1 Reply by Anita Mumm

(5 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Great work, group!


Karen (Mikira) - Good idea to add more context. You identified the main problem--the redundancy caused by too many adverbs ("happily" is implied in the man's smiling, and "smoothly" is already contained in the verb glided; both can be cut). You might just trim a couple of words from your last sentence: "The boy watched Mr. Lucas demonstrate how it worked, grinning as it glided across the room and land just short of his teacher’s feet."


Judith (Winter Wren) - Nice work--you really tightened the passage down to the bare essentials, getting rid of the redundancy and passive voice. We lost the color of the sky, but I agree with you that it's probably not vital and could be placed in another spot if it's relevant to the story.


Jessica (JL Platt) - Great job of identifying and eliminating the wordiness/reporting in this passage. You might need to keep the last sentence to show context (that the character cares what the woman thinks of him and they shared some kind of relationship). But it could be tightened to eliminate the reporting: "He couldn't stand to see pity in her eyes."


Umit - Good work. Yes, the main problems were wordiness, reporting, and those two transition words that were too formal for this register. I also agree with both of your examples of redundancy. You've tightened it up, and I like how you substituted a question for the reporting in the first sentence to engage the reader more.

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2 Reply by Anita Mumm

(2 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Thank you, Umit! This is a fantastic list and a good starter set for building a comprehensive resource library. I need to check out Alice LaPlante's book--I've heard about it but have yet to pick it up. Thanks also for mentioning the Paris Review interviews--I used to read those but had let that resource slip away.

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3 Reply by Anita Mumm

(3 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

I like that one, too!


I also like Neil Gaiman's, where he talks about setting your work aside so you can gain fresh eyes. I have to do that with my editorial letters as well, which often run 15-20 pages. I always find there is a lot of nipping and tucking to do!

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4 Topic by Anita Mumm

(3 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

HELLO CLASS,


For this week's optional extra content, I thought I would include some inspiring reading. Since we have spent these past two months discussing how to revise and refine your fiction writing, here is a compilation of sound advice about self-editing from the Masters:


http://flavorwire.com/361311/20-great-w … f-revision


Feel free to post your thoughts, reactions, or additional quotes here in the Forum!


Best wishes,
Anita

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5 Topic by Anita Mumm

(0 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

HELLO EVERYONE,


Just a few notes as we head into our final week of class. First, it has been such a pleasure getting to know you and your work over these past eight weeks--I can't believe how fast it has gone! I have seen a lot of talent on the page, and it has been exciting for me as an instructor to work with such a wide variety of genres and writing styles. Thank you for your hard work and passion for your craft.


A quick reminder: if you haven't already posted your final 2500-word section for critique, please do so to ensure everyone has enough time to submit their feedback. During the course of this week, I will post my round four feedback, and then in a private message I will send you some final "big picture" comments on these first 40 pages of your novel.



As always, please feel free to send or post any questions about the lesson, homework, or critiques.


Thanks, and I'll be wishing you much success!


Anita

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6 Reply by Anita Mumm

(4 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Thank you, Judith. That should work just fine. Thank you for re-posting the material!

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7 Topic by Anita Mumm

(5 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

WEEKS 7/8


Here is the Lesson 4 Assignment, which you can work through at your own pace over the next two weeks.


EXERCISE 1: LINE EDITING. With apologies for the flood of purple prose, here are four sentences showing one or more of the red flags from this lesson. First identify the problem(s) and then line edit the passage for a stronger result. You can try work through each of them on your own, and then post your answer to ONE item as a reply in the Forum. Please choose a passage no one else has responded to so we cover all of them. I’ll give feedback at the end.


(1) “And since you’re my favorite customer,” Mr. Lucas said, smiling happily, “I’ll throw in this frisbee free of charge.” The boy watched it glide smoothly across the room and land just short of his teacher’s heels.


(2) Walter closed the door and watched her through the peephole as she got on the elevator. He thought maybe he shouldn’t have told her the truth. What if she felt sorry for him now? He didn’t think he could stand to see pity in her eyes.


(3) George opened the curtains. It was a bright sunny day without a cloud in the atmosphere. The turquoise blue sky made him think yesterday’s fiasco might have been just a dream.


