Struggling Writers discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
*Archives *
>
Chat (Up Until 5/4/2013)
Eva wrote: "Rishika wrote: "We don't need to pay anything?"nope, but you need to do everything yourself, design the cover and the formatting, wich is a right pain in the backside.
By the way, if you guys ar..."
Hi Eva,
Is this a complete chapter? If so, it does seem a little short.
In my opinion, I would prefer to find out a little more about the main characters everyday relationship with her boss before you spring their secret sex life on me, maybe leave that to chapter two. I think that the book should begin with an argument with someone who has had their house repossessed (I assume that something like this will be quite a large incidentin the book?).
I liked the journey between the apartment and the office with the comedy of errors. I would have liked it to have been longer though.
Sorry if it appears I am only picking out negatives. I suppose I am, you don't need feedback on the positives lol!
Tony wrote: "Eva wrote: "Rishika wrote: "We don't need to pay anything?"nope, but you need to do everything yourself, design the cover and the formatting, wich is a right pain in the backside.
By the way, if..."
no, that's exactly what I needed, thanks. That's been the most constructive feedback I've had. thanks.
you are right, the start with someone having their house repossed and an argument for the start, thanks; i was going to put that in later on but it makes sense.
about the chapter being short, i've read somewhere that people prefer short chapters instead of long, i've been trying very hard to keep every chapter less than a thousand words. Maybe I'm being daft.
Eva wrote: "about the chapter being short, i've read somewhere that people prefer short chapters instead of long, i've been trying very hard to keep every chapter less than a thousand words. Maybe I'm being daft."Where did you read that? I go with the flow when I'm writing a chapter Eva and if it ends short that's because there is nothing else to explore within its realms. Short or long I don't think it matters as long as there is action and dialogue.
Maybe you could have your main lady fall in love with the character who had his house re-possessed in the first chapter. perhaps she could win the lottery and have 'A Christmas Carol' experience, with the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future?
Morning all, sorry forgetting my manners!
Morning! Eva, I think chapter length is purely at your discretion. Sarah is right, as long as there is something going on, you don't want to break it up with a new chapter. If you look at a selection of books of the same length you will find massive ranges, some with 14 chapters, others with 90. To me, a chapter is a new scene so it depends what sort of book you're writing.
If you wanted to start with a short chapter to draw people in, maybe use a prologue.
Adriana wrote: "OK, so the part I hate the most about writing is the one or two paragraph book description that's going to sell your story to readers. I always just want to hand my manuscript to someone and say "J..."You have the start of a pretty good blurb Adriana all you need to do is play around with the order of words and remember not to give to much away. You want to seduce readers into buying your book, leave them hanging on a mystery or dilemma, make them hunger for it. Like the saying goes 'always leave them wanting more'!
Tony wrote: "Morning! Eva, I think chapter length is purely at your discretion. Sarah is right, as long as there is something going on, you don't want to break it up with a new chapter. If you look at a select..."
Yep a prologue is a very good idea, try and find a quotation that fits your story to open with. I opened the prologue on The Menorah Murders with a verse from the bible!
Sharon wrote: "Morning all"Morning its sort of sunny and dry here today, I seem to have picked up Alain's man flu-yep that's right I have a cold. I got my first review for Cally's Secret yesterday-five stars, my first verified sale too!
That is great news. I have read teh review. So cool.We have snow. It started last night and has not stopped yet :o(
I looked at the weather forecast last night for the week, we have been taken off the list again. It's the mountain areas that are taking the brunt of the snow. Best place for it, is all I can say.I thought so, I have another review in the bag too, I offered to to swap reviews, with anyone who buys Cally's Secret! So far 1 reply-I bought her book this morning!
I'll do it Sarah.Morning Sharon. I'm on the M25 at the mo, the roads aren't too bad but, unfortunately the drivers are.
The drivers are always bad Tony. Just grateful it doesn't appear to be settling now. Would have loved a duvet day today.
Tony wrote: "I'll do it Sarah.Morning Sharon. I'm on the M25 at the mo, the roads aren't too bad but, unfortunately the drivers are."
Thanks Tony, I'm sure your wife will love it though I have one man who said I had him hooked and he didn't normally read chick lit! http://www.amazon.com/Callys-Secret-e... There's the link just send me a link to yours and I'll get right on it!
