumpy hand was healed by a creature he encountered when separated from his platoon. He feels the only way he can go through life with his hideous face is to do his own cosmetic surgery.
As you can see, I don't have this one all worked out as yet (the guy's name is just a working name for now).
Antagonists - Part 2
What would you say to your antagonist if you met him or her in real life? Post a scene in response to this question in 100 words or less.
Personal Demons:
The small, skinny man’s Asiatic eyes dart about and he hugs the walls as he eventually sidles past me.
I can't resist.
"Excuse me," I say. He turns, scowling, and I hesitate. Will he hit me? Then I notice his "I am Chinese" button. Of course. "Is someone after you?" A sudden thought of being involved in a shoot-'em-up is eased by his wavering smile.
"Um, I am looking for my sister. She is...in a bad way, and I need to talk to her boyfriend."
He doffs his hat as he skulks away, while my skin prickles.
Scary liar.
I did this in present tense because I can. :-) And keep in mind that this takes place in 1942, so I'm imagining how I might have looked at things back then.
Changing Faces:
I hear strange things about the landlord. His apartment is on the second floor, and the floor creaks as I approach the door and rap on it. “Mr. Underhill?”
The door groans open, as if stricken with arthritis. A person stands there with a hood drawn taut over most of his or her face. Shadows amid the dim light. “Who are you?”
“The new owner.” Deep male voice. “Need to check something.” My eyes take a minute to adjust, but I notice the jumble of furniture and papers. Clear jars litter the floor.
“They’re for preserving,” he says.
Again in present tense. Just little teasers, heh.
I'm not sure if this is what the OP had in mind, but I'm running with it anyway.
Fun!
Nancy
Showing posts with label Writing General. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing General. Show all posts
10 February 2011
Antagonists
A poster over on the AW blog started a February blog chain (of course I missed out on "signing up" for it, lol). So, instead, I'll be doing that on my own - although the OP did say that "Bloggers, you are welcome to join in as we progress."
And I'll get my chance...whenever the chain gets to me (could be a while).
So here's my take on it all.
Antagonists - Part 1
Describe your antagnoist in 50 words or less.
Well, since I have two current WIPs, I'll do it for both.
Background for Personal Demons: The Home Front, World War II, Los Angeles. The federal government has enacted a law where all people of Japanese descent are to be rounded up and put in internment centers. (historical fantasy)
First, for Personal Demons, wherein the antagonist, a Japanese American, is masquerading as a Chinese, calling himself Charlie Lee:
Born to first generation Japanese (issei), Charlie Lee isn’t his real name, but he needed to stay out of the internment camps to kill his impure sister and unborn child. Physically he’s skinney and slight, but he doesn’t need a human body in order to accomplish his ends.
Background for Changing Faces: A woman in a small New Jersey town has magical powers that lead her to believe a landlord in an old house might know about or is the focus of evil invading that town. (paranormal suspense)
With most of his face disfigured in the Vietnam War, Mr. Underhill feels lucky his stumpy hand was healed by a creature he encountered when separated from his platoon. He feels the only way he can go through life with his hideous face is to do his own cosmetic surgery.
As you can see, I don't have this one all worked out as yet (the guy's name is just a working name for now).
Antagonists - Part 2
What would you say to your antagonist if you met him or her in real life? Post a scene in response to this question in 100 words or less.
Personal Demons:
The small, skinny man’s Asiatic eyes dart about and he hugs the walls as he eventually sidles past me.
I can't resist.
"Excuse me," I say. He turns, scowling, and I hesitate. Will he hit me? Then I notice his "I am Chinese" button. Of course. "Is someone after you?" A sudden thought of being involved in a shoot-'em-up is eased by his wavering smile.
"Um, I am looking for my sister. She is...in a bad way, and I need to talk to her boyfriend."
He doffs his hat as he skulks away, while my skin prickles.
Scary liar.
I did this in present tense because I can. :-) And keep in mind that this takes place in 1942, so I'm imagining how I might have looked at things back then.
Changing Faces:
I hear strange things about the landlord. His apartment is on the second floor, and the floor creaks as I approach the door and rap on it. “Mr. Underhill?”
The door groans open, as if stricken with arthritis. A person stands there with a hood drawn taut over most of his or her face. Shadows amid the dim light. “Who are you?”
“The new owner.” Deep male voice. “Need to check something.” My eyes take a minute to adjust, but I notice the jumble of furniture and papers. Clear jars litter the floor.
“They’re for preserving,” he says.
Again in present tense. Just little teasers, heh.
I'm not sure if this is what the OP had in mind, but I'm running with it anyway.
Fun!
Nancy
And I'll get my chance...whenever the chain gets to me (could be a while).
So here's my take on it all.
Antagonists - Part 1
Describe your antagnoist in 50 words or less.
Well, since I have two current WIPs, I'll do it for both.
Background for Personal Demons: The Home Front, World War II, Los Angeles. The federal government has enacted a law where all people of Japanese descent are to be rounded up and put in internment centers. (historical fantasy)
First, for Personal Demons, wherein the antagonist, a Japanese American, is masquerading as a Chinese, calling himself Charlie Lee:
Born to first generation Japanese (issei), Charlie Lee isn’t his real name, but he needed to stay out of the internment camps to kill his impure sister and unborn child. Physically he’s skinney and slight, but he doesn’t need a human body in order to accomplish his ends.
Background for Changing Faces: A woman in a small New Jersey town has magical powers that lead her to believe a landlord in an old house might know about or is the focus of evil invading that town. (paranormal suspense)
With most of his face disfigured in the Vietnam War, Mr. Underhill feels lucky his stumpy hand was healed by a creature he encountered when separated from his platoon. He feels the only way he can go through life with his hideous face is to do his own cosmetic surgery.
As you can see, I don't have this one all worked out as yet (the guy's name is just a working name for now).
Antagonists - Part 2
What would you say to your antagonist if you met him or her in real life? Post a scene in response to this question in 100 words or less.
Personal Demons:
The small, skinny man’s Asiatic eyes dart about and he hugs the walls as he eventually sidles past me.
I can't resist.
"Excuse me," I say. He turns, scowling, and I hesitate. Will he hit me? Then I notice his "I am Chinese" button. Of course. "Is someone after you?" A sudden thought of being involved in a shoot-'em-up is eased by his wavering smile.
"Um, I am looking for my sister. She is...in a bad way, and I need to talk to her boyfriend."
He doffs his hat as he skulks away, while my skin prickles.
Scary liar.
I did this in present tense because I can. :-) And keep in mind that this takes place in 1942, so I'm imagining how I might have looked at things back then.
Changing Faces:
I hear strange things about the landlord. His apartment is on the second floor, and the floor creaks as I approach the door and rap on it. “Mr. Underhill?”
The door groans open, as if stricken with arthritis. A person stands there with a hood drawn taut over most of his or her face. Shadows amid the dim light. “Who are you?”
“The new owner.” Deep male voice. “Need to check something.” My eyes take a minute to adjust, but I notice the jumble of furniture and papers. Clear jars litter the floor.
“They’re for preserving,” he says.
Again in present tense. Just little teasers, heh.
I'm not sure if this is what the OP had in mind, but I'm running with it anyway.
Fun!
Nancy
17 August 2009
Been A Long Time
"...been a long, lonely, lonely time..."
I was reminded of the Led Zeppelin lyrics when I sat to write this post, the first in a very long time.
I have been through a lot of crap recently, the latest being a "holding pattern" in my current job. I haven't been at work since the end of June, although I continue to be paid.
Before you say, "Hey, where do I sign up?" let me tell you, it's no fun, especially with hubby at home on disability pay.
More...
Still, you say, that sounds like a great set up.
Again I say, it's not.
I have begun to rewrite my WIP, lol, for the billionth or so time. I just recently picked up a couple of how-to books that have spurred me on, including one about creating better characters (which I think was one of the problems with this WIP). I'm going to write more in depth about the writing books in other posts, but suffice to say, I feel like one in particular has given the WIP a new freshness.
