Search found 82 matches

by LizV
September 19th, 2012, 11:25 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: 1973 experiment on Writer's Block
Replies: 3
Views: 2702

Re: 1973 experiment on Writer's Block

LOL! :lol:
by LizV
September 14th, 2012, 11:31 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: The hardest part of the novel
Replies: 26
Views: 12624

Re: The hardest part of the novel

I'm with Philabuster -- the hardest part is usually the part I'm currently on.

I've taken to using "This wasn't supposed to be the hard part!" as my motto for the whole writing process. I have a nasty suspicion it'll hold true for the publishing and post-publishing process, too. ;-P
by LizV
September 14th, 2012, 11:15 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Language Spectrum
Replies: 7
Views: 2914

Re: Language Spectrum

Context: He's showing disappointment while in conversation while walking in a cave..... Ah, given that, I'd definitely go with the Metaphorical version. It's a very cool bit of phrasing, and I'd have no trouble understanding it in that context -- the only possible problem is that I might pause to s...
by LizV
August 30th, 2012, 11:34 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Dear Reader - Meet my friend. Exposition...
Replies: 12
Views: 5476

Re: Dear Reader - Meet my friend. Exposition...

That and the fact I've a terrible habit of trying to please everyone , which only psychologically damaged people do.... Yeah, that way lies madness, but you already know that. The only way I know to deal with the problem is to go ahead and say "stone knife" once in a while. For something ...
by LizV
August 30th, 2012, 10:42 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: What makes a dystopia?
Replies: 13
Views: 5246

Re: What makes a dystopia?

CharleeVale wrote:I can't say I know exactly how to fix it yet, but at least I have a starting place.
Yay to that! Knowing where to aim is half of hitting the target.
by LizV
August 29th, 2012, 3:40 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: What makes a dystopia?
Replies: 13
Views: 5246

Re: What makes a dystopia?

I don't know that there is one specific thing that spells "dystopia". Sucky living conditions, a sense of things getting worse rather than better, and some kind of apocalypse or upheaval in the backstory are likely components, but I can think of scenarios where those wouldn't mean dystopia...
by LizV
August 29th, 2012, 3:27 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Dear Reader - Meet my friend. Exposition...
Replies: 12
Views: 5476

Re: Dear Reader - Meet my friend. Exposition...

Hillsy, it sounds to me like maybe you're taking POV-immersion a little too far. What I mean is, it's okay to slip in a little more detail than a person might actually think, for the purpose of telling the story. Okay, I can't think of any way to explain this except by example, so I'm going to pull ...
by LizV
August 27th, 2012, 10:51 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Your first novel and other stuff
Replies: 19
Views: 7516

Re: Your first novel and other stuff

On the subject of voice, you might find this useful: http://pcwrede.com/blog/the-question-of-voice/
by LizV
August 23rd, 2012, 7:26 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: What's your editing style?
Replies: 17
Views: 16975

Re: What's your editing style?

Quick pass on screen, then hard copy to my alpha reader (she prefers it), mark-ups in pencil/pen. If I'm making a really big change, like adding a whole new scene, I'll just make a note and do the change on computer, but most edits I hand-write first. If I run out of margin, that's what the back of ...
by LizV
August 23rd, 2012, 7:17 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Your first novel and other stuff
Replies: 19
Views: 7516

Re: Your first novel and other stuff

Oh, and one more thing, I can tell you this: you might THINK you're 1/3 done, but you might turn out to be a lot more or a lot less, regardless of how far you've gotten through the outline. Oh ghod, this, yes. I've come to accept that I have no ability to predict where a given bit will fall; what I...
by LizV
August 22nd, 2012, 3:45 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Your first novel and other stuff
Replies: 19
Views: 7516

Re: Your first novel and other stuff

Sommer makes a very good point that different approaches work for different writers. I tend to harp on finishing because that was the biggest obstacle for me, and I've seen a lot of other people hit that wall and never get over it. If your brain is spinning out all these other ideas as a way of avoi...
by LizV
August 22nd, 2012, 11:19 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: Your first novel and other stuff
Replies: 19
Views: 7516

Re: Your first novel and other stuff

Hi breathe - Ultimately, only you can decide which alternative is the best way to tell your story. Yeah, that's helpful, huh? Annoyingly, it's also the answer to a lot of other writing dilemmas. I will say, that part of your brain with the handcuffs has a point: One of the most important things a ne...
by LizV
August 7th, 2012, 11:54 am
Forum: Queries
Topic: MG Query: Under Sentinel Guard
Replies: 11
Views: 5778

Re: MG Query: Under Sentinel Guard

A hook doesn't have to be the most surprising, OMG WHAT IS THAT?! thing in the novel. It just has to "hook" the reader enough to get them to read then next sentence. And the next, and the next.... Shipple, I think your first sentence does that just fine. The juxtaposition of the flowered q...
by LizV
August 3rd, 2012, 12:06 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: When writing isn't your full-time job.
Replies: 16
Views: 6892

Re: When writing isn't your full-time job.

trixie wrote:And I gave up weeding.
The year I finished my first novel, my lawn looked like a jungle. ;)
by LizV
August 1st, 2012, 1:33 pm
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Please flag posts with suspicious signatures
Replies: 13
Views: 9442

Re: Please flag posts with suspicious signatures

My two cents, as a relative newcomer: Having my first post moderated wouldn't have put me off, assuming the moderation was reasonably prompt. Having access restricted to certain forums probably would have put me off. It's hard to tell if a community is going to be a good fit until you really dive in...