here's my polished version of the Unseen trailer. :0)
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The contest in the post below has not ended yet, however, I think it's safe to assume that I ain't gonna win. Though I didn't expect to win the contest, I did expect my opening to fare much better. Instead, the majority ruled "No, didn't hook me."
Why did I expect better? this opening has been through the wringer. In the past year my prologue and chapter 1 have been critiqued by 2 editors (Caitlyn Dloughy S&S & Krista Marino, Delecorte) as well as my critique group (all who are very honest). Both editors invited me to submit the story once it's finished.
The editors were both encouraging and though they had plenty of constructive advice. The opening wasn't a concern for them. The same goes for my critique group and the others who have read my MS thus far.
So, I had to ask myself "What's the difference? Why has my opening made it this far unscathed only now to be rejected by the majority?
At first I wanted to just make excuses. But what good would that do? the people have spoken and these people represent the readers: the ones who buy the books or pick them up at the library. These are the voices inside the head of our editors and agents.
So. NO EXCUSES.
What can I learn from this experience?
Here's what I've learned so far . . . .
This contest was like a simulated slush pile. If we want to get a small taste of what an editor thinks when they have a stack of manuscripts on their desk, then just go over to the contest submissions and read each one. There's 114 by the way.
By time you get to submission #10, or sooner, you stop reading the whole thing. UNLESS . . . you really like it. There's a ton of stuff to weed through and you're not going to want to read it all. If it doesn't hook you right away, chances are, you're going to give up on it pretty quick. Editors and Agents don't have all day. If we don't hook them right away, lets face it. We aren't going to hook them at all because they aren't going to read any further.
I figure that I received positive feedback in the past because my MS was critiqued at a conference and a writing retreat. The editors were expected and paid to read all of what I submitted. But the reality is . . . had that MS landed on their desk with the stack of other manilla envelopes, had I just been another stack of paper in the pile, they may have very well passed it over because the opening didnt' hook them. My opening is fine when read in the context of the entire chapter, but the first 250 words by themselves . . . needs to be better.
You may have something that they very well could like. But if it doesn't grab'em right away, it may still be passed over.
For me, this is very eye opening. Why share my defeat? Why not delete the post below, pretend I didn't enter and try to hide my shame? Because this is apart of my journey as a writer. I want to improve and a writer needs to learn how to write for their audience. not just ourselves, not just the editors and agents.
Although the negative feed back stings a bit, it is also necessary for improvement. So I thank all who offered their opinions. I'm also thankful for those who had kind words to say, those words were balm to my wounded pride. ;0)
I do suggest that all who aspire for publication to submit to this type of contest. It's good for thickening the skin and it's also another good form of honest feedback. Things we all need if we're going to be published. I'm glad I entered and I learned a lot.
back to work on draft 4 (then 5, 6, 7 . . . heck! who knows how many it will be!) But I'm diving in!!!!! :0)
REVISE! REVISE! REVISE!
1. A rough skeletal book outline. Specific enough to give me direction, but flexible enough to make changes.
2. When writing the first draft, just write. don't worry about grammar, punctuation. Just get the story out. Don't let your creativity be hindered by worrying about anything else than just getting it all on paper
3. It's nice to have a person to give you insights along the way. I have a critique buddy that is very helpful. When I get stuck along the way or need some advice, a writing buddy can help get you unstuck or can be a great source of encouragement.
4. Read. Last year I made it a goal to read a minimum of 4 books a month. When I began this discipline, I noticed a dramatic improvement in my writing skills.
5. When it's time to rewrite after you do #2, (just getting the idea on paper), I have to rewrite in very small segments at a time or else it gets too overwhelming. Only a sentence or one paragraph at a time is usually all I can handle.
6. It's good to have books on hand that are similar to your voice and style to reference when you get stuck. I often refer to several books when I come across a section that I'm not sure how to "fix" (description, dialogue, emotion, etc.) Books I have often referred to on this project are "Crispin and the Cross of Lead" "Goose Girl" "A Wizard of Earthsea" "Princess Academy" "Bitterwood" "The Merlin Trilogy by Jane Yolen" and "The Princess Bride"
7. If one section has you stumped, it's OK to skip it for a while and work on the next section or chapter. Sometimes it helps to just come back to it later.
8. However, sometimes if you're stuck, you just may need to sit down and force yourself to write. Sometimes getting yourself unstuck doesn't turn out to be as difficult as you thought it would be. Don't be afraid to just tackle it. There's been a couple times that I've avoided rewriting a certain section, because the task seemed so daunting, but then when I finally did it it ended up not being as hard as I thought it would be.
