Very interesting indeed. Congratulations with the first chapter completion. I too found it hard to rip my first chapter apart, but now I am glad I did. Hope you have great luck with the next round of queries.
Don't you love when you get the best fortune cookies that make up for a bad day or questionable idea? Clearly it was fate and you did make the right choice. Now here's to starting over again :) Ava
1. Take your first book. 2. Stick it in the back of a desk drawer. 3. Write your next book.
As good as your first book is, your second will be much better for no more reason than that you won't make the same mistakes twice and are now a more efficient writer.
They also recommend getting a good Alpha reader. Not someone who will pick apart grammar and sentence structure but someone who will look at the plot, characters, and flow of the story and offer CONSTRUCTIVE advice.
Podcast can be found at: http://www.writingexcuses.com/
If you want my 2 cents:...
I read the posted bits of STRS a few weeks ago. Not my typical genre so I'm certainly not an expert but I thought it was good and wanted to read more. The characters came across as genuine not flat and you did a great job of showing the main character's anger/frustration/crush jumble of emotions toward the returning rock star.
The only negative I had was with a bit too much exposition in the beginning before you brought in the conflict. I would have liked to get hooked a bit faster. Maybe scaling back the expo or bringing it in as dialogue?
BTW I don't know that I recommend shelving your first book, but digging into another project might inspire you a bit more than an umpteenth rewrite.
Marc - Thank you. I hear what you are saying and I have heard that before about putting your first book away. I have tried to work on new things. I'm 30,000 words into the next book and completely stuck. I started two other stories after that and I am getting no where fast. I have to assume that part of my brain thinks if the first one didn't go anywhere why would the others so why am I bothering to write. But the other part of my brain has all this story crap in it that wants out. I actually did the other day what you suggested here and opened the book with some dialogue. We shall see if it pans out. I do have a few loyal readers and they give me great advice but I don't have an outside critique partner/reader. I appreciate your comments and that you took the time to come visit again. Thank you, Heather
its awesome when random events confirm your choices.
ReplyDelete"there are no accidents" shifu (kung fu panda)
good for you!
Stop freaking me out.
ReplyDeleteDon't you love when the universe confirms your decisions. Cool story.
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool! You made the right choices and it was clearly the right one.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting indeed. Congratulations with the first chapter completion. I too found it hard to rip my first chapter apart, but now I am glad I did. Hope you have great luck with the next round of queries.
ReplyDeleteTara - Weird but true!
ReplyDeleteMood - Sorry!
Rhonda - Thank you. The universe must be pleased with me at the moment!
Jessica - Thanks. I hope so. I should make you read both!
Murees - Not ready yet. Soon. Thank you!
HMG
Don't you love when you get the best fortune cookies that make up for a bad day or questionable idea? Clearly it was fate and you did make the right choice. Now here's to starting over again :)
ReplyDeleteAva
Depressing advice from a podcast on writing.
ReplyDelete1. Take your first book.
2. Stick it in the back of a desk drawer.
3. Write your next book.
As good as your first book is, your second will be much better
for no more reason than that you won't make the same mistakes twice and are now a more efficient writer.
They also recommend getting a good Alpha reader. Not someone who will pick apart grammar and sentence structure but someone who will look at the plot, characters, and flow of the story and offer CONSTRUCTIVE advice.
Podcast can be found at:
http://www.writingexcuses.com/
If you want my 2 cents:...
I read the posted bits of STRS a few weeks ago. Not my typical genre so I'm certainly not an expert but I thought it was good and wanted to read more. The characters came across as genuine not flat and you did a great job of showing the main character's anger/frustration/crush jumble of emotions toward the returning rock star.
The only negative I had was with a bit too much exposition in the beginning before you brought in the conflict. I would have liked to get hooked a bit faster. Maybe scaling back the expo or bringing it in as dialogue?
BTW I don't know that I recommend shelving your first book, but digging into another project might inspire you a bit more than an umpteenth rewrite.
Marc - Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI hear what you are saying and I have heard that before about putting your first book away.
I have tried to work on new things. I'm 30,000 words into the next book and completely stuck. I started two other stories after that and I am getting no where fast. I have to assume that part of my brain thinks if the first one didn't go anywhere why would the others so why am I bothering to write. But the other part of my brain has all this story crap in it that wants out.
I actually did the other day what you suggested here and opened the book with some dialogue. We shall see if it pans out.
I do have a few loyal readers and they give me great advice but I don't have an outside critique partner/reader.
I appreciate your comments and that you took the time to come visit again.
Thank you,
Heather