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| Sunday, July 9th, 2006 | | 8:34 pm |
Valley girls
Many people ask how I know which reviewers to trust and which to avoid. It's a matter of experience and trial and error, really. Most reviewers can offer something, sometimes; it's a matter of sorting the wheat from the chaff. What you want to avoid are Valley Girl types and Needy types. How to recognise Valley Girls? 1) They are out to win Miss popularity. 2) They are generally adolescent, though they can carry their adolescentness into long future years. They are the types who carry on with the behaviours that earned them the title Miss popularity in the first place. Some take a long time to discard these behaviours. Some never do. They will generally try to endear themselves with 'cutesy baby language' to their adoring public. (Using 'secrit' instead of secret, 'loff' instead of love, using 'squeee' etc etc. Basically using a lot of nonsensical made-up words to generate an image of cuteness is a clear identifier.) 3) Their writing lacks depth or research. Example: One had a scene with a Princess eating chocolate cake on her bed with her Lady in Waiting. Seriously! I'm not joking! Other stories showed similar unrealistic scenarios. 4) They love everything they review, because they have no real background or experience to offer up constructive criticism. 5) They follow the pack, agreeing with reviewers they consider their peers, rather than making their own judgements. (This last is not so bad given their lack of judgement as evidenced by their writing) Why should you avoid them? 1) If you try to review them, you can only offer basic reviews that address grammar and punctuation, because they are not mature enough to understand in-depth reviews. In the chocolate cake example I actually went to great depth in a review stating why this was implausible. (Another reviewer sent me an email saying congratulations on writing that review. He said he'd wanted to, but was too afraid of hurting the writer's feelings.) Therein lies my point. When a writer is at that level, how do you review them? You can be assured that they have gathered about them a good number of adoring reviewers who want to be positive and encouraging. Some of these reviewers might even be good reviewers to other more experienced writers. But they seem to lose the plot when it comes to reviewing the Valley Girl. They like her because she's so cute and adorable and don't want to hurt her feelings. So they never confront her with the fact her stories don't smell of roses. Quite the opposite. Which leaves reviewers who actually want to give hard constructive advice out in the cold. Their advice will be ignored, because their comments have been outweighed by a stream of positive, non-confrontationalist reviews. It's a no-win situation. The reviewer is wasting their time because the Valley Girl will dismiss non-glowing reviews. The Valley Girl loses, because she will continue to write sub-par stories and then wonder why she can't number a swathe of adoring agents and publishers among her adoring throng. An agent recently told me, age is important when deciding on taking on new authors. They are looking for life experience and maturity, generally 35 years and upward. Valley Girl might have a shot at it then, if she grows up and discards her useless adoring throng who are actually holding her back. On Needy types. These are much like Valley Girls, but can come in any age. In fact, many unfortunately fall into the 35 and over age group. They also need an adoring throng supporting them, and need endless (and I mean endless) streams of encouragement. Don't even dream of giving them a constructive critical review. They won't listen. They will go rushing to cry to their support group. Who of course will tell them how wonderful they are. Often they are very good writers. One for example could do outstanding characterisation, but could not for life or money pull a novel together into a cohesive whole. They got to a certain point, then started a circular pattern of recreating their primary characters in secondary characters who appeared midway in the story, and suddenly the book was about the new characters and the original characters basically fell out of the plot. (This happened in every story this writer wrote, and often the same basic plot was recycled.) Nothing was resolved and the reader was left totally unsatisfied by the end. Reviewers were left gnashing teeth, because often the solution to making these books work was obvious, but again, when the writer has an adoring throng telling them that every word is gold, the writer won't listen to the lone wolf. To their cost. (In this scenario, another wonderful published writer actually agreed with every point the lone wolf made, but refused to tell the writer because they knew the writer was not ready to hear constructive criticism or solutions that meant chucking out half a book's worth of draft. Needy writers regard this as negative. Trust me, chucking out reams of slaved-over words is sometimes the most positive thing you can do.) So, as with the Valley Girl, you will waste your time with Needy writers because they may never be in a frame of mind to listen. Certainly not while they have adoring reviewers to shore them up. On reviewing - they again fall into the non-critical type. They tend to err to the positive and avoid constructive criticism. I shall finish on a positive note. There are a lot of good reviewers, you just have to find them. Not every reviewer can address every point. But I can often find gold amongst a pile of chaff-like comments. It may take you several years to identify good reviewers, so try not to alienate reviewers who give your writing hell. Sure, some of them may be barking up the wrong tree. Some of them might be spot on. You may not be in the best position to judge. If you find everyone loves you work - either start worrying really fast, or get it out to an agent/publisher fast. Ending fact - No matter how much everyone loves your work, if it ain't published . . . Think about it. | | Tuesday, March 14th, 2006 | | 6:52 pm |
Getting there
On the uphill slide of finishing book 2 Made inroads into book 2 Book 3 is in hiatus. Book 7 I'll worry about later. I made Veren cry. I made the King cry. I'm tired. | | Sunday, February 19th, 2006 | | 1:18 pm |
You know you are in trouble when . . .