(4) Maria thought back to all the reasons she had broken up with Brian. He was messy, it took him hours to return her calls, he liked the wrong movies. Furthermore, he was a terrible kisser and she hated that cologne he doused his neck with every morning. Still, she had to admit she missed him nonetheless.



EXERCISE 2: FINAL ROUND OF CRITIQUING. For our final round of critiquing, please post the next 10 pages/2500 words of your novel. As you critique 2-3 of your classmates’ work, I'd like you to focus on these areas:


(1) On a line editing level, do you see any examples of the problems mentioned in this lesson (wordiness, redundancy, incorrect register, adverb overdose, or reporting)? Are there any other issues that keep the prose from flowing smoothly? No need to do a full-scale line edit; just make some general notes and point out an example or two to illustrate your points.


(2) Please include your reaction to the story content of this final section (on a big-picture level, not a line editing level) and any final thoughts on the author’s story based on these first 40 pages.

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8 Topic by Anita Mumm

(0 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Hello Everyone,

Just a notice that the final lesson for the class is now available at this link: http://www.thenextbigwriter.com/posting … ward-21133

There is also a new post in the Forum for posting your answers to Exercise 1. I look forward to this last leg of our journey together! Please don't hesitate to send or post any questions you have for me.

Best wishes,
Anita

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9 Reply by Anita Mumm

(5 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Thanks for your great responses! I'm going to join the discussion by replying here instead of using private messages, since these are stories we are all more or less familiar with and can analyze together. Feel free to post questions or raise additional discussion points here!


JESSICA - I have to admit I have not seen The Incredibles, though I'm familiar with the concept and I can definitely see why it's so popular. What a unique and effective inciting incident--it's the kind of event that forces a major lifestyle change in the main characters, and that is always a great way to spark an adventure. Conflict-wise, it sounds like there is a strong inner conflict for Mr. Incredible--the struggle to live a "normal" life after giving up his superhero lifestyle; I imagine that conflict extends to all of the major superhero characters. Externally, you still have the classic hero-versus-villain conflict, which fits audience expectations. In addition to this character-versus-character situation, it sounds like there is a character-versus-society conflict as well (people have turned against the Supers with all of these lawsuits). I also like the scene you picked to show tension; it's clearly a pivotal and very emotionally charged moment in the story.


KAREN - Thanks for sharing about the movie SAHARA. I remember reading reviews of it when it first came out. I like your choice because it brings up an interesting point--that there can sometimes be multiple inciting incidents (for dual plot threads or for the main plot/subplot). Conflict-wise, since I haven't read the book I can't pinpoint Dirk's internal conflict either, but I was intrigued by what you wrote about Ava. She reminds me a little of your female protagonist. Delana has other layers of inner conflict (the struggle to prove herself to her father and the world, her romantic past with Reese), but I wonder if she has also experienced some of the same issues as Ava. And wow, what a great tension scene--this is a classic situation where the reader knows something  (that Ava is in the well) one of the characters (the warlord) does not. Viewers are on the edge of their seats wondering if the villain will discover the truth; thankfully he does not.


JUDITH - I hope you have thawed out over there! But what a great parallel to The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe. This was one of my favorite childhood reads as well. Yes, the initial inciting incident is Lucy's discovery of Narnia through the wardrobe, but I can definitely see a case for including the second visit to Narnia; basically the story gets moving once all of the children have made that leap into the other world. I also like what you pointed out about the multiple conflicts in this story; each child has an inner battle going on (character versus self), but you also have the overarching one in the battle between good an evil in Narnia, which is mirrored in the war taking place in the real world. It's easy to see why this story struck such a chord and has lasting appeal. What a great choice for the analysis of tension; that scene showing Lucy experiencing the faun's hospitality is rich with emotion. The POV character is led to believe one thing, and then experiences a quite opposite truth; that sets up tension not only in this particular scene, but in the entire story, as readers now wonder whom to trust.


