I hear what you are saying, but I just know I could do certain things better, and sometimes I get frustrated when I feel like I'm not improving enough.
The No News is No News Purgatory Thread, Volume 8
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I hear what you are saying, but I just know I could do certain things better, and sometimes I get frustrated when I feel like I'm not improving enough.
amarie, i feel you.
i'm getting critted on my rough draft,
and i felt that srb did the tensions between
jared and kami just right and so deftly.
i really need to work on my character
interactions as well on this sequel.
but i think there is always room for
improvement the more we write!
i'm getting critted on my rough draft,
and i felt that srb did the tensions between
jared and kami just right and so deftly.
i really need to work on my character
interactions as well on this sequel.
but i think there is always room for
improvement the more we write!
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Hugs to Sunna, Sammy, and Kel. (Also, Mrs. Brommers, if you are lurking hope you and yours are on the mend.)
I just had to renew my license photo after 8 years, and my hair is so much longer now. Eight years ago I'd just had my son, my daughter was three, I had horses and was freelancing much more. I went to a chain salon and told them to take it to above my ears, and they did. It stayed that way for about five years, and I've gradually been growing it out since then.
Also, never had gray hair until my son started running. I know it's probably just my age, but I SWEAR part of it is his fault.
Past college, I've mostly liked every decade, although this one is going by too fast...
I just had to renew my license photo after 8 years, and my hair is so much longer now. Eight years ago I'd just had my son, my daughter was three, I had horses and was freelancing much more. I went to a chain salon and told them to take it to above my ears, and they did. It stayed that way for about five years, and I've gradually been growing it out since then.
Also, never had gray hair until my son started running. I know it's probably just my age, but I SWEAR part of it is his fault.
Past college, I've mostly liked every decade, although this one is going by too fast...
That's the name of the game.
I've been losing mass quantities hair with this pregnancy. I'm positive it will all grow back gray.
Nervous about agent subbing my outline/chapters to the editor. I think he's doing it today, and who knows how long it will take to get a thumbs up or down from her?! He thinks we have a pretty good chance with this, but the question is really about her whole list, which is primarily romance. She decided to step out of her comfort zone for my first book - so will she do it again? We'll see.
I'm also sort of wondering what to expect in terms of an offer, if I do get one. Has anyone here signed a contract for a second book before the first came out? I don't know whether I should expect less money because they don't have any sales figures on my first book, the same amount, or more because I'm staying with them.
That's the name of the game.
I'm also sort of wondering what to expect in terms of an offer, if I do get one. Has anyone here signed a contract for a second book before the first came out? I don't know whether I should expect less money because they don't have any sales figures on my first book, the same amount, or more because I'm staying with them.
You should expect more, but not a lot more. From their perspective, if they offer you a little more, it will encourage you to stay with them, and then if the first book does really well, they haven't had to make a hugh upfront investment in the second.
Good luck on the sub, Jo! No answers though.
Dee and Xiao, my fear of not being good enough to write the stories I want to tell has really stopped me lately. I have a story I want to read -- I just need to get somebody better to write it. Oh, and fill all the outline plot holes.
Dee and Xiao, my fear of not being good enough to write the stories I want to tell has really stopped me lately. I have a story I want to read -- I just need to get somebody better to write it. Oh, and fill all the outline plot holes.
kell, well, if i've learned anything
in my short stint as novelist, it is that
we, as writers, are our own worst enemies.
and fear is one of the most detrimental.
i also believe in the gut and am intuitive
as a writer. always like to challenge myself
but know when something is beyond my reach
as a writer at the moment. i think i can expand
Blue Skies to a full novel length. i'm not sure
if or when i'll ever be ready for the pre cultural
revolution historical set in china i'd love to write
inspired by my maternal grandparents' romance.
in my short stint as novelist, it is that
we, as writers, are our own worst enemies.
and fear is one of the most detrimental.
i also believe in the gut and am intuitive
as a writer. always like to challenge myself
but know when something is beyond my reach
as a writer at the moment. i think i can expand
Blue Skies to a full novel length. i'm not sure
if or when i'll ever be ready for the pre cultural
revolution historical set in china i'd love to write
inspired by my maternal grandparents' romance.
