I had to laugh today. I got some comments back from a friend who was reading MS4, and the first thing he said was that I used so many em-dashes. And this is after I had already purposely pared down! Ha, I do love me some em-dashes, but! Time to go!
The Daily Rejection
- Thread starter Devil Ledbetter
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It's ellipses with me. Most people don't even notice them, but occasionally a reader CP will say I overuse them.
I think it's just my style.
I think it's just my style.
Noranne, I'm pretty heavy with the m-dashes, but I think semicolons are where I really go overboard. I just love me some punctuation, though oddly I don't use very many ellipses.
I love them all: em dashes, ellipses, semicolons. And my recent fling: colons.
Feel free to avert your eyes, Antonin, for a sports comment is coming for my Vancouver friends. Yes, I watched the end of the Caps/Panthers game decided by the record-setting, 20-round shoot-off. Which DC lost, of course--to Luongo, in goal.
Feel free to avert your eyes, Antonin, for a sports comment is coming for my Vancouver friends. Yes, I watched the end of the Caps/Panthers game decided by the record-setting, 20-round shoot-off. Which DC lost, of course--to Luongo, in goal.
I use italics like it's my job. Anything that's a direct thought in my MC's mind, or her reference to an earlier experience goes in italicized. It's my style, but I'll probably have to cut out a lot of it.
I also find myself using the words even, just, back, and mind a lot. I just can't even help myself. No going back. It's the way my mind's wired.
for the R's.
I also find myself using the words even, just, back, and mind a lot. I just can't even help myself. No going back. It's the way my mind's wired.
for the R's.
Well, I was supposed to co-host a cookie exchange last night and I ended up skipping out on my own party bc 5yo was running a fever and Husband was sick in bed. Doin' the Christmas season like a true introvert this year, I guess -- on the couch with a cup of tea and a book.
Eliza - I know what you mean about personalization feeling stalkerish. "You said once on twitter two years ago that you like this TV show and my MS has some of the same elements"
JJ - Yeah, but I think the amount of research is different. If you're trying to personalize, you often really have to dig deep to find some connecting point.
krash - WOOOO for a first draft!! Is this a sequel/series one, or a new project?
Carleree - Rs on fulls are really painful. :hugs:
Eliza - I know what you mean about personalization feeling stalkerish. "You said once on twitter two years ago that you like this TV show and my MS has some of the same elements"
JJ - Yeah, but I think the amount of research is different. If you're trying to personalize, you often really have to dig deep to find some connecting point.
krash - WOOOO for a first draft!! Is this a sequel/series one, or a new project?
Carleree - Rs on fulls are really painful. :hugs:
I use italics like it's my job. Anything that's a direct thought in my MC's mind, or her reference to an earlier experience goes in italicized. It's my style, but I'll probably have to cut out a lot of it.
I also find myself using the words even, just, back, and mind a lot. I just can't even help myself. No going back. It's the way my mind's wired.
Oh, mind you, I really just like italics, even if I overdo them.
Well, I am. You are the one with poop in your avatar
Thanks for the hugs. And the treats. And the wine.
To quote the offending agent: "I greatly admire your determination but your novel misses on many levels."
And now you know why I needed the treats and wine and hugs.
To quote the offending agent: "I greatly admire your determination but your novel misses on many levels."
And now you know why I needed the treats and wine and hugs.
Ouch.Thanks for the hugs. And the treats. And the wine.
To quote the offending agent: "I greatly admire your determination but your novel misses on many levels."
And now you know why I needed the treats and wine and hugs.
Allofthe hugs and treats and wine
that doesn't sound like productive criticism at all
Ouch. I much prefer when they recognize that taste is subjective. You were a PW mentee, for goddess' sake. Your novel couldn't miss on many levels.
Have some chocolate, too.
Have some chocolate, too.
I have a book of bad classical music reviews that I look at from time to time for comfort.
Here's one of my favorites:
“Beethoven’s Second Symphony is a crass monster, a hideously writhing wounded dragon, that refuses to expire, and though bleeding in the Finale, furiously beats about with its tail erect.”
—Zeitung für die Elegente Welt, Vienna, May 1804
People can be wrong. Write on!
Here's one of my favorites:
“Beethoven’s Second Symphony is a crass monster, a hideously writhing wounded dragon, that refuses to expire, and though bleeding in the Finale, furiously beats about with its tail erect.”
—Zeitung für die Elegente Welt, Vienna, May 1804
People can be wrong. Write on!
That hurt me just from reading it.
On the bright side, do you really want such an insensitive agent? I mean, if it missed, then either detail where the problems lie, or send a polite form rejection.
Words like that make me wonder who pissed in her egg nog spiced latte that morning.
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Thanks for the hugs. And the treats. And the wine.
To quote the offending agent: "I greatly admire your determination but your novel misses on many levels."
And now you know why I needed the treats and wine and hugs.
WOW. That just seems unnecessarily harsh. Did the agent detail what those many levels are? Because if not, there is nothing productive you can take away from that.
So sorry. Treats, wine, and hugs from me too!
Or read this for a highly educational shredding of a famous (in his time) author by Mark Twain.
http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/projects/rissetto/offense.html
At once it's very funny, informative, and a downright nasty takedown of another author's body of work.
The summary at the end where Twain complains that a critic once called Deerslayer a work of art.
"A work of art? It has no invention; it has no order, system, sequence, or result; it has no lifelikeness, no thrill, no stir, no seeming of reality; its characters are confusedly drawn, and by their acts and words they prove that they are not the sort of people the author claims that they are; its humor is pathetic; its pathos is funny; its conversations are -- oh! indescribable; its love-scenes odious; its English a crime against the language.
Counting these out, what is left is Art. I think we must all admit that."
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Thanks for the hugs. And the treats. And the wine.
To quote the offending agent: "I greatly admire your determination but your novel misses on many levels."
And now you know why I needed the treats and wine and hugs.
Geez, that is awful feedback. Did they at least give you an idea of what they meant?
As others have mentioned, it's probably good you didn't end up with that agent; it would be worse if such issues arose in the future.
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Wendy, it's the book version of the kidlit flash fiction piece.
Carleree, one day someone will ask you what your worst rejection was and you'll be able to laugh about it, then head off to your book signing.
Carleree, one day someone will ask you what your worst rejection was and you'll be able to laugh about it, then head off to your book signing.
Shandy summed up exactly what I thought—unnecessarily harsh. There's no need to get nasty about it.
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Gawd, Carly, that's an awful R. But he was right about one thing: your determination is strong and will bring you through.
I'm getting nothing done except making cookie dough. One is really not supposed to eat that stuff, right? Um . . . .
(the use of ellipses is for DJ)
I'm getting nothing done except making cookie dough. One is really not supposed to eat that stuff, right? Um . . . .
(the use of ellipses is for DJ)
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