I just finished reading a story about an English woman, Lorna Page, who just had her first novel published. That's nothing remarkable, you say. Lots of English women have their novels published. And you would be correct. But I'll bet not all of them are ninety-three years old.
Yes, you read that right. Ninety-three.
And yes, I know, it was self-published, but come on. Ninety-three? Most people that age don't read much any more, let alone write and publish.
It gives the rest of us hope. I know it gives me a warm fuzzy. Sort of a "if she can do it..." - though I will never go the self-pub route. But it does make me feel a little better about coming into this business rather later in life than most of my writer friends, some of them young enough to be my children.
A lot of times, I look at my writing and come down on myself about not being "hip" enough. Not being up on the latest fads; the latest heart throbs; the latest in music, television, movies. But then I realize I bring something to my stories that my younger counterparts can't - the advantage of experience. I've worked a lot of jobs in my life, raised a family, explored a lot of creative outlets that I can now use in my writing. Those years were time spent absorbing and storing knowledge that give my writing validity.
So, publish at 93? Good for her. I hope she sells lots of books. She is an inspiration to all writers. No matter your age, it can happen for you.
**********
"With the rest of the world pared away, a clear vision of long-buried beliefs and deams takes center stage and anything seems possible." - Margo Rabb
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Staying Positive
We are being assaulted on all sides by bad news of late. Hurricanes, bank failures, stock market declines, war, and more. It's enough to make a person want to run screaming or sit down and cry or something.
So how does one get through the bad times? How can you cope with each new crisis? The answer isn't one pat answer that works for all people. Some turn to religion, some turn away. Some put up survival supplies and start hoarding food, protection, and hard cash. And still others turn to the entertainment industry to help them escape from their world-weary existence. We watch more movies, listen to more music, read more books.
Today, I received an incredible gift in the mail - four boxes of books. Fifty-five in total. These are books my d-i-l and I will spend the next couple of months reading and writing reviews on. Some of them look really interesting. Others, not so much. But I will read them all with an open mind and give my honest opinion. Hopefully, they'll all be good ones!
And maybe, just maybe, one of my reviews will nudge someone into picking up one of these books and start reading. And feel a little better about things, even if only for a little while.
**********
"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." - Anne Bradstreet
So how does one get through the bad times? How can you cope with each new crisis? The answer isn't one pat answer that works for all people. Some turn to religion, some turn away. Some put up survival supplies and start hoarding food, protection, and hard cash. And still others turn to the entertainment industry to help them escape from their world-weary existence. We watch more movies, listen to more music, read more books.
Today, I received an incredible gift in the mail - four boxes of books. Fifty-five in total. These are books my d-i-l and I will spend the next couple of months reading and writing reviews on. Some of them look really interesting. Others, not so much. But I will read them all with an open mind and give my honest opinion. Hopefully, they'll all be good ones!
And maybe, just maybe, one of my reviews will nudge someone into picking up one of these books and start reading. And feel a little better about things, even if only for a little while.
**********
"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." - Anne Bradstreet
Sunday, September 28, 2008
First Lines - the Answers
Here are the answers to yesteday's questions about first lines:
1. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
2. Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
3. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe byt C.S. Lewis
4. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
5. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
6. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
7. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
8. Love Story by Erich Segal
9. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (yes, I read the book!)
10. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
11. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
12. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
So... how many did you get?
**********
"Book-love, I say again, lasts throughout life, it never flags or fails, but, like Beauty istelf, is a joy forever." - Holbrook Jackson
1. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
2. Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
3. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe byt C.S. Lewis
4. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
5. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
6. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
7. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
8. Love Story by Erich Segal
9. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (yes, I read the book!)
10. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
11. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
12. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
So... how many did you get?
**********
"Book-love, I say again, lasts throughout life, it never flags or fails, but, like Beauty istelf, is a joy forever." - Holbrook Jackson
Saturday, September 27, 2008
First Lines
I was looking through some of my books yesterday, trying to find one I wanted to spend some time with and it struck me that what I was really looking for was a first line/first paragraph/first page that really caught my interest. Much like an agent or editor who is looking for that one book that draws you in. And it led me to considering first lines.
What is it about a book's first line that makes you want to continue reading. Is it mystery? A sense of adventure? A question that needs answering? A sense of place and time? So I started looking at first lines from books I have read and enjoyed as well as those from books I didn't continue on with. For me, a first line usually contains all of the above, usually in as few words as possible. In some cases, it takes a second line to really draw me in. But it that opening paragraph that sets the tone for the entire book and if it's a poor one, you've lost the reader before he or she even starts.
