I've been frantically typing up the first set of revisions to my MS in time for Peggy's NaNoReviMo but I fear I'm on a losing battle.
I'm close to finishing them, and this time I've done it in record time, but I will probably be a day late.
And, that bugs me. I'll be a day behind even before I've started!
Then again, I haven't set a target yet.
Maybe I can use that as my first day's work. Set a target of what I want to achieve. :o)
Monday, 31 October 2011
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Second opinion
My son injured his wrist seven weeks ago in the first footy match of the season. We spent 3 hours up at Casualty before they decided that he'd pulled the ligaments. Being the goalkeeper, this meant that he couldn't play for six weeks. He finally got to play again last weekend.
Yesterday, we got a call from the hospital. They'd had another look at his x-ray and decided that he had a fracture, and could we bring him back, so that they could have another check, and make sure that it had healed properly.
Two hours later, they decided that it had healed as expected, and he is fine.
What I want to know, is why can't Lit Agencies behave like this. How good would it be if they called me and said that they had made a mistake, and could they see my manuscript again, as they now realise that it's really good.
Well.... I can dream can't I?
Yesterday, we got a call from the hospital. They'd had another look at his x-ray and decided that he had a fracture, and could we bring him back, so that they could have another check, and make sure that it had healed properly.
Two hours later, they decided that it had healed as expected, and he is fine.
What I want to know, is why can't Lit Agencies behave like this. How good would it be if they called me and said that they had made a mistake, and could they see my manuscript again, as they now realise that it's really good.
Well.... I can dream can't I?
Monday, 24 October 2011
New motivation
I now have 13 pages left to hack at (erm.. Edit) to complete my first revision of Odd Squad.
It's quite exciting getting this close, and knowing that I've made massive improvements already.
The problem is that they are just a mass of scribbles and crossings out on a hard copy. I need to get them fed back into the pc, which is usually very slow and laborious.
This will no longer be a drudge after today. Peggy has set up a NaNoReviMo. Now I can't sit there and look at the piles of pages and think that I really should be doing something with them. :o)
It's quite exciting getting this close, and knowing that I've made massive improvements already.
The problem is that they are just a mass of scribbles and crossings out on a hard copy. I need to get them fed back into the pc, which is usually very slow and laborious.
This will no longer be a drudge after today. Peggy has set up a NaNoReviMo. Now I can't sit there and look at the piles of pages and think that I really should be doing something with them. :o)
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Signs of improvement
I'm about two thirds of the way through my first edit of Odd Squad.
When I first started writing it, my main concern was to get the ideas down onto paper (ok, into Word), before they escaped from me. I knew that it was going to be far from perfect. That's what editing is for.
In between the writing, I was also doing a major re-write/edit on the previous MS (Ghost School). ((This will become relevant, I promise))
When I reached the halfway mark in my edit of Odd Squad, I started to notice that the text had been written in a more active style than the earlier bits. It seems that the work on Ghost School to make it more 'Show not tell' had influenced the new project. (See! I told you it would be relevant.) It still has many flaws, but it's rather nice to find evidence that I'm growing as a writer :o)
When I first started writing it, my main concern was to get the ideas down onto paper (ok, into Word), before they escaped from me. I knew that it was going to be far from perfect. That's what editing is for.
In between the writing, I was also doing a major re-write/edit on the previous MS (Ghost School). ((This will become relevant, I promise))
When I reached the halfway mark in my edit of Odd Squad, I started to notice that the text had been written in a more active style than the earlier bits. It seems that the work on Ghost School to make it more 'Show not tell' had influenced the new project. (See! I told you it would be relevant.) It still has many flaws, but it's rather nice to find evidence that I'm growing as a writer :o)
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Phew!
My second writing group meeting went really well. It seems that I didn't need to worry as much as I did.
The critiquing of their work was welcomed with smiles. I noticed a few things in a couple of the pieces that had been missed by the others, and they commented on me being a fresh pair of eyes, and that as they knew each other's styles, it was easy to miss things. One of the comments I raised opened up a whole new area of debate for five minutes. It was quite a nice feeling, knowing that I was contributing to the group.
Another thing that eased my concerns about my comments on their work, was that even though I was very mindful that I was talking about something that was personal to them, it was face to face, and I could explain my comments without fear of them being misinterpreted. It turned out to be fun, knowing that I was helping.
Then it came for my piece to be critiqued.
Bracing myself for a bit of a beating, they went round the table with their comments.
To my delight, it turned out to be nearly all good. The ending left a few of them feeling cheated, and that they were expecting more, although, they understood that the word count restriction was responsible for the abrupt ending. Next time, I should ignore the word count and let the full story come out.
Other comments (unprompted by me) touched on all of the elements of the story that I had tried to achieve.
The layout/structure of the test was good.
The start put the MC in the heart of the story, and pulled the reader in.
The dialogue was snappy.
The underlying tension slowly built through the story.
The internal conflict was strong enough.
The story was active, not passive, and they could see the emotions being played out.
The really good thing that I'm taking away from last night is that these are people, that when they received my copy of the homework, had only met me once for a couple of hours. They were reading/reacting to my story on it's merit. As I'm employing the same style to the edit on my MS, it appears that I am on the right track to producing something half decent.
If I smile gets any wider, it'll join at the back, and the top of my head will fall off.