9. Don't feel like you have to rewrite everything perfectly the first time. It's OK to do multiple rewrites. don't feel like you have to get it perfect right away.
10. Attend conferences or retreats, make contacts and have your work critiqued professionally or get involved in a group. The opinions of others are crucial. They represent your readers, so listen to what they have to say.
By: Scribe Chronicler of Aventar,
on 9/7/2007
Blog: LadyStar (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: adventure book, adventure story, fantasy adventure story, free novel, free online book, girl fighter, girl warrior, hunter, huntress, night warrior, reptile monsters, starlight, Call of the Huntress, storybook, free, Jessica Hoshi, Shannon Ka Yoru, warrior, ztag, zy, Vicereine, Vicereine Reina, silver coins, Add a tag
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By: Scribe Chronicler of Aventar,
on 8/27/2007
Blog: LadyStar (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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By: C.R. Evers,
on 1/29/2009
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: current WIP, Add a tag
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By: C.R. Evers,
on 1/27/2009
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: current WIP, Add a tag
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I'm impressionable. When I read Becca and Angela's blog I thought it might be fun to try to create a trailer for my book and I had to try it RIGHT AWAY.
OK. So Trailers are really for books that are already published or newly published. But what about a trailer to interest editors and agents?
Shelli posted an interview with editor Martha Mihalik at Greenwillow. It's a great interview. Martha openly admits that she checks out blogs. I'm sure many other editors and agents do too. So . . . if we're hoping to entice them . . . why not a trailer to wet their whistle. Make their blog-browsing efforts worth their while.
I got really excited about the idea so I tinkered around a bit on my computer last night and this is what I came up with. I'm not really looking for any critiques. I was just having fun. I'll probably spruce it up some other time. Enjoy!
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By: C.R. Evers,
on 7/18/2008
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: contest, writing discipline, current WIP, writing journey, Add a tag
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: contest, writing discipline, current WIP, writing journey, Add a tag
The contest in the post below has not ended yet, however, I think it's safe to assume that I ain't gonna win. Though I didn't expect to win the contest, I did expect my opening to fare much better. Instead, the majority ruled "No, didn't hook me."
Why did I expect better? this opening has been through the wringer. In the past year my prologue and chapter 1 have been critiqued by 2 editors (Caitlyn Dloughy S&S & Krista Marino, Delecorte) as well as my critique group (all who are very honest). Both editors invited me to submit the story once it's finished.
The editors were both encouraging and though they had plenty of constructive advice. The opening wasn't a concern for them. The same goes for my critique group and the others who have read my MS thus far.
So, I had to ask myself "What's the difference? Why has my opening made it this far unscathed only now to be rejected by the majority?
At first I wanted to just make excuses. But what good would that do? the people have spoken and these people represent the readers: the ones who buy the books or pick them up at the library. These are the voices inside the head of our editors and agents.
So. NO EXCUSES.
What can I learn from this experience?
Here's what I've learned so far . . . .
This contest was like a simulated slush pile. If we want to get a small taste of what an editor thinks when they have a stack of manuscripts on their desk, then just go over to the contest submissions and read each one. There's 114 by the way.
By time you get to submission #10, or sooner, you stop reading the whole thing. UNLESS . . . you really like it. There's a ton of stuff to weed through and you're not going to want to read it all. If it doesn't hook you right away, chances are, you're going to give up on it pretty quick. Editors and Agents don't have all day. If we don't hook them right away, lets face it. We aren't going to hook them at all because they aren't going to read any further.
I figure that I received positive feedback in the past because my MS was critiqued at a conference and a writing retreat. The editors were expected and paid to read all of what I submitted. But the reality is . . . had that MS landed on their desk with the stack of other manilla envelopes, had I just been another stack of paper in the pile, they may have very well passed it over because the opening didnt' hook them. My opening is fine when read in the context of the entire chapter, but the first 250 words by themselves . . . needs to be better.
You may have something that they very well could like. But if it doesn't grab'em right away, it may still be passed over.
For me, this is very eye opening. Why share my defeat? Why not delete the post below, pretend I didn't enter and try to hide my shame? Because this is apart of my journey as a writer. I want to improve and a writer needs to learn how to write for their audience. not just ourselves, not just the editors and agents.
