Nathan Bransford - The Forums

This probably won't help either, but I don't outline. I start writing and as I get a better grasp on my characters, it becomes clearer to me about where I want to take them (or maybe it's where they want to take me.) I think very few people can come up with a truly new plot line. I think even Natha...

See, I love to hear how other people deal with their writing problems! Gives me ideas for solutions :)

Okay, when I read Nathan's post last week about throwing out your first idea, I though, "Great, I'm working on a new WiP, and I already threw out my first idea. I'm in great shape to move forward!" So yesterday I sat down to work on my outline and realized I was creating a supernatural YA ...

My most recent blog post is a YA Fantasy short story that I wrote a couple years ago as a spin-off to my first novel. Check it out at http://gilesth.blogspot.com/2010/09/short-stories.html

Comments are welcome :)

Again, thank you everyone. I'll keep you all posted on my progress! :D

Diamonte wrote:Ha. I guess my brain wasn't working properly. >.<

lol :D I've done the same thing while reading through other peoples' work... but that was in a college class... and it effected my final grade. Doh! Thanks for reading my query :)

I haven't read any of your others drafts yet, but right now, I just don't feel emotionally invested in the query letter. I don't know why I should care about Chris or any of the other characters. And the 1st paragraph is confusing me. Why would Tiraenar give Chris time to track down Yvonne? Who is ...

Another revision...I think I'm close to something that I can send out with confidence! :D Dear Agent, Sixteen-year-old Chris Drake and his best friend, Yvonne Steele, are dragon slayers for the Fraternity of Wyrm Fiends. Days after their first kill, an ancient dragon claiming to be Chris’s uncle abd...

Overall, I don't know why I'm supposed to care. What are some of the specific problems Jane will face in the course of this story? Show me a glimpse of the beginning of the story, introduce the problem, and hint at a direction Jane will take to solve those problems. Leave me hanging, though, so that...

Here's my most recent revision of the query. Dear Agent, Sixteen-year-old Chris Drake and his best friend, Yvonne, are dragon slayers for the Denver branch of the Fraternity of Wyrm Fiends. Days after their first kill, an ancient dragon claiming to be Chris’s uncle abducts Yvonne. This dragon, named...

Wallflower, I always appreciate your take on my queries! :D I have a couple of questions, so I'll explain where I'm coming from really quick A fact about Chris that doesn't show up in this query, which is actually quite essential to the story - the "why" Yvonne is kidnapped instead outrigh...

Very cool. Thank you guys SO much! I sent out the following version of my query the other day, got one prompt rejection (and to be fair, this book would be a bit of a stretch for that agent... at least if his current client list is any indicator) and I have three unanswered letters. I'm taking this ...

I just wrote a long response to some of the comments on yesterday's post by Nathan. It's essentially why I'm not afraid of ending up on Slush Pile Hell, and why most author's should be afraid of it. http://gilesth.blogspot.com/2010/08/my- ... eries.html

Thanks, Emily J. :D Sixteen-year-old Chris Drake and his best friend, Yvonne, are dragon slayers for the Denver branch of the Fraternity of Wyrm Fiends. Days after their first kill, a dragon named Tiraenar abducts Yvonne and sends Chris a message. The boy is given thirty days to track down Tiraenar ...

Okay, I let this stew for a week, and after looking it over, I've made some minor changes. Any new thoughts? Dear Agent, Sixteen year-old Chris Drake and his best friend, Yvonne, are dragon slayers for Denver branch of the Fraternity of Wyrm Fiends. Days after their first kill, a dragon named Tiraen...