You keep starting to write one chapter, and instead write a bunch of others. I know the chapter of how Charis learns magic is a pain, but I didn't realise subliminally I just didn't want to write it. So I've written everything around it - totally NOT in the order I imagined it to be - sadly - it works, but there is NO SUBTLETY to it at all. And I wanted Charis to think Myrrhye was the bees knees, but every time there is a scene with them in it Charis is going "Mean, mean Myrrhye, I hate you." I wanted to show a subtle relationship shift, but Charis went in all guns blazing from the moment they met, and now she's just learned of Myrrhye's plans for Areme so that's GOT to endear Myrrhye even LESS to her. I can't win. And I still haven't written the 'how to learn magic in one easy chapter' chapter. . . grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr And Merien did a Haen and just TOTALLY disappeared. He becomes pivotal in the second half, but I didn't do his pov in the first half at all - not sure if that is a mistake. The book is mainly supposed to be Charis and Areme, but Merien, Roedan and Sarrouen are also pivotal. And of course Hessard decided he likes page time - grrrrrrrrrrrrrr | | Monday, February 13th, 2006 | | 9:35 pm |
Garoooooo
I'm not even going to explain the title, except that I reduce to a puddle of twitters whenever I use it in the book. "Garoooooo . . . " Current Mood:  amusedCurrent Music: Incomplete - Back Street Boys | | Saturday, January 28th, 2006 | | 10:07 am |
Mary Sue
hehehe - Although they didn't quite manage to be Mary Sue's, they tried real hard by acing this criteria. Does the character save the day and/or another character's life? YEP Through magical/mystical intervention? YEP Through dying? YEP Does everyone go into mourning? Depends who you mean by everyone Does s/he get not-dead by the end of the story? In the sequel? YEP Do you plan to write many more stories revolving around this character? YEP - or at least finish the ones I've started. | | Monday, January 23rd, 2006 | | 7:52 pm |
Totally Incensed!!!
