How to use this Page

The telling trap is the easiest trap for every writer to fall into. I should know...I slip into it a lot. But I'm getting better with each story that I write. Now if only that could be proven through publication....:D

You know, I'm a small time agent - very limited list and each time I do tell authors this is the weakness that turned me off I am told 'what would I know?' I might not boast huge sales or big clients, but I still use the exact same filtering process as the big agents. Too often writers think because I am small that I will accept just about anything - wrong! Remember I still have to sell it to a publisher, one who does get material from the bigger agents.

I think I'm absolutely hooked on that blog now! Seriously, though, huge props for finding the time to read and critique all sixty. I'll be following along to see what else Authoress puts up.

...I still want to know why Bea dyed her hair purple...

Kristin, I thought of you as I opened my e-mail this morning. There was my usual e-mail from Borders since I'm a Rewards member. They listed 5 Perfect Book Club Picks and do you know which one was #2? Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Now, that is some seriously good marketing! Congrats again to you and Jamie Ford.;-)

Most great literature is in the telling, not the showing.
Just saying, as you would say.

Anon 9:23
There is always some telling in writing. I don't want a minute by minute account of a character's day. And you must be able to do that well.
But often, the story flows better and is stronger when things are shown.
Balance is key.
Tell the parts that need to be told, and show everything else.

and the critiquers at MSFV are great! I've improved by leaps and bounds with their help!

Telling instead of showing, and too many adverbs makes me stop reading. I don't mind telling and then showing sometimes, but too many adverbs stop the pace.

I posted my thanks over on MSFV - but wanted to say it again. Your comments on the 60 entries was so educational. And the time you volunteered was very much appreciated. So, thanks, Kristen.

Janet - re-writing with a much better understanding :)

Same as Janet -

I posted my thanks over on MSFV, but wanted to say them again<:

Thanks again, Kristen!

*** Anonymous Agent, just wanted to say that I don't think that a lot of newbie writers know how messy their mss might be. Even if they belong to critique groups. Some people don't want to hear it from their critique partners. Others are like me and simply too close to the work itself and need to have the light brutally turned on time and again. :]

Ms. Nelson - thank you so very much for your gracious gift of time and your expertise.

I didn't enter this month, but I did critique a few. I'm happy to see two of my favorites made your cut! It's good to realize I'm honing my craft by reading other entries and the comments made.

Thanks again.

It was such a delight having you, Kristin. Thanks again for your time and expertise!

I almost submitted to that contest, but the stipulation was "ready to submit to an agent" and I know I'm a bit away from that.

When I read the submissions and comments I wondered it you were the Secret Agent. Too much Pub Rants perhaps (is there such a thing?). Your feedback was consistent with the lessons learned on this blog and when I was lucky enough to be in one of your workshops.

That blog does offer a lot of good feedback from its readers.

I didn't enter either and my hope has been that you were not the SA until my MS was ready. Oh Well, too late for that. I will have to get your attention with a knock out query pitch.

Thought your crits on MSFV were spot on.

Enjoy your site.
Cassidy

Thanks for pointing this out; I've reading about the role of agent on your blog for a while now (with much interest)! I enjoyed the opportunity to read critically, to figure out what was right (or not-so-right, yet) about each entry, and then to predict whether the samples would get the nod. It was certainly eye opening.

I'm a regular at MSFV, but don't participate in the Secret Agent contests, because I don't have anything in query-shape yet.

What I love about these contests is that you get a great sense of what a slush pile really is, and what an agent goes through when reading all these first pages.

And then you actually see the reactions of the other readers, and the secret agent, which is insightful.

It's a real eye opener, and I hope it will help me produce something that will stand out between hundreds of other good submissions.

Thanks!

I think that's the perfect way to judge a contest. I'm biased, of course, because that sounds almost exactly like what I did to grade my students' essays in college--write notes on them as I went along, organize them all into 'tiers' or outright rankings, and then assigned scores.

Scoring rubrics sometimes helped, but sometimes they just made it more complicated. Especially if the categories aren't extremely clear cut, as I'm sure fiction rubrics aren't.

Hey Kristin,
It's very interesting to hear that
the point system made things a little more difficult. On the seekerville blog a few weeks ago Gina came up with a new contest scoresheet. I think it would be cool for the contest coordinators to know what works for judges and what doesn't so that they can change sheets accordingly.
Very interesting post. Thanks for the insight.

As Daphne Contest Coordinator, let me thank you for devoting the time and effort to judge this contest. And know that the finalists will take your comments to heart.

As I'm sure you know, the entries have already passed through the hands of four judges before you see them, so we hope you're getting the best of the best.

We're all looking forward to the final results.

You are a wise and conscientious final round judge, Ms. Nelson. A few finalists and a large audience are waiting to see how you viewed each of those entries. Thank you for keeping us waiting! For those excited finalists, your silence and thorough judging will be well worth the wait. Hope you plan to attend Death by Chocolate to realize your efforts in its entirety!

You didn't mention how many entries there were, but golly! That's a lot of work and I hope the participants appreciate the comments.

I'm about to enter a local SCBWI contest judged by an editor and I hope we get the same kind of feedback. I think the point system will be used here, too.

Go rest your eyes.

WandaV

Kristin when you're up at 1am and the words start to merge together and you get the giggles from reading that's when you need to go to bed. I've spent many a night up marking assignments. Best one I ever had tried to convince me that bunny rabbits were the natural predators of sheep, it was a great essay, but the poor kid had gotten predator/competitor mixed up. Ah well, that's life.

I totally understand about the time involved. I used to be an English teacher, and I made thorough notes in the margins of all my students' papers. It took forever, but at least they were my "clients" so there was some return on the investment.

Wow Gail-- I SO want to try this now!! The two-handed guy is unbelievable... and I love the "Paris" music. Thanks for posting these!

ALL of those links were way fun! Thanks for sharing!!!