Search found 12 matches

by PR Griffin
March 13th, 2011, 7:57 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Your first Pargraph!
Replies: 80
Views: 42702

Re: Your first Pargraph!

I'll give it a try! I should mention, this is non fiction, a travel memoir: I was there to meet a prince. It was surprising even before you considered I was from a country that didn’t have a monarchy . The palace guard looked as skeptical about it as I was, and didn’t hide a snicker as he eyed my p...
by PR Griffin
March 12th, 2011, 8:11 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Writing in a *done* genre
Replies: 53
Views: 19807

Re: Writing in a *done* genre

I'm a writer, and an editor, not a fault-finding critic. . I have to disagree *shrug* I believe that we, as writers, are naturally fault finders. If we do not pursue perfection- and by perfection we include the recognition of imperfection- how are we expected to improve? If we see problems and know...
by PR Griffin
March 11th, 2011, 7:41 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Writing in a *done* genre
Replies: 53
Views: 19807

Re: Writing in a *done* genre

I long for the day when a great writer, who has written a great book, is venerated on posts like these. I'm afraid I couldn't stomach much of Meyer. To recognise bad writing is fundamental to our own development as writers. What is just as important is recognising the obfuscatory nature success brin...
by PR Griffin
March 10th, 2011, 12:41 pm
Forum: Books
Topic: What genre do you read the most?
Replies: 39
Views: 13038

Re: What genre do you read the most?

(I also like chick lit. I'll read cozy mysteries, very occasionally thrillers like Grisham and Brown, and never literary fiction, if I can help it, it makes me very sad). I don't understand this. By literary fiction I presume you mean Steinbeck, Kingsley Amis, Kafka etc..? By not reading these you a...
by PR Griffin
February 28th, 2011, 6:51 am
Forum: Finding An Agent
Topic: Rejection and Recovery
Replies: 10
Views: 5703

Re: Rejection and Recovery

Good advice, there can be nothing worse than knowing in order to succeed you must first fail. It's like invasive surgery- you have to be cut to get better. I try to be as realistic as possible one piece of advice I cling to is this: In order to make progress you have to show progress. When I get a f...
by PR Griffin
February 28th, 2011, 5:36 am
Forum: Excerpts
Topic: Opening of Short Story 'Treasure'
Replies: 5
Views: 3444

Re: Opening of Short Story 'Treasure'

Agreed about the confusion in relation to timeframe. It was meant as a yearly visit, and he had just returned from a quick break for lunch. I reckon that could be made clearer. Cheers
by PR Griffin
February 28th, 2011, 5:27 am
Forum: Books
Topic: Connecting With Characters
Replies: 13
Views: 8607

Re: Connecting With Characters

I think in order to identify and be gripped by characters I need to feel emotional investment. The author has to speak to me through their trials and tribulations, but: I don't want slapped on OTT emotional fluff. William Trevor is a master of revealing investment in increments. Tiny slices of human...
by PR Griffin
February 28th, 2011, 5:15 am
Forum: Books
Topic: China Mieville THE CITY AND THE CITY
Replies: 13
Views: 14077

Re: China Mieville THE CITY AND THE CITY

I'm definitely not a fan with regards to Mieville. Perdido street station held me for 150 painful pages of info dumping, two dimensional characters with the same voice and little interest. His imagination is wonderful, but his writing I believe lets him down. Perdido is thick on mediocre telling and...
by PR Griffin
February 28th, 2011, 4:25 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Show Versus Tell
Replies: 7
Views: 2248

Re: Show Versus Tell

Helpful links there, However I believe a caveat should be added: 'Show don't tell' is a rule quickly thrown at all writers when you begin. The problem is complex, yet the rule is easy to rip off and paste onto every piece of work. Truly great telling is just as valid (if not more so ) than great sho...
by PR Griffin
February 26th, 2011, 11:32 pm
Forum: Excerpts
Topic: Opening of Short Story 'Treasure'
Replies: 5
Views: 3444

Opening of Short Story 'Treasure'

Opening to a short story of mine I have got to first draft stage. I'm interested to find out if people enjoy the characters or not. Let me know either way. When he returned, the shadow of the church had shortened. The grave was as he’d left it, flowers bowed in solemn repose and the half dug mound o...
by PR Griffin
February 26th, 2011, 11:22 pm
Forum: Excerpts
Topic: Historical Fiction - IN THE SHADOW OF THE KINGDOM
Replies: 5
Views: 3556

Re: Historical Fiction - IN THE SHADOW OF THE KINGDOM

Hey there; Whilst I appreciate this is not your opening, I believe you are focussing too much on setting the scene. You dilute your writing and the scene by adding unecessary words fibrous-bulbous swelling (swelling is fine here no need for the former) When writing about the sea, I don't believe mos...
by PR Griffin
February 26th, 2011, 9:15 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: 451843

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

Title: Pianos and Swallows Genre: Literary The coffee was served lukewarm, each sip stole what little heat remained until halfway down I decided enough. I set it beside the crumbs of a forgettable breakfast. The paper was stale, the news cold. Two Britons dead and underneath- in insultingly small ty...