Although the negative feed back stings a bit, it is also necessary for improvement. So I thank all who offered their opinions. I'm also thankful for those who had kind words to say, those words were balm to my wounded pride. ;0)
I do suggest that all who aspire for publication to submit to this type of contest. It's good for thickening the skin and it's also another good form of honest feedback. Things we all need if we're going to be published. I'm glad I entered and I learned a lot.
back to work on draft 4 (then 5, 6, 7 . . . heck! who knows how many it will be!) But I'm diving in!!!!! :0)
12 Comments on Lessons from Snark Camp: Skin Thickening 101, last added: 7/22/2008
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By: C.R. Evers,
on 7/16/2008
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: current WIP, Add a tag
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Last night I went to a coffee shop to work on chapter 23. It went pretty smooth and I was really excited to only have 4 more chapter left in my 3rd draft revision.
I came home to share my excitement with my hubby. His question (naturally): "So what happens when you're done with the 3rd draft?"
My reply: "ummm. . . I do a 4th draft." (wind goes out of sails upon this confession)
"Oh," he says "Doesn't seem like much of an incentive." (He's a very practical guy)
"hmmm. No it doesn't, does it." I admit, because he's right.
Revisions seem endless. but when I thought about it some more, the completion of my 3rd draft is huge. the 2nd and 3rd draft were filled with major plot and structure revisions. I expect that the 4th draft and on will be less intense. Perhaps more tedious, but less intense.
I ended up staying up late (or very early morning. . . whatever) and I COMPLETED MY 3rd draft!!!!!! whoooo hoooooooo!!!!!. OK. so maybe my reward is simply going on to the 4th draft, but I feel that I am much much closer to submission. Not to mention, I am nearly 2 months ahead of my self-appointed schedule.
So. . . who wants to celebrate with me?
I came home to share my excitement with my hubby. His question (naturally): "So what happens when you're done with the 3rd draft?"
My reply: "ummm. . . I do a 4th draft." (wind goes out of sails upon this confession)
"Oh," he says "Doesn't seem like much of an incentive." (He's a very practical guy)
"hmmm. No it doesn't, does it." I admit, because he's right.
Revisions seem endless. but when I thought about it some more, the completion of my 3rd draft is huge. the 2nd and 3rd draft were filled with major plot and structure revisions. I expect that the 4th draft and on will be less intense. Perhaps more tedious, but less intense.
I ended up staying up late (or very early morning. . . whatever) and I COMPLETED MY 3rd draft!!!!!! whoooo hoooooooo!!!!!. OK. so maybe my reward is simply going on to the 4th draft, but I feel that I am much much closer to submission. Not to mention, I am nearly 2 months ahead of my self-appointed schedule.
So. . . who wants to celebrate with me?
11 Comments on Join my Revision Blog party!!!!!!!!, last added: 7/19/2008
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By: C.R. Evers,
on 7/14/2008
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: research, current WIP, Add a tag
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: research, current WIP, Add a tag
Book research opportunities can pop up when you least expect them.
On Wed. night I took the kids the summer kids program at our church. Special guest speaker, Dan the Animal man brought some pretty awesome animals to show the kids. 
The last to come out was the 130lb alligator! I must confess, I was just as giddy (if not more) when Dan the Animal Man said he would take the alligator into the foyer when the program was over so we could pet it and take pictures. Did I mention there is scene in my current WIP where my protagonist gets up close and personal with an alligator?
This was church, after all, so I tried not to knock the kids over as I ran for my turn to touch the alligator. ;0) I studied that thing! His eyes, his claws, the feel of his skin!!!!! Now I can go back to that scene and add more detail.
Who would've thunk it? Alligator research in church. You just never know when these things will come up. Just goes to show why I always need my camera and pen and paper where ever I go.
5 Comments on Alligators in church, last added: 7/15/2008
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By: C.R. Evers,
on 6/23/2008
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: creative exercise, current WIP, Add a tag
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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ImageChef.com Flower Text
Literary fertilizer:
Sickness
Vacations gone wrong
Moments of uncharacteristic madness
Pain
Sorrow
Ever happened to you?
If not, well. . . I feel bad for you, ‘cause this is the stuff that the rich soil of literature is made of.
Got crap in your life? Don’t ignore it. Whine about it all you want and put it to paper! ;0) Shape it. Mold it and watch your characters come to life. It’s kind of like your own personal Frankenstein. (If the thought of your work being compared to a monster freaks you out, then use your creativity to insert your adaptation here ____________________.)