Sharon wrote: "The drivers are always bad Tony. Just grateful it doesn't appear to be settling now. Would have loved a duvet day today."I wanted a duvet morning this morning too, blooming phone woke me up, and when I listened to the message later it was a wrong number! It was Gerard up the road ringing the other Alain to take him into Guern to the physioterrorist!
Tony wrote: "I'll do it Sarah.Morning Sharon. I'm on the M25 at the mo, the roads aren't too bad but, unfortunately the drivers are."
I remember the M25, the stuff of nightmares Englands biggest car park! My traffic jams here consist of tractors and combine harvesters and only then during the summertime!
I have to admit, I do avoid the M25. I would rather the journey be doubled and take the back roads.
Sharon wrote: "I have to admit, I do avoid the M25. I would rather the journey be doubled and take the back roads."I'm glad I don't have to negotiate roads like that any more, if we go to Paris it will be on the train! We promised Sophie we'd take her to Euro Disney and do the tour of the capital. A long weekend should do it! That will be about all we can take of the hustle and bustle! Alain doesn't like City life either! A couple of country bumpkins that we are!
Sarah wrote: "Eva wrote: "about the chapter being short, i've read somewhere that people prefer short chapters instead of long, i've been trying very hard to keep every chapter less than a thousand words. Maybe ..."hey I read the thing of the short chapters in this group
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
And this is meant to be the rest of the chapter, until i read the opinions on that group; now it has the heading of chapter 2.http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/3...
Ps: the weather here is warming up, hasn't rained in ages and no snow, sorry I'm not trying to rub it in...lol
Eva wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Eva wrote: "about the chapter being short, i've read somewhere that people prefer short chapters instead of long, i've been trying very hard to keep every chapter less than a thousand..."Okay, but I still say the story denotes the length of the chapters - how many pages does 1000 words run to? And I can't say the weathers warming up here but at least its not raining or snowing here either! But it has been raining all weekend, so I think we deserve a break!
Hi everybody. It is freezing here. I am with Sarah on this one. I think chapters should have a natural length and that there should be a mix. I did hear somewhere that you should not split a chapter in the middle of a major event how ever long it is.
When you look back at some of the old classics both their paragraphs and chapters were really long. I think the whole timing of life is different these day.
I was going to escape from the lap top and clean the house but am feeling really lazy.
When you look back at some of the old classics both their paragraphs and chapters were really long. I think the whole timing of life is different these day.
I was going to escape from the lap top and clean the house but am feeling really lazy.
I found this really cool website that helps you edithttp://www.autocrit.com/
i think it's about 50 dollars, not a clue what that would be in pounds but it tells you were you've reapeted yourself,inconsistances and spelling
Tarian wrote: "Hi everybody. It is freezing here. I am with Sarah on this one. I think chapters should have a natural length and that there should be a mix. I did hear somewhere that you should not split a chapte..."I was thinking of going to the house to finish the balustrades this morning but I have come down with Alain's cold and don't feel inclined to go and freeze my ass off today. I'll have to go tomorrow or the varnishing guestapo with hound me!
Let the chapter denote the length, don't split it just because people are too lazy to continue reading. I once read under the covers with a torch to get to the end of a chapter-because the light in the room was hurting my eyes, that and it was like the arctic in my bedroom and in order to turn the light out I had to get out of bed!
Trisha wrote: "Morning"Morning Trisha - the question of the day is long chapters or short ones?
Eva wrote: "I found this really cool website that helps you edithttp://www.autocrit.com/
i think it's about 50 dollars, not a clue what that would be in pounds but it tells you were you've reapeted yourself,i..."
Its about 35 quid give or take, and I have one of those already - Sharon, she does it for the love of reading!
And if its an automated programme it wouldn't pick up on words that are wrongly put in a sentence but properly spelled would it?
Sarah wrote: "Eva wrote: "I found this really cool website that helps you edithttp://www.autocrit.com/
i think it's about 50 dollars, not a clue what that would be in pounds but it tells you were you've reapete..."
lol! but your writing is good anyway, not really a chore. still waiting for more GOD
Sarah wrote: "Trisha wrote: "Morning"Morning Trisha - the question of the day is long chapters or short ones?"
I write them until they feel done if its long its long if its short its short
Sarah wrote: "Trisha wrote: "Morning"Morning Trisha - the question of the day is long chapters or short ones?"
i didn't mean to start a debate!
