Jaime's Wench Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 Back from Morocco! I have soooo much to do with my novel I don't even know where to begin, and I may have just landed myself quite a large copy editing job (eek!). I've made the bold move to change the ending of the novel. It's going to take forever. Arrrrgh! Need to sleep first lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First of My Name Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 Back from Morocco! I have soooo much to do with my novel I don't even know where to begin, and I may have just landed myself quite a large copy editing job (eek!). I've made the bold move to change the ending of the novel. It's going to take forever. Arrrrgh! Need to sleep first lol.Use lists! "First, do this. Then this. Then this." It really lifts the fog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime's Wench Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 Oh if only my mind would conform to lists! hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Buck Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Doing better now, a little over two thousand words a day. Got back into my old routine: Write full-steam ahead, next day edit the work from the day before, then pound out another two thousand. Rinse and repeat, ad nauseum. Despite getting a good flow, I am beginning to realize that his is going to be a pretty fucking long book. Certainly the longest I've ever done (estimating around eighty to a hundred thousand words, but I'd like to keep it as lean as possible). I mean I knew from the outline that it would be hefty, but it's a different story when you start putting it to paper (or screen, or whatever). Does anyone here use Apache OpenOffice to write? I'm having a hell of a time getting my tabs to stay the way I want them (I like being able to just hit tab for every new paragraph, line of dialogue, etc.). I googled it, but couldn't really find any helpful advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crow Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Can we keep the excerpts and requests for advice to the writing board? Thanks. does it bother you that much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebenstone Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 does it bother you that much?Yes.Not the purpose of this topic. There's a board for that. Go there. Or email one another. Keep the long excerpts off here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crow Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Yes.Not the purpose of this topic. There's a board for that. Go there. Does it really make you upset that one person wanted to get some feedback and just happened to do it on this board? Is it really that big of a deal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrddin Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 I agree with Ebenstone.If people are serious about getting honest feedback (and I hope everyone is), they need to get plugged in to a serious writing/critique group.The format here doesn't support serious growth. All it allows for is "That's great" feedback or the silence of people who haven't read it, or started and decided it's not worth the time to review.Because reviewing does take a lot of time and effort, when done right. I don't do it unless I'm convinced the writer is willing to consider my opinions. Not that they will do everything that I suggest, because they shouldn't. Edits are up to the discretion of the writer, the true judge for what is right for a particular passage. But I don't know if passages posted here are for honest criticism or just fishing for a back pat. (Sometimes, the later is all that's needed. I know.)By all means, people should use this thread to find writers of like mind and hook up privately to give and receive feedback, with the intent to revise and improve. Grow together. Mature as writers and learn the craft of storytelling.This is a great place to look for encouragement, ask for advice, post updates, share your struggles, scream at the absent muses, pout in the corner, or just nod in agreement with fellow frustrations.It's not a place to get in depth writing feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crow Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 I agree with Ebenstone.If people are serious about getting honest feedback (and I hope everyone is), they need to get plugged in to a serious writing/critique group.The format here doesn't support serious growth. All it allows for is "That's great" feedback or the silence of people who haven't read it, or started and decided it's not worth the time to review.Because reviewing does take a lot of time and effort, when done right. I don't do it unless I'm convinced the writer is willing to consider my opinions. Not that they will do everything that I suggest, because they shouldn't. Edits are up to the discretion of the writer, the true judge for what is right for a particular passage. But I don't know if passages posted here are for honest criticism or just fishing for a back pat. (Sometimes, the later is all that's needed. I know.)By all means, people should use this thread to find writers of like mind and hook up privately to give and receive feedback, with the intent to revise and improve. Grow together. Mature as writers and learn the craft of storytelling.This is a great place to look for encouragement, ask for advice, post updates, share your struggles, scream at the absent muses, pout in the corner, or just nod in agreement with fellow frustrations.It's not a place to get in depth writing feedback. But the thing is that its not that big of a deal. Does it really bother you that much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthmail Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 But the thing is that its not that big of a deal. Does it really bother you that much? Clearly it does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Buck Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 I don't really get what the issue is personally. People want feedback from this community. No one posts in the BWB board. I made a post there in like, February, and got no replies. The last post before that was months earlier. If the problem is with having it in this thread particular thread, then I fail to see why we couldn't have another separate dedicated thread (just