Some of my examples:
I still remember the pain from my broken arm 20 years ago. It broke in two. It looked like a V made of flesh. (Why didn’t Sesame Street ever use that visual on the letter “V” episodes?) The dr’s had to put Humpty Dumpty back together again by surgically attaching my bones with metal plates. Sound painful? It was. The Tylenol with codine barely took the edge off. You better bet your bippy that I will pass on this pain to my protagonist. Why let such a vivid memory go to waste?
Bad vacation? Think of what your protagonist might do in your situation. How is his/her personality different than yours? What would they do?
Sorrow. There’s no other way to say it. It sucks. But if you pass it on to your characters, they become more authentic and your readers can relate to them.
Writing down what ails you, is not only theraputic, but you can use the emotions and thoughts to mold current or future characters in your story(s)
Funny how the very things that seem to suck the life out of us are often be the very thing that breathes life into a character or breeds creativity. Ironic. Isn’t it?
So, my challenge for this week is: grab a shovel, dig up that crap and cultivate that literary soil! There’ll probably be a whole field full of wildflowers waiting in your future . . . after all, life emerges from the dirt, not from gold, the mall or even e-bay. It's comes from the stuff we try to sweep away and forget.
Plus, you never know. . . you may even help someone along the way.
3 Comments on Literary Fertilizer, last added: 6/24/2008
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By: C.R. Evers,
on 6/15/2008
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: contest, creative exercise, current WIP, writing journey, Add a tag
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z
One year ago today I started this blog. I don't really know what prompted the blog. I wasn't sure what to write about. I had friends with blogs and I enjoyed reading those. I'm a writer. Heck. The thought of being able to write about anything made me giddy. I always have journals going at home. I figured that a blog is like a type of journal. So, I dedicated the blog to: art, writing, and creativity in general, but I really didn't know if I had anything worth saying. I was surprised to find that I've encountered some unexpected blessings from keeping a blog.
Here's what they are:
1) I learned not to care if anyone thinks if I have anything "worth" saying. I'm learning to find my authorial voice and I'm having fun doing it. (I normally care about what people think, so this is a big deal for me.) I've noticed that my older posts are a little more stiff and rigid, from caring too much about how I sound or look, and I've become more spontanious and free. More me-ish.
2) Blogging has been a creative writing exercise. It gets me warmed up for my current WIP.
3) I've made some really cool contacts from blogging. Something I never anticipated. It's priceless and fun!
4) Blogging about the things I've learned in conferences and workshops helps me to digest and internalize the things that I've learned.
5) This blog has also become a place where I feel like I can lend support to other writers, whether they be successful authors, aspiring writers or somewhere in between. Book reviews are a form of support for authors. I especially like it when I can do a review for an author that I've met in person or online. That just makes it extra special.
I also hope that my shared info helps aspiring writers during their on-line searches. Lord knows I've had my share of frustrations of googling info on editors, publishers or other things that I wanted to know only to come up empty handed. I truly hope some of the info on this blog will be useful. If it's entertaining as well . . . that's a bonus! :0)
AND. . . to top it off, it just so happens that I found out today that I won a captions contest over at YA Fresh. Can this Blogday get any better? :0) I love this blog. The owners, Authors Tina Ferraro and Kelly Parra not only entertain, but they also support other authors by hosting contests with book giveaways. They don't just give away their own books. They support their fellow authors by giving away their books! They've inspired me by their selfless support and deserve a great big "Shout Out" for what they do! This captions contest was so cute! You need to check out all the entries. they are a hoot! :0)
6 Comments on It's my BlogDay!!!, last added: 6/17/2008
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By: C.R. Evers,
on 6/5/2008
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: feathered wakeful thoughts of the week, current WIP, Add a tag
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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photographers credit: unknown
What do Junk Yard Wars and novel revisions have in common?
In my case, everything. Just look and see if the comparison is as obvious to you as it is to me:
Novel draft 1:
One project. One goal. A mountain of scraps and debris piled in cluttered heaps. (we're talking about my mind. Not the junkyard) What do I use? What tools do I have? What pieces can I use to construct a functioning and noteworthy creation? Through the pile I go; the forgotten memories are pulled out and dusted off, what crumpled wads of joy and sorrow are then disclosed! The shards of broken dreams, dulled further from the elements, call out to be made into something useful. Behold! Twinkling gems of accomplishments, faith and hope can't help but gleam, refusing to be overtaken by the rubble.
