Thanks, Janet, very interesting. Are you of the opinion that once the entire book has been reviewed on TNBW that it is still wise to hava a professional editor. I have asked myself, will I know when it's polished or not?
Thanks again
Mike
51 2015-07-30 23:26:56
Re: Magic of Books workshop (3 replies, posted in Writing Tips & Site Help)
52 2015-07-30 21:04:17
Re: Paid Article Opportunity (4 replies, posted in Writing Tips & Site Help)
Thanks
Mike
53 2015-07-30 19:54:43
Re: POV slip or not? (13 replies, posted in Writing Tips & Site Help)
Lupus pompously, fell into a hissy fit at her familiarity of using his first name.
Windsor spewed coffee through her nose trying suppress an urge to smile.
I apologize Dirk, I just couldn't help myself.
Mike
54 2015-07-30 19:41:16
Re: Paid Article Opportunity (4 replies, posted in Writing Tips & Site Help)
Sol, Do you have a word length minimum or maximum for the articles.
Mike
55 2015-07-29 23:53:16
Re: Quote (5 replies, posted in Cop Shop)
No problem Allen. It just came to me as I was writing my comment to your article. Mike
56 2015-07-27 14:09:44
Topic: And the Winner is (2 replies, posted in Mama, Trains and Pickup Trucks)
The winner of this weeks song challenge, prompt: Trains. Is, ta ta ta da, Ghost Train, by Buffalotales. Love the rhythm, and the visual painted by the wordsmithing.
I will feel the wings of glory
carry me above the hilltops
All the while I know that train will come for me.
Great job. This weeks challenge will be Horses, write a song about horses and submit it to win. Have some fun with it.
Mike
57 2015-07-23 16:46:45
Re: New Member!! (10 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Welcome, Addison. This is a learning place. It is also a surgical suite. The surgery is done with velvet scalpels, so as to leave good memories and better writing with no ugly scars.
Mike
58 2015-07-21 14:18:19
Topic: Breaking the Block (0 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
You're working on your best seller and all of a sudden you don't know where to go with it. If you're like me there are sometimes too many possibilities and you can't decide which fits best. My solution is to write a short story, a poem, or ta da, a song. This brings me to our group called Mama's Trains and Pick-up Trucks. Each week there is a fun little contest that JP has devised to break up our writing week. She gives a prompt for a song and your imagination takes over. Never written a song? It's easy to learn and JP has posted links for help. When the fun has gone out of your novel for a while, write a song. It's fun, refreshing and very gratifying. We only have one entry so far this week, the prompt is, "trains." Jump in and write about a choo-choo.
Mike
59 2015-07-18 05:15:34
Re: How much truth do you put into your writing? (12 replies, posted in Thriller/Mystery/Suspense)
My short story, The Painted Perp, fair accurately describes myself and my detective partner in an actual happening. My granddaughter says I am writing Hunter as who I would like to be. She may be right. Mike
60 2015-07-15 00:16:54
Re: Taking a break (1 replies, posted in Thriller/Mystery/Suspense)
Stay safe and hurry back. Mike
61 2015-07-14 13:16:23
Topic: Helping (0 replies, posted in Spirituality & Religion)
July 14, 2015
Helping
by Charles R. Swindoll
Hebrews 10
Well, it's mid July. Time to make a mad dash for the pool or at least a tall, frosty glass of iced tea. But while you're swimming or sipping, think about helping. Yeah, helping.
Think about being of assistance . . . your arm around the hunched shoulders of another . . . your smile saying "try again" to someone who's convinced it's curtains . . . your cup of cool water held up to a brother's cracked lips, reassuring and reaffirming.
Every time I pick up my pen, the thought of helping urges me to push ink into words.
There are enough---more than enough---specialists in body blocks, pass defenses, and tackling. There are more than enough causing fumbles, bruises, and injuries. I'd much rather run interference. I'd much rather slap someone on the back and say, "You can do it. Now git at it!"
I wholeheartedly agree with Philip Yancey, a man who models his own advice: "C. S. Lewis once likened his role as a Christian writer to an adjective humbly striving to point others to the Noun of truth. For people to believe that Noun, we Christian writers must improve our adjectives."
Whether in the sweltering heat of summer or the bitter blast of winter, I'd like to think that some carefully selected turn of a phrase, some pointed story, even the choice of a single word I used might reach out with a grip of fresh hope.
It's all part of helping folks. For, as His Word mandates: "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds" (Heb. 10:23-24).
Attractive adjectives plus unselfish verbs equal faith in the Noun of truth.
62 2015-07-13 20:51:53
Re: Self-publishing sites (28 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Thanks Norm. Interesting.