They BANNED Brokeback Mountain! BANNED IT!!! Only 1 cinema is showing it for 1 day and I have to sit on an effing train for 5 hours so I can see it! What happened to anti - discrimination laws? Current Mood:  infuriated | | Saturday, January 21st, 2006 | | 8:20 am |
Areme's Song
For Deeper than Black, Ascension and Shades of Grey. If I could be where you are. Enya © 2005 Warner Music Intl. Where are you this moment? only in my dreams. You're missing, but you're always a heartbeat from me. I'm lost now without you, I don't know where you are. I keep watching, I keep hoping, but time keeps us apart Is there a way I can find you, is there a sign I should know, is there a road I could follow to bring you back home? Winter lies before me now you're so far away. In the darkness of my dreaming the light of you will stay If I could be close beside you If I could be where you are If I could reach out and touch you and bring you back home Is there a way I can find you Is there a sign I should know Is there a road I could follow to bring you back home to me Current Mood:  drainedCurrent Music: If I could be where you are - Enya | | Sunday, January 15th, 2006 | | 5:48 pm |
| | 8:37 am |
On Desks and Dummy spits
Lost a whole day's writing and critting due to having to self-assemble a new computer desk. And then the modem wouldn't play when all that was sorted out. Now I have to self-assemble a book case - GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Self-assembly and me are not on good terms. Current Mood: aggravated | | Saturday, January 14th, 2006 | | 9:15 am |
Daemon thingies
Because I am technologically challenged - this is as close as I got.  EAGLE or HAWK - your daemon may be some kind of bird of prey. Yours is a strong spirit, and a fierce sense of liberty. You cannot be confined. You may be shrewdly observant, and like to be aware of everything that goes on around you. You will fight fiercely for the things that are most important to you, and you are definitely a force to be reckoned with. Still, you are not vicious by nature and would prefer to be left in peace. You probably value your solitude very highly - not that you don't enjoy company, but sometimes you just need to be alone - otherwise you begin to feel caged in and confined. You might want to take a drive on your own, just to feel the road beneath you, or to sit alone on your balcony, watching the world go by. What Is Your Daemon? brought to you by Quizilla | | 7:49 am |
Newbies!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH
Don't you HATE them!!! Especially when they KNOW NOTHING!!!! My favourite line from the latest totally clueless member of OWW was along the lines of - there are too many characters for such a short story. SHORT STORY!!! WTF!!! I instantly went to see if I'd done false advertising - and - no - it was a CHAPTER!!! Grumbles as she types a please NEVER crit my work again email.......(to date - I think that is my tenth in three years) Current Mood: pissed off | | Wednesday, January 11th, 2006 | | 7:23 pm |
Lightning, Lee and Love
Having a major storm here. Lots of thunder and lightning. Got my new computer table. Fell in love with Lee Williams all over again while watching Wolves Of Kromer. Finished the rewrite of the Ascension battle and reposted on OWW - but of course no one will crit it, just read. Must find a leather working course so I can start the leather covers. Must start painting of Lee Williams. Sigh Olivier's theme song from all the books - Incomplete - Back Street Boys Current Mood: artisticCurrent Music: Incomplete - Back Street Boys | | 1:21 pm |
Birthday presents
I wanted to send Lee Williams the middle trilogy for his birthday. But of course the lack of crits makes it impossible - big sigh. He's a writer and artist too, so it has to be more impeccable when it goes to him than if I send it anywhere else. At any rate, I intend to send him the entire 9 books next year and sign over the copyright to him. (That's after I have self-published the 100 leather-bound copies of each book for myself) He's my muse and he deserves it. And it gets it out of my hair. I have plans for a new horse which will take up all my time for the next 10-15 years, and I doubt I'll miss writing after I say goodbye to 2006. Everyone said I'd miss the theatre after I gave that up and I never did, but I do miss jumping on a class horse. And writing seriously interferes with horses who deserve 100% of my time. I want the good old days back, of being petrified when walking a x-country course and being exhilarated when my horse has aced it. Of riding a perfect dressage test. I want my life back. Current Mood:  nostalgicCurrent Music: Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt | | Monday, January 9th, 2006 | | 8:24 pm |
