Search found 24 matches

by Matera_the_Mad
February 17th, 2011, 11:38 am
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: 451975

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

Title:A Drum Is Empty Genre:Fantasy (Urban-prehistoric) (251 words) I swear on my life to be true to the one who has chosen me. May the avenging spirits rise up from the Underworld to devour me if I betray his trust. May the blood freeze in my heart if I disobey him. Beyond the low rise lay a place ...
by Matera_the_Mad
February 15th, 2010, 10:49 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Share your opening sentence!
Replies: 236
Views: 86222

Re: Share your opening sentence!

I know what a leitmotif is. Death isn't mine, though this first sentence shares a few notes. I just rewrote it after challenging myself to do so. Who knows how it will read tomorrow.
Beyond the low rise lay a place of the dead where the Bull band's winter camp should have been.
by Matera_the_Mad
January 25th, 2010, 11:43 pm
Forum: Ask Nathan
Topic: Old Ask Nathan Thread
Replies: 793
Views: 405285

Re: Ask Nathan

I have a question that should be simple to answer, and expect the "it varies" response, yet I feel I need to ask. As a visually impaired writer, I write in Verdana14 point font. Having only 3/4 of one eye, I cannot see Courier font on the screen hardly at all. I do expect to have to chang...
by Matera_the_Mad
January 25th, 2010, 11:32 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: All right vs. Alright
Replies: 14
Views: 5942

Re: All right vs. Alright

I made a conscious decision to keep it two words. I shall not budge. And I don't give an aerial sex act what S. King does.
by Matera_the_Mad
January 25th, 2010, 11:29 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: 1st post on here: 2010 ABNAs
Replies: 3
Views: 2264

Re: 1st post on here: 2010 ABNAs

I entered. Never entered any contests before, but I have a novel at the right stage so -- pow. I figure the worst that can happen is that I lose a few months of agent-hunting.

Anxiety is normal. I even felt a twinge.
by Matera_the_Mad
January 18th, 2010, 10:05 pm
Forum: Procrastination
Topic: I need a contraption for my computer
Replies: 4
Views: 2231

Re: I need a contraption for my computer

Get an offline thesaurus and disconnect the modem.
by Matera_the_Mad
January 18th, 2010, 10:02 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: Query--Sendek--3rd revision page 2
Replies: 25
Views: 15524

Re: Query--Sendek

Hmm, I thought I was looking at the revised version. But things get messed up because I have to zoom the font up big and then things scroll too far...you have no idea, you who can read 8-pixel high letters. Oh well.
by Matera_the_Mad
January 18th, 2010, 9:55 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: chapter question.
Replies: 18
Views: 6558

Re: chapter question.

Yeek. I do separate scenes for POV changes that come that fast, because the reason they come fast is that the action all belongs in the same chapter. My chapters are variable, from probably 14-15 pages down to less than half that. Whatever they have to be.
by Matera_the_Mad
January 17th, 2010, 10:34 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: Fiction Query-2nd Try (Less fluff more stuff)
Replies: 11
Views: 4973

Re: Fiction Query-2nd Try (Less fluff more stuff)

Fluff is resilient stuff. Seems like there is always some left. Speaking as one who has trimmed thousands of words of it from my own novel, LOL. Me whacks a few words: Near an old farming town there is a small but deep body of water called Blackwater Pond. No one has ever been able to reach its bot...
by Matera_the_Mad
January 17th, 2010, 10:12 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: Query--Sendek--3rd revision page 2
Replies: 25
Views: 15524

Re: Query--Sendek

This is no way complete, I merely hope to touch on some points that strike me as a bit off or too wordy. A couple of things that bug me: Mage is a singular noun, and you seem to be using it as a colloective plural. *wince* "Dragnot" sounds way too much like "Dragnet", or some kin...
by Matera_the_Mad
January 16th, 2010, 9:37 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Moving from third omniscent to third limited?
Replies: 9
Views: 4815

Re: Moving from third omniscent to third limited?

Whatever you do, don't fool around with different fonts. When you submit a manuscript, you will be expected to use one consistent font (which one depends on the agent's or publisher's criteria). Of course you can change the font at any time; but while it might look great to you to use different font...
by Matera_the_Mad
December 28th, 2009, 7:06 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Something I have discovered, how about you...
Replies: 14
Views: 6895

Re: Something I have discovered, how about you...

I have a sort of three-part process. Write tersely. Add fluff. Trim fluff severely.
by Matera_the_Mad
December 15th, 2009, 9:44 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: When Google steals your word...
Replies: 10
Views: 4589

Re: When Google steals your word...

Any cool-sounding (and relatively common) word either has already been used or will be in the next five minutes. That's life.
by Matera_the_Mad
December 14th, 2009, 10:09 pm
Forum: Procrastination
Topic: Surprised Kitty
Replies: 6
Views: 7733

Re: Surprised Kitty

by Matera_the_Mad
December 14th, 2009, 10:03 pm
Forum: Procrastination
Topic: Favorite quote
Replies: 55
Views: 30665

Re: Favorite quote

"Lazy mental habits have great inertia"
- Eric S. Raymond