Friday, May 14, 2010

I Had a Fun Idea! (Okay, Maybe a Few)

Or at least, I hope they're fun ideas. Can you tell I've been thinking about ways to improve the blog?

1. Folks seem to enjoy my diagnostic posts, so I was thinking that it might be fun to let y'all send me your problems and I can diagnose them as a post. Sometimes it's easier to get something when you can see the example in your own work. So what if I let readers send me 250 words of a problem they're having trouble with. Say a snippet of a scene they can't make work right, or an example of description they want to get more in the POV's head. Like mini-crits focusing n a specific problem.

2. I've created an email address specifically for the blog so those who are shy can email me questions directly. I know not everyone wants their questions out there for all to see. I can answer those questions on the blog, or if you don't want them published at all, just say so and I'll write back. That address is: (spaced to help keep the email scrappers from grabbing it) blogquestions --at-- yahoo --dot-- com. (So --at-- is @ and --dot-- is . )

That's it for now. Maybe more ideas will come to me later.

14 comments:

  1. I think it's great you're willing to do this. I know I learn best by example - seeing it, rather than just a few paragraphs of explanation of how to. I hope you get lots of takers :)

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  2. Hello! I've discovered your blog a few days ago and the writing advice in your archive is outstanding. Keep up the good work! :)

    Also, this particular post's idea is quite awesome. Looking forward to see how it works out.

    Best wishes,

    Songlian

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  3. Cool idea. Now to go dig around!

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  4. My hardest thing is showing vs. telling. You posted a wonderful piece on that not too long ago. My trouble is finding the balance between writing around the telling words and when is it okay to use them. This is my first draft from my WIP. I totally agree that it needs to be re-writen, but when is was okay? (Sorry, it reads pretty cheesy coming into the middle of it.)


    She had never wished so hard in her life for her father or one of her brothers to come along. _I don’t care how bad Papa whops me when I get home, just someone come soon._ But no one was going to show up in time. Not even her favorite older brother who always seemed to know when she was in trouble. Jaek where are you?

    A wolf jumped for her throat. Making a mad grab, she caught it by its fur and fell backwards into the snow. Jaws snapped inches from her face. The wolves attacked in a snarling mass. One bit through her boot and into her foot, worrying the thick leather. She screamed as another bit into her shoulder, playing tug-of-war in the snow; its growling loud in her ear. Others bit at her wherever they could, mauling her through thick fur coat and pants. The ground was bloody slush.

    Asaro concentrated on the wolf in front of her. She was nose to nose with it, staring into its yellow eyes. She wasn’t going to be able to hold it much longer. She hurt too much. She was bleeding too much. Her arms trembled with strain. _Papa! Jaek! Somebody, anybody! Help!_
    She screamed again as the wolf at her shoulder bit through the big joint collapsing her arm. Something in the back of her brain unfolded and took over. She was falling and falling into yellow eyes. The world turned and twisted. She screamed high and shrill as pain ripped through her.

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  5. I think that's great!! Thanks for your support!

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  6. Hi Janice! I have a problem - in the beginning of my book the main character is given powers, and by the midpoint she has to be relatively competent (but no expert) in using them. How do I have her training and learning to use her powers (while discovering the setting of the book, the other characters, etc) without it being super boring? Thanks for any help!

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  7. This is a great idea, and thanks for offering your wisdom!

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  8. Hey, cool idea. I'll be watching with interest!

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  9. Oooh I might have to take you up on that!

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  10. Great idea. Prepare to be bombarded. lol.

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  11. I never get as many as I'd expect. :) I think my readers are shy, LOL.

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  12. Well, that's okay. I'm not too shy and I have lots of questions :)

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  13. Which is good! Questions make the blog easier to write.

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