Eva wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Eva wrote: "I found this really cool website that helps you edit
http://www.autocrit.com/
i think it's about 50 dollars, not a clue what that would be in pounds but it tells you were ..."
I shall take a look at that site it sounds interesting. Sorry to hear that you have a cold Sarah. It is so much easier to get motivated when the sun shines. I think I am still in hibernation.
http://www.autocrit.com/
i think it's about 50 dollars, not a clue what that would be in pounds but it tells you were ..."
I shall take a look at that site it sounds interesting. Sorry to hear that you have a cold Sarah. It is so much easier to get motivated when the sun shines. I think I am still in hibernation.
Tony wrote: "Debate is good!"Eva wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Eva wrote: "I found this really cool website that helps you edit
http://www.autocrit.com/
i think it's about 50 dollars, not a clue what that would be in pounds but it tells you were ..."
Yep me too, trouble is I still have to finish HOD!
Debate is what helps us settle on a happy medium, I'm with Trisha let the chapter decide for you, make your life easier!
Tarian wrote: "Eva wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Eva wrote: "I found this really cool website that helps you edithttp://www.autocrit.com/
i think it's about 50 dollars, not a clue what that would be in pounds but it tel..."
I would be wary of it personally, a machine can only be programmed to do certain things some of the grammar alternatives my spell check throws up at me at times has me wondering if the person that wrote the programme knows how to use grammar at all! It regularly mixes was and were!
Blimey I missed loads going out the office to have lunch lol
Where would I post a section of writing for feedback?
On your profile page, under Tony's Writing. Then you can do a link on here for people to read it.
Sharon wrote: "Blimey I missed loads going out the office to have lunch lol"Did you have anything nice for lunch-I had cold meat and chips and a chocolate Sundae, and I only had that because it fell out the fridge and landed on the floor cracking the plastic. LOL Had to be eaten then-well it would have gone off otherwise!
Well the hospital decided to celebrate chinese new year, so I had egg fried rice with sweet and sour chicken. The rice was lovely, the rest was crap. I can cook it better.
Are you a nurse, Sharon?My wife works at Broomfield in Chelmsford.
Sharon wrote: "Well the hospital decided to celebrate chinese new year, so I had egg fried rice with sweet and sour chicken. The rice was lovely, the rest was crap. I can cook it better."Mmm some Chinese restaurants idea of sweet and sour sauce is bright orange and tastes like rosehip syrup - and I agree you can do better yourself even by opening a jar of Uncle Bens!
I treated myself to a jar of Patak's Tikka Masala sauce on Friday it was blooming expensive but it is at least nice. I suppose I should have done chinese for lunch but the stuffed pork loin was already cooked and I was feeling lazy.
I just sent Alain off to measure for the Gates for the new house - there are some on offer at the local DIY store and as he still hasn't told me what he wanted for last Christmas and Valentines Day on Thursday I figured a pair of gates would do nicely. Push him into fencing the garden in so at least when we move the one remaining dog we have will still be alive the day after!
Stop teasing me with food. I have a punnet of grapes!
Tony wrote: "Stop teasing me with food. I have a punnet of grapes!"That's not lunch, that's an accompaniment to a slab of cheese, and hot crusty bread! Sorry teasing again, mean aren't I!
Tony, that is what I should be eating ;o)
That's fine really, I'm a big fan of food.
Sharon wrote: "Tony we talk a lot about food ;o)"Tony wrote: "That's fine really, I'm a big fan of food."
Lol me too, so much so I eat it every day! I'm also a comedienne, I lie a lot too. I was a legal secretary, and after that chef, and then I worked for Thorntons then I saw the light and retired through ill health, RSI injury that no one wanted to take as their responsibility. I'm fine just typing as I do, the odd chapter here and there and the odd message, but stuff like painting if I do it too often I suffer for days afterwards. So now I pace myself with everything.
allthat food talking, abot to munch some recently made lentil soup! ate some toast this morning and belly has swollen up like a ballon. Can you become alergic to wheat later on in life?
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Struggling Writers
Books mentioned in this topic
Faking Grace (other topics)Faking Grace (other topics)
Naked Heat (other topics)
In The Devil's Own Words, Catedral Cronicles (other topics)
Yeah, I self published on Amazon back in December.