1

(8 replies, posted in Young Adult Writers)

Hi Penang! and everyone else. Yes, I've been away for a while as well. about 2 years I think. My sweet hubby passed after a very long and very difficult battle with dementia. Now I'm trying to relearn how to walk. I'll be getting back to writing soon. Do you think anyone might be interested in more pony stories?
Best to all,
MzP

2

(4 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

Cobber, I'd be happy to read your book, which one is it? Would you prefer a hard copy of Jewel, or e-copy?
I'll read yours in digital, you can email to mrspiddles@yahoo.com
Thank you so much.
MzP

Hi All,

I'm ready to send my devotional, Driving into the Son, to the press. Would anyone like to read it for a review? I am willing to reciprocate. Driving is not very long, I think only 70 entries, it's not intended to be a year-long Bible study. I can send you a hard copy (proof) or an e-copy, and anyone who reads will receive a signed copy if you want.

Thank you,
MzP

4

(4 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

Morning All,
I've been lurking for a while finishing the editing on Jewel, working on another project, working full time outside the home, and keeping up with everything else. Some of you are familiar with my book, The Jewel of Veenah. I would love to share either a proof copy or e-copy of this book for a review or at least an opinion. I haven't published yet and I would, of course, love for it to hit the market with a couple of stars to help carry it. The book is a bit SciFi, not so much fantasy, but it's different.

My other project is ready for a good review as well, it is a devotional: Driving into the Son.

Please let me know if you'd like to read either of these for a review, and of course, I will be willing to reciprocate (now that I have a bit more time)

Thank you all so very much,

MzP

The good thing is that you made it past the slush pile and you even made it past the thirty pages. That says your query and your early chapters were great. So something in the middle or end didn't resonate. Did she offer any feedback at all? Keep sending it out. Right now you know you're on the right track. Would you mind posting your letter? It's free in here if you only select this group to post in, and only your connections and members of this group will see it.

I know I've read your work, but I have so much gobbling up my brain cells right now I can't remember your book.

Just don't give up. Some of the really great writers of out time went through reams of 'R' letters.

Write On!
MzP

6

(1 replies, posted in Queries, Blurbs, and Synopsis)

I got this from an author I follow. Jane Friedman has tons of great stuff, but this is a guest post. I know there are some fabulous cover designers in here, but this is interesting.

https://janefriedman.com/9-tips-to-buil … ys-wanted/

MzP

Thanks, Sol. Now if I can just up my sales a bit so I have use for this, life will be good.

8

(10 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

I must say, I laughed until I cried. Wished it didn't have so many 'f' words, but hey, it was still cute. And I can identify! Sometimes Taco Bell could use a few pointers! I used to have a funny one about a chili cook off, but I haven't seen it in a while. And there's another one about a 'mature' woman trying to find a swim suit to fit her that almost sent me to the emergency room!

Here is a link to a great article from Brian Klems of Writers Digest. I follow this guy and try to follow his advice. To date, I haven't been successful - totally. But at least after putting some of these points into place, I did get requests for a 'full' a couple of times. I'm a bit nervous about querying out Jewel right now. I think I'm getting head-shy of rejects. Maybe after a short break, I'll try it again. I'm headed for a conference this weekend, so maybe I'll get my confidence up again.

Read this for a few pointers:
http://www.writersdigest.com/online-edi … ery-letter

Write On!

Hi AT, Ronald and Corra seemed to have nailed the suggestions. I would add that your blurb should not end with a question but rather give the briefest word on the ending. Your 'summary' should be less than 250 words - very short, but complete. As to the rest of it, the word count, genre, and target audience, this should be condensed into one sentence. Mention of contest awards means that this has been published in some form, possibly to the public (of course we know this is not the case in here) but would raise a red-flag to an agent or publisher - and if the book is already winning awards, then why does the author need representation or publication? Also one short sentence of a bio, rather than an explanation of your choice of pennames, to let the editor/agent know you are qualified to write this. Mention other published works only if they have been highly successful or published with another traditional house or magazine. The whole letter should be able to be read in one glance - yes, they do look at hundreds of these a day, so yours must jump out like a neon sign.

I do welcome you to post your letters in Queries, blurbs, etc... no points system, so you don't have to worry about spending precious points unless you also post in premium, and several of us will give it our best brain-cell. I've not yet been successful with a query, so I am definitely not an expert, but if enough of us put our heads together we might be able to help each other.

Also, and most important, the letter itself is subjective. Meaning every agent/editor has those days when format doesn't mean as much as something which might strike them in the subject. If the person reading is at all interested and thinks the project has potential, the rest of it is gravy. They know they can work with the author to make specific changes which will create the best possible commercial product.

As to QueryShark...I've sent in several things which haven't even made it to the 'shark tank'. I mostly read what they have to offer and try to re-create that to the best of my ability in my own letters. (Yeah, and still no fireworks at the finish line)

Hey, Randal, I've read parts of your book, so I know what it's about. Would you mind terribly posting your successful letter so that we can see what works?