Writing historical (fact-based or fantasy) has always been a writerly fantasy of mine, but it's sooooo intimidating! I get so lost in the details and too afraid I'm going to get a bunch of stuff wrong and people are gonna laugh at me. I have huge admiration for historical fiction writers.
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Jo, my CP sold her second on 3 chapters + syn a few weeks ago, and she got a pretty healthy bump from her first advance, but she's also had a ton of foreign rights sold, etc, so I think stuff like that figures in. Good luck though
eta: my fears - I'm in general, completely unqualified to write anything I've ever written, so I suppose my fear is people figuring that out. Although I usually end up getting praised on that stuff and rejected for other reasons, so hah
eta: my fears - I'm in general, completely unqualified to write anything I've ever written, so I suppose my fear is people figuring that out. Although I usually end up getting praised on that stuff and rejected for other reasons, so hah
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kellion, that's the reason I wrote my religious horror. I wanted to read a book like that, and no one had written it. There may have been a reason for that. I haven't sold it yet.
I've always loved Sophocles' The Orestiad, and to a much lesser extent, O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra. Last year I ran my own retelling idea past The Agent, and he said to go for it.
I started it, but got sidetracked by YA revisions and the steamy paranormal he told me to write. My Orestiad is calling me seductively still. I have to placate it every now and again. the research alone was 
, but for a gal who loves research, that = 
I've always loved Sophocles' The Orestiad, and to a much lesser extent, O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra. Last year I ran my own retelling idea past The Agent, and he said to go for it.
I started it, but got sidetracked by YA revisions and the steamy paranormal he told me to write. My Orestiad is calling me seductively still. I have to placate it every now and again. the research alone was , but for a gal who loves research, that =
rab, what makes you think you're unqualified?
like your heroine is a policeman and you've done
no research at all? you lack platform? or is it
the actual prose?
jo, me too. i can write historical like fantasy fine,
but not a straight historical.
like your heroine is a policeman and you've done
no research at all? you lack platform? or is it
the actual prose?
jo, me too. i can write historical like fantasy fine,
but not a straight historical.
My fantasy is to write a historical drama/romance/bromance about Alexander Hamilton. This is not going to happen any time in the near future because every time I start into the research I instantly find myself WAY over my head. I'd basically have to turn myself into a revolutionary war historian, and... er... yeah. I like reading nonfic about the subject though.
I can do historical but I'm dragging my heals on writing the sequel to my sp book, because for the ones I've done, it's so much harder and all-consuming than other kinds of writing. I know I'd have to make a commitment to concentrate on it and nothing else for a certain number of months. My brain is tired just thinking about it.
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I know it won't work if you know nothing at all about the scene, but I get bogged down by research and never actually write so I have to keep writing and fill it with (check if they had horses, would she call him that, what hair would she have?) to fill it at my leisure but then I do love doing a big researching splurge without feeling bad that I should be writing.
23 is good, I'm 23 on Saturday (and I'm seeing Wicked in London squee)!
but then I do love doing a big researching splurge without feeling bad that I should be writing.23 is good, I'm 23 on Saturday (and I'm seeing Wicked in London squee)!
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Writing historical (fact-based or fantasy) has always been a writerly fantasy of mine, but it's sooooo intimidating! I get so lost in the details and too afraid I'm going to get a bunch of stuff wrong and people are gonna laugh at me. I have huge admiration for historical fiction writers.
I love writing historical fiction. But sometimes I wonder why I make a rod for my own back. The WIP is set in a place and time where there's not a great deal of solid information. For instance, one source says that a Russian fort on the Caspian Sea had been abandoned temporarily, at the time when I needed it to be there, and another source said it was operational. So I'm going with the second, especially as it's in a very well researched book.
I also love editing historical fiction, especially the fact checking.
i'm gobsmacked by all the new
baby 20 somethings on thread. haha!
lily pie, you'll get to it! sounds intriguing!
baby 20 somethings on thread. haha!
lily pie, you'll get to it! sounds intriguing!
