Someone in my writing group told me about this, and I've been meaning to submit but haven't yet. Getting a piece ready now!
*pets* Think of it this way... she promised a brick anyway, right, so how bad can a bigger one be?
Let's say on the way back to the station, the detective is ambushed by the bad guys. Don't go through all the getting into the car and driving along - cut to the moment before the ambush happens. Then leave after the ambush is finished - don't show them limping back to the station.
Hi Guys!
Just thought I'd tell you I emailed her my submission on the 27th of March, emailed her on the 5th of April and she emailed me back with the following.
"There's a very long queue and I'm only able to do 1-2 a day. At this time I have to do revisions on a novel due to Tor and so the wait is just getting longer. I will revise my website to reflect the additional delay.
PNE"
Just in case anyone was curious about delays. I am yet to receive mine yet, so it could be a while folks!
She may live to regret this, but P.N. Elrod has just put this page up on her website. She's paying off a big vet bill and doing critiques to raise the money.
She has an honor system in place, you pay what you think it's worth, but the minimum is dirt cheap.
And it helps out her dog. That's pretty cool.
http://www.vampwriter.com/CRITIQUE.htm
She's selling other things to raise money, too. If you're into Doctor Who or buying cover art....
http://www.vampwriter.com/TimeTravel.htm
Her dog's story is at the bottom of that page.
There's a pretty wide gulf in your question. We could spend a long time trying to discuss this.
Easiest thing: go and search for "urban fantasy books" and "literary fiction books" on Amazon. Look at the results. You'll quickly get an idea of what goes where.
Hi! I wondered if anyone who submitted after 27th March has received their feedback from Ms Elrod already?
I just realised that her email could've been shunted under the Promotions tab in Gmail, which I never check! I'm most worried that she sent me her feedback already and she's been awaiting payment, that would be so awkward...
I submitted mine on 4/9 and haven't gotten anything back yet.
I sent mine March 23 and haven't heard back yet
I got really excited that mine is probably near the front of the queue (27 March), so I reread what I'd submitted, and... it's bad. I was quite pleased with it a month ago, how does my writing keep turning to ash?
I've withdrawn my place in the queue, so that's one less person to wait behind ;-)
I hope you change your mind. Really. Pretty much every author I know considers what they wrote a few weeks ago to be crap. You may be right that it's ash, but that's just YOUR judgment. It's worth your time, and the amazingly low price, to get the insight P.N. can provide. Don't fear it or consider it a waste of time "until it's ready." There's never a time when writing is "ready". I would go back and edit everything I've ever written--including those already on the shelf in the store. It's only a matter of practicality that prevents authors from doing so.
Take a deep breath and let the editor work, and accept the advice with the knowledge that it's for the betterment of the book. Write back and revoke the revocation. Take back your place in line and get back to work.
Aw, Cathy! That is amazingly kind of you to say. I'm wibbling a bit here in the corner.
I actually have pretty thick skin and don't think I'd have minded the text being ripped to pieces. But it felt disrespectful to send something that I wasn't pleased with myself to a pro author for critique? It would be a waste of her time...
I've revised my chapter 1, and I think I'm going to post to the YA section of SYW to get some feedback from AWers. And then I'll revise it again and send it to Ms Elrod
Thanks again for your encouraging words!