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mary rosenblum
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Hello all.
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mary rosenblum
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Welcome to our Friday Forum.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I'm answering novel questions,
tonight. I've published seven novels (number eight will be out this year) ,
more than 60 short stories, and will do my best to answer any questions you
have. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send
bar if that works better for you..
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mary rosenblum
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Well, you all had a choice
tonight of either not having a forum, or having a forum with me doing a
certain amount of drugs...so if I'm a bit...
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mary rosenblum
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dyslexic tonight, forgive me.
A routine medical procedure had some unforseen complications!
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info
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Is there a general rule of thumb
regarding physical age and description when nothing comes to mind regarding
characters
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mary rosenblum
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I thik that if nothing comes
to mind, info, you need to stop for a bit and thing about that character
before you proceed..
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mary rosenblum
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That person really needs to be
a very real person to you...if she is 110% real to you, you'll get 90% real
to the reader and that is very good.
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mary rosenblum
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So if she's not real enough
that you can see her, live with her...or him!...some more.
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mary rosenblum
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Go through magazines and find
someone who suddenly clicks.
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mary rosenblum
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I've done that at times...
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mary rosenblum
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found a picture that really
typified that character to me.
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mary rosenblum
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If this is just a 'spear
carrier' it's not so important.
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mary rosenblum
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But if it's your main
character, take some time to create that person for yourself.
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mary rosenblum
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Collecting interesting people
pictures is a good practice. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Throw them all in a file
somewhere and take them out when you're creating a new character.
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mary rosenblum
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Go through them and see if a
face leaps out at you.
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beryl
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I've used picturequest.com with
specs woman, thirites and had great results...found friends for her, too.
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, cool, beryl!
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mary rosenblum
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I suppose you could do
google's image search, too.
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mary rosenblum
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Gee, I hadn't thought about
that. Duh.
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mary rosenblum
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Of course that's a GREAT way
to waste an hour...tracking down cool characters. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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But it'll pay off in the end.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I'm answering novel questions,
tonight. I've published seven novels (number eight will be out this year) ,
more than 60 short stories, and will do my best to answer any questions you
have. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send
bar if that works better for you..
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mary rosenblum
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A writer friend of mine, Joan
Vinge, recreates her office every time she begins a novel.
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mary rosenblum
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She finds pictures of landscape,
people, buildings, creates CDs of music that fits the story...
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mary rosenblum
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essentially redecorates! :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Her walls are covered!
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megger
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Picturequest. What a great idea!
I'm hoping that works for various eras in history, too.
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mary rosenblum
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It sounds cool.
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mary rosenblum
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Someone want to send me a
review for the website?
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mary rosenblum
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I'll post it.
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mary rosenblum
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If you don't have an actual
picture of your character..
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mary rosenblum
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at least describe that person
in detail in your character file.
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mary rosenblum
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You would be AMAZED at how
many readers will notice that the blue eyed character...
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mary rosenblum
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has gray eyes on page 211!
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mary rosenblum
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Fortunately I have a reader
who has very keen eyes for this.
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beryl
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I'm already sold, someone else
may want to, but I would love to add my two cents worth.
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, please, send me the
review! You can send it to maryrsn@comcast.net and just put LR in the
subject line somewhere.
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megger
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I've sent books back to
publishers with highlighted passages where facts aren't in sync.
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mary rosenblum
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Good for you. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Now you can start hiring
yourself out as a copy editor.
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megger
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No kidding! I've gotten free
books and a job offer!
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mary rosenblum
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See? I told you?
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mary rosenblum
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The supply of good copy
editors is not big.
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mary rosenblum
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It takes a certain type of
person to see those flaws rather than simply getting lost in the story.
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mary rosenblum
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Well, this is a 'bring your
novel question' night.
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mary rosenblum
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All novel related questions
are welcome...marketing, agents, plot, characters, etc.
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wingedwarrior24
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Is the novel course out already?
Where do I sign up?
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mary rosenblum
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It is, winged. Right now, it's
only open to students who have graduated from the LR short fiction
courses...
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mary rosenblum
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but as soon as they come up
with a test, they'll open it up.
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mary rosenblum
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It requires a reasonably solid
grasp of craft...it's all about novel, not about how to do show, don't
tell, etc.
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beryl
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I attended a seminar where the
author said--when you're new, NEVER try to get an agent if your book isn't
finished. She did that, they were interested and she couldn't produce fast
enough and lost the deal.