one! just one measly thread) for the community to share things. How many ridiculous threads are there, many of which are on topics that could easily be combined, and yet most threads even tangentially related to writing either get closed, or merged with this one, where people then say the discussion's off-topic and to take it somewhere else. I find it a bit baffling honestly.I mean this doesn't have to be "serious critique" or something. We don't need intense, in-depth, full novel reviews. It's just fun to post some excerpts and see what people think. And again, it's fun to do it with a community you're a part of. And yes, I already have correspondences with several people in PM, and it's great, but it simply isn't the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime's Wench Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 As someone who also hangs around in Games, I do agree with you, FB! I alone have created at least ten pointless threads.... Elimination games, character sorting games, discussion threads about this particular nuance of Jaime Lannister's personality etc. They get used for a time then filed up in the massive graveyard. I wouldn't post anything more than 1,000 words of my novel as I'm conscious of publication rights after something has been on the internet. I do agree about such a thread being useful, especially for those who are not far along the journey and need some good, solid starting advice. However, it needs to be used if so. It can't just be left to join the graveyard, otherwise the mods will have cause to criticise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First of My Name Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 I have been following this thread for months now and I can only recall 4 or 5 occasions that someone asked for feedback on something (3 of which were mine, I admit). I'll stop posting excerpts here if it's that big a deal, though I must ask, what are other threads where this could be posted? I tried to make a thread where writers-to-be could post excerpts but it was locked.Anyway, apologies if excerpts are an issue. I didn't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime's Wench Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 I'll email a mod about it. There's probably a middle ground to be had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrddin Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Don't mistake general agreement with the general rules for irritation.Mod:After a bit of discussion, we're going to fold this into the general writing thread. There's simply no reason for that many writing threads in what is really not a writing board, and this one has already gone off the topic of short stories in just 11 posts.Going forward, we're going to be limiting writing discussions to our one thread, and I cannot stress this enough, there is a whole board for getting feedback on your writing. Register there.There are three of you looking for feedback it seems. Great! That's a group. Just the three of you can make that other board live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Buck Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Yeah, so anyway, I have another prose/grammar question.In a sentence like this:Meanwhile, the brutal Tchäkaui controlled all the lands to the north of the Anwé: a vast, rocky, mountainous region ill-suited for agriculture....should I capitalize the first letter after the colon? So instead it would be:Meanwhile, the brutal Tchäkaui controlled all the lands to the north of the Anwé: A vast, rocky, mountainous region ill-suited for agriculture..I'm assuming it's the first way, but I'm not positive.ETA: Oh, and does this sentence make sense?:The cause of Ûgi's tardiness, of course, was entirely of his own device....or should it be "devices"? Neither sound that great to me, but I'm leaning towards device. Originally I had "of his own making", but that seemed bland.Suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriele Posted August 8, 2013 Author Share Posted August 8, 2013 There are three of you looking for feedback it seems. Great! That's a group. Just the three of you can make that other board live.That board has been dead for years and no attempt to bring it back to life has ever worked. There may be a better chance if people here joined FM which at least is alive. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spockydog Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Yeah, so anyway, I have another prose/grammar question.In a sentence like this:...should I capitalize the first letter after the colon? So instead it would be:I'm assuming it's the first way, but I'm not positive.ETA: Oh, and does this sentence make sense?:...or should it be "devices"? Neither sound that great to me, but I'm leaning towards device. Originally I had "of his own making", but that seemed bland.Suggestions?I'd probably use a semi-colon instead of a colon, with no capital...And I'd be inclined to trim the next sentence.The cause of Ûgi's tardiness, of course, was entirely of his own device.By the way, did you ever get round to a re-write of the Wolf and the Wanderer? If so, would love to have another look... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Buck Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Is a semi-colon grammatically correct in that situation? I wasn't sure...But no, I haven't done a legit rewrite of The Wolf and the Wanderer. I've done bits and pieces (you were the guy I corresponded with via e-mail, correct?...sorry, it's hard to keep track sometimes), but nothing really finalized. At this point I'm throwing all of my might into my novel, which I intend to self-publish. It's easily the best story I've ever come up with, and it's flowing quite well. In fact I'd love to get your opinion on the early parts of (maybe six-to-eight thousand words? Less than The Wolf and the Wanderer). And you never let me check out any of your own stuff! Either way PM if you're interested.Oh, and yes I agree that sentence could slim down a bit. Thanks for the tips! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoë Sumra Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Keep it as a colon rather than a semi-colon, but use the rest of Spockydog's advice: no capital, and trim that sentence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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