Yeah, I'm excited about writing again! :-)
I'm also going to do one or two catch-up posts on the fiction I've read recently, including a fantasy series that I've been curious about a little while, and another which I've been curious about for quite a long while (just started that one a few days ago).
Plus, I've joined Facebook and today, Twitter (names at both: ncbeck). With Facebook, I can keep in touch with friends, and even managed to find a couple of cousins who use it (although I haven't yet corresponded with them beyond the initial friending). As for Twitter...not sure yet what I'm going to do with it, but I can always delete it if I feel I don't use it enough or find it useful.
Before I sign off, I want to thank Theadra and others out there who have given me a boost, a sort of, "Keep at it!" Much, much thanks and love to you all! :-)
That's about it for today. Look for the fiction catch-all(s) and my take on some good writing how-tos.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
I was reminded of the Led Zeppelin lyrics when I sat to write this post, the first in a very long time.
I have been through a lot of crap recently, the latest being a "holding pattern" in my current job. I haven't been at work since the end of June, although I continue to be paid.
Before you say, "Hey, where do I sign up?" let me tell you, it's no fun, especially with hubby at home on disability pay.
More...
Still, you say, that sounds like a great set up.
Again I say, it's not.
I have begun to rewrite my WIP, lol, for the billionth or so time. I just recently picked up a couple of how-to books that have spurred me on, including one about creating better characters (which I think was one of the problems with this WIP). I'm going to write more in depth about the writing books in other posts, but suffice to say, I feel like one in particular has given the WIP a new freshness.
Yeah, I'm excited about writing again! :-)
I'm also going to do one or two catch-up posts on the fiction I've read recently, including a fantasy series that I've been curious about a little while, and another which I've been curious about for quite a long while (just started that one a few days ago).
Plus, I've joined Facebook and today, Twitter (names at both: ncbeck). With Facebook, I can keep in touch with friends, and even managed to find a couple of cousins who use it (although I haven't yet corresponded with them beyond the initial friending). As for Twitter...not sure yet what I'm going to do with it, but I can always delete it if I feel I don't use it enough or find it useful.
Before I sign off, I want to thank Theadra and others out there who have given me a boost, a sort of, "Keep at it!" Much, much thanks and love to you all! :-)
That's about it for today. Look for the fiction catch-all(s) and my take on some good writing how-tos.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
Been A Long Time
"...been a long, lonely, lonely time..."
I was reminded of the Led Zeppelin lyrics when I sat to write this post, the first in a very long time.
I have been through a lot of crap recently, the latest being a "holding pattern" in my current job. I haven't been at work since the end of June, although I continue to be paid.
Before you say, "Hey, where do I sign up?" let me tell you, it's no fun, especially with hubby at home on disability pay.
More...
Still, you say, that sounds like a great set up.
Again I say, it's not.
I have begun to rewrite my WIP, lol, for the billionth or so time. I just recently picked up a couple of how-to books that have spurred me on, including one about creating better characters (which I think was one of the problems with this WIP). I'm going to write more in depth about the writing books in other posts, but suffice to say, I feel like one in particular has given the WIP a new freshness.
Yeah, I'm excited about writing again! :-)
I'm also going to do one or two catch-up posts on the fiction I've read recently, including a fantasy series that I've been curious about a little while, and another which I've been curious about for quite a long while (just started that one a few days ago).
Plus, I've joined Facebook and today, Twitter (names at both: ncbeck). With Facebook, I can keep in touch with friends, and even managed to find a couple of cousins who use it (although I haven't yet corresponded with them beyond the initial friending). As for Twitter...not sure yet what I'm going to do with it, but I can always delete it if I feel I don't use it enough or find it useful.
Before I sign off, I want to thank Theadra and others out there who have given me a boost, a sort of, "Keep at it!" Much, much thanks and love to you all! :-)
That's about it for today. Look for the fiction catch-all(s) and my take on some good writing how-tos.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
I was reminded of the Led Zeppelin lyrics when I sat to write this post, the first in a very long time.
I have been through a lot of crap recently, the latest being a "holding pattern" in my current job. I haven't been at work since the end of June, although I continue to be paid.
Before you say, "Hey, where do I sign up?" let me tell you, it's no fun, especially with hubby at home on disability pay.
More...
Still, you say, that sounds like a great set up.
Again I say, it's not.
I have begun to rewrite my WIP, lol, for the billionth or so time. I just recently picked up a couple of how-to books that have spurred me on, including one about creating better characters (which I think was one of the problems with this WIP). I'm going to write more in depth about the writing books in other posts, but suffice to say, I feel like one in particular has given the WIP a new freshness.
Yeah, I'm excited about writing again! :-)
I'm also going to do one or two catch-up posts on the fiction I've read recently, including a fantasy series that I've been curious about a little while, and another which I've been curious about for quite a long while (just started that one a few days ago).
Plus, I've joined Facebook and today, Twitter (names at both: ncbeck). With Facebook, I can keep in touch with friends, and even managed to find a couple of cousins who use it (although I haven't yet corresponded with them beyond the initial friending). As for Twitter...not sure yet what I'm going to do with it, but I can always delete it if I feel I don't use it enough or find it useful.
Before I sign off, I want to thank Theadra and others out there who have given me a boost, a sort of, "Keep at it!" Much, much thanks and love to you all! :-)
That's about it for today. Look for the fiction catch-all(s) and my take on some good writing how-tos.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
19 March 2009
Further News About Absolute Write
It's still down as of 3:15pm Eastern U.S. time. According to MacAllister (she runs it), the database was "hosed." (That's an exact quote, friends.)
If you're in AW withdrawal, you can try the AW Refugee Camp. You'll have to register first, but it's free. And be gracious, because Roger Carlson is running this refugee forum, to which I say, THANK YOU.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
If you're in AW withdrawal, you can try the AW Refugee Camp. You'll have to register first, but it's free. And be gracious, because Roger Carlson is running this refugee forum, to which I say, THANK YOU.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
Further News About Absolute Write
It's still down as of 3:15pm Eastern U.S. time. According to MacAllister (she runs it), the database was "hosed." (That's an exact quote, friends.)
If you're in AW withdrawal, you can try the AW Refugee Camp. You'll have to register first, but it's free. And be gracious, because Roger Carlson is running this refugee forum, to which I say, THANK YOU.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
If you're in AW withdrawal, you can try the AW Refugee Camp. You'll have to register first, but it's free. And be gracious, because Roger Carlson is running this refugee forum, to which I say, THANK YOU.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
Absolute Write Is Down
Don't know why, but the entire site is down, as I'm writing this.
There's a sister site, and even when I went onto that site, I couldn't register. I remembered my user name, and I thought I had the correct password, but get this: When I tried to get the password sent to my email addy, it didn't recognize the addy!
I've been on that site on a regular basis for about 4 years (yikes!).
What a mess.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
There's a sister site, and even when I went onto that site, I couldn't register. I remembered my user name, and I thought I had the correct password, but get this: When I tried to get the password sent to my email addy, it didn't recognize the addy!
I've been on that site on a regular basis for about 4 years (yikes!).
What a mess.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
Absolute Write Is Down
Don't know why, but the entire site is down, as I'm writing this.
There's a sister site, and even when I went onto that site, I couldn't register. I remembered my user name, and I thought I had the correct password, but get this: When I tried to get the password sent to my email addy, it didn't recognize the addy!
I've been on that site on a regular basis for about 4 years (yikes!).
What a mess.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
There's a sister site, and even when I went onto that site, I couldn't register. I remembered my user name, and I thought I had the correct password, but get this: When I tried to get the password sent to my email addy, it didn't recognize the addy!
I've been on that site on a regular basis for about 4 years (yikes!).
What a mess.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
20 January 2009
Writing and Publishers - With All of the Consolidations...
Random House and other big publishers have been consolidating like crazy, downsizing, shuffling people around (those that are left, anyway). No doubt some of the mid-sized publishers are probably doing the same thing.
However...
Uncle Jim has it right in this thread in the Bewares and Backgrounds forum at the Water Cooler.
What he says is:
"Do not pay to be published.