Diligently, I gather what I have and lay it out on paper. It's not pretty. If truth be known--it's a stinking mess. But I am a crafter! A creator! I see the possibilities and I am up for the task. (Does this mean I qualify for a super hero costume? I like capes. Can I have a purple cape?)
Novel draft 2:
The pieces come together. Shaped, molded, and examined. It looks a little better.
Novel draft 3:
More honing, more tinkering, some additions, some reductions. It's not done yet, but it's getting there. Junkyard Warriors (AKA critique buddies and editors) who have gone before me have come to my aide and I am able to work their suggestions into my design.
Novel draft 4:
I haven't got this far yet, but I can only dare to dream that my end result will be as creative, useful and enjoyable as the Redneck Super Potty Senior Scooter. What can I say. I set my goals high and AIM!
4 Comments on Junk Yard Wars, Revisions and potty scooters, last added: 6/5/2008
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By: C.R. Evers,
on 5/28/2008
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: contest, chapel HIll Retreat, creative exercise, current WIP, Add a tag
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Remember the pitch contest from Donna's blog?
I won! *\o/* yea!
A big thanks to Donna for hosting this contest and to authors Stephanie Reed and Susan Marlow for judging. I really needed to work on my pitch and this contest helped me get my butt in gear.
I never put much effort into a pitch. Quite honestly, it didn't appeal to me. I'm writing a novel for crying out loud! I like words. Lots and lots of words! To think of taking a story that is 50,000 + words and condensing it down to 25 words or less didn't just sound impossible; the thought horrified me!
Then, I went to the writers retreat in Chapel Hill, NC this past April. For those who read my blog on a regular basis, there's no doubt, you're getting sick of hearing about this retreat. I can't help but write about it. I learned so much and feel that I grew leaps and bounds as a writer in just one weekend.
Sarah Shumway from Dutton/Penguin spoke about pitches. Her lecture opened my eyes to the necessity of a good pitch. Bottom line: it's crucial. Here's a link to some of my notes from her session.
We had a stimulating discussion on our SCBWI Carolina's list serve about pitches and I have a great critique buddy (you know who you are) who helped me work on the pitch. It's great to have insight from those who are honest and constructive.
You need to go over and read all the pitches. There are so many great plots and story lines!!!! When all these works in progress are published, I'm going to have a lot of reading to do!
oh, and here's my pitch for my YA fantasy novel: (cue fast music with a heavy drum beat)
"A runaway slave girl encounters forbidden love and a stealthy enemy while searching for three mystical charms missing from a family heirloom."
I can already hear the book trailer . . . . . (you have to think positive you know!) :0)
Happy writing everyone!
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By: C.R. Evers,
on 4/25/2008
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: chapel HIll Retreat, current WIP, writing journey, Add a tag
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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REVISE! REVISE! REVISE!Nervous, I walked into the small room where Krista Marino sat on a pink, flowered reproduction of a victorian sofa.
What would she say? I wondered.
If honesty persist, I was expecting the worst. Only moments before I left my house the previous afternoon, I checked the mailbox where a familiar SASE manilla envelope waited for me . I need not open the envelope. My own handwritten address was the bearer of bad news. Another rejection letter.
Could this be ill omen or good? I wondered. Though I tried to remain positive, (after all, perhaps this could be the writers equivilent of an actors "Break a leg") I sat behind the wheel of my car and headed toward Chapel Hill in a somber mood. Anger soon joined the mix when I realized that Mapquest had given poor directions. I was lost and there was only 15 mintues left until registration ended.
I fought to push the constant stream of unsettling thoughts from my mind. Just keep your mouth closed and listen to what she has to say. I reminded myself as I sat in the chair across from Krista. Even if it's bad news, I can still work to get better.
I drew in a deep breath, smiled and leaned forward as if to signal my undivided attention. But inside I was trembling. At the pit of my very core I want to be a published author. Will I ever make it?
And then Krista began to speak . . .
Or . . . I could just say "On Saturday morning I had a one on one critique with Krista Marino, editor at Delacorte."
Which is more interesting?
OK. Now, I'll get right to the point. Krista gave me a very encouraging and insightful critique. Her advice was spot on and she said she liked what she read and saw a lot of potential in my story. ~squeal~ :0)
My biggest problem was that I did too much "telling" instead of "showing".
It's funny, but I know the "Show don't tell" rule very well. Or I thought I did. As a matter of fact, I thought I WAS showing and not telling. But Krista did a great job opening my eyes to a whole new level of "telling."