It does no good to say "but it gets really interesting on page twenty-five". If you can't interest the reader on page one, they'll never get to page two, let alone twenty-five. If twenty-five is where it gets interesting, it's better to start there. A writer has to draw the reader in from the outset.
So for today, I have a quiz for you on famous first lines. Don't worry, it's not hard. And I will give you the answers - tomorrow. :) The following dozen are all first lines from books I have read and, for the most part, enjoyed. In several cases - in fact, almost all - they've been made into movies. But I loved the books first. See how many you are familiar with:
1. Once upon a time there was a Martian named Valentine Michael Smith.
2. All children grow up, except one.
3. Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy.
4. He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf stream and he had gone 84 days now without taking a fish.
5. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--in short, the period was so.
6. You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter.
7. Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again.
8. What can you say about a 25 year old girl who died?
9. Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were.
10. Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.
11. It was a dark and stormy night. (Clue - it's a sf story)
12. Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.
*********
"What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wote it was a terrific friend of yours." - J.D. Salinger
What is it about a book's first line that makes you want to continue reading. Is it mystery? A sense of adventure? A question that needs answering? A sense of place and time? So I started looking at first lines from books I have read and enjoyed as well as those from books I didn't continue on with. For me, a first line usually contains all of the above, usually in as few words as possible. In some cases, it takes a second line to really draw me in. But it that opening paragraph that sets the tone for the entire book and if it's a poor one, you've lost the reader before he or she even starts.
It does no good to say "but it gets really interesting on page twenty-five". If you can't interest the reader on page one, they'll never get to page two, let alone twenty-five. If twenty-five is where it gets interesting, it's better to start there. A writer has to draw the reader in from the outset.
So for today, I have a quiz for you on famous first lines. Don't worry, it's not hard. And I will give you the answers - tomorrow. :) The following dozen are all first lines from books I have read and, for the most part, enjoyed. In several cases - in fact, almost all - they've been made into movies. But I loved the books first. See how many you are familiar with:
1. Once upon a time there was a Martian named Valentine Michael Smith.
2. All children grow up, except one.
3. Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy.
4. He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf stream and he had gone 84 days now without taking a fish.
5. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--in short, the period was so.
6. You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter.
7. Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again.
8. What can you say about a 25 year old girl who died?
9. Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were.
10. Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.
11. It was a dark and stormy night. (Clue - it's a sf story)
12. Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.
*********
"What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wote it was a terrific friend of yours." - J.D. Salinger
Friday, September 26, 2008
Positives and Negatives
A couple of my friends make lists on their blogs. For Natalie, this week, it's been about things she does and doesn't like about each day. I've noticed that getting up early seems to be a theme under the negatives. But I've also noticed that her positive lists are on the whole longer than the negatives. :) The other friend, Vicki Smith, has a lot to grumble about, but decided to put a positive spin on things today and list the good aspects of her life.
And this is a good thing.
Too often we get bogged down in the negatives that surround us on a daily basis. And as a dyed-in-the-wool pessimist, I'm right down there. And there is a lot going on to be negative about. BUT... there are also a lot of things to be thankful for.
I'm working with my d-i-l right now to try to see the more positive aspects of our lives. It's not always easy. For instance, the other day, I got a rejection for a manuscript. I think I wrote about this a few days ago. Yes, it was a rejection. Just one more to add to the overwhelming pile. When I told my writer's group about it, they hushed me. Because, yes, it was a rejection, BUT... it was also an invitation to revise - and they gave me specifics that were wrong - and re-submit. And to submit anything else I had available. They liked my style.
A positive spin on a negative. It's something we all need to do more often. If you can find one thing to smile at in your day, one thing that makes you laugh, that's a good thing. Hold onto that thought; cherish it and nurture it. Who knows? It may lead to actual happiness. :)
***********
“Change can come in either of two important ways: Start behaving positively or stop behaving negatively.”- Dr. Phil McGraw
And this is a good thing.
Too often we get bogged down in the negatives that surround us on a daily basis. And as a dyed-in-the-wool pessimist, I'm right down there. And there is a lot going on to be negative about. BUT... there are also a lot of things to be thankful for.
I'm working with my d-i-l right now to try to see the more positive aspects of our lives. It's not always easy. For instance, the other day, I got a rejection for a manuscript. I think I wrote about this a few days ago. Yes, it was a rejection. Just one more to add to the overwhelming pile. When I told my writer's group about it, they hushed me. Because, yes, it was a rejection, BUT... it was also an invitation to revise - and they gave me specifics that were wrong - and re-submit. And to submit anything else I had available. They liked my style.