"Real publishers cost you nothing. They pay you. (And not just a measly dollar, in case you run into PublishAmerica.)
"Here's what to do:
More...
"Go to a bookstore. Find books on the shelf that are similar to yours.
"Write down the publishers' names.
"Get those publishers' guidelines. Follow the guidelines to the letter.
"If the publisher says you need an agent:
"Find the names of agents who have sold books like yours. By "sold" I mean they have books on the shelves in bookstores that you've seen with your own eyes. Get their guidelines and follow them to the letter.
"While all this is happening, write a new, different, and better book."
It's not easy, but it's best to be prepared. Start with the agents, if they pass, get out your list (you do have a list of agents and publishers, right?) of all sizes of publishers that take unagented mss.
Before You Contact Publishers Directly
But it's not just good enough to list a bunch of publishers. Make sure those publishers take your genre (same goes for agents, naturally). Make sure those publishers are actual publishers (unlike PublishAmerica, which is a printer - and a pretty lousy one at that).
If they take and print everything that comes their way - they're a vanity press. Real publishers - big, small, and everything in between - are selective about which books they'll publish. They're not getting any dough from you, so they have to be picky - they want to make money as much as you do! :-)
Background Checks
This is the most important step. Before you send out your Novel of the Ages or your query letter, research publishers and agents. There are plenty of fly-by-nighters, willing to fleece you out of your life savings (or close to it), there are the clueless (who really do want to help writers, but haven't a clue as to how to market, get distribution, etc.), and then there are the legit ones.
Do your homework! If you eventually decide to go the POD technology route, at least do it with your eyes open. Know that your novel will hardly sell any copies, unless you're a complete marketing whiz (few writers are).
In Summary
So, after the steps Uncle Jim talked about above, do your research by:
1. Getting a list together of all the legit agents and publishers.
2. Making sure they take your genre.
3. Making sure they're not bottom feeders/clueless.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
However...
Uncle Jim has it right in this thread in the Bewares and Backgrounds forum at the Water Cooler.
What he says is:
"Do not pay to be published.
"Real publishers cost you nothing. They pay you. (And not just a measly dollar, in case you run into PublishAmerica.)
"Here's what to do:
More...
"Go to a bookstore. Find books on the shelf that are similar to yours.
"Write down the publishers' names.
"Get those publishers' guidelines. Follow the guidelines to the letter.
"If the publisher says you need an agent:
"Find the names of agents who have sold books like yours. By "sold" I mean they have books on the shelves in bookstores that you've seen with your own eyes. Get their guidelines and follow them to the letter.
"While all this is happening, write a new, different, and better book."
It's not easy, but it's best to be prepared. Start with the agents, if they pass, get out your list (you do have a list of agents and publishers, right?) of all sizes of publishers that take unagented mss.
Before You Contact Publishers Directly
But it's not just good enough to list a bunch of publishers. Make sure those publishers take your genre (same goes for agents, naturally). Make sure those publishers are actual publishers (unlike PublishAmerica, which is a printer - and a pretty lousy one at that).
If they take and print everything that comes their way - they're a vanity press. Real publishers - big, small, and everything in between - are selective about which books they'll publish. They're not getting any dough from you, so they have to be picky - they want to make money as much as you do! :-)
Background Checks
This is the most important step. Before you send out your Novel of the Ages or your query letter, research publishers and agents. There are plenty of fly-by-nighters, willing to fleece you out of your life savings (or close to it), there are the clueless (who really do want to help writers, but haven't a clue as to how to market, get distribution, etc.), and then there are the legit ones.
Do your homework! If you eventually decide to go the POD technology route, at least do it with your eyes open. Know that your novel will hardly sell any copies, unless you're a complete marketing whiz (few writers are).
In Summary
So, after the steps Uncle Jim talked about above, do your research by:
1. Getting a list together of all the legit agents and publishers.
2. Making sure they take your genre.
3. Making sure they're not bottom feeders/clueless.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
Writing and Publishers - With All of the Consolidations...
Random House and other big publishers have been consolidating like crazy, downsizing, shuffling people around (those that are left, anyway). No doubt some of the mid-sized publishers are probably doing the same thing.
However...
Uncle Jim has it right in this thread in the Bewares and Backgrounds forum at the Water Cooler.
What he says is:
"Do not pay to be published.
"Real publishers cost you nothing. They pay you. (And not just a measly dollar, in case you run into PublishAmerica.)
"Here's what to do:
More...
"Go to a bookstore. Find books on the shelf that are similar to yours.
"Write down the publishers' names.
"Get those publishers' guidelines. Follow the guidelines to the letter.
"If the publisher says you need an agent:
"Find the names of agents who have sold books like yours. By "sold" I mean they have books on the shelves in bookstores that you've seen with your own eyes. Get their guidelines and follow them to the letter.
"While all this is happening, write a new, different, and better book."
It's not easy, but it's best to be prepared. Start with the agents, if they pass, get out your list (you do have a list of agents and publishers, right?) of all sizes of publishers that take unagented mss.
Before You Contact Publishers Directly
But it's not just good enough to list a bunch of publishers. Make sure those publishers take your genre (same goes for agents, naturally). Make sure those publishers are actual publishers (unlike PublishAmerica, which is a printer - and a pretty lousy one at that).
If they take and print everything that comes their way - they're a vanity press. Real publishers - big, small, and everything in between - are selective about which books they'll publish. They're not getting any dough from you, so they have to be picky - they want to make money as much as you do! :-)
Background Checks
This is the most important step. Before you send out your Novel of the Ages or your query letter, research publishers and agents. There are plenty of fly-by-nighters, willing to fleece you out of your life savings (or close to it), there are the clueless (who really do want to help writers, but haven't a clue as to how to market, get distribution, etc.), and then there are the legit ones.
Do your homework! If you eventually decide to go the POD technology route, at least do it with your eyes open. Know that your novel will hardly sell any copies, unless you're a complete marketing whiz (few writers are).
In Summary
So, after the steps Uncle Jim talked about above, do your research by:
1. Getting a list together of all the legit agents and publishers.
2. Making sure they take your genre.
3. Making sure they're not bottom feeders/clueless.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
However...
Uncle Jim has it right in this thread in the Bewares and Backgrounds forum at the Water Cooler.
What he says is:
"Do not pay to be published.
"Real publishers cost you nothing. They pay you. (And not just a measly dollar, in case you run into PublishAmerica.)
"Here's what to do:
More...
"Go to a bookstore. Find books on the shelf that are similar to yours.
"Write down the publishers' names.
"Get those publishers' guidelines. Follow the guidelines to the letter.
"If the publisher says you need an agent:
"Find the names of agents who have sold books like yours. By "sold" I mean they have books on the shelves in bookstores that you've seen with your own eyes. Get their guidelines and follow them to the letter.
"While all this is happening, write a new, different, and better book."
It's not easy, but it's best to be prepared. Start with the agents, if they pass, get out your list (you do have a list of agents and publishers, right?) of all sizes of publishers that take unagented mss.
Before You Contact Publishers Directly
But it's not just good enough to list a bunch of publishers. Make sure those publishers take your genre (same goes for agents, naturally). Make sure those publishers are actual publishers (unlike PublishAmerica, which is a printer - and a pretty lousy one at that).
If they take and print everything that comes their way - they're a vanity press. Real publishers - big, small, and everything in between - are selective about which books they'll publish. They're not getting any dough from you, so they have to be picky - they want to make money as much as you do! :-)
Background Checks
This is the most important step. Before you send out your Novel of the Ages or your query letter, research publishers and agents. There are plenty of fly-by-nighters, willing to fleece you out of your life savings (or close to it), there are the clueless (who really do want to help writers, but haven't a clue as to how to market, get distribution, etc.), and then there are the legit ones.
Do your homework! If you eventually decide to go the POD technology route, at least do it with your eyes open. Know that your novel will hardly sell any copies, unless you're a complete marketing whiz (few writers are).