I equated "action" to be the "showing" instead of "telling." Not necessarily so. It's also sometimes difficult to pick out these area's once you've gone over the same story over and over again. That's one reason why critiques are so important, whether it come from an editor or a local critique group. The outside information can be priceless.
What's the fix?: Add emotion, surroundings and thoughts into the mix. Even action can come across as "telling" and can even seem canned or contrived. In other words, don't just say your character is opening the door. What is she thinking as she opens the door? What is going on around her? How does she feel?
Her critique only covered the first 10 pages of my MS, but I have easily been able to apply her advice through out the entire MS.
The critique was golden!
Krista, if you're out there and ever come across this post, Thanks for the great critique!"
Now. . . Back to work!
What would she say? I wondered.
If honesty persist, I was expecting the worst. Only moments before I left my house the previous afternoon, I checked the mailbox where a familiar SASE manilla envelope waited for me . I need not open the envelope. My own handwritten address was the bearer of bad news. Another rejection letter.
Could this be ill omen or good? I wondered. Though I tried to remain positive, (after all, perhaps this could be the writers equivilent of an actors "Break a leg") I sat behind the wheel of my car and headed toward Chapel Hill in a somber mood. Anger soon joined the mix when I realized that Mapquest had given poor directions. I was lost and there was only 15 mintues left until registration ended.
I fought to push the constant stream of unsettling thoughts from my mind. Just keep your mouth closed and listen to what she has to say. I reminded myself as I sat in the chair across from Krista. Even if it's bad news, I can still work to get better.
I drew in a deep breath, smiled and leaned forward as if to signal my undivided attention. But inside I was trembling. At the pit of my very core I want to be a published author. Will I ever make it?
And then Krista began to speak . . .
Or . . . I could just say "On Saturday morning I had a one on one critique with Krista Marino, editor at Delacorte."
Which is more interesting?
OK. Now, I'll get right to the point. Krista gave me a very encouraging and insightful critique. Her advice was spot on and she said she liked what she read and saw a lot of potential in my story. ~squeal~ :0)
My biggest problem was that I did too much "telling" instead of "showing".
It's funny, but I know the "Show don't tell" rule very well. Or I thought I did. As a matter of fact, I thought I WAS showing and not telling. But Krista did a great job opening my eyes to a whole new level of "telling."
I equated "action" to be the "showing" instead of "telling." Not necessarily so. It's also sometimes difficult to pick out these area's once you've gone over the same story over and over again. That's one reason why critiques are so important, whether it come from an editor or a local critique group. The outside information can be priceless.
What's the fix?: Add emotion, surroundings and thoughts into the mix. Even action can come across as "telling" and can even seem canned or contrived. In other words, don't just say your character is opening the door. What is she thinking as she opens the door? What is going on around her? How does she feel?
Her critique only covered the first 10 pages of my MS, but I have easily been able to apply her advice through out the entire MS.
The critique was golden!
Krista, if you're out there and ever come across this post, Thanks for the great critique!"
Now. . . Back to work!
1 Comments on My one on one critique with Krista Marino, editor at Delacorte: Fixing "Show don't tell", last added: 4/25/2008
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By: C.R. Evers,
on 4/2/2008
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing discipline, current WIP, writing journey, Add a tag
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing discipline, current WIP, writing journey, Add a tag
It's been a little less than a year since I started my first YA novel and I'm nearly done with the 2nd draft. I hope to have the full 2nd draft done by April 18th. This has been a true learning experience. In retrospect, these are the top 10 things that have helped me so far. (This list is in no way a reflection of how I think all novels should be written. Everyone does things differently. This is just a list of things that have been helpful to me.):
Writing the First Novel
1. A rough skeletal book outline. Specific enough to give me direction, but flexible enough to make changes.
2. When writing the first draft, just write. don't worry about grammar, punctuation. Just get the story out. Don't let your creativity be hindered by worrying about anything else than just getting it all on paper
3. It's nice to have a person to give you insights along the way. I have a critique buddy that is very helpful. When I get stuck along the way or need some advice, a writing buddy can help get you unstuck or can be a great source of encouragement.
4. Read. Last year I made it a goal to read a minimum of 4 books a month. When I began this discipline, I noticed a dramatic improvement in my writing skills.
5. When it's time to rewrite after you do #2, (just getting the idea on paper), I have to rewrite in very small segments at a time or else it gets too overwhelming. Only a sentence or one paragraph at a time is usually all I can handle.