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mary rosenblum
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That's usually good advice,
beryl.
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mary rosenblum
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Although I have known agents
who really thought a novel had a GREAT chance at being a major seller...
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mary rosenblum
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to be willing to wait or to
ask for rewrites.
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mary rosenblum
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But that doesn't happen often.
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mary rosenblum
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Even if an agent presents it,
a publisher won't make a deal until you finish a draft.
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mary rosenblum
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For every 100 people who START
novels, only a handful FINISH novels!
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dwkav
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does the school send an
invitation to students who have graduated?
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wingedwarrior24
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I just got my last assignment
back, when will I have the chance to enroll
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megger
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Does "Breaking into
Print" qualify for an LR short fiction course, Mary?
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, that does indeed qualify
you, megger. So does the shorter course.
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mary rosenblum
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And they will indeed send you
an invite automatically, as long as your instructor as indicated...
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mary rosenblum
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that you could handle an
advanced course. Which I suspect they have, in both your cases.
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mary rosenblum
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I KNOW in yours, megger. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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If you don't hear, you can
call Student Services.
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mary rosenblum
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Stuff does get lost in the
mail, and I don't know how quickly they send it out after your last
assignment.
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mary rosenblum
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Eventually, they'll have a
writing test for the course, and an alternative 'craft' course for people
to take...
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mary rosenblum
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whose skills aren't really
well developed enough for the novel course yet.
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drunes
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How about the Children's side, I
graduated from there, not L
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mary rosenblum
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I believe they're taking grads
from there, too, drunes. I have a couple of ICL graduate students.
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wingedwarrior24
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how many teachers are dedicated
to the novel course?
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mary rosenblum
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There aren't that many.. I
think seven? Can't recall. They're only using instructors who are novelists
and wanted to teach the course.
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mary rosenblum
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They'll be hiring new novel
instructors.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I'm answering novel questions,
tonight. I've published seven novels (number eight will be out this year) ,
more than 60 short stories, and will do my best to answer any questions you
have. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send
bar if that works better for you..
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janecj333
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I was reading at miss snark's
blog after hearing it recommended (was that you, Speck?). The blogger is an
agent. One of her problems with novel manuscripts is that the writing may
be good, but they're 'nothing special' as she called it. I'm wondering what
to make of her observation.
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mary rosenblum
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Yeah, I've looked at Miss
Snark. There's a nother one or two out there, too.
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mary rosenblum
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My opinion is that you
shouldn't take her opinions as general. From what I see, she's stating
opinions that are rather limited in scope. Some are perfectly good
comments...
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mary rosenblum
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and some are pretty much her
opinion.
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mary rosenblum
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A couple of junior editors
have blogs out, too. Again, you're getting some limited opinion at times,
cast as gospel.
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mary rosenblum
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Remember...there are a LOT of
publishers, agents, and editors out there..
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mary rosenblum
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and not one of them knows
everything about this vast, multilayered, and complex business...
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mary rosenblum
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so when someone starts using
sweeping statements, shake some salt on it.
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speckledorf
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The brochure I have lists ten
instructors:--)
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mary rosenblum
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Ah, thank you. told you I was
on drugs, LOL. No memory.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I'm answering novel questions,
tonight. I've published seven novels (number eight will be out this year) ,
more than 60 short stories, and will do my best to answer any questions you
have. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send
bar if that works better for you..
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mary rosenblum
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One thing to keep in mind with
novel.
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mary rosenblum
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It is a very widely held
belief that the idea is all you need, that if it's good enough, an editor
will fix...
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mary rosenblum
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everything that needs fixing.
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mary rosenblum
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Realize that is not true. :-)
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janecj333
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However, if one agent is looking
for something 'special', it makes me want to decipher what that quality is.
Now, if you say 'good writing' again, it's gonna be an echo. :)
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mary rosenblum
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I am going to say good
writing, Jane.
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mary rosenblum
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It is a VERY bad idea to try
and guess what ONE person wants and stake an entire novel on it.
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mary rosenblum
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If the novel is written, send
it to her.
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mary rosenblum
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But don't try to write FOR
someone.
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mary rosenblum
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The market changes SO fast,
the 'wants and don't wants' change SO fast...
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mary rosenblum
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that you will ALWAYS be
behind.
