Yesterday I followed Vicki's dubious lead and lost a writing session's worth of work when a catastrophic failure fried my thumb drive before I'd saved it off elsewhere. Darn PCs. Grrr. Fortunately it was a short session yesterday, and I think I can recreate it fairly well. I also lost an hour's worth of work on a Photoshop file for class, though. {sigh}
I burned off the last of that frustration last night finishing BREATHE MY NAME by R.A. Nelson. I highly recommend it. The writing is tense and vivid, with a strong, unique voice. There were times I had to put it down because the subject matter was so difficult, but I always went back to it, and I'm glad I did. Check it out.
My "review" brings us to our topic for Discussion Friday.
I liked the book very much, and so I recommended it here. But what if I hadn't liked it?
--Many, many (many) authors post reviews of books on their blogs, good and bad reviews. Writers are often readers, and one hopes they have a critical eye. So these reviews could be valuable to other readers. But...
--I've gotten some advice that says as an aspiring writer, I should never post bad reviews on my blog, and "trash" other writers. This writing/publishing business is a very small, closely knit community, and negative words get around. By saying critical or harsh things about another writer's work, you could (a) hurt or upset the writer herself (I know for a fact writers do google themselves and their books) or (b) even damage your own career and potential networks.
I dunno. I'm fairly cautious about what I say online, so I lean toward the second view. My mother's words still echo in my brain ("If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all"). But I can see how peer reviews are important as well.
What do you think?
Showing posts with label discussion friday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label discussion friday. Show all posts
Friday, March 07, 2008
Friday, October 27, 2006
The Return of Discussion Friday
I'm going to try Discussion Friday again, and see if some of y'all will hop in and respond.
Actually, this one is not so much discussion as a mini-workshop/exercise, something we did at Surrey that proved quite interesting.
How can you ratchet up the tension in even one or two lines of text? How can you up the stakes, play with the words, or make the situation more interesting?
I'll do an example, first, from TMT.
Original:
Someone was in the kitchen. I could see the lamp glow shining down the hall, hear the soft crackle of the fire and murmuring voices. An odd sort of murmuring, like singing.
Without even knowing context, how can we make this more interesting? Okay, I'll give a little context. It's the middle of the night, and my MC is trying to sneak out of a dark, quiet house. Well, I ruin the tension a little right there in the first line, by telling you someone is in the kitchen. Would it be more intriguing if I held onto that information until the end of the paragraph? Let's see.
Suddenly the darkness was broken by the glow of a lamp, and the sound of murmuring voices. An odd sort of murmuring, like singing. Who could be singing, at this time of night?
Is that better? I'm not sure. It does seem more tense, doesn't it?
How about you--would you like to try this experiment? Let's give it a shot. Email me a couple lines of your text, and later today I'll post them anonymously. Then we can all try our hand at making them more tense. Let's have a little fun for Friday. :)
Medieval Word of the Day: yever: Greedy, covetous.
Actually, this one is not so much discussion as a mini-workshop/exercise, something we did at Surrey that proved quite interesting.
How can you ratchet up the tension in even one or two lines of text? How can you up the stakes, play with the words, or make the situation more interesting?
I'll do an example, first, from TMT.
Original:
Someone was in the kitchen. I could see the lamp glow shining down the hall, hear the soft crackle of the fire and murmuring voices. An odd sort of murmuring, like singing.
Without even knowing context, how can we make this more interesting? Okay, I'll give a little context. It's the middle of the night, and my MC is trying to sneak out of a dark, quiet house. Well, I ruin the tension a little right there in the first line, by telling you someone is in the kitchen. Would it be more intriguing if I held onto that information until the end of the paragraph? Let's see.
Suddenly the darkness was broken by the glow of a lamp, and the sound of murmuring voices. An odd sort of murmuring, like singing. Who could be singing, at this time of night?
Is that better? I'm not sure. It does seem more tense, doesn't it?