In Summary
So, after the steps Uncle Jim talked about above, do your research by:
1. Getting a list together of all the legit agents and publishers.
2. Making sure they take your genre.
3. Making sure they're not bottom feeders/clueless.
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
05 December 2008
Some Thoughts - And Maybe a Tweak For Story Ideas?
Lucasfilms (the production arm owned by George Lucas, he of American Graffiti and Star Wars fame) puts out these nifty, short documentaries which air on History Channel. I just finished watching one earlier this morning (they're part of History's Cable in the Classroom, which last, I think, from 5:30am to 7:00am), and it was all wrapped up in about 30 minutes.
Mata Hari - Not Who You Think
I think most people have heard of Mata Hari, the female spy from World War I. I suspect that many (including me) don't know much about her background, just that she was an alluring spy that lost her life by firing squad.
"Mata Hari" is (if I remember correctly) a Malaysian term that means something like, "early dawn." (It's not always easy to remember these things this early in the morning, lol.) This ties in, though, with Mata Hari's early life.
She was born with the first name of Margereta (Dutch, I believe). In the space of one year, her father's business went bankrupt, he abandoned the family, and her mother died. Still quite young, she apparently got by on her wits and her beauty. She eventually saw an ad in the paper for a gentleman asking for a young lady to take as his wife.
She accepted, got married, had two kids. Her husband was in the army, and they moved to the Dutch East Indies. This is where Mata Hari came up with her name, from the natives who lived there, their sinuous dances...
Mata Hari soon became bored with her routine, but not before another tragedy struck her: One of her children died.
One thing led to another; her husband and she soon divorced. She moved to Paris.
The Dancer
But of course she needed to survive, somehow. She wasn't married anymore, so she started on a PR campaign, during which she came up with the Mata Hari moniker. She sent her picture to the newspapers, writing up the copy, and soon she was a scantily-clad dancer, often donning bellydancer-type gear, with plenty of veils, and plenty of exposed flesh.
She became a rich dude's mistress during what became known as La Belle Epoque. Thus, she was able to live in the lap of luxury, which was all she really wanted (do you get the feeling that she really, really liked men? ;-)).
And Then Came the Spying Bit
But how she got entwined into spying was, well, she certainly didn't do it for ideology. She did it because some dudes offered her a ton of money. She was a double agent, but neither side knew, at least for a time. She was first approached by the Germans, who offered her 20,000 francs. Later, she was offered a million frances (would I kid?) by the French.
When the French suffered a number of defeats during World War I, I think the government was looking for a scapegoat. Yup, you guessed it. There are still transcripts available that give out with all the info I've outline above.
Fascinating stuff, and like I said, all wrapped up in 30 minutes. I also watched an interesting documentary on Puccini, how his operas were groundbreaking, in that they weren't about aristocratic people (La Boehme means "The Bohemians") but about everyday people.
And that's your history lesson for today. :-)
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
Mata Hari - Not Who You Think
I think most people have heard of Mata Hari, the female spy from World War I. I suspect that many (including me) don't know much about her background, just that she was an alluring spy that lost her life by firing squad.
"Mata Hari" is (if I remember correctly) a Malaysian term that means something like, "early dawn." (It's not always easy to remember these things this early in the morning, lol.) This ties in, though, with Mata Hari's early life.
She was born with the first name of Margereta (Dutch, I believe). In the space of one year, her father's business went bankrupt, he abandoned the family, and her mother died. Still quite young, she apparently got by on her wits and her beauty. She eventually saw an ad in the paper for a gentleman asking for a young lady to take as his wife.
She accepted, got married, had two kids. Her husband was in the army, and they moved to the Dutch East Indies. This is where Mata Hari came up with her name, from the natives who lived there, their sinuous dances...
Mata Hari soon became bored with her routine, but not before another tragedy struck her: One of her children died.
One thing led to another; her husband and she soon divorced. She moved to Paris.
The Dancer
But of course she needed to survive, somehow. She wasn't married anymore, so she started on a PR campaign, during which she came up with the Mata Hari moniker. She sent her picture to the newspapers, writing up the copy, and soon she was a scantily-clad dancer, often donning bellydancer-type gear, with plenty of veils, and plenty of exposed flesh.
She became a rich dude's mistress during what became known as La Belle Epoque. Thus, she was able to live in the lap of luxury, which was all she really wanted (do you get the feeling that she really, really liked men? ;-)).
And Then Came the Spying Bit
But how she got entwined into spying was, well, she certainly didn't do it for ideology. She did it because some dudes offered her a ton of money. She was a double agent, but neither side knew, at least for a time. She was first approached by the Germans, who offered her 20,000 francs. Later, she was offered a million frances (would I kid?) by the French.
When the French suffered a number of defeats during World War I, I think the government was looking for a scapegoat. Yup, you guessed it. There are still transcripts available that give out with all the info I've outline above.
Fascinating stuff, and like I said, all wrapped up in 30 minutes. I also watched an interesting documentary on Puccini, how his operas were groundbreaking, in that they weren't about aristocratic people (La Boehme means "The Bohemians") but about everyday people.
And that's your history lesson for today. :-)
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
Some Thoughts - And Maybe a Tweak For Story Ideas?
Lucasfilms (the production arm owned by George Lucas, he of American Graffiti and Star Wars fame) puts out these nifty, short documentaries which air on History Channel. I just finished watching one earlier this morning (they're part of History's Cable in the Classroom, which last, I think, from 5:30am to 7:00am), and it was all wrapped up in about 30 minutes.
Mata Hari - Not Who You Think
I think most people have heard of Mata Hari, the female spy from World War I. I suspect that many (including me) don't know much about her background, just that she was an alluring spy that lost her life by firing squad.
"Mata Hari" is (if I remember correctly) a Malaysian term that means something like, "early dawn." (It's not always easy to remember these things this early in the morning, lol.) This ties in, though, with Mata Hari's early life.
She was born with the first name of Margereta (Dutch, I believe). In the space of one year, her father's business went bankrupt, he abandoned the family, and her mother died. Still quite young, she apparently got by on her wits and her beauty. She eventually saw an ad in the paper for a gentleman asking for a young lady to take as his wife.
She accepted, got married, had two kids. Her husband was in the army, and they moved to the Dutch East Indies. This is where Mata Hari came up with her name, from the natives who lived there, their sinuous dances...
Mata Hari soon became bored with her routine, but not before another tragedy struck her: One of her children died.
One thing led to another; her husband and she soon divorced. She moved to Paris.
The Dancer
But of course she needed to survive, somehow. She wasn't married anymore, so she started on a PR campaign, during which she came up with the Mata Hari moniker. She sent her picture to the newspapers, writing up the copy, and soon she was a scantily-clad dancer, often donning bellydancer-type gear, with plenty of veils, and plenty of exposed flesh.
She became a rich dude's mistress during what became known as La Belle Epoque. Thus, she was able to live in the lap of luxury, which was all she really wanted (do you get the feeling that she really, really liked men? ;-)).
And Then Came the Spying Bit
But how she got entwined into spying was, well, she certainly didn't do it for ideology. She did it because some dudes offered her a ton of money. She was a double agent, but neither side knew, at least for a time. She was first approached by the Germans, who offered her 20,000 francs. Later, she was offered a million frances (would I kid?) by the French.
When the French suffered a number of defeats during World War I, I think the government was looking for a scapegoat. Yup, you guessed it. There are still transcripts available that give out with all the info I've outline above.
Fascinating stuff, and like I said, all wrapped up in 30 minutes. I also watched an interesting documentary on Puccini, how his operas were groundbreaking, in that they weren't about aristocratic people (La Boehme means "The Bohemians") but about everyday people.
And that's your history lesson for today. :-)
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
Mata Hari - Not Who You Think
I think most people have heard of Mata Hari, the female spy from World War I. I suspect that many (including me) don't know much about her background, just that she was an alluring spy that lost her life by firing squad.
"Mata Hari" is (if I remember correctly) a Malaysian term that means something like, "early dawn." (It's not always easy to remember these things this early in the morning, lol.) This ties in, though, with Mata Hari's early life.
