I'm currently having my manuscript critiqued by two members of Deadly Prose, an exclusive critique group designed for novel length manuscripts that requires tests of both your writing and critiquing skills before you can be admitted. As the testing implies, it's a moderated group.
There's a serious advantage to moderated groups when you're critiquing a whole novel at once. With single chapters and short stories, you could critique one, then if someone responded with a helpful critique of your work you could do another, and so on. A novel is a bit long to critique only to discover the other person has lost interest or is unhelpful. Besides, you may not need a novel critiqued at the same time as anyone else.
Deadly Prose operates on credits - and has rather strict formatting rules for quality control. You don't usually get to choose who critiques your manuscript. The moderator (thank you John Darrin!) does try to make sure you get value for your credits, but there's still some luck involved. And it takes longer because three humans are involved in every transaction.
On the other hand, this is one of the few ways to make sure your entire novel gets critiqued. For books like mine, it would be very hard to provide a useful critique of the final chapters without having read the rest.
Have you done whole novel critiques, or had them?
Friday, April 16, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Upping my game
I had thought I was almost ready to submit my manuscript to literary agents, but I'm going to up my game instead. I'm going to start reviewing the best critiquers on critique circle, and getting a couple of reviews from Deadly Prose as well.
It's a tough market out there. I love my concept and my characters, but my prose could probably use a little smoothing.
It's a tough market out there. I love my concept and my characters, but my prose could probably use a little smoothing.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Now an Award Winning blog!
I want to thank Alicia Frey for awarding me this "Creative Writer" award - and motivating me to upload my first image ever!
I think most people know the rules. I make five false statements and one true one, and any reader so inclined can guess which are which.
1. You owe me twenty bucks! Yes YOU, reading this. You forgot? You're reminded now. Paypal will be fine.
2. I have an agent sending out my manuscript to major publishers, but I'm not supposed to tell because the process sometimes takes awhile, and editors may be less enthusiastic if they think the manuscript has been going around a long time and rejected by everyone but them. My agent said it was fine to include her in this list - as long as I made another statement that everyone would think was true.
3. I used to read while driving sometimes when traffic was moving slowly.
4. Unlike Bill Clinton I inhaled in college, but only a few puffs. One of my companions congratulated me on my ability to get high cheaply, and bemoaned his own 'high' tolerance.
5. I own a time machine, or at least a homonym of one. It's used to dry certain herbs.
Since a bunch of the fun storytellers I know online have already received this award, I'm going to doublecheck the others before passing it on.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Public Query Slushpile
Another good place to get free no-strings-attached help with your query is the Public Query Slushpile. There are some excellent forums devoted to the same purpose, but they mostly have one thing in common. They remind you of their reciprocal nature. You are expected to give other people query advice - and advised that you will probably receive more and better advice if you help out some other people first.
This is very reasonable - but I think it's awesome that there are a couple of places that this rule doesn't seem to be in effect. I already posted about Evil Editor's blog. Since people are polite and friendly at the Public Query Slushpile I kept looking for the fine print, but nobody even suggests it's not nice to receive without giving. I was so touched I did my best to help out some people anyway. I feel bad for them - I'm still having trouble with my own query.
So how's your quest for a query workshop and/or writer's workshop going?
This is very reasonable - but I think it's awesome that there are a couple of places that this rule doesn't seem to be in effect. I already posted about Evil Editor's blog. Since people are polite and friendly at the Public Query Slushpile I kept looking for the fine print, but nobody even suggests it's not nice to receive without giving. I was so touched I did my best to help out some people anyway. I feel bad for them - I'm still having trouble with my own query.
So how's your quest for a query workshop and/or writer's workshop going?
Friday, March 12, 2010
Waiting for a response
I'm not always as calm and patient as A. J. Frey when waiting for a response to my writing:
I am never more neurotic than when I am waiting on a review. I pray in time this will get better for the publishing business is all about waiting. I know this, and that is why I make sure that my crazy is kept internal. Well, with the exception of this post. The only reason that I share this so openly is because I don’t think that I am alone.
I am never more neurotic than when I am waiting on a review. I pray in time this will get better for the publishing business is all about waiting. I know this, and that is why I make sure that my crazy is kept internal. Well, with the exception of this post. The only reason that I share this so openly is because I don’t think that I am alone.
--- “Please love me.” ---
Unfortunately I had already sent the review of chapter one (which had lots of fun stuff) when I read this. Unfortunately, because I've been reading that waiting is such a major and persistent part of the writers life. Waiting to get a request for a partial or full manuscript from an agent, waiting for them to read it, waiting for editors to respond when your agent is sending them your work. Clearly the most helpful thing I could do is help her get used to it.