A positive spin on a negative. It's something we all need to do more often. If you can find one thing to smile at in your day, one thing that makes you laugh, that's a good thing. Hold onto that thought; cherish it and nurture it. Who knows? It may lead to actual happiness. :)
***********
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Setting Goals
I've been taking a class over the past month that included a lecture on setting goals. The writer's group I belong to also makes an issue about setting goals. But I've noticed in the the group, the goals have gotten more vague. Instead of saying "I will write two pages a day", we hedge and say "I will write the equivalent of two pages a day" or "I will work on my manuscript" or "I will try to submit more". And yes, these are goals, but they aren't concrete ones. All the books I've read and lectures I've heard on setting goals urge you to set concrete ones.
So what is a concrete goal? It's something that is quantifiable and attainable. It is something within your control. Setting a goal like "I will get published this year" is not a good goal because you don't control it (unless you plan to self-publish and that's a whole 'nother issue.). But setting a goal of a thousand words a day is a good one - first because it's quantifiable. It is concrete in that you can count the words and know how many you have and how many you need to go. It is attainable because it is within your control. You're the one who has to sit down and do the work. It is not dependent on other people in order to finish it.
Setting concrete goals is a good thing and something we all need to strive for, but I've also found over the years that we need to be flexible. For instance, my goal this month was to write fifty pages of new work on my current work-in-progress. In the meantime, I got a revision letter from a publisher - a rejection, but with suggestions for revisions and an invitation to resubmit. So... do I stick to my plan and write my fifty pages, or do I pull out the other manuscript and work on revisions? Actually, I've been doing both. But I admit, I am working more on the revisions. After all, I'm not an idiot. Having a "possible" sale is better than none at all. :)
So, what are your goals?
*********
"Good books are the warehouses of ideas." - H.G. Wells
So what is a concrete goal? It's something that is quantifiable and attainable. It is something within your control. Setting a goal like "I will get published this year" is not a good goal because you don't control it (unless you plan to self-publish and that's a whole 'nother issue.). But setting a goal of a thousand words a day is a good one - first because it's quantifiable. It is concrete in that you can count the words and know how many you have and how many you need to go. It is attainable because it is within your control. You're the one who has to sit down and do the work. It is not dependent on other people in order to finish it.
Setting concrete goals is a good thing and something we all need to strive for, but I've also found over the years that we need to be flexible. For instance, my goal this month was to write fifty pages of new work on my current work-in-progress. In the meantime, I got a revision letter from a publisher - a rejection, but with suggestions for revisions and an invitation to resubmit. So... do I stick to my plan and write my fifty pages, or do I pull out the other manuscript and work on revisions? Actually, I've been doing both. But I admit, I am working more on the revisions. After all, I'm not an idiot. Having a "possible" sale is better than none at all. :)
So, what are your goals?
*********
"Good books are the warehouses of ideas." - H.G. Wells
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Autumn Equinox
Today is the first day of autumn in the northern hemisphere, spring for those in a more southern clime. Here in the north, the air is crisp, the trees starting to change into their fall colors, gardens being put to rest for the winter, clothes changing from light and airy to warm and cozy. It's also time to put away the iced tea and get out the mugs for warmer drinks like cider, chai, cocoa.
And since it is a time of change, I am also changing. I've already taken the first step by channeling my website to this blog instead of trying to keep up with a blog, myspace, facebook, website, and all the other places I'm on. It's a small thing, but it's one less thing to remember to update.
Other changes I'm making - some of them personal that I will not discuss here, but some of them dealing with my writer life. I admit I've been slacking of late. Okay, not if you look at my statistics over the summer, but it feels like slacking to me. So I am working on that by challenging myself to write every day. And to read more books on the craft. And take more classes - like the one I'm currently taking - in order to improve my skills.
But I also want to read more books for fun. I haven't done that in a long time. Oh, I read a lot - but mostly for critiques or reviews or judging or some other reason because I have to. I want to read a book because I want to. But I also know I don't have time to waste on books I don't care for. I just added two books to my "give away" pile because I couldn't get past the first chapter. I loved the blurbs on the back and, for one of them, picked it because she is a favorite author. But there was so much back story and narrative - nothing was happening. They were introducing the characters and setting up the worlds, but in both cases, it was like reading a textbook. "Here is the history of Land A and why the people are the way they are." I was incredibly bored. So without even going further, I added them to my discard pile. A few years ago, I'd have struggled on to find that nugget that I'm sure is there. But not now. I simply don't have the time.