She was born with the first name of Margereta (Dutch, I believe). In the space of one year, her father's business went bankrupt, he abandoned the family, and her mother died. Still quite young, she apparently got by on her wits and her beauty. She eventually saw an ad in the paper for a gentleman asking for a young lady to take as his wife.
She accepted, got married, had two kids. Her husband was in the army, and they moved to the Dutch East Indies. This is where Mata Hari came up with her name, from the natives who lived there, their sinuous dances...
Mata Hari soon became bored with her routine, but not before another tragedy struck her: One of her children died.
One thing led to another; her husband and she soon divorced. She moved to Paris.
The Dancer
But of course she needed to survive, somehow. She wasn't married anymore, so she started on a PR campaign, during which she came up with the Mata Hari moniker. She sent her picture to the newspapers, writing up the copy, and soon she was a scantily-clad dancer, often donning bellydancer-type gear, with plenty of veils, and plenty of exposed flesh.
She became a rich dude's mistress during what became known as La Belle Epoque. Thus, she was able to live in the lap of luxury, which was all she really wanted (do you get the feeling that she really, really liked men? ;-)).
And Then Came the Spying Bit
But how she got entwined into spying was, well, she certainly didn't do it for ideology. She did it because some dudes offered her a ton of money. She was a double agent, but neither side knew, at least for a time. She was first approached by the Germans, who offered her 20,000 francs. Later, she was offered a million frances (would I kid?) by the French.
When the French suffered a number of defeats during World War I, I think the government was looking for a scapegoat. Yup, you guessed it. There are still transcripts available that give out with all the info I've outline above.
Fascinating stuff, and like I said, all wrapped up in 30 minutes. I also watched an interesting documentary on Puccini, how his operas were groundbreaking, in that they weren't about aristocratic people (La Boehme means "The Bohemians") but about everyday people.
And that's your history lesson for today. :-)
Love and kisses,
~Nancy Beck
25 November 2008
I'm Writing Again
I'm going to try to update this blog as often as possible now. I feel a new vim and vigor that I haven't felt in a while.
I've already reworked Chapters 5 and 6 in the past 3 days, typing about 250 words on Sunday (before heading off to Mom's for a nice lunch), and then about 280 words today.
A Possible Goal
My thinking - and this could change at any time, depending on how I'm feeling - is that I'm going to try to do about 500 words a week between now and the end of the year. That includes new words and editing.
I'd really, REALLY like to send this thing out beginning next year. Yeah, yeah, I know that means the drudgery of putting on my thinking cap and putting together a query letter, but I don't care.
I think this could make some money for a publisher, not to mention the agent. :-) And I've decided agenting is the way to go right now. If I don't get any nibbles after 2-3 months, then I'll think about reworking my query letter. The good folks over at Absolute Write will be a good help, I'm sure.
Other Goals
Goal Number 1: Reading
I started reading novels again, too, but I'll talk about that in a separate post. What's good about the current novel is that it's written by a man; for some reason, I have a bias against male writers - and I don't know why.
So far, so good on this one, but, again, I'll write a post on that either tomorrow or on Friday (I'll have a special post on Thanksgiving Day, in between watching the football games - and YES, I understand football, so there's never been a football widow in this house).
Goal Number 2: Starting on Another Story
I'd also like to start thinking about another story to start in on, once I'm satisfied with the current one. I have a few ideas (in the fantasy realm, naturally), but I'm not going to decide just yet. I've written the beginnings of two, one that's been kicking around in my brain for some time, another that just kind of came to me after seeing a documentary about the Dust Bowl on the History Channel.
There's also one other one I'm considering, and my best guess is that's the one I'll probably go after. It's also a potential series, so we'll see how that goes.
Goal Number 3: Write 500 Words a Week
Considering I'll just be getting into the swing of things workwise next month, I feel 500 words a week is doable without overtaxing myself. I can't tell you how good it feels to be working on something again, and to be going onto some of the writing sites/blogs again.
Writers are so awesome. :-)
Goal Number 4: Learn How to Buzz My Book
I'm thinking of the social networking sites, of which I haven't bothered to even look at. Rather than bother with that stuff during the day at work - where I probably wouldn't even be allowed, anyway - I'll set aside about half an hour to an hour a day to get to know the ins and outs of My Space, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
After what I've just gone through, it doesn't sound in the least bit daunting - and could be quite lucrative: Look what Stephanie Meyer has done with Twilight and her other books (how many millions did the movie make over this weekend? Something like US$70 million or something?). She did some social networking to get buzz going on her book.
Of course, she had to written a pretty good book to begin with.
Goal Number 5: Write More Interesting Posts on This Blog
I think I'm going to start writing more on tips and tricks and stuff that's helped me. I've kind of gotten away from that (for obvious reasons), but I'd like to start offering that stuff again.
Why? Because I find it fun and interesting. And if it works for someone else - even better! :-) If people don't find it useful - or if I'm just writing for just me - that's fine, too.
Need to keep Ye Olde Braine stimulated, ya know.
Have a prosperous day, week, and year!
I've already reworked Chapters 5 and 6 in the past 3 days, typing about 250 words on Sunday (before heading off to Mom's for a nice lunch), and then about 280 words today.
A Possible Goal
My thinking - and this could change at any time, depending on how I'm feeling - is that I'm going to try to do about 500 words a week between now and the end of the year. That includes new words and editing.
I'd really, REALLY like to send this thing out beginning next year. Yeah, yeah, I know that means the drudgery of putting on my thinking cap and putting together a query letter, but I don't care.
I think this could make some money for a publisher, not to mention the agent. :-) And I've decided agenting is the way to go right now. If I don't get any nibbles after 2-3 months, then I'll think about reworking my query letter. The good folks over at Absolute Write will be a good help, I'm sure.
Other Goals
Goal Number 1: Reading
I started reading novels again, too, but I'll talk about that in a separate post. What's good about the current novel is that it's written by a man; for some reason, I have a bias against male writers - and I don't know why.
So far, so good on this one, but, again, I'll write a post on that either tomorrow or on Friday (I'll have a special post on Thanksgiving Day, in between watching the football games - and YES, I understand football, so there's never been a football widow in this house).
Goal Number 2: Starting on Another Story
I'd also like to start thinking about another story to start in on, once I'm satisfied with the current one. I have a few ideas (in the fantasy realm, naturally), but I'm not going to decide just yet. I've written the beginnings of two, one that's been kicking around in my brain for some time, another that just kind of came to me after seeing a documentary about the Dust Bowl on the History Channel.
There's also one other one I'm considering, and my best guess is that's the one I'll probably go after. It's also a potential series, so we'll see how that goes.
Goal Number 3: Write 500 Words a Week
Considering I'll just be getting into the swing of things workwise next month, I feel 500 words a week is doable without overtaxing myself. I can't tell you how good it feels to be working on something again, and to be going onto some of the writing sites/blogs again.
Writers are so awesome. :-)
Goal Number 4: Learn How to Buzz My Book
I'm thinking of the social networking sites, of which I haven't bothered to even look at. Rather than bother with that stuff during the day at work - where I probably wouldn't even be allowed, anyway - I'll set aside about half an hour to an hour a day to get to know the ins and outs of My Space, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
After what I've just gone through, it doesn't sound in the least bit daunting - and could be quite lucrative: Look what Stephanie Meyer has done with Twilight and her other books (how many millions did the movie make over this weekend? Something like US$70 million or something?). She did some social networking to get buzz going on her book.
Of course, she had to written a pretty good book to begin with.
Goal Number 5: Write More Interesting Posts on This Blog
I think I'm going to start writing more on tips and tricks and stuff that's helped me. I've kind of gotten away from that (for obvious reasons), but I'd like to start offering that stuff again.
Why? Because I find it fun and interesting. And if it works for someone else - even better! :-) If people don't find it useful - or if I'm just writing for just me - that's fine, too.
Need to keep Ye Olde Braine stimulated, ya know.
Have a prosperous day, week, and year!
I'm Writing Again
I'm going to try to update this blog as often as possible now. I feel a new vim and vigor that I haven't felt in a while.