How about you--would you like to try this experiment? Let's give it a shot. Email me a couple lines of your text, and later today I'll post them anonymously. Then we can all try our hand at making them more tense. Let's have a little fun for Friday. :)
Medieval Word of the Day: yever: Greedy, covetous.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Discussion Friday 2
Yesterday was very long, but rewarding. I took the day off work and drove Child to a nearby town (~75 miles away) for a doctor's appointment. We had some time to go to the Children's Museum and play for a couple of hours and have lunch together, and I do love singing loudly to kids' songs together in the car. (Only Sandra Boynton CDs, though. If you are a parent and you don't have Dog Train and her other CDs, go forth and buy them now.) After driving back I dropped Child off at Grandma's and hopped on a bus with my hubby and his co-workers for a work social evening. Could've been bad, but the show we went to was amazingly funny (and raunchy), so all was good. Whew. The bus didn't get back into town until midnight, though...
So on to the Discussion Friday topic. Actually two different, related questions today.
1) What is the period in history to which you feel the strongest connection? For me this is a period I almost feel part of: I love the music, the art, the clothes, the popular culture of the time. If reincarnation could be true I'd think I lived there/then. What is your period?
2) If there was a time/place in history that you could visit, when/where would it be? Why? It might not necessarily be the same answer as #1.
I'll come back and post my answers later, but I look forward to reading yours!
Medieval Word of the Day: tither: One who tithes. a. One who pays tithes; usually with qualification, as false, small, true tither. b. An exactor or receiver of tithes; also, a supporter of the system of ecclesiastical tithes.
(As always, all of my definitions come from the online version of the Oxford English Dictionary)
So on to the Discussion Friday topic. Actually two different, related questions today.
1) What is the period in history to which you feel the strongest connection? For me this is a period I almost feel part of: I love the music, the art, the clothes, the popular culture of the time. If reincarnation could be true I'd think I lived there/then. What is your period?
2) If there was a time/place in history that you could visit, when/where would it be? Why? It might not necessarily be the same answer as #1.
I'll come back and post my answers later, but I look forward to reading yours!
Medieval Word of the Day: tither: One who tithes. a. One who pays tithes; usually with qualification, as false, small, true tither. b. An exactor or receiver of tithes; also, a supporter of the system of ecclesiastical tithes.
(As always, all of my definitions come from the online version of the Oxford English Dictionary)
Friday, July 28, 2006
Discussion Week Day 5: Life Balance
We're starting off with 2 quotes from my luverly day planner, both of which apply to yesterday's discussion on goals.
"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan." --Eleanor Roosevelt
"It's never too late--in fiction or in life--to revise." --Nancy Thayer
I like that last one very much.
Today's topic is one that we all deal with, every single day of our lives.
How do you fit writing into your busy life? How do you try to achieve a balance?
I'm really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this one, because I know everyone has different approaches.
Mine works for now, though it might not at a later stage (never too late to revise). I have a small child, a full-time job, and a husband who not unreasonably wants to spend time with me in the couple of hours we have together. So how was I going to fit writing in, when I decided to get "serious" about it again?
Lunch hour.
Sometimes people just don't believe me on this one, but I really did write the second draft of Murderess almost completely on my lunch hours. I developed the ability--because I had to--to shut the door and instantly be in "writing mode", spend an hour working hard on it, and then open the door and go back to work. I also write whenever I have free time at home, and it worked out well that during a crunch period, when I was trying very hard to get my draft done before Surrey, my husband had a temporary evening job. For those weeks I was able to add about 5-6 hours a week of writing time.
For now that's all the time I use, because the Other Stuff is too important to cut into, and because I can't get up early and write like some people; I already am sleep-deprived. But I've proven to myself that I can work this way.
How about you? How do you do it?
"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan." --Eleanor Roosevelt
"It's never too late--in fiction or in life--to revise." --Nancy Thayer
I like that last one very much.
Today's topic is one that we all deal with, every single day of our lives.
How do you fit writing into your busy life? How do you try to achieve a balance?
I'm really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this one, because I know everyone has different approaches.
Mine works for now, though it might not at a later stage (never too late to revise). I have a small child, a full-time job, and a husband who not unreasonably wants to spend time with me in the couple of hours we have together. So how was I going to fit writing in, when I decided to get "serious" about it again?
Lunch hour.
Sometimes people just don't believe me on this one, but I really did write the second draft of Murderess almost completely on my lunch hours. I developed the ability--because I had to--to shut the door and instantly be in "writing mode", spend an hour working hard on it, and then open the door and go back to work. I also write whenever I have free time at home, and it worked out well that during a crunch period, when I was trying very hard to get my draft done before Surrey, my husband had a temporary evening job. For those weeks I was able to add about 5-6 hours a week of writing time.
