Andres’s Comments (group member since Jul 29, 2020)

Andres’s comments from the Gathering Of Dedicated Scribblers group.

Reviewed chapter 4.

I left a review for chapter 3.

Joseph, I left a review for chapter 2.

This is a really hard thing for some people to do. For a long time my favorite author was Pierce Brown who wrote "The Red Rising" trilogy. After its success he would later attempted at extending his series. His 1st book, #4, he changed it into a multi POV much like George RR Martin. It was awful. Absolute garbage.

My advice would be to first write out the chapter. The characters are going to sound alike because they all reflect their author, you. However, now that its all written you can try to get into 1 character mind set, lets take Olivia for example.

Now go through and try to change only Olivia's mannerisms. Her dialog. She's older so her vocabulary should be more elaborate when compared to Agatha and Jana. Think of elder words. Does she have a favorite saying? Does she refer to her passed best friend or husband? "Well you know what ole Tom would say about that.... He'd say that..."

When Agatha and Jana speak they are going to sound much more alike as you've said. They'll likely have more acronyms in their vocabulary. "Well you know, YOLO!" To give them a bit of difference try making one a hypochondriac or a negative Nancy attitude. A bit more Tomboy or Girlish also works well.

These two you should be able to rewrite at the same time for whatever trait you give one, it will lack in the other and you can comb through both characters at once. Which one is your alpha? Who seems to lead the duo? Which one makes the decisions while the other loyally follows?

So my mind was just blown this weekend. Has anyone else heard of this rocketbook? If not check it out on amazon.

I believe the best message I received on coursera was, "The tale of king Arthur has already been told. I don't know how you would make this interesting."

After receiving that I was like, alright, game on beaches.

Very cool.

Take your time. My work is going Covid crazy right now so I'm kinda swamped. Soon as I can get back on and help I will. Hopefully Monday but we will see. Holidays are just around the corner.

@ML this is for you,

https://www.copperstilldistillery.com/

1. Magic Needs Rules
A magic system, like a game, is really no more than the system of rules that govern it. Those rules might dictate that a magic user can levitate objects at a distance, which will no doubt come in super handy during your next big battle scene. But if you don't take the time to define the rule that limits that power, your reader will be asking questions like, "If Xerlius can levitate rocks, why not boulders? And if he can do it from fifty feet away, why not a mile? And hey, wouldn't this whole thing be a lot easier if he just picked up Sir Galador and dropped him on his ass?"
Magic needs rules. Moreover, novels that contain magic need to reveal those rules, directly or via implication, sooner rather than later. Because if you don't set some clear limits on your characters' powers toward the beginning of your book, you'll find yourself inventing rules as needed later on to keep your hero from too handily overcoming every challenge. ("But Xerlius, it seems you've forgotten that your powers don't work on those wearing magic chain mail!")
Maybe magic in your world can't cross running water. Maybe it runs in the family but skips a generation. Maybe it's boosted by the presence of trees and nixed by the presence of iron. Whatever your rules are, think carefully through their implications, establish them early on—and then play by those rules for the rest of the novel, or your reader will cry foul.

Column by Susan DeFreitas July 10, 2017

Space is a vast place.

I have an idea for a sci-fi. Down the road I might possibly make a plead for your assistance if I choose to try and write it. What's your synopsis?

peanut butter whiskey?

Link your goggle doc here whenever your ready for some reads. =D.

Its okay. I got your back =D. Just needed a little bit of magic.

Abracadabra, disappear.

https://andersonatlas.com/

This is a link to an author/illustrator. When you finish your novel, contact him about inquiring about a cover.
He is extremely nice. When I received my cover for him he had already sent me an ebook cover as well as a novel cover. I'm very pleased with his work, the least you could do is inquire about pricing if you wanted a custom cover for your book.

I believe most illustrators charge between $40 to $75 dollars an hour.

@Bill In order to update your chapter you need to install the app, delete your post (with reviews) re-submit your post.

Honestly its not worth the effort or time to update it on Coursera. Once you make your edits do not resubmit them. You will come to a round table review week where you are supposed to have friends read through your work and speak your dialog. During that week I would recommend swapping work with another GODS member. At that point they can read through your changes.

Segun, you had a double post so I deleted your second posting.

There is another course in creative writing offered on coursera as well.

https://www.coursera.org/specializati...

By Wesleyan University

Actually Bill, if you'd like to start an illustrator thread, we can post these links for authors there.

Actually, I would myself prefer to read through a few chapters than to review an individual chapter. I feel that I miss a lot of information coming into the chapter and, for example with ML, what my gripe was with his 1st chapter it ended up being beautifully explained in the next two paragraphs completely eliminating my one complaint. I feel as a pre-reader you can also get a bit more emotionally attached to characters by reading a few chapters at a time.

Please feel free to write until you hit a great milestone and then get reviews from the GODS and then submit those chapters into coursera later on.

I just spoke with Monica. She is about ten chapters in, in 2 separate novels. Coursera reviews kind of burnt her out so she will be popping up here with the GODS when she progresses more and is ready to exchange work.

I feel that a lot of us are concerned with this overall. Thankfully the GODS are here.