How do you help, or 'help', your fellow writers?
How do you help, or 'help', your fellow writers?
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Between Fact and Fiction
Natalie Whipple is holding a contest. It's a fun contest, you don't have to remember to comment on her blog every day and blog about her and tweet about her and refer people. You just write, which is what writers do anyway? Well, actually we procrastinate, but if anyone wants to hold a procrastination contest, save yourself trouble and just send me the prize.
Anyway,
Objective: People say never to open with the weather, but I want you to do just that—make the weather opener interesting. It doesn't have to be entirely about the weather, but weather's gotta be somewhere in your 250 word limit.
Prizes:
First Place: Choice of 30-page crit, query/synopsis crit, or a full color drawing.
Second Place: Choice of 20-page crit, query/synopsis crit, or full color drawing
Third Place: Choice of 10-page crit, query crit, or black and white drawing.
My entry was sent in very late at night, so I didn't get distracted and miss the deadline while tinkering with it, so it's not perfect or polished, but it still makes me smile:
Surely nobody could have been cruel enough to throw the puppy from one of the windows above me. Could they?
Anyway,
Objective: People say never to open with the weather, but I want you to do just that—make the weather opener interesting. It doesn't have to be entirely about the weather, but weather's gotta be somewhere in your 250 word limit.
Prizes:
First Place: Choice of 30-page crit, query/synopsis crit, or a full color drawing.
Second Place: Choice of 20-page crit, query/synopsis crit, or full color drawing
Third Place: Choice of 10-page crit, query crit, or black and white drawing.
My entry was sent in very late at night, so I didn't get distracted and miss the deadline while tinkering with it, so it's not perfect or polished, but it still makes me smile:
It was raining cats and dogs.
Cats anyway, though only one puppy, plus the water. Two cats jumped nimbly from a flooded second story window box. Despite a moment of shock, I managed to catch the black, white, and brown puppy before it hit the pavement. It was very wet, but I had no regrets, even when the wind stole the umbrella I had just dropped. I backed into a doorway to plot my next move.
Surely nobody could have been cruel enough to throw the puppy from one of the windows above me. Could they?
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Critique Circle
My favorite online workshop is Critique Circle. I've gotten to know people there, well enough to feel bad when I'm absent for several months, well enough to know their work and look forward to it. I'm shy and not good at getting to know people through chit chat, but reading someone's book give you a glimpse of their hopes and dreams - like reading their blog.
All you have to do to earn credits is to write a review of at least 300 words for a story that is at the front of the queue. When you've done several of those, you have enough credits to upload your own story. It will probably get reviewed, since your first three stories go in the newbie queue, and the workshop is structured to encourage people to review the stories at the front of the queues, which pays more credits.
It might seem it doesn't matter much if your review is good or bad, as long as it's over 300 words. There's an informal system inside the formal one though. Anyone can write useless reviews - but if you write a very helpful one the recipient is likely to review you in turn. They might even go back and review your older chapters, though they get fewer upload credits for doing so than they would for reviewing the most recent material.
If you subscribe you can create your own queue with your own rules. So far I haven't done this yet - I'm saving my money to publicize my book after it gets published. They've placed limits on the personalized queues, so as not to make the free users feel too frustrated. The large user base is one of the major assets of this workshop, because it makes it much easier to find someone who is helpful to you, and considers your critiques helpful to them as well.
What's your favorite online workshop? What do you like about it?
All you have to do to earn credits is to write a review of at least 300 words for a story that is at the front of the queue. When you've done several of those, you have enough credits to upload your own story. It will probably get reviewed, since your first three stories go in the newbie queue, and the workshop is structured to encourage people to review the stories at the front of the queues, which pays more credits.
It might seem it doesn't matter much if your review is good or bad, as long as it's over 300 words. There's an informal system inside the formal one though. Anyone can write useless reviews - but if you write a very helpful one the recipient is likely to review you in turn. They might even go back and review your older chapters, though they get fewer upload credits for doing so than they would for reviewing the most recent material.
If you subscribe you can create your own queue with your own rules. So far I haven't done this yet - I'm saving my money to publicize my book after it gets published. They've placed limits on the personalized queues, so as not to make the free users feel too frustrated. The large user base is one of the major assets of this workshop, because it makes it much easier to find someone who is helpful to you, and considers your critiques helpful to them as well.
What's your favorite online workshop? What do you like about it?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Querying Your Query
I guess you've started writing seriously when you expose your writing to a workshop. You're well along the path to a first novel when you workshop your query. And you're a veteran when you workshop your procrastination techniques.
I've been at phase two for awhile, and Evil Editor is the first and most unique query workshop I found.