I've already reworked Chapters 5 and 6 in the past 3 days, typing about 250 words on Sunday (before heading off to Mom's for a nice lunch), and then about 280 words today.
A Possible Goal
My thinking - and this could change at any time, depending on how I'm feeling - is that I'm going to try to do about 500 words a week between now and the end of the year. That includes new words and editing.
I'd really, REALLY like to send this thing out beginning next year. Yeah, yeah, I know that means the drudgery of putting on my thinking cap and putting together a query letter, but I don't care.
I think this could make some money for a publisher, not to mention the agent. :-) And I've decided agenting is the way to go right now. If I don't get any nibbles after 2-3 months, then I'll think about reworking my query letter. The good folks over at Absolute Write will be a good help, I'm sure.
Other Goals
Goal Number 1: Reading
I started reading novels again, too, but I'll talk about that in a separate post. What's good about the current novel is that it's written by a man; for some reason, I have a bias against male writers - and I don't know why.
So far, so good on this one, but, again, I'll write a post on that either tomorrow or on Friday (I'll have a special post on Thanksgiving Day, in between watching the football games - and YES, I understand football, so there's never been a football widow in this house).
Goal Number 2: Starting on Another Story
I'd also like to start thinking about another story to start in on, once I'm satisfied with the current one. I have a few ideas (in the fantasy realm, naturally), but I'm not going to decide just yet. I've written the beginnings of two, one that's been kicking around in my brain for some time, another that just kind of came to me after seeing a documentary about the Dust Bowl on the History Channel.
There's also one other one I'm considering, and my best guess is that's the one I'll probably go after. It's also a potential series, so we'll see how that goes.
Goal Number 3: Write 500 Words a Week
Considering I'll just be getting into the swing of things workwise next month, I feel 500 words a week is doable without overtaxing myself. I can't tell you how good it feels to be working on something again, and to be going onto some of the writing sites/blogs again.
Writers are so awesome. :-)
Goal Number 4: Learn How to Buzz My Book
I'm thinking of the social networking sites, of which I haven't bothered to even look at. Rather than bother with that stuff during the day at work - where I probably wouldn't even be allowed, anyway - I'll set aside about half an hour to an hour a day to get to know the ins and outs of My Space, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
After what I've just gone through, it doesn't sound in the least bit daunting - and could be quite lucrative: Look what Stephanie Meyer has done with Twilight and her other books (how many millions did the movie make over this weekend? Something like US$70 million or something?). She did some social networking to get buzz going on her book.
Of course, she had to written a pretty good book to begin with.
Goal Number 5: Write More Interesting Posts on This Blog
I think I'm going to start writing more on tips and tricks and stuff that's helped me. I've kind of gotten away from that (for obvious reasons), but I'd like to start offering that stuff again.
Why? Because I find it fun and interesting. And if it works for someone else - even better! :-) If people don't find it useful - or if I'm just writing for just me - that's fine, too.
Need to keep Ye Olde Braine stimulated, ya know.
Have a prosperous day, week, and year!
I've already reworked Chapters 5 and 6 in the past 3 days, typing about 250 words on Sunday (before heading off to Mom's for a nice lunch), and then about 280 words today.
A Possible Goal
My thinking - and this could change at any time, depending on how I'm feeling - is that I'm going to try to do about 500 words a week between now and the end of the year. That includes new words and editing.
I'd really, REALLY like to send this thing out beginning next year. Yeah, yeah, I know that means the drudgery of putting on my thinking cap and putting together a query letter, but I don't care.
I think this could make some money for a publisher, not to mention the agent. :-) And I've decided agenting is the way to go right now. If I don't get any nibbles after 2-3 months, then I'll think about reworking my query letter. The good folks over at Absolute Write will be a good help, I'm sure.
Other Goals
Goal Number 1: Reading
I started reading novels again, too, but I'll talk about that in a separate post. What's good about the current novel is that it's written by a man; for some reason, I have a bias against male writers - and I don't know why.
So far, so good on this one, but, again, I'll write a post on that either tomorrow or on Friday (I'll have a special post on Thanksgiving Day, in between watching the football games - and YES, I understand football, so there's never been a football widow in this house).
Goal Number 2: Starting on Another Story
I'd also like to start thinking about another story to start in on, once I'm satisfied with the current one. I have a few ideas (in the fantasy realm, naturally), but I'm not going to decide just yet. I've written the beginnings of two, one that's been kicking around in my brain for some time, another that just kind of came to me after seeing a documentary about the Dust Bowl on the History Channel.
There's also one other one I'm considering, and my best guess is that's the one I'll probably go after. It's also a potential series, so we'll see how that goes.
Goal Number 3: Write 500 Words a Week
Considering I'll just be getting into the swing of things workwise next month, I feel 500 words a week is doable without overtaxing myself. I can't tell you how good it feels to be working on something again, and to be going onto some of the writing sites/blogs again.
Writers are so awesome. :-)
Goal Number 4: Learn How to Buzz My Book
I'm thinking of the social networking sites, of which I haven't bothered to even look at. Rather than bother with that stuff during the day at work - where I probably wouldn't even be allowed, anyway - I'll set aside about half an hour to an hour a day to get to know the ins and outs of My Space, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
After what I've just gone through, it doesn't sound in the least bit daunting - and could be quite lucrative: Look what Stephanie Meyer has done with Twilight and her other books (how many millions did the movie make over this weekend? Something like US$70 million or something?). She did some social networking to get buzz going on her book.
Of course, she had to written a pretty good book to begin with.
Goal Number 5: Write More Interesting Posts on This Blog
I think I'm going to start writing more on tips and tricks and stuff that's helped me. I've kind of gotten away from that (for obvious reasons), but I'd like to start offering that stuff again.
Why? Because I find it fun and interesting. And if it works for someone else - even better! :-) If people don't find it useful - or if I'm just writing for just me - that's fine, too.
Need to keep Ye Olde Braine stimulated, ya know.
Have a prosperous day, week, and year!
01 May 2008
Zombies in Egypt?
Oh, Evil Editor would love this!
Thanks to writtenwyrdd for pointing to the article.
Yes, It's An Article
It's at the website of the Archeology Insitute of America, so methinks the real world has finally come around to thinking zombies were - are? - real.
How cool is that?
For you fantasy writers, doesn't it make you drool and want to write something? Or at least beat your chest (not too hard now) and proclaim, loud and clear, "I told you academics and literary types that there were zombies!"
Or something.
~Nancy Beck
Thanks to writtenwyrdd for pointing to the article.
Yes, It's An Article
It's at the website of the Archeology Insitute of America, so methinks the real world has finally come around to thinking zombies were - are? - real.
How cool is that?
For you fantasy writers, doesn't it make you drool and want to write something? Or at least beat your chest (not too hard now) and proclaim, loud and clear, "I told you academics and literary types that there were zombies!"
Or something.
~Nancy Beck
Zombies in Egypt?
Oh, Evil Editor would love this!
Thanks to writtenwyrdd for pointing to the article.
Yes, It's An Article
It's at the website of the Archeology Insitute of America, so methinks the real world has finally come around to thinking zombies were - are? - real.
How cool is that?
For you fantasy writers, doesn't it make you drool and want to write something? Or at least beat your chest (not too hard now) and proclaim, loud and clear, "I told you academics and literary types that there were zombies!"
Or something.
~Nancy Beck
Thanks to writtenwyrdd for pointing to the article.
Yes, It's An Article
It's at the website of the Archeology Insitute of America, so methinks the real world has finally come around to thinking zombies were - are? - real.
How cool is that?
For you fantasy writers, doesn't it make you drool and want to write something? Or at least beat your chest (not too hard now) and proclaim, loud and clear, "I told you academics and literary types that there were zombies!"
Or something.
~Nancy Beck
23 April 2008
Critting - Holy Crap On a Stick, Batman!
(Photo courtesy of http://www.rainbowpatches.com)
When I go over to the Absolute Write boards, I occasionally crit stuff on the Share Your Work part of the board. (It's password protected, BTW.) And, occasionally, I get what are known as rep points, which are given out by people there for good answers or whatever.
