Search found 88 matches

by Louise Curtis
October 22nd, 2012, 4:42 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: At what point do you file away a MS?
Replies: 4
Views: 2436

Re: At what point do you file away a MS?

I think I'm an expert on "retiring" (as I call it) full-length MSs. It boils down to two questions for me - Does this book need rewriting from scratch (ie it has a fatal flaw, such as a deux ex machina ending or an important character who behaves in a manner that is clearly just poor writi...
by Louise Curtis
July 11th, 2012, 5:05 pm
Forum: Procrastination
Topic: ComiCon
Replies: 1
Views: 2698

ComiCon

Anyone going? I just found out many cast and crew members of The Hobbit will be there (*swoon*) and the entire cast of Firefly (*double swoon* - luckily my partner looks a bit like Nathan Filion, since it's a LITTLE too far to go from my home in Canberra, Australia). I have a surprising connection, ...
by Louise Curtis
October 7th, 2011, 8:40 am
Forum: Books
Topic: Wanted: Japanese steampunk novel/s
Replies: 3
Views: 2450

Wanted: Japanese steampunk novel/s

Hi I'm making a chart of steampunk fiction, and I definitely need to represent Japan. I have "Full Metal Alchemist" in the "Japanese/graphic novel" slot, but I want a good Japanese steampunk novel (available in English) too. Suggestions? Please describe the book's location (and h...
by Louise Curtis
July 10th, 2011, 7:14 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Novel Writing: How Long Does One Take?
Replies: 16
Views: 5443

Re: Novel Writing: How Long Does One Take?

I write first drafts very quickly (usually about two months for YA length books) and then spend at least six months editing, with gaps of at least a month or two (during which I usually edit something else) to help myself see my own mistakes. Of my thirteen books, here's the fastest and slowest (I'm...
by Louise Curtis
June 15th, 2011, 6:38 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Ages of main characters in YA novels
Replies: 17
Views: 16017

Re: Ages of main characters in YA novels

There *IS* an abundantly clear rule for any books targeted at non-adults: the main character's age should be a couple of years older than the target audience. Pick a random number between one and twenty - 12? Okay. To a 12-year old, 14-year old activities are aspirational. 11-year old activities are...
by Louise Curtis
June 10th, 2011, 6:51 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Lyrics in Novels
Replies: 13
Views: 4150

Re: Lyrics in Novels

It's startlingly difficult to get song lyric permission, too. On the other hand, you don't have to deal with it until you have a publishing deal, which certainly helps (unless you're self-publishing, in which case it gets even more complex and expensive). Different artists vary tremendously in their...
by Louise Curtis
June 2nd, 2011, 6:21 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: tACTICAL ERROR BY THE BAD GUY?
Replies: 10
Views: 2974

Re: tACTICAL ERROR BY THE BAD GUY?

Not everyone likes killing, even bad guys (apparently it's, like, emotionally difficult the first time. . . or so I hear).
Also, a hostage is more useful for bargaining than a corpse.
by Louise Curtis
May 23rd, 2011, 6:28 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Viewpoint Character Dies
Replies: 43
Views: 16583

Re: Viewpoint Character Dies

Killing off a viewpoint character screams "Teen writer who thinks 'Ah! NO-ONE's ever thought of this before, and it will be terribly shocking to the audience!'" As you can see from this thread alone, it's not original, or even particularly uncommon. For the love of your book, please change...
by Louise Curtis
May 18th, 2011, 5:36 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: When do you revise your MS?
Replies: 9
Views: 3242

Re: When do you revise your MS?

Us writers are often sensitive creatures, and we often say really stupid things to people who've been in the business a lot longer than we have (check this out). This has taught far too many agents and publishers that they can get punished for telling the truth to an author about his/her precious bo...
by Louise Curtis
May 6th, 2011, 9:21 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Do first books always suck?
Replies: 15
Views: 7789

Do first books always suck?

Not always. Just usually. In my opinion, the writer who has just finished their first novel should, for the sake of burnt-out agents and publishers, do these three things before submitting: 1. Edit it, then leave it for at least a month, then edit it again. At least one person (who is not a relative...
by Louise Curtis
May 6th, 2011, 8:15 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Panic at the finish line approaches
Replies: 10
Views: 5286

Re: Panic at the finish line approaches

So yeah, that thing you are feeling? Natural, normal, and inescapable. I suspect no author, whether they are on their first book or their fifteenth ever stops feeling it. Heh. I read the beginning of this discussion a few days ago and thought, "How silly." Then I finished the fourth draft...
by Louise Curtis
April 30th, 2011, 2:29 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Story Structure
Replies: 4
Views: 2572

Re: Story Structure

You're welcome.

You can tell by my posts that I write novels, not short stories. Can't help myself :)
by Louise Curtis
April 29th, 2011, 7:32 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Do you "warm up" before writing?
Replies: 18
Views: 8809

Re: Do you "warm up" before writing?

SO yes. . . I laughed right away when I saw the title, because of course that's what I'm doing right now. . . and every morning. I follow about twenty blogs and two forums daily. It's great for tricking myself into getting into my **** chair and facing the **** screen. Doesn't always work, of course...
by Louise Curtis
April 28th, 2011, 6:53 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Story Structure
Replies: 4
Views: 2572

Re: Story Structure

I love the book "Sabriel" by Garth Nix, so I recently analysed it. Here it is in 8 sections, by 50-page lengths (kept vague to avoid ruining the book). I've indicated by bold comments where I think Act 1, Act 2 and Act 3 belong. 1. Prologue (with its own inciting incident), inciting incide...
by Louise Curtis
April 25th, 2011, 7:45 pm
Forum: Ask Nathan
Topic: Better city for publishing - Boston or D.C.?
Replies: 2
Views: 1605

Re: Better city for publishing - Boston or D.C.?

In my opinion (from Australia) it's startlingly hard to get a job in publishing, even as an unpaid intern (too many of us writers have had that idea) - so apply to all the publishers you can in both cities, and then choose (hopefully) based on an actual job.