For now that's all the time I use, because the Other Stuff is too important to cut into, and because I can't get up early and write like some people; I already am sleep-deprived. But I've proven to myself that I can work this way.
How about you? How do you do it?
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Discussion Week Day 4: Goals
First, our odd fact for the day: I share a dentist with Evel Knievel.
Strange, huh? But I happen to live in Evel's hometown (and no, that wasn't his birthname). Today is the beginning of the 5th annual Evel Knievel Days, in which we are the hosts to hundreds of motorcyclists and Evel fans, daring stuntriders, people who set themselves on fire and jump out of windows, and...umm...well, that's enough, isn't it? {g} Actually the big news this year is that Robbie Knievel, Evel's son, is going to do a jump in the style of his father here on Saturday. Should be interesting.
Anyway, back to Discussion Week. For non-writers this time, I'm going to ask you to imagine that you are a writer, and see what your answer would be.
Your Question: What are your goals as a writer?
Okay, I hear you out there. "Duh. Be a writer."
Not that simple. In your dreams, how far have you pictured?
--Finishing your book (a good book)?
--Getting an agent?
--Getting a contract?
--Having your book published all over the world and making a gazillion billion dollars and being a household name?
--Writing 10 (20? 30?) books, all to universal acclaim?
I bet most of us have at least imagined that far, right? But at least the last 2 aren't goals. Those are dreams. I'm not trying to be negative--it does happen occasionally--but the chances of being one of those gazillion billion authors is...not likely.
So, goals. Goals are something you have to stretch for (stretch HARD), but they are reasonable and attainable. When you sit down and look at it with an honest eye, what are your goals in writing?
My ultimate long-range goal, and I think it is attainable in the end if I S-T-R-E-T-C-H, is to make a career of writing. Not support the household on it, but be able to quit my day job and write while my husband continues to work. (supporting the household would be lovely, but that's a dream--if it happens, bonus) Fortunately, this breaks down fairly easily into a sequence of goals. Fortunately again, I only have to do one at a time.
Goal #1: Finish the first book. (CHECK)
Goal #2: Query the first book. (IN PROCESS)
Goal #3: Secure an agent.
Goal #4: Secure a contract. (agent would actually do this)
Goal #5: Write second book. (IN PROCESS)
Goal #6: First book is published; publicize.
Goal #7: Secure contract for second book. (agent again)
Goal #8: Write third book.
Goal #9: Second book is published; publicize.
Goal #10: wash, rinse, repeat until ultimate goal is achieved, however many years that is. Continue to wash, rinse, repeat to keep ultimate goal alive.
Each one of these goals is a struggle in itself; each one of them is hard. I know there will be many stumbling blocks, and times that I lose faith that it will happen. But if I don't give up, and I keep improving with each book, I think this goal is attainable.
What about you? What are your dreams, and what are your goals?
Strange, huh? But I happen to live in Evel's hometown (and no, that wasn't his birthname). Today is the beginning of the 5th annual Evel Knievel Days, in which we are the hosts to hundreds of motorcyclists and Evel fans, daring stuntriders, people who set themselves on fire and jump out of windows, and...umm...well, that's enough, isn't it? {g} Actually the big news this year is that Robbie Knievel, Evel's son, is going to do a jump in the style of his father here on Saturday. Should be interesting.
Anyway, back to Discussion Week. For non-writers this time, I'm going to ask you to imagine that you are a writer, and see what your answer would be.
Your Question: What are your goals as a writer?
Okay, I hear you out there. "Duh. Be a writer."
Not that simple. In your dreams, how far have you pictured?
--Finishing your book (a good book)?
--Getting an agent?
--Getting a contract?
--Having your book published all over the world and making a gazillion billion dollars and being a household name?
--Writing 10 (20? 30?) books, all to universal acclaim?
I bet most of us have at least imagined that far, right? But at least the last 2 aren't goals. Those are dreams. I'm not trying to be negative--it does happen occasionally--but the chances of being one of those gazillion billion authors is...not likely.