I don't go out of my way to get these points, but it's nice to receive them here and there.
A 21st-Century Fairy Tale
I critted something last month and hadn't been back to that particular story because, well, I get cobwebs of the brain from time to time. Anyway, I thought the story was cute; it was a 21st-century fairy tale (I love fairy tales). Not only that, but the writer's first language wasn't English, and to me, kudos to him/her for trying something not in his/her native tongue!
I usually do line crits, because that's what I'm good at. (If someone states at the beginning of their post that they're not interested in line crits, then I either stay away from that story altogether or I try to give what they're looking for.) This person didn't have anything that indicated such a thing, so I gave my usual.
And My Usual Is...
I always start off a crit by stating that it's my opinion, and that I could be completely wrong in my perception. I also let the writer know that they can toss anything that sounds stupid or ridiculous, but that I hope I provide something that'll help them.
And it works both ways; if I see something that they're doing well, I hope to use that in my writing. The same thing goes if they're doing something that isn't working: Is this something I should be careful about in my writing? This, I feel, is a good way to get better as a writer, especially if you eventually want to be commercially published.
Imagine My Chagrin
Here we are about a little over a month later, and I find out that this person has been bad mouthing me and my crit.
A harmless little bunny like me?
He/she asks who the hell I am, who were/are my writing mentors, am I normal/do I read like a normal person (hmm...you got me on that one...I do consider myself a weirdo chick, whether it comes to reading, writing, or 'rithmetic) - and on and on.
It was nice to see others there coming to my defense, because, well, I try to inject humor in my crits, too, with a lot of it directed at myself. (I'm a glutton for punishment, heh. ;-)) In that way, the person being critted can amuse themselves at my expense; it's tough having your stuff critted.
Believe me, I know. I used to belong to one of the paid online crit groups, and some people there could be quite brutal. But most people there gave the good with the bad, and did it in such a way that it was respectful.
That's Where I Learned My Critting Style
The last thing I would ever, ever want to do is to tell someone that their writing isn't up to snuff; I don't want to be the person to burst their dream. (And I didn't think this person's writing was that bad; a bit of tweaking and reading up more on the English language, and I think he/she would've had a perfectly fun story.)
Hell, it's tough enough fleshing out ideas. I've got two ideas I've put into a couple of Word documents so I don't forget 'em. They're just not beyond the idea stage as yet.
And they might never be.
So when I signed up for that online crit group, I figured I'd learn two things:
- I'd learn how to crit the correct way
- I'd see if my writing had any sort of merit
It's a great way to move your writing along - as long as you can stand to have your baby out there. That part of the equation is not easy, so I admire anyone who has the stones to do it.
Pardon moi, but methinks I owe some rep points to some peoples...
~Nancy Beck
Critting - Holy Crap On a Stick, Batman!
(Photo courtesy of http://www.rainbowpatches.com)
When I go over to the Absolute Write boards, I occasionally crit stuff on the Share Your Work part of the board. (It's password protected, BTW.) And, occasionally, I get what are known as rep points, which are given out by people there for good answers or whatever.
I don't go out of my way to get these points, but it's nice to receive them here and there.
A 21st-Century Fairy Tale
I critted something last month and hadn't been back to that particular story because, well, I get cobwebs of the brain from time to time. Anyway, I thought the story was cute; it was a 21st-century fairy tale (I love fairy tales). Not only that, but the writer's first language wasn't English, and to me, kudos to him/her for trying something not in his/her native tongue!
I usually do line crits, because that's what I'm good at. (If someone states at the beginning of their post that they're not interested in line crits, then I either stay away from that story altogether or I try to give what they're looking for.) This person didn't have anything that indicated such a thing, so I gave my usual.
And My Usual Is...
I always start off a crit by stating that it's my opinion, and that I could be completely wrong in my perception. I also let the writer know that they can toss anything that sounds stupid or ridiculous, but that I hope I provide something that'll help them.
And it works both ways; if I see something that they're doing well, I hope to use that in my writing. The same thing goes if they're doing something that isn't working: Is this something I should be careful about in my writing? This, I feel, is a good way to get better as a writer, especially if you eventually want to be commercially published.
Imagine My Chagrin
Here we are about a little over a month later, and I find out that this person has been bad mouthing me and my crit.
A harmless little bunny like me?
He/she asks who the hell I am, who were/are my writing mentors, am I normal/do I read like a normal person (hmm...you got me on that one...I do consider myself a weirdo chick, whether it comes to reading, writing, or 'rithmetic) - and on and on.
It was nice to see others there coming to my defense, because, well, I try to inject humor in my crits, too, with a lot of it directed at myself. (I'm a glutton for punishment, heh. ;-)) In that way, the person being critted can amuse themselves at my expense; it's tough having your stuff critted.
Believe me, I know. I used to belong to one of the paid online crit groups, and some people there could be quite brutal. But most people there gave the good with the bad, and did it in such a way that it was respectful.
That's Where I Learned My Critting Style
The last thing I would ever, ever want to do is to tell someone that their writing isn't up to snuff; I don't want to be the person to burst their dream. (And I didn't think this person's writing was that bad; a bit of tweaking and reading up more on the English language, and I think he/she would've had a perfectly fun story.)
Hell, it's tough enough fleshing out ideas. I've got two ideas I've put into a couple of Word documents so I don't forget 'em. They're just not beyond the idea stage as yet.
And they might never be.
So when I signed up for that online crit group, I figured I'd learn two things:
- I'd learn how to crit the correct way
- I'd see if my writing had any sort of merit
It's a great way to move your writing along - as long as you can stand to have your baby out there. That part of the equation is not easy, so I admire anyone who has the stones to do it.
Pardon moi, but methinks I owe some rep points to some peoples...
~Nancy Beck
23 August 2007
To Series or Not to Series
This is the first in a sporadic series ;-) of posts talking about Janet Evanovich's How I Write.
The number one thing to realize is that this is Ms. Evanovich's look at how she, specifically, writes. It's not strictly a how-to book, although she (and Ina Yalof, who helped write the book) gives out some good advice. Anything she says should be considered nothing more than that, or guidelines, at the very most; there's nothing here that's etched in granite (if you're from or live in New Hampshire, you'll understand this small joke).
The Pros of Writing a Series
Someone asked about the pros and cons of writing a series. I'll quote the pros Ms. Evanovich throws out:
For instance, in my current WIP, I'm going to have a fairly major character admit that she did something that might have unleashed a series of demons into our world (but for the past few months has done something to keep those beasties contained). It's not the major thrust of this book, which I've entitled The Bone Eater. But if I manage to sell this thing, and if enough people are interested in it, I have ideas for further books. (And I'll probably hint at this in my query letter to agents.)
If...if...if...that's the operative word. It's all conjecture at this point. The main problem, though, is wrapped up at the end of the book. No cliffhangers like the stereotypical fantasy trilogy.
Not that I have a problem with that. :-)
Another interesting point Ms. Evanovich makes is that it "...lets you develop the characters in far more detail so that both you and the reader get to know them better with each book." [Page 110] This is what I like about Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series: We get to know more and more about Harry Dresden, his feelings about certain things/ideas, and the major trouble he's in with the wizard side of his world.
That's what I hope to do with The Bone Eater. Only time will tell.
The Cons to Writing a Series
Ms. Evanovich came up with two cons:
Probably not.
But I'll worry about that if--and only if--it comes.
And then there's that, "Well, Jackie is five foot four, takes meds every day, has a dog" stuff that would have to go at the start of every book, for those people who come in the middle of the series and haven't a clue as to the who/what/where stuff. (Like I did with the Stephanie Plum series.) To me, this is less of a con than the other one, because to me it's just a fun exercise in throwing out bits and pieces to get everyone up to speed: Time to get the creative juices flowing!
Later.
~Nancy Beck
The number one thing to realize is that this is Ms. Evanovich's look at how she, specifically, writes. It's not strictly a how-to book, although she (and Ina Yalof, who helped write the book) gives out some good advice. Anything she says should be considered nothing more than that, or guidelines, at the very most; there's nothing here that's etched in granite (if you're from or live in New Hampshire, you'll understand this small joke).