Thanks,
MzP

11

(2 replies, posted in Spirituality & Religion)

I must look this up and read it. Looks good!
MzP

12

(33 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

m w mccoy wrote:

A contest idea = the "opening line must be spoken" and it connects to the a specific theme element that has just happened or is about to immediately happen.    The idea of this was to create memorable opening lines for novels, with my students.  Everyone has the same starting line.  Thank  you,  Mike. W McCoy

What a neat idea, Mike. and combined with the 'multi-genre' and 'scary', I might even be able to get on board. Giving everyone the same first few words to spring-board off from levels the playing field a bit and makes us dig deeper. Now we need a min/max word count.

13

(0 replies, posted in Spirituality & Religion)

Hi, I finally figured out how to leave one group so I could join this one. I've been working on a devotional and would like to post it in here. (who knew that writing 250 words could be so difficult?)  I love that this group has points, that way I can post it just to this group and not worry about bothering folks not interested. I also noticed that I have connections with some of the members, so I already have friends.

Write On!
MzP

14

(18 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Basic)

I just noticed that you have two accounts, one with your middle initial 'M' and one without. Which one do you currently use?

15

(18 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Basic)

Welcome back! I've only been in here a few years, and I did survive the changes into the new system (since I was hot and heavy in my WIP) I do take a bit of time off every so often, especially between projects, and right now I'm a bit behind in my reviews, but I do get around.

As to developing a new circle - pop in here once in a while, and do some reviews of work you like. Even though I sometimes backslide, I still find the love and support of great reader/writers in here. I'll make it a point to check your work.

Write On!
MzP

Hi Ava, yes, you have good advice. Using the writer's voice in a query gives the agent or editor a more accurate sample of your ability to write. They are better prepared for your manuscript. If you could share your query and the feedback you received for it, others could learn from you.

Thank you
MzP

I think I'll leave it up, but I wish I could figure out how to take down the other one. I didn't realize anyone looked in there, although I did use it to go to one of those sites. I know many of us do our own publishing. But good writing is good writing and some of the query tutorials have some great pointers.

Thanks for the input.

MzP

Hi Norm, sure. I haven't looked in a while, but whatever posts were in there were also in Premium. I'll look in the forum, though.

Hi Sol, How do I delete a group I started thinking it would be interesting? I have Kids Korner, and there are no picture book writers in here that I have found, and I have Queries, but most folks in here are self publishers (including me) so no one really needs to have their queries looked at. I'd like to delete them so I don't have to think about it all the time.

Thanks, MzP

Hi Vern. I totally understand the frustration getting around the site sometimes. And I'm sorry I didn't get in here sooner. I had the same issues and finally figured it out. Here's what I do. First, go to your portfolio (upper right hand button) you see your works listed under two tabs, click on the one that says 'Statistics'. You will see a little green + beside each work which contains chapters. Click on the green+ of the book you want to check to see the inactive chapters. You will see all the chapters pop up below. The number of regular reviews and inline reviews are in the last two columns of each chapter. You can click on those numbers to see the list of reviews given for that chapter. If (like I had) you didn't change any of your chapter names when you published the newer version, you may have trouble figuring out which is which, but the first title of each similar chapter is usually the inactive one. It would be a little easier if each of these was tagged with either 'active' or 'inactive'. Anyway - I hope you find your lost reviews this way.

Write On!

21

(14 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

njc wrote:

The original mass market packaging for Rubik's Cube bragged '3 Billion Combinations'.  Few people would have believed the actual number ( {8! \times 3^7 \times (12!/2) \times 2^{11}} = 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 ; not considering rotations of the four centers. )

Holy Cow! Someone actually figured this out? Just looking at those equations hurts my head - and I used to teach science!

22

(14 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

I'm going to have to look that up, njc. It sounds awesome.

23

(14 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

Oh, nice quote, njc. Thank you.

24

(14 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

Ah, Dill Carver, I'm just getting back to this and enjoying everyone's comments, but I really loved what you have said. You make me think. Do you do public speaking? I'd love to attend one of your lectures.

Tom and Vern, quite right, nothing more original, so we must dig deeper and deeper for the knew and fresh 'flesh' of the story to make these ancient plots enjoyable.

And Kdot, I agree, the tragedy is to be forced to consider any literature as 'fitting' into a specific traditional plot. And so we struggle to invent something new - the way they used to when the world was young.

25

(14 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

Been watching wierd movies (instead of revising Jewel) and saw my aliens in a Hallmark movie! The Legend of Gator Face. Two small town boys from Mississippi rile up the town and endanger the life of an enchanted swamp monster. It's a Canadian film, Daytime Emmy winner, released in 1996. I've never seen it before, but it's pretty much what I pictured my monsters as, other than the snake-bit tongue.

Is there anything totally original anymore? I mean, even Hunger Games is like the old gladiator battles.