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mary rosenblum
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You are much better off to
improve your craft, write more and better, than to focus on writing FOR any
one agent, editor, or publisher.
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mary rosenblum
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If they don't want it now,
they may want it in a few years, and meanwhile, you have written and
hopefully sold other books.
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dwkav
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I've been checking out the NY
Times list of bestsellers to try and get an idea of what the public
considers "special." Is this a good idea, or am I wasting my
time?
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dwkav
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BTW, I've researched the last 10
years, not just last week. :o)
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mary rosenblum
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noo!! Again, while this will
give you the long term buying habits of the public...
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mary rosenblum
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you are selling to future
trends, not past trends.
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mary rosenblum
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Pick something you think is
really strong, focus on it, and make it really wonderful.
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mary rosenblum
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That has always been the best
bet for success.
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speckledorf
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As writers we (or most of us)
want to be published and get that critical acclaim. Yet we are told to
write the novel of our heart and not to write for the market. Is there a
way to balance the desire for publication vs. writing the novel we love?
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, there are.
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mary rosenblum
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Because that advice can be
misleading. It's a bit broad.
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mary rosenblum
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First of all: How do you want
to be published? Do you care?
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mary rosenblum
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If the answer to that is 'no',
publish it yourself or with iUniverse, and sell it through amazon.com
and/or iUniverse's website...
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mary rosenblum
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and on consignment in
bookstores. You will be published, you will get some money for your
book...depending on sales.
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mary rosenblum
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No rejections, no editor, you
do it your way.
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mary rosenblum
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Your promotion will sell it or
not.
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mary rosenblum
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If you want the NY
advance/royalty package, then what you write has to fit broadly into one of
the publishing niches.
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mary rosenblum
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You need to be able to roughly
call it mystery, mainstream, SF, romance, what have you...
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mary rosenblum
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and you are very well advised
to write in a genre you read, because that makes you an expert on...
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mary rosenblum
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what NY thinks is 'mystery,
SF, etc'.
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mary rosenblum
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If it does not fit comfortably
in those market niches...
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mary rosenblum
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it crosses genres, it appeals
strongly to a narrow audience...
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mary rosenblum
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research the small press
publishers.
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mary rosenblum
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They don't pay an advance,
generally, but they take more risks than NY and they have better
distribution than you will have yourself...
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mary rosenblum
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although you'll still be
expected to promote.
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beryl
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It seems one of the most
important things we can do is be real...in the sense that emotionally it is
perceived as real. Would that be right?
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mary rosenblum
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Absolutely, beryl. That is THE
most important thing, more important even than 'new'.
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mary rosenblum
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The slush is full of flat
books that read like summaries.
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wingedwarrior24
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I saw before something about a
shorter course at LR. Can you explain?
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mary rosenblum
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They have an eight assignment
version of the Breaking into Print that does not take you as far.
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mary rosenblum
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You do short fiction or
nonfiction, but you don't get to do longer pieces and you don't work toward
publication.
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wingedwarrior24
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is it easier to get published in
the childrens market?
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mary rosenblum
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No, not at all.
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mary rosenblum
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It's at least equally
difficult.
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megger
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Isn't that just a unique spin on
an aspect of the character or twist of plot that no one's done in a while,
if ever?
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mary rosenblum
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Sure.
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mary rosenblum
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Or it just 'works' better.
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mary rosenblum
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Lots of 'wizard school' books
have been published pre-HP.
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mary rosenblum
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It just caught on...right
time, right place.
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mary rosenblum
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Editors know about that 'brass
ring factor'.
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mary rosenblum
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Nothing new in HP...that's why
she got rejected so often, I suspect.
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mary rosenblum
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But look how it worked!
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janecj333
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I think about big sellers like
Silence of the Lambs and The Stand, and I want to say that publishers are
looking for the absurd, the bizarre, and that while I try to build novelty
and interesting ideas into my novels, I wonder if it's enough.
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mary rosenblum
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You're generalizing again,
Jane.
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mary rosenblum
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You really can't do that.
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mary rosenblum
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The editor who thought Silence
or The Stand might now think that anything even close to that...
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mary rosenblum
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will be eclipsed by them. You
just don't know.
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mary rosenblum
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You can drive yourself nuts
trying to second guess publishing.
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mary rosenblum
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The best thing to do is to
come up with a novel plot that you would pay 25 bucks to read in a
heartbeat.
