Search found 54 matches

by bigheadx
May 20th, 2010, 2:53 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: QUERY - crime/police fiction
Replies: 32
Views: 11666

Re: QUERY - crime/police fiction

The trite expression "can't thank you all enough" comes nowhere near expressing my appreciation for all the thoughtful comments and suggestions. Printing out these comments and diving back into the short query.
best regards
John
by bigheadx
May 20th, 2010, 12:42 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: BROKEN MIRROR, new query, new delivery
Replies: 38
Views: 12735

Re: BROKEN MIRROR, new query, new delivery

Just a quick note for now. I'm still pondering some other options, but wanted to point out a few things for people who're trying to follow and/or play along. Kerring is the name of a town. It's been brought up previously, but I'll mention it again. Nothing mysterious here. The "protagonist&quo...
by bigheadx
May 19th, 2010, 5:00 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: BROKEN MIRROR, new query, new delivery
Replies: 38
Views: 12735

Re: BROKEN MIRROR, new query, new delivery

..... Once p Propelled through life beneath the surface of madness, a haunted life young woman's life reaches its natural conclusion. Rather than rest, the gateway to the afterlife brings the her lost soul face to face with ghosts of people it unwittingly slew during outbursts of derangement. At lo...
by bigheadx
May 18th, 2010, 5:06 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: BROKEN MIRROR, new query, new delivery
Replies: 38
Views: 12735

Re: BROKEN MIRROR, new query, new delivery

Serzen, hopefully I have chosen your latest draft to read/critique. Allow me to say I have scanned but not absorbed the many fine comments by others, and your responses. But I wanted to put on an agent's "hat" and read this without preconceptions. Comments below in blue.... Dear $Agent, BR...
by bigheadx
May 18th, 2010, 4:22 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: QUERY - crime/police fiction
Replies: 32
Views: 11666

Re: QUERY - crime/police fiction

And now I am really going to impose on the forum (and, hopefully, "wilderness" and "bronwyn1") by posting the shorter query (approx. 360 words) intended to accompany sample pages (or not). Note: To answer one question up-front, a "Jack" Mormon is a non-practicing member...
by bigheadx
May 18th, 2010, 3:39 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: QUERY - crime/police fiction
Replies: 32
Views: 11666

Re: QUERY - crime/police fiction

THANKS "wilderness" and "bronwyn1!" Your comments are very helpful and I've printed them out for review.
all the best,
John
by bigheadx
May 17th, 2010, 5:23 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: QUERY - crime/police fiction
Replies: 32
Views: 11666

QUERY - crime/police fiction

Hopefully, I've been a good enough forum "citizen" to impose upon its members for some feedback. This query is targeted to those agents who do not wish to see the first 10-20 pages of the novel, so it is a bit longer than the query that accompanies sample chapters and/or a synopsis. Get ou...
by bigheadx
May 15th, 2010, 4:00 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Prologues in Query letter: Pro or Con?
Replies: 9
Views: 4281

Re: Prologues in Query letter: Pro or Con?

Thanks for the interesting responses. What has been said made me realize that my prologue was actually my first chapter, even tho' it "reveals" the crime to be solved.
by bigheadx
May 11th, 2010, 10:48 am
Forum: Writing
Topic: the "passive voice"
Replies: 9
Views: 5001

Re: the "passive voice"

Here is a third passive voice entry from Mr. Garner and the Oxford Press..... Garner's Usage Tip of the Day Passive Voice (3). Today: The Double Passive. The problem here is using one passive immediately after another. E.g.: "This document refers to the portion of the votes entitled to be cast ...
by bigheadx
May 10th, 2010, 12:24 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: the "passive voice"
Replies: 9
Views: 5001

Re: the "passive voice"

Very interesting, polymath! Thanks. Here is Oxford's and Garner's second comment on the passive voice: Passive Voice (2). Today: What's the Problem? What's the real problem with using passive voice? There are three. First, passive voice usually adds a couple of unnecessary words. Second, when it doe...
by bigheadx
May 7th, 2010, 12:41 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: the "passive voice"
Replies: 9
Views: 5001

the "passive voice"

I get a daily email from the Oxford University Press about word use and thought today's might be useful for conversations here. Perhaps others have a different point of view than Mr. Garner? Bryan Garner's Usage Tip of the Day http://www.elabs3.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=ef6,15uqm,4pht,2lji,g8bc,gj4w,8...
by bigheadx
May 6th, 2010, 1:04 pm
Forum: Books
Topic: What are you reading now?
Replies: 528
Views: 308390

Re: What are you reading now?

Finishing up Raymond Chandler's "The Simple Art of Murder" collection of short stories/novellas. James W. Hall's "Off the Chart" is in the on-deck circle.
by bigheadx
May 4th, 2010, 6:04 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Prologues in Query letter: Pro or Con?
Replies: 9
Views: 4281

Re: Prologues in Query letter: Pro or Con?

Thank you for this information!
by bigheadx
May 4th, 2010, 2:02 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Prologues in Query letter: Pro or Con?
Replies: 9
Views: 4281

Prologues in Query letter: Pro or Con?

Many of my favorite crime and mystery writers use a brief prologue to either establish a backstory or show the crime that will be solved (for example, Robert Ellis does the latter very nicely in "The Lost Witness"). While there are plenty of discussions about their use, their length, their...
by bigheadx
May 3rd, 2010, 8:36 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Tips/techniques for formatting "pasted" query chapters
Replies: 10
Views: 3402

Re: Tips/techniques for formatting "pasted" query chapters

After a couple tests and a few deep breaths I realized that if you edit/send as plain text you can't go wrong. Thanks for all the advice!