And now I understand what editors and agents go through. The book has to grab me within the first ten pages or I'm not going to continue.
So another change I will be making is checking out my own manuscripts to see if that "nugget" is there in the beginning, and not half-way through.
**********
"A well-composed book is a magic carpet on which we are wafted to a world that we cannot enter in any other way." - Caroline Gordon
And since it is a time of change, I am also changing. I've already taken the first step by channeling my website to this blog instead of trying to keep up with a blog, myspace, facebook, website, and all the other places I'm on. It's a small thing, but it's one less thing to remember to update.
Other changes I'm making - some of them personal that I will not discuss here, but some of them dealing with my writer life. I admit I've been slacking of late. Okay, not if you look at my statistics over the summer, but it feels like slacking to me. So I am working on that by challenging myself to write every day. And to read more books on the craft. And take more classes - like the one I'm currently taking - in order to improve my skills.
But I also want to read more books for fun. I haven't done that in a long time. Oh, I read a lot - but mostly for critiques or reviews or judging or some other reason because I have to. I want to read a book because I want to. But I also know I don't have time to waste on books I don't care for. I just added two books to my "give away" pile because I couldn't get past the first chapter. I loved the blurbs on the back and, for one of them, picked it because she is a favorite author. But there was so much back story and narrative - nothing was happening. They were introducing the characters and setting up the worlds, but in both cases, it was like reading a textbook. "Here is the history of Land A and why the people are the way they are." I was incredibly bored. So without even going further, I added them to my discard pile. A few years ago, I'd have struggled on to find that nugget that I'm sure is there. But not now. I simply don't have the time.
And now I understand what editors and agents go through. The book has to grab me within the first ten pages or I'm not going to continue.
So another change I will be making is checking out my own manuscripts to see if that "nugget" is there in the beginning, and not half-way through.
**********
"A well-composed book is a magic carpet on which we are wafted to a world that we cannot enter in any other way." - Caroline Gordon
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Changes
I am in the process of changing things. One change I am making is the elimination of a separate website. This blog will now be my main website. For me, being web inept and not having mega-funds to continue paying someone to create and update my site, this is much easier, less expensive, and you'll still have access to everything you want to find out about me. :)
So, welcome to my new site. Over the next few weeks, I plan on tweaking things to make it visually more appealing - or at least, I hope to. :)
Give me time. I'm working on it.
I'm also working on my writing. I got a really good "rejection" the other day for a fantasy manuscript I have. According to my writer friends, it's not a rejection, but a revision letter, and I guess it is. In the letter, the editor pointed out what she liked, didn't like, and suggested areas to fix. Then invited me to submit more. So I am going to spend a lot of time over the next few weeks doing major revisions to this manuscript. I'll let you know what happens.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again.
**********
"Books may well be the only true magic." - Alice Hoffman
So, welcome to my new site. Over the next few weeks, I plan on tweaking things to make it visually more appealing - or at least, I hope to. :)
Give me time. I'm working on it.
I'm also working on my writing. I got a really good "rejection" the other day for a fantasy manuscript I have. According to my writer friends, it's not a rejection, but a revision letter, and I guess it is. In the letter, the editor pointed out what she liked, didn't like, and suggested areas to fix. Then invited me to submit more. So I am going to spend a lot of time over the next few weeks doing major revisions to this manuscript. I'll let you know what happens.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again.
**********
"Books may well be the only true magic." - Alice Hoffman
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Disappointments
By now, I had hoped to be dressed and ready to head out to meet up with my best friends and crit partners. We were all going out to a really nice restaurant for the evening to celebrate our accomplishment over the summer. Among the five of us, we wrote a total of 1051 pages of new work and 4623 pages of editing/proofreading/reviewing. And this is only our stuff. It doesn't include crits we did for each other or the judging and reviewing we did for other people.
That's a lot of writing.
And tonight we were going to celebrate.
But I'm not. I've spent the past night and day with a bummed out stomach. So instead of enjoying pan seared scallops and rice pilaf, I'm looking at boiled noodles and gelatin.
Instead of spending an evening laughing and enjoying just being with my friends, I'm sitting here bummed out, depressed and lonely.
So what do I do about it?
I put a good face on it. I take advantage of the time and add to that count of pages written. And pop in a good movie that will make me laugh. And look forward to the next time when we *are* all together again.
And raise my glass (of ginger ale) to the best gang of writers in central Pennsylvania. Have a great time!