Mike
63 2015-07-11 00:01:30
Re: Endurance Points (32 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Thanks Vern. I kinda figured that would be the case with most. Just curious. Mike
64 2015-07-10 20:58:28
Re: Endurance Points (32 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Some of you "old heads" forgive me ladies. Experienced reviewers and writers answer this question. I have gleaned from reviews I have received and given that there are two ways of reviewing. The writer who is looking to lure a publisher should write by all the rules and write to the quirks and whims of a professional publisher. The writer who is looking to self publish has a little more freedom to shall we say challenge the rules of thumb, so to speak. Would it help any of you more experienced reviewers if you knew specifically what type of publishing the writer is going to seek? It seems to me a self publish review could be done in less time with less attention to problems that may not occur when self publishing. I would like to know the answer if for not other reason than to get this idea out of my head. Thanks Mike
65 2015-07-10 20:45:39
Re: Bonus Points (23 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Mariana Reuter wrote:
If I recall correctly from one time Sol addressed exactly that same situation in the old site, publishing a poem costs way more than posting a novel's chapter /short story because of the by-design short amount of words in a poem.
In this world, there are several very well guarded secrets: the Coca-Cola formula, Col. Sanders KFC recipe, and the way in which Sol awards points in TNBW. I don't think you'll ever get to know the calculation process.
Kiss,
Gacela.
This is very interesting. I don't post my poems and songs to garner reviews necessarily. I also don't heavily review others songs and poems. They are more for entertainment and sharing of humor ant idea's. Let's face it none of us will ever get rich writing poetry and probably never get a song published. I will think twice before using my points just to show off my songs to feed my ego if it's going to cost that many points. I would rather use those points for good reviews of my novel. Mike
66 2015-07-10 17:35:31
Re: Bonus Points (23 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
How about an adjustment to the computations. I posted a poem last night over 7 points. I read a chapter in line review for 1.6 points. I think the base of the problem is in the calculations. Not to be whiny but just sayin. Mike
67 2015-07-08 20:58:19
Re: Calling all TNBW Artists (6 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Sol, are you looking for a finished graphic or an idea you will send to a graphic artist? Mike
68 2015-07-08 02:48:05
Re: AND THE WINNER IS… (16 replies, posted in Cop Shop)
Great stories all. Congrats to deserving winners. If I couldn't win, at least it was a Texas story that did.
69 2015-07-07 15:15:53
Re: Link to Crazee Sharon's Lessons (4 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
JP, I went there and started looking through her tips. Very good advice. Thanks for sharing. Mike
70 2015-07-06 01:17:30
Re: Linda Ronstadt (1 replies, posted in Mama, Trains and Pickup Trucks)
Great music. We all get old an sick but we still have those memories. I listened to Simon and Garfunkel in Central Park 1992 concert on Friday while I was writing. Took me way back to their wonderful sounds. Mike
71 2015-07-05 23:28:53
Re: Things that's great about the new TNBW (32 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
I have only been here with the new site. Don't know what the old was like. This has meant so much to my writing. The bonus is the relationships that I have made here. I never expected to make a host of friends while reviewing writing. Sol has been so helpful with his teaching and fixing the requested glitches. It's a happy place. Mike
72 2015-07-05 14:55:05
Re: Prologue's (37 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
I have, for now, decided to move the flashbacks to Chapters 1,2. The crime, the investigation and it's outcome. It is now so much easier to keep the timeline straight. As I told Connie earlier, I was confusing myself. I do think prologue's work but I feared mine would be so long I might lose audience before the story started. The consensus hear of write what works for you, is what I thought to start with. Thanks for all the indepth discussion. Mike
73 2015-07-04 01:43:06
Re: Favorite Topics (1 replies, posted in Mama, Trains and Pickup Trucks)
Love, divorce, broken hearts, forever, states, cities, girlfriends, wives, horses, cattle, home.
74 2015-07-03 17:24:49
Topic: Visitation Rules for Texas Prisons (0 replies, posted in Cop Shop)
This might be helpful sometime. Tom asked question about visits with contact, and I checked to make sure.
Contact Visits: Limited physical contact between eligible offenders and their visitors may be allowed if the visitors are immediate family (natural or adoptive parents, stepparents or grandparents; natural or adopted children, stepchildren or grandchildren; natural or adoptive siblings or stepsiblings; spouse; or persons related by marriage, if accompanied by an immediate family member). With prior approval from facility administration, non-immediate family members may be allowed contact visits if immediate family members are unable to visit the offender. Due to the nature of their offense, some offenders cannot have contact visits with children under the age of 16.
75 2015-07-03 14:05:20
Re: Prologue's (37 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
I was raised on brains and eggs, Charles. I read the article with an eye to removing large flashbacks. The Prologue would actually hold the crime of years before. Then the story would lay out the impact on characters years later. My only thought is to limit the size of flashbacks. Now I am thinking if I'm good enough I can work the info into the characters thoughts as the story unfolds. Just a rookie, playing with his new found brain. Mike