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mary rosenblum
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It is SO strong, it has SUCH
cool characters, it is SUCH a great plot.
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mary rosenblum
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And then have a wonderful time
creating it...
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mary rosenblum
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hand it off to good readers
and get their reactions...
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mary rosenblum
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act on them as much or little
as you feel works...
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mary rosenblum
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and when it seems finished,
try selling it.
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mary rosenblum
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Soon as it's out the door or
the queries to the agents are in the mail...
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mary rosenblum
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start working on the next
book.
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mary rosenblum
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Even better, think up the next
book while this one is in progress.
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mary rosenblum
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Hey, if it never sells...and
to be honest, very few writers overall, sell their very first novel...
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mary rosenblum
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it was great writing practice.
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speckledorf
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I've been reading several
agent/editor blogs (in different genres) for the last couple months as
research. One thing they all say in common is "good writing" and
that good writing will stand out above the slush.
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mary rosenblum
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Yep, echo as that begins to
sound, the reason you hear it so often is that IT IS TRUE.
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mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I'm answering novel questions,
tonight. I've published seven novels (number eight will be out this year) ,
more than 60 short stories, and will do my best to answer any questions you
have. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send
bar if that works better for you..
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ltsonya
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my biggest problem with novel
writing is getting to the novel. i want to write fantasy but building my
world is that vast desert i'm trudging through. i love creating characters
and plot but i can never seem to get to them! mary, do you have any
suggestions?
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mary rosenblum
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You know, if building the
world is a slog, maybe you should think about other genres?
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mary rosenblum
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Building a SF or fictional
universe is a LOT of work and the passion of the writer shows. shows
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beryl
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Makes sense, good writing makes
for good reading
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wingedwarrior24
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was one of your first novels
ever rejected? if so did you turn it around later and sell?
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mary rosenblum
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Actually, I ended up not
sending it out, winged. It's a nice idea, but it was my first novel and it
wasn't very good...
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mary rosenblum
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my agent had it, and I was
getting a lot acclaim for my 'Dryland' short fiction...
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mary rosenblum
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so she suggested I put this on
back in the file and write one in the Dryland universe.
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mary rosenblum
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Which I did, and I sold.
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ltsonya
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i suppose there's just so much
of the world that i feel i can't even begin writing the story unless i know
it completely (tried that and didn't work). but i wonder if i'll ever know
enough
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mary rosenblum
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Ah...that's the problem. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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I would know as much as you
need to know to get started and leave 'placeholders' as you go [fill in
details here] [describe tech here]
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mary rosenblum
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I never know everything I
need, even when I think I do...
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mary rosenblum
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so my first draft is FULL of
those.
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mary rosenblum
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I fill them in on the second
draft...after more research.
|
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mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I'm answering novel questions,
tonight. I've published seven novels (number eight will be out this year) ,
more than 60 short stories, and will do my best to answer any questions you
have. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send
bar if that works better for you..
|
|
info
|
Am I right in thinking that all
writers, novice and pro, have times of doubt and to let that idea sit a
little to stew is a good way to help with the fears and doubtful thinking?
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mary rosenblum
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You can do that, info...I do
it all the time -- wait until it leaps into my forebrain with the...
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mary rosenblum
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missing piece in place and
shouts for attention. (That just happened with the new Europa novel)
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mary rosenblum
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Or if you're comfortable with
it, workshop the idea with friends...
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mary rosenblum
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sometimes a group effort ends
up sending you to inspirational heights.
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mary rosenblum
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(I've done that, too)
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ltsonya
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i mean, it's important to know
about farming, geography, history, details of the magic......but it's just
so much! sometimes i feel like writing and letting things work out later
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mary rosenblum
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But why do you need to know
about the farming, say, if your character doesn't get to the farm until
chapter four?
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mary rosenblum
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Now if the farming is the main
stage for the novel, that's different.
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mary rosenblum
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But stuff that only affects a
single chapter or a scene or two, you can add in later.
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shelli
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How do you start creating a
world? I understand, researching, but exactly where do you start?
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mary rosenblum
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I'd start with a picture of
that world in your mind, shelli...at least one place, since any world will
be huge and varied.
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mary rosenblum
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stand on that spot and fill in
the details. What can you see, hear, touch, smell...
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mary rosenblum
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now start working outward...