**********
"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." Albert Einstein
That's a lot of writing.
And tonight we were going to celebrate.
But I'm not. I've spent the past night and day with a bummed out stomach. So instead of enjoying pan seared scallops and rice pilaf, I'm looking at boiled noodles and gelatin.
Instead of spending an evening laughing and enjoying just being with my friends, I'm sitting here bummed out, depressed and lonely.
So what do I do about it?
I put a good face on it. I take advantage of the time and add to that count of pages written. And pop in a good movie that will make me laugh. And look forward to the next time when we *are* all together again.
And raise my glass (of ginger ale) to the best gang of writers in central Pennsylvania. Have a great time!
**********
"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." Albert Einstein
Thursday, September 11, 2008
New Shelves
Yesterday, the hubby indulged me and purchased the supplies needed to install new shelves in my office. Yes, I already have mega-amounts of shelving - but my book piles keep taking over so I needed more shelves.
We spent part of the morning installing new shelves and I spent part of the afternoon rearranging my fiction books to take advantage of them. As I sit here this morning looking at the rows of now neatly organized (and in alphabetical order by author) books, I am in awe. To me, rows of books that I've read and enjoyed or have to look forward to are the ultimate in comfort.
Over the years, books have done much for me. I've used them to escape when life got me down, to uplift my spirits, to foster the imagination, to make me laugh - and cry. I've learned from them and used them to help others. Some of them, I've read multiple times, others are still waiting for me to open that cover and scan the first page.
When we moved a few years ago, I knew I wouldn't have room for all my books, and donated nearly 1,000 of them to the local library (765 to be exact). It was difficult for me to give up even one, but as I went through them, I realized that most of them were either reference books I would never use or fiction books I had read but had ambivalent feelings about. After that, I determined that if I didn't like a book, I wouldn't keep it just for the sake of keeping a book. And I haven't. Not every reader loves every book. I've given away some books that others have loved and I'm glad to have given them the enjoyment. Most of the ones I donate are ones I received for review. If I don't count them as a favorite, they either go to friends or a library. Right now, I've got two boxes sitting in my office full of books to be donated.
And over 200 on my to-be-read pile! :)
Today, I'll finish organizing the fiction and get started on the non-fiction. That is, if my shoulders hold out. Ouch. :)
************
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
- Agatha Christie
We spent part of the morning installing new shelves and I spent part of the afternoon rearranging my fiction books to take advantage of them. As I sit here this morning looking at the rows of now neatly organized (and in alphabetical order by author) books, I am in awe. To me, rows of books that I've read and enjoyed or have to look forward to are the ultimate in comfort.
Over the years, books have done much for me. I've used them to escape when life got me down, to uplift my spirits, to foster the imagination, to make me laugh - and cry. I've learned from them and used them to help others. Some of them, I've read multiple times, others are still waiting for me to open that cover and scan the first page.
When we moved a few years ago, I knew I wouldn't have room for all my books, and donated nearly 1,000 of them to the local library (765 to be exact). It was difficult for me to give up even one, but as I went through them, I realized that most of them were either reference books I would never use or fiction books I had read but had ambivalent feelings about. After that, I determined that if I didn't like a book, I wouldn't keep it just for the sake of keeping a book. And I haven't. Not every reader loves every book. I've given away some books that others have loved and I'm glad to have given them the enjoyment. Most of the ones I donate are ones I received for review. If I don't count them as a favorite, they either go to friends or a library. Right now, I've got two boxes sitting in my office full of books to be donated.
And over 200 on my to-be-read pile! :)
Today, I'll finish organizing the fiction and get started on the non-fiction. That is, if my shoulders hold out. Ouch. :)
************
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
- Agatha Christie
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Contests
Yesterday, I ranted about the scores I got from a contest judge who just didn't "get it". Last night, I received a judging packet from a group I forgot I agreed to be a judge for. Oops.
Let me preface this by saying I've done judging for years. I took workshops in how to be a judge and have looked at contests from both perspectives - as a judge and as a contestant. As such, I try to temper my comments and make them at least somewhat useful to the reader. I give them a lot of thought and spend a lot of time on them, even though I know most entrants won't even read them. They'll look at the final score and toss the rest.
So as I sat down to look at the first manuscript last night, what was uppermost in my mind? Yep. That judge who didn't get it. I didn't think about all the good scores I got. Just that one bad one. And I determined that I wouldn't be that judge.
