Online Writing Forums at TheNextBigWriter

hermine strand · 07-08-2012 08:07:57

I posted about this in the Beta Readers group but am drawing irrelevant advice about traditional print publishing. Since I intend to self-publish I thought I'd post another, related post here.

I was writing the 12th chapter when it occurred to me from my own experience of writing it that some feedback I've received on this website is absolutely correct: this thing requires a total rewrite. So I created a chrohology of events spanning the total novel. It's chronological and might not follow the structure of the eventual novel, and doesn't include much of the interiority that the eventual novel will likely have. It's also a bit long at about 4,700 words or 6.75 single-spaced pages, but I don't think I can trim anything more from it.

I have been advised not to upload it here as a novel chapter. I still did upload it just in case, but can't post it for the puzzling lack of review credits. I review diligently and promptly when someone posts material I can be helpful on, but that's basically just lit fic, commercial fiction and poetry. I could abuse the system by reviewing the first 15 chapters of novels I've already reviewed chapter 16 of, but I choose not to.

So, basically, I'm stuck seeking input elsewhere. I don't know whether to be concerned about loss of intellectual property or whether an online footprint of authorship sufficiently protects me. That's a minor consideration. I just have no idea where to get feedback for this kind of thing. In the Beta forum I'm just going to run into a bunch of non-applicable traditional print industry advice.

Help!

TirzahLaughs · 07-08-2012 13:38:32

If it's short--you can post it in the forum if it's not really fiction but rather ...as structured outline?

Last edited by TirzahLaughs (07-08-2012 13:38:56)

C Lee Brown · 07-08-2012 19:55:30

Hi Hermine
I'm not sure what your quest is, to get info on self-publishing, or feedback on
an especially long chapter. 4700 words is close to short story. I'd recommend
cutting it in half before posting...maybe as chap 12 a&b. You can always delete
the a&b when you recombine it in your manuscript later.

On the other thing, I have self-published two works so far. One was a fantasy
fiction novel and the other a compendium of short stories. People like Tirz and
some of the folks at the blog on Fantasy, Paranormal and Horror can be great help.
If you want to ask me anything I have a feedback blog there I check regularly. Look
for C Lee Brown.
Lee

hermine strand · 07-08-2012 20:19:06

Hi, Lee,

It appears that I have trouble communicating. My piece of writing is not a chapter, or a short story, or a story of any kind. A friend in the writing business suggested the phrase "character bio" and I like it. So call it a rather long character bio. A novel can be BASED on that bio, and in fact many different novels can. That's what I really need guidance on. I posted the bio on this site under the short story category of lit fic. In the introductory material I start off by saying that it is not a short story, or even any kind of story, and goes on to explain what it is and the kind of feedback I want. I got one review...which treated it exactly like a short story and therefore addressed issues I didn't raise. In emails I've had non-writer friends who read it start doing a line by line nit of it. I really gotta figure out what I'm doing wrong when nobody understands a word I say.

And I have evolved further. I gave another writer advice in a review that they split their own novel-in-progress into at least three separate novels. Then I looked at my own character bio and saw that it's far too complex and scattered. So I decided to turn it into a series of novels united by a common thread. Each novel in the series will have its own protagonist, and the first few will each take on ONE and only one element of the character bio, with a different one in each novel. The pace of my progress is unfair to the people I deal with, but I can't help being the way I am.

I don't write SF or Fantasy but I'll have a look at your feedback blog. Writin' is writin'. Thanks.

Lucy Rice · 07-08-2012 20:33:18

hermine strand wrote:
I could abuse the system by reviewing the first 15 chapters of novels I've already reviewed chapter 16 of, but I choose not to.

Why do you think this is abusing the system?

TirzahLaughs · 07-09-2012 07:18:27

HE's looking for a review of his book synopsis. And wants to know how to go about getting one.

It's 4,700 words.

T

hermine strand · 07-09-2012 07:27:34

Not correct, Tirzah. This is something completely different.

TirzahLaughs · 07-09-2012 10:00:59

Then I really don't understand what it is you are doing at all. Wish I could help.

#1 07-08-2012 08:07:57

advice on getting a chronology review

#2 07-08-2012 13:38:32

Re: advice on getting a chronology review

#3 07-08-2012 19:55:30

Re: advice on getting a chronology review

#4 07-08-2012 20:19:06

Re: advice on getting a chronology review

#5 07-08-2012 20:33:18

Re: advice on getting a chronology review

hermine strand wrote:

#6 07-09-2012 07:18:27

Re: advice on getting a chronology review

#7 07-09-2012 07:27:34

Re: advice on getting a chronology review

#8 07-09-2012 10:00:59

Re: advice on getting a chronology review

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