6. It's good to have books on hand that are similar to your voice and style to reference when you get stuck. I often refer to several books when I come across a section that I'm not sure how to "fix" (description, dialogue, emotion, etc.) Books I have often referred to on this project are "Crispin and the Cross of Lead" "Goose Girl" "A Wizard of Earthsea" "Princess Academy" "Bitterwood" "The Merlin Trilogy by Jane Yolen" and "The Princess Bride"
7. If one section has you stumped, it's OK to skip it for a while and work on the next section or chapter. Sometimes it helps to just come back to it later.
8. However, sometimes if you're stuck, you just may need to sit down and force yourself to write. Sometimes getting yourself unstuck doesn't turn out to be as difficult as you thought it would be. Don't be afraid to just tackle it. There's been a couple times that I've avoided rewriting a certain section, because the task seemed so daunting, but then when I finally did it it ended up not being as hard as I thought it would be.
9. Don't feel like you have to rewrite everything perfectly the first time. It's OK to do multiple rewrites. don't feel like you have to get it perfect right away.
10. Attend conferences or retreats, make contacts and have your work critiqued professionally or get involved in a group. The opinions of others are crucial. They represent your readers, so listen to what they have to say.
0 Comments on Work In Progress Wednesday/Learning the business of writing: Ten Things that has helped me so far as of 4/2/2008 10:35:00 AM
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By: C.R. Evers,
on 3/26/2008
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing discipline, current WIP, Add a tag
Blog: Christy's Creative Space (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing discipline, current WIP, Add a tag
My current WIP is a YA fantasy novel. This is the first novel length project that I have taken on and has been quite the learning experience.
When I started writing this piece I took the advice of many authors and writing books and I just sat down and transfered the ideas from my head to the page. That part was fun.
But I'll never forget when I sat down to revise what I had written. Though I still liked the story idea, the writing was horrible! There, before me sat 50,000 ugly, misplaced words waiting for me to give them a makeover. This was the hard part. There was so much to change, I grew very anxious trying to figure out how I was going to take all those words and make them worthy of submission. I was overwhelmed at the thought. I struggled to find a revision routine, but when I did, things really started to fly! I'm now ahead of where I thought I would be and I'm almost done with the second draft of the entire MS. Just 6 more chapters to go!!!!!!! I finished my chapter 22 rewrite last night.
What ended up working for me was that I just took one small section at a time. Sometimes it was just a sentence, sometimes it was an entire paragraph, depending on how much neede to be rewritten.
Once I'm done with the full second draft, I will do a third. Then it will go to my critique group, then to my husband and my parents, then I'll try to find someone to read it who will just say "wow. This is really good." so I can get up the nerve to send it out. :0) Who knows how many drafts it will take to get to that point!? I was happy to read somewhere that Avi does 50-70 rewrites on his work. It looks like an exhausting amount, but I think that will probably be the amount I end up with too.
I'd love to hear how other people tackle their rewrites. How many drafts do you go through? Any suggestions? How do you know when you're ready to send it out?
2 Comments on How do you do it? Learning to revise and rewrite., last added: 3/26/2008
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By: Scribe Chronicler of Aventar,
on 9/7/2007
Blog: LadyStar (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: adventure book, adventure story, fantasy adventure story, free novel, free online book, girl fighter, girl warrior, hunter, huntress, night warrior, reptile monsters, starlight, Call of the Huntress, storybook, free, Jessica Hoshi, Shannon Ka Yoru, warrior, ztag, zy, Vicereine, Vicereine Reina, silver coins, Add a tag
“Hey everyone. We’ve had quite a few updates for the third book in our series, Call of the Huntress, so I thought it would be a good idea to make a list of what we’ve previewed so far.”
“That’s a great idea Shannon-sama!”
“Thanks, Hoshi! Okay, our first preview was By the Light of the Stars which is the story of the Warrior of the Night battling reptile-like monsters called Carcs.”
“Yucky. I don’t like monsters.”
“The second update was a four-part series called the Plot Against the Vicereine, about a noble in Aventar who gets attacked by evil assassins. Here’s Part One, Part Two, Part Three, and Part Four.”
“The Vicereine seems like she’s real strong. I hope we don’t have to fight her.”
“Yeah, but she gave that little boy a silver coin even though the price of the flower was a lot less. I think that was really nice.”
“Yeah! That was nice, huh? I wonder what a cruss ring is though.”
“So how come you decided to do a preview roundup today?”