UMIT - Gatsby is a great choice, especially if one is looking for a challenge! You're right that the inciting incident is a little harder to pinpoint in this one, but I think you zeroed in on it with Nick's becoming Gatsby's neighbor (you're right that Nick's deciding to leave the Midwest is simply backstory). The plot really starts to take off when Gatsby reveals his wish to reunite with Daisy, but that is also facilitated by that initial spark--Nick's becoming connected with Gatsby. You bring up some good points with your analysis of the conflict--all of the layers you mentioned are in there, but they pertain to different characters and plot/subplot arcs. Nick's role is almost that of a camera lens, but he has his own inner and external conflicts (as both the interpreter of the story and a player in it), in addition to the more dramatic conflicts in the events he is observing. In terms of tension, yes, that opening scene is turbo-charged with it. The affair as an "elephant in the room" sets the stage for the secrets and deceptions that underlie the entire story, and the mention of Gatsby and Daisy's connection to him hint at an intriguing past that is going to find its way into the present.

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10 Topic by Anita Mumm

(2 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Hello Everyone,


For this week's additional exercise, I thought it would be beneficial to get an early start on a topic I usually bring up at the end of the class. During our remaining time for the course, please use this post to share resources you have found helpful for your writing. They can be geared toward general writing craft development, or specific topics within that realm. You can also post questions, like "Where can I find a good resource for improving my use of dialogue?" Etc.


I'll start us off with a few of my favorites that I often recommend to my students and editing clients. Please feel free to add yours this week, or as you discover them!



SELF EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS by Renni Browne & Dave King [An excellent guide written by well known editors with many years in the traditional publishing industry; it includes examples and exercises from familiar published novels]


REVISION & SELF EDITING by James Scott Bell [Another great resource for looking at your work with fresh eyes; each chapter zooms in on a different element of craft--characters, dialogue, etc.]


ON WRITING by Stephen King [A combination of a memoir and writing guide from one of the great masters of fiction]


JANICE HARDY'S FICTION UNIVERSITY (website): http://blog.janicehardy.com [a comprehensive website with posts on almost every topic related to fiction writing, with guests posts from a wide variety of experts in the writing world]


PUB RANTS (blog): http://nelsonagency.com/pub-rants [A fantastic resource from my former employer, literary agent Kristin Nelson, with advice on landing an agent, understanding contracts and other legal aspects of being an author, and a wide variety of writing craft topics]


GRAMMAR GIRL (website): http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl [A great refresher to boost your line and copy editing skills, or to use as a go-to for specific questions as you write]

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11 Reply by Anita Mumm

(7 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Thank you for your great work on this assignment! Just a note that I sent a message in response to each person's reflection; please check your private messages if you have not already done so.

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12 Topic by Anita Mumm

(0 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Hello Everyone,


Just sending an alert that the new lesson and assignment are now available in our Content section, or via this link:


http://www.thenextbigwriter.com/posting … sion-21015


As usual, you can respond to Exercise 1 by replying to my post in the Forum, and to Exercise 2 by critiquing your classmates' new content.


Have a great week, and do let me know if you have any questions!


~Anita

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13 Topic by Anita Mumm

(5 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

LESSON 3 ASSIGNMENT (WEEKS 5/6)


Here is the Lesson 3 assignment, which you can work through at your own pace over the next two weeks.


EXERCISES

1: IDENTIFYING THE INCITING INCIDENT, CONFLICT, AND TENSION

Choose one of the following novels or movies that you are familiar with (or add one of your own—just make sure it’s one your classmates are likely to have read/seen, or one most people are familiar with anecdotally).


Jurassic Park
Gone Girl
Stephen King’s Carrie
Fight Club
Titanic
Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone
The Lion, the Witch, & The Wardrobe
The Great Gatsby
Casablanca


Now see if you can identify the following elements. You can post your insights as a reply to the assignment post in the Forum:


1) The inciting incident

2) The conflict (both external and internal) and which category each layer belongs to (character versus society, character versus self, etc.)

3) An analysis of the tension in a particular scene (why do we feel tension and what techniques does the author or film-maker use to create it?)



2: THIRD ROUND OF CRITIQUING

For this week’s critiques, please share the NEXT ten pages (2500 words) of your novel as a new post, or a new chapter added to your existing Content post.