It seems that I do have a small bit of writing ability after all. :oD
The critiquing of their work was welcomed with smiles. I noticed a few things in a couple of the pieces that had been missed by the others, and they commented on me being a fresh pair of eyes, and that as they knew each other's styles, it was easy to miss things. One of the comments I raised opened up a whole new area of debate for five minutes. It was quite a nice feeling, knowing that I was contributing to the group.
Another thing that eased my concerns about my comments on their work, was that even though I was very mindful that I was talking about something that was personal to them, it was face to face, and I could explain my comments without fear of them being misinterpreted. It turned out to be fun, knowing that I was helping.
Then it came for my piece to be critiqued.
Bracing myself for a bit of a beating, they went round the table with their comments.
To my delight, it turned out to be nearly all good. The ending left a few of them feeling cheated, and that they were expecting more, although, they understood that the word count restriction was responsible for the abrupt ending. Next time, I should ignore the word count and let the full story come out.
Other comments (unprompted by me) touched on all of the elements of the story that I had tried to achieve.
The layout/structure of the test was good.
The start put the MC in the heart of the story, and pulled the reader in.
The dialogue was snappy.
The underlying tension slowly built through the story.
The internal conflict was strong enough.
The story was active, not passive, and they could see the emotions being played out.
The really good thing that I'm taking away from last night is that these are people, that when they received my copy of the homework, had only met me once for a couple of hours. They were reading/reacting to my story on it's merit. As I'm employing the same style to the edit on my MS, it appears that I am on the right track to producing something half decent.
If I smile gets any wider, it'll join at the back, and the top of my head will fall off.
It seems that I do have a small bit of writing ability after all. :oD
Monday, 17 October 2011
Maybe I'm just mean.
During the past month, a handful of members of the writing group that I joined have been submitting their attempts at the homework. I don't know how other groups work, and being new to this whole thing, I think that this group's aim aim is to critique the work that's been submitted so that the author can see the weaker areas, and going forwards, learn how to strengthen them.
Last month was the first meeting that I'd been to. It was very friendly, and they seemed to take the critiques well. I thought tthe task of critiquing would be fun. You know, looking at their work, suggesting where it could be improved, and telling them where I thought it was strong. It turns out to be a lot tougher than I realised!
The problem that I have, is that the work is personal. They have obviously submitted their best efforts. I found the stories entertaining, but could see where they needed work, and have penned a few notes to highlight this.
I'm now dreading tonight's meeting. Am I being too harsh? Did I not point out enough (or any) positives? Will they take it personally, seing as they don't really know me?
I am under no illusion that I will probably get a slating for my attempt at the homework, but I'm expecting that. I know that I can use it to tighten my skillsets. Hopefully they are of the same mind.
If I'm honest, I'm seriously considering saying that I didn't get time to review them. :os
Last month was the first meeting that I'd been to. It was very friendly, and they seemed to take the critiques well. I thought tthe task of critiquing would be fun. You know, looking at their work, suggesting where it could be improved, and telling them where I thought it was strong. It turns out to be a lot tougher than I realised!
The problem that I have, is that the work is personal. They have obviously submitted their best efforts. I found the stories entertaining, but could see where they needed work, and have penned a few notes to highlight this.
I'm now dreading tonight's meeting. Am I being too harsh? Did I not point out enough (or any) positives? Will they take it personally, seing as they don't really know me?
I am under no illusion that I will probably get a slating for my attempt at the homework, but I'm expecting that. I know that I can use it to tighten my skillsets. Hopefully they are of the same mind.
If I'm honest, I'm seriously considering saying that I didn't get time to review them. :os
Friday, 14 October 2011
People watching
I know I still have to do a post for the Blog on Fire award that Abby so kindly gave me. It's coming, honestly, I'm just struggling to find 7 interesting facts about me, other than I can't think of any facts :o|
In the mean time, here's this thought.
I've been doing a lot of people watching recently, and making notes, in the hope of improving my characterisations.
The main thing that I've noticed, is how much I took for granted how people behave, and how unobservant I was. I can honestly say that this new past time as really opened my eyes.
Looking at people and asking hypothetical questions.
Why has that lady checked her hair and makeup for the fifth time in as many minutes? Is she meeting someone? If so, is it for the first time? Just how nervous is she?
The guy two desks down from me who keeps nodding off. What has he been doing to be that tired? Do his colleagues know his secret, and that's why he gets away with it? Or does he have a double life, and he's struggling to cope.
I know that all of you are streets ahead of me in this writing game, and will have already been doing this for ages. Are there any observations that have stood out for you?
P.S. I just wanted to say congratulations to Peggy for getting her Agent representation. It couldn't have happened to a nicer person :oD
In the mean time, here's this thought.
I've been doing a lot of people watching recently, and making notes, in the hope of improving my characterisations.
The main thing that I've noticed, is how much I took for granted how people behave, and how unobservant I was. I can honestly say that this new past time as really opened my eyes.
Looking at people and asking hypothetical questions.
Why has that lady checked her hair and makeup for the fifth time in as many minutes? Is she meeting someone? If so, is it for the first time? Just how nervous is she?
The guy two desks down from me who keeps nodding off. What has he been doing to be that tired? Do his colleagues know his secret, and that's why he gets away with it? Or does he have a double life, and he's struggling to cope.
I know that all of you are streets ahead of me in this writing game, and will have already been doing this for ages. Are there any observations that have stood out for you?
P.S. I just wanted to say congratulations to Peggy for getting her Agent representation. It couldn't have happened to a nicer person :oD
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