“Guess.”
“Ooh! You’re gonna have another preview?! Realeeeee?”
“Check back later today everyone! A brand new exclusive preview from Book Three of our series Call of the Huntress, right here. See ya then!”
“Don’t miss the new preview! Ja minna!”
By: Scribe Chronicler of Aventar,
on 8/27/2007
Blog: LadyStar (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Call of the Huntress, gold coins, merchants, shady dealers, Vicereine, Vicereine Reina, Add a tag
LadyStar™ Call of the Huntress is Copyright © 2007 Heavy Cat Multimedia Ltd. All Rights Reserved
Read Part One
Read Part Two
“You’re a fool. Gold monarchs are the coin of the Branven Merchants.” The small, wiry man twitched annoyingly as he dealt the next hand. “No man is desperate enough to face that problem.”
“You’re a bigger fool if you think I’m going to fall for card tricks after only two flagons,” Kenesh replied, throwing his cards down on the table. “We play corners to edges or I’ll take my business to Yicho. At least in the swamps I can get in a spot of fishing.” Nako shook his head as he shuffled the greasy cards. His face continued to twitch. Kenesh picked up a properly dealt hand and frowned at what he saw.
“What’s your plan?” the dealer chuckled as he opened a cheap bottle. “Wait in a dark alley for a scribe arcanist? She is called Vicereine as far north as Kulnas.” Kenesh became more and more agitated. “There are none in Aventar who even lived when such title was last granted!” The dealer almost shouted. Kenesh slammed his cards down on the table.
“This is my notched blade, Nako. One opportunity to make a career.” Kenesh hissed. “And a fortune to encrust it in jewels.”
“If you see five gold monarchs I’ll sell you the palace for them,” Nako replied. Then he shook his head. “More likely you’ll end up worse than dead.”
“Find me something foul that will finish the job quickly then,” Kenesh reclined. “Perhaps there will be a reward for you as well.”
Nako’s twitching only intensified. He sniffled and itched his right ear, then shook his head as he stood up.
“Going to get us both turned into wretched things that haunt the night,” he muttered, walking past a bloodstained curtain into a darkened alcove. Kenesh picked up Nako’s cards and saw he was still cheating, but had only changed techniques.
“Perhaps I’ll remove a few of your fingers so you’ll not pollute the world with any more of these infernal card tricks of yours!” Kenesh shouted into the back. A dusty wind caused the stained tarp at the front door of the small shack to twist and flap as flakes of dried grime littered the mutilated mat underneath it.
“Since I expect what’s in this bottle to kill you and your horse before you reach the marketplace, I’ll take my payment in advance,” Nako said, as he placed a bright metallic bottle in front of Kenesh and backed away.
“What is it?” Kenesh asked.
“It’s a contact poison made from the eye fluids of shriekbats. Oil your gloves and for the sake of all the swampwater in Gacenar, don’t get any on you,” Nako replied. “You’ll be dead before you feel it.”
“Weapons?” Kenesh squinted his pale eye.
“It will stick to any blade for months,” Nako replied. “You’ll have to burn it off, and don’t stand by the fire either.”
Kenesh picked up the bottle and hefted it. The fluid was much heavier than water, and seemed to be very thick. Kenesh felt it move very slowly from one side of the bottle to the other. It was a disorienting feeling. He put the bottle back down.
“Want to double your payment?” Kenesh asked, looking sideways at Nako, who licked his lips and twitched in response.
To be continued . . .
LadyStar™ Call of the Huntress is Copyright © 2007 Heavy Cat Multimedia Ltd. All Rights Reserved
So cool!
You're so creative, Christy!
Thnx PJ and Kelly. :0)
Uh oh. You just inspired me! (And gave me another way to procrastinate!)
Looks great!!!
When can I read it?
Very intriguing! I love your title, BTW.
I love the shot of the naked, craggly tree... a great, powerful image. Congrats on this trailor, Christy!
Dang girl, that's hot!
Thanks guys! :0)
SL, this was really fun to do. It's fun seeing an idea come to life.
Bish, I don't know if this story will ever see the light of day. Maybe one day we can do a story
swap.
Thanks Adrienne, I did have a longer title, and an editor suggested that I make it shorter. Glad it works. :0)
Thanks susan! I took that picture at the Grand Canyon a few years ago. I knew it would come in handy some time. :0)
Ian, thanks. That means a lot coming from Mr. Artistic himself! :0)
Very cool!
Thanks Tara! :0)