Then, as usual, please choose at least two of your classmates’ stories and do a regular review or in-line review. As before, it’s fine to add some helpful general comments, but let’s keep our main focus on the inciting incident, conflict, and tension. Here are some questions to guide your critique, but feel free to approach it from other angles as well:


1) Do you see an inciting incident in the story so far? If so, is it compelling enough? If there is no inciting incident, is the author using the space for relevant setup or character development, or is the story stalling out?


2) Can you identify the conflict in the story, or a hint of what it will be? What type of external conflict do you see? Do you get a sense of internal conflict in the protagonist?


3) Is there enough tension in the story to hold your interest? If not, any suggestions for how the writer can raise it?

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14 Topic by Anita Mumm

(0 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Here are two exercises to supplement last week’s lesson content. Feel free to share your work here in the Forum or as a new Content post, or simply use these exercises for your personal reflection and practice.


(1)    If you are writing in third person POV and need a way to get into your characters’ heads and convey their personalities more clearly to your readers:


Try writing a new scene, or rewriting an existing one, in first person POV. This can help you see the world through the main character's eyes and get a better feel for his or her emotional reactions to the things happening in the scene. Once you have created some insightful content, you can either modify it for use in your third person narration, or you may even decide that changing to first person POV helps you address your character development challenges. This exercise can also be used to get to know your secondary characters better; the insights you gain into their personalities could then be built into their actions and dialogue within your existing scenes.



(2)    On a related note, if you are having trouble with setting/worldbuilding:

Try going through your opening scenes and highlighting each worldbuilding detail you have incorporated so far.  Then ask yourself: is this the kind of sensory information that would stand out to my main character, specifically? For example, if your protagonist is a detective, he will notice very different details than another protagonist, who is a well-known chef; or at the very least, they will interpret the same details very differently. When you have finished going through your existing content, think about whether this is enough to begin developing both your setting and your main character clearly. You may need to brainstorm additional sensory information that your protagonist would likely pick up on in a given scene.


If you are using omniscient narration, this is a little trickier, but the exercise can still be applied. Ask yourself: have I chosen the right sensory details to convey the tone and context of my story? For example, if you are writing a murder mystery, you probably need to start infusing your fictional world with subtle hints that make it feel sinister or unsettling (an abandoned truck, a cupboard left open in the kitchen, etc.).


*Exercise 1 is adapted from an idea sent to me by Karen/Mikira, which she and other TNBW members developed to address challenges brought up in the critiquing process. Many thanks, Karen!

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15 Reply by Anita Mumm

(4 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Thank you for starting this thread, Judith. I agree that this is a great way to express concerns, discuss challenges, and just bounce around ideas.


I'm glad you brought up these issues that you are struggling with in The Minstrel's Story. You're not alone--one of the biggest hurdles with epic fantasy is that the stories tend to become very sprawling and develop a life of their own. I imagine you did great work cutting extraneous information from your opening pages, but you're right that the critiques on here can also help you see spots where you may have cut too much. In general, my impression as an editor has been that it's the middle section of a fantasy novel that usually needs the most trimming. Once you have identified plot threads, minor characters, or specific scenes that don't serve a vital purpose to the forward momentum, you can see whether that affects your opening pages. In general, though, those opening chapters are where you need the most detail in order to ground your readers.


I'll continue to keep an eye out for any unnecessary content in the story--as well as some that may be lacking--as we move forward with the critiquing.

Best,
Anita

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16 Reply by Anita Mumm

(4 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Thanks for sharing your reading experiences, Jessica and Karen.

JESSICA--I am so glad you brought up The Fault in Our Stars. That book did a number on me as well! It was one of my quickest reads in recent memory, simply because I couldn't let go of it. I agree with you that the voice and the main character (Hazel) were two of the components that really hook the reader. I found it hard afterwards to convince myself that she was a fictional character, not a real person! And yes, I think you're right that the fact that she was so easy to sympathize with (not just because of her cancer, but the authenticity of this character) was one of the strengths of the character development in this novel. I appreciate your sharing your insights!