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mary rosenblum
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How do these plants, animals,
people fit in the larger scheme. How do these people live? Govern
themselves? Make a living?
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mary rosenblum
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What do these plants do...
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mary rosenblum
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etc.
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mary rosenblum
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Keep adding more and more
details...it's like a game of connect the dots. Only you create the dots.
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megger
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I seem to be stuck in research
mode. I've gotten many wonderful suggestions on places to research, I
wonder if that will ever end? At the rate I'm going, it will be many, many
months before I write anything other than reference notes!
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mary rosenblum
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Well, months isn't bad,
megger. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Years is not going to be good
for your career, unless you only want to publish one book.
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mary rosenblum
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I would decide what you must
know in order to start your novel and then start it.
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mary rosenblum
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when you need more research,
stop and do it.
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mary rosenblum
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You do NOT have to sit down
and write a novel from start to finish in one sitting!
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mary rosenblum
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Nano month is not necessarily
a good way to do a good novel. It's a great exercise, though.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I'm answering novel questions,
tonight. I've published seven novels (number eight will be out this year) ,
more than 60 short stories, and will do my best to answer any questions you
have. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send
bar if that works better for you..
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wingedwarrior24
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does publishing a book of short
stories work the same way as a novel?
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mary rosenblum
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Pretty much, winged, although
most single author collections are of previously published work...but not
all.
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mary rosenblum
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If your work was published
elsewhere, you just have to make sure you have the right to republish
it...which you SHOULD have!
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mary rosenblum
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I will say that small press is
more likely to publish single author collections...
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mary rosenblum
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but even there, you will
probably need to have sold some stories and received some...
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mary rosenblum
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critical attention before
hand.
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ltsonya
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Nano was great for me to write
but left me with a world i had to go back and build....and have been doing
that for awhile now =)
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mary rosenblum
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Good! That's what nano is
really good for...you're not writing a really strong novel in a month,
probably...but you do have a very...
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mary rosenblum
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detailed chapter summary! Now
you can flesh it out.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I'm answering novel questions,
tonight. I've published seven novels (number eight will be out this year) ,
more than 60 short stories, and will do my best to answer any questions you
have. If you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a
Question' button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the
top of the screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't
reach me! Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send
bar if that works better for you..
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babbles
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Mary I came late maybe you've
answered this, when does the novel course begin?
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mary rosenblum
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Hi, babbles. It has begun. I
already have quite a few students. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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It's limited to grads of the
LR courses at the moment.
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mary rosenblum
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Until they come up with a new
test.
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mary rosenblum
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To return to a topic we were
discussing earlier...
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mary rosenblum
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it's a mistake to focus too
much on 'what the market wants'...you're likely to end up concentrating on
plot...
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mary rosenblum
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and getting it done, and
neglect your characters.
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mary rosenblum
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Start out with something
solid, plot wise, and then let your characters complicate it for you..
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mary rosenblum
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by coming to life.
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mary rosenblum
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In all likelihood they'll
suggest a lot of things that will deepen the story and increase the
'unique' factor.
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babbles
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maybe in the fall I can start LR
course. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Soon as you're finished. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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On the issue of 'unsold novels'...Greg
Bear is one of the top hard SF writers...
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mary rosenblum
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he's doing thrillers, now,
too....
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mary rosenblum
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and he's very upfront about
his history of 'unsold'. He started writing novels at about age fourteen,
as I recall...
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mary rosenblum
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and he talks about the closet
full of novel ms he still has. All bad, he says cheefully.
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babbles
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When I'm stuck, I go to bed
thinking about my character, plot or scene problem and in the morning
something might come to me.
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mary rosenblum
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Yeah, that often works for me.
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mary rosenblum
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Or I just print out what I
have on my plot so far and just leave copies lying around the house with
pens.
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mary rosenblum
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I couldn't sleep last night
and ended up sitting up three or four times in bed...
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mary rosenblum
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to write down plot elements
that came to me. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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I had been thinking about it
before I went to bed.
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beryl
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I'm working on my novel because
I can't...not work on it...but, I feel that as I learn from the course,
I'll be going back to completely re-write it. Please tell me that isn't all
bad because I've even dreamed of something to put in story.
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mary rosenblum
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Nothing bad with either
rewriting or dreaming of stuff to put in. So have I dreamed of things to
add to stories. :-)
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andi
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i've woken up talking to myself
with an idea for a story i was working on
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mary rosenblum
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There you go.