So, goals. Goals are something you have to stretch for (stretch HARD), but they are reasonable and attainable. When you sit down and look at it with an honest eye, what are your goals in writing?
My ultimate long-range goal, and I think it is attainable in the end if I S-T-R-E-T-C-H, is to make a career of writing. Not support the household on it, but be able to quit my day job and write while my husband continues to work. (supporting the household would be lovely, but that's a dream--if it happens, bonus) Fortunately, this breaks down fairly easily into a sequence of goals. Fortunately again, I only have to do one at a time.
Goal #1: Finish the first book. (CHECK)
Goal #2: Query the first book. (IN PROCESS)
Goal #3: Secure an agent.
Goal #4: Secure a contract. (agent would actually do this)
Goal #5: Write second book. (IN PROCESS)
Goal #6: First book is published; publicize.
Goal #7: Secure contract for second book. (agent again)
Goal #8: Write third book.
Goal #9: Second book is published; publicize.
Goal #10: wash, rinse, repeat until ultimate goal is achieved, however many years that is. Continue to wash, rinse, repeat to keep ultimate goal alive.
Each one of these goals is a struggle in itself; each one of them is hard. I know there will be many stumbling blocks, and times that I lose faith that it will happen. But if I don't give up, and I keep improving with each book, I think this goal is attainable.
What about you? What are your dreams, and what are your goals?
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Discussion Week Day 3: The Hard Bits
First, a slight diversion from Discussion Week to say that I saw CRASH last night...and OMG, if you haven't seen it go run out and rent it now. I didn't think I'd like it too much, as I tend to be self-protective when it comes to movies. I purposely shelter myself a little and don't seek out war movies, violent movies, etc. However. {ahem} This movie blew my socks off. It messed with all my preconceptions, fascinated me, and dragged me into the storyline(s). It reminded me of things that I know, but forget: the fragility of life; the dramatic effects we have on each other with our smallest actions, even without knowing; the knowledge that you don't have any idea what that person's life is like just because of their appearance; the unexpectedness of even our own behavior; the fact that no one and nothing is simple. Go see it.
Hokay, back to Discussion. (And c'mon, join in! I'm very happy with those who responded, yay, but it was 4 of you out of the 40+ who came here yesterday. More! More!)
Today I've got two different branches of question, one for writers and one for readers. Feel free to answer one or both.
Writers: What is THE hardest type of writing for you? Dialogue? Description? Transitions? Action?
Readers: What is your least favorite type of writing to read? Do you skip over descriptions? Scan through dialogue? Flip through the fight scene until you get to the dialogue? Or do you even notice those things? (hopefully if the writing's good, you don't. What if it's not? What bugs you?)
I'll answer both.
In writing, it's love scenes that kill me. Not sex scenes necessarily, just the romantic stuff, the parts that are supposed to make the reader feel the love between these characters. They always turn out dopey and sappy the first time I write them. Then I strip out all the sappy stuff, and they're just bare-bones and boring. It's only on the millionth pass--trying to add humor, unique personal references, balance--that I have any sort of satisfaction with them at all, and they're still my least favorite scenes to read (of my own stuff). Guess I need to practice those more!
In reading, I've always skipped right over long descriptive passages, particularly of landscapes. I have no head for directions--never have--and I very, very quickly get lost with somebody's description of "at the top of the hill there was this, with a blah to the east and a river running blah". I don't care. Tell me there was a hill and a river, and I don't need to know how, precisely, they were situated. In fact I do better in reading if you don't tell me those things, because then I have leeway to paint them in myself, which I prefer, or just keep them vague and get to the action/dialogue. Horrible thing for a historical fiction writer to admit, huh? I've gotten much better at adding description into my own work with practice, but I do make sure to always break it up with Other Stuff so people don't skip. And I don't think you'll ever find a description of what's to the east and what's to the west. {g}
Okay, you next. Writers? Readers? Both?
(you'll notice I'm skipping the Medieval Word of the Day; that's just for this week. It'll be back on Monday)
Hokay, back to Discussion. (And c'mon, join in! I'm very happy with those who responded, yay, but it was 4 of you out of the 40+ who came here yesterday. More! More!)
Today I've got two different branches of question, one for writers and one for readers. Feel free to answer one or both.
