Search found 303 matches

by Hillsy
June 26th, 2014, 6:11 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Developing a story, would like some help
Replies: 4
Views: 4925

Re: Developing a story, would like some help

To be honest - the first and only question that really jumped in my head was: "So what's different?" He's 18 and travels through time - that's hardly a USP. Quantum Leap took time travel and gave it a twist; Sam Beckett inhabitted strangers bodies and had no control over where or who he wa...
by Hillsy
December 18th, 2013, 9:51 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Writer Jokes
Replies: 2
Views: 3566

Re: Writer Jokes

Hemmingway walks into a bar. The Bar was there.
by Hillsy
November 26th, 2013, 4:48 am
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Ugh spam
Replies: 8
Views: 12632

Re: Ugh spam

Indeed. More spam than monty python convention in hawaii attempting to break the record for longest continuous performance of a single sketch.

Think it hit like 50 pages before it stopped.....effing mental. I wish I knew what the point is...I presume it's SEO related
by Hillsy
August 30th, 2013, 4:40 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Where do you get your story ideas?
Replies: 32
Views: 20476

Re: Where do you get your story ideas?

Mine is a far more organic process.... I tend to find interesting people, and kill them (humanely obviously - I'm not a Monster!). Then it's a simple case of eating of their flesh, and rendering their brains down into a sort of syrum I inject directly into my tear ducts. It's not the most pleasent m...
by Hillsy
August 21st, 2013, 6:13 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: What's Up with Form Rejection?
Replies: 13
Views: 9674

Re: What's Up with Form Rejection?

While I appreciate the sentiment, active and strong voice are real cornerstones of great writing, I've got to interject and temper what you're saying with a bit of realism. Why? Because I've listened and heeded advice similar to yours - I also now can't write because of it. While I agree that learni...
by Hillsy
July 23rd, 2013, 7:03 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Beta readers?
Replies: 6
Views: 5683

Re: Beta readers?

Aye I concur with the above...Absolute write has a lot of activity going through there and they seem a friendly bunch...

You could also have a ping at AQ Connect....It doesn't have an overt critique partner but there's a bit of activity there and a lot of cool peeps.

Hope that helps
by Hillsy
July 2nd, 2013, 5:28 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: "Don't be a draught horse..."
Replies: 2
Views: 3540

Re: "Don't be a draught horse..."

Word Smith

Check the signature line. Spammer.
by Hillsy
March 15th, 2013, 5:49 am
Forum: Social Media and Book Promotion
Topic: Google Reader – Going, going – GONE!
Replies: 3
Views: 3690

Re: Google Reader – Going, going – GONE!

For those who use(d) Google Reader at work behind a Fun Police barricade and on anchient iterations of IE (Ie7 here!!), who can't run those new funky website at work.... I recommond FeedDemon lite 4.1 ...just installed it here at work and wasn't blocked by Administrator privaleges, looks nigh on ide...
by Hillsy
March 11th, 2013, 7:51 am
Forum: Finding An Agent
Topic: 100 page taster/work in development
Replies: 5
Views: 20513

Re: 100 page taster/work in development

Simple answer - Yes. There's a very good chance you'll be given the finger, followed by invective of such ferocity and filth it could LITERALLY kill a priest. Course you won't know about either as you'll likely be ignored (as to why and how do your research - check out various agent blogs, writer bl...
by Hillsy
March 1st, 2013, 7:30 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Why you'll never be any good....
Replies: 11
Views: 6802

Re: Why you'll never be any good....

Hillsy, I feel you've always displayed a writerly savvy here that tells me that you will someday make a success of your work. Good luck! Thanks for your support! What I was trying to highlight, though, are the irrational beliefs we hold up as ridiculous barriers. So in reply to what you said I migh...
by Hillsy
March 1st, 2013, 5:14 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Middle Grade- Passive Protagonist??
Replies: 3
Views: 3620

Re: Middle Grade- Passive Protagonist??

Real broad rule of thumb here: By Active it's generally not considered to be Active in a literal sense, more in terms of plot. At the start of the book the protag should WANT something and is trying to GET it (not necessarily the main theme of the plot). Even if his shyness is in the way, he should ...
by Hillsy
February 27th, 2013, 6:22 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Why you'll never be any good....
Replies: 11
Views: 6802

Why you'll never be any good....

I suspect that like many of you I’m a veritable Petri dish for cultures of self doubt, exasperation, frustration and crazy catastrophization. As such, I have several reasons I’ll never succeed in getting published “on the go” at any given time. Despite knowing I’m not an eye-gougingly terrible write...
by Hillsy
February 6th, 2013, 7:42 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Bad writing is an oxymoron...
Replies: 9
Views: 9405

Re: Bad writing is an oxymoron...

There is a LOT of really, truly crappy writing out there - even more that you and I will, thankfully, never see. And, no matter how you want to twist it, it is badly written prose, hence, in common vernacular, 'bad writing'. No amount of rationalization can change that. Well, yeah I can counter tha...
by Hillsy
January 22nd, 2013, 9:11 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Do you have to listen to /everything/ a beta says?
Replies: 13
Views: 9891

Re: Do you have to listen to /everything/ a beta says?

Right........ ......Firstly, sounds like you've got a problem with 1 person. Deal with that, hit reset, move on. Secondly, and as ridiculous as this sounds, to me it seems like you need to learn how to workshop. Meaning - learning the weight and merit of critique/advice, how to sift the gold from th...
by Hillsy
January 22nd, 2013, 6:08 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Do you have to listen to /everything/ a beta says?
Replies: 13
Views: 9891

Re: Do you have to listen to /everything/ a beta says?

You may have stumbled on the crux of the problem. It's not the location, the amount of action, the machine-gun toting wallabies, the sentient confectionary.....it's the hook. An action sequence can have no hook. A person reading a newspaper, drinking coffee can be amazingly compelling. What your Bet...