Cake. happy birthday - we'll be the same age 
23 is not bad. I am dreading 24 in the spring. (and LOL at xiaothan on the age stuff here ) The only weird thing is I can still pass for 17. I get carded all the time......... I once had someone ask me if I was excited to start high school recently (I guess I also look 13?? )
I HATE QUERYING!! I sent 4 queries out this weekend and it's Monday, why have you not all offered me rep?? I'm kidding of course but its just sooo slow. It doesn't help R&R agent has the flu (learned this *after* I sent my ms)....she's wanted it for MONTHS &of course the week I choose to send she is sick in bed. *tears hair out*
Love learning about book deals and offers and all that on here. Thats why AW is such a great place to me.
Re: historical fiction...Since hs, I've been doing research on the Fitzgeralds (Zelda and Scott) and I really really want to write a upper YA about them. I'm still on debate what to do w/years of research!
23 is not bad. I am dreading 24 in the spring. (and LOL at xiaothan on the age stuff here ) The only weird thing is I can still pass for 17. I get carded all the time......... I once had someone ask me if I was excited to start high school recently (I guess I also look 13?? )I HATE QUERYING!! I sent 4 queries out this weekend and it's Monday, why have you not all offered me rep?? I'm kidding of course but its just sooo slow. It doesn't help R&R agent has the flu (learned this *after* I sent my ms)....she's wanted it for MONTHS &of course the week I choose to send she is sick in bed. *tears hair out*
Love learning about book deals and offers and all that on here. Thats why AW is such a great place to me.
Re: historical fiction...Since hs, I've been doing research on the Fitzgeralds (Zelda and Scott) and I really really want to write a upper YA about them. I'm still on debate what to do w/years of research!
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*flops into purgatory*
Home sick today with stomach bug. Checked my work email, and we're getting a full review of my department, since it has not been reviewed in five years. I'm the head of the department, and now I have to gather all of our stats in the next two weeks. My stomach pains just got worse.
*flops*
ETA: Happy Birthday, Cake!
Home sick today with stomach bug. Checked my work email, and we're getting a full review of my department, since it has not been reviewed in five years. I'm the head of the department, and now I have to gather all of our stats in the next two weeks. My stomach pains just got worse.
*flops*
ETA: Happy Birthday, Cake!
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Yeah, more or less. The last one was a lawyer and a war journalist, I don't speak legal or journalist. Before that was a soldier and an artist, a priest, etc. (Although my first heroine ever was a slightly slutty headcase trying to figure out her twenties - her, I had down pretty good
) Now, if I ever get a novel idea about a GirlNerd turned writer who spends her time either commuting, avoiding her boss's meltdowns, and chasing after six year olds, dogs, and cats, I'll be all set
For the record, the book I'm not-writing now is a historical set in Soviet Russia. So Fire, I feel your pain.
rab, but if you do your research,
i think it's basically part of the job.
having platform like rick does is fantastic--
but i don't think it should limit our scope
as writers!
smiley, y'all are totally babies! =D
snappy, feel better. =(
i think it's basically part of the job.
having platform like rick does is fantastic--
but i don't think it should limit our scope
as writers!
smiley, y'all are totally babies! =D
snappy, feel better. =(
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Becky, I didn't know a thing about PIs, stalking, phone tracing, modern surveillance, pipe bombs, guns, etc. etc. when I started my mystery series. I researched like crazy and tapped into AW's experts--and some meatspace experts too.
Go for it!
Go for it!
Yeah, more or less. The last one was a lawyer and a war journalist, I don't speak legal or journalist. Before that was a soldier and an artist, a priest, etc. (Although my first heroine ever was a slightly slutty headcase trying to figure out her twenties - her, I had down pretty good
Now, if I ever get a novel idea about a GirlNerd turned writer who spends her time either commuting, avoiding her boss's meltdowns, and chasing after six year olds, dogs, and cats, I'll be all set
I am shameless about pulling elements from my own life (and lives of people I know) into my books. I'm really wondering how people I know are going to look at my book when it comes out. I don't outright copy anything and it's not thinly veiled bio or anything like that - it's more like, "Hm, a pinch of mom, dash of childhood friend, cup of research, mix it around, and voila! Story!"
This is why I am always stalking people who do interesting things, though. I totally collect life experiences. And use them for my own nefarious purposes.
So yeah. Get to know me at your own risk.
I don't know anything about anything, but I don't let that put me off writing.
Yep, count me in this crowd.
(To clarify: There are plenty of other things I do allow to put me off writing. This just isn't one of them.
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