Writers: What is THE hardest type of writing for you? Dialogue? Description? Transitions? Action?
Readers: What is your least favorite type of writing to read? Do you skip over descriptions? Scan through dialogue? Flip through the fight scene until you get to the dialogue? Or do you even notice those things? (hopefully if the writing's good, you don't. What if it's not? What bugs you?)
I'll answer both.
In writing, it's love scenes that kill me. Not sex scenes necessarily, just the romantic stuff, the parts that are supposed to make the reader feel the love between these characters. They always turn out dopey and sappy the first time I write them. Then I strip out all the sappy stuff, and they're just bare-bones and boring. It's only on the millionth pass--trying to add humor, unique personal references, balance--that I have any sort of satisfaction with them at all, and they're still my least favorite scenes to read (of my own stuff). Guess I need to practice those more!
In reading, I've always skipped right over long descriptive passages, particularly of landscapes. I have no head for directions--never have--and I very, very quickly get lost with somebody's description of "at the top of the hill there was this, with a blah to the east and a river running blah". I don't care. Tell me there was a hill and a river, and I don't need to know how, precisely, they were situated. In fact I do better in reading if you don't tell me those things, because then I have leeway to paint them in myself, which I prefer, or just keep them vague and get to the action/dialogue. Horrible thing for a historical fiction writer to admit, huh? I've gotten much better at adding description into my own work with practice, but I do make sure to always break it up with Other Stuff so people don't skip. And I don't think you'll ever find a description of what's to the east and what's to the west. {g}
Okay, you next. Writers? Readers? Both?
(you'll notice I'm skipping the Medieval Word of the Day; that's just for this week. It'll be back on Monday)
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Discussion Week Day 2: Favorites
Thank you all for posting! I love to know who's out there. (If you didn't post an intro yet and would like to, please join in. All the posts this week are open to be added to.)
Today is another easy one. I'm thinking we'll get harder as we go along--first one toe in the pool, then two...
So your assigned question for today (hard part: ONLY ONE ANSWER):
--Who is your favorite author of all time? Who do you come back to when you want to see just how well it's done? Who draws you into their world so completely, in just one page, that you get lost in it and forget where you are? Who do you want to emulate?
--Why?
I'm like most of you, I imagine; many authors pop immediately to mind. I have my standby authors that I keep handy copies of, and more than one fits this description. But when I think hard, when I really evaluate the one I've received the most reading pleasure from, the one I want to be most like, the answer will probably surprise you.
Mary Stewart.
How many of you have read Mary's books? {squinting for hands out there} She was a huge bestseller in the 50s and 60s, and I first encountered her in a long-forgotten box of my mother's things: a tattered copy of Wildfire at Midnight, with a lurid cover of a 50s girl silhouetted by a bonfire, a mountain in the background. I devoured it. I hunted for more. I remember the day in Berkeley that I found, with glee, two anthologies of Mary's books, with 4 or 5 complete novels in each volume. I think I wept. It didn't matter that they were 50 lbs each, or that I had no car that day--I lugged them around happily, clutched to my chest. I still have them, and dive into them, any story, whenever I feel the need. Later I discovered the Merlin series, and loved her even more. I have read The Crystal Cave how many times? 50? I'm not exactly sure, but some incredible number.
What do I love so about Mary's writing?
--It's first class, for one thing. Well crafted, well balanced, well paced. She knew her stuff. There is humor and pathos, and universal themes and feelings. Her books read just as well today as in the 50s.
--Her stories resonate with me. They're not straight romances--they're suspense, romance, coming-of-age, mystery, thriller...all of that. They're adventures, and I love to experience them. Sometimes they involve magic or the supernatural, sometimes not. The Merlin books aren't straight historicals either. She wrote her own STORIES, and not to convention.
--Her heroines (and heroes, in the case of the Merlin books) are real and human, with faults they must overcome, with their own individual points of view, but always with humor, and always smart. I wanted to BE them.
--She balances detail well; just enough description to paint a place for you without bogging down or slowing the pace. I still want to visit Crete just because of Mary's description of it.
That enough? {g} I could probably go on and on. But I think you've got the point, and I've had enough of the floor. Now it's your turn.
Today is another easy one. I'm thinking we'll get harder as we go along--first one toe in the pool, then two...
