Search found 505 matches

by J. T. SHEA
May 30th, 2010, 1:12 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: The rules of "stronger" writing... lol?
Replies: 52
Views: 18387

Re: The rules of "stronger" writing... lol?

I posted my comment without refreshing the page. Meanwhile, Cheekychook did a better job on the adverb issue. Clearly the critique group founder knows the underlying reasons for rules and not just the surface rules themselves, but her great reluctance to admit an exception would not enhance her auth...
by J. T. SHEA
May 30th, 2010, 12:57 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: The rules of "stronger" writing... lol?
Replies: 52
Views: 18387

Re: The rules of "stronger" writing... lol?

Interesting points, FK7. 'Authority' in writing means the authority of the writer rather than the protagonist, even when they are one and the same person. It is what persuades readers to believe a non-fiction work and suspend disbelief for a fictional work. Adverbs are NOT bad in themselves, and are...
by J. T. SHEA
May 28th, 2010, 9:04 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: For those moments of self doubt
Replies: 1
Views: 1070

Re: For those moments of self doubt

Beware of critics who come out only by night and don't reflect in mirrors! Unfortunately, there's a law against staking people. So I'll try garlic, holy water and crucifixes first, wearing my French priest's disguise, of course. Internal vampires are another matter...
by J. T. SHEA
May 28th, 2010, 8:25 pm
Forum: Excerpts
Topic: Excerpt that is sort of a short story...
Replies: 5
Views: 2226

Re: Excerpt that is sort of a short story...

'Hakuna Matata!' indeed! A wonderful piece. You might subdivide the long paragraphs. Some people will ask you what it's all about. Don't tell them unless you have to!
by J. T. SHEA
May 28th, 2010, 7:56 pm
Forum: Excerpts
Topic: The Butterfly Key - Prologue first 4 paragraphs
Replies: 9
Views: 3630

Re: The Butterfly Key - Prologue first 4 paragraphs

Interesting piece and comments. The first paragraph is wonderfully evocative of Christmas. But there's a slight point of view challenge. Your narrator describes the scene outside his house, including the smoke rising from his chimney, something he could not see from inside. You could have him say he...
by J. T. SHEA
May 28th, 2010, 6:35 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: Query/fantasy - With All That I Am / 4th Version
Replies: 18
Views: 5967

Re: Query/fantasy - With All That I Am / 3rd Version

When a writer explains his story informally, it sometimes makes more sense than the formal query. That may be the case here. Why not develop the query from your informal description? Something like:- Once in every generation (TOWN NAME) sacrifices a single life to a powerful wizard (NAME?). The wiza...
by J. T. SHEA
May 28th, 2010, 2:55 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: Nathan's query "template"
Replies: 20
Views: 6906

Re: Nathan's query "template"

Thanks, Poisonguy, but 'pariah' and 'the Syndicate' are interesting additions. Regarding your own mad-lib, some readers will ask exactly what the connections are between Dragan Sakic's childhood molestation, his having a baby, and his being framed. But it may not be possible to answer such questions...
by J. T. SHEA
May 28th, 2010, 1:52 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: BROKEN MIRROR, new query, new delivery
Replies: 38
Views: 12735

Re: BROKEN MIRROR, new query, new delivery

BROKEN MIRROR will be a difficult sell, no matter what you do with the query. But this last version (28 May) is much better. Impressionistic but simpler than the earlier versions. It quickly itemizes protagonist, situation, relationships and challenge. And you're right to use the second person. That...
by J. T. SHEA
May 27th, 2010, 11:50 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: What's the Message?
Replies: 19
Views: 7425

Re: What's the Message?

Impressive, Polymath. None of us has all the answers, but you do seem to have your questions, at least, more clearly worked out than most people.
by J. T. SHEA
May 27th, 2010, 11:30 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: The rules of "stronger" writing... lol?
Replies: 52
Views: 18387

Re: The rules of "stronger" writing... lol?

As wise men have advised since time immemorial, do find out the rules. Study them and the reasoning behind them. Meditate on them. Know them well. Then break them. Deliberately.
by J. T. SHEA
May 27th, 2010, 4:19 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: Nathan's query "template"
Replies: 20
Views: 6906

Re: Nathan's query "template"

I don't agree with your wife, Bigheadx. What about:- September 1970. Las Vegas sheriff's detective Heber Parkins is the outcast of his department. Then, mysteriously, he is assigned to a high profile gangland murder case. He must defy corrupt authorities and murderous thugs to discover who ordered t...
by J. T. SHEA
May 27th, 2010, 2:59 pm
Forum: Books
Topic: Start with THE HOBBIT or FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING?
Replies: 85
Views: 37361

Re: Start with THE HOBBIT or FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING?

Mira's suggestion of Gollum's redemption is fascinating. Watching the movies (I have not yet read the whole story) I hoped Gollum might be redeemed and was quite dismayed he wasn't (as I saw it at the time).
by J. T. SHEA
May 27th, 2010, 2:28 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Voice in a query
Replies: 10
Views: 5715

Re: Voice in a query

Criddy? How about granky? Struggling? Burnt out? Sounds like your mood matches your narrator's!

And Polymath's copyediting hundreds of dreary pages? I'm starting to feel a bit granky myself...
by J. T. SHEA
May 27th, 2010, 2:02 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Flashbacks (writing them, not having them)
Replies: 13
Views: 13241

Re: Flashbacks (writing them, not having them)

Flashback haters should ask themselves, are characters in novels never allowed to reminisce? Most novels ARE single long flashbacks. Interesting how many of Nathan's prologue commenters also condemned flash-forwards, the kind of 'coming attractions' teasers writers often put at the start of novels. ...
by J. T. SHEA
May 26th, 2010, 4:22 pm
Forum: Self-Publishing
Topic: So I want to self publish... kinda sorta, not really
Replies: 17
Views: 7329

Re: So I want to self publish... kinda sorta, not really

What's wrong with POD for 100 copies? And I thought LSI was a POD company.

I can see no problem for a 'traditional' publisher in what you propose, but people and organizations do have odd taboos. So do make sure you can 'unpublish' the book at any time.