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babbles
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When tidbits of info arrive to
my mindsight, I go into the file, type the line of thought at the beginning
of ms and when I get time to go back and write I have the info in front of
me. Senior moments get me lately LOL need to eat more blueberries :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Try codliver oil, babbles. :-)
and that's a good way to do that...
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mary rosenblum
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I often print out the final
page of whatever I'm working on and leave that lying around...
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mary rosenblum
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for just that type of note.
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mary rosenblum
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I really do most of my writing
in my head and as notes.
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mary rosenblum
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When I sit down to the
computer, I"m simply putting all that stuff onto disk...
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mary rosenblum
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and can romp through 5 to 10
pages as fast as I can type.
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mary rosenblum
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When I find myself staring at
my screen...well, I have plenty of things to do!
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mary rosenblum
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I go do 'em.
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babbles
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Yep, doing dishes, he said, she
did this, or that would be so pretty to add etc, etc.
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mary rosenblum
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yep. Weeding is my favorite
muse-time.
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beryl
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You said "...most of my
writing in my head and as notes." Thank you for sharing that. I felt
disjointed because I have so many notes without a home yet.
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mary rosenblum
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I wrote most of my second
novel as notes...
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mary rosenblum
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got my friend to stay with my
kids, went out to the Colony House (a beach house rented to writers by
Writers Colony) and spent three days...
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mary rosenblum
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doing most of the first draft.
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mary rosenblum
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Well, a lot of chapters and
scenes were at least roughed out.
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janecj333
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Do you think part of making a
novel work, esp. sf, is that the characters behave as if their reality is
normal even when to the reader it is bizarre?
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mary rosenblum
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Of course, Jane.
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mary rosenblum
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The way to make your story
real to the readers is to bring them into the story...
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mary rosenblum
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through a very limited third
person. They begin to share that character's perception of the universe...
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mary rosenblum
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so what seems normal to the
characer seems normal to the reader.
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mary rosenblum
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Hi, ashton. Storms over?
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ashton
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Hi everyone....Nope...just
trying to dodge'em
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babbles
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off topic a little, I'm not
going to be near my computer much this summer and need to get a laptop,
alpha writer or something else to use. What do you use or suggest for a
writing tool?
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mary rosenblum
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If you ONLY want it for
writing, I'd go for an alpha.
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mary rosenblum
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They run for a LONG time on
cheap batteries...laptops only give you acouple of hours...
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mary rosenblum
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on very expensive
batteries...and they're compatable with your PC.
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mary rosenblum
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They don't have a screen...
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mary rosenblum
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you only can see a few lines
of text at a time...
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mary rosenblum
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but if that doesn't drive you
nuts, they're a great deal.
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mary rosenblum
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I wish they'd existed when my
kids were little and I was writing longhand on pads while doing whatever we
were doing!
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mary rosenblum
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I remember wrapping up in a
sleepingbag at night, out camping, and writing by flashlight, LOL.
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ashton
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When writing a novel, how many
sub plots are too many? Is there a standard?
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mary rosenblum
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No number standard, ash. But
if your readers lose track of the main plot...
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mary rosenblum
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because five or six subplots
are getting equal time, that is not good.
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mary rosenblum
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I tend to go off on my subplot
line and come back to the main plot within a single chapter.
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mary rosenblum
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I may touch base only briefly
with that main plot, but I do try to remind readers...
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mary rosenblum
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what is on the table in every
chapter.
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babbles
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thanks, been there done that
too, but my battery powered typerwriter is so loud it disturbs the
neighborhood (camping). need to upgrade. thanks for the info.
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, I did spiral notebooks by
flashlight, babbles. :-) Low tech. I used to buy them...
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mary rosenblum
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during the school days
sales...maybe 25 at a time.
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foxx
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I'm interested in LR.How are
instructors assigned? Why not have other instructers have a forum on the
alternate Thur. so we can get to know them?
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mary rosenblum
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I wish more instructors would
come here, foxx. I sent out an invitation and did interview quite a few
this last year.
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mary rosenblum
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As to how they are assigned...
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mary rosenblum
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LR likes to pair student with
an instructor who writes in their genre of interest...
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mary rosenblum
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that's why the questionair
asks you what you like to read and what you are interested in writing.