So your assigned question for today (hard part: ONLY ONE ANSWER):
--Who is your favorite author of all time? Who do you come back to when you want to see just how well it's done? Who draws you into their world so completely, in just one page, that you get lost in it and forget where you are? Who do you want to emulate?
--Why?
I'm like most of you, I imagine; many authors pop immediately to mind. I have my standby authors that I keep handy copies of, and more than one fits this description. But when I think hard, when I really evaluate the one I've received the most reading pleasure from, the one I want to be most like, the answer will probably surprise you.
Mary Stewart.
How many of you have read Mary's books? {squinting for hands out there} She was a huge bestseller in the 50s and 60s, and I first encountered her in a long-forgotten box of my mother's things: a tattered copy of Wildfire at Midnight, with a lurid cover of a 50s girl silhouetted by a bonfire, a mountain in the background. I devoured it. I hunted for more. I remember the day in Berkeley that I found, with glee, two anthologies of Mary's books, with 4 or 5 complete novels in each volume. I think I wept. It didn't matter that they were 50 lbs each, or that I had no car that day--I lugged them around happily, clutched to my chest. I still have them, and dive into them, any story, whenever I feel the need. Later I discovered the Merlin series, and loved her even more. I have read The Crystal Cave how many times? 50? I'm not exactly sure, but some incredible number.
What do I love so about Mary's writing?
--It's first class, for one thing. Well crafted, well balanced, well paced. She knew her stuff. There is humor and pathos, and universal themes and feelings. Her books read just as well today as in the 50s.
--Her stories resonate with me. They're not straight romances--they're suspense, romance, coming-of-age, mystery, thriller...all of that. They're adventures, and I love to experience them. Sometimes they involve magic or the supernatural, sometimes not. The Merlin books aren't straight historicals either. She wrote her own STORIES, and not to convention.
--Her heroines (and heroes, in the case of the Merlin books) are real and human, with faults they must overcome, with their own individual points of view, but always with humor, and always smart. I wanted to BE them.
--She balances detail well; just enough description to paint a place for you without bogging down or slowing the pace. I still want to visit Crete just because of Mary's description of it.
That enough? {g} I could probably go on and on. But I think you've got the point, and I've had enough of the floor. Now it's your turn.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Discussion Week Day 1: Intros
After reading over last week's posts all in a chunk, it struck me that they were just a wee bit...didactic, hmmm? C'mon, admit it. Just a wee bit.
So I was feeling kinda preachy.
This week, I'd like to try something different and try to have some discussion.
For this to work, though, y'all are going to have to chip in and say something. Even those who normally just lurk! I know you're out there. Now's your time to speak up, if only for a post or two. I promise not to hunt you down after or even require anything of you beyond a few words.
Let's kick off the week with a general introduction and even more general question.
Please post with:
--Your name (online name is fine)
--Something about yourself (anything you'd like to share, an odd fact maybe)
--Why you write or are interested in writing
So I'll start.
Name: Susan Adrian
Something: I was a ballet dancer for 8 years and danced in a professional company, mumble-something years ago.
Why I write: Because I'm addicted to it. I've always loved losing myself in a story--a book, movie, or just a scenario in my head--and now I've discovered that I can actually create a world to escape to. And, OMG, others can read it and join in my world too! I don't think I could ever give it up now.
Your turn! Please respond!
So I was feeling kinda preachy.
This week, I'd like to try something different and try to have some discussion.
For this to work, though, y'all are going to have to chip in and say something. Even those who normally just lurk! I know you're out there. Now's your time to speak up, if only for a post or two. I promise not to hunt you down after or even require anything of you beyond a few words.
Let's kick off the week with a general introduction and even more general question.
Please post with:
--Your name (online name is fine)
--Something about yourself (anything you'd like to share, an odd fact maybe)
--Why you write or are interested in writing
So I'll start.
Name: Susan Adrian
Something: I was a ballet dancer for 8 years and danced in a professional company, mumble-something years ago.
Why I write: Because I'm addicted to it. I've always loved losing myself in a story--a book, movie, or just a scenario in my head--and now I've discovered that I can actually create a world to escape to. And, OMG, others can read it and join in my world too! I don't think I could ever give it up now.
Your turn! Please respond!
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