KAREN--Nora Roberts is another fantastic author to talk about here. I am always so impressed with her range and her level of productivity as an author. I haven't read Angels Fall but you've convinced me to add it to my list! You're right--she is a master of suspense and has a remarkable ability to keep the pages turning fast. You also homed in on her descriptive ability, which is so important for immersing the reader in the world of her stories. She's a great model to emulate as you develop your craft. If you have a chance to go back to that novel (or another of hers), see if you can zoom in on precisely what it was about her characters, description, and writing style that drew you in (what sensory details did she use, how did she begin to create suspense, how did she make the characters engaging, etc.). The more specific you can be as you observe your favorite authors in action, the more you'll be able to apply similar techniques in your own work. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this!

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17 Reply by Anita Mumm

(7 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Thank you, Karen! That works and reads more smoothly now. I'm looking forward to your next section this week.

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18 Topic by Anita Mumm

(7 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

LESSON 2 EXERCISES  (WEEKS 3/4)

Here is the assignment for Lesson 2, which you can work through at your own pace over these next two weeks.


EXERCISE 1: REFLECTION. Think about one of your favorite authors. What are some defining characteristics of his or her voice? Are these things consistent across different titles from the same author? What character-specific nuances do you see in individual titles? What are some techniques this author uses to build in the macro and micro levels of the setting? [You can share your answers as a reply to this post.]



EXERCISE 2: SECOND ROUND OF CRITIQUING. If you haven’t already, please share the next five pages [EXCUSE THAT TYPO--IT SHOULD BE TEN PAGES/2500 WORDS] of your manuscript, either as a new content post, or as a new chapter/section added to your previous post.

Then, choose at least two of your classmates’ work and do a regular review or in-line review. It’s fine to make general comments, but please include a particular focus on this week’s topics of character, voice, and setting. Here are some questions to consider before you begin:


1) Is there a clear voice to the writing? How would you describe it? What do you like about it, or what rubs you the wrong way?


2) What do you know about the main character from this passage (male or female, ballpark age, circumstances)? Are these things clear or do they need more development? Is the character engaging and likable, or at least interesting enough that you want to follow him/her further into the story? Why or why not?


3) Is the setting clear? Do you have an idea where each scene is taking place, both on the macro level (e.g. country, city) and micro level (e.g. which room of the house)? Are there enough sensory details to help you picture the scenes clearly? Is the choreography clear as characters move from place to place within a scene, or to a new location after a scene break?

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19 Topic by Anita Mumm

(0 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Happy Monday!


Just a heads-up that I have posted Lesson 2, which you can read at your own pace over this two-week period:


http://www.thenextbigwriter.com/posting … ting-20863


I am also posting the assignment here in the Forum. Exercise 1 is a reflection activity, and you can share your answers as a reply to the post. Exercise 2 is this lesson's critiquing assignment. You can work on it this week or next week, but as always, I recommend reading through the lesson before you begin, so you can incorporate your interpretation of the topics covered.


Please let me know if you have any questions. I hope your week is off to a great start!

~Anita

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20 Reply by Anita Mumm

(7 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Karen,

I'm sorry I missed this message when you originally posted it. I like the advice Judith gave you, about integrating the descriptive information more closely with what is happening in the story. I think you found a good way to do that for Jean, and also for Delana's father. And you're right (in your message to me)--I originally misunderstood Jean's physical description and applied it to Delana. I think that was a sign of my subconscious desire to know a little more about Delana's appearance, since she is your main character in these opening pages. smile I do like that you've made it clear Delana is close to Jean's age but has a protective/big sister sort of attitude toward her. That clarifies some of my earlier questions. You might just want to refine this sentence: "Feeling her protective instincts for Jean kick in, even though Delana wasn’t that much older than her;" syntactically, it acts as a fragment rather than a complete sentence.

Thanks for sharing your questions and revisions here!

Anita

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21 Reply by Anita Mumm

(4 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

I'll start us off with a novel that I very much enjoyed recently: ALIF THE UNSEEN by G. Willow Wilson.