I found a picture of Merien. Spookily he is identical in facial structure to Lee Williams (Olivier) and is also gay - go figure. A singer called Antony from Antony and the Johnsons. http://www.antonyandthejohnsons.com/antony/antony.htmlHaving fun confusing all the reader OWWers! Won't finish Ascension now till April or May, maybe later. Won't post any of the hot ending stuff on OWW, especially Aurion turning into a unicorn because I don''t see why readers should get to see the whizbang stuff. They can either crit or pay I say! Stands on pedestal and shakes fist!!! Of course it all depends on how long the novel trade people take to get through FS and DTB and up to the battle in Ascension. I've only got ch 81 to rewrite, but since it is a battle chapter we all know how long I will procrastinate on THAT! Meantime, I'm simultaneously rewriting DMR and writing HL - Finally onto the HOT stuff in that. Merien's being a pain - I anticipate quite a few rewrites before I nail him. He's being a tad too forthright when i want him to be a snivelling mess (must be his Jaen side coming out). There's a LOT of intense characters in it, and they are ALL being demanding and shoving the plot around to suit themselves. Even the King is demanding quality time!! Sheesh! I don't know how long I can put him off. Current Music: Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt | | Sunday, January 8th, 2006 | | 8:10 pm |
Double GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Another effing reader!!! Where does it end? With a comment - 'rather a lot compared to what I've seen of your other work - is this an early draft?' Helloooooooooooo. This person has NEVER critted my work yet can compare this chapter to my OTHER WORK??? WTF???? I'm starting to seriously think about pulling EVERYTHING of OWW. I SO do not think it is funny!!! And I needed detailed crits on Ascension, not first draft el crapola. | | Friday, January 6th, 2006 | | 7:29 am |
Totally Gutted
I sat all evening in the dark listening to this song and crying. And I know whose song it is now - it is Jaen's. It is TOTALLY Jaen's. And I suddenly realised, the middle trilogy is totally his too, despite others saying it is Olivier's or Areme's, even Orlanda's. This song has left me utterly devastated. It is everything Jaen would say to Olivier, and I can't get that feeling into the long goodbye death sequence. Maybe when he comes back and haunts Olivier... Current Mood: drainedCurrent Music: Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt | | Thursday, January 5th, 2006 | | 8:09 am |
Readers - GRRRRRRRRRR
I've pulled Ascension off OWW due to several emails I got in the last week from people who have been reading it but not critting. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR If they want to read it they can damned well pay for it. Fortunately there were only 7 more chapters and I think they are mostly OK. So I'm moving on with first draft rubbish that I'll mix up the posting order on OWW with incorrect ch numbers just to confuse those annoying beasties. I admit - I thought I'd shaken them off a while ago - seems not. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Current Mood: aggravatedCurrent Music: Goodbye My Lover | | 7:55 am |
Goodbye, My Lover
THIS is Olivier's and Jaen's theme song. THIS and nothing else. Except for the obvious female lines, it might have been written for them, and listening to it has me crying everytime I hear it because the rendition is painful angst. If only I could get this intensity of pain into the death sequence, because this song says it all. James Blunt - Back to Bedlam Goodbye My Lover lyrics Did I disappoint you or let you down? Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown? 'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun, Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won. So I took what's mine by eternal right. Took your soul out into the night. It may be over but it won't stop there, I am here for you if you'd only care. You touched my heart you touched my soul. You changed my life and all my goals. And love is blind and that I knew when, My heart was blinded by you. I've kissed your lips and held your head. Shared your dreams and shared your bed. I know you well, I know your smell. I've been addicted to you. Goodbye my lover. Goodbye my friend. You have been the one. You have been the one for me. I am a dreamer but when I wake, You can't break my spirit - it's my dreams you take. And as you move on, remember me, Remember us and all we used to be I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile. I've watched you sleeping for a while. I'd be the father of your child. I'd spend a lifetime with you. I know your fears and you know mine. We've had our doubts but now we're fine, And I love you, I swear that's true. I cannot live without you. Goodbye my lover. Goodbye my friend. You have been the one. You have been the one for me. And I still hold your hand in mine. In mine when I'm asleep. And I will bear my soul in time, When I'm kneeling at your feet. Goodbye my lover. Goodbye my friend. You have been the one. You have been the one for me. I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow. I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow. Current Mood: melancholyCurrent Music: Goodbye My Lover | | Sunday, December 18th, 2005 | | 7:57 am |
Reviewers
I have reviewed 3 entire books online where I only ever got a handful of reviews back. Looking at their critting history, they never crit anyone, so that is my bad for not taking note of that before. But they have the nerve to promise reviews............go figure Current Mood: annoyed | | 7:28 am |
AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH
Finished the battle. Doubt it makes any sense, but what the hell! I have revised it 5 times. I hate battles. Tomorrow I will start looking at DMR to see how truly sucky it is. Current Mood:  blahCurrent Music: Goodbye My Lover |
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