Unfortunately, the manuscript I was reading was not ready for prime time. And I did get it. The basis of the story was okay, it was the technique that was below par. There were glaring spelling errors on nearly every page, grammatical errors that were elementary, point of view problems, cliches and more. Yes, the kernel of a story was in there, but making it past the mechanics of the pages was more than a little difficult. As much as I hated to do so, I was forced to give below normal scores, though I did go into great detail as to why I did so. Even though I was justified and can even quantify my response, I know this person won't care about that. All she'll see is the score and rant that the judge just didn't get it.
Kind of puts things into perspective.
************
This is for writers yet to be published who think the uphill climb will never end. Keep believing. This is also for published writers grown jaded by the process. Remember how lucky you are."
- Terry Brooks
Let me preface this by saying I've done judging for years. I took workshops in how to be a judge and have looked at contests from both perspectives - as a judge and as a contestant. As such, I try to temper my comments and make them at least somewhat useful to the reader. I give them a lot of thought and spend a lot of time on them, even though I know most entrants won't even read them. They'll look at the final score and toss the rest.
So as I sat down to look at the first manuscript last night, what was uppermost in my mind? Yep. That judge who didn't get it. I didn't think about all the good scores I got. Just that one bad one. And I determined that I wouldn't be that judge.
Unfortunately, the manuscript I was reading was not ready for prime time. And I did get it. The basis of the story was okay, it was the technique that was below par. There were glaring spelling errors on nearly every page, grammatical errors that were elementary, point of view problems, cliches and more. Yes, the kernel of a story was in there, but making it past the mechanics of the pages was more than a little difficult. As much as I hated to do so, I was forced to give below normal scores, though I did go into great detail as to why I did so. Even though I was justified and can even quantify my response, I know this person won't care about that. All she'll see is the score and rant that the judge just didn't get it.
Kind of puts things into perspective.
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This is for writers yet to be published who think the uphill climb will never end. Keep believing. This is also for published writers grown jaded by the process. Remember how lucky you are."
- Terry Brooks
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Ups and Downs
I can't believe it's been nearly a month since I last posted. I have to get better than that. Let's see, in the past few weeks, I've gotten a full time job - a temp that was supposed to last 1-3 months. It didn't. It lasted two weeks. Main reason is they have a regular employee returning who needs light duty and since my job was the only "light" duty job available... Plus I was almost too efficent. I finished over half the job in less than two weeks. But they asked if I'd be willing to come back when needed and I agreed. It was a boring job, but with good music on my MP3 player, not too bad.
The other thing that happened was yesterday. I got my scores back from a contest I entered. One set of scores for my fantasy story has me really upset. The highest possible score was a 7. From two judges, I received 5's and 6's. The third one gave me mostly 2's. Why? According to her notes, she "hates historicals" and she didn't understand what I meant when I talked about the main character's "power". HUH???? It's a high fantasy story set in a medieval world. It is NOT a historical. And it's a fantasy! People have paranormal powers in fantasies. To say I was upset would be a massive understatement.
On the good side, I am currently taking two on-line classes and getting a lot out of them. They do take a lot of time - reading the lectures and doing the homework - but they are definitely worth the price.
Hopefully they'll help me out of this writing funk I've been in of late (which was not helped by that judge!).
*********
"Believe in yourself and in your own voice, because there will be times in this business when you will be the only one who does. Take heart from the knowledge that an author with a strong voice will often have trouble at the start of his or her career because strong, distinctive voices sometimes make editors nervous. But in the end, only the strong survive."
- Jayne Ann Krentz
The other thing that happened was yesterday. I got my scores back from a contest I entered. One set of scores for my fantasy story has me really upset. The highest possible score was a 7. From two judges, I received 5's and 6's. The third one gave me mostly 2's. Why? According to her notes, she "hates historicals" and she didn't understand what I meant when I talked about the main character's "power". HUH???? It's a high fantasy story set in a medieval world. It is NOT a historical. And it's a fantasy! People have paranormal powers in fantasies. To say I was upset would be a massive understatement.
On the good side, I am currently taking two on-line classes and getting a lot out of them. They do take a lot of time - reading the lectures and doing the homework - but they are definitely worth the price.
Hopefully they'll help me out of this writing funk I've been in of late (which was not helped by that judge!).
*********
"Believe in yourself and in your own voice, because there will be times in this business when you will be the only one who does. Take heart from the knowledge that an author with a strong voice will often have trouble at the start of his or her career because strong, distinctive voices sometimes make editors nervous. But in the end, only the strong survive."
- Jayne Ann Krentz
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