Search found 233 matches

by Mark.W.Carson
November 6th, 2013, 10:53 am
Forum: Excerpts
Topic: Page 1 of "I am Alone"
Replies: 9
Views: 10082

Re: Page 1 of "I am Alone"

Thanks. It's been quite a while, and I have been focusing on my main project. I may come back to this, but my backlog has only grown in the meantime.

It was a blast from the past to read this (To answer the original question from way back, the rags were supposed to only cover the head from a window).
by Mark.W.Carson
November 5th, 2013, 1:28 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: STRINGS OF FATE-Any advice?
Replies: 3
Views: 3402

Re: STRINGS OF FATE-Any advice?

Long time away, but I thought I'd chime in here and be a helpful little badger. Please, take anything I say in the best possible light :) First and foremost, I think this might work against you. It may not be what you want to hear, but don't tell me that she's snarky, give me an example. Eighteen-ye...
by Mark.W.Carson
September 6th, 2013, 1:36 pm
Forum: Procrastination
Topic: Checking and catching up and I've missed you!
Replies: 3
Views: 9400

Re: Checking and catching up and I've missed you!

A wonderful read, Sommer. I think I've addressed most of these, some with more nuance than others.
by Mark.W.Carson
September 6th, 2013, 1:31 pm
Forum: Procrastination
Topic: The SQUEE GOOD NEWS Thread
Replies: 356
Views: 171827

Re: The SQUEE GOOD NEWS Thread

Thanks, Beethoven. Here's the full scoop. I sent the first bit of my story, which was in rewrite mode and only had 13 pages. She was like "What? Where's the rest of it?" (In an eager way, not an insulted/insulting way). I explained that I had just started a rewrite because I had a bunch of...
by Mark.W.Carson
August 15th, 2013, 11:24 pm
Forum: Procrastination
Topic: The SQUEE GOOD NEWS Thread
Replies: 356
Views: 171827

Re: The SQUEE GOOD NEWS Thread

I got convinced by a few friends to do WriteonCon this year despite last year not going so well for me (Still working on the same manuscript, into the 3d year for me) I listed my book as a WIP, as per courtesy guidelines, and though excited for my friends showing off their nicely polished finished b...
by Mark.W.Carson
May 31st, 2013, 11:55 am
Forum: Procrastination
Topic: The SQUEE GOOD NEWS Thread
Replies: 356
Views: 171827

Re: The SQUEE GOOD NEWS Thread

Almost a year ago, thanks to a post someone on this forum put up, I watched the 2010 BYU Brandon Sanderson lectures. I sent him an email, thanking him, and told him I had plans to be a writer, and that the information he gave me made me feel better prepared to go ahead and do it, to make it happen, ...
by Mark.W.Carson
March 25th, 2013, 4:35 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: What's wrong with it, please be critical
Replies: 7
Views: 6399

Re: What's wrong with it, please be critical

Fair enough. I noticed that your own submission was related to a work of non fiction, and the wording in your reply made me think you were suggesting a similar tact. Any luck with your submissions, assuming you have made any?
by Mark.W.Carson
March 25th, 2013, 1:24 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: What's wrong with it, please be critical
Replies: 7
Views: 6399

Re: What's wrong with it, please be critical

Perhaps you should take a little bit of time to explain your writing style; as opposed to just the story line.The story line itself seems good. I just want to know what the ultimate reason for the book is. What kind of book is it? Is it funny, romantic, or straight forward? Is there something you w...
by Mark.W.Carson
March 13th, 2013, 10:22 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Worldbuilding Tips from Patrick Rothfuss
Replies: 3
Views: 4966

Re: Worldbuilding Tips from Patrick Rothfuss

I was wandering in a deserted wasteland until I read The Name Of The Wind. I bought it because it is the same "type" of book I am trying to write, in as much as not the voice, nor the style, but the approach is what I was after. He's a good writer and can teach a great deal.
by Mark.W.Carson
March 11th, 2013, 11:31 am
Forum: Finding An Agent
Topic: 100 page taster/work in development
Replies: 5
Views: 20515

Re: 100 page taster/work in development

Agents are business people. They happen to be in the business of books. Your 100 pages, if unfinished, unless you are some godly writer with talent oozing out of their pores, is going to be rough and disjointed compared to the things you'd find over the course of writing, editing, fixing, editing, g...
by Mark.W.Carson
February 5th, 2013, 10:22 am
Forum: Queries
Topic: After the Closing - YA Fantasy Query
Replies: 4
Views: 4487

Re: After the Closing - YA Fantasy Query

Many agents prefer you start by hooking them. That being said, I'd suggest you put the first paragraph last. They want to get to the meat of things, with hundreds of emails in their inbox, I can't say I blame them. The first sentence of your next paragraph is pretty strong, but I would remove teenag...
by Mark.W.Carson
January 30th, 2013, 12:54 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Writing YA and making meaning of those adolescent years
Replies: 7
Views: 6814

Re: Writing YA and making meaning of those adolescent years

I can add my take to the matter. Writing for YA has made me peel back years worth of scars to remember who I was back when I was the age of my characters. Hard, lumpy bits of a shell had grown over them, and it was quite awful the first few times while I knew it had to be done, and in a way, it was ...
by Mark.W.Carson
December 27th, 2012, 9:35 am
Forum: Queries
Topic: V.O.I.C.E. query- YA Romance
Replies: 6
Views: 4478

Re: V.O.I.C.E. query- YA Romance

You made it much better, but need to work out the repetitiveness of it.
by Mark.W.Carson
December 23rd, 2012, 7:44 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: V.O.I.C.E. query- YA Romance
Replies: 6
Views: 4478

Re: V.O.I.C.E. query- YA Romance

Hi, Thanks for being one of the foolish/brave. FYI, your second sentence has a tense conflict, might want to fix that. One other thing I noticed is that by the second paragraph, I still have no idea what the book/conflict is about. It seems a little scattered, and you should consider tightening this...
by Mark.W.Carson
December 22nd, 2012, 8:35 am
Forum: Queries
Topic: YA Query
Replies: 4
Views: 2859

Re: YA Query (Rejected 4x)

I'm glad you understood what I meant and didn't take offense. That already made me happy. I share your pain with queries. It has taken me many many... many attempts to get to the point where I have one that works without confusing the reader as to what I'm going on about. Figure you have, as you alr...