Search found 27 matches

by Remus Shepherd
July 23rd, 2010, 1:59 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: The Dark Protagonist
Replies: 20
Views: 5763

Re: The Dark Protagonist

I have a dark protagonist in my last novel. I made her as sympathetic as possible by revealing that others intentionally drove her insane, and that she feels remorse for her impetuous murders. It's still a very difficult book to sell. I had one agent say that they're 'just not enthusiastic enough ab...
by Remus Shepherd
July 14th, 2010, 12:05 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Tips for Dialogue Among Multiple Characters?
Replies: 21
Views: 7919

Re: Tips for Dialogue Among Multiple Characters?

Well, slight behavioral and personality trait differences go back to there being a distinct voice for each character. But beyond the characters' voices, you can also use the characters' opinions and current interactions as clues. If character A is for the suicide plan, and character B is against the...
by Remus Shepherd
May 14th, 2010, 2:11 pm
Forum: Books
Topic: PREDICT THE NEXT BIG YA GENRE
Replies: 61
Views: 27965

Re: PREDICT THE NEXT BIG YA GENRE

I'm betting on 'Hard Science Fiction YA'. Today's kids know more about science (or at least technology) than their elders, it's time they got some literature to celebrate that. Cory Doctorow's _Little Brother_ will be seen as the first of the Hard SF YA wave (which will come to be known as 'Hardpunk...
by Remus Shepherd
April 12th, 2010, 11:07 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: If you need to be reinspired
Replies: 6
Views: 2387

Re: If you need to be reinspired

I took a couple days vacation to go to my father's funeral. Now *that* was re-inspiring.

Anything that jogs you out of your normal routine can help get the creative juices flowing again.
by Remus Shepherd
March 19th, 2010, 11:21 am
Forum: Finding An Agent
Topic: Question on Etiquite...
Replies: 12
Views: 4588

Re: Question on Etiquite...

I recently received a very nice rejection from an agent that I submitted to in October. Her promised 6-8 week response time meant nothing -- it took her 5 months to seriously consider my partial. (And by the note she sent, she did seriously consider it.) Don't press agents, they're very busy. I assu...
by Remus Shepherd
March 12th, 2010, 7:01 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Does your genre make it difficult to find an agent?
Replies: 20
Views: 10983

Re: Does your genre make it difficult to find an agent?

The genre I write is science fiction, and there are few agents who want to see that. A lot of agents explicitly say that they don't want SF stories.

I don't know if that makes it harder, but I do know that there are fewer than other genres.
by Remus Shepherd
February 23rd, 2010, 1:52 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: What Did Adverbs Ever Do to You?!
Replies: 38
Views: 20688

Re: What Did Adverbs Ever Do to You?!

The problem with adverbs is that they are difficult to use well. They invite common mistakes. If you know what those mistakes are, you can use adverbs -- and you will understand that they should be rare. If you're not sure what the mistakes are, it's best to avoid them whenever possible, and so that...
by Remus Shepherd
February 21st, 2010, 1:26 pm
Forum: Finding An Agent
Topic: Query size -- let's have this out.
Replies: 8
Views: 3082

Re: Query size -- let's have this out.

I think it's a stretch to say people here are "giving bad advice." All we're doing is giving our thoughts on whether or not a pitch is effective to us as readers. You're right, and I'm sorry if that came across as harsh. But on Nathan's blog in the FAQ somewhere, he states that the "...
by Remus Shepherd
February 21st, 2010, 10:05 am
Forum: Finding An Agent
Topic: Query size -- let's have this out.
Replies: 8
Views: 3082

Query size -- let's have this out.

Let's have this out. I need a resolution to this. When going over my query in these forums and elsewhere, I was encouraged to pad it with more and more information until it turned into a dense mini-synopsis of the entire plot. No problem, I thought, I can do that. I still kept it tight -- the final ...
by Remus Shepherd
February 18th, 2010, 12:01 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: A Useful Way to Construct a Query
Replies: 2
Views: 1790

Re: A Useful Way to Construct a Query

Just note that those are recommendations for creating a log line -- a one sentence pitch. That may not be something you want to use in a query. Queries have to go into a bit more detail, and they can run 200+ words. Log line for my novel: Girl Genius stuck in Orwell's 1984 as a double agent in the L...
by Remus Shepherd
February 18th, 2010, 11:56 am
Forum: Excerpts
Topic: ECHTRA : BLOOD MAGICK - FIRST PAGE
Replies: 11
Views: 8382

Re: ECHTRA : BLOOD MAGICK - FIRST PAGE

The language is a bit too flowery. But more important than that, you don't introduce any characters until the third paragraph -- and she isn't named for another three. My advice is to begin this story with action from a main character. "Mavis stops to stare out the windows, trying to find the c...
by Remus Shepherd
February 17th, 2010, 1:59 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Can you read while you write?
Replies: 23
Views: 9537

Re: Can you read while you write?

I agree with Lydia. You have to read to keep the language parts of your brain active and thinking about words. I force myself to read while I'm writing, although I do try to select books appropriate for the current book. My last book was about a dark, insane future, so I tried to read dystopian sci-...
by Remus Shepherd
February 16th, 2010, 4:19 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Share your opening sentence!
Replies: 236
Views: 86076

Re: Share your opening sentence!

An alien was sleeping in the gutter where Eli slept.
by Remus Shepherd
February 11th, 2010, 10:56 am
Forum: Excerpts
Topic: A page to ponder; literary fiction
Replies: 24
Views: 8614

Re: A page to ponder; literary fiction

I like most of this, Serzen, but I have two questions. (I don't do the red/blue text thing because I'm colorblind. I can't see it, so I don't use it. :) ) They simply call everyone in white "staff", everyone in blue "guest". The staff call each other "doctor" and "...
by Remus Shepherd
February 11th, 2010, 10:47 am
Forum: Queries
Topic: Query-- Scatter (Lit. Fic)
Replies: 27
Views: 10588

Re: Query-- Scatter (Lit. Fic)

Does this work at all? Can you get a sense of plot even without it explained right out? Like I said, I know it can be risky to do something out of the ordinary so I want to make sure I'm doing it well if I'm doing it at all. Thanks so much guys, I appreciate it! It certainly is different. I get a v...