Usually you help other people polish their work in exchange for having your own polished. Oddly enough, that's not necessarily expected on Evil Editor's blog. You receive free and unreciprocated (unless you feel like it) help in exchange for accepting the fact that other people are going to make fun of your query letter, and first pages if you submit them. There are several games to this end. Each submission is used for an episode of Guess The Plot, where Evil Editor tells people your title, and makes up outrageous plots that might fit it. It would be easier if he weren't so cunning at slanting his brief description of your real plot.
If you submit the first hundred fifty words of your book, you may receive helpful advice on the all important hook. On the other hand, people will write satirical continuations of your opening, and Evil Editor will publish the one(s) he considers funniest.
The frequent writing exercises may be helpful, although after a short time I had to decide my time was better spent on my own writing. The exercises do offer opportunities to take vengeful digs at Evil Editor.
I like to think Evil Editor is what he seems - someone frustrated by the bland unhelpful politeness that is most prudent for an agent or editor rejecting work. Under the cloak of anonymity he could be both helpful and rude. Or not - who knows?
I'm going to give this blog two thumbs up. A good query letter and a thick skin are both important for a novelist. I'm glad I started polishing my query here, and even met one of the first people to actually find the premise of my novel intriguing.
Have you workshopped any queries yet? Are you planning to? Do you know of any writer's workshop you'd prefer to a special query workshop for this?
I've been at phase two for awhile, and Evil Editor is the first and most unique query workshop I found.
Usually you help other people polish their work in exchange for having your own polished. Oddly enough, that's not necessarily expected on Evil Editor's blog. You receive free and unreciprocated (unless you feel like it) help in exchange for accepting the fact that other people are going to make fun of your query letter, and first pages if you submit them. There are several games to this end. Each submission is used for an episode of Guess The Plot, where Evil Editor tells people your title, and makes up outrageous plots that might fit it. It would be easier if he weren't so cunning at slanting his brief description of your real plot.
If you submit the first hundred fifty words of your book, you may receive helpful advice on the all important hook. On the other hand, people will write satirical continuations of your opening, and Evil Editor will publish the one(s) he considers funniest.
The frequent writing exercises may be helpful, although after a short time I had to decide my time was better spent on my own writing. The exercises do offer opportunities to take vengeful digs at Evil Editor.
I like to think Evil Editor is what he seems - someone frustrated by the bland unhelpful politeness that is most prudent for an agent or editor rejecting work. Under the cloak of anonymity he could be both helpful and rude. Or not - who knows?
I'm going to give this blog two thumbs up. A good query letter and a thick skin are both important for a novelist. I'm glad I started polishing my query here, and even met one of the first people to actually find the premise of my novel intriguing.
Have you workshopped any queries yet? Are you planning to? Do you know of any writer's workshop you'd prefer to a special query workshop for this?
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Google reader recommended sources just introduced me to A Walk in My Shoes. This is a blog about writing and shoes, blended in an amazing way. If Susan Mills does as good a job branding her novels as she does her blog, she has an awesome career ahead of her!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Choosing an Online Writer's Workshop
My current manuscript and I have been in three online writers workshops together. All have had good and bad points. First was the Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. The name may have been a little different back then, but the website looks much the same. The experience is worth sharing with other writers - I'll do the same for the other workshops I've tried soon.
The most important this is being able to find active members, and this is easy at OWW. Start by looking at the most recently published stories - though just reviewing these isn't your best bet if you want helpful critiques. Look for stories with at least a couple of critiques. One might be an accident, but if a story has several, probably the author critiques other people in turn. You could critique this story - but better yet, read the critiques already there, and when you find one you like, see what that person has written.
Unfortunately, OWW isn't ideal for a novel. To keep things fresh, you can only have three stories or chapters up at a time. Given the erratic schedules of those of us who love to write but have to work at something else to make a living, its hard enough critiquing partners on the same schedule to make this work. I did benefit from this workshop though - I received a lot of help with my first few chapters. If chapter one is confusing, you can't blame the fact that somebody missed previous chapters.
Also, you have to pay - $6 a month, unless you go for a longer plan. We all know how that is - you think you're going to stop for a few weeks, then it turns into months, automatically deducted from your credit card while you don't have time to log on. Its a good workshop, and they have to pay the bills, but I always find that racket annoying. I like workshops with a free option, even if they have to charge for premium. You can find a greater variety of critique partners - although I never had a problem with this in practice.
I'll post a few more details if they come to me, but its been quite awhile since me and OWW were together.
The most important this is being able to find active members, and this is easy at OWW. Start by looking at the most recently published stories - though just reviewing these isn't your best bet if you want helpful critiques. Look for stories with at least a couple of critiques. One might be an accident, but if a story has several, probably the author critiques other people in turn. You could critique this story - but better yet, read the critiques already there, and when you find one you like, see what that person has written.
