Thursday, November 17, 2005

Mom Test

I've officially completed the peer- and self-editing process for "Desert Muse". I've tinkered with it as much as I dare, and so I will soon submit it to the "Mom" test.
All the major criticisms and editing were done with the writer's group, so the "Mom Test" is just to have one more pair of eyes search over it for typos and obviously misspelled words before sending it in to a magazine.
Reading the Willow King is, well progressing - it's a little hard. I'm focusing mainly on dialogue, when I should be using description, but I can always go back and revise it when I finished - I just have to get the ideas converted into text first.
Also, I've updated my site again! The picture for my profile is really a caricature of me, anime-style. I'm not planning on posting my real name or an accurate photo until I'm actually published - and then it will be my Author's Website.
Also, don't be afraid to comment! If I don't reply, it doesn't mean I'm angry, it means I'm rendered speechless by the glory of your wit and skill!

9 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:11 PM

    Shrug. I certainly didn't think you were angry, but if you ignore replies to your posts, it seems pointless to comment.

    Best of luck with the story, by the way. I read through it on the workshop, and I think it shows lots of promise. If you can fix the problems with character motivation and worldbuilding, and tighten the prose to eliminate the repetition and unnecessary telling, you have a fair shot at publication, I think.

    --anon workshopper

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  2. Anonymous1:38 PM

    Good luck with your submission. Don't forget to double check *everything*! I always manage one of these screwups:

    -- Spell editor's name wrong in cover letter
    -- Get editor's gender wrong
    -- Spell story title wrong
    -- Submit a story that isn't within the magazine's word length requirements
    -- Forget to thank all my critters in the workshop
    -- Get the wrong amount of postage on the envelope

    :-)

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  3. Well, Anonymous, I always thought the point of comments was to, well, comment. Not necessarily to banter, or chat - not that I don't mind doing that, but it's never the only thing on my mind.

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  4. Anonymous7:00 AM

    Shrug (2). My experience is rather different with blogs, including Patrick and Teresa's Making Light, where the comments for each thread make an ongoing conversation, or rather several conversations at once.

    So no offense, but I think I shall leave off reading here. Life is busy, there are novels to write and agents to query, and fascinating conversations call out from the blogosphere.

    --anon workshopper

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  5. Anonymous8:24 PM

    Yes, the point of comments is to comment, but the onus is on the blog's hostess (or her locals) to make commenters feel welcome and that their comments are valued. If the blogger shows no interest in using a comment to begin/continue a conversation, it's a sign that the blogger considers the comment unworthy of comment--which it may well be, but such an action hardly encourages return traffic. At the very least, a 'thank you' in response to a 'congrats' or 'good luck' or 'commisserations' comment is considered good manners, just as it would be in real life.

    So...bye.

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  6. I'm sorry - I do welcome comments very much, but it's only recently that I've received many comments from people who aren't relatives or close friends (to whom I can reply in person).
    I'll make more effort to reply to comments in the future - because I want people to come back and comment!

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  7. Anonymous12:51 PM

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  8. Anonymous4:47 PM

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