Search found 10 matches

by JohnstonMR
June 9th, 2010, 5:15 pm
Forum: Nominate Your Query or First Page for a Critique on the Blog
Topic: Nominate Your First Page for a Critique on the Blog
Replies: 720
Views: 451465

Re: Nominate Your First Page for a Critique on the Blog

Title: Pathfinder (Working title) Genre: Science Fiction When you’re traveling at 75% of the speed of light, you have to make decisions quickly. I was on my way to the bazaar in the Jahn system, cruising at a nice and steady .75 of C, when I got a signal on the Distress band. For a few seconds I deb...
by JohnstonMR
May 3rd, 2010, 12:19 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Looks like my novel wasn't all that much fictionb after all
Replies: 1
Views: 1040

Re: Looks like my novel wasn't all that much fictionb after all

Southwestern Navajo developed the Blessing Way to help soldiers returning from WWII. Silko's Ceremony covers this ground somewhat, though not in the same way your story appears to.
by JohnstonMR
May 3rd, 2010, 12:11 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Time to Fess Up - How Long Is It Taking You?
Replies: 48
Views: 21830

Re: Time to Fess Up - How Long Is It Taking You?

I've been working for over a year, and I've barely begun. I'm a full-time teacher, part-time grad student, and more-than-full-time husband and father. One thing to keep in mind: there is no "This is how long it should take." Rowling spent years writing before she was ready to publish; Mela...
by JohnstonMR
May 3rd, 2010, 12:08 pm
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: The Introduction Thread
Replies: 646
Views: 403215

Re: The Introduction Thread

I'm Michael; when I'm not at home I'm a high school literature teacher and part-time Grad student; at home I'm a husband and father to a toddler. I write when and if I manage to carve out some time--and it's pretty rare these days. Nevertheless I toil on in a possibly-vain hope that I'll finish this...
by JohnstonMR
April 22nd, 2010, 3:32 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: What are your pet peeves about your own writing?
Replies: 27
Views: 11748

Re: What are your pet peeves about your own writing?

This wouldn't be a problem, maybe, for some stories. Except that mine is a post-apocalyptic YA horror where there is something just plain wrong with zombies that lay down rhythmic verse. I don't know; I think that's kind of cool. I can imagine reading that and just stopping--"Why are the zombi...
by JohnstonMR
April 22nd, 2010, 3:29 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: What are your pet peeves about your own writing?
Replies: 27
Views: 11748

Re: What are your pet peeves about your own writing?

Oh, I'm terrible with em dashes. My agent made me go through my latest manuscript and replace most of them with semicolons. Part of me is embarrassed by it, but part of me feels that it is my natural way of writing. Also, there's smoking. It is a bad habit in both my real life and my writing. I sim...
by JohnstonMR
March 18th, 2010, 1:15 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Share your opening sentence!
Replies: 236
Views: 86076

Re: Share your opening sentence!

ivanpope wrote:It is my job to remember.
Gawds, I wish I'd thought of that.
by JohnstonMR
March 18th, 2010, 1:07 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Share your opening sentence!
Replies: 236
Views: 86076

Re: Share your opening sentence!

From WiP, revised from an earlier version:

He is gone now, dead and buried and beyond caring for the manner of his death.
by JohnstonMR
February 16th, 2010, 4:31 pm
Forum: Books
Topic: Do you like Hardcovers?
Replies: 18
Views: 7739

Re: Do you like Hardcovers?

I can't fold the front cover back under itself, and the damned jacket keeps falling off. True, it looks better on the bookshelf, but I'm a paperback guy.) Ugh. I cringe whenever I see that, and if I loan a book out, I'd better not see it. That said, I much prefer paperback in general, both for ease...
by JohnstonMR
February 16th, 2010, 12:10 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Share your opening sentence!
Replies: 236
Views: 86076

Re: Share your opening sentence!

From the science fiction novel that is now on the back burner, because I've started questioning my setting: "When you’re traveling at 75% of the speed of light, you have to make decisions quickly." From the current project's prologue (and this one is working so much better as a WiP): "...