Thanks everyone for all the input, I have been thinking on how to put in more of Alex's story, to make her "special" from the get go, but with being in third person limited POV I worry that there isn't anything I can reveal that she herself knows. Duncan has more info than she does, but she doesn't know that, and he isn't going to reveal till later. There is an element of I want to find out what happened to my father, but none of this has anything to do with why they are rappelling into this chasm. Maybe I should edit and post the next few chapters and then come back to this later? I think I might be worrying too much about this one aspect and it is staunching my creativeness.
2 2016-02-14 05:25:08
Re: Advice for now and later (7 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
There is a great writers podcast that I was able to attend today, it's called Writing Excuses. The four main members are Brandon Sanderson, Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, and Howard Taylor. Every podcast is a mini writing panel with advice for authors. These are some amazing pointers and ideas and they pretty much sum up the conference I attended this weekend. Look it up in the iTunes store, it's free and wonderful. As I go through my notes I will add some of the best advice I received. One of the best sessions I attended this weekend was by John D. Brown, to sum up, he said that as writers, you don’t have to explain every little detail, people will visualize what they want to. You can’t show the reader anything, it is impossible. We tell them things and we engage their own imaginations to show them those things. We give the reader the triggers and let them fill in the blanks. I was blown away by the authors, editors, publishers, artists, screenwriters, puppeteers, and cosplayers that were willing to share their ideas and hard earned knowledge with us. I will definitely be attending LtUE again next year!
3 2016-02-13 04:55:36
Re: KennedyMcF's thread (75 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Elisheva Free wrote:
Hey Kennedy. I'm not sure your whole first chapter got posted, unless you're updating it as you work on the chapter?
Also, we all play hookie at one time or another.
-Elisheva
Yeah, kind of as I'm going. I've gotten so much amazing info at this conference that I think I might have to revamp my whole novel! I do have to do it fast though, I have an acquisitions editor interested in the finished product. I'm hoping I can just get on a roll and not stop till I'm done and ready to submit it, but I have one more day of this conference, so it will have to go slowly for another day!
4 2016-02-12 19:26:37
Re: KennedyMcF's thread (75 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I'm at this amazing writing conference LtUE, for the weekend, if anyone would like my notes let me know and I can email them to you, and am happy to answer any questions about my notes. I'll have a much better understanding of what to look for in the writing that I review on here after this weekend. Thanks for being so patient with me in my playing hookie from you guys and my reviews.
5 2016-02-04 03:39:29
Re: The Colorless Dragon Thread (354 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I've been reading your work and am totally in love with the story. I haven't found things that I would particularly comment on, and I suck at grammar so I won't even try on that, ha-ha, but I really like the ideas you have. I hope that as I read and write more that I will be able to comment more, and help more.
6 2016-01-26 05:36:46
Re: KennedyMcF's thread (75 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Sorry, sick kids take precedence over anything me! I'm hoping to get back to rewriting my first chapter and submitting it for points. I've also been reading some of the work on this site and am impressed with all of you. I hope I can live up to the standard set.
7 2016-01-23 06:11:14
Re: KennedyMcF's thread (75 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
No, it said nothing about points, I guess I'll try again
8 2016-01-23 05:07:13
Re: KennedyMcF's thread (75 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I only published in this group, was that wrong?
9 2016-01-23 05:01:00
Re: KennedyMcF's thread (75 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
So I posted my first chapter, but I don't know how to make it worth points. I keep trying to buy the premium, but it won't let me because it keeps saying I'm in the trial period. Do I just have to wait till my trial expires?
10 2016-01-23 04:17:39
Re: KennedyMcF's thread (75 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
njc wrote:
Amy, if it's not too excruciating I'm going to suggest our new K have a look a the last two reviews I did of Fixing the Roof. (Actually I'd suggest a different title, one more oblique, so you don't give away the Dance Ten, Looks Three.)
I'd love to read your reviews, I never know what to say when I read someone's work, whether I like something or not I worry that I'll offend or upset, or say the wrong thing, or that I'll be completely wrong and sound stupid.
11 2016-01-22 22:58:37
Re: KennedyMcF's thread (75 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
The biggest reason I go to LTUE is for the pitch sessions with the publishers, and the classes with the editors and agents.
12 2016-01-22 00:08:34
Re: KennedyMcF's thread (75 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Thank you njc for that info. Now I'll try it and hope that I can do it. I saw on another thread that someone quoted LTUE, is anyone going to that this year?
13 2016-01-21 19:32:05
Re: KennedyMcF's thread (75 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
So how do I read and reply to people's work, and how do I post my own?
14 2016-01-21 16:19:49
Re: KennedyMcF's thread (75 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Hi everyone, I'm really excited I found you guys. I've been looking everywhere for a writing group and am having a really hard time finding anything local. This is my first time in an online forum, so sorry in advance if I mess up. Like I said to Amy, I'm glad you will give me some time before the biting starts! I'm currently working on a time travel fantasy. I'll get my first chapter up as soon as I figure out how to do it. I'm in the trial period so currently am a premium member, but am not sure if I will keep that up. I am 34 years old, I have 4 kids and a husband in his final years getting his bachelors degree. I have finished my manuscript and am currently editing it for the millionth time. I'm not happy with it. I seem to have a hard time fleshing out the story, I decided to reread it without editing and there is just not much to make you feel the story, and it makes it kinda choppy. Any help in that department would be greatly appreciated.
