Search found 21 matches
- August 23rd, 2010, 6:38 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: 453152
Re: Nominate Your First Page for a Critique on the Blog
Title: Elena Starfire - Space Pilot Genre: MG science fiction Word Count: 253 The apartment blocks were silent. A lone searchlight swept over the causeway between the towers, idly lingering on doorways and bins, lighting the blackness of the evening, then moving on. Curfew had passed more than half ...
- March 20th, 2010, 2:12 pm
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Creating Names
- Replies: 6
- Views: 2545
Re: Creating Names
A friend of mine was creating names for a rock creature, and was looking up geological terms to help him. I liked the idea and wanted a surname for someone rock-solid and down-to-earth, and I tried the same thing and found the name Moraine which is a sort of rock feature. You could try the same thin...
- March 6th, 2010, 6:11 am
- Forum: Queries
- Topic: A NEW DAY query (Contemp. YA)
- Replies: 9
- Views: 3629
Re: A NEW DAY query (Contemp. YA)
I like the query - it has lots of elements that I would like to know more about. I wondered whether you have a scientific background? It might be worth mentioning that, if your novel has a scientific twist. I also wouldn't mention the sequel. You can tell them about that later once they are already ...
- March 5th, 2010, 2:23 pm
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Recommendations - Books on Grammar
- Replies: 9
- Views: 3594
Re: Recommendations - Books on Grammar
Another vote for Strunk and White. Because of this book, I am one of the only people I know who knows how to use a semi-colon correctly! Similarly apostrophes for plurals, etc. It's an excellent book.
- March 4th, 2010, 5:08 pm
- Forum: Finding An Agent
- Topic: How do you stop taking rejection personally?
- Replies: 37
- Views: 16585
Re: How do you stop taking rejection personally?
Hm, very interesting thoughts!
Thanks for the advice!
Thanks for the advice!
- March 2nd, 2010, 2:49 pm
- Forum: Finding An Agent
- Topic: Rejection: how do you know if it's the idea or the query?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 3874
Re: Rejection: how do you know if it's the idea or the query?
I'm starting to wonder whether it's a good idea to get your idea to the "query" stage before writing the full manuscript. Not in terms of submitting to agents, but for feedback. It seems so wasteful to give six months to a year of your life to a project, only to have it rejected everywhere...
- March 1st, 2010, 1:58 pm
- Forum: Finding An Agent
- Topic: How do you stop taking rejection personally?
- Replies: 37
- Views: 16585
Re: How do you stop taking rejection personally?
Thanks for that, I needed to hear something like that! Feel much better now! I read my story to my class of 10 year olds today and they really liked it! Even one of my most reluctant readers came up to me and asked where he could get his own copy. They are, of course, extremely biased but will try t...
- March 1st, 2010, 12:45 pm
- Forum: Synopses and Plot Outlines
- Topic: Synopsis help - revision2
- Replies: 13
- Views: 6603
Re: Synopsis help - revision2
You missed a couple of verbs that need to be changed to present tense, so I have highlighted them for you: When wealthy businessman Don Williams is forced into a nursing home, he loses the will to live. Don hates the nursing home and desperately wants to return home. If not for the companionship off...
- March 1st, 2010, 12:34 pm
- Forum: Finding An Agent
- Topic: How do you stop taking rejection personally?
- Replies: 37
- Views: 16585
How do you stop taking rejection personally?
I have only had 3 rejections so far. The first one wasn't so bad, it just said I didn't suit her style, but the second one said that my story didn't grab his imagination. Now I am having a crisis of confidence wondering if I have written anything worthwhile! How do you learn to take the criticism an...
- March 1st, 2010, 12:31 pm
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Are dialogue tags really that bad?
- Replies: 44
- Views: 17072
Re: Are dialogue tags really that bad?
I'll take you up on that experiment! Will report back on my findings later.
Re: NaNoWriMo
Yes, I run a creative writing club at my school and the children were allowed to set their own target word count. We are still working on editing them but I am hoping that all of them will be able to get their own proof copy of their book and that it will set them off on a lifelong love of writing!
- March 1st, 2010, 12:20 pm
- Forum: Queries
- Topic: Query: Too Enchanted *getting closer*
- Replies: 19
- Views: 8025
Re: Query: Too Enchanted *getting closer*
I've edited this for grammar for you, there was a misplaced semi-colon and you missed a couple of embedded clauses :o) Dear Agent, Tirian is an enchanted toad with magical powers living in the forest kingdom of Garn, home of the Enchanted Ones. But when a vengeful enchantress turns Tirian into a hum...
- February 28th, 2010, 5:10 pm
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Are dialogue tags really that bad?
- Replies: 44
- Views: 17072
Re: Are dialogue tags really that bad?
I teach ten year olds and I have to teach them to use as many different dialogue tags and adverbs as possible! At a meeting I did try to explain that this is not such a good idea but no one would listen to me!
- February 28th, 2010, 11:57 am
- Forum: Queries
- Topic: Query: Crossing Fate (Contemporary YA)
- Replies: 9
- Views: 3552
Re: Query: Crossing Fate (Contemporary YA)
I was hooked by the query and it would definitely make me want to see some pages and synopsis! I must respectfully disagree with Mary about one point; I was just looking at "Query Shark" and she specifically said to start with the story, as you have done, and leave the part about why you q...
- February 28th, 2010, 7:30 am
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Are dialogue tags really that bad?
- Replies: 44
- Views: 17072
Re: Are dialogue tags really that bad?
I think they are okay to use, and I also like adverbs occasionally! To me, the only place it leaps out is when there are several short lines of dialogue, each with a different dialogue tag. As long as they are peppered through the text judiciously, I don't find it a problem. What I find more difficu...