The Pros of Writing a Series
Someone asked about the pros and cons of writing a series. I'll quote the pros Ms. Evanovich throws out:
If you're in it for the long haul and if it's a success, you develop a loyal readership. Also, if you've given your main character a specific occupation or your setting is distinctive, you can do your in-depth research once or twice and you don't have to keep learning about new things. Less research equals more time to write. --pg. 109Ah, but there's the rub in the first sentence: If it's a success. Now, my take on this is that even if you have a series in mind, you wrap up the main problem in that first book in case that novel tanks. Leave a tendril or two open somewhere in there so you can hang the rest of the series on that particular idea.
For instance, in my current WIP, I'm going to have a fairly major character admit that she did something that might have unleashed a series of demons into our world (but for the past few months has done something to keep those beasties contained). It's not the major thrust of this book, which I've entitled The Bone Eater. But if I manage to sell this thing, and if enough people are interested in it, I have ideas for further books. (And I'll probably hint at this in my query letter to agents.)
If...if...if...that's the operative word. It's all conjecture at this point. The main problem, though, is wrapped up at the end of the book. No cliffhangers like the stereotypical fantasy trilogy.
Not that I have a problem with that. :-)
Another interesting point Ms. Evanovich makes is that it "...lets you develop the characters in far more detail so that both you and the reader get to know them better with each book." [Page 110] This is what I like about Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series: We get to know more and more about Harry Dresden, his feelings about certain things/ideas, and the major trouble he's in with the wizard side of his world.
That's what I hope to do with The Bone Eater. Only time will tell.
The Cons to Writing a Series
Ms. Evanovich came up with two cons:
If you start a series and it's succesfful, you're locked into it, often for years, so that if you have other ideas for other books you have to forego them for a while. Also, you always have to start out giving the reader information that all your old readers already know...The challenge is to make it fresh for you and for the reader every time. --page 110I guess there are worse things than having a popular series that sells well every year. (Heh. I should be so fortunate.) But I think I understand where she's coming from. I do have another idea (a time travel-type story which needs a major revision), but would I have enough time to work on it if the other turned into a success? I'd like to say it wouldn't be a problem, but I just don't know that. I do like the character in The Bone Eater, so I don't think I'll get sick of them anytime soon. (Famous last words, I know. ;-) ) But would I have enough quality time?
Probably not.
But I'll worry about that if--and only if--it comes.
And then there's that, "Well, Jackie is five foot four, takes meds every day, has a dog" stuff that would have to go at the start of every book, for those people who come in the middle of the series and haven't a clue as to the who/what/where stuff. (Like I did with the Stephanie Plum series.) To me, this is less of a con than the other one, because to me it's just a fun exercise in throwing out bits and pieces to get everyone up to speed: Time to get the creative juices flowing!
Later.
~Nancy Beck
To Series or Not to Series
This is the first in a sporadic series ;-) of posts talking about Janet Evanovich's How I Write.
The number one thing to realize is that this is Ms. Evanovich's look at how she, specifically, writes. It's not strictly a how-to book, although she (and Ina Yalof, who helped write the book) gives out some good advice. Anything she says should be considered nothing more than that, or guidelines, at the very most; there's nothing here that's etched in granite (if you're from or live in New Hampshire, you'll understand this small joke).
The Pros of Writing a Series
Someone asked about the pros and cons of writing a series. I'll quote the pros Ms. Evanovich throws out:
For instance, in my current WIP, I'm going to have a fairly major character admit that she did something that might have unleashed a series of demons into our world (but for the past few months has done something to keep those beasties contained). It's not the major thrust of this book, which I've entitled The Bone Eater. But if I manage to sell this thing, and if enough people are interested in it, I have ideas for further books. (And I'll probably hint at this in my query letter to agents.)
If...if...if...that's the operative word. It's all conjecture at this point. The main problem, though, is wrapped up at the end of the book. No cliffhangers like the stereotypical fantasy trilogy.
Not that I have a problem with that. :-)
Another interesting point Ms. Evanovich makes is that it "...lets you develop the characters in far more detail so that both you and the reader get to know them better with each book." [Page 110] This is what I like about Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series: We get to know more and more about Harry Dresden, his feelings about certain things/ideas, and the major trouble he's in with the wizard side of his world.
That's what I hope to do with The Bone Eater. Only time will tell.
The Cons to Writing a Series
Ms. Evanovich came up with two cons:
Probably not.
But I'll worry about that if--and only if--it comes.
And then there's that, "Well, Jackie is five foot four, takes meds every day, has a dog" stuff that would have to go at the start of every book, for those people who come in the middle of the series and haven't a clue as to the who/what/where stuff. (Like I did with the Stephanie Plum series.) To me, this is less of a con than the other one, because to me it's just a fun exercise in throwing out bits and pieces to get everyone up to speed: Time to get the creative juices flowing!
Later.
~Nancy Beck
The number one thing to realize is that this is Ms. Evanovich's look at how she, specifically, writes. It's not strictly a how-to book, although she (and Ina Yalof, who helped write the book) gives out some good advice. Anything she says should be considered nothing more than that, or guidelines, at the very most; there's nothing here that's etched in granite (if you're from or live in New Hampshire, you'll understand this small joke).
The Pros of Writing a Series
Someone asked about the pros and cons of writing a series. I'll quote the pros Ms. Evanovich throws out:
If you're in it for the long haul and if it's a success, you develop a loyal readership. Also, if you've given your main character a specific occupation or your setting is distinctive, you can do your in-depth research once or twice and you don't have to keep learning about new things. Less research equals more time to write. --pg. 109Ah, but there's the rub in the first sentence: If it's a success. Now, my take on this is that even if you have a series in mind, you wrap up the main problem in that first book in case that novel tanks. Leave a tendril or two open somewhere in there so you can hang the rest of the series on that particular idea.
For instance, in my current WIP, I'm going to have a fairly major character admit that she did something that might have unleashed a series of demons into our world (but for the past few months has done something to keep those beasties contained). It's not the major thrust of this book, which I've entitled The Bone Eater. But if I manage to sell this thing, and if enough people are interested in it, I have ideas for further books. (And I'll probably hint at this in my query letter to agents.)
If...if...if...that's the operative word. It's all conjecture at this point. The main problem, though, is wrapped up at the end of the book. No cliffhangers like the stereotypical fantasy trilogy.
Not that I have a problem with that. :-)
Another interesting point Ms. Evanovich makes is that it "...lets you develop the characters in far more detail so that both you and the reader get to know them better with each book." [Page 110] This is what I like about Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series: We get to know more and more about Harry Dresden, his feelings about certain things/ideas, and the major trouble he's in with the wizard side of his world.
That's what I hope to do with The Bone Eater. Only time will tell.
The Cons to Writing a Series
Ms. Evanovich came up with two cons:
If you start a series and it's succesfful, you're locked into it, often for years, so that if you have other ideas for other books you have to forego them for a while. Also, you always have to start out giving the reader information that all your old readers already know...The challenge is to make it fresh for you and for the reader every time. --page 110I guess there are worse things than having a popular series that sells well every year. (Heh. I should be so fortunate.) But I think I understand where she's coming from. I do have another idea (a time travel-type story which needs a major revision), but would I have enough time to work on it if the other turned into a success? I'd like to say it wouldn't be a problem, but I just don't know that. I do like the character in The Bone Eater, so I don't think I'll get sick of them anytime soon. (Famous last words, I know. ;-) ) But would I have enough quality time?
Probably not.
But I'll worry about that if--and only if--it comes.
And then there's that, "Well, Jackie is five foot four, takes meds every day, has a dog" stuff that would have to go at the start of every book, for those people who come in the middle of the series and haven't a clue as to the who/what/where stuff. (Like I did with the Stephanie Plum series.) To me, this is less of a con than the other one, because to me it's just a fun exercise in throwing out bits and pieces to get everyone up to speed: Time to get the creative juices flowing!
Later.
~Nancy Beck