It's a book that defies easy categorization: part thriller, part fantasy, part literary fiction, part magical realism. One of the things I noticed right off the bat was the gorgeous prose; I swoon over that and every page of this writer's work is poetic and fluid. Beyond that, it was the premise, which had a unique, "big story" feel to it--a young hacker in an unnamed Middle Eastern country fights his tyrannical government after discovering a mystical text written by the djinn (what we sometimes call genies). The world building was vivid, intense, and unlike anything I'd seen before. The main character, Alif, was an unlikely hero: sometimes weak, full of flaws, but always someone you can't help rooting for--he's someone you want to see rise to fulfill the role fate asks of him. The story quickly plunges readers into the action, with a betrayal from Alif's lover and the appearance of the mysterious text that will change his life, and the pacing remains swift and unrelenting throughout the story.

In short, it had all of the essential ingredients for strong opening pages. I definitely recommend it, both for enjoyment and as a tool for studying writing craft.

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22 Topic by Anita Mumm

(4 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Hello Everyone,

I know you're hard at work this week with our first round of critiquing, but as promised, here is this week's optional discussion question for those who want more online engagement. You can reply here to share your insights with the group.


* * *


Think about one of your favorite novels, or any novel you've read recently and enjoyed:


WHAT WAS IT, SPECIFICALLY, ABOUT THE OPENING OF THE NOVEL (THE FIRST 20-30 PAGES OR SO) THAT REALLY HOOKED YOU AND MADE YOU WANT TO CONTINUE READING? WHAT MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT THE BOOK DOWN?


A few things to consider in your answer:

--Was it the main character(s)?
--the voice?
--the unique premise?
--the events (did the story plunge right into the action)?
--the world building/setting?
--the style of the prose?
--something else?

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23 Reply by Anita Mumm

(6 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Good work, Group! Thanks for sharing your challenges and concerns about your writing, and your thoughts on Exercise 2.  I'll respond to each of you separately via the personal message feature on here, but in general it looks like you zoomed in on the main problems from the sample text: first and foremost, a lack of grounding (is this character male? female? age?); too much musing/ruminating; a backstory overload; and if not awkward prose, then certainly a bit generic! I like how you put it, Wren: the "Little did he know..." school of writing. In short, there is ample room for improvement!

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24 Topic by Anita Mumm

(0 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Hello All,


I had planned to post this critiquing prompt on Monday, but it looks like everyone has had a chance to have a look at the lesson materials. So, I'll go ahead in case you'd like to get started over the weekend. Please post the first 10 pages (about 2500 words) of your manuscript as soon as you are ready, but no later than Wednesday, April 1 to allow time for class members to critique it during this lesson period. You can post your critiques either as a Regular Review or an In-line Review (let me know if you need help or are unsure of the difference). Please make it your goal to comment on 2-3 group members' work per lesson period.


As you critique, you are of course free to make general comments, but please give particular focus to these areas:


1) What is your initial reaction to the story? Did it hook you? What were the main strengths you noticed so far?


2) Did you notice any of the potential problems outlined in this week's lesson: backstory overload, lack of grounding, too much musing, awkward or uneven prose? Note that a lack of an inciting incident (the fifth issue mentioned in the lesson) is probably not a problem at this stage, since we're only looking at the first 10 pages; you may want to wait for more of the story to comment on that.

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25 Topic by Anita Mumm

(0 replies, posted in Crafting the Strongest Start - Spring 2015)

Hello All,


I just wanted to add a little clarification on the way the class will flow:


* At the beginning of weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7, I'll post a new lesson, along with an assignment. You can work at your own pace on the reading material and exercises during each two-week period. I will give feedback on the assignment near the end of each two-week period, to give you a chance to respond before you see the answers.


* During the other weeks (2, 4, 6, and 8), I'll post additional exercises or questions for discussion, for those who want a little more practice and interaction. These will be optional.


* This coming Monday, I will ask you to post the first sample from your manuscript - the first 10 pages (or about 2,500 words). Then I'll ask you to critique 2-3 of your classmates' work. I'll give you a prompt to help you focus your critique on the topics covered in the lesson. In the subsequent weeks, you'll be able to post your next installment any time after the new lesson is up, but I do encourage you to read through the lesson and do the assignment before you start critiquing, so you can put the material in practice.


* I'll ask you to post 10 new pages during each 2-week segment, so by the end of the class you'll have feedback on your first 40 pages.


Please let me know if you have any questions. Best wishes as you put the final touches on those opening pages!

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