Unfortunately, OWW isn't ideal for a novel. To keep things fresh, you can only have three stories or chapters up at a time. Given the erratic schedules of those of us who love to write but have to work at something else to make a living, its hard enough critiquing partners on the same schedule to make this work. I did benefit from this workshop though - I received a lot of help with my first few chapters. If chapter one is confusing, you can't blame the fact that somebody missed previous chapters.
Also, you have to pay - $6 a month, unless you go for a longer plan. We all know how that is - you think you're going to stop for a few weeks, then it turns into months, automatically deducted from your credit card while you don't have time to log on. Its a good workshop, and they have to pay the bills, but I always find that racket annoying. I like workshops with a free option, even if they have to charge for premium. You can find a greater variety of critique partners - although I never had a problem with this in practice.
I'll post a few more details if they come to me, but its been quite awhile since me and OWW were together.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
A New Plan to Rule the World!
A big thank you to Fairyhedgehog in the comments for asking when I would blog again. Its more fun when someone actually notices. I've been concentrating on polishing my manuscript, but I'll need to learn to multitask. Soon I'll be writing a new novel while submitting my finished one, and fulfilling rewrite requests (hopefully) first from an agent then from a publisher.
Its a good thing I've found time to blog, since the publishing industry has clearly missed the ideal way to handle e-readers, and now I can tell them. One of the problems is that people who have spent so much money on e-readers are reluctant to spend more on e-books.
So e-readers should be given away free.
No, really. Like cell phones. Of course you have to sign a contract.
So, if you sign a contract to pay $40 a month for two years, what do you get besides a free e-reader?
Well, you get one new bestseller a month at no extra charge - at least sort of. Like cell phone minutes, the credits don't necessarily roll over if you don't use them in time, depending on your plan. But if you're careful and have some McMillan favorites, that's probably $14 or $16 of your $40 monthly fee right there.
OK, so you'll have to pay for new bestsellers for the rest of the month - but here's the publishers' chance to push the books not in bookstores anymore. You get free unlimited first chapters of novels. When you just have to read the next chapter, you get one click ordering - and you probably get credits for five or ten non best selling authors not widely back listed. You may not use them every month, but their nominal value is probably above $40 without the new book or anything. Too bad a few new books are so widely advertised that you just have to order them even if your one credit is used up, so people tend to go over their $40 frequently.
Maybe you could get a magazine subscription or two with that.
Just for fun, how about 1 genuine collectible autographed hardcover, or a few paperbacks a year to carry around when you don't want to worry about having your e-reader stolen?
A set of steak knives?
Now the hard questions - who decides how to divy your $40? And are these 'free' e-readers handled by distributors, who are the only people who actually deal directly with all major publishers? Ironic to discover that far from being cut out by e-readers, distributors are now front and center.
That's enough, I'm getting over a cold, and am still light headed. You couldn't tell - could you?
Its a good thing I've found time to blog, since the publishing industry has clearly missed the ideal way to handle e-readers, and now I can tell them. One of the problems is that people who have spent so much money on e-readers are reluctant to spend more on e-books.
So e-readers should be given away free.
No, really. Like cell phones. Of course you have to sign a contract.
So, if you sign a contract to pay $40 a month for two years, what do you get besides a free e-reader?
Well, you get one new bestseller a month at no extra charge - at least sort of. Like cell phone minutes, the credits don't necessarily roll over if you don't use them in time, depending on your plan. But if you're careful and have some McMillan favorites, that's probably $14 or $16 of your $40 monthly fee right there.
OK, so you'll have to pay for new bestsellers for the rest of the month - but here's the publishers' chance to push the books not in bookstores anymore. You get free unlimited first chapters of novels. When you just have to read the next chapter, you get one click ordering - and you probably get credits for five or ten non best selling authors not widely back listed. You may not use them every month, but their nominal value is probably above $40 without the new book or anything. Too bad a few new books are so widely advertised that you just have to order them even if your one credit is used up, so people tend to go over their $40 frequently.
Maybe you could get a magazine subscription or two with that.
Just for fun, how about 1 genuine collectible autographed hardcover, or a few paperbacks a year to carry around when you don't want to worry about having your e-reader stolen?
A set of steak knives?
Now the hard questions - who decides how to divy your $40? And are these 'free' e-readers handled by distributors, who are the only people who actually deal directly with all major publishers? Ironic to discover that far from being cut out by e-readers, distributors are now front and center.
That's enough, I'm getting over a cold, and am still light headed. You couldn't tell - could you?
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