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janecj333
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10 cents apiece
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mary rosenblum
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The notebooks, Jane? Yeah, the
skinny ones used to be that. :-)
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ashton
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How about the number of
chapters...I know a lot of things factor in, but is there a basic number
for say, a standard-size paperback?
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mary rosenblum
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Nope.
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mary rosenblum
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Depends on how long they are.
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mary rosenblum
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They can be from three pages
long to as long as you want...
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mary rosenblum
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but it's nice to let your
readers take a bathroom break once in a while.
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babbles
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yep Walmart, 10 center's however,
it's my longhand that I can no longer read or decipher. Old age settling in
fast.
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, I didn't turn the light on
last night. Good thing I sorta knew what I was writing, LOL
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mary rosenblum
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Every writer finds his/her own
chapter rhythm, ash.
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mary rosenblum
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My friend Mike tends to run to
about 10 pages plus.
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mary rosenblum
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I tend to run to about 20
pages plus.
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janecj333
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Chapter divisions have been a
problem for me. I usu. have several scenes, often with alternating pov. I
tend to end a chapter when something of significance is about to happen.
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mary rosenblum
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That's always a good
place...but sometimes, I'll just end the chapter when I feel that it's
running on too long.
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telcontar
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I read an entire novel once...
no chapter breaks anywhere... the authors said "well... I was on a
roll and didn't want to bother... then sent it off to him and he thought it
was hysterical... and the publisher thought it was funny... soooo"
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mary rosenblum
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Yikes! I'd hate him every time
I put a bookmark in the thing!
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ltsonya
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are those chapterss typed in
'Word' or what they translate to book format?
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mary rosenblum
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These days, you can use word
or Apple's processor or Wordperfect...
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mary rosenblum
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I think all the commercial
publishing software will translate okay.
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mary rosenblum
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They'll ask you for an
electronic file at some point.
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mary rosenblum
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I just emailed the file to my
publisher when he needed it.
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ashton
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On that note...have you ever run
across a publishing house that prefers a set chapter length, ect?
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mary rosenblum
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Not up front, although some of
the Har-Sil imprints may require a certain chapter length.
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mary rosenblum
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Always read the guidelines for
a publisher.
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mary rosenblum
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Now your editor may ask you to
break up chapters if he/she feels you got your breaks wrong.
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mary rosenblum
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Don't worry...with a good
editor you'll do a lot of fixing. Heheh.
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janecj333
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Do you have any advice about
multiple pov within chapters?
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mary rosenblum
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I usually try not to do it. I
cannot believe how easily readers miss that transition even when I put red
stop signs all over the page. Sigh.
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mary rosenblum
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But if you do, skip the line,
center the * just like a short story.
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babbles
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I've run into the problem of
changing the Point of View character, I think this next novel is the same
way, I'm going to change the main character. It makes a lot of work or
rewriting but think the story will be a little more interesting for the
reader.
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, I"ve done that! If
it's going to improve the book, do the work.
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info
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Can you explain what a subplot
is? I want to make sure I understand. Is it something like this: main plot
is mc at risk for being killed, subplots being one person nearly running
him/her over, falling in love, saves neighborhood cat.....all the while
looking over shoulder for next attempt on his/her life....that kind of
thing?
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mary rosenblum
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A subplot is a small
conflict/resolution that takes off from the main plot...maybe with a
secondary character or two...
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mary rosenblum
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but ties into the main plot in
some way.
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, that kind of thing, info.
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mary rosenblum
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Well, this has been fun, I did
pretty well on the typing thing, but I"m fading.
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mary rosenblum
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I'll see you all Sunday for
our casual chat!
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mary rosenblum
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I missed last week, sigh...
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mary rosenblum
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My herding trainer dropped by
to look at my new lambs.
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mary rosenblum
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Have a great weekend all.
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mary rosenblum
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See you Sunday.
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andi
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would it be like a man is trying
to attract the attention of a woman he love but also has problems with his
business he's trying to work out.
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mary rosenblum
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Could be andi...one or the
other would be the subplot, depending on which plot was the main one.
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andi
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main plot would be attracting
the woman's attention
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mary rosenblum
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Then the business is the
subplot.
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mary rosenblum
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Night all!
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beryl
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Hey Mary, the speckled ones like
Jacob made up his herd with? That was so cool to see that little one
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mary rosenblum
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They might be, beryl...they
have a hair sheep ram...those are the 'old style' sheep that were around at
that time.
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